Chapter 2

 

Inside the Nocturnal Academy’s dining hall the morning after Professor Abbacus’ experiment, everyone gathered as usual for dinner. A couple of weeks had passed since the Nightmare Games debacle and things were slowly returning to normal. The wrecked arena had been smoothed out and grassed over, and a special memorial garden created around where Professor Florana was planted, complete with commemorate plaque above its gate. Both Florana and Grizzer were mentioned, and a hedge had been carved into the shape of a huge bear, rearing up on its hind legs.

The Nocturnal Funhouse had been placed on one side of the garden, and a hedge-maze for the children to enjoy was developing very nicely on the other. Plans were also being laid to move the Academy’s kitchen gardens into the area, since residual Magick from Plantagensis was still making everything grow so well there. Professor Florana was truly enormous, and come next spring his crown would probably cover the entire garden around him. Even so there was still a space beside him. It was here Miss Eiche spent all her days, beside the man she had loved, but who had only loved her back for such a short time.

Although a lot of children were still upset from the ordeal, special meditation classes run by Madam Nocturna had ensured most could now sleep peacefully through the day. Only a couple of kids, including Alice, still woke occasionally in a cold sweat. She continued to dream about plants rising to engulf her, thick branches growing around her body and vines dropping to tangle around her arms and legs.

Even now the tall, black-haired vampire girl had to shake her head to clear it of the unwanted image. She blinked and focussed on the head table, where the professors and teachers were gathering. The Russian principal, Professor Bukarev, looked a little dishevelled, like he had been through a workout. His grey-streaked hair was standing up and his suit was rumpled. He looked more cadaverous than usual. Madam Nocturna had told everyone that he was just visiting, but the paranoid Alice didn’t believe that for a second. No-one “just visited” the Australian Nocturnal Academy. He was here for a reason. But what? Alice suspected that Bukarev had entered the end-period of a vampire’s life and was ageing rapidly. Perhaps he was seeking advice from Madam Nocturna, who had managed to arrest her accelerated ageing.

Professor Abbacus took his seat at the end of the table and Alice heaved a sigh of relief that he was still here. He’d repaired all the damage he’d sustained during the Nightmare Games just after the event, but now he appeared to have polished the steel portion of his head and the brass rivets that attached it to his skull. His metal hand also gleamed, his talons no longer rusty red in colour. Was this a special occasion? Alice wondered, and a nervous sensation started to gnaw in the pit of her stomach.

Every day she expected to learn that he’d been sent away, either back to the Nocturnal University or Geneva or some other such place. Even though she spent an hour each lunch time with Harley in virtual reality, it was actually Professor Abbacus’ presence that helped her to breathe a little easier.

He seemed to offer a security she had been sorely lacking, a security she realised she was missing from her parents. After all, as a vampire she was a lot more powerful than her folks and even Janice, who could see through glamours but was still all too human. What could any of them do to protect her if something bad happened?

But Abbacus … he was a lot more powerful than her. And if he was all polished up because he was going, then she would be back to waking each and every day in a panic, thinking that something nasty was coming to claim her. The only way Madam Nocturna could help her now was to actually start altering her memories and brain chemistry. Too much of this and her whole personality would change.

She would no longer be Alice. It was a last resort, one she was willing to try to get her life back, but not yet. Not until she’d tried everything she could do to control her fears.

Gloomily Alice dropped her chin into her hands.

“Hey, what’s up Dribble?” Carla asked as she sat down beside her.

Alice looked up at the bushy-haired cat-girl. “I just realised at the tender age of fifteen that I’m already grown up.”

Carla snorted. “What do you mean?”

“We all are, actually. None of us rely on our parents any more. Except maybe those of us whose parents actually have to pay our school fees!” She forced a laugh.

Carla still looked confused.

“Whatta we talking about?” asked Toby as he sat down beside Carla.

“Alice is convinced we’ll all adults,” Carla explained.

Alice spread her hands. “Our parents are supposed to look after us, right? Well, what are they going to do if this town gets attacked by a horde of demons or something? Nothing! It’ll be us protecting them.”

