Ghost Bus: Mystery of the Phantom Bus

By Sue Perkins

Jack's family has a new home, a converted bus depot. The original owners of the depot disappeared and the ghost of their last bus appears to take Jack and his sister on a journey to several different places to solve the mystery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Caishel Books
• Release date: Dec 13, 2016
• ISBN: 9781540187758

Sue Perkins

Sue Perkins grew up in Devon, England and emigrated to New Zealand with her family. Sue and her husband live at the top of New Zealand’s South Island. Her interests include writing, reading, genealogy and aqua jogging. Sue’s first romance novel was released in May 2007, quickly followed by a fantasy trilogy, more romance books, young adult and middle grade novels. Visit Sue Perkins webpage to discover more of Sue’s books, including her fantasy romance novels and middle grade level fantasy books. Her aim is to write a full length epic fantasy novel. The outline is complete, and Sue hopes to finish it by the end of 2018.

Book preview

Other Middle Grade Books by Sue Perkins

Fury

Fury’s Ghost

Fury’s Island

Dragon World Series

Dragon World Box Set

Dragon Flames

Dragon Clans

Dragon Ice

Adri’s Journey

Middle Grade Books

Spirit Stealer

Reva’s Quest

Ghost Bus

Lost on Disc – Microlands Series 1

Disc Chase – Microlands Series 2

1.  NEW HOME

JACK LOOKED APPREHENSIVELY at the six-foot tall double doors. They were recessed into the old red bricks and painted a cheerful red, but still looked forbidding. He hadn't noticed the smaller door at the base of one of the big ones until his father opened it for the family to enter. His parents walked through the entrance and Jack turned to his older sister. She was staring at the exterior of the building. With a shrug of her shoulders she pushed past him, walked inside and into the center of the room. Jack grinned at her attempt to show she didn't care and followed her. Nothing in the huge room reminded Jack of their old home. The new furniture and different layout looked totally alien. Even the air smelled like a furniture show room.

Different but good.

This is great, Dad. What did you say the building used to be? It didn't bother Jack if Kate didn't like their new home. He thought it brilliant now he could see it from the inside.

Until the early nineteen hundreds a bus company used the building as a depot. Then it stayed empty for a while before the army took it over during the war. They used it on and off until the end of the second war. It's changed hands several times since then, with the owners mainly using it as a storage warehouse. What do you think? Will you like living here?

Jack knew his father had spent months renovating this place and desperately wanted the family to approve of what he'd done.

Looks fine, Dad. Lots of space so I don't have to trip over Kate everywhere I go.

His sister scowled at him but Jack didn't pay any attention. He looked round the huge living space taking up the main part of the inner building. To one side the stainless steel of the kitchen sparkled with the light beaming through the huge windows on the far side of the room. At this moment the folding, wall length glass doors were pushed back to reveal a large patio and secluded walled garden. The doors reached up from the ground to ceiling height. Sunshine also flooded a mezzanine floor reached by stairs beside the front door.

The glass doors used to be big wooden ones for the buses to come in and out of the garage. His father waved a hand at the glass. We decided to put these in to provide good indoor—outdoor flow to the garden. The doors on the opposite side of this lower floor lead to the study, downstairs bathroom and utilities room. Bedrooms and extra bathrooms are upstairs.

What's that? Jack pointed at the mezzanine landing. Go up and see. His mother smiled. You too, Kate. He thundered up the stairs beside the front door while Kate followed at a more sedate pace. The landing had been made into another room, but with a railing instead of an inner wall. The windows of the outer wall reached from floor to normal room height with the ceiling stretching high above. It had been furnished with comfortable chairs, beanbags and low tables. A desk stood on either side of the bank of windows, each complete with a computer. A balcony overlooked the lower floor and continued on to a landing where it passed in front of several open doors on the upper level. Jack's interest focused on the computers.

This is for you two. His parents stood hand in hand at the top of the stairs. We thought you'd like a place where you can be yourselves. Your bedrooms are along the balcony. Ours is at the end, but with another staircase for us to use.

What's that? Jack pointed at the wall above the windows.

Everyone looked up. In the center of the upper wall a circle sank into the brickwork. No light came through. He could see the raised ribs dividing it into sections with a smaller circle in the middle. It might have been a window in the past, but everything had been painted over to match the wall.

It looked like dirty old glass. His father waved at the circle. We were going to remove it but didn't want to upset the historical significance of the outer wall so we painted this side. The outside has a permanent metal cover so I doubt it's ever been used as a window.

Jack shrugged, his questioning mind quickly turning to the games on his computer. He noticed Kate continued to look at the strange window and he glanced up again.

Why do you think they put the cover on the outside? he asked. Seems a bit weird to me.

Kate ignored him and turned to move along the balcony toward the bedrooms. Jack turned back to his monitor and keyboard.

Later in the evening he lay on his bed and looked around his new bedroom. It should be pretty good living here. Not too far from school or the sports field. Nice, bright and airy, huge queen bed and other comfortable furniture. A bathroom separated his room from his sister's. Bit of a pain as she always spent hours in there, but if he got in first each morning it wouldn't be too bad.

Pretty good. He nodded as he looked around the room, inhaling the fresh smell of new paint. More room, my own computer so I don't have to share with Kate. I'm going to like living here.

2.  BUS RIDE

SEVERAL WEEKS LATER Jack had difficulty hiding a smug smile when Kate admitted their parents had done the right thing when they bought and renovated the old Victorian bus depot. The brother and sister didn't argue so much now they didn't have to fight over the computer. If they wanted to get away from each other, they went to their own rooms.

Mum and Dad said Kate was old enough to babysit Jack. He complained he didn't need anyone to look after him, especially his bossy sister, but changed his mind when Kate dragged him to one side and offered a compromise. If he promised not to do anything stupid and bring their parents’ anger down on them—she would leave