Star Blaze Read Free Page B

lessons and the data was stored in the school database. The headmistress carried on, “Johnny has attended precisely …” but then she stopped mid-sentence. “This can’t be right.”
    â€œI’ll ask you again,” said Mrs. Irvine. “How much school is Johnny supposed to have missed?”
    â€œIt can’t be. It’s not possible. I don’t understand,” said Mrs. Devonshire. Everyone looked at her waiting for the answer, including Johnny—until then he’d been staring at his trainers. Finally the headmistress said, “It’s three.”
    â€œGee, you guys are strict,” said Miss Harutunian. “In trouble for missing three days?”
    â€œNo, three lessons,” replied Mrs. Devonshire sheepishly, her face turning the color of her jumper.
    â€œWell, I hardly think that merits Jonathan’s removal from Ben Halader House,” said Mrs. Irvine. “If there’s nothing else, would you excuse us? There are other matters concerning Jonathan that require our attention.”
    â€œYes, of course,” said a flustered Mrs. Devonshire rising to her feet and dropping the printouts on the floor. She picked them up, partly recovered her composure, and said, “I shall see you in class first thing Monday morning, Jonathan. And get there early. There’s a new health visitor—a Dr. Carrington—coming to the school. You’re down on his list for a medical.” With that,she walked out of the room leaving Mr. Wilkins scowling silently at Johnny, clearly upset at the turn events had taken. Johnny tried to stare back, but lost the blinking contest as his mind drifted to the mysterious doctor—and on to St. Catharine’s.
    It was there that he’d finally discovered the strange truth about his mum—that, while she’d always appeared human, she was anything but. Comatose for many years in her hospital bed, while somehow held captive by the evil Krun, her human shell had died just months before. Johnny’s dad died there too, sacrificing himself for his children by throwing his body in front of the Krun blasters. Johnny and Clara never had the chance to get to know their parents—their father had also been a prisoner of the evil aliens, who tortured him for over a decade before Johnny and his sister came to his rescue. Abandoned in the blood-soaked hospital ward, all had seemed lost until their mother miraculously reappeared, revealing herself to be the Diaquant, a powerful being able to travel through time and space and manipulate the laws of physics themselves. She revived her dead husband’s spirit, transforming him, like her, into a creature of pure energy. For a fleeting moment Johnny’s family was all together. But then his parents had to go, moving on into some unknown dimension, leaving him and Clara behind on Earth. He was brought back to the present by a cough from Mrs. Irvine.
    â€œJonathan. As I believe Katherine has told you,” said the Manager, nodding to Miss Harutunian, “she is returning to New York for a fortnight’s well-deserved holiday.” Johnny vaguely remembered his social worker mentioning something about going on vacation. “As Mr. Wilkins has expressed an interest in developing his career here, this would seem the perfect opportunity. He will take over your day-to-day care for the next two weeks.”
    Mr. Wilkins smiled, thrusting his beard across the table. It wasn’t pretty.
    Johnny’s relief at being allowed to stay evaporated. How could this be allowed to happen? He’d almost rather have been moved to another children’s home. Miss Harutunian mouthed a silent “sorry” in Johnny’s direction as Mr. Wilkins stood up, revealing blue elasticated trousers around his massive waist. If it were possible, the cook appeared even larger than normal. Johnny hadn’t thought anyone—not even Mr. Wilkins himself—could eat