CHAPTER 8

"Well isn't this cosy." Drake grinned from the backseat of the SUV. Panda was in the driver's seat, but Drake had got in the back next to Cleo to make sure she didn't try anything. Cleo ignored him and stared mournfully out of the window. She felt awful about leaving the remains of her family, and mentally kicked herself for ever associating with Caine. Drake started playing with his pocket knife as Panda expertly took them closer and closer to the boarding school Cleo had never been to but had heard so much about.

They eventually arrived after a relatively long car journey but one far shorter than Cleo had hoped for. Panda pulled into the grand driveway and Cleo looked around, taking in her prison. It looked more like a castle than a school and was very grand, although Cleo expected it would have once been a lot more so, as now the lawn was starting to grow out, and weeds were appearing, as well as a few of the windows being smashed and weird animals – dogs? Walking around everywhere. Cleo took a closer look, they were far too big to be dogs, and they were moving funny…it was only when Panda parked the car right in front of the grand double doors that a wave of nausea flooded through Cleo as she realised what it was. Drake pulled out a gun and turned to face Cleo.

"Stay right behind me." Then he opened the car door.

"Please! Give us food! Please!" Came a piteous cry from a girl with hair like straw and eyes which stood out against the huge bags underneath her, giving her a mad look. That and the fact that her hands were stuck together in a block of cement. Drake kicked her aside and tried to make his way through them, but Cleo, too shocked to move, stayed swaying by the car. The desperate children took it as their chance and quickly filled the gap between her and Drake, crawling towards her and fixing her with desperate eyes that made tears fall down her cheeks.

"Please!"

"We're starving!" Suddenly there was an almighty bang and the nearest child fell limp and lifelessly to the ground. Cleo looked up to see Drake holding out his gun, as the other children cowered and slowly crawled away. Drake walked back to Cleo and grabbed her arm, and didn't let go as they entered the school and walked through winding corridors until they arrived at the former Staff Room. Drake opened the door without knocking and pushed Cleo through, swiftly following behind her and firmly closing the door. Lounging on a sofa and munching on a sandwich was a boy who looked about the same age as Cleo and Drake, maybe slightly younger, with scruffy brown hair, freckles and twinkling eyes. He nodded at them in greeting, trying to remain casual, although an obvious fear entered his eyes as he looked at Drake.

"Alright Freddie." Drake said as he walked over and took the sandwich out of the boy's hands, taking a big bite out of it himself, and not giving it back afterwards. "This is Cleo." Drake said through a big mouthful, the boy didn't seem too interested; he still seemed shocked at Drake stealing his sandwich. "You can look after her, but if she's too much of a handful, Caine didn't give specific orders to keep her alive…" The boy nodded nonchalantly, the way these Coates kids reacted to things that horrified Cleo to know end never failed to surprise her. "Well, I'll be off then…" He said through another mouthful. "Catch ya later Cleo!" And he walked back out of the room, leaving the two of them alone. The boy sighed and finally made eye contact with Cleo.

"Right…s'pose we better get the formalities outta the way…I'm Frederico and, have you seen the freaks on your way up?" He did an impression of the cemented kids as if it was funny and Cleo nodded, a lump in her throat as she realised just how evil this whole association was. "Yeah if you do anything to annoy me? You'll be one of them. Got it?" Cleo bit her lip and slowly nodded again, Frederico grinned. "Cool, well make yourself at home, there's plenty of beds take your pick and, err…if any of the freaks give you grief…" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pocket knife. He grinned as he chucked it to Cleo. He made to walk out of the room but stopped and turned around at the door. "Oh and I wouldn't try anything if I were you…" He said and without warning held his hand out palm outwards and shot a fireball right past Cleo. She gasped and he grinned, chucking her a fire extinguisher as he winked and left the room. She stood in shock for a moment before suddenly realising that the whole of the kitchen area was on fire and stepping into action with the fire extinguisher Frederico had given her. After she had finally managed to put it all out and had collapsed onto one of the sofas, she decided that she probably wouldn't mess with the new boy. She left the room and decided to look for the dorms; she didn't see herself being out of this horror-film type prison anytime soon…

Cleo awoke at an hour of the night that she shouldn't be awake at after a terrible nightmare. Then she realised it was reality. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, completely out of her depths. She was just a normal girl! Already taking over the family home and taking responsibility for her dog and sister had been a big deal for her, then having a full time job at the day care was stressing her out, and now? This was just crazy! She was still waiting to wake up and be told that it was all a bad dream. But she had pinched herself enough times to know that THAT wasn't going to happen. She decided to think of it simply to try and get her head round it.

Caine & co. were bad.

Sam & co. were good.

Lots of kids were in trouble.

Cleo was trapped.

Well that didn't make her feel any better…she turned over and willed sleep to come. To briefly take her out of this nightmare. And she hoped against hope it wouldn't still be there when she woke up, even though she knew it would…