Emma and the Minotaur (World of Light Book 1) by Jon Herrera

Author:Jon Herrera [Herrera, Jon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-08T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

Mr Jingles

On Thursday morning, Emma returned to school. She passed Mr Clarence on her way into the school building. She put her head down, hoping he would not notice her. She had missed detention. There was a note in her backpack excusing her absence, but it was addressed to Ms Robins. Emma had forgotten about the principal.

She shuffled into the school among the other children from her bus and made her way down the hall, glancing over her shoulder just in time to see Mr Clarence pass through the doorway. She gulped. The principal was looking in her direction. Facing forward again, she made her way quickly to the stairwell and scampered up.

At the top of the stairs, she looked down. Mr Clarence stood at the foot of the steps. He glanced up at her and started making his way up. Emma sprinted to her classroom.

Ms Robins was not there yet. Taking advantage of her absence, children milled about in groups, chatting and laughing. Emma rushed to her seat and produced the note from her backpack, ready to deliver it to her teacher the second she walked in the door.

Jake arrived momentarily. He hurried over to her.

“So what happened?” he said.

Emma took a moment to contemplate. “Everything,” she said finally, not sure where to begin. Somehow, she had to tell the boy the whereabouts of his father.

“Everyone have a seat.”

Mr Clarence stood just inside the door. The children scrambled to their desks. The principal made his way to the front of the classroom.

“I’ll tell you at recess,” Emma whispered.

Jake nodded. He went to his seat.

“Since there were a couple of absentees yesterday,” Mr Clarence said, “some of you may not know that Ms Robins is unable to teach at this time. I’ll be taking over her teaching duties for today.”

Emma and Jake exchanged a glance. She wondered if Ms Robins was yet another disappearance.

The morning wore on.

When the recess bell tolled, the children scrambled toward the door.

“Emma Wilkins,” Mr Clarence said amid the commotion. “Please stay back a moment. I need to speak with you.”

Emma stopped halfway up from her chair and sat back down. Mr Clarence had not forgotten about detention, it seemed. Maybe the note for her teacher would save her life this time. Since Mr Clarence was substituting for Ms Robins, it would be reasonable for Emma to give the note to him instead.

Jake looked back at her from the door. She shrugged and mouthed the word “lunchtime.”

The boy nodded and left the room, leaving her alone with the principal.

“It won’t be too long now,” Mr Clarence said. “Have a seat over here, Emma.” He motioned to a desk in the front row. Emma scurried over and sat down.

“Rebecca Robins has disappeared with the rest of them, you see,” the principal said. “It won’t be long now. Not long at all.”

“Sir?”

He smiled. “The storm is coming, Emma. Very soon. No more than a week, perhaps. Time is running out.”

Emma looked out the window. Outside, it was sunny.

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