Read Online Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal by Peter Wilson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Peter Wilson
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to him. “But please put it away. And don’t drop it! You!” he spun
around and pointed to David. “Never touch my knife again. Get your
own! And you,” he said turning to Rosie, “If you say you must
return home, then you must. I won’t have Marion saying I didn’t
fulfil my debt on a technicality like that. I just assumed you were
coming with me.”
“Wait.” Said Jack. “How long do you think
this will take? If it’s just a few hours…maybe we could come.”
Anthrow shook his head, “No. I’m sorry I
said it. It’s way too dangerous for kids.”
“We’re not kids! David and I are thirteen,
and Rosie is eleven. You said yourself we can handle ourselves. I’m
sick of people keeping secrets from us and treating us like we’re
not old enough to understand anything!” Jack said angrily.
He looked over at his cousins and saw their
mouths open in shock. They weren’t used to Jack losing his
temper.
“Sorry. It’s been a long day,” he apologised
lamely.
“I meant what I said about you being able to
handle yourselves,” replied Anthrow. “And I apologise for calling
you kids, but my debt is to your Grandmother, not you. If she wants
you to return now, I cannot go against her wishes.”
Jack didn’t say anything but nodded,
realising he didn’t have a choice.
Anthrow looked around and got his bearings.
“Right then! We’re already at your portal I see. You three didn’t
travel far did you? Let’s go,” he said as he walked towards the
path from where they’d arrived. All of a sudden he froze.
Jack walked up to him and followed his gaze
through the trees. Hadn’t there been more light, shining through
the foliage earlier? He took a step forward, but Anthrow grabbed
his arm, stopping him.
“The Horde,” he whispered.
Suddenly black mist oozed out through the
trees, making its way towards them. Thin tendrils of smoke reaching
out, each trying to get to them first.
“Run!” shouted Anthrow as he took off in the
opposite direction.
The three of them followed in a panic.
“It’s above us!” shouted Rosie. The mist was
creeping down the walls through the holes and gaps in the rocky
roof.
“This way!” Anthrow called as they ran
through the Grotto, the mist closing in on them from all
directions. “In here!” he yelled turning right, following one of
the pathways through the trees and into a clearing.
As he ran towards a door built into the
rock, he clapped his hands and it swung open.
“Quickly!” He said as he stopped and urged
them through.
David went through first, followed shortly
by Rosie. As Jack reached the door, he looked back.
A man made of mist was gliding up the path
towards them, pointing at Jack as the Horde engulfed the ground
around him. His face was featureless, his muscular body a mass of
angry, swirling black smoke.
“You can’t escape the Horde,” the Shadow Man
hissed.
“Anthrow! Where does this portal go?” asked
Jack.
“Somewhere that isn’t here! Now go!”
Jack turned and stepped quickly through the
door. Immediately the invisible force grabbed him, pulling him
faster and faster through space as he flew through the portal,
towards the white light ahead.
He arrived on the other side in darkness.
“Rosie, David?” He called urgently.
“We’re here,” called David. “Although I
don’t know where that is.”
There was a whoosh of air and all of a
sudden Anthrow stood to Jack’s left.
“Safe! Is everybody ok?”
“Are we safe?” asked Rosie. “What’s to stop
the Horde following us?”
“The Horde can’t travel through portals,”
replied Anthrow. “I’m not fully certain why, but I think it has
something to do with its form. Because it’s mist, I don’t think the
portals have much to pull on.”
“But we’ve seen the Horde on Earth!” said
David.
“Not that particular one you didn’t.
Theorden has many of them, on many planets.
Jack took a deep breath, his heart still
pounding. His eyes were adjusting to
to him. “But please put it away. And don’t drop it! You!” he spun
around and pointed to David. “Never touch my knife again. Get your
own! And you,” he said turning to Rosie, “If you say you must
return home, then you must. I won’t have Marion saying I didn’t
fulfil my debt on a technicality like that. I just assumed you were
coming with me.”
“Wait.” Said Jack. “How long do you think
this will take? If it’s just a few hours…maybe we could come.”
Anthrow shook his head, “No. I’m sorry I
said it. It’s way too dangerous for kids.”
“We’re not kids! David and I are thirteen,
and Rosie is eleven. You said yourself we can handle ourselves. I’m
sick of people keeping secrets from us and treating us like we’re
not old enough to understand anything!” Jack said angrily.
He looked over at his cousins and saw their
mouths open in shock. They weren’t used to Jack losing his
temper.
“Sorry. It’s been a long day,” he apologised
lamely.
“I meant what I said about you being able to
handle yourselves,” replied Anthrow. “And I apologise for calling
you kids, but my debt is to your Grandmother, not you. If she wants
you to return now, I cannot go against her wishes.”
Jack didn’t say anything but nodded,
realising he didn’t have a choice.
Anthrow looked around and got his bearings.
“Right then! We’re already at your portal I see. You three didn’t
travel far did you? Let’s go,” he said as he walked towards the
path from where they’d arrived. All of a sudden he froze.
Jack walked up to him and followed his gaze
through the trees. Hadn’t there been more light, shining through
the foliage earlier? He took a step forward, but Anthrow grabbed
his arm, stopping him.
“The Horde,” he whispered.
Suddenly black mist oozed out through the
trees, making its way towards them. Thin tendrils of smoke reaching
out, each trying to get to them first.
“Run!” shouted Anthrow as he took off in the
opposite direction.
The three of them followed in a panic.
“It’s above us!” shouted Rosie. The mist was
creeping down the walls through the holes and gaps in the rocky
roof.
“This way!” Anthrow called as they ran
through the Grotto, the mist closing in on them from all
directions. “In here!” he yelled turning right, following one of
the pathways through the trees and into a clearing.
As he ran towards a door built into the
rock, he clapped his hands and it swung open.
“Quickly!” He said as he stopped and urged
them through.
David went through first, followed shortly
by Rosie. As Jack reached the door, he looked back.
A man made of mist was gliding up the path
towards them, pointing at Jack as the Horde engulfed the ground
around him. His face was featureless, his muscular body a mass of
angry, swirling black smoke.
“You can’t escape the Horde,” the Shadow Man
hissed.
“Anthrow! Where does this portal go?” asked
Jack.
“Somewhere that isn’t here! Now go!”
Jack turned and stepped quickly through the
door. Immediately the invisible force grabbed him, pulling him
faster and faster through space as he flew through the portal,
towards the white light ahead.
He arrived on the other side in darkness.
“Rosie, David?” He called urgently.
“We’re here,” called David. “Although I
don’t know where that is.”
There was a whoosh of air and all of a
sudden Anthrow stood to Jack’s left.
“Safe! Is everybody ok?”
“Are we safe?” asked Rosie. “What’s to stop
the Horde following us?”
“The Horde can’t travel through portals,”
replied Anthrow. “I’m not fully certain why, but I think it has
something to do with its form. Because it’s mist, I don’t think the
portals have much to pull on.”
“But we’ve seen the Horde on Earth!” said
David.
“Not that particular one you didn’t.
Theorden has many of them, on many planets.
Jack took a deep breath, his heart still
pounding. His eyes were adjusting to
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