Shadow Breakers Read Online Free Page A

mate?” She takes me by the elbow. “C’mon, what you skulking round here for?”
    â€œUm, I’ve got . . . something to do. Sorry.”
    â€œOoh, secret mission. You
meeting
someone?”
    â€œNo, not like that.”
    â€œOh, yeah?” She grins expectantly, swiveling on one heel. “Who’s lover-boy? You got someone waiting to snog you round by the Biology labs?”
    â€œFive minutes,” I say, holding up a hand. “Just gimme five minutes.”
    I shoot off through the double doors at the top of the corridor. I run at full tilt past the language lab and the classrooms, and skid at the end so I almost lose my balance. Breathless, I pound down the stairs, jumping the last three, and turn the corner — just in time to see Ollie disappear toward the sports fields. I hurry after him.
    I find him on the bench by the track, putting on his rugby cleats. I sit near to him, glancing up to see if he has noticed me, and open the packet of mints I have in my pocket.
    â€œChilly this afternoon,” I say.
    He looks up, narrows his eyes as if trying to place me, then smiles. “Oh, it’s
you
. Miranda, isn’t it?”
    So he knows my name, too. Have the Weirdos been talking about me as well as watching me?
    I wonder whether to mention the watching. I decide not to, for now. Better to be cool and remote. Play them at their own game.
    â€œLike the bag,” I say.
    â€œReally?” He looks worried, as if he’s wondering whether I’m mocking him. Not surprising, really, as it’s just a normal sports bag.
    â€œI’ve been looking for one like that. Where did you get it?”
    â€œUmm . . . I can’t remember,” he says, concentrating on tying his cleats. “Do you mind? I’ve . . . got stuff to do, here.”
    I hold up my hands. “Sorry. Don’t mind me.”
    He nods. “Okay. Well. See you around,” he says, looking at me curiously one last time.
    â€œSure.” I wave at him as he disappears to rugby.
    As soon as he’s out of sight around the corner, I slip my hand into his bag and find what I’m looking for. Then I allow myself to breathe out. And I hurry off, late, to French, feeling the slim, smooth shape of Ollie Hanwell’s cell phone tucked into my inside blazer pocket.
    Mission accomplished.
THE OLD VICARAGE: THURSDAY 16:05
    Stealing? What do you mean,
stealing
?
    It’s more complicated than that. I have a plan. I’m going to find out what this is all about. Because ever since I came here, a lot of things have not been making sense. And things not making sense churns me up inside, makes my heart pound faster, and my body feel tense, aching. I need to do something. I can’t do anything about the Shape and the dream, but I can get to the bottom of why those four Weirdos keep looking at me. And if, ahem,
borrowing
a phone is what it takes, then that’s what I have to do.
    I’ll give it back.
    Just as soon as I’ve got the information I need.
    Mum’s feeding Truffle. He’s sitting in his chair with some sort of apple concoction around his mouth, and he opens his eyes wide as I plonk my bag on the kitchen table.
    â€œHi, Mum. Hi, Truffle.”
    â€œManja!”
says Truffle delightedly, and points at me.
    Mum, her hair all over the place and her glasses pushed up on top of her head, pauses with the spoon halfway to Truffle’s mouth. “Tash is coming round at five,” she says. “I have to be out visiting the old people’s home. A few clients there.”
    This is the sort of thing my mum does all the time. I’ve been used to a succession of “helpers,” as she calls them, coming in to look after me and Truffle. Tash must be the latest.
    â€œI’ve got to go out in a bit,” I say. “Need to . . . collect some shells.”
    â€œShells?” says Mum.
    â€œFor . . . Science. A project,” I say, trying to sound