The Hush

Miss Corvin stepped into Dormitory Seven, and the smell of roses came with her.

She was not wearing purple tonight. She was wearing a long dress the colour of a violetviolet/ ˈvī-ə-lət / nounvioletA flowering plant often characterized by its purple or blue blooms.The garden was filled with a vibrant violet that attracted many bees., so dark it was nearly black, and her hair was pinned up in an elegant updoupdo/ ˈəp-ˌdō / nounupdoSecured at the top of the head.formal event. that glittered with tiny silver pins. In one hand she carried a small brass lantern, which she lifted onto the hook beside the door, so that it hung pendingpending/ ˈpen-diŋ / verbpendingTo hang down.The branches of the tree were pending low, creating a natural canopy. from its chain and swung gently, throwing slow shadows across the room.

There was an auraaura/ ˈȯr-ə / nounauraInfluence that surrounds a person or thing.The mystical aura surrounding the old temple seemed to draw visitors in. about her tonight, a kind of glow, as if she had been looking forward to this for a very long time. She looked, Lainey thought, like someone arriving at a party.

"Don't get up, poppet," Miss Corvin said. "Either of you. Please. I've come to watch, that's all. I always come to watch the third night. It's the best one." She smiled. "My little poppetpoppet/ ˈpä-pət / nounpoppet(term of endearment) An endearingly sweet or beautiful child.The child played with her poppet during recess.. Look at you, all tucked up in your little camp of pillows. It's terribly endearingendearing/ in-ˈdir-iŋ / adjectiveendearingInspiring affection.The kind gesture was meant to endearing her friend's spirits during a tough time.."

Alicia was on her feet before Lainey could stop her, standing in front of the bed with her fists clenched.

Her voice was low and hostilehostile/ ˈhä-stəl / adjectivehostileOf or relating to an enemy.difficult for the plants to survive., the voice of someone facing an enemy. "Get out," she said. "Get out, or I'll scream. I'll scream so loud the whole school wakes up."

"Will you?" Miss Corvin tilted her head. She did not even try to stop her. Her overweeningoverweening/ ˌō-vər-ˈwē-ning / adjectiveoverweeningExcessively proud of oneself; conceited.His overweening attitude often alienated his colleagues. confidence was the most frightening thing of all; she was so proud, so sure of herself, that she did not think a screaming child was worth worrying about. "Go on, then."

Alicia opened her mouth and screamed.

No sound came out. Not a whisper. It was as if the air in the room had becomebecome/ bi-ˈkəm / verbbecomeTo undergo a change in state or condition.She hopes to become a successful artist in the future. too thick to carry noise. The pervasivepervasive/ pər-ˈvā-siv / adjectivepervasiveManifested throughout; pervading, permeating, penetrating or affecting everything.The artist's influence was pervasive in the local music scene. silence of the Hush had spread through every corner of Dormitory Seven, soaking into the walls and the floorfloor/ ˈflȯr / nounfloorThe lower surface of a room on which one stands.The children played on the colorful floor in the school gym. and the beds, the way water soaks into a sponge. Lainey could see Hana and Sofia in their beds across the room, fast asleep, their faces turned away. They did not even stir.

"You see?" said Miss Corvin kindly. "Nobody cancan/ ˈkan / verbcanBe physically or mentally able to.She can finish the project by the deadline. hear you. Nobody ever can, on the third night. The Hush makes sure of that." She drew up Sofia's desk chair, sat down on it gracefully, and folded her hands in her lap. "Now. Shall we begin?"

Lainey looked at the word on the wall.

It was ancientancient/ ˈān(t)-shənt / adjectiveancientBelonging to the very distant past.The ancient customs of the tribe were passed down through generations.. She knew that at once, the way you know a thing is old just by looking at it, the way you know a castle is old, or a tree. It was even worse up close. The letters were round and fat and curling, like the old uncial writing in the black book, but they were not any letters she knew. Some looked like snakes. Some looked like little hooks, or eyes, or birds with folded wings. They ran along the plaster from the window to the wardrobe, letter after letter after letter, so many that Lainey could not count them.

Spell it, hissed the Hush. Spell it, little speller.

"I can't," Lainey whispered. "I can't even read it."

"No," agreed Miss Corvin softly. "Nobody can. That's rather the point." She leaned forward. Her dark eyes had a strangestrange/ ˈstrānj / adjectivestrangeNot familiar or ordinary; unusual.He found it strange that the store was closed on a Saturday afternoon. glintglint/ ˈglint / verbglintTo give off small flashes of light; to sparkle.The diamond began to glint as it caught the light from the chandelier. in them, like light on wet stone. "It is a word from a language that died before your great-great-great-grandmother was born, Lainey. A language spoken by twelve monks on a rock in the sea, which they wrote down in a book that I burned, a very long time ago. There is not a dictionary in the world that holds it. There is not a scholar alive who could read it. There is no lexiconlexicon/ ˈlek-sə-ˌkän / nounlexiconThe complete set of words and phrases in a language.The new vocabulary words were added to the students' lexicon for the lesson., no grammargrammar/ ˈgra-mər / noungrammarThe characteristic system or the preferred system of inflections and syntax of a language.Learning proper grammar is essential for effective communication., no list of words. It is gone. And it is yours to spell."

"That's not fair," Lainey said. Her voice shook. "That's cheating." She tried to sound brave, but even she could hear how small and youngyoung/ ˈyəŋ / adjectiveyoungBeing in the early stage of life or development.The young puppy played happily in the backyard. she sounded.

"Is it?" Miss Corvin looked genuinely puzzled. "The rules say the Hush must give you a word. They don't say it has to be a fair one." She settled back in her chair. "You have until daybreakdaybreak/ ˈdā-ˌbrāk / noundaybreakThe time when light first appears in the morning.They set out on their hike just after daybreak to enjoy the sunrise., my darling. When the first light touches the horizonhorizon/ hə-ˈrī-zən / nounhorizonThe apparent line that separates the earth from the sky.The ship sailed towards the horizon, disappearing into the setting sun., the word is finished, whether you have spelled it or not. And if you have not..." She gave a small shrug. "Well. You'll find out."

It was the shrug that did it. Lainey felt a sudden, acuteacute/ ə-ˈkyüt / adjectiveacuteSharp or severe in effect; intense.The patient had an acute pain in his chest and was rushed to the emergency room. stab of anger, sharp as a needle. Something inside Lainey, something that had been frightened and shaking all night, suddenly went hard and cold and fiercefierce/ ˈfirs / adjectivefierceMarked by intense or aggressive energy.The fierce competition between the two teams made the game thrilling..

She's enjoying this, Lainey thought. She actually enjoys it.

"Why?" Lainey asked.

It was her first real attemptattempt/ ə-ˈtempt / verbattemptSomething.before the deadline. to fight back. She did not know where the question came from. She only knew that she needed time, and that people like Miss Corvin, people who loved the sound of their own voice, could never resist a question about themselves.

"Why what, poppet?"

"Why do you do it? Why do you feed it? You're a teacher. You're supposed to look after us."

For a moment, something passed over Miss Corvin's face. It was very quick, like the shadow of a bird crossing a window. Lainey could not name it. It might have been grimnessgrimness/ ˈgrimˌnə̇ s / noungrimnessThe quality of being serious or gloomy in appearance or mood.The grimness of the weather forecast made everyone anxious., the stern, heavy look of someone remembering something terrible. It might have been sadness. It might have been anger. It was gone before she could be sure.

"I was a girl once," said Miss Corvin quietly. "A girl very like you. I loved words. I collected them, the way other children collect shells. And then one winter, a very long time ago, everybody I loved started to die, and the only thing in the world that could save them was the thing in these walls." She looked at the curling black letters. "It made me an offer. I accepted. I have never once regretted it. I have not aged a day since. I am immortalimmortal/ (ˌ)i-ˈmȯr-tᵊl / adjectiveimmortalNot subject to death; enduring beyond the grave.The ancient texts describe the hero as immortal, never succumbing to death., Lainey. Do you know what that means? I cannot die."

Alicia gave a scornful, silent snickersnicker/ ˈsni-kər / verbsnickerTo laugh quietly in a way that is often hidden or restrained.He tried to suppress a snicker when he saw the funny video., the kind of laugh you hide behind your hand. "Liar," said Alicia. No sound came out, but Lainey could read her lips.

"And besides," Miss Corvin went on, as if Alicia had not spoken, "I am not a villainvillain/ ˈvi-lən / nounvillainA character in a story or play who opposes the hero.The story features a villain who opposes the hero., whatever you may think. I don't hurt anyone. Not really. The girls I choose go home. They grow up. They live long, happy lives. They just do it alonealone/ ə-ˈlōn / adjectivealoneBeing by oneself; not accompanied.He felt alone in the crowded room, despite being surrounded by people., in their own heads, without a voice." She smiled her beautiful smile. "Is that really so very cruelcruel/ ˈkrü-əl / adjectivecruelDisposed to cause pain or suffering; lacking kindness.It was cruel of the bully to tease the new student in front of everyone.? Most people talk far too much anyway." She said it with a lazy kind of cynicismcynicism/ ˈsi-nə-ˌsi-zəm / nouncynicismThe attitude or quality of being contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives.His cynicism about the world made it difficult for him to trust others., as if she believed that nobody in the world was really worth listening to.

Lainey felt sick. There was something revulsiverevulsive/ ri-ˈvəl-siv / adjectiverevulsiveCausing a strong reaction.The revulsive reaction to the shocking news was evident on everyone's faces. about the way she said it, so calmly, as if she were talking about the weather. It made Lainey's whole body want to pull away, the way your hand pulls away from a hot stove.

"You took Emily's voice," Lainey said. "And Ada Hollis's. And Priya's."

"Emily Wren," said Miss Corvin dreamily. "Now there was a lovely voice. Like a little bell. I still have it, you know." She touched the closed-mouth brooch at her collarcollar/ ˈkä-lər / nouncollarAnything that encircles the neck.He adjusted the collar of his shirt before stepping into the interview.. "I keep them all." Her fingers stroked the brooch, and something about the way they lingered there, so lovingly, so possessively, was gruesomegruesome/ ˈgrü-səm / adjectivegruesomeCausing intense horror or disgust.The movie was filled with gruesome scenes that left the audience in shock.. It made Lainey's skin crawl.

The clock tower struck three.

Lainey had to think. Really think. There was no time to lose. She felt the urgencyurgency/ ˈər-jən-sē / nounurgencyThe quality of being urgent; a pressing necessity.The urgency of the situation prompted immediate action from the team. of it like a hand pushing in her back. She closed her eyes for a second and tried to shut everything out: the smell of roses, the swinging lantern, Miss Corvin's terrible, patient smile.

A language spoken by twelve monks. Which they wrote down in a book.

The black book.

Lainey's eyes flew open.