Understanding dawned. “Ah,” said Carla. “I see what you mean.” She frowned. “You’re right. Sure my folks love me and shower me with lots of presents when I’m home, but … but I don’t ask them for advice anymore. I go to McDingley for everything I need to know about shapeshifting and Madam Nocturna for more personal stuff.”

“Yeah,” Toby agreed. “If I have any sort of problem I go to Professor Longenfang, not my Mum.” The big, sandy-haired wolf boy looked up as the burly blonde PE master lumbered somewhat unsteadily into the room. “Speak of the big, hairy devil.”

“Goodness, has he been drinking already?” Alice whispered. “I thought he was over all that.”

“He doesn’t guzzle as much as he used to, but still likes a drink or two,” Toby explained.

“Or five,” muttered Carla.

Longenfang wedged himself in between Abbacus and the Russian professor. He burped, a little too loudly, all over Bukarev.

The kids sniggered. Bukarev cringed back in disgust.

“Sorry,” apologised Longenfang. “Bit of a squash here.”

But then a strange, thoughtful look came over Bukarev, and he nudged Longenfang. “What’s that you’ve been drinking?’

“What?” Longenfang hiccupped. “Oh. Vodka. Thought you would have recognised it, being a Russian!” He snickered.

“Not after it’s been fermenting in your stomach,” Bukarev snapped, “and just because I’m a Russian doesn’t mean I automatically drink Vodka! I actually prefer red wine and I resent such stereotyping!”

Longenfang snorted and waved a hand in Bukarev’s face. “You need to chill out more, Oleg.”

“That was weird. I wonder what that was all about?” Alice asked her friends.

But before they could answer, Madam Nocturnal called for quiet. Everyone turned to look at the Principal of the Australian Nocturnal Academy as she rose regally to her feet. Her long dark hair with its single white streak shone like obsidian. Her black spider web gown seemed to shift in an unfelt breeze around her tall, lithe body. Her face had been made up, but nothing could hide her advanced years; the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. Still, she was an extremely beautiful woman.

“What’s she all dolled up for?” mouthed Toby.

“Today I have a special announcement,” she declared. “After much deliberation it has been decided who shall take over the vice principal’s position, recently left vacant by the departure of Professor Florana.”

Alice glanced across at the teachers’ table, where Miss Eiche was still pale and teary at the loss of Florana. Miss Pearl, seated beside her, suddenly slipped an arm around her shoulders. Miss Eiche jumped in surprise, but didn’t spurn the comfort.

“It is my pleasure to announce that our new vice principal will be none other than the recently returned Professor Abbacus.” Madam Nocturna gestured to him and he rose to his feet amidst applause from the teachers. Most students clapped with considerably less enthusiasm. Only Alice was overjoyed, although she managed to hide it. She didn’t care that the VP was in charge of school rules, uniforms, discipline and all those other wonderful things that children hated. This meant Professor Abbacus would be staying and she could go to him for advice whenever she wanted.

“Thank you Madam Nocturna,” said Professor Abbacus in his soft, raspy voice. “But I will not be taking over the old VP’s office. I will be staying in my laboratory in the basement. If you wish to speak to me you will need to contact me through the intercom attached to the security panel at the end of the main hall. I will be taking some classes but Professors Darkchilde and Vixen will continue to head the Departments of Magick and Science. One of the first projects I will be overseeing will be the work experience program for the year tens, elevens and twelves. Normally work experience wouldn’t start until term 4, but I feel these years would better benefit from this experience now, before the exams start.” He glanced towards Alice’s table, and the others nearby.

There were a few groans and moans of disappointment.

“Work experience?” complained the vampire girl Amala. “Like slinging patties in Mackers? I’m not doing that! Gross!”

“Oh don’t be such a princess!” growled Abbacus, deliberately using Darkchilde’s nickname for her. “Supernatural work experience does not involve working in fast food restaurants. Appleton High has more than enough teenagers qualified to do that for a living. I will speak to you more about this tomorrow, at a special meeting in the lecture hall at nine p.m. sharp. Do not be late.” He spoke a little more about measures he would be taking as VP, eliciting more grumbles and whinges from the students. Most of them were still smarting from the harsh disciplines that had been enforced during Baron Falkenstein’s time.

Then Abbacus sat back down and Madam Nocturna declared that it was time for dinner. As the blinds came down the air-elemental staff members appeared carrying trays of steaming hot stew filled with chunks of beef, potato, carrots and pumpkin.

