The Dawnvel Druids - - (little red riding hood ebook TXT) 📗

them, not the reverse.

“Well, they’re all a bit weird. More than a bit, actually.” Mo leaned closer to him to speak quieter. “Some of the stories about them are positively bonkers.

Loads of people think they’re in some sort of cult who do dark rituals or something. Or maybe the reason they’re rich is because their parents are all crime lords,” Mo snickered. “Either way, most people prefer to stay out of it.

The Perfects aren’t exactly friendly to outsiders. And they can be dangerous too.”

“Dangerous.” Bobby scoffed. “Because they’re parents are rich and they look like supermodels?”

“Well, Warren’s kicked the crap out of about seven other pupils last year, four of them at once the last time. And Simone Singh broke a guy’s arm last term.”

“And Simone is?”

“The one you were ogling at a second ago.” Mo grinned at him.

Bobby had to admit that after he’d gotten over how beautiful she was, Simone also looked pretty tough, but breaking arms was quite a leap.

What about that one?” Bobby pointed to the smaller boy who sat nearby the trio, ignoring them. He appeared to be doodling on a piece of paper, whilst also smoking. “I get what you mean about them getting away with everything. None of the staff have mentioned his cigarette.”

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“That’s Dreg,” said Mo. “He’s…different, to everybody, even the Perfects.”

Different was an understatement. Dreg was scrawny where the other Perfects were tall and athletic. Instead of resembling a fashion model, Dreg had an untidy nest of ginger dreadlocks.

“His name’s Dreg?” Bobby frowned.

“Nickname. No one knows his real name.”

“Why haven’t they been expelled if they’re so violent?”

Mo shrugged. “That’s what I’m saying. Same reason they get other benefits.

Maybe they’ve got dirt on the people who own the place. They could probably get away with murder. In fact, some believe they have.”

“Oh yeah?” he said sarcastically. Mo was messing with him now. “Is this some sort of prank the new guy thing?”

“Nope. Halfway through last year a teacher was found dead in his classroom and he was last seen in detention with Simone, alone. Since she also had a black eye the next day at school, everyone thinks she killed Mr Burke.”

Bobby shook his head. Mo had certainly put a lot of effort into this prank.

“Sure, she killed a teacher, but is still allowed to attend school like nothing ever happened.”

“Exactly, weird right?”

“Impossible is another word I’d use.”

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“Fine, don’t believe me.” Mo held his hands up. “You’ll see how strange they are soon enough.”

Bobby was about to reply when he went cold, remembering the testimony he’d read on his phone. It had said a teacher had died last year. It had to be the same one Mo mentioned.

Bobby looked back at the girl he’d been enamoured with moments ago. Was she really a killer? No, it had to be a coincidence she was the last person seen with the teacher. There would’ve been a police investigation and she would’ve been thrown in jail if she was guilty. What about the other deaths and disappearances?

Bobby decided to ask what had been on his mind ever since he’d learned Dawnvel wasn’t all it seemed.

“Have any of the students here died too?”

Mo’s eyes widened. “How did you know that?”

“I saw it on the web.”

“Hmm.” Mo looked perturbed. “We’re not supposed to tell people about that.”

That’s not creepy at all. And it did nothing to soothe Bobby’s nerves. He was starting to think these Perfects might actually be a murderous cult who regularly sacrificed the school’s staff. Or maybe his imagination was getting ahead of him like usual.

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“So how many Perfects are there?” Bobby had seen the blond, Zander, hanging out with three entirely different students this morning. “Six?”

“Seven actually.”

“Oh, who’s the other one?”

“That’d be me.” Mo smiled, slinging his bag across his back.

“You--you’re one of the Perfects?” Bobby whirled to stare at him.

“Well, I just live with them.” Mo chuckled. “Like I said, they own this place, so it’s best to stay away from them. Just thought I’d give you a friendly heads up.” Mo headed over to the Perfects before shouting back, “nice meeting you.”

Bobby stood there in silence, reeling. What the hell kind of college is this?

He headed across the courtyard and into the cafeteria himself, wracking through all that Mo had told him. He thought he might’ve found his first friend here. But if Mo was a Perfect, did that mean he had to stay away from him too?

The cafeteria was a cavernous hall, filled with ten long tables, seating twenty pupils apiece. Bobby was starving as he lined up behind a throng of excitable students. He got his food portions from the lunch ladies and began looking for a spot to eat his dinner alone. As he carried his tray of beans and jacket potato, navigating through the crowd, he bumped into a solid wall of muscle.

“Watch yourself!” The boy snarled. It was one of the Perfects, Warren.

“You bumped into me,” Bobby said, before realising a simple sorry would’ve been the better option for his health.

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“What did you say?” Warren stepped toward him. He really was huge. His eyes were an electric blue and the nostrils of his wide nose flared. He resembled a Viking warrior from long ago, complete with noticeable scars, and his expression was just as fierce.

