THE POWER AND THE FURY

by James Erith

  Archie shrugged his shoulders.

  The girls began to gather up their things and headed towards the door.

  Kemp wasn’t finished. He winked at Sue and blew a kiss to Isabella. ‘Remember, Mrs Douglas wants to see you both in the science labs. I’m just the messenger.’

  ‘You’ll pay for this,’ Isabella yelled, as she closed the door, ‘if it’s the last thing I do.’

  7

  Swear On Your Life

  Archie stared at the floor, slightly hoping it would open up and swallow him.

  He didn’t particularly want to follow Isabella and Sue out of the room, but he had no desire to hang about with Kemp, Mason and Wilcox either. Before he had a chance to make a move, Kemp was inspecting the barometer, turning the glass jar round and round in his hands. ‘Not bad, I suppose, but why is the straw bending down?’

  ‘If you’re so interested, you should have asked my sister,’ Archie said. ‘Something about atmospheric pressure.’

  ‘Atmospheric pressure? Cool,’ Kemp said. ‘Although your sister is the most pretentious, stuck up girl I’ve ever known, you’ve got to hand it to her – she is clever.’

  Kemp fiddled with the glass barometer with its straw hanging off the side. Moments later he strode over to the window, opened it, thrust his hand out and dropped the barometer out of the window.

  A second later the instrument was in tiny pieces over the concrete floor below.

  ‘Christ alive, Kemp,’ Mason said, ‘you’re asking for it, didn’t you hear her? She’s gone off to get Bellwood. He’ll go mental.’

  Kemp smiled. ‘You really think so? Well I don’t know how it got there – do you?’

  Mason suddenly realised what he meant. ‘Me neither,’ he said, his voice as thick as dough.

  ‘Nor me,’ said Wilcox shrugging his shoulders.

  ‘That leaves only one other person who could have witnessed it.’ Kemp turned to Archie. ‘So Archie, tell me. Did you by any chance see who dropped the barometer out of the window?’

  ‘Well, I’m not blind,’ Archie replied.

  Kemp rolled his eyes. ‘I don’t think he gets it, lads. I don’t think he quite grasps the seriousness of the situation. Look, Archie, I like you, and if you want me to continue liking you, all you have to say is that you didn’t see anything. Get it?’

  ‘Right,’ Archie said, wondering why it was that Kemp was such a massive jerk when Mason and Wilcox were around. ‘I won’t say a word,’ he said mechanically.

  Kemp hesitated. ‘I’m not sure that’s really acceptable. Swear on your life that you won’t tell anyone.’

  ‘Oh come on,’ Archie replied, ‘I’m not a kid and I’m not a sneak. You know that.’

  ‘Archie, I need you to promise – on your life – that you’re not going to tell anyone, that’s all,’ Kemp insisted. ‘I mean, unlike your sister, you can keep your mouth shut, can’t you?’

  ‘If you didn’t want anyone to know,’ Archie argued, ‘why did you throw it out of the window in the first place?’

  Kemp smiled. Archie was one of the only people at the school who didn’t seem to flinch when intimidated.

  Wasn’t it funny how threatening words seemed to cause Archie no pain and physical beating seemed to cause Daisy, his twin, no pain either? He stepped in front of Archie and drew himself up. ‘Your big sister doesn’t like me. You know that very well and you also know she’s responsible for putting me in detention pretty much every week for the last two years. She cannot be trusted. Prove that you’re different.’

  ‘Oh belt up, Kemp, you’re just showing off to moron and muggings. My sister doesn’t like you because you do idiotic things like throw barometers out of windows and put dead rats in sports bags.’

  Kemp chuckled as he recalled the rat incident. When he’d found a dead rat by the river, it gave him one of his best ideas ever – pop it in Isabella de Lowe’s games bag, and wait. And every day he waited, getting more and more excited about the slowly decomposing rat. It remained there for the best part of a week, with everyone wondering what the terrible smell was in the changing rooms. Then, on the afternoon of the school cross country run, as Isabella put on her tracksuit bottoms, out dropped the carcass, dripping in maggots.

  It was dynamite. He didn’t realise Isabella had a vermin phobia and she’d screamed so much and puked everywhere and caused such a scene that eventually one of the teachers had to call an ambulance. They had to sedate her and take her away. She’d been in hospital for the best part of a week in a state of shock, and spent three hours a week for the next six months in counselling; well, that’s what Archie had said.

