Heath Buckland? Zara Bello. Your...tutor.
BEN: In my vision, the nematode got bigger.
ELLEN: Then we've got a problem.
What if we stop them with a binding spell
and then use a banish spell to send them out of the world?
HEATH: Ellen! (SCREAMS)
Grab her! Don't let her go!
(SCREAMS)
Once we find her, we use elemental communication - water to water.
The element-to-element spell is in Felix's Book of Shadows,
which is in the Lair. HEATH: Which Bates has locked down.
Felix Ferne. This is his.
Open a portal. What? And get attacked again?
What do you think we've been training for?
OK, Ellen, take my hand!
Ellen, jump now!
(ELLEN SCREAMS)
You alright? Oh, yeah...
Ellen! Ellen!
(KNOCKS) Excuse me, Nurse?
We need to see Ellen O'Donnell.
I see. Because I'm a woman, I must be a nurse?
Couldn't be a doctor?
Well, are you a doctor?
No.
Are you family? What?
Visitation is generally family only.
Oh, yeah, not a problem.
Ellen is our aunt.
On which side?
The left?
Please, we need to see Aunty Ellen.
Your Aunty Ellen is very unwell. She needs rest.
It's not like we're taking her out clubbing.
We just want to make sure that she's OK.
Please.
I can't let you in.
But I'm going on my break,
so you two had better not head down that corridor,
turn right and go into room 10.
Negative space was so much worse than I thought.
Everything was...wrong.
There was this thing.
Like it came from the darkness.
Or was part of it.
I could feel...
It was evil.
Ellen, do you remember anything else?
Maybe we shouldn't be pushing her.
(ELLEN GASPS)
Magic is tearing the multiverse apart.
Knock-knock.
Oh, you two.
You just keep turning up in unusual places, don't you?
We're just making sure Ms O'Donnell is OK.
And in the drain? What exactly were you doing there?
Our environmental project.
So much stormwater's wasted.
Anyway, we'd better get going.
School. Learning.
Yes.
School.
I'll see you both there.
Get well soon, Ellen.
(MEDICAL EQUIPMENT BEEPS)
Ellen, how are you? What was going on out there?
I'm not feeling the best.
No, no.
Just, um, this book. I need to talk to you about it.
Um, you knew Felix Ferne, didn't you?
Why is my name in here?
(SCHOOL BELL CHIMES)
HEATH: Whatever it was, it scared the living snot out of her.
Did she say what it looked like?
Size, prehensile limbs, ocular configuration?
No, just that it was evil.
Really? An evil creature lurking in negative space?
Well, it gets worse.
Magic is...is messing with the universe or something.
Heath? Yes, Ms Jarra?
Can I see you in my office?
Can you? Probably, if I was there.
Now, Heath.
Yes, Miss.
Bremin High is a place you can feel supported. Nurtured.
We're modifying our classes to foster the way YOU see the world.
Mm.
I'm not really sure I'm understanding anything we're saying right now.
What we're saying... what I'm saying,
is on behalf of the Education Department...
..is that we've let you down by not picking up your dyslexia sooner.
It's fine, Miss. No need to cry yourself to sleep.
You've done so well within the exclusionary parameters
we've unfairly forced on you.
But...it's time to have the discussion.
Your learning status doesn't have
anything to do with your intelligence.
Would it be better if...
..you repeated Year 10?
No.
No, no, no, I've...I've...I've been working with Zara...
Heath. I've been trying.
How is holding me back better?
You'd have the time and the support to catch up - to excel, even.
Yeah, and a big neon sign over my head that says, "Failure".
You haven't failed, Heath. It's the system that's failed.
The school.
Yeah, well, if it's the school, why punish me?
Oh, look, it's just one option on the table
in a continuing discussion.
Fine.
If it's a discussion, can I say no?
(SIGHS)
A decision will have to be reached.
It'll be easier to make the transition earlier in the year.
Can I go to class now?
Of course.
Heath?
Yep, I can even spell that one out for you, sir.
Let's drop the aggro, thanks.
Why don't you get reacquainted with the inside of my office.
Well, what is this?
I'm just going to ask you a few questions
and you're going to give me some straight answers.
Yeah? What's the category. I'm pretty good with film trivia.
What happened to Ms O'Donnell?
I'm not a doctor.
But maybe if there was some way to cater to my learning status...
