Read Online Magical Mechanications by Pip Ballantine, Tee Morris - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Pip Ballantine, Tee Morris
Ads: Link
were shoved aside. He couldn’t look back—at least not straight away. First, he needed distance, and then he could formulate a way out of the city.
Aladdin felt a couple push into him from behind, alerting him that there was someone on his heels. He now ducked lower and weaved like a thread through the eyes of many needles. He could hear some people in his wake losing their balance, which was good—obstacles for his pursuers—until the crowd suddenly thinned and his steps grew wider. He pumped his legs and darted into an alleyway. The more he ran, the stronger the smell of fish grew. He could hear the calls of dockhands. He was close.
The walls on either side of him disappeared, and he now ran alongside the collection of junks and dhows expelling their riches. Aladdin ducked underneath palettes slowly rising into the air, his eyes still looking for the right cargo. Behind him, the rhythmic pounding of footsteps grew louder and closer.
Aladdin glanced to the right and then followed his gaze. His sudden turn was matched, but he had anticipated they would keep pace with him.
It would be his next move that would test their mettle.
His legs continued to pedal even after he had leaped off the dock. The world opened up around him, then suddenly cool air off the water caressed his skin. His stomach lurched as he tried to catch his breath. Aladdin was falling. Such a curious sensation.
His fingers caught netting and his other hand, still clinging onto the gear wheel, swung up. The treasure’s teeth dug into the thick hemp of the cargo net as his legs found purchase. Over the sound of his own deep breaths, he heard the whine of motors compensating for the sudden change in weight, but still Aladdin climbed. He leaned to one side and felt the cargo list. Luckily, it turned him away from the four men now lowering rifles as he ascended over them and into the rooftops.
Aladdin looked around him and watched as the cargo now swung over a building. The men below began calling for the guards still on the ground. With his breathing now under control and his muscles burning, he started to scale down the bulbous collection of crates. The dockhands were gathering under Aladdin, perhaps hoping to earn an extra coin or two from his capture. His arms trembled, but still he waited.
When two men reached for him, the young boy pushed, tucking his legs up to his chest. He rolled back and when his legs shot out, he sent one dockhand sprawling into his comrades. The hand clutching the gear swung before him, slicing into the cheek of the other closing on him. When he too fell away, Aladdin sprang forward, through the opening in the men and across the space to another rooftop. He continued across the rooftop and jumped again. It was when he reached the sole door on this rooftop that he stopped and looked back.
The guards were now on the edge of the first building, their eyes madly darting back and forth.
With a grin, Aladdin wrenched the door open and thundered down the stairs. Perhaps a head turned to follow his descent, but at this point he didn’t care; let them look. He was merely a shadow now, and soon he would be nothing but a wisp of sand disappearing in the wind.
He stopped at the door, took a breath, and tucked the still-warm gear wheel inside his sash.
Now it was time to find something to eat. He turned.
The man standing in the doorway did not wear the stern look or the standard uniform of the Sultan, but he looked large enough to be a part of the army. The boy could see a thick, sturdy frame under his robes, especially as his arms were crossed over his chest. His dark eyes considered Aladdin; the longer he looked at him the broader his smile became.
“After an impressive escape like that,” he said, his voice rumbling like a distant thunderstorm from off the sea, “you must be hungry.”
“Famished,” Aladdin answered.
The stranger nodded. “You have his spirit—that is most evident.” He stepped back and motioned down
Aladdin felt a couple push into him from behind, alerting him that there was someone on his heels. He now ducked lower and weaved like a thread through the eyes of many needles. He could hear some people in his wake losing their balance, which was good—obstacles for his pursuers—until the crowd suddenly thinned and his steps grew wider. He pumped his legs and darted into an alleyway. The more he ran, the stronger the smell of fish grew. He could hear the calls of dockhands. He was close.
The walls on either side of him disappeared, and he now ran alongside the collection of junks and dhows expelling their riches. Aladdin ducked underneath palettes slowly rising into the air, his eyes still looking for the right cargo. Behind him, the rhythmic pounding of footsteps grew louder and closer.
Aladdin glanced to the right and then followed his gaze. His sudden turn was matched, but he had anticipated they would keep pace with him.
It would be his next move that would test their mettle.
His legs continued to pedal even after he had leaped off the dock. The world opened up around him, then suddenly cool air off the water caressed his skin. His stomach lurched as he tried to catch his breath. Aladdin was falling. Such a curious sensation.
His fingers caught netting and his other hand, still clinging onto the gear wheel, swung up. The treasure’s teeth dug into the thick hemp of the cargo net as his legs found purchase. Over the sound of his own deep breaths, he heard the whine of motors compensating for the sudden change in weight, but still Aladdin climbed. He leaned to one side and felt the cargo list. Luckily, it turned him away from the four men now lowering rifles as he ascended over them and into the rooftops.
Aladdin looked around him and watched as the cargo now swung over a building. The men below began calling for the guards still on the ground. With his breathing now under control and his muscles burning, he started to scale down the bulbous collection of crates. The dockhands were gathering under Aladdin, perhaps hoping to earn an extra coin or two from his capture. His arms trembled, but still he waited.
When two men reached for him, the young boy pushed, tucking his legs up to his chest. He rolled back and when his legs shot out, he sent one dockhand sprawling into his comrades. The hand clutching the gear swung before him, slicing into the cheek of the other closing on him. When he too fell away, Aladdin sprang forward, through the opening in the men and across the space to another rooftop. He continued across the rooftop and jumped again. It was when he reached the sole door on this rooftop that he stopped and looked back.
The guards were now on the edge of the first building, their eyes madly darting back and forth.
With a grin, Aladdin wrenched the door open and thundered down the stairs. Perhaps a head turned to follow his descent, but at this point he didn’t care; let them look. He was merely a shadow now, and soon he would be nothing but a wisp of sand disappearing in the wind.
He stopped at the door, took a breath, and tucked the still-warm gear wheel inside his sash.
Now it was time to find something to eat. He turned.
The man standing in the doorway did not wear the stern look or the standard uniform of the Sultan, but he looked large enough to be a part of the army. The boy could see a thick, sturdy frame under his robes, especially as his arms were crossed over his chest. His dark eyes considered Aladdin; the longer he looked at him the broader his smile became.
“After an impressive escape like that,” he said, his voice rumbling like a distant thunderstorm from off the sea, “you must be hungry.”
“Famished,” Aladdin answered.
The stranger nodded. “You have his spirit—that is most evident.” He stepped back and motioned down
Similar Books
