Read Online CHERUB: The Sleepwalker by Robert Muchamore - Free Book Online

didn’t. She turned around and steamed towards her brother with her fists bunched.
    ‘It was an accident,’ James lied, giving Joshua a wink.
    Lauren stopped walking and wagged her finger. ‘Your face will look like an accident if you try that again.’
    *

    Fahim felt like a bowling ball had been dropped on his head from a great height. It took a few seconds to feel around the single bed, half focus on the tatty wooden cabinet beside it and work out that he was coming around in a hospital.
    Memories of smashing the trophy cabinets and the tussle with the science teacher bloomed, then lodged in his brain like fishing hooks. Acts that made sense when Fahim was angry seemed insane now his mood had levelled out.
    ‘Hey,’ Yasmin said gently. She dabbed her son’s face with the tips of her fingernails.
    Fahim tried turning his head, but the tiny movement created an eruption of pain in his temples and a heave from his stomach. Yasmin slid an arm behind his back and raised her son off his pillow as she slid a bedpan into his lap, but the sick was already dribbling down his chin.
    Fahim’s eyes shut and his head flopped forward as he momentarily lost consciousness again. He inhaled some of the vomit and Yasmin shouted for a nurse as her son came back to life with a start, before breaking into a desperate coughing fit.
    ‘Stand clear,’ a nurse shouted, pulling on a disposable glove as she dashed towards the bed. She plunged her fingers into Fahim’s mouth to clear the puke from his airway, as Yasmin backed up in a state of shock.

9. HEAD
    James and Dana had been going out with each other for ten months – nine and a half more than most people had predicted. Things had settled into a routine and some aspects of their lives had merged. CDs, T-shirts and socks were shared. James kept a Mach-3 razor in Dana’s room, and although Dana gave the impression she didn’t give a damn about her appearance, you wouldn’t have known it from the half-used creams, sprays and powders that littered the shelves in James’ bathroom.
    It was gone eleven and James was snuggled up next to Dana on his bed, with half their clothes off and their backs against the wall.
    ‘I’d better go,’ Dana said, as she pulled a dead arm out from behind James’ neck and rubbed her muscle to bring it back to life. ‘I’ve got combat training first thing.’
    James had early training too, but he’d got comfortable and his neck felt cold without Dana’s arm to rest on. ‘Don’t go,’ he moaned softly, as he grabbed Dana’s wrist. ‘You can stay here. Who’ll know?’
    ‘Don’t think so,’ Dana said, before pausing as her yawn got out of control. ‘I won’t get any sleep with you tossing and turning.’
    ‘Just cuddles,’ James said, pressing his bare toes against Dana’s bum as she pulled up jeans and a pair of boxer shorts.
    ‘Don’t,’ Dana giggled, waddling forward with the trousers halfway up her leg. ‘I swear to god, your feet are always freezing.’
    ‘So you’re wearing my boxers now?’ James noted. ‘I wondered where they’d all disappeared to.’
    ‘I’ve started to like them,’ Dana said. ‘They don’t ride up your crack like knickers.’
    ‘Maybe I should give your underwear a go,’ James grinned.
    Dana laughed. Ignoring her balled-up socks, she slid bare feet into her boots. She was only going to her room upstairs, so she let the laces dangle.
    ‘I think those little pink numbers with the frilly green edges would suit me.’
    ‘Definitely,’ Dana nodded. ‘Might take some explaining when you’re getting changed in front of the lads though.’
    James put on a soppy voice as Dana headed for the door. ‘Please stay.’
    ‘Not while you’re still a child,’ Dana teased. ‘I can’t be corrupting your innocence.’
    ‘Come on,’ James grovelled. ‘I’m sixteen in less than a month and everyone on campus thinks we’re already at it anyway.’
    ‘But we’re not,’ Dana said firmly as she headed