What do you know about the hidden room?
Nothing. Hmm.
What does all this have to do with the Bremin Four?
The musical? Loved it.
Five-star performances all around.
That key change in the final number, solid gold.
What do you know about magic?
'Rabbit in the hat' magic
or the kind of magic that exists
between a man and his meat lover's pizza, sir?
I know you know things.
And I know that you know that I know things.
And I know that you know...
If you won't talk, someone else will.
BRIANNA: (ON P.A.) Niccolina Pandelis, please come to the office.
Niccolina Pandelis.
Can I help you?
I emailed Bryan. We have an appointment.
Bryan? Bryan...
Oh, Mr Bates.
I'm Zeb.
Zeb.
Uh...sorry, uh, can you just take a seat?
And I'll go and...I'll go and, um...
Thanks.
Whoa.
So, what are you in for?
I don't even know, half the time.
What about the other half? What?
I'm just messing with you.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Hello! Uh, Zeb.
(ENUNCIATES) Ze-bah. Am I saying that correctly?
Only one way to say it. Good.
Rock and roll.
Um, Principal Bryan Bates.
Bryan, great to meet you.
Hello. We already did that. (LAUGHS) Through here.
(CLEARS THROAT)
I was very intrigued to receive your email.
It was, uh, very mysterious.
Hey.
What's going on?
Well, Bates is all... (WHISTLES) ..about what happened to Ellen.
Ms Jarra thinks I'm Lord of the Idiots.
She did get that right.
And this weirdly cool guy just showed up.
Where? In Bates's office.
Listen, he's gonna go all 'bad cop, bad cop' on you.
The book's right there in his office.
If we can just get it...
So, I'll show you the structure.
It's incredible how well it was concealed.
Oh, but first we'll need, uh...
He is weirdly cool.
We'll need these.
They're going to the Lair.
I'm on it.
BATES: LED, I think.
Spells, prophecies, mystical artefacts.
So much to discover. Fascinating.
Yeah, it's obviously been here for years.
Do you mind my asking, uh, how you heard about it?
It was all over social media.
A secret room discovered in a school,
in a town already shrouded in mystery.
You said your background was in linguistics?
Ancient languages.
Have you ever seen anything quite like this?
Huh.
Interesting.
Obviously I have, uh, some knowledge of linguistics,
from my university days.
Obviously.
But this seemed a little more, um... Arcane?
Well spotted, Bryan.
Thank you.
I'd like to take a closer look.
No. I could take them with me.
Do a more detailed study.
Or...I can set you up in one of our offices...
..for the afternoon,
if you have the time.
I've got time.
I used to play in the brass band.
Classical. Flugelhorn.
Very underrated instrument.
Guess I'm going the long way.
Hey!
So, you can't answer my texts now, huh?
No. Wait, sorry, what?
You can't even use the dyslexia as an excuse
because that new font keyboard I put in your phone
makes it easier to type, Heath.
Sorry, I...
I gotta go. Heath!
BATES: I don't... I haven't read up on that.
(BREATHES HEAVILY)
NICCO: You need to work on your cardio.
You made it.
So, I'll just set you up in here.
A bit more natural light.
Nice little office.
Brianna can get you tea or coffee or whatever you need.
Ah, yeah...
And if you find anything interesting, you'll, uh...
You're the first one I'll call. (CHUCKLES) Ah, yes.
Cool!
Great.
Now...
Nicco, my office.
You're not just a good student, Nicco.
You could be the first in Bremin High history
to make the state football team.
Didn't Patrick Birmingham make the state team in 1986?
He was originally from Rochford, so that doesn't count.
Student safety is paramount to me.
That hidden room.
Imagine if one of you were to get hurt.
Or worse.
If it was discovered that you had any knowledge,
that you were involved... I am involved.
Um, being involved is what I do.
I'm on the football team, debating team, science club...
Yes. Yes.
(CHUCKLES)
And your entire future could be jeopardised
by falling in with the wrong crowd.
Sorry, what crowd is that, sir? Well, you tell me.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean.
I mean, magic. As in pixies and fairy dust?
As in witches. You think I'm a witch?
Are you?
BRIANNA: (ON P.A.) Sorry for the interruption, teachers,
but would Luke Hamil and Jesse Banda and Ben Ripley
please come to the office.
Thank you.
