The hall was buzzing with anticipation. No-one knew what the assembly was about.
‘Emergency assembly? What do you reckon?’ Saffy asked.
‘I reckon there must be some sort of emergency,’ Jasper grinned.
Saffy rolled her eyes.
There was a chuckle from behind them. ‘So, they let you back in?’
Jasper’s hood was pulled over his eyes by a fourth-year boy in a black hoodie.
‘Mac!’ Felix cheered.
‘Let us back in?’ Jasper replied, as he squirmed out from under Mac’s grip. ‘You’re the old one. Isn’t there an age limit at Monstrum? Are there any other fourth years, or are you the only one immature enough to be allowed back in?’
Mac smiled. ‘Ha ha. Actually, there are nine others in my class. But this is it for me. One more year before I can start work in the outside world. I was thinking of joining a tracking crew, but then you have to work night shifts, and I don’t know if that’s me.’
Felix nudged Jasper. ‘That’s like your mum, right?’
Jasper nodded. He’d only just found out at the end of last year that his mum wasn’t actually a garbage collector, but worked for Monstrum House with their Tracking Department. Instead of spending her mornings driving a truck to pick up rubbish, she was following monsters as they crept through the dark streets. Jasper had been happier thinking she was a garbo.
‘So what’s all this about then?’ Saffy asked Mac.
Mac smiled. ‘Have you seen that plant – the one that looks like ivy – that’s growing, like, all over the school? I reckon that a Day of Laying might be coming.’ Mac clapped his hands in excitement.
‘Uh-oh,’ Felix groaned. ‘He clapped. He’s excited. This can’t be good.’
Jasper was thinking the same thing. The only time Mac got excited was when he was hunting monsters.
‘Ladies and gentlemen!’ said a gravelly voice.
Jasper was amazed that he hadn’t heard Principal Von Strasser enter the hall. Von Strasser always rode a horse, even indoors, and usually the clip-clopping was enough to silence everyone. Jasper turned to see the principal wearing a purple samurai outfit and a helmet on his head. He was sitting majestically on top of his horse. And the horse was wearing slippers.
‘Nice helmet,’ Saffy whispered sarcastically.
‘Why thank you, Ms Dominguez.’ Von Strasser beamed over the crowd at Saffy, who turned a deep red.
‘Welcome, welcome, welcome. Welcome one and all to another exciting year at Monstrum House,’ announced the principal. ‘As you can see, the first years have not arrived yet, and will not do so for another week. I am sure they’re still putting graffiti on walls, stealing cars and other such leisurely activities. But we, we have serious work to get down to. Preferably before they arrive.’