Sapec!

By Milly Blackmore

"There was an almighty whooshing sound and she was swept right off her feet and straight up through the ceiling. It was as if a giant vacuum cleaner had just descended from the sky and sucked her up."

When Jess drinks a can of glowing fizzy pop, she gets the strangest wibbling feeling in her stomach. Little does she kn

• Language: English
• Publisher: Big Paws Press
• Release date: Apr 13, 2016
• ISBN: 9780993570827

Milly Blackmore

Milly lives in Bristol with her partner Alison and cat Buddy. She loves camping and playing the trumpet, and anything to do with science and space.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

I’ll be there right away. Mr McGommery hung up the phone. Jess! he called out. We have to make a trip to the station. It’s an emergency.

Gusts of wind buffeted the car as the two of them made their way through the thickening mist and bursting rain towards the power station where Jess’s dad worked. It lay on the edge of the valley beyond the village. He was their chief scientist and was always called in when things went wrong. The power station held a magical excitement for Jess, with its rows of machines and flashing screens. So she had eagerly pulled on her coat and ran out to the car when he had told her about the adventure. She now sat on the edge of her seat, looking out of the car window at the weather swirling around outside, as they raced along the country roads. Nothing exciting ever happened in the sleepy village where they lived, but this might just be it.

They arrived at the gates, were waved on past the security post and sped right on up towards the main entrance. Mr McGommery slammed the car to a stop at the foot of the steps. The pair bounded up two steps at a time, the wind slapping the hood of Jess’s coat against her eyes so that she could barely see out. Once inside the building they ran straight for the control room.

Inside the crowded room there was already a buzz of activity. The worsening storm whipping around outside had wiped out the power in the neighbouring village and the night staff at the station were frantically trying to fix it. At once, Jess’s dad delved deep into conversation with a group of his colleagues. They looked troubled. He stood, his eyes darting from one person to another, his hand nervously rubbing the bristles on his chin as he reeled off a list of instructions for them each to rush off and complete. He was a clever man. Every word, however rushed, was carefully thought out before he spoke.

Jess knew they’d be there a while. She found herself a chair in a corner of the bustling room to settle down into. From here she could watch the action in the station while the storm raged outside.

CHAPTER 2

After a couple of frantic hours, things at the station had been patched up as best they could be to last out the night. No more repairs could be done until morning, when the storm would have hopefully died down.

So Jess and her dad, exhausted, were back on the road again heading for home. Flashes of lightning lit up the sky as the car fought its way through the night. The winds were still raging, and rain hammered against the car windows so hard that Jess thought that they would break. Through the black interior of the car a red light lit up on the dashboard.

Damn it! her dad exclaimed through the noise. How could I let it get so low? He thumped the steering wheel with the palm of his hand in frustration. He was tired and wanted to get home. It’s no good, he said with a sigh, we’re going to have to stop for petrol.

A few minutes later they had pulled off of the winding country road and into a garage. As soon as he had brought the car to a halt Mr McGommery jumped out and started filling up the tank. Jess watched him battle his way through the wind and rain as he ran across the forecourt and into the shop.

He seemed to be taking forever in there. She could see him talking and gesturing with the woman behind the counter. Through the gloom of the night she was sure she could see his hand again going up to rub the stubble on his chin. He did this so often when deep in thought, as if it helped him to puzzle things out. Jess, left to wait in the confines of the car, soon got restless. She’d seen a vending machine over by the carwash as they’d driven into the garage, and dug around in her pocket to find some change.

Hmm, yep let’s go, she thought to herself brightly as her hand settled on some coins. She zipped up her coat, pulled her hood as far forwards as it would reach over her head and got out of the car.

The front of the vending machine was lit up like a beacon in the night. But when Jess got closer, she could see that something was wrong. All of the lights on the array of buttons on the front of the machine were flickering rapidly on and off in a random dance. And more than that, the machine itself seemed to be shaking. Jess bent down and put her ear to the front. She could hear a definite high-pitched humming sound, coming out from the machine itself, as if it was desperately trying to tell someone that it wasn’t feeling well.

Oh that’s just my luck, she thought stubbornly, this old thing looks like it’s about to explode.

She dropped a few coins into the slot and hoped for the best. After giving the vending machine a few kicks with the side of her trainer, and a few more splutters and whirs as it hiccupped itself into motion, a can of drink clattered its way down and fell into the tray at the bottom. Abruptly, the machine fell silent. Hers was the last drink it would dispense. It was now completely broken.

Yes! Jess thought. At least I got my drink before it died.

*

Ah, I wondered where you’d got to, her dad said as she clambered back into the car. I was beginning to worry.

When aren’t you worrying? Jess thought to herself. Well I got bored waiting for you so I went to get a drink. What took you so long in there anyway?

Mr McGommery fastened his seatbelt and started the engine before replying. I was talking to the woman behind the counter. She was saying they’ve been having problems with the till. Apparently a bolt of lightning struck pretty close to here not long ago. It must have fried some of the electrics. He paused as if in thought for a moment. It seems this storm is wreaking havoc across the whole valley.

The car pulled away into the night once more. "Ohh, that would explain why that drinks machine