Oksa Pollock: The Last Hope by Anne Plichota and Cendrine Wolf Page A

not so long ago? They burned them alive or hung them from trees until their corpses rotted away to nothing.”
    “Oh Gus, don’t get carried away, this is the twenty-first century! In any case, thanks for making me feel better, you’re such a pal.”
    “I’m just saying it because I know you. You do have a tendency to go over the top.”
    Oksa had to agree with him. Gus had always been the voice of reason, ever since they were little kids. “
Be careful, Oksa! You shouldn’t… Be sensible… Hell’s bells! Oksa, no
…” How many times had he stood between her and danger? It was very annoying, but she had to admit that he was always right.

    When Oksa and Gus decided to leave the park, it was just after six o’clock—time to go home for their tea. The two friends headed for theexit, reassured by their renewed bond; but as she put on her rollerblades, Oksa’s mood suddenly seemed to darken.
    “You okay?” asked Gus anxiously.
    “I didn’t want to tell you, but there’s something else…”
    “What do you mean, something else?”
    Oksa hesitated.
    “He isn’t who he seems.”
    “Who isn’t?”
    “McGraw. It’s hard to explain,” she mumbled, not daring to look at him. “He isn’t a maths or physical-sciences teacher. That’s just a
cover
,” she whispered.
    “Are you crazy?”
    “Hear me out, please,” begged Oksa, looking tense. “I’ve thought a lot about this and everything adds up, you’ll see. Firstly: McGraw knew who I was before he met me, I’m sure he did. Do you remember when Bontempi gave the roll call in the courtyard: he mispronounced my name and McGraw jumped in to correct him. That’s odd, isn’t it? Secondly: he sent me out of the class. Officially because of the noise I made with my chair. But wasn’t it really because I sent his felt-tip flying?”
    Gus stared at her with an intrigued expression. He felt unsettled by Oksa’s theories.
    “Thirdly: something totally… conclusive happened.”
    Gus’s expression became more enquiring.
    “What did you do?” he asked softly.
    “I swear I didn’t do it on purpose!”
    “Oksa, what did you do?” he repeated.
    She told him about the incident of the “rescued bottle” without omitting the slightest detail. Gus put his head in his hands.
    “You’re completely mad!”
    “I couldn’t help myself—it was an instinctive reaction. And he just stood there, staring at me, without batting an eyelid! That guy isn’t whathe seems, Gus. I think he may be there because he’s looking for something. Or someone. I’m not imagining things.”
    “No, that’s not your style,” interrupted Gus with an edge of sarcasm. “We all know and love the legendary restraint of the Pollocks. So what conclusion have you come to about all this?”
    “If you remember, he said he worked for the CIA. So, looking at things objectively, imagine what supernatural powers like mine could mean for someone in the CIA, KGB or any other secret service. McGraw knew I had these powers
before I did
, he knows me better than I know myself. He knows everything! I’d stake my life on it. I don’t know how he’s done it and why exactly he’s there, but I’m sure it has something to do with me. You’re bound to think I’m being paranoid, but I’m scared, Gus.”
    “Scared? Why?”
    “I don’t know. All I know is that I’m not normal. Do you remember that story about the crickets?” she asked suddenly, out of the blue.
    “Crickets? What are you talking about?”
    “We talked about them not so long ago,” explained Oksa. “Scientists want to study the microscopic worms that live in crickets’ brains—”
    “Oh yes,” interrupted Gus, “I remember! Crickets throw themselves into water and then they die, because they can’t swim. For years people thought they were committing suicide, which didn’t make sense, because animals don’t commit suicide. It was a mystery for ages. Then they discovered that it was because of worms that burrow into