Preloved by Shirley Marr Page A

pass by unnoticed – are able to interact with the physical world. Some experts believe that this is through telekinesis.”
    “If you read here,” said Logan, pointing at the screen, “it also says that some experts believe poltergeist activity might be caused by individuals hitting the turbulent teen years and releasing pent up emotions like hostility, anger and sexual tension …”
    “Are we not trying to help you ?” I said, shooing his finger away. “Concentrate your mental energy on my MP3 player and see if you can lift it using your mind.”
    “Are you pulling some New Age crap on me? ’Cos I think we can both agree the Seventies is long gone.”
    “Just do it!”
    Logan rolled his eyes. Then he shut up and a serious look came over his face, as if he was really concentrating.
    “Okay, maybe we move onto a Plan B,” I said after a few minutes had passed and nothing happened.
    “Shhh. Look,” said Logan.
    The MP3 player twitched slightly. Then it levitated. I could feel myself shiver. The room seemed to get a bit colder.
    “That’s fantastic, Logan!” I exclaimed, genuinely pleased. “You’re, like, using the force. Like on Star Wars ,” I added.
    “Amy, are you calling for me?” Mum’s voice echoed from outside my door.
    “Drop it! Drop it!” I gestured to Logan in a panic.
    The doorknob turned and Mum stuck her head in. The MP3 player clattered back down onto the table just as she turned in my direction.
    “What was that noise?” she said, looking around.
    “There’s no noise,” I said. I hastily closed the web page, with its dancing ghost logo.
    “Strange. I thought I heard something,” said Mum. “Anyway, were you after me? I definitely heard your voice …”
    Mum’s sentence trailed off and she focused on my face. I smiled innocently back at her. Just a girl in front of her computer. Doing research. I didn’t have anything incriminating in my room at all. Like a boy. Sitting on my bed.
    What she couldn’t see wouldn’t hurt her.
    “That ghost has definitely gone, hasn’t it?”
    “Yup! Of course it has.” My voice was taking on that uncontrollable high-pitched tone again. “Why would I willingly want to be haunted?”
    “It’s just that …”
    Oh no. Not that look. Mum’s look of concentration. Mum was clever. Too clever for her own good, my evil ah ma – Dad’s mother – used to say. Then again, she wasn’t all that happy that Dad married someone independent with an education. She probably expected women to stay at home where they belonged, with their feet bound.
    “Amy, I’m not really sure how you found time to visit a cemetery ’cos the closest one is on the other side of the city. But I did remember you showing me that locket you found. And you know I’ve always told you never to pick up–”
    “Found objects, ’cos they might have ghosts stuck to them. Yeah, I know,” I replied. My eyes automatically darted to Logan for a second before they went back to Mum’s. I wonder if she caught it. “I’m tired, so I’m going to bed now, if you don’t mind.”
    “See you in the morning then,” said Mum. She paused at the doorway and wrapped her arms around her body. “Is it just me, or is it unusually cold in your room? I’ll have to get the building manger to look at it some time.” Mum left without a fuss.
    “Oh, dear!” I said under my breath and I rubbed my face. I looked up just in time to see my MP3 player fly past my nose. Logan stretched his hand out and it floated there above his palm. The screen lit up as he scrolled the menu with some invisible force.
    “Looks like Mum’s not the only fast learner,” I said. I walked up to my bed. “Can you please get off?”
    “I’m just vegging out with your dog. It is your dog, isn’t it?”
    “Mister Fozziebum?”
    “That’s a really crook name.”
    “Shut up. I was young when I named him. Where is he?”
    I put my arms in front of me and clumsily felt along the edges of my