She remembered the black book. She remembered the first time she and Alicia had found it, in the locked case in the library, and how Mr Grieve had let them look at it for exactlyexactly/ ig-ˈzak(t)-lē / adverbexactlyIn a precise and accurate manner.Can you explain exactly how the experiment was conducted? five minutes. She had only turned the first few pages. She had been looking for something else. But on the very first page, before the writing began, there had been a chart. Two columns of letters. On one side, strange, curling shapes. On the other side, ordinary English letters, written small and neat by the monk who had made the book.

She had looked at that chart for perhaps three seconds.

But Lainey's memory did not work like other people's. Her Nani always said she had "camera eyes." Whatever Lainey looked at, even for a moment, her memory took a picture of it and kept it. She could close her eyes and see the page again, exactly as it had been, every line and every blot.

She closed her eyes now.

And there it was. The chart. Floating behind her eyelideyelid/ ˈī-ˌlid / nouneyelidA movable fold of skin that covers the organ of sight.The doctor advised her to avoid rubbing her eyelid to reduce irritation., faded red and black, as clear as if it were in her hands.

A snake shape: that was S. A shape like a little hook: that was C. An eye with a line through it: that was TH, both letters together.

She could use it. She could utilizeutilize/ ˈyü-tə-ˌlīz / verbutilizeTo make practical and effective use of something.We should utilize all available tools to enhance our productivity. the picture in her head, the way you use a map. It was not a dictionary. It would not tell her what the word meant. But it might tell her how it was spelled.

Lainey opened her eyes and looked at the wall again. Then she looked at the initialinitial/ ə-ˈni-shəl / adjectiveinitialRelating to the beginning or earliest stage.The initial stages of the project require careful planning. letter, the very first one.

It was a bird with folded wings.

She closed her eyes. She searched the chart. Bird, bird, bird... There. Bird with folded wings: A.

"A," Lainey said out loud.

The letters on the wall gave a little quiverquiver/ ˈkwi-vər / verbquiverTo shake or move with slight trembling motions.He began to quiver with fear as the thunderstorm approached..

Miss Corvin went very still.

What followed was the longest night of Lainey's life.

She worked through the word one letter at a time. Look at the wall. Close her eyes. Find the shape on the chart. Open her eyes. Say the letter. Look at the wall again. It was a strugglestruggle/ ˈstrə-gəl / nounstruggleA determined effort to overcome difficulties.Finishing her homework before the deadline was a struggle.. It was slow, painful work, like crossing a river by stepping from stone to stone in the dark. Some shapes were obviousobvious/ ˈäb-vē-əs / adjectiveobviousEasily perceived or understood; clear.It was obvious that he was the best player on the team., and she found them in a second. Others were so vaguevague/ ˈvāg / adjectivevagueNot clearly expressed or defined; ambiguous.A vague promise can lead to misunderstandings. and blurred, with so much fuzzinessfuzziness/ ˈfə-zē-nəs / nounfuzzinessThe quality of being unclear or indistinct.The fuzziness of the painting made it hard to appreciate its beauty. around their edges, that she had to stare at them for a long time before she could decide what they were.

She did not hurry. Her Nani had always told her that patiencepatience/ ˈpā-shəns / nounpatienceThe capacity or habit of enduring evil, adversity, or pain with fortitude.Her patience while helping her younger brother with homework was admirable. was a kind of strength, the strongest kind there was, and that people who rushed always tripped. So Lainey was slow, and careful, and deliberatedeliberate/ ˈlib(ə)rə̇ də̇ |t / adjectivedeliberateCarefully considered and intentional.She made a deliberate choice to invest in her education before starting her career.. She spelled every letter as if she were laying down a brickbrick/ ˈbrik / nounbrickA hardened rectangular block of mud or clay used for building.The construction crew used a heavy brick to build the new school.. She would not deferdefer/ di-ˈfər / verbdeferTo postpone or delay an action or event.I will defer my appointment until next week. to Miss Corvin. She would not hurry. She would not stop.

"A. N. S. E..."

Alicia sat down beside her on the bed and took her hand. She did not clingcling/ ˈkliŋ / verbclingTo adhere closely or stick to a surface.The wet clothes started to cling to her skin as she stepped into the rain. in a frightened way. She held on like an anchor holds a boat. She couldn't speak, but she held on so tightly that Lainey's fingers went numb.

Miss Corvin was not smiling any more.

At first she tried to be charming. "Darling, you're tired. Why don't you rest? You can finish later." Then she tried to beguilebeguile/ bi-ˈgī(-ə)l / verbbeguileTo attract or charm someone, often in a deceptive way.She managed to beguile her classmates into doing the work for her. her, in a low, sweet, singing voice, telling her what a clever girl she was, and how there was a place for her at Miss Corvin's side, and how she could be the teacher's special helper forever and never grow old. Every word dripped like honey. "Just stop," she murmured. "Just stop, my darling, and you can have everything."

Lainey gave her no answer at all. It was a silent rebuffrebuff/ ri-ˈbəf / nounrebuffA sharp or abrupt rejection or refusal.His abrupt rebuff left everyone in the room speechless., and Miss Corvin's lips tightened.

Then Miss Corvin tried to tantalizetantalize/ ˈtan-tə-ˌlīz / verbtantalizeTo tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach.The promise of a promotion seemed to tantalize him throughout the year. her. She described Lainey's home, her mother, her Nani's kitchenkitchen/ ˈki-chən / nounkitchenA room or area equipped for cooking.The chef designed a modern kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances., the smell of her Nani's cooking. "Wouldn't you like to see them again? You could go home tomorrow. Tonight. Just say the word, and I'll have a boat waiting at the harbour." She held the idea out in front of Lainey like a sweet in front of a puppy, close enough to almost touch, but always just out of reach.

Lainey did not stop.

Then Miss Corvin's patience ran out, and her voice went cold.

Her eyes had become balefulbaleful/ ˈbāl-fəl / adjectivebalefulHaving a harmful or sinister effect.The villain cast a baleful look at the hero as he plotted his revenge., dark and threatening, full of harm. "You are making a mistake," she said. "A terrible blunderblunder/ ˈblən-dər / nounblunderA serious mistake typically caused by carelessness or ignorance.His decision to skip practice was a costly blunder., little girl. Do you really think you can oppugnoppugn/ ə-ˈpyün / verboppugnTo fight against.The lawyer decided to oppugn the opposing argument during the trial. the Hush? Fight against a thing that was old when the pyramids were new? You are eleven years old. You are nothing."

"T," said Lainey. "H."

The Hush was angry now too. The whispers had become a fusilladefusillade/ ˈfyü-sə-ˌläd / nounfusilladeA number of shots fired simultaneously or in rapid succession.The sound of a fusillade echoed through the valley as the hunters fired their rifles., a rapid storm of hisses and clicks and sharp little voices, firing at her from every direction at once, like hailstones on a tin roofroof/ ˈrüf / nounroofUpper covering of a building.The workers repaired the roof to prevent further leaks.. Wrong, they said. Wrong, wrong, wrong. You'll get it wrong. You always get it wrong. The air in the room grew so cold that Lainey could see her breath. The lantern flickered, and for a moment Lainey thought the Hush would snuffsnuff/ ˈsnəf / verbsnuffTo extinguish something, especially a flame, or to put an end to something.The firefighters worked quickly to snuff out the flames. it out completely, like a finger and thumb pinching a candle.

Lainey felt a strange tormenttorment/ ˈtȯr-ˌment / nountormentExtreme pain or anguish of body or mind : agony.The character's expression revealed a deep sense of torment after the tragic event., deep in her chest, a pain that was not quite a pain, like a fist squeezing her heart. It was the Hush. It was trying to frighten her into a mistake.

She made herself breathebreathe/ ˈbrēth / verbbreatheTo draw air into the lungs and expel it; to respire.It is essential to breathe deeply during meditation.. In through one nostrilnostril/ ˈnä-strəl / nounnostrilEither of the two external openings of the nasal cavity.He could feel the cold air rush into his nostril as he took a deep breath., out through the other, the way Nani had taught her to do when she got the hiccups. In. Out. In. Out.

It can't hurt you, she told herself. It can only hurt you if you get it wrong. So don't get it wrong.

"O. R. I."

By four o'clock, she had spelled fourteenfourteen/ fȯr-ˈtēn / nounfourteenThe cardinal number equal to 13 plus 1.The teacher counted the students and found there were fourteen in total. letters, all consecutiveconsecutive/ kən-ˈse-kyə-tiv / adjectiveconsecutiveFollowing one after another in order without interruption.He achieved five consecutive victories in a row., one after the other without a single mistake.

By five o'clock, she had spelled forty letters.

By half past, she had spelled fifty-two.

Her voice was a croak. Her eyes were burning. She had been staring at the wall for so long that the letters had begun to swim and wriggle in front of her, and she was afraid that she was starting to hallucinatehallucinate/ hə-ˈlü-sə-ˌnāt / verbhallucinateTo perceive things that are not present.The patient may hallucinate during the night if the medication is not effective., seeing shapes that weren't there. It was worrisomeworrisome/ ˈwər-ē-səm / adjectiveworrisomeCausing anxiety or concern.His constant late-night phone calls were becoming increasingly worrisome for her.. Twice she thought the word had grown longer while she wasn't looking. Once she thought she saw a face in the plaster, a long, pale, hungry face with no mouth, looking back at her. But when she blinked, it was gone.

Alicia had found Lainey's notebook, the one Nani had given her, and was writing down every letter as Lainey said it, in big, careful capitals, so that if Lainey lost her place she could look back. Every few minutes Alicia held it up so Lainey could check.

The window was beginning to change colour. The black skysky/ ˈskī / nounskyThe upper atmosphere or expanse of space that constitutes an apparent great vault or arch over the earth.The stars twinkled brightly in the clear night sky. was turning grey at the edges.

"Fifty-nine," whispered Alicia, mouthing the number. She pointed at the wall. Nearly there.

There were four letters left.

Lainey looked at the first of them. A curl like a fern: N. The next one: a little cross, like a kiss: X? No, wait. Not a kiss. A kiss with a dot underneath. She closed her eyes. She searched. There. A kiss with a dot was Y.

"N. Y."

Two letters left. She was so close now. So close to escapeescape/ i-ˈskāp / nounescapeThe act of breaking free from confinement or control.The team's successful escape from the burning building was a miracle..

The next one was a snake. Easy. S.

"S."

One letter left.

Lainey looked at it.

And her heart stopped.

It was a circle. Just a plain, empty circle, like the number zerozero/ ˈzir-(ˌ)ō / nounzeroThe numerical symbol for the integer that represents no quantity.The teacher explained that zero represents the absence of quantity., with nothing inside it.

Lainey closed her eyes and searched the chart. She went up one column and down the other. Bird. Snake. Hook. Eye. Fern. Kiss. Kiss with a dot. Waves. Ladder. Spiral. Moon.

There was no circle.

She felt the first cold drip of dangerdanger/ ˈdān-jər / noundangerExposure to harm or injury; a situation involving risk.The hikers were aware of the danger posed by the steep cliffs., like water down her back. She searched again. Slower. Every shape, one after another. She could see the chart perfectly, every line of it, every blot of ink.

