The Girl In The Silver Mask

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

          School on Monday felt alien. He was thinking of pretending he was sick, but decided against it, knowing they would call at the house. He had to go, to pretend everything was normal, or there would be questions about how his dad had died, questions Dan couldn’t- or rather, wouldn’t- answer. They would dig up the gory remains he had buried, would ask why he hid them. Then there would be that awful interigation again. After his mother’s death, he was for some reason counted as a suspect. They had asked him questions with no sensitivity to the fact he was her son, and the suspicious looks, they were the worst part. The looks that debated if he seemed twisted enough to kill his own mother, the looks they gave him as they decided whether he was guilty. He wasn’t, obviously.  

          When Dan walked into his first class, the head-teacher was waiting for him. She took him outside and placed a hand on his shoulder. She was a chubby woman with square glasses that always seemed to be wobbling precariously on the edge of her round little nose. Her name was Nola, though none of the pupils but him called her that, and she was very motherly in nature, though she had no children of her own, so she had taken Dan in when his mother had died. But still he knew he could not confide in her.

“Daniel, are you okay? You don’t seem yourself, dear. Anyway, I was wondering where your dad was this morning, because there are a couple of jobs that need doing but I haven’t seen him since-“

“He’s ill, he has been since Friday.” He cut her off, he hadn’t expected enquiries so early in the day, but was ready to lie outragiously if it was what kept his secret safe and kept him out of the loony home, where he would surely be put if he calmly explained Mr Langley was a vampire who had murdered his dad.

“Oh! Would you like me to go and see him? I’m sure I have something to help…” Nola offered kindly.

“I wouldn’t. I think it’s contagious, I feel a little off. But thanks anyway, Nola.” Dan coughed in a way he hoped was convincing. It seemed to work, because her face clouded with concern at the possiblity of  him being ill, and also of getting ill herself.

“Well…..Your father’s a grown man, I’m sure he can take care of himself. Let’s get you to the nurse though, you don’t look well either.”

          As Dan followed the sharp clicking of Nola’s heels on the tiles of the corridor, many thoughts went through his head. As soon as he had decided to act normal, an incredibly dull sensation had cloaked his mind like a blanket, and he was protected from most emotions because he was sure at the moment they would all be painful. But the only feelings that sneaked through his barrier were doubt and fear. He couldn’t keep this up forever, eventually people would find out about his dad’s death, and then what? Could he run away? Or would the police lock him up for being mad? He didn’t know, but whatever did happen would be bad, of that he was sure.

          They arrived at the nurses office and Nola turned to me.

“Here’s your stop, sweetie.” She rubbed his arm and frowned, “I hope you feel better soon, but if you don’t give me a ring, ok?” Dan made a miserable attempt at a smile.

“I will Nola. Thank you.” He said, and gave her a quick, private hug before stepping into the office and colliding with the nurse.

          “Oh, hello dear……” She said in a tierd voice, motioning with a sweep of her hand for him to come in and shuffling after him. She was an old woman with a crooked back, but she was kind and knew how to make people better so everyone liked her and respected her. Rumor around school had it her grandmother was a famous witch and healer. Her tightly curled white hair was always pinned back and noone- not even, he suspected, Nola- knew her real name; she was simply ‘nurse’.