Seven for a Secret Never to be Told

Mia lay on her bed looking at the ceiling. She was talking to Safi on her Nan’s mobile and waiting for him to digest everything she’d just told him.

‘You’ve had a message from Tommy Bassett? Scratched in ice on the bathroom mirror?’ He sounded incredulous.

‘Well I think it was him. Who else could it be? I know we’re on the right trail Saf. Tommy Bassett drowned in the bather under the ice and Miss Jaggers’ brother said his only regret was what happened on the day Tommy Bassett died. He said he’d kept a promise to the other lads but it had been a burden to him. This promise he made, the secret they all kept. We’ve got to find out what it was.’

‘Do you think the boys…’ Safi hesitated. ‘Do you think the boys killed him? They killed him and then swore to keep it secret?’ Mia didn’t answer. She felt sick. Safi continued. ‘You know what I think? I think the spirit of Tommy Bassett can’t rest until that secret’s been revealed.’

‘But why now? That’s what I don’t understand. Mrs Hewitt said he died in 1950?’

‘Maybe it’s only now that all the right circumstances have come together at the same time. Like you moving into the cottage and playing in the back field and finding the magpie token…’

‘…and Miss Jaggers and the history group meeting at Nan’s house, and Nan working at the old people’s home and telling me about Bobby Bassett.’

‘I’ve got an idea,’ said Safi. ‘Where’s the old people’s home?’

‘At the top of Archibald Crescent opposite the allotments.’

‘It would take ten minutes to walk there after school,’ said Safi. ‘We could go and find Bobby Bassett and see if he can tell us anything about this secret pact.’

‘Nan would never let me go off somewhere after school by myself,’ said Mia. ‘And neither would your mum!’

‘Yeah, I suppose you’re right. What about asking your Nan to take us after school?’

‘She’s not going to take us to the old people’s home for no reason. We’d have to come up with a really convincing story…’ They were silent for a moment, and then with a voice full of excitement Safi exclaimed…

‘Got it. We’ll tell her the truth!’

‘The truth?’ said Mia.

‘Well it’s not every day you see mysterious writing being formed in ice on your bathroom mirror…Or see someone who’s been dead for 60 years.’

‘I don’t know…’

‘Even if she doesn’t believe that Tommy Bassett is trying to contact us from beyond the grave about some secret pact that was made by the Magpie Club she’ll still be curious. She might not believe a ghost is trying to contact us, but she will think something unusual is happening. She’ll remember your wet swimsuit and the crying that you heard, we’ll show her the magpie tokens. I bet she’ll want to get to the bottom of it as much as we do.’

‘Maybe,’ said Mia.

‘We’ve got to try…’

‘Ok, talk to you tomorrow. See ya.’

‘Night Mia.’