Saw Julie in school today - without her minder. Grabbed her quick and got loads of strange looks and jeers from my mates as I dragged her to the huts at the back of the Sports Hall. I inored them. "You have to tell me what the matter is," I demanded.

"Only if you let go of me," she growled back, wriggling out of the grip I had on her arms.
"Sorry," I said and let go. I really didn't mean to hurt her, but this is cracking me up, man.
She checked over both shoulders to make sure no one was watching and then sat down on the floor.

"We're not... not..."
"Normal?" I supplied. At which point she thumped me. She can't half pack a punch I can tell you, for someone who's only tiny.
"We're not from round here. We're travellers. Looking for something."
"I guessed that from all the holes."
"Yeah, well, a long time ago something was put in the earth round here and it's my Dad's job, sort of, to find it."
"What is it?"
"I can't say."
I stared at her.
"Honestly, if I say I'll be in big trouble and I'm already in loads of that, I can't afford to upset Dad anymore or he'll pack me off to ... well, to where we came from, and I don't want to go back." She shuddered and stared down at the ground.
"So what's all the crying been about then, cos if they're treating you bad then they'll have me to answer to." I don't know why I said that, cos it's not as if I can do much, and I sort of felt a bit of a dick the minute the words were out of my mouth, but she smiled as if she appriciated it so I guess it wasn't all bad.
"Thanks," she said. "We've got a visitor staying at the moment."
I held my breath.
"He's not... not..."
"Normal," I offered again.
And she smiled and nodded. "He says things sometimes and they're not nice things, but we just have to put up with it. He wants the thing that's been buried and if we don't find it soon, then ... Well I'm really scared about what he'll do - to us."

Then my mobile went off. You guessed it - my Mum. She really does have some sort of psychic ability to pick the worst ever moment to interrupt. So Julie decided that would be a good time to bolt. Now I'm sitting at home wondering if I should go round or just wait till I see her again out somewhere - like that's going to happen. What is it they're looking for? And what will they're visitor do if they don't find it?

So at 11 o'clock last night I sneak out, right. Thank God Mum had gone to bed by then, or I would've had to answer all sorts of stupid questions. Well I stood at her front door, heart practically beating on my tongue, and I knocked.

No answer.

I knocked again and bent close to the door to listen. "Who is is?" asked a voice practically right next to my ear! I shot six feet in the air. It was Julie. "Me!" I hissed back. "Were you expecting anyone else?" The door opened a fraction of an inch and an eyeball appeared. It looked round till it found me then stared. "Now your being bloody stupid," I said, trying to keep the tone light, even though I didn't feel like it. "Are you going to let me in or what?"

The door opened a bit wider, a hand reached out and grabbed my t-shirt and I was dragged inside. It was dark, and the smell almost made me throw up, but luckily I was expecting it and shoved a handkie covered in aftershave up to my nose. Julie looked at me like I was some sort of nutter. "You don't smell it?" I asked her. Not that I wanted to be rude or anything, but come on! She sniffed a bit then shook her head. "So what am I doing here? Why all the cloak and dagger?"

"Keep your voice down," she said, looking back over her shoulder nervously.
"Why? I thought your parents and Sam went out." I played innocent. I didn't want her to know that I knew about the thing in the back room. She just looked at me then indicated that I should follow her upstairs. Now I know what you are thinking, man - it's every teenaged boys dream to be invited up to a girls bedroom when her parents are out, but we're talking wierdoes here remember. Destroying the planet, not sweating in the sun, disappearing weirdoes.

So I followed her up, thinking this is not right, man, and taking a good look around at the same time. Still no photos of any of them. Every door shut tight as I passed it. Then she opens one that must share the wall with mine, and let me in. She told me to sit on the bed and then began pacing up and down in the middle of the room.

"What is it?" I asked. And she starts ...

"I don't come from round here."
"I know that! I was here when you moved in."
"No, you have to let me say this all in one go, or I might not get it all out."
"OK"

And right at that very minute the doorbell went. Julie went as white as a sheet and her legs practically gave way beneath her.
"It's OK," I said. "I'll go and see who it is, get rid of them if you like."
She smiled weakly at me and I went down stairs. A bit nervous of being on my own in that house I can tell you.
Well it was only my bloody Mother! She grabbed my ear, dragged me out of the house and harrangued me all the way home. I've been paying for it all day - washing up, gardening, mending the washing machine, she's even had me doing the ironing. Mad cow! So I'll have to try and catch up with Julie later this week at school. I sent her a text: Sorry. M dragged me off. CU l8er.

