Beyond the Shroud Read Online Free

Beyond the Shroud
Book: Beyond the Shroud Read Online Free
Author: V M Jones
Pages:
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elaborate game of cat and mouse that she knew she’d win?
    I nodded dumbly, looking as hangdog as possible. Because I figured that was exactly what she was doing. She’d done it before — nothing was ever simple with Matron; she got her kicks in subtle ways. But this time, she’d been too clever. I had a trump card up my sleeve. The new, freshly minted, newly invented, totally reformed Adam Equinox: an Adam so unlikely, so impossible, there was no way she could possibly guess he even existed. The Adam who was learning to turn away from trouble every single time. I knew I could do it. Looking as miserable and surly as possible, I shuffled out of the door … but the minute it closed behind me, I raised one fist in a triumphant gesture of victory: YES!
    At the door of the rec room Weevil was watching me, his eyes sharp and inquisitive.

My gladiator project
    I pushed past him into the rec room. Mondays and Wednesdays were my allocated days for the computer — I was only allowed to use it for half an hour, and only for homework. My meeting with Matron had eaten a big chunk out of my computer time, so I’d need to be extra quick to make up.
    Although weekdays between three and four were officially supervised playtime, my computer time was from three to three thirty. For anyone else, it would have been the worst possible time — right after school, with no time to relax in between. Also, it meant you had to rush straight back, no dawdling, and even then you’d always lose a couple of minutes — all reasons I’d been given that particular slot, of course.
    But it suited me perfectly. I got peace, privacy and a precious chance to do my own thing with no one peering over my shoulder.
    I slid onto the grey plastic chair, whipped the sheet offthe computer onto the floor and switched it on. Hang on a sec, though — I hastily grabbed the sheet back, folded it up as tidily as I could, and put it on the table as if it were made of glass. Grinning inwardly, I gave myself a mental pat on the back. Matron wasn’t going to catch me out, not with the tiniest thing — not when so much depended on it.
    With a quick glance over my shoulder to check no one had snuck up behind me, I tapped in my private, super-secret password — the one Q had helped me set up before I left Quested Court. I hadn’t told him much about Highgate, but he was one of those people who didn’t need to be told things to understand them. In his usual mild, absent-minded way he’d suggested that with other people using the computer, privacy might be an issue. He’d told me to choose a password I’d be sure to remember, and keep it completely secret, even from him.
    I’d thought long and hard about what to choose. It had to be something really cast-iron; something super-cool and special to me. It had to be something no one would ever guess — not in a zillion years.
    There it was on screen: ***********.
    Wicked!
    Quickly, I checked my mailbox. Maybe there’d be something from Q.
    There was!
    hello adam hope all is ok have written to mrs whatnot asking you here for holidays hope it wont cause any problems wed love to have you especially h who is getting chubbier and cheekier by the day she has something to show you but i will say no more must dash q
    It was the way Q always wrote — the way his mind worked, I guess. I tapped out a reply, quick as a flash — my typing had come on a blue streak over the past few weeks.
    Thancks a zilyon Q and gess wot I CAN CUM!!!!!!!!!!! C U soon!!!!!!!!!!! Adam
    Zapped it off.
    Checked the clock. Yeah — I just about had time, if I was real quick. I tapped in the first two letters of Richard’s name, and the computer filled in the rest.
    Hey ther Ritch, I typed hastily. Hows it gowing? Gess wot — Im gowing to sta with Q and hanna 4 the hollidays!!!!!!!!!! Iyll miss yoo guys thow — just imajin if we got 2 go 2 karazan agen! Not
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