Devil's Rock - Chris Speyer [23]
Mrs Palmer took a deep breath as though about to speak, thought better of it, turned and set off down the corridor. Zaki followed, feelings of anger, hurt and bewilderment chasing each other around and around inside him. When they reached the door of the head teacher’s office, Mrs Palmer commanded Zaki to ‘Wait!’, then she knocked and entered the head’s office. When she emerged she said simply, ‘We’ve sent for your father. You will stay here until he arrives,’ and returned to the classroom.
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Zaki stood waiting, staring at the floor and avoiding the curious glances of teachers and children who occasionally passed by. Eventually, he heard the break bell go and the corridor filled with noise and bodies, but Zaki kept his eyes down.
‘I know what happened.’ She stood close to him as the pushing, chattering crowd heaved around them. ‘I saw it. It was the poster. I don’t know how you did it but you changed the poster into the eagle, or whatever that bird was.’
Zaki looked up. He and the girl were almost exactly the same height. Her eyes were so dark that it was difficult to see the difference between the black of the pupils and the brown of the irises. Her dark eyes seemed to intensify the seriousness of her expression. What had Mrs Palmer called her?
‘How did you do it? Was it real?’
Zaki knew he should say something but when he thought about the moment that the hawk appeared all became confused.
‘I don’t know,’ he said, ‘I don’t know how it happens. Things just keep appearing. Look, I don’t think you should be talking to me. You’ll get into trouble.’ But he didn’t want her to go away. It was a relief to be talking to someone; someone else who’d seen what he’d seen.
‘I’ll meet you after school,’ she said. ‘Do you take the bus?’
‘No, I walk.’
‘So do I. Meet you down the harbour. By the tourist information.’
‘Um . . . Well, they might send me home, I suppose,’ he said.
‘Yeah, but we’ve got to talk. So come to the harbour anyway.’
She was right. ‘OK,’ he said. And felt better, much better. He wasn’t alone any more, ‘Yeah, I’ll meet you – by the tourist information.’
‘I know you’re called Isaac,’ she said. ‘I’m Anusha.’
‘Zaki – I’m usually called Zaki.’
‘Fine – Zaki – Whatever. Meet you after school.’
The crush in the corridor had subsided and Anusha joined the stragglers heading outside for break.
A few minutes later, Craig came by, looking furtive, and wished Zaki luck. Others waved from a safe distance or pulled faces. It was clear that the story had spread like wildfire during break because the returning crowds regarded him with much more interest, but soon classes resumed and Zaki was left on his own.
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Zaki’s father arrived looking hot and worried. He had obviously come straight from Number 43, as he was in his work clothes and there was brick dust in his hair. He looked questioningly at Zaki while the school secretary knocked on the head teacher’s door, but they were shown in before they had any time to say anything to each other.
‘Please sit down, Mr Luxton,’ said the head, and then added, ‘you’d better sit as well, Zaki.’ And, to Zaki’s surprise, she smiled at him. She was a large woman, smartly dressed. Her short hair and the lines around her eyes gave her face a slightly mischievous look. She remained standing, picked a pen up off her desk and put it down again.
‘I must apologise for dragging you in here,’ she said to Zaki’s father, ‘but this a serious matter and, if what I am told is true, there’s the question of animal welfare.’
‘I’m sorry, but would you mind telling me what’s been going on?’ asked Zaki’s father.
‘I think the best person to tell us is Isaac,’ said the head.
Both adults looked expectantly at Zaki. What was he supposed