Amanda had tried to convince Mary that others just like her had succeeded in the living world, but her friend would not listen. On the day that she went down to the Tunnels, Amanda was not able to bring herself to say goodbye to her friend and she regretted her inaction more every day. She slammed the boot of her Clio and admired the sight of the orange, red sky that she could see to the West through the mass of leafless trees. She did not know what she would do if she ran out of money, but the idea of going down the Tunnels was not an option. She would just have to find another way.
“Amanda.”
Amanda turned around to see the corduroyed figure of the deputy approaching from the main entrance of the school.
“Amanda, I’m glad that I caught you before you left,” said the deputy as he hurriedly paced the last few steps between the school and Amanda’s car with a cardboard folder under his arms. “There’s one more thing that might give you a little help down in Radcliff. I have here a copy of the profiles of some of our former students who live in the area. I am sure that it will turn out that none of our alumni will appear to be involved in this case; indeed, I’ve already had a look at the profile pictures in the files and none of them matches the description of the man Brenden gave us. Still, it might be useful to see whether any of our friends down there might have some information on whoever we’re looking for.”
“Err… Thanks,” said Amanda while retrieving one of the files from the folder, revealing a black and white image of a young looking, dark haired women from the 1960s.
“Just to make sure we can keep in contact; you’ll find my direct number at the bottom of the page there. But, ah yes, I would be most grateful if you could keep the contents of the files to yourself during your investigation. Some of our former students can be rather private people and might be a little distressed if they were to discover the contents of their files. One more thing, you’ll need a place to stay while your down in Radcliff. Of course, the school will pay; just please keep the receipt. We’d also be grateful if you could avoid the Ritz, not that Radcliff has one of course: just a joke.”
“I trust you of course, but the big man insists on paperwork. Right, I think that’s all you need. Oh, and as I said: if nothing comes of the investigation, then that’s just the way it is. Must dash.”
With that, the deputy turned abruptly and hurried up the steps that led to the entrance of the school, before quickly disappearing inside the building.
***
Brenden hid under the thin sheet that covered his bed. For what seemed to him a near eternity, he remained there, stock still, while trying to hold together the tumult of emotions that revolved around his growing despair. At the same time, he both wanted the terrible swell of feeling to disappear so that the pain would leave him and for it to grow into an irresistible force that would overtake and swallow him. The force, though it ebbed and flowed, never grew strong enough to overtake him or weak enough to let him go. Instead, it just maintained a sharp enough cutting pain in his gut to keep him pinned silent and still under the cover of the sheet in his unlit room.
“This will not do, Brenden,” came the sound of a familiar voice.
Brenden did not respond and only acted to curl his body into a tighter ball.
“Alright now, my boy,” said the voice again in a soft tone, allowing Brenden to realise that Ms Halford had now entered his room. “You can stay there for a little while, but we have many things, very important things, to teach you here at the school; I would not want you to miss them. Take what time you need to get ready and I’ll be waiting for you outside classroom 34.”
Gently, Ms Halford retreated from the room, using an old trick another spirit had taught her long ago to turn on the light just before she left. As soon as the pearl bulb flared into life, the emotions that had held Brenden’s body in place finally gave way; with their release, he burst into tears. He let them flow and let himself choke out sobs without caring if anyone outside in the corridor could hear him. Eventually, he found that he could not cry anymore and without too much thought, he first sat up in his bed, then dried his eyes before making his way outside.
Brenden slowly made his way to the classroom and just as she had said, Ms Halford was waiting outside.
“Now, Brenden, you do look a bit of a mess. Have you got a handkerchief in your pocket? No, well give your eyes a wipe anyway. That’s it. Better give your hair a comb to. No comb? What is it with the young men of this generation? It beggars belief! Well, best just pad it down. Yes, that’s it. Now, tuck your shirt in and we’re ready to go.”
Brenden clumsily shoved the bottom of the baggy, purple shirt that the school had provided him with into the slightly too large jeans he was wearing.
Ms Halford pursed her lips a little at the sight of the boy, but decided there was not too much she could do at that moment to smarten him up: it was better to get on with the task at hand.
“That will have to do. I assume you are wondering what we’re doing here? Well, in the room behind me