“Uh…I meant…”

Warren moved closer, causing Bobby to press himself up against the wall.

“Leave him alone, Warren,” said a new voice.

Bobby peeked over one massive shoulder to locate his saviour. It was Zander.

He was less menacing than Warren, but still looked like he could handle himself. Zander resembled a hero from a fairy-tale, and Warren the villain.

“He’s giving me lip,” Warren replied, his eyes still boring into Bobby’s.

“Let’s go,” Zander ordered.

“You don’t tell me what to do,” Warren growled, his Irish brogue coming out thick.

Bobby was getting sick of this. He hadn’t done anything wrong, Warren was just being an immature bully, and he’d faced enough of those. Bobby didn’t mind getting into brawls, even if he was usually on the losing end. It was better than being a victim.

“Excuse me.” He tried to sidestep the bigger guy, but Warren moved to block his path.

Bobby tried to shove Warren out of the way, to no effect.

“Dude, I-” he was cut off as the punch connected with the side of his head.

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A white flash filled his vision as he sagged against the wall before sliding down it.

“Warren!” he heard Zander shout and faintly sensed him pulling Warren away. Next, he heard the cries and jeers from the other students watching.

“Back to the house, now,” Zander said firmly.

Bobby looked up as Warren stormed off, fortunately following Zander’s orders this time.

Zander helped him to his feet. “I’m so sorry, mate. Warren’s got a few anger problems.”

“Yeah, you could say that,” Bobby replied, too dizzy to stand straight.

“Listen, I’ll make sure this never happens again. You have my word.”

Bobby’s earlier question was answered, that was why people stayed away from the Perfects. From what Mo said, he guessed Warren wouldn’t face any punishment for assaulting him either.

“Hey, it might not feel like it,” said Zander, “but that was actually a light punch for Warren. You should be okay.”

“Right,” Bobby grimaced. It certainly hadn’t felt light. “Thanks for calling him off anyway.”

“Sorry again.” Zander nodded apologetically as he too departed.

Bobby tried to shake away the cobwebs, and the dozens of eyes looking at him. He picked up his fallen tray. He just wanted to finally eat some dinner.

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After eating alone, where luckily the Perfects weren’t anywhere in sight. He headed back to his room, relishing being away from prying stares at last. The punch had given him a splitting headache to go with a swollen lump on his forehead.

He lay down on his bed, fully dressed. Most people might’ve burst into tears right about now. But Bobby had no home to miss, and he’d already endured rougher schools. He’d had a rather rotten time at Dawnvel so far. The teachers had seemed helpful, and some of the other pupils might be nice once he got to know them. But he felt very alone, and very afraid. He couldn’t ignore what he’d read before coming here, and now what Mo had revealed to him. Out of all the schools he’d been too, none had been as weird as Dawnvel. Maybe it would get better as he got to know people. As long as he didn’t get to know any of the Perfects better.

He sat up to watch the red-stained clouds outside his window as the sun sank on the horizon. That’s when the horrifying shape returned.

He heard the ear-shattering screech first. It sounded just like the one on the train. And then he saw it once more. The translucent mass of red appeared suddenly, gliding across the fields. He couldn’t believe it, it was the same ghostly thing. He hadn’t imagined it before. Was it an actual ghost? Or had he gone completely mad?

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All he could hear was his own frantic breathing and the blood pounding in his ears. He felt paralysed by his fear. The thing flew slowly his way, closer and closer.

The field was devoid of any students, but suddenly someone tore across the field, running straight for the spectral shape. Bobby gasped as he realised it was Zander. Why the hell would he run toward that nightmarish thing?

Zander threw out his arm as he reached the abomination, holding what looked like a wand of all things. White light shot from the wand and smashed into the wraith. As the light hit, it spread out into a swirling vortex, carrying the wraith high into the air and away on a violent gust of wind.

Bobby ducked out of view as Zander looked around to see if anyone had seen what he’d done, squinting towards the dorm buildings. Bobby kept his face inches above his duvet for a handful of minutes. When he crept back to the window Zander was gone, only trees and grass swaying in the wind remained.

Had that thing been the same one he’d seen on the train? Would it come back, or was it dead?

His door was locked, and he knew the school had campus security. Besides, surely someone would see the creature if it got inside the dorm building. Even so, Bobby was terrified.

For hours, he kept sitting up and twitching back the curtain, to check if Zander was out there again, and more importantly whether any spectral

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monsters were there too. The first six times he saw nothing, but around midnight he spotted a lone hooded figure heading into the forest.

It was one of the Perfect’s, Dreg, he looked behind him once more, checking no one else was around, before running into the trees and out of sight.

Bobby wanted nothing more than to leave this whole place behind.

Tomorrow he would run away. He