Voices in Stone - Emily Diamand Page 0,12

one she was interested in?

Calm down, Gray, there is no need to become agitated. Relax, focus on the watch I’m holding, notice the way it glitters as I move it from side to side. Now, that’s better, isn’t it? And to answer your question, wouldn’t it have been extremely difficult to take a single child into the quarry, without drawing attention to the act? But a school trip, what could be more ordinary than that?

How… do you… know about Isis?

I have met her, and I know of her remarkable abilities. I’ve met you as well, Gray, although you don’t remember. Now please, stop worrying about things that don’t concern you. Shut your eyes, that’s right, and continue telling me your story. Every detail.

Chapter Five

Gray

Mum and Dad both came to the quarry. It was like a disaster movie – police, ambulances and parents screeching up in their cars.

Mr Watkins started that.

“What have you done? What have you done?” he yelled at Dr Harcourt before pulling out his mobile phone and dialling 999.

“There’s no need to panic!” said Dr Harcourt, but it was too late, because Mr Watkins was already shrieking into his phone about an accident at the quarry, and how a class of school children was involved. You can imagine how that went down.

You know, it’s weird though. I’d have thought it would’ve been on the news or something. But there was nothing, not even in the local paper.

It is easy to divert local press from a news story, Gray. A terrorist alert is sufficient, or a decent-sized power cut. Reporters are easily distracted by anything that causes a lot of fuss and activity, even when it amounts to nothing in the end. Those that cannot be distracted, well there are other means…

Are you saying someone covered it up?

I am making observations. Continue telling me what happened to you and your friends.

Well… Gav staggered past me and puked again, this time at Mr Watkins’s feet.

“There must be something toxic here!” Mr Watkins screamed. “Oh God, what if the deposit is radioactive?”

Dr Harcourt stepped calmly away from Gav. “That is not possible. I think the children have become overexcited, so I suggest we get them back to the office.”

“Overexcited?” shrieked Mr Watkins. “They aren’t toddlers!”

Dr Harcourt carried on in this annoyingly calm way. “If rare earth metals were toxic, they wouldn’t be allowed in touchscreen devices all over the planet. Perhaps your pupils are playing some kind of prank?”

Mr Watkins gave her the filthiest look ever, then grabbed hold of my arm and started trying to pull me up.

“Come on!” he shouted. “Everyone out of here!”

Those who could, ran, but most of us staggered. The driver climbed down from the digger, pushing up his dust mask. He went over to help Ruksar, but Dr Harcourt snapped at him.

“Get back in the cab. Put your mask on!”

“But look at the state of them,” he said. “You shouldn’t have brought kids in!”

“I’m dealing with it!” she shouted, and he backed off, pulling his mask down again, below his worried eyes.

Mr Watkins took Jamilia’s arm, because she was definitely the worst.

“What did the driver mean?” he asked Dr Harcourt.

“He didn’t mean anything.” she said angrily. “He’s just panicking, like you seem to be.”

“I’m not panicking,” he yelled. “I’m responsible for their welfare!”

We must have looked a sight, stumbling, crying and choking our way back to the Portacabins. The rest of our year was waiting there, watching us with open mouths and wide eyes. A few people laughed, but they stopped when we got closer and it became obvious we weren’t mucking about.

The man who’d given us the safety helmets came rushing out of the Portacabin office looking properly upset.

“Are they all right?” he gasped at Mr Watkins.

“Do they look all right?” Mr Watkins shouted back. He’d lost it by then, and he turned on the other teachers, who were staring open-mouthed like everyone else. “Help us!”

In a few seconds all the adults were rushing about, grabbing kids from our class and trying all sorts of rubbish first aid on us. Head between the knees. Glass of water. Wrap up warm.

Only Dr Harcourt didn’t seem bothered; she just disappeared into the Portacabin office, and I didn’t see her again that day. It was like she vanished.

It didn’t take long for the ambulances to arrive, which was pretty cool. This paramedic lady checked my heart and breathing and stuff. While she was getting on with it, a man walked up and showed her some kind of