There was no circle on the chart.

Ergoergo/ ˈer-(ˌ)gō / adverbergoFor that reason.The project was delayed, ergo, we need to adjust our timeline., said a calm, cold little voice inside her head, the voice she used for maths problems. Therefore. If the circle is not on the chart, then the chart cannot tell you what it is.

It was an axiomaxiom/ ˈak-sē-əm / nounaxiomSelf-evident truth used as a basis for reasoning.One of the axiom of the theory of evolution is natural selection., a truth so simple it did not need proving. And it meant she was stuck.

Lainey opened her eyes. Her hands were shaking.

"I don't know," she whispered. "Alicia, I don't know what it is."

There was an awful ambiguityambiguity/ ˌam-bə-ˈgyü-ə-tē / nounambiguityThe condition of admitting of two or more meanings, of being understood in more than one way, or of referring to two or more things at the same time.The ambiguity in the poem allowed for multiple interpretations. about it. A circle could be anything. It could be an O. It could be a Q without its tail. It could be the end of the word, a full stop, nothing at all. It could mean "spell the first letter again." It could be a trick.

Get it wrong, sang the Hush happily, and you are ours forever.

Miss Corvin laughed. It was a small, pleased, private laugh, like someone who has just won a game of cards.

"Ah," she said. "The circle. It always comes down to the circle." She stood up and smoothed her violet dress. "Brother Anselm left it off his chart, you know. He did it on purpose. He was very clever, Anselm, but he was also very frightened of me." She smiled down at Lainey. "Go on, then. Guess." Then, almost tenderly, she added, "Make it your finalfinal/ ˈfī-nəl / adjectivefinalBeing or occurring at the end; conclusive.The committee reached a final conclusion after extensive discussions. answer."

The window was silver now. A thin pink line had appeared above the sea.

"You have about a minute," said Miss Corvin. "Choose."

Lainey's mind went blank. Completely blank. Every word she knew drained out of her like water out of a bath.

O, said one part of her brain. It has to be O. A circle is an O. It's obvious.

It's too obvious, said another part. It's a trap.

Her mouth opened.

And then Alicia stood up.

She stepped in front of Lainey, between Lainey and the wall, and spread her arms wide, like a goalkeepergoalkeeper/ ˈgōl-ˌkē-pər / noungoalkeeperA player positioned in the goal area whose primary role is to prevent the opposing team from scoring.The goalkeeper dove to the ground to prevent the ball from entering the net. guarding a net.

She could not speak. But she could move her lips. And Lainey, watching her, saw exactly what she was saying, because Alicia said it slowly, one word at a time, so that no one could possibly mistake it.

Take. Me. Instead.

"Alicia, no!"

It was a kneejerkkneejerk/ ˈnē-ˌjərk / nounkneejerkReacting instantly without careful thought or consideration.His kneejerk response to the question revealed his lack of preparation. reaction. Lainey didn't think. She just grabbed for her friend's arm. But Alicia shook her off and stood her ground, chin up, staring straight at the wall.

Take me instead, she mouthed again. I'm the one who broke into her rooms. I'm the one who stole the key. I'm the one who should be punished. Not her.

The Hush went silent.

For a long, long moment, nothing in the room moved. The lantern stopped swinging. The pink line above the sea grew brighter.

Lainey could feel it thinking. She could feel its influenceinfluence/ ˈin-flü-əns / nouninfluenceThe power to produce an effect indirectly or to sway someone’s thoughts or actions.Her positive attitude and strong work ethic have had a significant influence on the entire team. in the room, pressing on everything, like the weight of deep water. Then the Hush spoke, in a voice so low and so pleased that Lainey felt it in her teeth.

A voice freely given, it whispered. A voice freely given is the sweetest voice of all.

"No," said Miss Corvin sharply. It was an immediateimmediate/ i-ˈmē-dē-ət / adjectiveimmediateOccurring without delay; instant.The team needed immediate feedback to improve their project before the deadline. reaction, quick as a slap. For the first time, she sounded frightened. "No. That is not the procedureprocedure/ prə-ˈsē-jər / nounprocedureA series of actions or steps taken to achieve a particular end.The scientist detailed the procedure for conducting the experiment accurately.. That is not how this is done. The chosen child must..."

But the Hush was not listening to her any more.

The curling black letters peeled themselves off the wall. They rose into the air like a flockflock/ ˈfläk / nounflockA group of animals gathered together.A flock of sheep grazed peacefully in the meadow. of tiny black birds, all sixty-three of them, and swirled around the room in a great, rushing circle. Then they dived, all together, straight at Alicia.

Lainey wanted to throw herself in front of her friend, but she could not move. The Hush held her as still as a statue; it had complete controlcontrol/ kən-ˈtrōl / verbcontrolTo exercise influence over the operation or function of something.He learned how to control the complex machinery to ensure it operated smoothly. of every muscle in her body. They did not hurt her. Lainey would remember that afterwards, and be grateful. They did not cut her, or scratch her, or knock her down. They simply poured into her, the way water pours into a drain, and were gone.

Alicia staggered. Her hand went to her throat.

And outside, the sun came up over the sea.

The first ray of light came through the window and touched the wall.

The plaster was perfectly clean. Perfectly white. As if nothing had ever been written there at all. Lainey stared at it. The great, terrible word, which had been so real a moment before, had been as evanescentevanescent/ ˌe-və-ˈne-sᵊnt / adjectiveevanescentTending to vanish like vapor.The evanescent colors of the sunset faded quickly. as breath on a cold window. It had vanished like steam.

The wind came back. The sea came back. Somewhere far below, a seagull cried.

Miss Corvin stood very still in the middle of the room. Her beautiful face had gone the colour of old paper. She looked at Alicia. She looked at Lainey. She looked at the empty wall.

"You little fool," she said to Alicia, in a voice that was quiet and shaking with fury. "You stupid, fecklessfeckless/ ˈfek-ləs / adjectivefecklessLacking in efficiency or vitality; ineffective.She can't rely on her feckless son to complete the project. little fool. Do you have any idea what you have done?"

Alicia lifted her chin and stared back at her. She did not try to speak. She did not need to.

Miss Corvin turned to Lainey.

"This is not over," she said. "Do you understand me? A word that is not spelled is a word that is still owed. You owe the Hush a third word, Lainey. And it will collect. It always collects." She smiled, and there was something spitefulspiteful/ ˈspīt-fəl / adjectivespitefulHaving or showing a desire to hurt or annoy others.The spiteful remarks from her classmates made her feel isolated. in it, something that wanted to hurt. She took the lantern down from its hook. Her hand was trembling so much that the flame shook. "Until then, my darling. Adieuadieu/ ə-ˈdü / nounadieuAn expression of good wishes when someone leaves : goodbye.As they parted ways, she waved and called out a cheerful adieu.."

She swept out of the room. The door closed softly behind her. The smell of roses faded, very slowly, like a song at the end of a film.

Lainey turned to Alicia.

Alicia was sitting on the edge of the bed, very straight, her hands folded in her lap. Her face was pale. Her eyes were shining.

"Say something," said Lainey. "Please. Alicia. Say anything. Say hello."

Alicia opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

She tried again. Lainey watched her musclesmuscles/ ˈməs-əlz / nounmusclesA body tissue consisting of long cells that contract when stimulated and produce motion.The athlete trained hard to build her muscles for the upcoming competition. straining in her neck, watched her jaw work, watched her whole body squeezesqueeze/ ˈskwēz / verbsqueezeTo apply pressure to something, often causing it to change shape or release contents.I had to squeeze through the crowded hallway to get to my next class. with the effort. A tiny puff of air came out of her lips. That was all.

Alicia shut her mouth. She looked at Lainey. And then, very slowly, she picked up Nani's notebook and the pencil, and turned to a clean page, and wrote:

Is your voice OK?

Lainey nodded. She couldn't speak either now, but for a different reason. Her throat was too full.

Lainey shook her head, dejecteddejected/ di-ˈjek-təd / adjectivedejectedLow in spirits; depressed.The team was feeling dejected after their disappointing performance., too sad to even lift her eyes. Then she looked up, and Alicia smiled, a wide, wobbly, ridiculous smile. She wrote:

Then it was worth it.

And then she put down the pencil, and put her arms around Lainey, and they held on to each other while the sun came up over Blackwood, and neither of them made a sound.

It was the most poignantpoignant/ ˈpȯi-nyənt / adjectivepoignantPainfully affecting the feelings : piercing.The artist created a poignant scene that evoked deep emotions in the viewers. moment of Lainey's whole life. She would remember it forever: the gold light, the empty wall, Hana and Sofia beginning to stir and yawn in their beds, and Alicia's arms around her, warmwarm/ ˈwȯrm / adjectivewarmHaving a moderate degree of heat; not cold.The fireplace provided a warm glow that filled the room. and solid and real.

She would remember something else too. At the time it seemed so small, so timelytimely/ ˈtīm-lē / adjectivetimelyOccurring at a suitable or opportune time.Submitting your work in a timely manner is crucial for success. and so lucky that she noticed it at all, that she nearly forgot it.

As Miss Corvin had swept out of the room, her dress had brushed against the doorframe. And the hem of it had been wet. Soaking wet, and soddensodden/ ˈsä-dən / verbsoddenTo drench, soak or saturate.Keaton worried that leaving the sponge in water would sodden it., and covered in sand and tiny bits of greengreen/ ˈgrēn / noungreenThe color of grass or leaves; a hue between blue and yellow.The walls of the room were painted a soft shade of green. weed, as though she had walked through the sea to get there.

Or, Lainey thought, as though she had come up from somewhere underneath it.

Hana woke first. She sat up, stretched, saw Lainey and Alicia sitting together on the end of Lainey's bed, still in yesterday's clothes, with the dead camera lying between them, and her face fell.

"Oh no," she said. "Oh no. What happened?"

Alicia picked up the notebook and wrote one word in big letters. She held it up.

VOICE.

Then she pointed at her own throat and shook her head.

Hana's hands flew to her mouth. Across the room, Sofia, who had just woken up and was still rubbing her eyes, gave a little cry.

Lainey told them everything. It came out in a jumble: Miss Corvin in the doorway in her violet dress, the circle at the end of the word, the sun coming up, Alicia standing up and spreading her arms. When she got to the part where Alicia mouthed Take me instead, Sofia burst into tears, and Hana sat down very suddenly on the floor, as though her legs had stopped working.

"That's the bravest thing I've ever heard," Hana whispered. "That's braver than anything in any book."

Alicia rolled her eyes and wrote: Stop it. You'll make me cry. And then I'll make a noise like a deflating balloonballoon/ bə-ˈlün / nounballoonA flexible bag that can be filled with air or gas and used for decoration or as a toy.The children laughed as they watched the bright balloon float away. and it'll be really embarrassing.

