Read Online Obsidian Pebble by Rhys Jones - Free Book Online Page B

happy, and not to grieve for them. They visit with the express purpose of helping the living cope with their loss.”
    â€œSo they’re not always nasty, miss?” asked Tracy Roper.
    â€œNot always. Unless they’re poltergeists, of course. And they can be very nasty, able to move furniture and even harm the living. Because of that, poltergeists are considered by some to be demonic in nature.”
    The class had gone very quiet.
    â€œSo…” Miss Arkwright beamed, looking slightly alarmed at the effect her explanation was having. “Since this was your first half term with me as your form tutor, I would like you to prepare a short piece of work on what you did over the holidays.”
    Everyone groaned. The bell rang and several people stood to go, but Miss Arkwright was having none of it.
    â€œStay where you are. Just one side of A4. That’s not going to kill you.” Miss Arkwright put her hands on her hips. “I would like a small essay entitled ‘What My Dad and I Did Over Half Term.’ Maybe you went to a football match, or to the cinema. Maybe your dad dressed up as Dracula—anything that you did together. Next time it’ll be you and your mum, but this time, you and your da…”
    She stopped abruptly and Oz froze. She was looking right at him. He could feel himself start to redden. It took four long seconds for her to recover enough to say in a slightly faltering voice, “One side of A4, okay? Now, umm…off you go and work hard this half term.”
    Oz got up and grabbed his bag, but Miss Arkwright stood right in front of him with her sad, earnest expression and frizzy blond hair. “Not you, Oscar,” she said softly. “Stay for a minute.”
    Oz sat back down again. Everyone filed out of the room and as they did, almost everyone turned back to stare at Miss Arkwright pulling up a chair.
    â€œOscar, I am so sorry,” she said, her big eyes strangely moist.
    â€œIt’s okay, miss, really,” Oz said in a voice that he hoped was low enough for just Miss Arkwright to hear.
    â€œI don’t know what I was thinking. Someone said in the staff room that we should get all of year seven to do something constructive, and I thought this would be a good way for me to learn a little more about each of you—”
    â€œMiss, I’m okay. It’s okay.”
    Miss Arkwright looked as if she was about to cry. “Yes, but of all the things I could have chosen.” She shook her head.
    â€œI’ll do it anyway. I know what we would have done if my dad was still here, so it won’t be too difficult.”
    â€œOh, Oscar. How long has it been now?”
    â€œJust over two years, miss.”
    Miss Arkwright blew her nose. When she spoke it was muffled through folds of tissue. “You know, if you want to talk at any time, I’m here. If there’s anything I can do…”
    Oz thought about it for a minute. What he really wanted Miss Arkwright to do was to treat him like everyone else. To not worry about upsetting him every time she mentioned fathers. But then he stared into her solemn face and saw the look of pity that he’d seen so often in his mother’s and knew he couldn’t say anything—even though he desperately wanted to.
    â€œYes, miss, I know. I’d better go. Double Badger… maths, miss.” He grabbed his bag and slid out from under Miss Arkwright’s spotlight gaze.
    Outside, Ellie and Ruff were waiting for him.
    â€œWhat did Hippie Arkwright want?” Ruff asked.
    â€œWorried that she’d upset me with the essay title.” Oz sighed.
    â€œOh.” Ellie frowned. “Not cool.”
    â€œSo now everyone else in the class must be thinking that I have been upset by it, even though I didn’t even think about it at all at the time.”
    â€œMiss Arkwright’s good at that,” Ellie said.
    â€œShe’s just buzzard mental, like all