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Authors: Eoin McNamee
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mind.
“As far as I know all the other young Messengers died of disease and hunger during the war. The ones that are left are too old to have children,” Vandra said.
Four Messengers stood in the square, including Gabriel, once an aerial ace, but now earthbound like the rest. Or was he? Danny and his friends crouched to watch as Gabriel rose into the air, flew around the courtyard once at a leisurely pace, then casually performed a loop the loop before landing in front of the others. With varying degrees of success the three others, two respectable-looking lady Messengers and an absentminded male, imitated him.
“Let’s go down there,” Dixie said.
“No,” Danny said, “they’d be embarrassed.”
But Dixie wasn’t listening. She smiled at Danny, then disappeared, reappearing in the courtyard right beside Gabriel, who leapt so far into the air he had to use his wings to give himself a soft landing.
“Quick,” Vandra said, “there’s a door. Maybe we can smooth things over.”
When they got to the courtyard one of the female Messengers was complaining bitterly to Gabriel.
“You promised all this would be highly confidential. ‘Oh no, Gertie, no one will ever see us!’ Now we’ll be the laughingstock of Wilsons!”
“Steady on, Gertie old girl,” the other male Messenger said.
“It’s all very well for you to talk, Waldron,” Gertie said.
“Gertie,” the other female said sternly, “you have to remember what all of this is about.”
“We were caught unprepared the last time the Cherbs attacked,” Waldron said. “We only escaped by the skin of our teeth. We must have at least one attack squadron if they come again.”
“Even if the others don’t agree,” Gabriel said.
“We won’t tell anyone, honest,” Danny said.
“Oh no!” Gertie exclaimed. “More of them!”
“Isn’t that the boy they said was the Fifth?” Waldron exclaimed.
“Really?” Gertie said, peering at Danny. “He’s not very impressive, is he?”
The other female Messenger, a small, careworn-looking creature in a frayed cardigan, appeared to be lost in thought, moving her wings in little circles and talking to herself. Dixie was watching her as she took two small jumps from the ground before rising a few feet into the air and gliding back to land. Dixie applauded.
“Not quite as good as the old days, my dear.” The lady Messenger smiled and did a little curtsey.
“Why are the Messengers so embarrassed about flying?” Dixie said.
“Most of them are blithering idiots,” the lady replied with a snort. “They’d rather sit around and knit or something.”
“What would you prefer?” Dixie said.
“To have a go at the enemy, attack from out of the sun so they don’t see you coming and knock the tar out of their filthy Cherb hides.”
Dixie looked suitably impressed by the bloodthirstiness of this outburst. She stuck out her hand.
“Dixie Cole.” The lady Messenger took her hand and wrung it with unexpected strength.
“Daisy McEachen. Absolutely charmed to make your acquaintance. If I ever need a tail gunner I’ll give you a shout—you’ll sit on my back when I’m flying and cover my back. Always nice to have a human crew member on board.”
Dixie looked delighted at the prospect, but Danny was distracted. A small piece of stone had dislodged from the parapet far above their heads and fallen at his feet. There was a flicker of something black on the rooftop. Was someone sneaking around up there?
Danny grabbed the people nearest to him—Vandra and Gertie—and drew them into the shelter of the wall beside him. Before he could shout out to the others, something flew through the air. Daisy, who had just risen into the air, gave a little gasp, cartwheeled and fell to earth. Gertie screamed. Vandra and Dixie reacted quickly, moving swiftly to try to observe the attacker.
Danny ran to Daisy. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing shallowly. A sinister-looking dart tipped with black and
“As far as I know all the other young Messengers died of disease and hunger during the war. The ones that are left are too old to have children,” Vandra said.
Four Messengers stood in the square, including Gabriel, once an aerial ace, but now earthbound like the rest. Or was he? Danny and his friends crouched to watch as Gabriel rose into the air, flew around the courtyard once at a leisurely pace, then casually performed a loop the loop before landing in front of the others. With varying degrees of success the three others, two respectable-looking lady Messengers and an absentminded male, imitated him.
“Let’s go down there,” Dixie said.
“No,” Danny said, “they’d be embarrassed.”
But Dixie wasn’t listening. She smiled at Danny, then disappeared, reappearing in the courtyard right beside Gabriel, who leapt so far into the air he had to use his wings to give himself a soft landing.
“Quick,” Vandra said, “there’s a door. Maybe we can smooth things over.”
When they got to the courtyard one of the female Messengers was complaining bitterly to Gabriel.
“You promised all this would be highly confidential. ‘Oh no, Gertie, no one will ever see us!’ Now we’ll be the laughingstock of Wilsons!”
“Steady on, Gertie old girl,” the other male Messenger said.
“It’s all very well for you to talk, Waldron,” Gertie said.
“Gertie,” the other female said sternly, “you have to remember what all of this is about.”
“We were caught unprepared the last time the Cherbs attacked,” Waldron said. “We only escaped by the skin of our teeth. We must have at least one attack squadron if they come again.”
“Even if the others don’t agree,” Gabriel said.
“We won’t tell anyone, honest,” Danny said.
“Oh no!” Gertie exclaimed. “More of them!”
“Isn’t that the boy they said was the Fifth?” Waldron exclaimed.
“Really?” Gertie said, peering at Danny. “He’s not very impressive, is he?”
The other female Messenger, a small, careworn-looking creature in a frayed cardigan, appeared to be lost in thought, moving her wings in little circles and talking to herself. Dixie was watching her as she took two small jumps from the ground before rising a few feet into the air and gliding back to land. Dixie applauded.
“Not quite as good as the old days, my dear.” The lady Messenger smiled and did a little curtsey.
“Why are the Messengers so embarrassed about flying?” Dixie said.
“Most of them are blithering idiots,” the lady replied with a snort. “They’d rather sit around and knit or something.”
“What would you prefer?” Dixie said.
“To have a go at the enemy, attack from out of the sun so they don’t see you coming and knock the tar out of their filthy Cherb hides.”
Dixie looked suitably impressed by the bloodthirstiness of this outburst. She stuck out her hand.
“Dixie Cole.” The lady Messenger took her hand and wrung it with unexpected strength.
“Daisy McEachen. Absolutely charmed to make your acquaintance. If I ever need a tail gunner I’ll give you a shout—you’ll sit on my back when I’m flying and cover my back. Always nice to have a human crew member on board.”
Dixie looked delighted at the prospect, but Danny was distracted. A small piece of stone had dislodged from the parapet far above their heads and fallen at his feet. There was a flicker of something black on the rooftop. Was someone sneaking around up there?
Danny grabbed the people nearest to him—Vandra and Gertie—and drew them into the shelter of the wall beside him. Before he could shout out to the others, something flew through the air. Daisy, who had just risen into the air, gave a little gasp, cartwheeled and fell to earth. Gertie screamed. Vandra and Dixie reacted quickly, moving swiftly to try to observe the attacker.
Danny ran to Daisy. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing shallowly. A sinister-looking dart tipped with black and
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