Read Online Button Hill by Michael Bradford - Free Book Online

white as the moon. “Riley!”
    Dekker tried to unlock the emergency latch, but in his haste he smacked his forehead on the hanging lamp, and it began to swing crazily. The light shorted out as it arced toward the window, and for a moment Dekker could see outside clearly. It was not his sister outside the train car, but an image of her in black and white, standing on Aunt Primrose’s porch. The light flickered back on, and the image was lost to the night.
    The train juddered beneath Dekker’s feet. He felt the car begin to move. He leaned forward, trying to get another glimpse of his sister. The car went dark. This time Dekker saw Cobb and Riley playing a board game at the kitchen table in Aunt Primrose’s house in Nightside. Cobb turned and leered at him, his black eyes caught in the flare of the lamp as power returned to the car.
    Dekker stumbled backward as the train began to pick up speed. Something tugged hard on his right shoulder, and he fell away from the window. “Hurry up, you idiot. The train is leaving the station! We have to get off!” Harper was yanking him toward the rear of the car.
    Dekker glanced out the window on the station side of the train. “No!” He ran down the aisle behind Harper. They raced through the door at the end of the car and out onto the steps. The train was about to roll by the last boards of the platform. They jumped, landing on the wooden planks with a crash. As he stood, Dekker heard the train whistle into the night. He watched the engine drop down into the valley, the other cars trailing like a kite string.
    â€œYou made it, barely.” The station agent was standing behind them.
    Dekker glared at him. “You people can’t keep sneaking up on me like that.”
    The figure only shrugged. “Did you find what you needed?”
    â€œI think I know where my sister is. She was playing a game with Cobb.” Dekker shook his head. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. He wants to be with us, live with us. And that means he’s headed to Aunt Primrose’s house.” Dekker turned and looked back at where they’d come from, across the field. He could see the house silhouetted in pale light, small as a toy. He touched Harper’s arm. “Come on. We have to get back before it’s too late, or we’ll be stuck here with Cobb forever.”
    The station agent interrupted them as they made to leave. “Mr. Cobb, you say? Well, well. I haven’t heard that name in a very long while.”
    â€œDo you know him?” asked Dekker.
    â€œOh yes. Always after something he lost long ago. A shadow creature, he is, without remorse. You say you’ve entered into a wager with him? You’re not the first.” The figure glanced about with sad eyes at the empty platform. “Be sure you understand the terms of his bargain. I’d venture he wants more than to trap you here in the borderland.”
    â€œWhat does he want then?” asked Harper.
    Dekker’s mind flitted through all that Cobb has said when they made their deal. The realization of what he had agreed to suddenly hit him, and his stomach lurched. “He doesn’t want us to stay with him in Nightside. He wants to take my place in Dayside.”
    â€œOh no,” whispered Harper.
    Dekker forced the leaden feeling back down his throat. “We just have to make sure he doesn’t win. That creep doesn’t get to be me.” Then he jumped down onto the tracks and started toward the house at a run.

Eight
    They slowed as they circled the tall hedge walls of the garden, but there was no sign of Cobb or his soldiers. Moonlight shone across the house, so that the porch roof seemed to be caving in on itself in the shadow. The windows were black, except for one on the second floor. “How are we going to get in there without Cobb noticing us?” Harper asked.
    â€œI’ve been thinking about that.