But her eyes were shining. Sofia, who loved a sad film more than anything, said it was better than any tearjerkertearjerker/ ˈtir-ˌjər-kər / nountearjerkerA work, especially a film or novel, that evokes strong emotions and often leads to tears.The movie was a real tearjerker that left everyone in tears by the end. she had ever watched, and blew her nose loudly.

Mrs Hartwell arrived ten minutes later. She did not knock. She swept into the room with her keys jangling and her mouth pressed into a thin, strictstrict/ ˈstrikt / adjectivestrictStringent in requirement or control.Under strict orders, the team followed the rules strictly. line.

"Lainey. Alicia. My officeoffice/ ˈä-fəs / nounofficeA place where business or professional activities are conducted.The manager asked me to deliver the report to the office.. Now."

"Mrs Hartwell, please, something happened last night, Alicia can't..."

"I know exactly what happened last night," said Mrs Hartwell, in a surlysurly/ ˈsər-lē / adjectivesurlyHaving a rude or unfriendly disposition.The surly customer complained about the service at the restaurant. voice, rude and short, quite unlike her usual self. "Miss Corvin came to see me at six o'clock this morning. She was very upset. She told me she found the pair of you wandering the North Tower at two o'clock in the morning, long after curfewcurfew/ ˈkər-ˌfyü / nouncurfewA regulation requiring people to remain indoors during specified hours.The city implemented a curfew to maintain order during the night., and that when she brought you back here, you were both hysterical." Her eyes flicked to Alicia. "And now I suppose Alicia has lost her voice."

Lainey stared at her. "She told you that?"

"She told me to expect it. She said that hysterical girls often do. She has made a formal complaintcomplaint/ kəm-ˈplānt / nouncomplaintA formal expression of dissatisfaction or grievance.He filed a complaint about the poor service he received. about the pair of you." Mrs Hartwell's voice was hard, but her hands, Lainey noticed, were shaking. "I will not have this behaviorbehavior/ bi-ˈhā-vyər / nounbehaviorThe way in which a person conducts themselves.His behavior towards his coworkers was always positive and encouraging. in my house. You will abideabide/ ə-ˈbīd / verbabideTo accept or act in accordance with a decision or rule.I will abide by the decision made by the committee. by the rules of Raven House like everyone else. Is that clear?"

The penaltypenalty/ ˈpe-nᵊl-tē / nounpenaltyA punishment for breaking a law or rule.The law imposes a penalty for driving without a license. was announced in her office five minutes later. No free time for two weeks. No trips to the village. In bed by eight, not nine. And Alicia was to go straight to the sanatorium so that Sister Olga could examine her.

Alicia scribbled furiously in her notebook and held it up: This is so unfair I could throw a tantrumtantrum/ ˈtan-trəm / nountantrumA sudden burst of anger or frustration, often characterized by shouting or crying.The toddler threw a tantrum when he was told it was time to go home.. A big one. With screaming. Except I can't scream.

"It's not fair," said Lainey, when Mrs Hartwell had finished. "We didn't do anything wrong. She's lying. Miss Corvin's lying."

"That will do," said Mrs Hartwell. "I will not argueargue/ ˈär-gyü / verbargueTo present reasons for or against something in a discussion.They often argue about the best way to solve the problem. with you, Lainey."

"But it's true!"

"I said that will do!" Mrs Hartwell slammed her hand down on her desk, and a little china dog jumped. For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Mrs Hartwell sat down heavily in her chair and put her face in her hands. When she looked up, she seemed suddenly much older.

"I don't want to hear it," she said quietly. "Do you understand? I don't want to hear another word about walls and whispers. I've heard it before. I heard it from Emily Wren. I heard it from a girl called Rosalind, twenty years before that, when I was a youngyoung/ ˈyəŋ / adjectiveyoungBeing in the early stage of life or development.The young puppy played happily in the backyard. teacher, new here myself. Every time, I told myself it was nonsense. Every time." She swallowed. "Please don't make me hear it again. Go. And don't tattletattle/ ˈta-tᵊl / nountattleThe act of revealing secrets or gossiping about others.His constant tattle about others made him unpopular among his peers. to the other girls about this, either. I don't want any gossipgossip/ ˈgä-səp / noungossipA person who spreads rumors or talks about the private affairs of others.She is known as a gossip who always shares the latest news about others. spreading round the house."

Lainey went. But as she closed the door, she looked back. Mrs Hartwell was staring at the wall of her office. She looked like someone who had been very frightened for a very long time.

Sister Olga's sanatorium smelled of soapsoap/ ˈsōp / nounsoapA cleansing agent that is usually a solid or liquid and creates lather when mixed with water.I always keep a bar of soap in my bathroom for washing my hands. and disinfectant and boiled cabbage. Priya was still there, in the end bed, and when she saw Alicia come in, she sat up with a jolt and her mouth fell open.

Alicia gave her a little wave. Then she climbed onto the bed next to Priya's, bounced on the mattressmattress/ ˈma-trəs / nounmattressA large, rectangular pad used for sleeping, typically filled with materials like foam or springs.I decided to invest in a new mattress to improve my sleep quality. to test it, and gave Priya a big thumbs-up.

Priya scribbled on her notepad and held it up: YOU TOO??

Alicia grabbed her own notebook and scribbled back: ME TOO. Welcome to the club. We need a secret handshake.

Priya laughed. It was a silent laugh, just a shaking of the shoulders and a crinkling of the eyes, but it was a laugh. Lainey hadn't seen her laugh in days.

Sister Olga was not laughing. She was a woman who liked to carpcarp/ ˈkärp / verbcarpTo complain or find fault in a petty or nagging way.He tends to carp about the smallest issues instead of focusing on the bigger picture., to grumble and nag about small things, and she began at once: the girls didn't sleep enough, the girls didn't drink enough water, the girls left wet towels on the floor. She examined Alicia from top to bottom. She looked in her earear/ ˈir / nounearThe characteristic vertebrate organ of hearing and equilibrium.He adjusted his hat to shield his ear from the bright sun. with a little torch. She parted her hair and checked her scalpscalp/ ˈskalp / nounscalpThe skin covering the top of the head.The doctor examined the patient's scalp for any signs of injury., for reasons Lainey could not understand. She tapped her chest and listened to her breathing and checked her pulse. She shone a light up her nose. She peered at the blue veins on Alicia's wrist and muttered something about blood flowing venouslyvenously/ ˈvēnəs-lē / adverbvenouslyIn a manner pertaining to or involving veins.The medication was administered venously to ensure quick absorption into the bloodstream., back towards the heart.

"Hmm," she said. "Hmm."

"What's wrong with her?" asked Lainey.

"A very good question." Sister Olga took off her glasses and polished them. "It could be a virus. There is a virus going around. Not a pandemicpandemic/ ˌpan-ˈde-mik / nounpandemicAn outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects a large proportion of the population.The world faced a serious pandemic that changed daily life for everyone., you understand, nothing that big, just a little cold that is spreading around the school. Or it could be aerosinusitisaerosinusitis/ ˌar-ō-ˌsī-n(y)ə-ˈsīt-əs / nounaerosinusitisTraumatic inflammation in the cavity near the nose resulting from the difference between atmospheric pressure and the pressure within the cavities and occurring in high-altitude flyers, caisson or tunnel workers, and deep-sea divers.The diver suffered from aerosinusitis after ascending too quickly.: a pain and swelling in the face that people get from a sudden change in air pressure. Perhaps from the ferry. Or flying."

"She hasn't been on a ferry," said Lainey. "Or a plane. She's been here for a week."

"Then perhaps not." Sister Olga sniffed. "Do you grind your teeth at night, child? Some people do. It is called bruxismbruxism/ ˈbrək-ˌsi-zəm / nounbruxismThe habitual grinding of the teeth, typically during sleep.Many people experience bruxism during stressful situations.. They grind and grind until their jaws are sore and they cannot speak."

Alicia shook her head firmly and wrote: NO. I lost my voice to a MONSTER.

Sister Olga read it and did not change her expression at all.

"I will give her ibuprofenibuprofen/ ˌī-byu̇ -ˈprō-fən / nounibuprofenA medication used to reduce pain, inflammation, and fever.The doctor prescribed ibuprofen to help alleviate her pain. for any pain," she said, "and honey and lemonlemon/ ˈle-mən / nounlemonA yellow, acidic fruit used in cooking and beverages.The drink was refreshing with a hint of lemon. for her throat. And plenty of rest. And proper nutritionnutrition/ n(y)u̇-ˈtri-shən / nounnutritionThe process by which living organisms take in and utilize food for growth and maintenance.Proper nutrition is essential for athletes to perform at their best.. These girls do not eat properly." She glared at Lainey as if this were her fault. "Too many sweets. When I was training, a girl with a sore throat would have been given a spoonful of ipecacipecac/ ˈi-pi-ˌkak / nounipecacThe dried rhizome and roots of a tropical American plant ( Carapichea ipecacuanha synonym Cephaelis ipecacuanha ) of the madder family used especially as a source of emetine.The doctor recommended using ipecac only in emergencies. to make her sick, to get the poison out. A terrible medicine. Very old-fashioned. We do not do that any more, thank goodness."

Alicia made a face and wrote: Thank goodness.

"Your body is a clever thing," she added, a little more kindly. "Every part of you is made of tiny living cells. It is all cellularcellular/ ˈsel-yə-lər / adjectivecellularRelating to or consisting of the fundamental units of life.The scientists observed the sample's cellular qualities under a microscope., right down to the bottom. And inside your blood are little cells called macrophages. A macrophagemacrophage/ ˈma-krə-ˌfāj / nounmacrophageA type of white blood cell that engulfs and digests cellular debris and pathogens.The macrophage plays a crucial role in the immune response. is like a hungry guard. It eats up germs and dirt and anything that should not be there. Your body is fighting already. We must help it."

"So no ipecac," said Sister Olga. "Instead, a careful dieteticdietetic/ ˌdī-ə-ˈte-tik / adjectivedieteticOf or relating to the kind and quantity of food to be eaten.principles to create healthy meal options. plan. Light food. Easy to swallow." She ticked things off on her fingers. "A clear chicken brothbroth/ ˈbrȯth / nounbrothLiquid in which meat, fish, cereal grains, or vegetables have been cooked : stock.The soup was made with a flavorful broth of beef and herbs. with a pinch of thymethyme/ ˈtīm / nounthymeAny of a genus of Eurasian mints with small pungent aromatic leaves; especially : a Mediterranean garden herb (T. vulgaris).The scent of fresh thyme filled the kitchen as she added it to the simmering soup., for strength. Plain soupsoup/ ˈsüp / nounsoupA liquid dish often made by cooking ingredients such as meat or vegetables in water.The chef prepared a delicious bowl of soup for the guests.. Porridge. Not that thin, watery gruelgruel/ ˈgrü-əl / noungruelA thin, watery porridge, formerly eaten primarily by the poor and the ill.The children were served a simple bowl of gruel for breakfast. they serve in the dining hall; proper porridge, with a spoonful of honey. Or steviastevia/ ˈstē-vē-ə / nounsteviaA plant known for its leaves that are used as a natural sweetener.Many people prefer using stevia as a natural sweetener in their beverages., if she prefers. It is a sweet leaf from South America; better for the teeth than sugar. And for her tiffintiffin/ ˈti-fən / nountiffinA light midday meal : luncheon.For lunch, I packed a light tiffin of salad and crackers., her little lunchlunch/ ˈlənch / nounlunchA meal eaten in the middle of the day, often lighter than dinner.She enjoyed a light lunch with her friends during the midday break. at midday, a dry biscuitbiscuit/ ˈbi-skət / nounbiscuitA small, soft bread often served with meals, typically flaky and made from a leavened dough.She baked a batch of flaky biscuit for the picnic. or two."

