Ghost of a Chance Read Free

here, thought Angus. It’s as large as a hospital ward.
    Ling sat on her bed, holding back the curtain and looking out the window. ‘It’s a great view from here,’ she said. ‘When it’s light you can see the beach and the heads. There’s an old lighthouse at the point.’
    ‘A lighthouse?’ said Hannah. ‘I thought they didn’t use them any more.’
    ‘Lighthouses are fully automated these days,’ said E.D. ‘They don’t use lighthouse keepers any more.’ He settled back on Gabby’s bed. ‘So, here we are. Now we need to know why we’re here.’ He turned to look at Ling.
    Ling let the curtain drop. Everyone was looking at her. She could hear faint music from the room up the corridor but suddenly it stopped. Room 8 became so quiet that she could hear the whooshing of waves breaking on the beach.
    ‘I came here last summer with Mum and Dad,’ she said quietly. Then she stopped.
    ‘I knew that,’ said Gabby, nodding. ‘You sent me a postcard of that island in the cove.’
    ‘The Isle of Many.’ Ling looked at her cousin. ‘Where they buried the dead from shipwrecks.’
    Hannah sat up straight. ‘Keep going.’
    ‘Something happened when I was here last time,’ said Ling, glancing at Angus. ‘I haven’ttold anyone because I thought we’d never come here again. Mum and Dad always choose different places for our holidays.’
    ‘Lucky you,’ said E.D. ‘We always go to Grandma’s. Not that that’s a bad thing but if Grandma would shift house sometimes, it’d be better.’
    ‘Quiet, E.D.,’ said Angus. ‘Go on, Ling.’
    ‘I was asleep in here by myself.’ Ling stared at a spot in the middle of the room. ‘Mum and Dad were having a late drink in the dining room with Auntie Susie. I’d fallen asleep but something woke me. Someone or something was moving in the room. I sat up, thinking that Mum and Dad had come back in and were going to turn on the light, but the room was empty. When I tried to switch on my light, it wouldn’t work.’
    Gabby gave a quiet gasp. ‘The power had gone off?’
    ‘No. I could see that the corridor light was on from the glow beneath the door. It was just my light that wouldn’t work. And then I saw her.’ Ling stopped.
    ‘Who?’ said Hannah.
    ‘I don’t know who. A girl—about our age—thirteen or fourteen. She was standing there.’Ling pointed to the middle of the room. ‘She said, “Help”.’
    ‘Help?’ said E.D. ‘Was she in trouble?’
    ‘I don’t know. She looked at me and held out her hand.’
    ‘Then what happened?’ Angus leaned forward in his chair.
    ‘The room was cold and I started shivering, but the girl stood there with her arm out. It was like she was trying to say more but couldn’t get it out. Then she sort of faded away and I wondered whether I’d ever really seen her in the first place.’
    ‘And you never saw her again?’
    Ling shook her head. ‘I’ve dreamed about her, though. I see the same thing over and over. She says “Help” then she holds out her arm.’
    ‘And that’s why you wanted us here?’ Hannah stood up. ‘We’re looking for a girl in trouble.’
    ‘I don’t think it was a girl—not a live one, anyhow.’
    Hannah looked at Ling. ‘What do you mean, not a live one?’
    E.D. rolled onto his stomach. ‘Han, Ling means that the girl was dead. Ghostly dead.’
    ‘A ghost?’ Gabby stood up as well. ‘A real ghost? I knew that you liked haunted stuff,Ling, but you’ve never said anything about a real ghost!’
    ‘Are you sure?’ Hannah wasn’t convinced. ‘Maybe it was another guest or someone.’
    ‘I’m not sure about anything. I didn’t want to tell you before. You will help me, won’t you? Ghost or not, whoever she is, I think she needs us.’
    ‘How are we going to help?’ said Angus. ‘Do you know anything about this place?’
    Ling shook her head. ‘Nothing.’
    E.D. stood up and stretched. ‘Well, goodnight, then.’
    Hannah stared at him incredulously. ‘You’re