Who are we going to call?’
‘Ghostbusters,’ Morton said.
Rupam grinned, Knight gave a wry smile and Maria actually laughed.
‘Among other things, it will help you see,’ Knight said. He took the phone from Ben and flipped it open. ‘This operates the camera.’
He pressed a button below the main number keys. It was labelled with a simple white square. The screen lit up at once and an image appeared on it – Morton’s amused face as Knight aimed the phone at him.
‘There are various settings,’ Morton explained. ‘Infrared enhancement, digital zoom, two hours’ recording time for audio and video, and five levels of psi detection.’
‘Of what?’
‘The phone can show things that are invisible to most human eyes,’ Morton said.
‘It shows something of what is happening on the ethereal plane,’ Knight explained, still pointing the phone at Morton. ‘Not always, but often. It will show shadows and flickers – hints of ghosts and demons, creatures and monsters, as well as the supernatural aura that often surrounds a child gifted with the Sight. Things you might not pick up even if you do have the Sight.’
Knight handed Ben the phone. ‘It’s set to auto-detect. Morton has no ability, any more than I do, or than you seem to – even at level 5. I guess your ability comes and goes. We need to train that, so you can call it up at will. But try Maria, Rupam and Gemma.’
Ben turned, holding the phone out in front of him and aiming it at Maria. She was still smiling, but while the rest of the picture was just what he’d expect to see on a mobile phone camera, Maria seemed to be glowing. Just slightly – as if she was lit from behind.
With Rupam the effect was similar – a glowing edge, a shimmer. An aura.
When Ben turned the phone towards Gemma, it was difficult to make out any detail she was glowing so much.
‘With your sister, Sam,’ Knight said quietly, ‘the whole screen went white.’
13
T HE CHILDREN HAD THEIR OWN PLAYROOM, though Maria called it a living room, where they could spend their free time. They tended to congregate there in the evening, lounging in the battered armchairs or on the old sofa. There were books, a TV with DVDs and games consoles, and a couple of up-to-date laptop computers with wireless Internet connections. There was also a kettle for them to make hot drinks and a fridge which Mrs Bailey kept stocked with cold drinks, healthy snacks and the occasional bar of chocolate.
It was here that Ben got to know the others. Gemma and Rupam told him more about Maria than the girl did herself. She was the oldest – eighteen according to Gemma, but Rupam said she was guessing.
‘Where does she come from?’ Ben wondered one lunchtime.
Neither of them knew. ‘She was here before we were,’ Rupam said.
‘When I first came here, I thought she was Knight’s daughter,’ Gemma confessed.
Rupam laughed.
‘It’s not that funny.’
‘Just can’t imagine Knight having children,’ Rupam said.
‘Except us,’ Ben pointed out.
Rupam’s smile faded. ‘I suppose.’
He was from India, somewhere close to Mumbai. ‘Different sort of spirits and demons over there,’ Rupam said knowingly. ‘Not better or worse, just different. My uncle could see them too, when he was younger. He’s in the local government, knows some people. They contacted Knight and here I am.’
‘Don’t you go home between terms?’ Ben asked.
Rupam frowned. ‘Why would I do that? I remember everything about home. Every detail. Every moment I lived there.’ He shuddered. ‘I have no wish to go back.’
Ben knew better than to ask any more. Instead he asked Gemma if she had family.
‘I’m like you, Ben. A foundling , with no parents. I was living with my nan when Mr Knight cameto our school. I thought he was funny – with his box and Maria …’ She stared off into the distance, remembering. ‘Until he opened the box. Maria used to laugh and smile back then. She could see as much as
‘Ghostbusters,’ Morton said.
Rupam grinned, Knight gave a wry smile and Maria actually laughed.
‘Among other things, it will help you see,’ Knight said. He took the phone from Ben and flipped it open. ‘This operates the camera.’
He pressed a button below the main number keys. It was labelled with a simple white square. The screen lit up at once and an image appeared on it – Morton’s amused face as Knight aimed the phone at him.
‘There are various settings,’ Morton explained. ‘Infrared enhancement, digital zoom, two hours’ recording time for audio and video, and five levels of psi detection.’
‘Of what?’
‘The phone can show things that are invisible to most human eyes,’ Morton said.
‘It shows something of what is happening on the ethereal plane,’ Knight explained, still pointing the phone at Morton. ‘Not always, but often. It will show shadows and flickers – hints of ghosts and demons, creatures and monsters, as well as the supernatural aura that often surrounds a child gifted with the Sight. Things you might not pick up even if you do have the Sight.’
Knight handed Ben the phone. ‘It’s set to auto-detect. Morton has no ability, any more than I do, or than you seem to – even at level 5. I guess your ability comes and goes. We need to train that, so you can call it up at will. But try Maria, Rupam and Gemma.’
Ben turned, holding the phone out in front of him and aiming it at Maria. She was still smiling, but while the rest of the picture was just what he’d expect to see on a mobile phone camera, Maria seemed to be glowing. Just slightly – as if she was lit from behind.
With Rupam the effect was similar – a glowing edge, a shimmer. An aura.
When Ben turned the phone towards Gemma, it was difficult to make out any detail she was glowing so much.
‘With your sister, Sam,’ Knight said quietly, ‘the whole screen went white.’
13
T HE CHILDREN HAD THEIR OWN PLAYROOM, though Maria called it a living room, where they could spend their free time. They tended to congregate there in the evening, lounging in the battered armchairs or on the old sofa. There were books, a TV with DVDs and games consoles, and a couple of up-to-date laptop computers with wireless Internet connections. There was also a kettle for them to make hot drinks and a fridge which Mrs Bailey kept stocked with cold drinks, healthy snacks and the occasional bar of chocolate.
It was here that Ben got to know the others. Gemma and Rupam told him more about Maria than the girl did herself. She was the oldest – eighteen according to Gemma, but Rupam said she was guessing.
‘Where does she come from?’ Ben wondered one lunchtime.
Neither of them knew. ‘She was here before we were,’ Rupam said.
‘When I first came here, I thought she was Knight’s daughter,’ Gemma confessed.
Rupam laughed.
‘It’s not that funny.’
‘Just can’t imagine Knight having children,’ Rupam said.
‘Except us,’ Ben pointed out.
Rupam’s smile faded. ‘I suppose.’
He was from India, somewhere close to Mumbai. ‘Different sort of spirits and demons over there,’ Rupam said knowingly. ‘Not better or worse, just different. My uncle could see them too, when he was younger. He’s in the local government, knows some people. They contacted Knight and here I am.’
‘Don’t you go home between terms?’ Ben asked.
Rupam frowned. ‘Why would I do that? I remember everything about home. Every detail. Every moment I lived there.’ He shuddered. ‘I have no wish to go back.’
Ben knew better than to ask any more. Instead he asked Gemma if she had family.
‘I’m like you, Ben. A foundling , with no parents. I was living with my nan when Mr Knight cameto our school. I thought he was funny – with his box and Maria …’ She stared off into the distance, remembering. ‘Until he opened the box. Maria used to laugh and smile back then. She could see as much as
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