Free Monster by C.J. Skuse Page A

all knew this meant Maggie and her secret science lesson Snapchats to some boy back in her home town. This knowledge didn’t take the sting out of it though. All pupils, both day girls and boarders, had to post their phones in a locked box outside the staffroom every single morning and were allowed them back every night when they went home or after Prep if they were boarders. Woe betide any Bathory girl who smuggled their phone into class and it went off. It was instant detention or, at the very least, five Blue Tickets for their house.
    ‘But my parents don’t get back from Australia until Boxing Day at least. What about emails? Twitter? Facebook?’
    ‘This doesn’t automatically become a youth hostel once the term ends. You are all still at school. You will continue to use the main public phone at the front of school for phone calls to relatives. You have Margaret Zappa to thank for your absence of phone and internet so take it up with her. The passcode needed to unlock the router is right here,’ she said, tapping the side of her own head, ‘so don’t get any ideas about hacking in to it because that would be impossible.’
    ‘And internet?
So unfair!’
    ‘This is not a hotel, Clarice. Whilst you are here, you will be expected to attend breakfast, lunch, dinner and Prep and to take part in quiet prayers at the Chapel on a Sunday morning. At all times, you are to wear your uniforms. Andwash that make-up off your face. Unless you’re auditioning for the circus, I see no reason to wear it. You’re not impressing anyone here.’
    I swallowed the snigger I desperately wanted to emit. I could see Dianna straining not to smile too.
    ‘No internet?’ said Clarice, flicking her violent red hair in Regan’s face before it fell to her shoulder and sat there shimmering like a fat red snake. ‘What are we supposed to do instead?’
    Matron sighed. ‘When we can trust Bathory girls not to order unsuitable items, download distasteful imagery or Google how to make incendiary devices, your privileges may be returned. But until then there remains, as I said, no internet.’
    ‘But my boyfriend might need to get hold of me. I do have a boyfriend, and a social life, unlike other people, and they both need attention.’
    ‘Do you want to mention your boyfriend any more times, Clarice?’ said Dianna.
    ‘Lesbian,’ Clarice muttered, before shutting up completely and leaning sullenly against the banisters.
    ‘Do you have a spinal issue, Clarice?’ sighed Matron.
    ‘No, Matron,’ she grunted.
    ‘Then will you please use the bones God has given you and stand up straight.’
    I wanted to high-five Matron right there. Seb used to have a girlfriend like Clarice: all lipstick and hair straighteners and me me me. She hated me too—always commenting on my lack of boobs, my lack of style and not having a boyfriend. I constantly wanted to slap her around the gills too.
    ‘You may all continue to make your one ten minute phone call per evening, after Prep, using the payphone outside theHead’s office. Phone cards can be purchased at Bathory Basics in the village. You can go down there tomorrow after lunch. Being here is still a privilege and you may not run amok.’
    Run amok?
I thought. Far be it from me to agree with Clarice, but asking for our phones back was hardly amok-inducing. Unless she thought we were going to arrange bunga bunga parties or heroin drops.
    Clarice had a face like a smacked butt cheek. I was the one who really needed a phone. But maybe I didn’t really want to hear. No news was good news.
    It was as though Matron had read my mind. ‘Natasha, you may have ten minutes’ phone privilege after breakfast each day as well if you wish.’
    ‘Thank you, Matron.’
    ‘Why her?’ scoffed Clarice. ‘We’re all missing home, you know. Also, shouldn’t you be keeping
her
away from me, given what she did to my face? Shouldn’t I get some sort of restraining order?’
    Matron walked up to Clarice. ‘I am