Page 27

At length, Garovel relented. ‘Well, have it your way.’

When Hector finally looked up again, hoping the red in his face was gone, he saw the aftermath of the food fight. Several students were cleaning up the mess under the supervision of teachers and custodians. Even after the bell rang, they were made to keep cleaning.

‘I’m going to go check on a few things while you’re in class,’ said Garovel. ‘I’ll meet up with you again after school, potentially with a new task, so be ready.’

Hector felt himself panicking slightly. ‘Ah--um... where are you going?’

‘The police station, among other places. I’d like to follow up on our serial killer’s case, make sure there aren’t any problems.’

‘Um... please... um...’

‘Hmm?’

‘Please... don’t leave me alone...’

Garovel paused for an extremely toothy smile. He tapped Hector on the head with the butt of his scythe. ‘Don’t you remember? When you talk to me in your head, I’ll hear you no matter where I am. So don’t frown like that. You understand? You’re never alone, Hector. Not anymore.’

He nodded uncertainly.

‘Unless you want to be alone, that is. Then just don’t think at me.’

‘Right...’

Throngs of students filed past him as he watched Garovel disappear through the wall’s steely blue-and-white tile. He took a breath and proceeded to his history class.

As he sat and listened to the mousy Jeremy Voller attempting to give a report about the recent history of the Crown, Hector began to wonder why he even bothered coming back to school. He could see the instructor growing more impatient with Jeremy's every redundant word. Mr. Cormac had a reputation for candidness that made most of the students like him, and Hector might have been included in that group if he didn’t find all teachers inherently frightening.