(SINGS) # Have a nice day... #
(CLEARS THROAT)
(WHISPERS) Gosh, what was that?
(MEDICAL EQUIPMENT BEEPS)
ELLEN: No! No, get away from me!
Help me!
Something's coming after me!
No! Help me!
(PANTS)
No! (SCREAMS)
(GASPS)
No. No, no, no, no. Ellen, stop.
No, no.
No, I need to get out of here! I need...I need to go. I need...
You can't leave. You've got a fever.
Your blood tests are showing abnormalities
that we cannot explain... Where's my stuff?!
Where's my clothes? You need to get back into bed.
And you...need to get out of my way.
Well... Did you get the book?
Yes, I asked him for it and he gave it right to me.
What'd Bates say?
He called me a witch.
Well, if the pointy hat fits.
We really need to speak to Ellen. Yeah.
Evil negative space monster -
it definitely requires more information.
Yeah, and there's this guy.
NICCO: He's really cool. Yeah, and really suss.
He's reading books from the Lair. Reading books by choice?
Totally suss.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Right.
Who's next?
Luke. It's lunchtime, sir. We're starving.
JESSE: Yeah, you can't keep us here forever.
Can I not?
LUKE: Well, we...do need to eat.
Yeah. Yeah, it's one of those human rights we learnt about, sir.
Yeah, food, shelter and cruffins.
It's a croissant crossed with a muffin.
Yes, alright. Back here on the bell.
So, what's the plan now?
Me and Ben will go to the hospital.
See if Ellen can tell us anything more about negative space.
PETA: Ugh!
Come on, really?
Peta, wait up.
I want to keep an eye on Zeb.
ALI: Ah, that must sting.
Your boyfriend's got his eye on someone else.
Remind me to slow clap you later.
Leave it.
Where are you off to?
Back into the closet?
Shut up, Ali. I get it.
No-one talks smack about your lady.
You're the troll?
Just a bit of fun.
Nice one, Buckland.
Always knew you were soft.
Yeah, nice one, Buckland. What?
I was defending you.
I told you not to. You just made it so much worse.
Jesse!
Ellen!
Ellen?
Where is she? Left. AMA.
"Against medical advice".
You could have just said that. Do you know where she went?
No, but if she's still alive when you find her,
can you tell her to get back here?
Or don't.
As if I care.
LUKE: Ellen? BEN: Something's wrong.
She's wearing pink. Ellen!
I was just coming for you.
I saw something.
We know. Heath told us.
No. There's more.
(GROANS)
(ROARS)
Ben, what is it?
We made a mistake.
We made it worse. What? What's worse?
When we sent those parasites there, there was something there already.
Like an entity.
They've merged.
It's getting stronger.
You can't risk letting it in.
But if this is our fault, we need to fix it.
And Ben's spirit power just kicked in.
We'll high five later. Yeah, no...
If you want to fix it, no spells.
No elemental powers.
She's right. It fits with what I saw.
Give me the talisman.
Why?
You can't use magic.
It might be safer.
I don't know. I think I'll talk about it with the others.
Luke, but...
We'll get you home, OK?
No... No magic.
You need to tell the others.
(SCHOOL BELL CHIMES)
I was trying to help.
Yeah?
How'd that work out?
Idiots.
Uh... Um...
Um...
(DOOR CLOSES)
You first. Jesse.
Number one. Sounds accurate.
If you need a bathroom break...
No, I...I just have a problem with lying.
Since when? You used to be a champ.
I find it stressful - I know I'm gonna go in there,
he's gonna sit me down, he's gonna ask me questions
and I'm eventually gonna tell the truth and then we're all doomed.
You want to know the trick with lying, Ben?
Uh-huh.
Don't do it.
But... There are many truths.
Be honest.
Choose a different truth.
(PATS)
I guess.
I read the book. I'm only part way through.
Don't spoil the ending.
You've never been in the principal's office before, have you, Ben?
Yes, I have.
I had to eat my lunch in here all of Year 7, or Ali would steal it.
I'm glad you've found some friends, Ben, but I have to ask...
..have you found the right friends?
Should...should I turn around, sir, when you're behind me?
I mean, maybe if I had your swivel chair, we could easily...
You seem nervous. Hmm?
I'm not. (LAUGHS NERVOUSLY)
I think I just look like this.
I think it's the glasses, or the general facial structure.
