Free Deathwatch by Nicola Morgan

realized that this could be a dangerous chemical.
    Quickly, but gently, he lifted the struggling insect. It hissed viciously as he lowered it into the jar and finally screwed the lid on. In another swift movement, he peeled the gloves from his hands and put them in the hazardous waste container that Miss Bleakney held out for him.
    The insect became still. The man put the jar away in his bag, along with the brown bottle.
    “Back to your seats everyone,” said Miss Bleakney. She was tight-lipped.
    As for Professor Bryden, he looked furious. He was no longer just a silly little man with a shiny head. His eyes were venomous as he looked around the faces: faces that all looked at him.
    Silent faces. Of pupils who did not know what to say or think. A strange tension settled on them, a trapped energy, excitement mixed with horror. Cat felt exposed, guilty, yet angry too.
    “That should never have happened,” said Professor Bryden, his voice menacing. “That insect need not have died, not at all. Why you need to be frightened of a tiny insect, I simply have no idea. Clearly it had more cause to be frightened of you. And yet it was not. How does that make you feel?” He looked around. Cat was sure he looked mostly at her.
    “Quite,” said Miss Bleakney. “But they are only young. Perhaps we…” She stopped. “Now, everyone, I think we should thank Professor Bryden very much for coming in and sharing his knowledge with us.” And she started vigorous clapping. The noise of applause rose strangely into the room, shattering the tension, and now scattered laughter broke out. Miss Bleakney shouted above the noise.
    “Quiet, please! Quiet! Marcus, please go to 4M and tell them that they may not come to the lab until I say so. And Rebecca, please go and get one of the cleaners – tell them there’s been a chemical spillage. Quickly, please. No, don’t be silly, Josh, we’re not all doomed. It’s just a precaution.” She ushered them out of the room as fast as possible.
    This incident quickly spread around the school. Opinion was divided. For some, the man was a creep and should never have brought live insects into the class. But on several occasions during the morning break, pupils in the year below called Cat a murderer. Why her? Why not whoever had jogged Ailsa, or Emily who’d thrown the creature towards her when she wasn’t ready?
    Cat’s friends stuck up for her. The others who’d been in the class didn’t care much whose fault it was. After all, it had been an exciting lesson and something to talk about. And it was only an insect. Danny? He grinned and looked her way at every opportunity. He was thoroughly enjoying himself.
    Cat just wanted the day to end.
    “Don’t worry. They’ll soon forget about it,” said Marcus. Marcus was sensible like that. And Cat knew he was right. Bethan and Ailsa stayed with her all through school, and she was glad of their loyalty, even though Bethan was somewhat exaggerating the drama of the situation. And Emily had said sorry, though it wasn’t her fault either – Cat knew she would have done just the same.
    Then, of course, there were the rumours. Rebecca said she’d seen Professor Bryden coming out of the head’s office, looking furious. One rumour said he was crying. Alison was sure she’d seen him wiping his eyes. When a police car was seen in the school grounds, he’d
obviously
been arrested. When no one could be sure that they’d seen him
in
the car, he’d
obviously
escaped and was now on the run, a dangerous criminal. No matter that the school secretary laughed and said that the police had only been there because they were doing a talk to the juniors: that was
obviously
a cover-up. One rumour said that Miss Bleakney was going to be sacked. She’d been seen coming out of the head’s office too. By the end of the day, Professor Bryden was definitely a paedophile with a criminal record, and a murderer too, a poisoner.
    Then there was a rumour that the chemical