Finished three more exams since last Monday. Just a few more to go. Few new things to report too. Mum and her mates have been evicted - and not in a BigBrother way either. The police turned up on Tuesday morning, like, really early. There were flashing blue lights and wailing sirens coming up the road. They woke me up - bastards. Anyway. Mum and her mates started up with all this chanting. I swear they thought they were all back in the sixties - and my Mum isn't even that old!

Minutes after the cops surrounded the field with their cars - well the exit to it anyway - they were swarming all over the place waving their truncheons around. I didn't even think they still carried those things, man. Two guys got out of the back of the police van with giant chain cutters and they all advanced on the protestors. This was turning out to be quite a good spectator sport until they decided to cut my Mum off the tree she'd chained herself to and she started struggling. Now I've watched protest stuff before and even I know not to struggle. I mean, Ghandi didn't! So the silly cow starts swinging her fists around. Two coppers wrestler her to the floor and several others come over to grab her feet and legs and they man-handle her into the back of the van! That's when I decided I had to do something about it. I ran out into the road (having pulled some jeans on first) and start yelling. It didn't do any good. They carted her and her mates off in the van and it was nearly tea time before they released them They've been charged with damage to property (the trees!) and causing a public affray. The coppers caused the affray and the trees were being cut down anyway! What a joke! The hearing at the magistrates court is next week.

So that was that. Haven't been able to post before now cos of exams. Now - my other news. Julie just texted me. Since Monday I've been waiting. Well I watched the freaky family go out earlier on - and they went minus Julie. Thats very strange, man. And then I got this text : Meet me 2nite. 11. C U here.

She wants me to go there! Shit! After the last time I'm not sure I want to, but what choice do I have?

I've just checked... I'm still breathing! Man, what a day! Exam started at 9.30 this morning and Mum had no interest in taking me in to school so she made me catch the bloody bus! I thought I'd never have to get on that thing again! At least I didn't have to wear school uniform like all the other losers.

So I had to wait for, like, ages outside the sports hall before anyone else got there. Julie turned up last minute, just like last time. Only this time I was ready for her. I'd written her a note and just as she passed where I was sat I dropped my pen on the floor and kicked it along a bit. I got out of my seat to get it and slipped the note to Julie. She didn't want to take it but I gave her my 'take it quick before I get into shit' look and she did. She sat down and I didn't think she was going to look at it but she did. It said, "Wait for me after." She looked back over her shoulder at me and just stared. I had no idea if she would or not.

The exam was OK. I think I might actually have passed this one. At the end I was ready for the mad rush out the door and I was right on Julie's heels. There was no way she was escaping me this time. "Julie!" I said in her ear, just as we got near the outside. She nearly jumped five foot in the air.

"Leave me alone!" she hissed, looking over her shoulder towards the door. She had great big ugly bags under her eyes and her skin was grey.
"No way" I replied. "There's something wrong. I can hear you through the wall you know."
Her mouth dropped open at that. "I... I can't talk here," she said.
"When then?"
"I'll text you."
And then she ran off. I watched this time. Her dad was waiting just outside the gate with his car. He stood watching her and they both got in the car together and he drove off with a wheel spin, leaving marks on the road and a smell of burning rubber.

Now as if all that wasn't bad enough I got home to find that this time it's my Mum who's made it onto the radio, the telly and probably the papers too. She's managed to get about six of her mates together and they've chained themselves to the trees in the field opposite! How embarrassing! They managed to stop the diggers moving into the field but tomorrow the police are coming with chain cutters to evict them. Why can't she just be normal like everyone else?

No text messages so far.

What a week, man. Been trying to get near the computer for ages now but it's been mad, and when I have Blogger's been playing up. Anyone else had trouble? Anyway. I'm here now with loads to report.

Monday night and Tuesday night I heard the crying again, but still no sign of Julie. And all week its been sunny. You'd think they'd be out looking for somewhere to dig up, but nothing. Not even sunbathing in the garden. The smell is starting to drift over though. That horrible acid, sickly smell that was in their house that time. Mum's noticed and has started to make noises about calling environmental health. She's still more or less permanently in the garden. She seems to be taking it in turns with the crows now. It's either her or them like between them they are keeping up some sort of vigil.