Alicia looked at Lainey. Lainey looked at Alicia. Alicia wrote, very slowly:

I am going to starve to death.

On her way out, Lainey stopped by Sister Olga's desk.

Priya and Alicia had already started passing notes to each other across the gap between their beds, giggling silently. Lainey could see that the two of them were going to blabberblabber/ ˈbla-bər / verbblabberTo talk foolishly or excessively.It became difficult for anyone to get a word in during the meeting whenever she would begin to blabber. away on paper all afternoon.

"Sister Olga," she said carefully. "Has this ever happened before? Girls losing their voices, and nobody knowing why?"

Sister Olga was quiet for a moment. Then she said, in a low voice, "There are many illnesses that steal things from people. Sometimes Alzheimeralzheimer/ ˈälts-ˌhī-mər / nounalzheimerOf, relating to, used in, or affected by the disease.An alzheimer patient may experience memory loss and confusion.'s disease steals their memories. Sometimes a stroke steals their words. It damages the cortexcortex/ ˈkȯr-ˌteks / nouncortexOrgan or bodily structure (such as the kidney, adrenal gland, or cerebellum or a bone).The outer cortex of the brain plays a crucial role in processing information., the outer layer of the brain, where language lives." She stared at her hands. "In my country, in the old villages, the grandmothers used to say that there was a thing that lived in the cold places. In the cracks of old buildings. A thing that ate voices." She shook her head. "Superstition. I am a nurse. I believe in sciencescience/ ˈsī-ən(t)s / nounscienceSystematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions.Understanding the principles of science is essential for future innovations.."

"But you've seen it before," Lainey said. "Here."

Sister Olga did not answer. But she did not say no, either.

At lunchtime, Hana grabbed Lainey's arm in the corridor and dragged her into an empty classroom.

"The camera," Hana whispered. Her eyes were very bright. "Lainey, I've been thinking about the camera all morning. It died, right? The battery went flat, all at once."

"Yes."

"But it was filming until then. And it saves the film onto a little memory card, every few seconds, as it goes. So even if the battery died, the card should still have everything it recorded before it died." Hana took a deep breath. "And I remember. When I set it up, I put it on the setting where it takes a still photograph every thirty seconds too. Just in case. Like a backup."

Lainey stared at her. "Hana. You're a genius."

"I know," said Hana modestly. "Let's go."

They took the long routeroute/ ˈrüt / nounrouteA course or way taken in getting from a starting point to a destination.We chose the fastest route to avoid traffic jams. past the kitchens, so nobody would see them, and went to Dr Ashdown's laboratory. Dr Ashdown was not there, but his computer was, and the door was unlocked. Hana slid the tiny memory card out of her camera and into a slot in the side of the computer. Her hands were trembling.

A list of files appeared on the screenscreen/ ˈskrēn / nounscreenA protective or ornamental device (such as a movable partition) shielding an area from heat or drafts or from view.The decorative screen added elegance to the room.. Hana tapped and swiped at the little touchpad. "I hate these," she muttered. "There's no haptichaptic/ ˈhap-tik / adjectivehapticRelating to the sense of touch or the perception of tactile stimuli.The gaming controller features a haptic interface that enhances user experience. feedback. My phone buzzes when I touch it. This thing just sits there."

"Come on, you old robotrobot/ ˈrō-ˌbät / nounrobotA machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically.A robot can perform tasks that were once thought to be exclusive to humans.," she said to the computer, which whirred and clicked as if it were thinking very hard. "Most of these are useless," Hana muttered, scrolling. "All dark. All just the wall. You can't see anything. The film stops at two o'clock, when the word appeared. It's like something was blocking the signal. Like a jammerjammer/ ˈja-mər / nounjammerA device that interferes with radio signals to prevent communication.The hacker used a jammer to disrupt the communication signals., those machines that block radios. Or a gremlingremlin/ ˈgremlən / noungremlinA mischievous creature believed to cause problems or malfunctions, particularly in machinery.The old computer was acting up again, and he joked that a gremlin must have gotten into the system. got into it... But look. The last photo. It's time-stamped two o'clock and four seconds. The very last thing the camera saw before it died."

She clicked on it.

At first, it looked like nothing. Just a grey blur, very dark, very grainy. But Hana dragged a little slider across the bottom of the screen, and the picture grew brighter. Then she used a little magnifying tool to magnifymagnify/ ˈmag-nə-ˌfī / verbmagnifyTo increase in size or importance.The artist used a magnifying glass to magnify the details of her painting. one corner, and the picture grew bigger.

And there it was.

On the wall, half-formed, glistening, were the first few curling letters of the third word. Black and shining and unmistakable.

And in the bottom corner of the picture, just inside the open door, was the shape of a woman. You could not see her face. You could only see her outline: her profileprofile/ ˈprō-ˌfī(-ə)l / nounprofileThe outline or contour of a person or object.The artist captured her subject's profile beautifully in the painting., the curve of her cheek and the tall pile of her hair, lit from below by a small brass lantern. But you could see the shape of the brooch at her throat.

A closed mouth.

"It's her," breathed Lainey. "Hana. It's actually her. We've got her."

Hana did not look as pleased as Lainey had expected.

"It's not very clear," she said slowly. "It's just a shadow, really. There's only the faintest tracetrace/ ˈtrās / nountraceA minute and often barely detectable amount or indication.The archaeologist found a faint trace of ancient pottery in the excavation site. of her. If I showedshowed/ ˈshōd / verbshowedTo cause to be seen; to present for viewing.He showed his artwork at the gallery opening last night. this to my mother, she'd say it was a smudge on the lenslens/ ˈlenz / nounlensThat refracts light to converge or diverge beams.The scientist examined the specimen through a powerful lens., or a reflection, or something. And the letters on the wall could be anything. A shadow. Damp. Mould." She bit her lip. "It's not proof, Lainey. It's not like a TV broadcastbroadcast/ ˈbrȯd-ˌkast / nounbroadcastThe transmission of audio or video content to a wide audience.The broadcast had millions of viewers. with a reporter standing next to the wall saying look, a monster. Grown-ups will just say it's another episodeepisode/ ˈpə|ˌsōd sometimes -pē| or -pi| |ˌzōd or / nounepisodeA distinct part of a series, such as a television or radio program.The latest episode of the show left viewers eager for the next installment. of the crazy new girls."

"It's something," said Lainey fiercely. "Mr Al Mansoori said he needed something. Anything. A photograph. This is a photograph."

Hana nodded slowly. Then she printed two copies, saved the picture onto Dr Ashdown's computer under the very boring name Biology homework 3, and slipped the memory card into a secret pocket inside her blazer.

"Just in case," she said. "If someone tries to destroy the evidence, we'll have it in three places."

That afternoon there was a science lesson.

It was the last thing Lainey felt like doing. Her eyes were gritty from no sleep, and her head was full of curling black letters. But Dr Ashdown bounced into the laboratory in his frog tie, as cheerful as ever, and clapped his hands, and somehow it was impossible not to listen to him.

"Today," he announced, "we are going to talk about energyenergy/ ˈe-nər-jē / nounenergyDynamic quality.He approached the project with a renewed sense of energy.."

He wrote the word on the board and underlined it twice.

"Energy," he said, "is the ability to do work. It is a forceforce/ ˈfȯrs / nounforceStrength or energy that causes motion or change.The force caused the doors to rattle in their frames. for change. The structurestructure/ ˈstrək-chər / nounstructureThe arrangement of parts or elements in a whole.The architect presented the plans for the new structure to the city council. of the whole universe is built out of energy, from the soliditysolidity/ sə-ˈlid-əd-ē / nounsolidityThe state or quality of having an interior filled with matter.The solidity of the structure ensured its durability over time. of this table to the light in your eyes. Energy is the ability to do work. To make things happen. To move things. To heat things up. And energy comes in many different forms. Who can give me one?"

"Electricity," said someone.

"Excellent! Another?"

"Heat."

"Very good. How hot? In degrees Celsiuscelsius/ ˈsel-sē-əs / adjectivecelsiusOf or relating to a temperature scale where water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees under standard atmospheric conditions.The weather report indicated that it would be 20 degrees celsius tomorrow., please, like proper scientists, not in Fahrenheit like my American cousins." Dr Ashdown beamed. "Another?"

"Light."

"Splendid. Another?"

"Rockets," said a boy at the back, and everyone laughed.

"Ah, but he's right!" said Dr Ashdown. "A rocketrocket/ ˈrä-kət / nounrocketA vehicle designed to travel through space by means of controlled explosions.The engineers designed a powerful rocket to explore outer space. is full of chemical energy, stored in its fuel. When it burns, all that stored energy is turned into motion, and up it goes, through the clouds, through the stratospherestratosphere/ ˈstra-tə-ˌsfir / nounstratosphereThe layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, characterized by a gradual increase in temperature with altitude.The weather balloon ascended into the stratosphere, collecting data on atmospheric conditions., the high, cold, thin layer of the air, and off into space. Some stars are so far away that we measure them not in miles, but in parsecs. A parsecparsec/ ˈpär-ˌsek / nounparsecA unit of distance used in astronomy, equivalent to about 3.26 light-years.Astronomers measure distances in parsec to study the universe.," he said, writing it on the board, "is about three and a quarter light years. Which is a very, very long way." He drew a right-angled triangle and wrote the Pythagoreanpythagorean/ pə-ˌtha-gə-ˈrē-ən / adjectivepythagoreanRelating to the mathematical principles associated with the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras, especially in geometry.The mathematician discussed the principles of pythagorean in his lecture. rule beside it, which had nothing to do with rockets, but which he said was too beautiful to leave out.

