Read Day One
Read Day Two
Read Day Three (Part One)
Read Day Three (Part Two)
Read Day Four
Read Day Five

Yes. I’m talking to you now! I have a few things I want to say to you. Firstly …

:’( ;*( T.T T_T Y.Y Y_Y >:[ D:< >:( >:-C >:C >:O D-:< >:-( :-c :c :-<:< :-[ :[ :{ >.> <.< >.< >:P X-P x-p xp XP :-p :p =p :-Þ :Þ :-b :b >:/ :-/ :/ :\ (>_<) (>.<)(\_/)(^^^)

That’s how I feel about what you’re doing at Owl Hall!! I knew from the first moment I saw you that something was wrong. You were just too perfect to be true (like your teeth). BUT for some reason I can’t understand, Mum likes you. I could grow to like you, too – after maybe a million years. But don’t do anything like this to me again!

Oh! Martin’s here and he’d like to say a few words …

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Hiya Mr Howl,

It’s Martin here. He he he he ho ho ho. What’s that smell? It smells like BURNING. Oh no! What have I done? Oh dear. I‘ve burnt all the files in your filing cabinet. I’m SO sorry. All that work. Lost forever. But you’ll be pleased to know that all those files made a great fire. I hope the house on the hill doesn’t burn down too.

I also have something to tell you. I’ve enjoyed my stay at Owl Hall so much that I’ve decided to stay. (Pause for Howard to understand what I’m saying.) That’s right. I’m not going anywhere. Pyro Boy is staying right here. That way I can keep an eye on you …

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A few last words from Kara …

John is a special person. He’s a good person. I don’t know what happened in his past, but I do know one thing: what John needs is a friend. Be his friend, Howard.

Bye.

AwKwARd Kara

My name is Kara. I have a friend and his name is John. How good does that sound?

You’re weird. Do you know that? You’re odd. You’re strange. Why didn’t you tell me your name the first time we spoke? Did you think I would laugh? It’s not a very funny name. Or did you think I’d yawn? John is quite a boring name.

  y-a-w-n

So what else have I discovered about my new friend, apart from his name? Well, he likes islands. One of his favourite books is Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson – but I don’t think there’s any treasure on John’s island. He likes pasta and dislikes spinach. He’s scared of rats and he doesn’t like school – but he won’t say why. And he’s an only child. He doesn’t have any brothers or sisters.

I can’t imagine being an only child. Maybe you could be friends with Martin. Then we could be like your brother and sister. What do you think? Are you shaking your head? Why don’t you like Martin? Why doesn’t Martin like you? Maybe if you spent some time together  …

>:\

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In his dream, he was reading a book. He said the book was the story of his life. He was reading the book and, as he was turning the pages, he could feel the end of the book getting closer and closer. I mean … he looked at the pages he’d read and there were hundreds of pages, but there were only a few pages left to read. And Martin thought: that’s not right. I’m thirteen. There should be thousands of pages still to read.

When he told me about the dream, he looked scared so I tried to make him feel better. I said that maybe there were different books in the story of his life. Maybe he had to finish that book before starting another. We were talking in my bedroom at home and I pointed at all the books on the bookshelf and said, ‘There are lots of books on the shelf.’ And he said, ‘In your room there are lots of books. But there aren’t any books in my room.’

He was right. I’d never thought of it before but there weren’t any books in his bedroom. He said he liked his room to be like a prison cell.

I don’t know why I’m telling you this. Maybe because Martin was in the dream I just had tonight. I mean he was really in the dream. He must have been there! When I started telling him about it, he already knew what I had dreamed.

Do people ever have the same dream? I wonder if identical twins ever have identical dreams and appear in each other’s dreams. It’s strange. I think I’m going crazy. Martin is not my identical twin. He’s my brother. So what was he doing in my dream??

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When Mum and Dad separated, we only had each other. Martin needed me. He still needs me now. Maybe we’re closer than a lot of brothers and sisters – I don’t know. Since ‘the incident’, he’s been the only person I can talk to. Do you understand?

You probably think he’s jealous of you. But that’s not true. When we arrived here, he made me promise not to leave him. He thinks someone is trying to take him away. I know it sounds crazy but he’s frightened.

When I came to see you alone he probably thought I’d left him.

And then when he saw me with you … he probably thought I was in danger. He still thinks you’re a spy. You’re not a spy, are you?

:-X

I just want you to understand how much I love my brother and need to protect him. I know he’s not perfect. In fact, sometimes he makes me really angry but he’s the only brother I’ve got. If you want to be my friend, then I know you’ll understand.

Anyway, here’s the answer to your question: the voice said, ‘Kara! Help me. Let me go!’ What does it mean? I’m really frightened

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I’m back upstairs in my room. I don’t know where Martin is. I hope he didn’t read my blog while I was downstairs with Mum and Howard. Howard. It sounds like a normal name for a normal person, right? But Howard isn’t normal. He’s spooky! Like Owl Hall. Maybe we should call him Mr Howl Hall. Or Mr Howl. Or just H-o-w-l. Martin would like that

Howard has a dog called Max, which is probably short for Maximilian or Maximus or something. Martin (which isn’t short for anything) says Max is a friendly dog but he didn’t seem very friendly last night. Maybe he’s a rescue dog – you know – a dog that wasn’t looked after very well by its last owner. There’s something sad in his eyes.

What are they talking about – Mum and Howard? There’s something strange about the way Mum acts when she’s with him.

I have a new favourite word. It’s AWKWARD. I like it because it sounds awkward and it looks awkward. So it’s a bit like me. AwKwARd KARA. It even has all the letters of my name in it.

But I don’t care right now about Howard or his big dog or even Mum! All I can think about is … ‘a friend’.

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What can I tell you about myself? I’m fifteen years old. I like reading and listening to music, and watching films – especially horror films. I don’t have many friends. Correction. I don’t have any friends. Not since ‘the incident’ anyway. I don’t care. If people don’t like me – that’s their problem.

We arrived here today. We = me, my mum and my brother, Martin. Martin, if you’re reading this, stop now! I mean it! >:O

Sometimes my brother Martin makes me crazy. Like right now! We were downstairs in the living room about ten minutes ago and Martin started making a fire. Mum found out and she was SO angry. Martin said I’d started it. It’s not true! He started it. It’s not fair!

Martin thinks someone is watching us. He says he saw someone in the courtyard. Maybe it’s a ghost. I didn’t see a ghost but I heard a voice when we arrived. Do you think this place is haunted?

I told mum that Owl Hall is like one of those big old houses from a horror film. She said ‘Well, you love horror films’. That’s true, but it doesn’t mean I want to LIVE in one!

Owl Hall is in the middle of nowhere. There’s no TV. There’s no phone signal. Why did Mum choose this place for a holiday? What are we doing here? Hello? Is anyone there?

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