She's been in and out of town too though, still trying to protest about them building on the land opposite. I don't think she's going to get anywhere. The diggers are moving in on Monday so that'll be the decider. I wouldn't like to call it if it came to a show down between my Mum and a JCB!

Yesterday was my first GCSE. Shit, man, that was hard. English Lit, and they asked all sort of difficult questions. Well, Julie was there! She came into the Sports Hall right at the last minute and man, did she look ill. She was, like, white, you know, white like one of those albino people. Except there were grey shadows around her eyes. She sat in the next row to me but a few people in front. I watched her on and off, you know, when I was 'thinking', but she didn't turn round once, just kept her head down and wrote. She did loads, I bet she'll do better than me.

Well, at the end, when they said, "Put your pens down," (mine had been down for about 15 minutes), she just got up and left. I tried to catch up with her but there were too many people in the way. I called, just as she got the door, and she turned round then. Her head swivelled round and her eyes fixed on mine straight away. She didn't smile but her eyes bore straight into me so I felt as if I was right next to her instead of half a sports hall away. And I swear I could hear her voice in my head, just one word, "Help". Then she was gone.

What do I do now? It's been bugging me all day, man. I've hardly done any revision for the next exam and it's on Monday. History. Julie will be there and I can't let her leave without speaking to her this time.

I went roun there. I thought I'd just ask if Julie wanted to come round to study. We've got our first exam quite soon. I knocked on the door and it was ages before someone answered. My stomach felt a bit wobbly, I can tell you. And even though it was a hot day, I felt myself sweating more than normal. I was just about to sniff my armpits to make sure I didn't stink too much when the door opened.

It only opened a crack. Tom's face peered through it but that was all I saw of him. "I was just wondering if Julie could come round?" I asked. (Actually it came out as sort of a squeak, but best not to go on about that too much.)

"She's not in," he said.

So I asked when she'd be back.

"She's gone to stay with her Gran."

Well that didn't really answer my question. I managed to squeak out a further "When?" and he must've thought I meant when did she go, cos he said, "Last Friday." Then he shut the door. She can't have gone last Friday, cos I heard her crying last night. Well I wasn't going to knock again, so I came home, but I've been out in the garden this afternoon (revising of course) and I've been keeping an eye out. No sign of her yet, but I'll watch again tomorrow, and if I hear her crying again tonight... Well I don't know what I'll do, but I'll think of something.

And do you know what's even creepier than weird next door neighbours? Weird next door neighbours with grandparents. Tom mentioned Julie's gran right? So she must have one. Man, I bet she's all old and crinkly, but evil too. Ergh! It's enough to give you nightmares!

Last night I heard something. After days of quiet from the nextdoor neighbours I heard stuff. Up until now all I've heard from them is their god-awful music (that's music in the loosest sense of the word) and that's only cos it's loud. But last night, lying in my bed, around midnight, I swear I heard crying. It sounded high pitched and scared, not upset. So that's got to be Julie, right? It's not going to be Tom or Sam. Maybe her mum I suppose.

Well I couldn't sleep last night for thinking about it. That's why I'm up at this stupid hour of the morning. I'm thinking maybe I should go round there. I mean, I know I said she was a weirdo and that family are definately up to something they shouldn't be, but that crying really got to me. No one should be that scared in their own home. Right?

Sunny weather, nothing much to report, man. Mum and the crows, they still occupy the garden. Mum's been meditating pretty much all the time as far as I can see. And I saw the funniest thing today. She's sat out there, right, all topless and cross-legged, hands resting on her knees like some sort of half-baked Buddha, and she's been like that for ages - when a crow comes and lands on her head! It must be the green hair - the stupid bird mistook her for a lump of grass! I nearly wet myself laughing!

Well, that was lunch time. I spent the afternoon at the beach with my mates. Did a bit of surfing but it was pretty flat. When I get home Mum's still out the garden (the crow had left her head by then) and there's no sign at all of the neighbours. I never even saw them go off on their usual Saturday night outing. Perhaps they've realised they've gone too far with the trench thing and left! Or perhaps they're all out guarding the trench. I wonder if I should go and give it the once over.