He talked about the engines on the wings of an aeroplane, each one tucked inside its nacellenacelle/ nə-ˈsel / nounnacelleA streamlined enclosure (as for an engine) on an aircraft.The engineer designed a new nacelle to house the aircraft's engine., a smooth, streamlined case. He talked about scientists trying to make power the way the Sun does, by squeezing hot gas inside a great doughnut-shaped machine called a tokamaktokamak/ ˈtō-kə-ˌmak / nountokamakControlled nuclear fusion that involves the confining and heating of a gaseous plasma by means of an electric current and magnetic field.Researchers are developing new methods to enhance the efficiency of a tokamak.. He told them about Einsteineinstein/ ˈīn-ˌstīn / nouneinsteinA physicist known for developing the theory of relativity, which revolutionized the understanding of space, time, and gravity.The scientist admired the work of Albert einstein in the field of physics., the most famous scientist who ever lived, and drew Einstein's famous equation on the board, and said that even Einstein had once failed a test at school, which made everyone feel better. He showed them a lump of osmiumosmium/ ˈäz-mē-əm / nounosmiumBrittle very heavy polyvalent metallic element with a high melting point that is used especially as a catalyst and in hard alloys.The scientist explained how osmium is used in various industrial applications., the heaviest metal in the world, no bigger than a sugar cube but so heavy that when Sofia tried to lift it, she squealed. He showed them a long glass tubulartubular/ ˈtü-byə-lər / adjectivetubularCharacteristics of a tube.allows it to grow tall. lamp that glowed pink when he switched it on, and a toy squeakersqueaker/ ˈskwē-kər / nounsqueakerOne that makes a short shrill cry or noise.The mouse was a notorious squeaker. that turned the energy of a squeeze into a shrill little cry.

"And here," said Dr Ashdown, "is the most important rule in the whole of physics. Write it down. Write it down and never forget it."

He wrote on the board, in big letters:

ENERGY CANNOT BE DESTROYED. IT CAN ONLY BE CHANGED, OR STORED.

"When you rub your hands together," he said, rubbing his, "the frictionfriction/ ˈfrik-shən / nounfrictionThe rubbing of one body against another.The friction between the two surfaces created a loud screeching noise. turns the energy of movement into heat. Feel it? When a car brakes, its energy turns into heat in the brakes, and into the screech of the tyres. When you shout," he went on, and here he cupped his hands around his mouth and gave a great roar that made everyone jump, "the energy of your breath turns into sound. Sound waves travel through the air. And when they hit something, they don't just vanish. Their energy goes somewhere. Into the walls. Into the air. Into your ears. It is never, ever destroyed."

Lainey sat very still.

Into the walls.

She thought of Miss Corvin, touching the brooch at her throat. I still have it, you know. I keep them all.

"Dr Ashdown," she said slowly. "What about a voice? If a voice was... taken away somehow. Where would the energy go?"

Dr Ashdown looked at her over his glasses for a long moment. He was not smiling.

"That," he said quietly, "is a very interesting question, Miss Lainey. In acousticacoustic/ ə-ˈkü-stik / adjectiveacousticOf or relating to sound or the sense of hearing.The acoustic properties of the instrument made it ideal for sound experiments. science, the science of sound, we say that a sound must always go somewhere. It might be soaked up by a soft curtain. It might reflectreflect/ ri-ˈflekt / verbreflectTo return light or heat to a surface.The surface of the lake will reflect the sunlight beautifully at sunset. off a hard stone wall and bounce back to us as an echo. Or it might be captured." He paused. "In a recording, for example. Or a box. Or a jar." He picked up a little glass test tube from the rack on his desk and turned it in the light. "Anything can be stored, Miss Lainey. If you have the right container."

The bell rang.

Dr Ashdown put down the test tube, cleared his throat, and became cheerful again.

"Homework!" he cried. "Page forty-two! And next week, our nature transecttransect/ tran(t)-ˈsekt / nountransectA segment or portion of land that is cut across for study or analysis.The construction team planned to transect the area for the new road.! We shall walk in a dead straight line across the island, from the north cliffs to the south beach, and record every living thing we see. Bring wellingtons. Hana, bring that camera of yours."

They needed to call Mr Al Mansoori. They needed to tell him everything, and send him the photograph. And phones were not allowed.

"There's a phone in Mrs Hartwell's office," said Sofia. "A proper old one, on her desk. With a curly cordcord/ ˈkȯrd / nouncordA length of flexible material used for tying or binding.She used a sturdy cord to secure the package for shipping.."

"Mrs Hartwell's office is locked," said Hana. "And you need a keycardkeycard/ ˈkē-kärd / nounkeycardThat contains encoded data to electronically open or access something (such as a door or a system).She swiped her keycard to enter the secure area of the building. to get into the staff corridor after six."

"Not on the old doors," said Sofia. "The old doors still have old locks."

Lainey reached into her blazer pocket and pulled out a small brass key.

The others stared at her.

"Alicia never put it back," Lainey said. "She gave it to me this morning. She wrote me a note. It says: You'll need this more than I do."

So, at six o'clock, while Mrs Hartwell was at dinner in the Great Hall, Lainey and Hana crept back down the corridor, unlocked the office door, and slipped inside. Sofia kept watch at the end of the corridor. Her job was to sing a song, loudly, if anyone came. ("Which song?" "Any song." "I only know the national anthem of Argentina." "That's fine." "It's quite long.")

Mr Al Mansoori's business card was still pinned to Mrs Hartwell's noticeboard. Lainey's hands were shaking so badly that she dialled the number wrong twice.

On the third try, it rang. Once. Twice. Three times.

"Al Mansoori," said a tired voice.

"Mr Al Mansoori, it's Lainey. From Blackwood. You said to call if..."

"Lainey." His voice changed at once. It became sharp and awake. "Are you all right? What's happened?"

Lainey told him. She told him everything, as fast as she could, while Hana watched the door. When she got to the part about Alicia, there was a long silence on the other end of the line.

"I am so sorry," Mr Al Mansoori said at last, very quietly. "That brave, foolish girl. I am so sorry." Then his voice became businesslike again. He said there was a notablenotable/ ˈnō-tə-bəl / adjectivenotableBeing of much weight, scope, or significance : important, memorable.The scientist made a notable discovery that changed our understanding of the disease. gap in the school's records, the kind an auditor learns to notice, and that it worried him. "The photograph. Can you send it to me?"

"Hana can email it from the library."

"Good. Do it tonight. Now listen to me carefully, Lainey, because I have news too, and I do not have long. Since I came home, I have been looking into the trust that pays Miss Corvin. And I have found some very strange things."

Lainey pressed the phone closer to her ear.

"The trust," said Mr Al Mansoori, "does not only pay Miss Corvin's salary. It owns the island. All of it. The school does not own the land it stands on. It rents it. The trust is the landlordlandlord/ ˈlan(d)ˌlȯrd / nounlandlordThe owner of property that is leased or rented to another.The landlord scheduled a maintenance check for the apartment complex., and the school is its tenant. It has been that way for seven hundred years."

"Seven hundred years?"

"The municipalitymunicipality/ myu̇-ˌni-sə-ˈpa-lə-tē / nounmunicipalityA local political entity with its own government.Elections were held in the municipality last week., the local council on the mainland, has no record of it ever being sold. Nor has anyone in the nationnation/ ˈnā-shən / nounnationA group of people sharing a common culture, language, or history, often inhabiting a specific territory.The nation celebrated its independence day with a grand parade and fireworks show.. It is as if the island simply belongs to the trust and always has."

"I have the records in front of me. I have been through the trust's accountaccount/ ə-ˈkau̇nt also a- / nounaccountA statement of facts or events : an informative report or descriptive narration : a study or narrative usually nonfictional and wholly objective.The book gave a detailed account of the explorers’ journey through the mountains., line by line. Its whole portfolioportfolio/ pȯrt-ˈfō-lē-ˌō / nounportfolioA case or folder used for carrying loose papers or documents.She organized her documents in a sleek portfolio for the meeting.: the buildings, the land, the investments. It is a very wealthywealthy/ ˈwel-thē / adjectivewealthyHaving a great deal of money or assets.The wealthy donated a large sum to the local hospital. trust, Lainey. Far richer than the school. But here is the strange part." She heard papers rustling. "Every penny it has ever spent has been spent on one thing: keeping the school open. Whenever the school has run short of money, the trust has paid. In the war, when the school nearly closed, the trust paid. In the 1920s, when the headmaster lost a fortune gambling in a casinocasino/ kə-ˈsē-nō / nouncasinoA building or room used for social amusements; specifically : one used for gambling.The tourists enjoyed a night of entertainment at the casino. in Monte Carlo, the trust paid his debts. Two hundred years ago, when the government decided to demonetizedemonetize/ ˌdē-mə-ˈne-ˌtīz / verbdemonetizeTo withdraw the status of legal tender from a coin and remove it from circulation.The bank decided to demonetize the outdated coins to streamline transactions. the old coins the trust had been saving, so that suddenly they were worth nothing at all, the trust sold off a house it owned in London, at auctionauction/ ˈȯk-shən / nounauctionA public sale in which goods or property are sold to the highest bidder.The charity held an auction to raise funds for the local shelter., and paid the school anyway."

"Was the trust scammedscammed/ ˈskamd / verbscammedTo cheat or defraud someone.He felt embarrassed after realizing he had been scammed by a fake online store.?" said Lainey. "Did someone trick it?"

"No. It knew exactly what it was doing. It did not even hagglehaggle/ ˈha-gəl / verbhaggleTo negotiate the terms of a purchase, especially to obtain a better price.I decided to haggle with the vendor to lower the price of the antique. over the price. It did not care about money at all. It is the opposite of profligacyprofligacy/ sē / nounprofligacyExtravagant.outrage and protests.; it has never wasted a penny on itself. No grand parties, no luxuries, nothing spent lavishlylavishly/ ˈla-vish-lē / adverblavishlyIn a way that is extravagant or abundant.The couple hosted a lavishly party to celebrate their anniversary.. Every penny for the school."

"Why would anyone do that?"

"Because whoever controls the trust needs the school to stay open. Needs it badly." Mr Al Mansoori's voice was grim. "A school, Lainey, means a fresh supply of clever children. Every single year. Forever."

Lainey felt cold all over.

"And the trust was set up," he went on, "in the year 1316. By a single person. There is only one signature on the old document. Just an initial. A single letter."

"S," whispered Lainey.

There was a pause. "How did you know that?"

"Her letters. In her rooms. They were all addressed to Miss S. Corvin."

Another long pause.

"I will referrefer/ ˌrē-ˈfər / verbreferTo direct attention to a source for information or consideration.Teachers often refer to various resources to enhance their lessons. this to my lawyers," said Mr Al Mansoori. "But lawyers are slow. So I am coming back myself." "On Saturday, for the Founders' Gala. I will bring two of my best people, people who know how to read old accounts, and we will go through every detaildetail/ ˈdē-ˌtāl / noundetailA distinct feature or item that adds to a larger whole.Note this fine detail in the lower left corner. of that trust until we find the truth. In the meantime, you must keep yourselves securesecure/ sə-ˈkyu̇r / adjectivesecureFree from danger or threat.With the doors locked, the house felt secure from any intruders.. Safe. Do you hear me? No more midnight adventures. No more breaking into teachers' rooms. Your missionmission/ ˈmi-shən / nounmissionA specific task or duty assigned to a person or group.The team's mission was to complete the project by the end of the month., Lainey, is to stay out of danger until I get there."

"But what about Alicia? And Priya? We can't just wait. They need their voices back."

"I know." He sighed. "I am not much of a mentormentor/ ˈmen-ˌtȯr / nounmentorA person who guides and advises another, especially in a professional or educational context.She found a mentor who guided her through her career choices. to you, am I, telling you to sit still and wait? I know. I wish I could do more from here. But I promise you, I will not let this rest."

At the end of the corridor, very faintly, Sofia began to sing the national anthem of Argentina.

"Someone's coming," hissed Hana. "Lainey, now!"

"I have to go," Lainey whispered.

"Lainey," said Mr Al Mansoori quickly. "One more thing. I have tried to tell the police, but they will not listen to me. A trustee who believes in monsters is not a trustee for very long." He gave a short, tired laugh. "But you, my dear, have something that I do not. You are inside. You can see things I cannot see. So I want you to know that I trust you. Completely. Whatever you decide to do, you have my support. I empowerempower/ im-ˈpau̇ (-ə)r / verbempowerTo give power or authority to someone.The program aims to empower students by giving them leadership opportunities. you to act as you think best."

It was, Lainey thought afterwards, the first time in her whole life that a grown-up had said anything like that to her. It made her feel taller somehow. Braver. As if someone had reached out across all those miles and handed her a lantern.

She put the phone down. They slipped out of the office, locked the door behind them, and walked casually down the corridor, past Mr Fenwick, who was coming the other way, and who looked at them very hard but said nothing.

At the end of the corridor, Sofia was still singing. She had got to the fourth verse.

That night, Lainey lay awake in Dormitory Seven and looked at the wall.

Down the corridor, Lainey could hear some of the older girls in the next dorm. They were in a quarrelsomequarrelsome/ ˈkwȯr(-ə)l-səm / adjectivequarrelsomeDisposed to engage in disputes or arguments.The two siblings were often quarrelsome over trivial matters. mood, bickering about whose turn it was to turn the light out. It was a silly argumentargument/ ˈär-gyə-mənt / nounargumentA statement or series of statements for or against something.Their discussion turned into an intense argument about the best course of action., and normally Lainey would have smiled. Tonight it only made her feel lonelier.

The wall was clean and white and empty. There was no word on it. There had been no word all evening. The Hush, Miss Corvin had said, would collect. But not tonight, it seemed.

Alicia's bed was empty. She was spending the night in the sanatorium, next to Priya.

Lainey had never felt so alone.

She took out Nani's notebook and opened it to the page where Alicia had written down the letters, one by one, as Lainey had spelled them in the dark. Sixty-two letters, in Alicia's big, careful capitals. And at the very end, a small drawing of a circle, with a question mark beside it.

Lainey looked at it for a long time. Then she turned to a fresh page and wrote, in her own small, neat handwriting:

Things I know.

1. The voices are not destroyed. They are stored. Somewhere.

2. Miss Corvin keeps them. "I keep them all."

3. Last night her dress was wet with sea water and weed.

4. If you find where something is stored, you can open it.

She looked at the list. Then, underneath, she wrote one more line.

5. I am going to find them.

It was not much of a plan. It was barely an ideationideation/ ˌī-dē-ˈā-shən / nounideationThe process of forming concepts.The team engaged in ideation to generate innovative concepts for the project., the first spark of an idea. But it was a start. She closed the notebook, and put it under her pillow, and fell asleep at last, and dreamed of glass bottles, hundreds and hundreds of them, glinting in the dark, and in every one of them, very faintly, a girl calling her name.

The next morning, at breakfast, Dr Ashcombe stood up in the Great Hall and tapped his glass for silence.

"As you all know," he rumbled, "on Saturday evening we shall hold the Founders' Galagala/ ˈgā-lə / noungalaA festive celebration or event, often marked by entertainment and social gathering.The annual charity gala featured live music and delicious food., our great annual celebration in honour of the people who built this school. There will be speeches. There will be music. There will be a feastfeast/ ˈfēst / nounfeastAn elaborate and usually abundant meal often accompanied by a ceremony or entertainment : banquet.The wedding reception featured an extravagant feast with a variety of dishes.. The elocution class will perform, under the direction of Miss Corvin." He nodded towards the staff table, where Miss Corvin inclined her head graciously, like a queenqueen/ ˈkwēn / nounqueenA female monarch or the wife of a king.The queen attended the ceremony in a grand gown adorned with jewels. acknowledging her subjects. "And this year, I am delighted to say, Miss Corvin has chosen a new girl to give the opening recitation."

He looked down at a piece of paper.

"Lainey."

Every head in the hall turned to look at her. Somewhere behind her, a girl whispered that it was a great honour, that only girls with real talenttalent/ ˈta-lənt / nountalentNatural aptitude or skill.The artist showcased her talent for painting in the gallery. were ever chosen, that it usually went to one of the eliteelite/ i-ˈlēt / nouneliteThe most powerful or influential members of a group.The elite of the club enjoyed exclusive privileges. older girls in Year Eleven.

Lainey felt her face go hot, and then cold. Across the hall, Miss Corvin was smiling at her. It was the warmest, kindest smile in the world.

"She's planning something," said Hana, as soon as they were out of the hall. "She must be. Why else would she choose you?"

"To keep me where she can see me," said Lainey. "Up on a stage. In front of everyone." She swallowed. "On Saturday night."

"Saturday's in three days."

"I know."

They were walking fast down the main corridor, Hana and Sofia and Lainey, with Priya and Alicia's empty places beside them like missing teeth. It was the morning recessrecess/ ri-ˈces / nounrecessNormal activities are suspended.lunch during the short recess., and Lainey had a free period before lunch. Students on punishment weren't allowed free time, but they were allowed to study in the library, and that was exactly what she meant to do.

"I need to know who she is," she said. "Who she really is. Where she came from. Mr Al Mansoori said the trust was set up in 1316. Something happened in 1316. And the school was a monastery then, wasn't it? Monks wrote everything down. If anything happened on this island, they'd have written it down somewhere."

"And where do you keep old things that monks wrote down?" said Sofia.

They looked at each other.

"The library," they all said together.

The library was quiet and dim and smelled of dust and old leather. It was a drearydreary/ ˈdrir-ē / adjectivedrearyHaving a dull, bleak, or lifeless quality; causing a feeling of sadness or gloom.The dreary weather made everyone feel gloomy and unmotivated. sort of morning, grey and wet and cold. Rain was falling outside, and the tall windows were streaked and grey. In the far corner, behind his enormous desk, sat Mr Grieve, the librarian, with a pair of half-moon glasses on the end of his nose and a cup of tea going cold at his elbow.

He looked up as they came in. The older girls called him the guruguru/ ˈgu̇r-(ˌ)ü / nounguruA person who is an acknowledged leader or teacher in a particular field.The young artist considered her mentor a guru in her creative journey. of the library, because he knew where every book was without looking it up. He did not look surprised.

"Ah," he said. "I wondered when you would come back." He took off his glasses. "I heard about Alicia. I am very sorry."

Lainey stared at him. "You heard?"

"I hear most things. Librarians are like that. People forget we are here, and then they talk." He folded his hands on the desk. "What do you need? I take it you're not here on some little erranderrand/ ˈer-ənd / nounerrandA trip made to perform a specific task or duty.She has a quick errand to run before the meeting starts. for a teacher."

"Anything about the year 1316," said Lainey. "Anything the monks wrote. And anything about a woman called Sabine. Or S. Corvin."

Mr Grieve was quiet for a long moment. Then he stood up, took a largelarge/ ˈlärj / adjectivelargeHaving a greater size or capacity than usual.The large dog at the shelter was looking for a loving home. iron key from his drawer, and beckoned for them to follow.

He led them past the ordinary shelves, past the syllabussyllabus/ ˈsi-lə-bəs / nounsyllabusA document that specifies the subjects and materials to be covered in a course.The syllabus outlined the topics to be covered in the course. section where all the books for their lessons were kept, past a little reading room with a sign on the door that said NONCLASSnonclass/ ˌnän-ˈklas / adjectivenonclassNot pertaining to formal education or academic courses.The program includes several nonclass clubs for students interested in different activities. READING: BOOKS NOT REQUIRED FOR ANY COURSE, and down a narrow spiral staircase into a cellar Lainey had not known was there.

It was cold down there, and very still. The walls were lined with shelves, and the shelves were crammed with ancient books: books with wooden covers, books with brass clasps, books so old their spines had crumbled into dust. In a glass case in the corner sat a rolled-up scroll of brown papyruspapyrus/ pə-ˈpī-rəs / nounpapyrusA tall perennial sedge of the Nile valley.The ancient manuscript was written on a piece of papyrus., crinkled and cracked, with Egyptian writing on it.

"The monks' library," said Mr Grieve. "Or what is left of it. Most of it burned in a fire in 1317. These are the books that survived. A tragictragic/ ˈtra-jik / adjectivetragicCausing great sadness or distress.The loss of the historic building was a tragic event for the community. loss. Imagine what we might have known."

Beside the case stood an old suit of armour, rusty and dented, and a dusty model of the monastery as it had once been, with every tower and turretturret/ ˈtər-ət / nounturretA small tower that is often part of a larger building.The castle's turret offered a panoramic view of the valley. carved from wood by some patient monk. He went to a shelf at the very back and lifted down a big, heavy volume bound in faded red leather. The cover was covered all over with tiny punched dots, in swirls and patterns like the pattern of stars.

"It's been cribbled," said Mr Grieve, running his finger over the dots. "That's what they call it when a binder punches a surface full of tiny holes for decoration. To cribblecribble/ ˈkrib-əl / verbcribbleTo cover (a surface) with small round holes or dots specifically : to make a pattern of small round punctures in (a block or plate) in engraving.The engraver began to carefully cribble the surface. a cover took weeks." He laid the book on a reading table and opened it gently. "This is the chroniclechronicle/ ˈkrä-ni-kəl / nounchronicleA record of events in the order in which they occurred.The historian wrote a detailed chronicle of the ancient civilization. of the monastery of Corran Isle. A record of everything that happened here, year by year, in the order it happened. It was kept by the monks for three hundred years. Most of it is very dull. Who died. Who was born. How much barleybarley/ ˈbär-lē / nounbarleyCereal grass cultivated for its seeds, used in food and beverages.The brewery uses barley to produce a variety of craft beers. they grew. How many fish they caught. But the year 1316..." He turned the pages carefully. "The year 1316 is not dull at all."

The pages were thick and creamy and covered in rows of tiny black writing. And they were beautiful.

