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The door opened and Lea's small face peered in. Her
hair was wet and she was panting hard.
"You there? It's dark. Why are the lights off?"
"Shhh! Come in," Michael hissed.
She slipped in and closed the door. "What's happening?"
She seemed suddenly to notice that she was dripping
onto the carpet. "Got a towel?"
Michael pointed to the house he was watching. It was
easy to spot because the lights had started to flash
more dramatically than ever. He showed her the way the
streetlamps dipped, as if the extra power going to the
house lights sapped their strength.
She ignored the water. "Let me take a look through
the camera."
He passed it to her just as a remarkably bright flash
spilled from the house and every other light in view
blinked out. From the bar below they heard fifty people
moan in harmony.
"There is something seriously strange going down
in this village," Michael said. He fetched a towel
and handed it to her. "I'd better go and see if
they need help. Will you come?"
They made their way downstairs. The bar was lit with
candles and fluorescent torches. There was plenty of
cold bottled beer. The spirits didn't need to be kept
cold, but they did need ice, which fortunately was plentiful.
Michael's mother was serving behind the bar. They found
his father in the kitchen.
"Reporting for duty. Can we help?"
"At ease," his father said with a smile.
He thought for a moment. "Don't think we need any
help just now. You doing homework?"
"Yes," Michael lied. "Physics lab report."
"OK, you better get on with that. We're fine down
here. I'll call if I need you."
"Thanks. We were going to have dinner but I guess
the kitchen's closed. Are there any more sandwiches?
"Think so. Help yourselves."
They raided the fridge for sandwiches and fruit salad,
grabbed crisps and lemonade, and headed back upstairs.
Michael didn't feel at all guilty about the lie. His
father checked his schoolwork every couple of weeks
and made a note of all the marks in a thick notebook
that resided in the safe in the office. The schoolwork
needed to be done, and it needed to be done well. Exactly
when it was done was a detail that should trouble no
one but Michael.
Back in his room Michael booted the laptop and checked
the phone. He hoped it might work but again he found
that it was dead. They unwrapped the food and sat on
the bed to eat. "You gonna tell me about the flashing
lights?" Lea asked.
"Not much to tell. Last night, after the lights
went out, that house was really brightly lit. That's
all I know. Any idea where it is?"
They both peered out of the window. The house was easy
to spot. The flashing lights were gone but, just like
the previous night, it was now much more brightly lit
than any other house in the village.
Lea thought for a while. "It's on Pea Street,"
she announced.
Michael was amazed. "How do you know?"
She shrugged. "I just think it's on Pea Street."
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