Gamers' Quest by George Ivanoff Page A

absent more than in attendance. As a result, you have missed tests and assignments. And your grades have been dropping correspondingly.’ He looked from one to the other. ‘I'm afraid that I have little alternative but to place you both on probation. You will need to do extra homework and you will need to spend recess and lunchtime in make-up classes. Oh, and any more missed days, and we will have to call your parents in.’
    He returned his gaze to the paperwork, lifted his arm and gave it a little wave. ‘Dismissed!’
    ‘But,’ started John. ‘Yesterday you said –’
    ‘Dismissed!’ he repeated more firmly.
    John and Tina left the office in confusion.
    ‘What was that all about?’ asked John.
    ‘I don't know,’ said Tina. ‘He's never behaved like that before. He's always been nice to us. He's always telling us how good we are.’
    They walked across the school grounds, reaching the main gates just as their school bus pulled away.
    ‘Hey, wait!’ called John, waving his arms and running after the bus.
    But the bus kept on going, down the street and around the corner.
    ‘The bus is supposed to wait for us,’ complained Tina.
    ‘Supposed to,’ said John. ‘Come on.’ He took her hand. ‘Let's walk home.’
    Ten minutes into the walk, dark clouds began rolling across the sky. The wind picked up and raised goose bumps on their skin. It wasn't long before it started to rain.
    By the time they got to their street, Tina and John were soaked.
    ‘Something's wrong,’ said Tina, as she and John stood on her front porch, finally out of the rain.
    ‘Maybe,’ agreed John, reluctantly. ‘But we'll work it out.’
    He took her hand, held it for a moment, and then leaned in to kiss her.
    ‘Just what the hell do you think you're playing at?’
    John and Tina whirled around.
    Tina's father stood framed in the doorway, hands on hips. ‘I've just been on the phone to your headmaster,’ he said, taking a step towards John. ‘What have you been doing with my daughter? Leading her astray?’
    ‘Nothing, sir, we've just –’
    ‘Stay away from her,’ he bellowed, poking John in the chest with his finger.
    John staggered back off the porch and into the rain.
    ‘But Dad,’ Tina protested.
    ‘Shut up and get inside.’
    John remained standing in the rain for several minutes after the door had slammed, before finally heading next door to his own house. Inside he found a note on the refrigerator door, telling him that his mother and father were out for the evening and that he would have to fend for himself for dinner.
    He dried off and made himself a sandwich. He tried watching some television, but the storm was interfering with the reception. All he could get was static. Blurry, indistinct images ghosted through the static, as if desperately trying to be seen. Finally he gave up and went to bed early. He tossed and turned restlessly for hours before finally plummeting headlong into frantic dreams in which he was being pursued by large people, or things, which he couldn't quite make out.

15: New Players
    The following morning everything seemed normal again. The storm was over, the sun was shining, and John's mother had cooked pancakes for breakfast.
    Tina was waiting outside when he ran out to catch the bus.
    ‘Hi,’ she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek as if everything was okay.
    The bus arrived quietly, and on time, and they talked about ordinary, happy things, as if ignoring all the stuff that had happened the day before would make things better today. And it seemed to work.
    The first few classes of the day went well, and none of their teachers said anything about make-up classes. And the canteen had plenty of ice-cream at recess. But then came lunchtime.
    John and Tina were sitting on a patch of grass, under a large jacaranda tree, eating their lunch, when Tina looked up to see a strange shape in the sky. It shimmered and glowed and seemed somewhat insubstantial. She squinted into the sunlight. Was