  It was a triumph and the best bit was that no one suspected him in the slightest, apart from Isabella. The enquiry determined that the rat had taken a nibble of poison and wandered into her bag. But Isabella, he felt, had never forgiven him.

  Archie sighed. ‘Look, if it means that much to you, I’ll do it, but only if you swear on your life not to do any more harmful, stupid, bullying things to Isabella, Sue or Daisy. You’re pathetic and I’m fed up with having to stick up for you. It’s got to stop.’

  Kemp stuck out his jaw and moved it from side to side while he thought about what Archie had said. At last he nodded his head and said, ‘OK, I agree. On the condition that it lasts until she puts me into detention again. Well, come on then, you say it first.’

  Archie sighed; it was like being a seven-year-old. ‘Do I really have to swear?’

  ‘Yeah. Of course – if you want me to.’

  Archie shook his head. ‘I swear on my life that I won’t tell anyone that you dropped the barometer out of the window,’ he said. ‘Now you say it!’

  Kemp grinned. ‘I swear on my life not to harm your sister and not to play any more tricks on her. There, good enough?’

  Archie nodded. He didn’t for a moment think Kemp would take it seriously, but it was worth a go.

  In his book you didn’t swear your life away just for nothing. But anything was worth a try to end the constant bickering between his sisters and Kemp. He hated the fact that he was always stuck in the middle.

  ‘Oi, Mason, Wilcox,’ Kemp said in his thuggish voice. ‘Go and see if a teacher’s coming. I want to speak to Archie – ‘bout something private.’

  Mason and Wilcox sloped out of the room.

  Kemp’s face seemed to lighten up and his tone was altogether different. ‘Yeah, sorry Arch. I know. I’ve been a bit of a tosser.’

  ‘You’re telling me!’ Archie replied. ‘Why do you do it?’

  Kemp shrugged. ‘Dunno. Boredom. Can’t seem to help myself when I see your sister. Look, do you fancy bringing your rod over at half term,’ he said, changing the subject. ‘I caught a six-pound fish last weekend. It was brilliant – took me ages to land.’

  Archie smiled. Thank God Kemp was back to normal again. ‘Only if you stop being a total moron, everyone’s sick of it.’

  Kemp rolled his eyes.

  Archie ignored him. ‘Well, I suppose I’ve got nothing better to do. Mum and Dad aren’t coming home – more work digging up bones in the middle of nowhere.’

  ‘They’re never at home, are they,’ Kemp said. ‘But at least you’ve got parents.’

  ‘I know,’ Archie said, drawing a hand through his hair. ‘It’s so rubbish, though. Solomon’s getting really worried. He thinks we can’t cope.’

  ‘Well, can you?’

  ‘Of course we can. Old Man Wood’s brilliant at stuff even if he is the oldest man in the world.’

  They both laughed.

  ‘But admit it, Archie, you are the scruffiest person I’ve ever met. I’m hardly surprised he’s worried. I would be.’

  Archie grinned. ‘And unluckiest,’ he countered. ‘I’d been running through the forest.’

  ‘Yeah, but being Tarzan doesn’t work well with headmasters.’

  Archie’s eyes lit up. ‘Lucky he didn’t ask me to take off my jacket. I’d ripped the jumper almost the whole way down the back.’ />
  ‘Look, come for the day,’ Kemp said. ‘I’ll get my aunt to knock up some sandwiches and you can bring some of that unbelievable apple juice your old man whatsit brews.’

  Archie smiled. ‘His name is Old Man Wood.’

  Kemp repeated it.

  ‘OK. Deal,’ Archie said, ‘BUT it’s on condition that you keep to your word about my sisters AND you get your aunt to do those beef sarnies; the last lot were sweet.’

  Kemp nodded. ‘For you, Archie, consider it done. It’s the only thing she’s good at. How about you get round to mine on Monday morning – about 10 am?’

  Archie had reluctantly begun his fishing trips with Kemp last year and much to his surprise, away from school, he found Kemp to be a totally different person. Quiet, fun – and a patient and knowledgeable teacher. Kemp showed none of his aggression and he had genuine skill with the rod and tying flies and reading the flow of the river and where the best pools were.

