Free Monster by C.J. Skuse Page B

under no further instruction from Mrs Saul-Hudson to punish Natasha for what she may or may not have done to you—’
    ‘May or may not have done? She punched—’
    ‘And when your brother’s missing, you may also have extra phone privileges. Now I’ll hear no more about it.’
    Even that didn’t stop Clarice. Now she’d pushed past Regan and was right in Matron’s face.
    ‘What now?’ Matron glared at her.
    ‘Day trips.’
    ‘I’m sorry?’
    ‘When some of us were stuck here for a few days in summer, Mr Saul-Hudson took us to the beach at Gunness-on-Sea.We went shopping and had McDonald’s on the way back. What are you going to do about day trips?’
    Matron gently but firmly pushed Clarice backwards, as though her smell was offensive. ‘And what, pray tell, did you have in mind?’
    Clarice shrugged. ‘I dunno. Just some days out. Christmas shopping and stuff.’
    ‘And stuff and stuff,’
Matron mimicked. Tabitha looked at me and smiled. ‘And how were you planning on our getting to and from this
stuff
, Clarice?’
    ‘Bus?’ she suggested.
    We knew there were no bus drivers working over Christmas, and Matron couldn’t drive. Clarice stopped talking. I think even she realised it was futile by this stage.
    ‘You should count yourselves lucky you’re allowed to stay here for however long your parents have deemed fit. I cook your meals, I lock you in and I report anything suspicious to the Saul-Hudsons. That is that. As for entertainment, you make your own. You will all use the prefects’ common room for recreation, to save making the other common areas untidy, and unless you have any relatives willing to spend the day with you, this school will be your whole world until your mother’s car rolls up that drive. Do I make myself clear?’
    Clarice nodded, sulkily accepting she wasn’t going to get the lifeblood that was internet access out of the stone that was Matron, as the woman turned on her polished black heel and left, her key bunch jangling on her hip.
    ‘Such a troll,’ Clarice muttered.
    Dianna threw her a look, but didn’t say anything.
    So that was us for the foreseeable—me, Maggie, Dianna, Regan, Clarice and a six-year-old Pup whom Maggie haddecided we should call Tabby, her full name being ‘way too long to be arsed with’.
    As Matron left us on the hallway stairs to go and let Maggie out of the Chiller after her hour’s penance, Dianna Pfaff sidled up to me. I was uncertain of the intention but got the distinct impression that a favour was about to be asked.
    ‘Listen, do you want to swap chores with me? She’s given me yard duty, entrance hall and breakfast washing-up.’
    ‘That’s not so bad. Maggie’s got the really bum chores—kitchen laundry, washing-up
and
dorms.’
    ‘I know, but I was only on yard duty a week ago. Could I swap you yard and entrance hall for Brody and outside litter?’
    ‘Why do you want to do those?’ I said. ‘Brody pulls hard on the lead and does about three craps every time and outside litter is never-ending.’
    ‘I know, but I don’t mind. Tell you what, I’ll do both and you just do one of mine.’
    ‘Matron’ll know we’ve swapped. I don’t think she’ll allow it.’
    ‘She wouldn’t have to know. I won’t say anything. Please?’
    I stopped and looked at her. ‘You wouldn’t be breaking a rule, would you, Head Girl?’
    ‘Please, Nash.’
    She seemed desperate. It flashed across my mind that the reason she wanted the outdoor duties was to do with her covert visit to the woods and that big white bag. ‘Sorry, Dianna,’ I said. ‘I don’t want to incur Matron’s wrath, not since the extra phone allowance.’
    Dianna nodded. ‘Okay.’
    ‘If there was something you wanted to do outside, I could cover for you …’
    ‘No, I didn’t want to do anything in particular,’ she said. ‘It was just for the fresh air.’
    ‘You’ll get fresh air on yard duty.’
    ‘Just forget I mentioned it. You’re probably better