Free The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw by Suzy Turner

other silently before they both leaped up and screeched loudly, jumping up and down happily.
    Josiah sat quietly on the floor in the corner, watching and smiling.
     
     

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
     
    After they'd eaten a meal of delicious Indian food, Declan gave the girls a map of London and let them go off and explore by themselves.
    'I know you're probably dying to get out and have a good look around. Just be careful. Here's my number in case you get lost or if you need anything,' he said, handing them a card that Emma had tucked into her pocket without even glancing at it.
    Saleena stepped off the boat with them and pointed out the general direction they should head.
    'Please try not to go too far. Just stay safe,' she said as she hugged them both before disappearing back indoors.
    'Right, where shall we go first?' asked Emma as she turned the map around and began inspecting it closely.
    'Big Ben, I wanna see Big Ben,' giggled Lana as she hooked her arm into her sister's and pulled her away from the water's edge.
    'But it's right there,' said Emma with a sigh. 'We're practically there already.'
    'I know that,' she tutted, 'but I just wanna get right up close, c'mon.'
    The girls exited the pier and headed across the road where the world renowned clock stood magnificently in all its glory.
    'I wanna hear it,' yelled Lana above the traffic noise.
    'But, I don't think that's going to happen for another thirty-five minutes,' moaned Emma, 'I want to go for a walk. We'll still hear it wherever we are.'
    'Okay. Let's just walk slowly and not go too far then. How about we cross the bridge to the Eye?'
    'No, let's save that for another day and just wander around here, the Houses of Parliament are just there, look... and Westminster Abbey over there. There's plenty to keep us busy.'
    Lana stopped abruptly and crossed her arms, almost dropping the map in her hand, looking at her sister as if she was mad, 'We come all the way to London and you want to look at the boring Houses of Parliament? After Big Ben, I wanna go see Trafalgar Square and then head down to the greatest shopping streets in the world,' she huffed.
    Emma tried not to laugh. 'We come all the way to London and all you want to do is go shopping?'
    'Well... yeah. It's not like we ever had much of a choice back home, is it? Thank God for the Internet is all I can say.'
    Shaking her head, Emma leaned back against the wall overlooking the Thames and chuckled, 'I guess so. But we've got a couple of weeks. I know we're doing work experience most days, but we'll have the evenings and weekends free. Can't we just take in some of the sights first? Please?'
    Big Ben surprised them by chiming even earlier than they thought it would while they were wandering around the outskirts of the Palace of Westminster, the home of the Houses of Parliament and even Lana was stunned by its impressive architecture.
    So deep in concentration were they, that when the bells did begin to chime (after just fifteen minutes), they both jumped and giggled nervously while they stood and looked across at it in admiration.
    'Boo!' came a voice behind them, making them both jump again.
    Turning, Lana and Emma were face to face with the ghost of Joe who had disappeared during lunch.
    'God... don't do that, Josiah Grimshaw' scolded Lana. 'Where have you been anyway?'
    'Oh just wandering around the streets of London. I've seen almost all of it.'
    'Already? But that's impossible.'
    'Not when you're dead,' he added, smiling sadly. 'I did find something intriguing though...'
    'What?' asked Emma.
    'Erm, not sure how to explain. Why don't you just follow me and you'll see what I mean...' he said as he drifted off into the distance.
    'Joe... wait for us,' they yelled as they ran after him, not noticing the strange glances they'd been receiving from a group of Japanese tourists who had witnessed them talking to nothing but empty space.
    After fifteen minutes of running, Lana and Emma came to a standstill at a set of traffic