Three Plus One

By Terry Hinchliffe

Samantha Harrington is an ordinary 11 year old girl who is used to starting at new schools as her family travels around the state following her father's work as a policeman. When she starts at Kingsvale Primary School and makes three new friends, a strange power emerges, changing everyone's life and Sam finds herself in the role of leader o

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hinchy Publications
• Release date: Nov 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9780994553652

Book preview

Three Plus One

by

Terry Hinchliffe

All rights reserved; no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.

First published 2020

This edition published 2020

Hinchy Publications

PO Box 21 Dowerin, Western Australia 6461

Copyright © 2020 Terry Hinchliffe

ISBN 978-0-9945536-4-5

Printed and bound in Australia by Lightning Source

Dedication

For Christine, my love, my wife and soul mate.

CHAPTER 1

I fiddled with my seatbelt, staring out of the car window at nothing in particular. I know I was being quiet and withdrawn but I also knew my mood wouldn’t last. The drive was not long, from our new house to Kingsvale Primary School, soon to be my new school. I know I fidgeted and that Mum would think I was worried but I just couldn’t help it.

You're not nervous are you? asked my mother. You've done this many times before. You should be used to it by now.

I thought about the many schools I had attended and the now familiar experience of being the new girl in the class. It was easier when I was younger, in fact I never really gave it much thought, but now I had turned eleven, I found that maintaining friendships and keeping up with a social circle was getting harder all the time. The friends I had left behind at her last school had promised to email and Facebook me but I knew from experience that that would soon fade away and I would soon be forgotten.

My thoughts turned to Sharnae, my best friend from my last school, who by now had almost certainly moved on. Sharnae’s life was complicated enough without complicating things by getting over my absence. One thing I had learnt through moving a lot was that child friendships were easily changed and very mobile.

I looked over at my mother who continued on like she was on a roll. This looks like a very nice school and Dad's new job is more permanent than the others so you can really settle in.

Yeah sure, I replied with as much sarcasm as I could muster, With less than three terms left in Year Six then off to high school.

Well your brother can help out there. He'll watch out for you next year.

Fat chance of that, I exclaimed, He doesn't want to know me since he started high school. I’m not sure he has even spoken to me since we got here. Paul and I were never great buddies but at least he used to spend time with me when we were younger.

I resumed my window stare, watching the houses slide by. I loved my new house and liked the suburb of Kingsley, one of Perth’s northern suburbs. The houses were neat and tidy, the gardens well kept and the whole suburb was so green, after the dry red dust of Karratha. It looked like a wonderful place to live. Karratha was good too but the weather made it hard at times, the heat and humidity of summer making it hard to spend much time outdoors. Coming south at the start of winter made the change harder, with the cold mornings already proving difficult to adjust to. The early winter rains were colder than the rain of the Pilbara, especially the downpours of a summer thunderstorm.

I even felt sure that I would like Kingsvale Primary School. It was just the hassle of starting over once again. Still, Mum was right. Dad had a job that would prove to be more permanent and stable. As a uniformed policeman, he had been posted to various locations all over the state, but now he had made detective, a long term job in the city was far more of a possibility. Mum and Dad had bought the house a couple of years ago and rented it out while we were in the north and I knew they were thrilled to be able to live in it at long last.

Here we are, announced Mum as she found a spot amongst the many cars in the crowded car park. We got out and crossed the short stretch of lawn to a path that led to the red brick building marked Administration, me carrying a small bag with my meagre collection of school supplies and books.

Mum pushed through the door to the office reception area and held it open for me, as if luring me into the trap. A thin dark haired woman on the other side of the desk ceased her writing task and glared at us. Her dark eyes looked down a beak-like nose and in a clipped voice she almost demanded, What can I do for you? I already disliked her.

I recognised the signs as my mother tensed slightly. Mum was not a person to accept rudeness on any level but on this occasion she smiled sweetly and spoke with a controlled voice.

Good morning. My name is Louise Harrington and this is my daughter Samantha. We have moved into the area and I want to enrol Sam. And your name is...? She left the question hanging.

I am Mrs Blythe, the Registrar, barked the woman. I'll have to see how our numbers are going. How old is she? She looks at least Year Six and we already have a lot of students in that class.

I looked to my mother, not for guidance, but to see if she was going to explode. Mum just stood and glared back at Mrs Blythe looking as though she was going to attack but then relaxed as a new voice interrupted.

Welcome to Kingsvale Primary School. We are always happy to have new clients at our wonderful little school. I am Mr Wiggins, the Principal. Mrs Blythe will get you an enrolment form. I am so happy you have come to our school.

The bird-like speech was delivered by a tiny bald headed man who had appeared from around the corner of a nearby office. His reading glasses were perched over his shiny forehead and a polka dotted tie was askew in its ill fitting collared shirt. Mr Wiggins looked absolutely harmless and quite ineffectual. This was the type of person my mother loved dealing with.

Mum immediately turned on the charm, reaching out to shake Mr Wiggin's hand and assure him that both of us were thrilled to be at Kingsvale Primary School. I stood back and watched in awe. I have seen my mother in action before. She is not a woman to be trifled with and definitely one to have as an ally rather than an enemy.

And where have you come from? enquired Mr Wiggins.

Well my husband is a policeman so we’ve moved around the state quite a bit to follow the needs of his job, Mum explained. She went on to detail the string of towns we have lived in and the numerous schools that I had attended.

We have been based in Karratha for the last two years. My husband has moved into the CIB and will be Perth based now.

Mrs Blythe's attitude brightened considerably when she heard that Mr Harrington had been made a detective.

Oh it could be handy to have a detective on the P&C Committee, she said sweetly, but Mum's swift glance cut her short.

Sam is going to need a uniform. Do you have any school shirts for sale?

We should have something, replied Mrs Blythe, Although she is a rather tall girl for her age. I'll have to go and check on what we have. She disappeared down a short hallway and turned right.

Mr Wiggins looked uncomfortable at having to deal with things by himself and stammered a bit as he announced, We just had a girl leave last week so we'll put Samantha in Mrs Glock's class. All the kids love Mrs Glock.

I shot Mum a quick glance then started coughing to control myself. Mum looked just as distraught and was having trouble herself. Poor Mr Wiggins had stepped straight into one of our family jokes. As a policeman, Dad carried a 9mm Glock pistol. It was a kind of family joke that when either Sam or her brother Paul did something that annoyed Dad, he would announce with his best mock serious voice, Keep that up and I might have to use my Glock.

Mr Wiggins didn't seem to notice our amusement and took his leave. Now if you will excuse me, I have to leave you in the capable hands of Mrs Blythe.

Mr Wiggins scurried away back into his office and the door shut. I looked at Mum and we both broke into giggles.

By the time my mother had finished filling out the enrolment form, Mrs Blythe returned, clutching a couple of T Shirts, an attractive combination of deep blue and black.

You can try these on down there dear, she said, pointing to the room she had just come from and turned her attention to the telephone, which had been ringing for some time. I went down the hallway with the shirts and Mum occupied herself by reading some of the material she had been given.

I quickly changed into the new school shirts, liking what I saw in the small wall mirror. Then I returned, wearing one of the shirts and handed the other to my mother along with the uniform from her old school. Mum gave the new outfit her approval and said that she would order some more later. Mrs Blythe finished her phone call