The Magpie Effect - The Magpie Chronicles Book 1 (#Wattys2015)

Chapter 27

I stood rooted to the spot as the crowd of grotesque Ball-goers gushed towards the buffet table.  I could still see the worm, coiling repulsively from the highest tier of the platter.  It was on the sandwich-tower closest to me, but the buffet table extended practically the whole length of the gymnasium - surely there could be more? 

In the time that I spent watching people arrive at the buffet table, snatching plates and extending their hands towards the bountiful piles of food, I completely forgot that if any of them turned their heads, they would see me standing there in my jeans and hoodie.

I cursed and stood completely still.  I adopted the whole 'they can't see you if you can't move' thing, which wasn't very successful because no sooner had I pressed myself against the ledge of the stage and assumed a state of not-moving, a voice cried out:

"Saffy!  What are you doing here?"

I turned and, to my relief, saw Debbie rush towards me from the buffet table, tugging Wes behind her.  She was dressed as a zombie, her face a mash of realistic gore that she had undoubtedly painted on herself. Gruesome make-up had always been one of her specialities. Wes was dressed as a space man, a plastic bubble enclosed around his head.

"Ssh!"

"Whoa, Saffy!" she exclaimed as I tugged her by the wrist and pulled her tight against me.  "What are you doing?"

"Making sure nobody can see me," I muttered, glancing over her shoulders to the crowd beyond.  Nobody had discovered the worm, not yet.  "You look disgusting, by the way," I added, passingly.

"Thanks, I guess. Saffy, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Long story. Listen to me, you have to get out of here."

Debbie frowned. "What? Why? Saffy, just tell me-"

"Debbie, I can't," I pleaded with her.  "Look, please, just trust me on this one-"

"What have we here?" a familiar voice drifted over Debbie's shoulder. Debbie and Wes parted to reveal Mrs Vanderbilt, her hands on her Dalmatian-spotted hips.  "Ah, Miss Sweet, I see that you decided to ignore your punishment and attend tonight, regardless."

I burst forward in a sudden fit of desperation. "Mrs Vanderbilt, I can explain-"

"Please, do," she replied curtly, "before I have you escorted from the premises."

"I know you said I was banned, but I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for-" I said, and then I stopped myself in my tracks.  This couldn't be going any worse.  I was making a fool out of myself; people were starting to look into the corner, at the chubby girl in a baggy old hoodie, who'd decided to go against the words of the Headmistress and invite herself to the Ball anyway.  No good could come of that.

But she was here, I knew it.  She was hiding in this room somewhere, and she was probably laughing at my dismal attempt to bring a stop to whatever she had in store. 

    Mrs Vanderbilt narrowed her eyes at me. "What is it, Miss Sweet? You know, you're looking at quite a hefty reprimand for this little stunt, perhaps even a temporary suspension."

"I, uh... I..." The world began to sway around me. The music thumped in my ears as though I were underwater.  Everything seemed thick, viscous.  Even the air that oozed into my lungs felt as though it were congealing, and suddenly my heart had to beat twice as fast to keep up with it all. I probably looked like I was about to pass out.

But then I saw her, and I snapped to attention like a soldier at morning call.  It was only a glimpse, but it was enough for me to barge through both Debbie and Wes and duck past Mrs Vanderbilt, despite the exclamations she barked at me.