  Archie wondered whether he wasn’t in some way jealous of people who were better than him at things, which was why he loathed Isabella and Daisy so much. Or maybe it was the gentle, calming effect of the river.

  ‘But you’re not to mention your sisters,’ Kemp said.

  ‘OK. Deal,’ Archie said. ‘But seriously, are Chitbury really going to kick lumps out of Daisy?’

  ‘I said don’t talk about her,’ Kemp fired back.

  Archie sighed. What was it about Kemp and his sisters? Were they always going to hate each other?

  They could hear footsteps coming along the corridor.

  ‘Quick, Bellwood’s coming,’ said Mason, as he ran back into the classroom.

  ‘Out of the window!’ Kemp suggested.

  They ran to the window and pulled up the blind, only to find they were looking directly at Isabella, Sue and Mrs Pike.

  ‘Drat,’ said Kemp under his breath, and he smiled pleasantly back at them.

  ‘Kemp,’ the old teacher hollered, ‘and Archie de Lowe. Well, who would have guessed? Can you tell me anything about the glass fragments on the concrete floor?’

  Kemp opened the window and looked out. ‘What glass?’ he said innocently.

  ‘This mess here,’ Mrs Pike replied.

  ‘No idea what you’re talking about,’ Kemp said. ‘Window’s been closed all along. Someone must have left it lying there.’ He shrugged again. ‘What is it anyway?’

  Isabella shrieked. ‘Kemp, you know perfectly well what it is.’

  ‘A milk bottle?’ he offered.

  Mrs Pike stared at him with her cold eyes. ‘No Kemp, I think you know that it’s Isabella’s barometer.’

  ‘A bar-hom-tier,’ Kemp said thickly. ‘What on earth is that?’

  ‘Archie, did you see Kemp with the barometer earlier?’

  Archie stared at the floor.

  ‘So can you tell us what happened?’

  ‘Dunno,’ Archie said, running a hand through his hair.

  ‘What do you mean, you dunno?’

  ‘Dunno,’ said Archie again, this time turning a little red.

  Kemp looked straight into Mrs Pike’s eyes, with a stare. ‘Honestly, there’s been no one around.’

  ‘Great!’ Isabella stormed. ‘Has Kemp made you swear not to tell or something equally childish?’

  The classroom door swung open. ‘What have you done now, Kemp?’ boomed Mr Bellwood, striding in.

  ‘Nothing!’ Kemp said. ‘I was trying to explain to Mrs Pike here that I haven’t done anything.’

  ‘Yes you have, Kemp,’ Isabella shouted through the window. ‘You were the last person to have it and now it’s in bits. It must have been you.’

  ‘Prove it,’ said Kemp, thrusting his jaw out.

  ‘I shouldn’t have to. Archie,’ she pleaded, ‘all you have to do is tell us what happened—’

  Archie shook his head.

  ‘Kemp, you’ve got history with this kind of mindless vandalism,’ Mr Bellwood added, his moustache twitching.

  ‘He should be expelled,’ Isabella shouted.

  ‘But I haven’t done anything—’

  ‘Of course you have—’

  ‘You can’t prove it – can you?’

  ‘I DID IT!’ Archie yelled. He couldn’t bear it any longer. ‘It was me.’

  There was a long silence.

  ‘You did it?’ Kemp said.

  ‘You?’ Isabella quizzed.

  ‘Archie?’ Mr Bellwood said.

  ‘Yes,’ Archie sighed. ‘I was fed up with you two always getting at each other, so I thought I’d save everyone the trouble and lobbed it out of the window.’

  He bowed his head. ‘I’m sorry.’

  Isabella looked confused. This wasn’t the sort of thing Archie would do, so why was he taking sides with Kemp? ‘What did you say to Archie, Kemp? It’s like you’ve done a deal or something—’

  Kemp bit his lip and stared hard at her, his eyes cold and narrow. Then he spun and marched out of the room.

  8

  Storm Glass

  ‘I don’t know what to say,’ Isabella said as she returned into the classroom. ‘Why would you do such a thing?’

  Archie shrugged his shoulders.

  ‘Right. Gosh!’ said Mr Bellwood who looked rather dumbfounded. ‘I think you two need to sort this out for yourselves. There’s no point in my hanging around. You’re with me in ten minutes, Isabella.’

