Read Online Fallen by James Somers - Free Book Online

long table near the middle
of the room dipping into a sizzling skillet of sausages. Someone
spoke up from behind them in a low voice and they scattered like
cockroaches, revealing Mr. Sinister seated at the head of the
table.
    He spread his left hand to me invitingly.
“Welcome, Mr. West. Please sit down and have something to eat.”
    Said the spider to the fly, I thought
to myself. Still, how could I refuse?
    Tom ushered me into the room toward the
table where Mr. Sinister sat at the far end. The boys watched me
from every corner of the room. I sat down on the opposite end of
the table. Several sausages waited in the iron skillet, their heat
fading. I reached for one. Roaches skittered across the table,
racing to the meat in the pan. I withdrew my hand in disgust,
trying not to be obvious.
    “I’m not really hungry at the moment, sir.
Thank you, anyway.”
    Two of the other boys moved on the pan and
emptied it quickly. Mr. Sinister’s eyes never left me. Even when a
cockroach crawled over his fingers resting upon the table, he
simply raised his hand near his face, waited for the insect to
reach his fingertips then flicked it into his mouth. It gave a
sickening crunch as he bit into the insect, but his gaze never left
me.
    “What brings you to London, Mr. West? I
understand you are an American,” he said with interest.
    I found myself nodding absently. His eyes
were like a serpent’s—hypnotic. “I came with my father.”
    “And where is your father, Brody?”
    “He was murdered two days ago, sir.”
    “Oh dear, how terrible for you,” Mr.
Sinister said, the grin never leaving his face.
    “I ran away…afraid. I didn’t know what to do
or where to go. The constable thought I was helping Tom and the
other boys, so they threw me into prison.”
    Mr. Sinister’s eyes narrowed slightly as he
smiled even wider. “Yes, Tom certainly has been a naughty boy, but
how fortunate for us that we should make your acquaintance.”
    I looked at Tom. He stood against the wall
nearby.
    “Well, at any rate, I’m very glad that Tom
saved me from the hanging. I saw a boy hung upon my arrival in
London. It was terrible.” Tom frowned at me while his eyes dodged
to the back of Mr. Sinister’s head.
    I knew immediately that I had given away
something I shouldn’t have. For his part, Mr. Sinister never
stopped grinning at me, although his eyes did squint slightly at
the mention of the hanging. “Really, Brody? I’m afraid Tom didn’t
mention that yet. ”
    “I was meaning to tell you,” Tom interjected
hurriedly. “Only it slipped my mind what with Brody coming to meet
you and all.”
    Sinister ignored him for the moment, his
gaze never leaving my eyes. I had the distinct impression Mr.
Sinister could literally look beyond my expression into my mind to
see what I was thinking. Gooseflesh rose on my arms as a nervous
trembling attempted to overtake me.
    “Tell me, Brody, exactly what happened when
Tom saved you…how did he ever manage it?” Now his eyes narrowed on
me. I felt Tom’s sidelong gaze upon me as well, probably wondering
if I would give away anything else. My only problem was that I
didn’t have a clue what parts of the story could be told and what
Tom meant to be kept a secret. I supposed our crossing into the
place Tom called Faerie must be completely off limits, but there
was little else to be said besides it.
    I stammered, but at least came up with, “I’m
not really sure how he did it, but I am very happy to be
alive.”
    With his eyes still narrowed, Mr. Sinister’s
smile vanished a little. “I’m sure you are, Brody.” He held up his
hand and snapped his fingers. “I think you could probably do with
some sleep, hmm?”
    One of the other boys appeared with a
tattered blanket, waiting to lead me away from the table. I looked
out the windows. The gray sky hid the sun. I guessed it was only
dusk. Still, I didn’t want to anger the man. After all, Tom had
warned me not to cross him.
    “I suppose,