‘What’re you going to put?’ Ricky asked.
Theo shrugged. ‘I don’t know yet.’
‘Mine’s going to be really bad,’ Ricky gloated. ‘No one’s getting all that money thanks to me!’
‘You’d better be careful. You might get your own dare!’ Theo pointed out.
Ricky’s face fell. ‘I hadn’t thought of that,’ he said.
‘Yeah, well,’ Theo replied. ‘You can think of it now!’
Ricky’s face dropped even further. Theo chewed his pencil whilst he thought. He hadn’t thought of much else since Angela had told everyone about Cash or Dare two days ago. He needed something really good. Something that wasn’t dangerous but something that was really difficult. Then it hit him.
‘Got one!’ Theo announced.
‘So have I. A good one,’ Ricky replied.
Ricky and Theo smirked wickedly at each other. They each bent low over their sheets of paper, their hands cupped secretively around what they were writing. The scratching noises of many pens and pencils moving rapidly across paper filled the room. Cathy, still guarding the door, leaned against it to write down her dare. Theo got a tickle in his throat and coughed impatiently, then coughed again to get rid of it. He’d be glad when his rotten cold went off to torment someone else!
One girl in the class looked around slowly. Everyone was too busy writing to notice her. She slipped an already folded piece of paper out of her skirt pocket. Frowning deeply, she looked down at it. Indecision clouded her face.
Come on. Don’t chicken out now, she thought sternly.
That was why she’d written down her dare in advance. She knew that if she had to write it down in the class, she’d never go through with it. Her dare was dangerous. Very dangerous. Someone could end up getting hurt, but what other choice did she have?
Do it. Just do it, she told herself.
Her face cleared. Her indecision passed. Lips pursed with stubborn resolve, she held her pre-prepared dare in her hand, ready to drop it into the carrier bag.
You don’t have any choice. She kept repeating that thought in her head, over and over. You don’t have any choice.
But the frown never left her face.
Chapter Three
Theo in Trouble
‘I FEEL SORRY for the person who gets my dare,’ Ricky announced to no one in particular.
All the dares had been dropped in the carrier bag. Everyone was jostling for position – no one wanted to be the first or the last to pick one out.
‘Right then. I’ll give them out now,’ Angela declared.
‘Can’t we pick them ourselves?’ Sarah protested from beside Theo.
‘No, or we’ll be here all day,’ Angela replied. ‘But first …’
Angela picked up the cup filled with pound coins and tipped all the money into a small brown envelope before sealing it. She put the envelope in the money belt around her waist. Then she walked about, fishing into the carrier bag and passing out the pieces of paper to the crowd around her. When she gave Theo his dare, she looked at him without smiling, without blinking. Theo frowned. He wished he knew what her problem was. Angela moved on, without saying a word.
Theo stepped back from the crowd and surreptitiously began to unfold his dare. He coughed wearily, wishing his head would stop pounding – just for five seconds.
‘Remember, you’re not allowed to tell anyone what your dare is or you’re immediately disqualified,’ Angela reminded everyone. She took the last dare out of the carrier bag for herself.
No sound could be heard except that of pieces of paper being rustled as they were unfolded. Moments later the protests erupted virtually simultaneously. Theo’s mouth fell open. He gasped. Groans and cries like ‘What ratbag wrote down this one?!’ filled the room. Theo looked at Ricky. Ricky’s face was all scrunched up as if he was chewing a lemon, peel and all.
‘Your dare can’t be any worse than mine,’ Theo informed him.
‘Wanna bet?’ Ricky scowled.
No, Theo didn’t want to bet. It would be too easy to win. He grimaced as he looked down at his dare again.
At exactly ten minutes to six tonight, you must enter the deserted warehouse at 117 Buzan Road, behind the shopping precinct. You must enter the ventilation shaft at the right side of the building and crawl inside QUIETLY. Crawl to the end of the tunnel – no turning off into the tunnels which branch to the right or left. Keep straight. Once you’ve reached the end of the tunnel, you must wait for an hour until 7 p.m. then leave QUIETLY. If you don’t stay for the full hour, you lose. I’ll be watching …
Who’ll be watching? Frowning, Theo looked around the room. Who could’ve written this one? Theo caught Sarah’s eye and she smiled at him. Theo quickly looked away. Was it her? But hang on, how could Sarah know that he would get her dare? So that couldn’t be right.
Somehow he had to get past his mum and dad and get out of the house to be at – where was it again? – 117 Buzan Road just before six. It might’ve seemed like more of an adventure and less like mission impossible if his head and nose hadn’t felt like they were stuffed full of cotton wool. The aches in his arms and legs were spreading to his fingers and toes. Everything was hurting! Even his fingernails.
‘What’s going on in here?’
Theo was so caught up in his dare that he hadn’t even heard the classroom door open. Cathy had abandoned her post the moment Angela had handed her a dare and here was the result. Mrs Daltry stood in the doorway, her eyes narrow slits of suspicion.
No one spoke.
‘Angela, tell me what’s going on in here,’ Mrs Daltry commanded.
‘Nothing, Mrs Daltry. I was just telling everyone about my old school,’ Angela replied.
She looked so convincingly innocent that she almost had Theo believing she was telling the truth, and he knew better!
‘It must have been riveting for everyone to give up their lunch to hear it,’ Mrs Daltry said.
‘I was just telling everyone about a boy in my old class who insisted he’d been kidnapped by aliens. He said he’d been away for over a year but that the aliens went back in time to return him to his bed only an hour after they’d taken him. But the funny thing was …’
‘That’s quite enough of that nonsense, Angela,’ Mrs Daltry frowned. ‘Everyone – out! All of you! I shouldn’t have to tell you to go to lunch.’
The teacher waited by the door as everyone trooped past her. Ricky and Theo were practically the last to leave. Mrs Daltry snatched Ricky’s cap off his head.
‘Don’t wear this in the classroom, Ricky. I’ve told you that before,’ she snapped, waving the cap above Ricky’s head.
‘Sorry, Mrs Daltry,’ Ricky muttered. ‘Can I have it back?’
‘No. I’ll return it at the end of the day,’ Mrs Daltry said tartly. She shoved Ricky’s cap into her jacket pocket.
Angela leaned against the wall in the corridor, watching. She waited until Mrs Daltry strode by them, chewing on yet another liquorice allsort, before speaking.
‘Theo, you’re not allowed to tell anyone your dare,’ Angela said urgently. ‘That goes for you too, Ricky.’
‘You didn’t have to wait behind to tell us that. We know the rules,’ Ricky frowned.
‘Yeah, you’ve told us often enough.’ Theo sniffed resentfully.
Who did Angela think she was – staying behind to show them up like that? Did she think they were going to cheat the moment her back was turned?
‘Just saying,’ Angela replied. And with that, off she marched.
Theo took a look at Ricky. Ricky looked how Theo felt – annoyed!
‘Never mind her. She’s just a weevil head and three-quarters,’ Ricky said.
‘A weevil head and seven-eighths.’
‘A weevil head and fifteen-sixteenths.’
Ricky and Theo made their way to the lunch hall. By that time Angela was a weevil head and two hundred and fifty-five, two hundred and fifty-sixths!
Theo felt horrible. Mor
e horrible than he’d ever felt in his life before. Dad placed a hand on Theo’s forehead, tutting over and over as he did so.
‘You are burning up,’ said Dad.
‘Bu’ I feezin’,’ Theo protested.
‘What was that?’ Dad took the thermometer out of Theo’s mouth.
‘But I’m freezing,’ Theo repeated. ‘And everything aches. And my headache’s getting worse. And I feel like this tissue here.’ Theo held up a tissue which he’d only used twice and already it was on its last legs – soggy and falling apart!
‘A few days in bed and you’ll be back to your normal gungy, grungy self,’ said Dad.
‘But I can’t stay in bed …’
‘Theo, it’s not a cold – you’ve got the flu and moaning about it won’t change that,’ Dad interrupted, popping the thermometer back into Theo’s mouth.
Theo groaned. What about his dare? What about his fifty pounds? It wasn’t fair. It was all Mrs Daltry’s fault. She was the one who’d sent for Dad after the afternoon break. Theo was sure he could’ve made it to the end of the day but his teacher disagreed.