The first letter of every year was enormous, painted in a dozen different colours: deep blue and green and purple and gold. It was polychromepolychrome/ ˈpä-lē-ˌkrōm / adjectivepolychromeRelating to, made with, or decorated in several colors.The museum featured polychrome art that captivated many visitors., like a stained glass window. Some of the letters were gildedgilded/ ˈgil-dəd / adjectivegildedCovered or tinged with gold or a golden color.The gilded details of the sculpture caught everyone's attention., covered with real gold leaf that still shone after seven hundred years. The red ink had been made from miniumminium/ ˈmi-nē-əm / nounminiumA bright red pigment made from lead oxide.The artist used minium to create vibrant highlights in her painting., a bright red powder made from lead, Mr Grieve explained, and it was still as bright as blood. Some of the borders were as fine as filigreefiligree/ ˈfi-lə-ˌgrē / nounfiligreeOrnamental work especially of fine wire of gold, silver, or copper applied chiefly to gold and silver surfaces.The jewelry featured intricate filigree designs that showcased the artisan's skill., as delicate as the twisted silver wire on a piece of jewellery. Around the edges of the pages, tiny pictures wound in and out of the writing: birds and beasts and climbing vines, and little shields painted in red and silver.

"The red on the shields is called gulesgules/ ˈgyülz / noungulesThe heraldic color red.The coat of arms displayed a bold gules background, representing the family's heritage.," said Mr Grieve. "That's the old word for red in heraldry, the art of coats of arms. Each shield belonged to a family. This one is the Corvins."

The Corvin shield showed a black bird on a red background. A crow. Beside it, someone had painted a tiny heraldherald/ ˈher-əld / nounheraldOne who announces important news or events.The town crier acted as a herald, announcing the latest news to the villagers., a messenger in a bright tunic, blowing a trumpet to announce some piece of news.

"Corvin," said Mr Grieve. "From the Latin corvus. A crow." He did not smile.

"Can you read it?" said Lainey. "The writing?"

"Most of it is in Latin. I can read Latin." He adjusted his glasses. "But some of it is in another language entirely. The language of the monks of this island. They made it up themselves, you see. A secret language, with its own alphabet and its own grammargrammar/ ˈgra-mər / noungrammarThe characteristic system or the preferred system of inflections and syntax of a language.Learning proper grammar is essential for effective communication., its own way of making words. Instead of adding a suffixsuffix/ ˈsə-fiks / nounsuffixA morpheme added at the end of a word to modify the word's meaning.The suffix added to the word changed its meaning significantly. to the end of a word, as we do in English, they added a little mark above it. And many of their letters were conjugateconjugate/ ˈkän-ji-gət / adjectiveconjugateJoined together especially in pairs.They shared a conjugate relationship that was built on trust and understanding., joined together in pairs, like your T and H." He sighed. "I have spent thirty years trying to read it. I can manage perhaps one word in ten."

"One word in ten is more than anybody else," said Lainey.

Mr Grieve looked at her over his glasses. Something in his face softened.

"Sit down," he said. "All of you. I'll read it to you." And so they sat around the table in the lamplight, the four of them, like a little fellowshipfellowship/ ˈfe-lō-ˌship / nounfellowshipA group of individuals united by shared interests or goals.The fellowship of artists collaborated to create a stunning mural. in an old story, all bent over the same page.

This is what the chronicle said.

In the year 1315, a great faminefamine/ ˈfa-mən / nounfamineA severe shortage of food resulting in hunger.The severe famine in the region has caused many families to struggle for food. came over the land. It rained all summer, so hard and so long that the crops rotted in the fields. The wheat turned black. The barley drowned. The fields became barrenbarren/ ˈber-ən / adjectivebarrenNot able to produce offspring or fruit; unproductive.The landscape appeared barren after the drought affected the region. and grey, and they would not yieldyield/ ˈyēld / verbyieldTo produce or provide as a natural result.The apple trees in the orchard will yield a large quantity of fruit this year. a single grain. Not one. The next year it rained again, and the next.

There was a terrible shortageshortage/ ˈshȯr-tij / nounshortageA lack or deficiency of something that is required or desired.There was a troubling shortage of supplies for the troops overseas this year. of food. People ate the seed corn they had saved for planting. They ate the bark off the trees. They gathered wild ramsonramson/ ˈram-sən / nounramsonA wild garlic with broad leaves, often found in damp woods.In spring, we often forage for ramson in the woods., the broad-leaved garlic that grows in damp woods, and boiled it into soup. They ate peatpeat/ ˈpēt / nounpeatA dark, organic material formed from decomposed plant matter in waterlogged conditions.Some boreal forests contain peat, which can slow fire if it's wet. moss, and the roots of plants from the thicketthicket/ ˈthik-ət / nounthicketA dense growth of shrubs or small trees.The deer found safety in the dense thicket near the river., and anything else they could find.

"In America," said Mr Grieve quietly, "the people of the plains had a dish called sagamitesagamite/ ˈsa-gə-ˌmīt / nounsagamiteHulled corn.We prepared a hearty meal with sagamite and vegetables over the campfire., hulled corn boiled into a porridge, which could keep a family alive through a hard winter. The people here had nothing like that. They had nothing at all."

Famine was a scourgescourge/ ˈskərj / nounscourgeA source of harm or suffering.The drought has become a scourge for farmers, leading to crop failures and loss of income., the chronicle said, a whip sent to punish the land. Then came the soldiers. A warlordwarlord/ ˈwȯr-ˌlȯrd / nounwarlordA leader in a military context who exercises control over a region or group, often through force.The warlord commanded respect from his followers. from the north marched his soldierssoldiers/ ˈsōl-jərz / nounsoldiersA person who serves in an army.The soldiers trained rigorously for their upcoming mission. down the coast, stealing whatever food was left. They wore iron helmets with a long bar, a nasalnasal/ ˈnā-zəl / nounnasalA part of a helmet that covers or protects the nose.The helmet's nasal was designed for maximum comfort and protection., running down over their noses, so that they all looked like the same cruel face. Behind them came banditsbandits/ ˈban-dits / nounbanditsAn outlaw who lives by plunder; especially : a member of a band of marauders.The bandits were notorious for robbing travelers on the highway., who stole whatever the soldiers had missed. Villages burned. The great manormanor/ ˈma-nər / nounmanorA large and impressive house, often associated with an estate.The grand manor was surrounded by beautiful gardens and fountains. houses of the rich were robbed. Children starved. Even the kinglykingly/ ˈkiŋlē / adjectivekinglyHaving the qualities of a male monarch.The prince wore a kingly robe that signified his royal status. lords in their stone castles grew thin.

Mr Grieve said that the old word for such a thief was a destroyerdestroyer/ di-ˈstrȯi(-ə)r / noundestroyerA person or thing that causes destruction.The documentary highlighted the destroyer of war on communities., because they left nothing behind but ashes. But the monks of Corran Isle were safe in their fortressfortress/ ˈfȯr-trəs / nounfortressA fortified place or stronghold.The ancient castle served as a fortress during the war. on the rock in the sea. They had a store of hardtackhardtack/ ˈhärd-ˌtak / nounhardtackFlour and water, often used as a long-lasting food source.Sailors often relied on hardtack as a staple food during long voyages., hard, dry ship's biscuits made only of flour and water, which could keep for years. And they took in anyone who came to them for refugerefuge/ ˈre-fyüj / nounrefugeA place that provides shelter or protection from danger or hardship.The family sought refuge from the storm in a sturdy building.. Fishermen. Widows. A masonmason/ ˈmā-sən / nounmasonSkilled worker who constructs with stone or brick.The mason skillfully crafted a beautiful stone archway. who had built half the castles on the coast, and now had nothing. A woodcutter whose chantierchantier/ ˈshäⁿ-tē-ˌā / nounchantierA hut especially in a lumber camp.The crew gathered at the chantier to prepare for the day's logging activities., his little hut in the forest, had been burned to the ground. Children with nowhere else to go. The monastery became their abodeabode/ ə-ˈbōd / nounabodeA place where one lives; a residence.After a long journey, I finally returned to my cozy abode., their home, and it hummed with people like a hivehive/ ˈhīv / nounhiveBees.bees buzzing around. hums with bees.

One of those children was a girl called Sabine.

"Sabine Corvin," said Mr Grieve. "The victimvictim/ ˈvik-təm / nounvictimOne who suffers harm or is adversely affected.The innocent victim was caught in the crossfire of the conflict. of a terrible time, in the beginning. Like everyone else." "The daughterdaughter/ ˈdȯ-tər / noundaughterA female offspring or child.My daughter loves to read books about science and nature. of a poor miller from the village of Saltmarsh, on the mainland. Her father died in the first year of the famine. Her mother died in the second. Her little sistersister/ ˈsi-stər / nounsisterA female who has one or more siblings.My sister and I often share secrets and dreams., who was only four, was dying in the third. Their neighborneighbor/ ˈnā-bər / nounneighborA person living near another.My neighbor offered to help me with my gardening project., the fisherman next door, had already died. Sabine rowed her across the strait in a stolen boat in the middle of a storm, and carried her up the cliff path to the monastery gate, and begged the monks to save her."

The monks took them in. And one of the monks, a young man called Brother Anselm, noticed something about Sabine.

"She was clever," Mr Grieve read. "Cleverer than any novice in our house. She learned her letters in a week. She learned Latin in a month. Brother Anselm made her his pupilpupil/ ˈpyü-pəl / nounpupilA person receiving instruction, especially a young student.The pupil listened attentively as the teacher explained the lesson., against the wishes of the Abbot, for it was not thought fitting for a girl to learn to read." He looked up. "Brother Anselm seems to have been something of an idealistidealist/ ī-ˈdē-(ə-)list / nounidealistA person who is guided by ideals, often to the point of impracticality.The idealist envisioned a future where everyone lived in harmony.. He believed that everyone, rich or poor, boy or girl, should be allowed to learn. In 1316, that was a very unusual thing to believe."

Mr Grieve turned the page. There was a little picture in the margin of a young monk with a quillquill/ ˈkwil / nounquillA writing instrument made from a feather, typically used for ink.The poet dipped his quill into the inkwell, ready to compose his next masterpiece. in his hand, bent over a desk, and a girl with dark hair sitting beside him, watching.

"The Abbot did not like Brother Anselm," Mr Grieve went on. "There are several pages of complaints about him. He called him a malcontentmalcontent/ ˌmal-kən-ˈtent / nounmalcontentThe current situation and often protests against it.The malcontent voiced their concerns during the town hall meeting., always unhappy with the way things were done. He called him subversivesubversive/ |s|iv / adjectivesubversiveTending to undermine or overthrow established authority or norms.The activist's speech was seen as subversive by those in power., someone who wanted to overthrow the proper order of things. Brother Anselm refused to eat more than the poorest beggar in the house, a kind of abstentionabstention/ əb-ˈsten(t)-shən / nounabstentionThe act of refraining from a particular action or choice.The community emphasized the importance of abstention from unhealthy habits. that made the Abbot look greedy. He even tried to have him punished by the bishop, to impeachimpeach/ im-ˈpēch / verbimpeachTo charge a public official with misconduct.The committee decided to impeach the official for misconduct in office. him for disobedience. And he accused him of adiaphorismadiaphorism/ ˌa-dē-ˈa-fə-ˌriz-əm / nounadiaphorismIndifference concerning religious or theological matters (such as points of controversy).The debate on the issue highlighted the importance of adiaphorism in religious discussions.."