Read Online Blind School by John Matthews - Free Book Online Page A

holo-pod the other day.
    Jessica recoiled with a gasp – but he was too quick, he reached out and gripped her. And as she struggled frantically, her arm went clean through the dark slime between those faces.
    Suddenly drawn into that darkness, she found herself writhing through the slimy labyrinth of gargoyle faces and skulls. Beyond the first row, an endless sea of skulls and horrific faces appeared to stretch into the distance. She could feel the slime gelling them sticky against her skin, feel it clogging her throat, taking her breath away.
    Jessica sat up with a jolt, breathless, eyes adjusting in the darkness of her bedroom. And thankfully a soothing voice was there too:
    ‘Don't worry, you're not alone... you're not alone .’
    She looked to one side and it was Ellis Kendell, reaching one hand towards her. She squinted, trying to make sense of it. What was he doing here ?
    And as she saw a writhing demon apparition swirling in his body too, this time she woke up for real, gasping heavily.
    She reached for the inhaler on her side table.
    The sun attempted to break through a weak cloud cover as the priest recited to the small gathering by the graveside.
    ‘...Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. In sure and certain hope of the Resurrection into eternal life – we commit to you, Our Lord, our beloved brother, Joseph.’
    The priest made the sign of the cross and stepped back from the graveside with a small nod.
    A tearful Marisa Culverton was first to step forward and throw a handful of earth on the coffin, then John. Finally, Alex.
    But Alex appeared even more disconsolate than his mother or younger brother, tears streaming freely.
    ‘Oh papa... dear papa .’
    The other mourners appeared visibly touched by the display. More handkerchiefs came out amongst the women, whereas the men, less comfortable with open emotional displays, looked down or away.
    Marisa Culverton was one of those to turn quickly away, a coldness in her eyes. She wasn’t fooled for a minute by the crocodile tears.
    Marisa Culverton's expression was stony in the back of the limousine heading away from the funeral. John sat beside her, quizzical.
    ‘What? You think something was suspicious about father's death?’
    Marisa eased a tired sigh. ‘Work it out: One day Alex is pushing like all hell to get Joseph out of the hospital. Next day your father is at home – dead .’
    ‘What... Alex? I know he's got his many bad points, and God knows he and I don't see eye to eye...’
    John’s voice trailed off as he cast an anxious glance back towards Alex in the limousine behind.
    ‘And that air-show incident too,’ Marisa offered. She closed her eyes for a second, not wishing to accept it herself. She took a fresh breath. ‘All I'm saying is keep one eye over your shoulder with Alex. Watch your back.’

TWELVE
    Professor Mentinck was winding up another holo-pod lecture.
    ‘Finally, notice here the lion-like features combined with horns – not dissimilar to Valefor or Marbas.’
    He pointed, then suddenly used the same hand to reach out and grip the central pole to steady himself as the bus turned a corner.
    The ‘practical lesson’ Ellis Kendell had promised the class the other day: the scan bus.  
    The hologram image was similar, but this time projected from the bus roof with a single wide-screen behind. At the other end fifteen students observed as the bus drifted along city streets.
    Darkened glass. Full visibility looking out, none looking in. On one side halfway down the bus was a bank of screens manned by Ellis Kendell and an operator. Ellis pointed to the screens as he took over from Mentinck.
    ‘Okay. The scan-bus will be your on-off home for the next few days. The first view you get of demons will probably be on these screens. So huddle round closer to get a better look.’
    As the students moved in, Ryan and Jessica were only two away from each other; they exchanged tentative smiles.
    ‘The screens pick up thermal images for eight blocks