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tried to look reassuring, and not to think about what might happen in the next stages.
    â€˜Monsterish?’ asked Boris, his face turning even paler.
    â€˜Yes,’ said Jasper. ‘You’re kind of … becoming a monster. The whispering you can hear is your monster side trying to guide you. But you can control it.’



’Contol. Right. Good,’ said Boris, trying to gather himself together. ‘I’m good at control. So, what do I do? Push-ups? Sit-ups? Marching? I’ll walk all night if I have to.’
    â€˜You’ll have to talk to Señor Hermes. I’ll take you there. And maybe we should tell Stenka too,’ Jasper conceded.
    Boris shook his head. ‘No way. You can’t tell anyone! ’ he said forcefully. ‘I can’t go to one of your teachers. I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to know about the whole monster thing. None of the other prefects do. The teachers will kick me out for knowing about it. It’ll be the end of the line for me. My family would never understand. They would kill me. They’d never talk to me again. I would be homeless. I would –’
    Jasper held up his hand to stop Boris mid-panic. ‘OK, I get it. But I’m sure they won’t kick you out.’ Yet, even as Jasper said it, he had to wonder. The whole reason the prefects were there was because they couldn’t see monsters. They couldn’t be scared or affected by them. Maybe Boris could become a student? Although he was pretty old. His brain must have started shrinking already. Jasper didn’t meet Boris’s gaze.
    â€˜Can’t you help me? You can hear the whispering too, right?’ Boris was looking desperate.
    Jasper wanted to help, but he was only just learning how to control his own whisper. He didn’t know if he could help someone else. ‘You know, I’m really not that good at it. You would be much better off –’
    Boris punched the wall in frustration, leaving a large fist-sized hole next to Jasper’s head.
    â€˜Sorry!’ Boris gasped. ‘I’ve never done that before! I just feel so, so frustrated and angry! See? That must be my monster side! It’s coming! It’s getting worse! Aaaaargh!’ Boris punched another hole in the wall. ‘Yikes!’ he yelped. ‘I did it again. I’m really, really sorry! You’ve gotta help me. I can count on you, can’t I?’ Boris pleaded.
    â€˜OK! OK!’ said Jasper, looking at the two holes in the wall. It didn’t look like he had much choice.

8
    â€˜Dog drool,’ Stenka pointed to the large flasks of murky liquid stacked along the wall.
    Jasper collapsed into the comfy couch next to the fire. Felix put down the flask in his hand.
    â€˜Gross!’ Felix whispered, wiping his hand on his hoodie.
    â€˜At this moment, the prefects are tempting every single dog on campus with pieces of steak, and carefully collecting their saliva,’ Stenka explained. ‘I imagine they are looking for someone to assist them, so if I were you, I would tread very carefully.’ She peered around the class of students. No-one moved.
    â€˜McPhee!’ she barked. Jasper flinched. ‘Can you tell me why the prefects are collecting dog saliva? And keep in mind, the wrong answer will be rewarded with an hour of drool-collecting.’
    Because that’s all they’re good for, was the first response that entered Jasper’s head. But since coming to Monstrum House, Jasper had learnt not to act on impulse. Not all the time anyway. ‘Because that is the Skrinkerscreech’s weakness?’ he suggested.
    Stenka looked disappointed. ‘Exactly. Dog saliva has the ability to freeze a Skrinkerscreech solid. As of now, you are all required to wear your hunt belts, and to carry a flask of dog drool with you at all times. It is not to be taken off. Not in the shower, not in bed, not anywhere. Anyone found without their