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Back The Lightning Catcher Save as PDF
Chapters (45)
  1. 1
  2. 2
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  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
  34. 34
  35. 35
  36. 36
  37. 37
  38. 38
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  40. 40
  41. 41
  42. 42
  43. 43
  44. 44
  45. Acknowledgements

‘What you call “fine” could have spread to the pavilion, the bowling-green hut, the trees – the whole field could have gone up. What you call “fine” could have ended up costing a lot of parish council funds, not to mention the time and money of the fire services. What if you’d set yourself on fire? This really is the final straw.’

I said nothing and backed away. Couldn’t tell them what really started the fire, could I? They wouldn’t believe me for a second, and if they did, it would be even worse for Whizzy. What might they do to her? I couldn’t betray her.

At first, I thought Mr Lombard was going to let me go, but he followed, pointing a finger at me. ‘You’re going to the devil, son.’

‘It wasn’t even my fault!’ I yelled at him. I couldn’t help it. Angry tears were prickling, and my face was running with sweat. ‘It was a total accident with my phone! Ask Sam Irwin – he was with me!’

‘Bringing innocent people into your lies won’t help you.’

I shook my head – it was all so hopeless. But Whizzy must have felt my torture because dark purple flashes snaked through the grass around my feet. They were minute, no bigger than a hair. I glanced back at Mr Lombard and he was still coming slowly, still chuntering and still probing me with his baking hot stare every step of the way. ‘No, Whizzy,’ I hissed from the corner of my mouth. ‘Ignore.’

I broke into a run and headed for home, but Whizzy didn’t give up. I’d only got as far as the river bridge when a noise came from somewhere close to the ground. It was a long, deep, angry musical note. And then Whizzy’s anger shot straight up to the sky again, scattering birds.

For a split second she seemed to be as big as the world – as if the whole sky had taken a huge white-gold breath – and my heartbeat got so heavy and fast, it filled my throat. In that second, she seemed to be pulling at something I couldn’t see. Yanking, with a horrible strength. Whizzy was heaps stronger now. She was terrifying. And then she vanished.

28

Zero In

6.30 p.m.

The knock at the door came in the middle of tea. Mum was annoyed before she even answered it. She’d only just sat down and lifted her first forkful – it hadn’t even reached her mouth.

Two police officers – a man and a woman.

‘It’s very serious, young man,’ said PC Banik, the woman, when they were inside. ‘And you’re one of the boys involved in the allotment vandalism too, aren’t you?’

How did they know about that?