Ghosts on Board Read Online Free Page B

snuffing out on a puddle with a tiny crackle.
    â€˜Marvellous!’ says a voice in my ear. ‘Marvellous!’
    â€˜Flip!’ I say. ‘Did you hear that? It’s that voice again.’
    â€˜Yes,’ says Eric.
    â€˜Come out, wherever you are!’ Jacob shouts, spinning around and spraying more sparks across the passage. ‘I can see you – hear you – whatever.’
    Strange shapes emerge briefly in the light of the sparks, and a reflection glimmers on the puddle. Almost human shapes.
    â€˜Can you?’ asks the voice. ‘Can you really see me?’
    â€˜Yes,’ says Jacob.
    â€˜No,’ I say, because I’m not sure if the thing I saw was a person, or a lump in the dungeon wall.
    â€˜Maybe,’ says Eric. ‘I can certainly hear you.’
    â€˜Can you do it again? That spark thing – it was  …  lovely.’
    â€˜Of course.’ Jacob sends another spray of sparks over the puddle. This time I do see the outline of someone reflected in the puddle, but it’s so brief and so dark I couldn’t really say what he or she looked like, or if there really was anyone.
    â€˜I say,’ says the man in the cage. ‘I rather like you – all of you. I sense that you might prove somewhat interesting. In fact, I think I
know
you’re going to prove interesting.’
    I stare at his red eyes, flickering behind the bars, and shudder.
    All
I
know is that I feel really uncomfortable.

Chapter 7
    â€˜I’m Jacob Devlin,’ says Jacob loudly, shifting his weight from foot to foot.
    â€˜I’m Flora, by the way,’ says the girl’s voice from the darkness beside me. She sounds close, but at the same time, distant. Her words are muffled. ‘Flora Rose.’ She must be really small or really good at hiding.
    â€˜I’m Eric Threepwood, and he’s Tom,’ says Eric. ‘Who are you? In there?’
    â€˜Oh, let me introduce myself – I’m Victor. So pleased to meet you.’ The man sticks his hand between the bars. Jacob shakes it. I stand back, trying to work all this out and feeling anxious. In fact, I’d say about 70 per cent anxious. ‘So glad you’ve come.’
    We could run away but the man in the cell is still talking and Eric and Jacob are still listening. ‘I’m wondering – Master Devlin, isn’t it? – as you’re so clever and you can make such wonderful sparks, if you could let me out?’ He taps the bars. ‘It’s just that in the last few minutes, I seem to have become stuck.’
    â€˜Is that a good idea?’ asks Flora Rose, who seems to have moved to the other side of my head, although I still can’t actually see her.
    â€˜What do you mean?’ I ask.
    â€˜She doesn’t mean anything – stuff and piffle!’ interrupts Victor. ‘Now, Jacob Devlin, show me what you can do, you remarkable child.’
    Jacob puffs. His ego inflates and he gazes at the lock.
    â€˜Don’t,’ says Eric. ‘Sparks  …  dust.’
    â€˜Oh yeah,’ says Jacob, as if he understands. ‘Soz, Vic, can’t let you out. Too dangerous.’
    So we call the fire brigade.
    While we wait, Jacob tells Victor about the theme park, and Eric tells Victor about the birds and I draw pictures in the dust with my toe and think that perhaps we shouldn’t tell him anything. I’m also beginning to think that Flora Rose is an invisible person. I’ve peered into every corner and I can’t see her.
    â€˜So,’ says Victor. ‘Have I got this right – you’d like to keep the bird asylum, Mr Threepwood? But you don’t care about it, Mr Devlin? You would rather build this fairground of curiosities?’
    â€˜Theme park,’ says Jacob. ‘With rides and –’
    â€˜Yes, yes,’ cuts in Victor. ‘Park of curiosities and whatnot.’ He screws up his face in