In The Dark (8 page)

EJ was struggling to keep up with what she was learning. A1's name was Aurora? Adriana was her evil twin sister? Adriana had been a
SHINE
agent but was now working for
SHADOW?
All because she was jealous? And what was her invention?

‘Brilliant invention?' asked EJ.

‘Yes, you midget, I suppose it can't hurt to tell you. I, Adriana X, have invented an invisible shadow.'

‘To do what?'

‘To secretly block the sun of course. Don't be so dim, EJ12. There is a pole running up the mineshaft
that is attached to a powerful ray gun positioned at the top of the tower. The ray gun shoots out tiny, microscopic particles to create an invisible shadow, which blocks the sun from reaching
SHINE's
solar panels. It's like a woman-made cloud.'

‘But how can something that is invisible block anything?' asked EJ12.

‘Thank heavens I left
SHINE!'
exclaimed Adriana. ‘I couldn't bear to be surrounded by such stupidity, and by such small people. The cloud only
looks
invisible. That is where I have outdone myself. Any scientist can whip up a cloud, even
SHINE
could, but my cloud is colour-tinted to match the colour of the sky so when those silly
SHINE
engineers look up, all they think they see is clear blue sky. And while they've been scratching their heads, the
SHINE
power levels have been dropping. Now
SHINE
is almost completely out of power.'

‘That's Operation Lights Out?' said EJ.

‘Clever you, you intercepted my message did you?' replied Adriana. ‘Then you will also know I have another little surprise for
SHINE.'

‘The blast.'

‘Exactly. When the energy levels hit zero, the whole plant will be destroyed. It will decompose, break down to absolutely nothing.'

‘You can't do that,' shouted EJ.

‘Actually, I won't have to do a thing.
SHINE
will do it all to itself. Shall I illuminate you? When the energy levels hit zero the whole plant will go into Eco-Deco mode. It will decompose, to nothing. I invented Eco-Deco and I put it in everything I make. E-D, Eco-Deco, don't you like the poetic touch? I like to think of it as my parting gift to Aurora, to have put Eco-Deco into the solar plant without her knowing. But don't look so sad, EJ, there will be some super, if rather smelly fireworks. According to my calculations, it will all happen at nine o'clock. Oh yes, at nine o'clock, the place will rock!'

‘Can't you see that what you are doing is wrong?' said EJ.

‘Haven't you noticed EJ “zero”,' said Adriana, ‘that I can't see very much at all and soon neither will anyone else at
SHINE.
I'd love to stay and chat some more but I really must fly. My
SHADOW
helicopter is waiting for me at the top of the mine tower. I don't want to miss the fireworks, the last show of light before
SHINE
plunges into darkness. So if you will excuse me I just need to...' Adriana walked over to her computer and tapped some keys. ‘Perhaps you would like to watch the countdown?' asked Adriana, turning the screen towards EJ.

Adriana shuffled over to the elevator and opened the door. But before she got in, she turned back to EJ.

‘Goodbye EJ12. I am sure my goody-goody sister will come and rescue you, eventually, but you don't mind if I turn the lights out, do you? I wouldn't want to waste electricity. I'd like to stay but must away. Better luck next time, little EJ!'

And with that, Adriana laughed a mean cackle of a laugh and flicked the light switch. The entire cave went dark. EJ could hear the clang of the cage door open and then another clang as it shut and then a whirring noise as the elevator shot up the mineshaft. Adriana had gone and EJ was left alone, tied up in the dark.

Even if she had been able to move, EJ wouldn't have wanted to. She would have been too afraid that she would bump something, something dangerous, something scary. If only she could have reached her phone, she could have used the BEST system. Now, more than ever, she could really have used another talk with Mum.

Her mum would have told her that the scary blowing noise she could hear was just the wind whirling around the mineshaft. Her mum would have told her that the spooky dim glow in the corner was
just the glow of the computer screens. EJ thought her mum might also have suggested she stop imagining scary things and start trying to escape and save the solar station.

That jolted EJ out of her thoughts. She didn't even stop to realise that she had just ‘un-scared' herself. Instead, she looked over at the screen.

Now that's a noise I know,
thought EJ. The sound that was so scary before was now a relief to EJ. It told her that she was no longer alone.

‘Hey Inky, Adriana was supposed to take you with her,' said EJ to the kitten that was brushing against her legs.

The kitten walked around the chair and stretched up to reach EJ's hands.

‘I can't stroke you, I'm kind of tied up right now,' said EJ pleased with her ability to make a joke at a difficult time. ‘Hey cut that out!' she cried as the kitten clawed playfully at her hands. ‘Your claws are sharp.' And then EJ had an idea. Inky had clawed through the string once already, back in the tunnel, so why not again?

‘Inky, Inky, up here,' cried EJ, jiggling her hands as much as she could, hoping the kitten would think it was a game. She did. The kitten stretched up, clawing at the string. EJ kept jiggling her hands and Inky kept trying to catch them with her claws. It wasn't long before she had clawed little rips in the string, enough for EJ to break through the rest. EJ's hands were free, a little scratched but free. ‘Well done Inky,' said EJ.

She untied her feet, stood up and slowly made her way over towards the dim glow of the computer screens. As she approached, she could see they all showed the same thing.

Think, EJ, think! How can I stop the plant reaching zero energy and Eco-Deco going off?

EJ took out her phone to search for an app that could help her but when she opened it, the screen flashed a warning.

‘Oh no!' exclaimed EJ, but then said, ‘That's it! Turn everything off. That's how it can be stopped. If
SHINE
turns everything off, no more energy will be used, the plant won't reach zero energy and Eco-Deco will be a no-go! Oh, I am turning
into Adriana—I'm a poet and I know it,' said EJ, laughing to herself. She sent a text to
SHINE HQ.
There was enough battery power for that.

EJ waited, hoping.

EJ watched the computer screen closely. She knew she was running out of time. Had her plan worked?

Then

And then

The time to zero energy was increasing. With
SHINE
shut down, the plant was saving its power. Adriana shouldn't have underestimated EJ12. She had done it—she had stopped Eco-Deco. The plant would now have enough power to keep above zero and in the morning would begin to re-charge with the sunlight. With Adriana gone, the invisible cloud wouldn't be turned on. Or would it? EJ12 had one more thing to do.