‘… you must have been very brave.’ says the voice of the interviewer to Stacey. ‘Did you see the ghost, too?’
‘No, I saw a pretty lady,’ says Stacey. ‘And a weirdy boy. And the weirdy boy was jumping about and being funny. And there were sweeties. I want a sweety.’
There’s the sound of laughter, and the shot zooms out to show Stacey’s mum. Beside her are Tim and Ned.
‘It was a terrible experience,’ says Stacey’s mum. ‘I certainly won’t be going to one of Venn Specter’s shows again. I can only thank Mr Ned here for bringing my daughter back safe and sound.’
Ned gives the camera a polite nod, but says nothing.
‘And the ghost?’ The interviewer obviously doesn’t want to let this point go.
‘Well, I didn’t see one,’ says Stacey’s mum. ‘Just a terrible storm.’
I tune out again. It’s tempting to think this is the end of Venn Specter and his low-down ways, but even as I think that, I know it won’t be. Because in the end, he’s right, isn’t he? He’s already a winner, because he’s already famous. He’ll find a way to turn all this to his advantage. After all, it’s great publicity. I expect he’ll have a book out by this time next year. And another series of his TV show.
I look back at the screen and, sure enough, the picture now shows Venn, still wrapped in foil, addressing his fans. In a way, it’s even better for him that nothing was recorded. Now Venn can say whatever he likes. And from the size of the crowd, it looks like there are still plenty of people ready to believe him.
‘Turn it off, Si.’
Simon bows, and then reaches his spectral hand into the television. It shuts down.
My body feels ready to do the same thing.
‘How bad is it, Si?’ I say. ‘Me, I mean.’
‘Well, you are a little crispy round the edges, but from what I heard the doctor say, most of you should make a full recovery.’
‘Most of me?’
Simon looks a bit sheepish.
‘Remind me, Daniel, are you left-handed or right-handed?’
I blink at him. Then I remember the sight of my right hand burnt to a blackened claw. I glance down at it now, and see that it’s completely wrapped in bandages.
‘I’m sure it’s fine,’ says Si, looking away. ‘Well, I’m sure it’s not as bad as it looks, anyway. Um…’
I look away too.
‘Er, they did recover these,’ Simon adds, lifting my purple specs with his spook powers. The paramedic is too busy trying to figure out why the TV has stopped working to notice. Si lowers them over my eyes. They’re a bit wonky, but it feels good to be wearing them again. Then I remember something.
With my good hand I reach into my pocket and pull out the tatty old copy of Wow TV that Mrs Binns gave me. It already seems like a lifetime ago. I wave it feebly at Si.
‘I’ve just realised something about this.’
Si looks confused.
‘Look at the date on it,’ I say, and drop the mag on my chest.
Simon looks. Then a solitary ectoplasmic cloud of understanding puffs out of the hole in his head. He glances up at me.
‘This magazine’s not just fourteen years old, Si,’ I say. ‘It’s dated to the very week I was born. And I know enough about Mrs Binns to know that this isn’t a coincidence.’
‘Daniel…’
‘Si, your secret’s got something to do with my birth, hasn’t it?’
Simon folds his arms, and looks out of the window. The DUBBA-DUBBA sound is different now, and I guess we’re coming in to land. Si turns back at me.
‘If I told you my secret, Daniel, it would not only explain why I am here with you, it would also turn your world upside down. I know you want answers, but what if those answers changed the very person you think you are? Are you really ready for that? As you lie there in a shattered body, with one arm reduced to charred bone…
‘You said it wasn’t that bad!’
‘… one arm in a bandage, I mean. In a bandage.’ He looks flappy again. We feel the helicopter touch down.
‘Look, Daniel. Please believe me when I say that I cannot tell you the secret today. Because if I did…’
‘What, Si? Why can’t you tell me?’
‘… because, if I told you, it would be the start of the greatest and most dangerous adventure of your life.’
I stare at Si, and wonder how he can say such a thing after all that’s just happened. But Simon says nothing more.
Then the door of the helicopter flies open, and I’m being rushed out on my trolley.
It’s still snowing.
DAN AND THE DEAD
Dan talks to the dead – and helps solve their problems. But when he takes on the case of a teenage shoplifter, things spin out of control.
ISBN: 978 1 4081 5412 0 £5.99
DAN AND THE
CAVERNS OF BONE
The supernatural detective and hisghostly sidekick find spookygoings-on in the Paris catacombs
ISBN: 978 1 4081 7816 4 £5.99
This electronic edition published in 2015 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
First published 2015 by A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP
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Copyright © A & C Black 2015
Text and illustrations © Thomas Taylor 2015
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A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-4729-1245-9
ePub 978-1-4729-1246-6
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Dan and the Shard of Ice Page 9