You don't have any reason to be nervous, do you, Ben?
No. No reason at all.
If this was the dentist, however, that makes me nervous.
I hate the dentist.
I floss before, during and after every meal, just in case.
I've never had a filling.
Ben already told me everything.
You might say he sang like a canary.
Is that an expression from the olden days?
I know all about it.
The magic, the ley lines, the Bremin Four.
(YAWNS) Sorry, I missed that.
It's funny how you can't hear when you're yawning.
Is that a science thing?
I have someone looking at the books right now.
The cool guy? Yes, the cool guy!
And when he's finished translating the text, then...
Don't tell me.
The two of you will order Thai takeaway and have a quiet night in?
BEN: I mean, drills are really scary.
They could go right through your cheek, if it slips.
You are going to tell me what happened!
I would. But then I'd have to kill you.
Kidding, sir.
Luke does the killing. I'm in charge of white rabbits and magic wands.
I've had it up to here with all of you!
Unless you tell me what I want to know, there will be consequences.
There are things I can do, you know, if I want to!
Things that could make your lives a little less pleasant.
Like, for example, no state football team.
Perhaps sending you back to Year 10.
How would you like your mother to be your home room teacher?
No school musical!
Sir, that's a bit... (LAUGHS) Quiet!
What, so it's the mega-demon?
No.
Ben said that it's like it's made with bits of the mega-demon.
So, basically, we made it worse?
Well, that seems to be the theme for today.
Oh, hey, you talking about that photo that Ali put up?
There is zero Photoshop game on that boy.
What photo?
What, haven't you seen it?
(NICCO LAUGHS) Oh, don't worry.
Everyone knows Ali's a total knuckle-dragger.
Oh, darling, that green really brings out your eyes.
Look, I hate to say I told you so...
Oh, no, please do, Jesse.
I'd love to hear more about what I've done wrong.
Benjamin. (WHIMPERS)
Benjamin. Mm...
You are facing a world of pain.
Mm.
I think the mistake that your little gang has made
is to underestimate me.
You seem to think that I'll give up.
But that's not going to happen.
Someone will tell me what I want to know.
Oh...
And that someone, Benjamin... that someone is you.
(VOMITS AND SPLUTTERS)
Oh, my shoes!
Oh, that hasn't happened in a while.
(GAGS)
Ben's been in there quite a while.
He's gonna crack, I know it. He'll be fine.
I gave him a little lesson in lying.
Your special subject.
He is so going to crack.
Go on, out you get.
Go and clean yourself up.
This is not the end of this.
It is not the end of it by a long shot!
Believe you me, I will find out what's going on.
I will.
You may have won this round.
Hey, uh, Heath is it?
Hey. Can you give me a hand?
It'll just take a sec.
Uh...sure.
Cool.
If it's advice about topknots you want, not sure I'm your man.
I think I've got the haircare covered.
Is that...?
And you want to help me, don't you?
I don't know what you're talking about.
I don't want to help you.
Sure you do.
For a start, I'll take Felix Ferne's book.
No.
(SLOWLY AND GENTLY) Come on, Heath.
You know you want to.
What do you think the cool guy wants with Heath?
He's not that cool. He's so cool.
He's definitely cool. He's pretty cool.
Anyway...
It was a pleasure to meet you all.
What was that?
I...
Uh, I'm...I'm not sure...
JESSE: Where's the book?
(MOTORCYCLE STARTS) BEN: Oh, no.
NICCO: He's getting away. LUKE: Stop him!
What did you do?
I...look I... What?!
BEN: Oh, I stole for nothing.
What, so you gave him the Book of Shadows?
Why would you do that? Well, I didn't mean to!
You basically gift-wrapped it for him.
Are you really that...? Stupid? Useless?
Yeah. Yeah, I am, Jesse.
Where are you going?
Bates is accusing us of grand theft notebook.
The circumstance being that you stole the book from my office!
You are facing suspension, even expulsion.
Wakey-wakey! You wagging school?
Not wagging, I'm quitting.
Well, then, what are you going to do?
I don't know, get a job, pay taxes.
(LAUGHTER)
LUKE: Zeb? What kind of name is that?
NICCO: Heath thinks that Zeb put a spell on him,
forced him to hand over the book.
Zeb knows magic?
I know you're really sick, but we need your help.
What's happened?
Captions by Red Bee Media
Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation