Read Online The Stolen Child by Peter Brunton - Free Book Online Page A

set off at a dead sprint.  She followed him into the dark streets.  As they ran she heard a wretched howl that seemed to split the air and made her insides writhe with fear .
    They carried on running for a long time, until her lungs burned so hard that she felt she would collapse.  At last they made their way up to a rooftop high above the streets.  She lay on her back, gulping like a beached fish , feeling every part of her body burning and freezing at the same time.
    As her head began to clear she looked up to see Justin leaning against a vent, looking nearly as worn down as she felt.  Slowly, aching in every joint, she pulled herself to her feet.  They would need a new place to bed down for the night.  The thought of putting her head down anywhere seemed almost impossible.  Her body was buzzing with nervous energy, she was freezing cold and she hurt all over.
    She still hadn't the slightest idea what had just happened.  In Justin's expression she saw only a hardness, as if he was still ready for a fight.
    “Justin,” s he began, softly, but the words wouldn't come to her.  It was all too confused, too impossible.
    “It's OK.  I think we lost them.  I hope,” h e said.  His expression remained unreadable.  In a way, she was glad of that.  At least one of them seemed to be in control of themselves.
    “What just...  No.  This is too crazy.   Those weren't just a load of gangers.  They sounded like they was army or something, and there was those two weird looking blokes in the red coats and all...   And that... That dog he had with him.   What the hell?”
    Justin gave her a curious look.  
    “ You didn't really see a dog, did you?”  
    Rachael felt the hairs rising all down the back of her neck.  
    “ How... How'd you know that?”  
    “ It wasn't a dog.  It was a hollow man,” Justin said, turning away .
    “A what?”
    The words barely had time to leave her mouth.   H e pressed a finger to his lips and hissed a “Shhh.”
    In the sudden stillness the sound of voices in the street below sent a chill down her spine.  Justin glanced over the edge of the rooftop and gestured for her to do the same.  She moved to the parapet and peered over.  There were men moving through the street, their outlines familiar .  At the back of the groupshe could already make out the shape of long coats flashing red under the street-lamps.  Caught momentarily in a pool of light, she saw the wild eyes and tangled hair of the leashed man.  He was sniffing the air like a bloodhound.   Then h is eyes fixed on hers and he let out a howl.  She shot back from the edge, but it was already too late.  She heard the voices in the street below and she knew they had seen her.
    She could see the fear in Justin's eyes, though he tried his best to hide it.  Her mind raced, hoping for any idea that might see them to safety, but only one thought came to her, repeating over and over.
    “Run.”
    Numb hands fumbled on slick black slates.  Plastic drainpipes rattled as she scrambled hand over hand.  Loose tiles slipped under errant steps, cascading down onto empty pavements.   Tires screeched and horns blared as she bolted across streets and intersections.  Justin was with her, but he slipped in and out of her sight.  She told h er self that he could keep up, that he could look after himself.  It was better than admitting that at that moment she just didn't care.  The only thing that mattered was getting away from th at wild-haired man, away from those animal eyes .
    She ran as fast and as hard as she dared, but the icy air tore at her lungs and the harder she ran, the more often she had to pause to draw breath, muscles screaming their protests.  Every time they stopped, it was barely a few minutes before she caught sight of familiar silhouettes moving purposefully in her direction.   The harder she pushed herself, the weaker her legs grew.   On the rooftops tiredness was deadly.  A misplaced footstep, a poor