‘You look terrible, you sound worse and I’m not going to let you pass your germs on to everyone else in the class,’ Mrs Daltry had told him testily. ‘You’re going home.’
Ordinarily, Theo would’ve been glad to go home. But not today of all days. Now Mum and Dad would be watching him like a hawk. How would he ever get out of the house to get to 117 Buzan Road? Theo took the thermometer out of his mouth.
‘Dad … I don’t suppose you and Mum will let me go out this evening – just for an hour?’ Theo asked.
Dad stared at Theo. ‘You must be crazy out of your head! You’re not going anywhere tonight.’
Theo sighed. He had his answer. The doorbell rang.
‘And keep that thermometer in your mouth,’ Dad ordered. ‘I’ll be right back.’
Dad left the room, still muttering incredulously at Theo’s request. Theo twisted and turned in his bed, trying to get comfortable. He pulled his duvet up past his neck. He was freezing, and yet perspiration was dripping off him like rainwater. He’d never felt so lousy. It was as if every drop of blood in his body was hurting. And he was going to lose the dare contest. That was what hurt the most.
A minute later, Theo’s bedroom door opened. The peak of a baseball cap appeared first, followed by Ricky’s head.
‘Can I come in?’ he asked softly.
Theo took the thermometer out of his mouth. ‘If you don’t mind catching my germs,’ he sniffed, reaching for yet another tissue from his bedside table.
Ricky walked into the room, carefully closing the door behind him.
‘Your dad said I can’t stay long,’ Ricky whispered.
Theo frowned and struggled to sit up.
‘Ricky, why’re you whispering?’
‘Am I?’ Ricky’s voice was even quieter than before.
Theo raised his eyebrows. Ricky laughed.
‘Sorry,’ Ricky said ruefully, his voice back to normal. ‘How’re you feeling?’
‘Like a plate of week-old spaghetti,’ Theo replied. ‘Ricky, I’m in trouble. What am I going to do about my dare? I was meant to do it this evening.’
‘Can’t you put it off until tomorrow or some time later this week?’
‘No. It’s got to be tonight or never. I’m meant to go somewhere later and I feel terrible. Besides, there’s no way Mum and Dad will let me get past the front door. If it wasn’t for this rotten cold, I’d have won the fifty pounds for sure,’ Theo said glumly.
‘You reckon? You’re sicker than I thought!’ Ricky replied. ‘It’s affecting your brain!’
‘I’m too ill to argue with you.’ Theo reached out for another tissue. He had another coughing fit, followed by one sneeze after another and another. After that, Theo collapsed back against his pillows.
‘You sound like a frog on a bad day and look like year-old spaghetti, not week-old spaghetti,’ Ricky said, with his version of sympathy.
Theo nodded. ‘I know.’ He wiped his nose. ‘So what was your dare like? Have you done it yet?’
Ricky shook his head. ‘Just thinking about it makes me want to chuck!’
‘Is it really that sick-making?’ Theo asked.
Ricky nodded, his face long. Theo and Ricky watched each other. Theo was dying to know what Ricky’s dare was. And from the look on Ricky’s face, he was thinking the same thing. Suddenly Ricky stared at Theo, his eyes huge and bright. A slow smile crept over his face.
‘I’ve got it!’ He waved his hands in the air.
‘Got what?’
‘The perfect solution.’ Ricky grinned. ‘Your dare has to be done tonight and mine doesn’t. So why don’t we swap dares?’
‘Swap? But Angela said—’
‘If you don’t tell her, I won’t,’ Ricky interrupted. ‘Come on. If we keep it to ourselves, who’s to know?’
‘Isn’t it cheating?’
‘No. All we’re doing is swapping. I won’t help you with yours and you won’t help me with mine,’ Ricky replied. He had it all figured out.
‘What’s your dare?’ Theo asked suspiciously.
‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ Ricky said. ‘If you agree then we swap dares and we don’t swap back.’
‘Can’t I see it first? It might be worse than the one I’ve already got,’ Theo argued.
‘You can’t leave your house to do the one you’ve got, so what difference does it make?’ Ricky pointed out.
Theo thought for a moment. ‘And it’s strictly between us two?’
‘Yep!’