 

That evening at 9pm all the students in years ten, eleven and twelve filed obediently into the lecture hall and took their seats. Professor Abbacus was waiting at the front, a pull down screen hanging against the old blackboard behind him. There was some pushing and shoving as a couple of students fought over the best seats at the back, but nothing serious enough to warrant more than a fierce glare from Abbacus’ blood-red glowing eye.

The youths quickly settled.

“Is that everyone?” Abbacus’ gaze swept across the room like a searchlight. “Then we’ll begin. How many of you have actually thought seriously about what you’d like to do for a living?”

There were a few shrugs, exchanged glances and embarrassed coughs.

“It is true, as supernaturals your choices are considerably more limited than those of daydwellers. But they are also infinitely more interesting. Let me put it this way – none of you will need to mop floors for a living, or empty garbage-cans or do someone’s accounts … unless that’s what you really want to do, of course.”

A few students laughed nervously.

“Some of you may pick up mundane jobs on the side, to keep you occupied until the next big Immaterial incursion, but all of you will at some stage of your lives be expected to fight.” Abbacus clenched his steel hand into a fist and brought it down on the front bench with a loud thud. Those in the front row cringed back in fear. “But, since there aren’t any actual demon wars on at the moment, you’ll all be offered work experience in areas more suited to your specialised supernatural ability.” A list appeared on the screen behind him. “This information will also show up on your computers and notepads.”

Everyone looked down at their machines.

“You can expand the descriptions to read more about the jobs. Some are available right here on the Nocturnal Academy’s grounds, such as the various gardening and groundskeeping positions. Professor Vixen also needs assistants to help her with her latest collection of genetic mutations. Other jobs are being offered by the mayor, who as you all know is a supernatural himself. There are various patrolling occupations you can do around town, tracking down possessed animals, and a group will be journeying to the Astral Plane. I’ll give you a few minutes to read through the available jobs, and then I’ll get you to send your preferences for three positions through to me. I do expect tree spirits to gravitate towards the gardening and groundskeeper jobs, but it is not required. If you’re a tree who wants to assist Professor Darkchilde with his imps, then be my guest. Conversely, if you’re a were who wants to try your hand at horticulture, you can do that too. But I will have the final say on which positions you are most suitable for.”

Alice, seated in the second row, started to read through the jobs and their descriptions.

Groundskeeper and gardener, kitchen attendant, animal handler, security guard and patroller, Astral scout, assistant to Professor Vixen, assistant to Professor McDingley, assistant to Professor Darkchilde, assistant to Professor Abbacus.

Alice immediately expanded what “assistant to Professor Abbacus” involved.

This position involves assisting me with my various experiments, helping me to build and repair my machines, and upgrading the school computers. You will largely be working with me in my laboratory.

It didn’t sound very interesting, but Alice put it down as her first choice any way. Then she put down assistant to Professor McDingley as her second choice and assistant to Professor Vixen as her third. She’d considered putting down assistant to Professor Darkchilde in the hope she could hone her Magick skills some more, but he still rubbed her up the wrong way too much.

Not that he was mean to her – he was mean to everyone – he just continued to be mysteriously creepy.

Beside Alice Toby put down animal handler, security guard and Astral scout. Then he put his hand up.

“What is it, Thompson?”

“How come there’s no assistant to Professor Longenfang job? We could help him with PE or Tooth and Claw.”

“Professor Longenfang isn’t running any work experience programs this year. If you want an opportunity to fight I suggest you join the security guards or astral scout group. I understand it’s heading to the very edge of the Inner Astral Plane.”

“Okay, thanks sir.” Since Toby had already put these down he leaned across to check what Carla’s choices were. He wanted to do work experience with her.

But she’d put down groundskeeper, assistant to Professor Vixen and assistant to Professor Abbacus.

Toby groaned. She hadn’t put down any of his choices at all! He checked what groundskeeper and assistant to Professor Vixen involved and decided he didn’t like the sound of either. He’d had enough of dealing with weird plants after the Nightmare Games, and he didn’t think Carla would appreciate him with her in Vixen’s group, trying desperately not to ogle the school’s most attractive teacher.

Vixen continued to wear short skirts, spiked heels and her thick red hair piled up high in a massive eighties mane. And those pointy ears and fluffy fox tail that swished around constantly didn’t help, either.

So grudgingly Toby changed animal handler to assistant to Professor Abbacus. He wasn’t much good with fauna unless he was chasing it, anyway. But he sincerely hoped he didn’t get the Abbacus job. Lurking around that dank, gloomy lab helping that mad scientist with his weird contraptions was not what he wanted to do for the next two weeks, let alone his life.

“Has everyone made their choices?” Professor Abbacus called about fifteen minutes later. “I’d like you to send them through. I need some time to sort them out, and then I’ll get back to you with your positions and a more expanded description of what’s involved.”

Students tapped their keypads and screens, sending their preferences.

“You’ll have your work experience jobs by the end of the day,” Professor Abbacus told them. “They will appear on your computers. My decision is final and no further negotiation will be entered into as positions are limited.”

Then the bell for second period went and Professor Abbacus dismissed the class. Everyone filed out. A few kids were looking annoyed, especially Amala and Delilah, who hadn’t liked any of the positions available. “Why can’t there be a make-over position?” Amala declared. “Helping daggy supernaturals to look better? That should be a priority, darn it!”

“Yeah!” agreed Delilah. “Everything sounded like it involved getting the hands dirty!” She pulled a disgusted face.

“Well, I want kitchen attendant,” declared Milly.

“What? Why?” gasped Amala.

“Didn’t you read the description? You get to eat what you make! Duh! And those air elementals will be able to help me to control my mist form.”

“Well, I hope I get Assistant to Professor Vixen,” declared Nancy. “Working with all those weird biological specimens ought to be very interesting.”

“Ought to be very gross!” declared Delilah with a disgusted face. “I suppose you put down assistant to Abbacus, Dribs?”

Alice reddened. “Well, yes – but-”

“Told you!” Delilah crowed. Alice slapped her forehead. It was no use arguing. She turned and headed off to her next class. At recess she met Harley out on the playground under the light of a crescent moon.

“Hey, you weren’t at the work experience class this morning!” Alice cried.

“Work experience?” He stared her in surprise through his big, thick glasses – glasses he hadn’t needed for years. “I already have a job – I run the mainframe here! That’s probably what I’ll be doing until…” He tailed off. “Well, forever I guess!” He pressed his hands against his chest. “This body can’t die. It can’t even wear out. Only the computer can, and it’s constantly being upgraded. Did you know Professor Abbacus has nanobots working in there now?”

“Nanobots?”

“Itty bitty little robots.” Harley held his fingers a millimetre apart. “So tiny you can’t see them. But they run around the computer room fixing things. Broken connections, burned out circuits, busted memory panels, that sort of thing. There’s not much they can’t do.”

Alice shuddered at the thought of robots she couldn’t see running everywhere. But she supposed they weren’t any more disturbing than the sight of all those disembodied brains in jars had been. But it was the thought of Harley having to stay here at the Australian Academy forever that really worried her. She wanted to go on to the Nocturnal University when she finished her higher school certificate, a journey that would take her far away from Harley.

She supposed he would figure out a way so they could continue to communicate in virtual reality. Even though she really enjoyed their brief hours together, she wondered if that was what she really wanted. To be so far apart physically, and only together mentally? She sighed.

“I have to work through lunch today, organising the work experience groups for Abbacus,” Harley apologised. “But there are still ten minutes of recess left – we can take a little trip into VR now if you want.” He held out a hand to her.

“Okay,” said Alice, even though she didn’t think it was wise. Even though they did only spend an hour and always had a fantastic time, she still didn’t like returning to her body, often spending the rest of the night in a funk until dinner time perked her back up a little.

She allowed Harley to lead her to Mrs Verdant’s grove. It was quieter there these days. Most students preferred Florana’s new garden. But even though Florana appeared happy planted in the rich brown soil, the sight of him there so tall and unmoving always depressed Alice. She knew tree spirits could live for hundreds more years permanently planted, but he was still … gone, never to return.

They sat down, and for a brief, wonderful hour Harley took Alice into a new world he’d created, a full virtual representation of the inside of the TARDIS.

 

* * * *