  Isabella smiled in about as fake a way as she could, while Mr Bellwood made his way out of the classroom. The two siblings were alone.

  ‘Why, Archie?’ Isabella pressed.

  ‘I’m sorry, but this warfare between you is ridiculous,’ Archie said. ‘If you stop putting Kemp in detention, he might stop bullying. He’s only doing it as a reaction. Don’t you see that?’

  Isabella sighed. ‘But the fact is, Archie, he IS a bully and I don’t see why any of us, especially me and Sue, should put up with it. We have to protect ourselves and the others. It’s simple; if he stopped being so childish, there wouldn’t be a problem.’ She clamped an arm around his shoulders. ‘You must think I’m a fool; it’s perfectly clear that Kemp did this. You’ve been put up to it, haven’t you?’ Her eyes widened. ‘Haven’t you?’

  Archie kept his head down and refused to say anything.

  Isabella sighed. ‘Have it your way, Archie. I’m not going to believe you did this or argue with you. I just don’t understand how you can be friends with him when he clearly causes me and Daisy so much distress. Do you have any idea how painful it is?’

  Archie took a deep breath. ‘But both of you give as good as you get. Daisy kicked Kemp on the shin earlier. If it had been the other way round, Kemp would be in terrible trouble. That’s what I was talking about; give him a break and I’m sure he’ll chill. He’s not that bad underneath.’

  ‘You know that’s not going to happen, Archie.’

  He shrugged. ‘Well, I’m sorry about your barometer,’ he said, raising his eyes to meet hers.

  Isabella pressed her lips together. ‘Don’t be; I just wish you’d be honest with me. To be frank, the barometer kept bottoming out. Actually, I’ve stumbled on a better idea; I’m going to make a storm glass.’

  ‘Storm glass?’

  ‘Yes. It’s an old-fashioned weather gauge – and as a punishment for your behaviour you can help me make it.’

  Archie smiled. ‘Cool. Why this craze about weather stations?’

  ‘Well, if you must know,’ Isabella said, ‘there’s a curious weather system brewing bang overhead – have you noticed how sweaty and smelly everyone is – and,’ she hesitated a little, ‘this may sound completely nuts but Sue and I have had a premonition, a dream about torrential rain and flooding.’

  Archie was astonished. ‘Do you always do this after a dream?’

  ‘No. To be honest, I never really dream. But I’ve got a strong gut feeling and I reckon it’s worth finding out more, that’s all.’

  Archie scratched his head and wondered if he should mention his dream �
�� and Daisy’s mutterings in the middle of the night.

  ‘So how does this storm glass work?’ he said.

  ‘It’s pretty cool, I think. It shows what’s going to happen to the weather – in the liquid in the glass. So if the liquid in the glass is clear, the weather will be clear. If small crystal stars form, snow is on its way, and when a thunderstorm is coming the liquid will be cloudy with small star crystals in it and so on. I’ll show you later, if it works. But first, I’ll need a few ingredients – and this, bro, is where you come in.’

  Archie nodded. ‘OK.’

  ‘First, go and bat your eyelids at Mrs Culver and ask for 10 grams of camphor, she should have some for flavouring food. Tell her you need some in chemistry to show how a compound can burn without leaving an ash residue. If she starts asking questions, start talking about oxygen. For some reason Mrs Culver can’t bear the actual word oxygen. Then go and find Mr Pike in the Maintenance Department and ask for some distilled water – fill a large, old, Coke bottle if you can. I know he keeps some to top up his forklift batteries.’

  Isabella scratched her forehead thoughtfully, making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. ‘So have you got that? Camphor and distilled water. I’ll find some ethanol and the other compounds from Chemistry later on – shouldn’t be too difficult,’ Isabella added – almost as a reminder to herself.

  As she rushed off she turned and said, ‘The science labs are free straight after lunch, we’ll do it then. Meet me there.’ And then she sprinted off down the corridor.

  Isabella let herself into the chemistry lab using the spare set of keys that Mrs Douglas kept in a jar outside the biology room. When Archie arrived, Isabella was talking animatedly to Sue. Both wore white lab coats, safety glasses, face masks and Lycra gloves. They reminded Archie of surgeons in an operating theatre.

  Sue noted his curious look and threw over a lab coat. ‘Got to look the part in case someone comes along,’ she said, her voice muffled by the mask.