‘Promise?’
‘Promise.’
‘Oh, all right then. Hand your dare over.’
Ricky fished into his jacket pocket and took out a now crumpled piece of paper.
‘Where’s your one?’ he asked.
Theo lifted up his pillow and took out his dare. Ricky walked over to Theo. He tentatively held out his piece of paper. Theo did the same. Their hands were about twenty centimetres apart but neither of them moved closer.
‘After three?’ Ricky suggested.
Theo nodded.
‘One …’
‘Two …’
‘Three!’
They each grabbed for the piece of paper in the other’s hand. His heart hammering, Theo smoothed out Ricky’s crumpled piece of paper.
You will ask Sarah McWilliam out for a date. You must take her for a meal or to the pictures before the end of next week – your treat!
Theo stared in total horror. Sarah! The worst girl in the class! The worst girl in the whole school! It was bad enough that she sat behind him and was constantly tap-tapping on his shoulder, but now he had to take her out as well? Not a chance! Not in this lifetime!
‘I want my old dare back,’ Theo said immediately.
‘No way!’ Ricky laughed. ‘We made a deal.’
‘I’m not taking Sarah out anywhere. I’d rather eat one of Mum’s fish pies. I’d rather mow the lawn for the next ten years. I’d rather have the flu for the next one hundred years!’ Theo shook his head so hard, his neck started hurting.
‘Tough!’ Ricky grinned. He looked down at the dare in his hand. ‘This is easy compared to taking Sarah out! I’ll have to sneak out of our flat but that’s no problem. I’ll wear my action man kit – trainers, black jeans, black jacket, black baseball cap … It’ll be fun!’
‘Stuff fun! Give me my old dare back,’ Theo demanded.
‘Not a chance.’
‘Please!’
Ricky shook his head, not even trying to hide the victorious smirk on his face.
‘But Sarah probably wrote this herself!’ Theo tossed the dare aside as if the paper were suddenly burning his fingers.
‘Tough and two-thirds!’ Ricky replied.
Dad came into the room with a glass of orange juice.
‘I think that’s enough for this evening, Ricky. Theo needs his rest,’ said Dad.
‘OK, Mr Mosley,’ Ricky said.
‘I was just going anyway.’
Ricky practically sprinted to the bedroom door. ‘See you tomorrow, Theo,’ he smiled.
‘Ricky …’
Theo attempted to get out of bed. Too late! Ricky was gone. Moments later, Theo heard the front door slam shut.
‘Where d’you think you’re going?’ Dad asked. ‘Back in bed.’
Reluctantly, Theo swung his legs back between the sheets.
‘Mum’ll be home soon.’ Dad smiled as he tucked Theo in, before sitting down at the edge of the bed. Then he spotted the thermometer on the duvet.
‘Oh, yeah! I forgot about that,’ Dad said, popping it back in Theo’s mouth. His smile turned into a sudden grimace and he groaned. ‘I’ve just had a horrible thought. As you’re ill, Mum’ll probably insist on doing one of her fish pies for dinner. Why does she always wait until one of us is sick before inflicting it on us?’
‘Some form of torture so we’ll hurry up and get well?’ Theo suggested grimly, before putting the thermometer back into his mouth.
‘Or maybe she reckons that’s the only time we’ll eat it, when we’re too weak to argue,’ said Dad.
Dad and Theo sighed at each other in total sympathy.
Theo sagged back against his pillows. What had he done to deserve Sarah and Mum’s fish pie, all in the one day? Being sick was the pits!
Chapter Four
I Did It …
17:00 hrs Thursday, 15th May
WELL, I DID it. Theo will be at the warehouse at six tonight and I’ll be watching. He’ll be all right – I hope. Please God, let him be all right. Please don’t let anything go wrong. Don’t let him get caught …
Chapter Five
Ricky Disappears
THEO TOOK A deep breath, held it and pressed the button to take one more step. He died instantly! A huge snake’s head appeared on the screen and grinned maliciously at him. Theo hated the way the snakes always grinned at you when you stepped on them. But at least he didn’t have to listen to the snake sniggering at him because the telly volume was turned right down.
‘Stupid game anyway,’ he muttered to himself.