Read Online Neither Dead Nor Alive by Jack Hastie - Free Book Online Page B

hot blood is empty with just a rusty stain on the inside.
    Fiona’s on her knees. Her forehead’s on Aidan’s dust. She’s screaming hysterically, “Aidan. AIDAN. AAAAAI-DAAAAN.”

Chapter 12
    GAWAWL AGAIN

    After a while – quite a long while – Fiona calms down. Then I ask her the big question, “How do we get back?”
    â€œGet back?” She’s not with it.
    â€œYip. Job’s done. Bull’s sacrificed. Curse is lifted. So how d`we get back to today time?”
    â€œWe just do.”
    â€œHow?”
    â€œYou tell me. You’ve done it twice already.”
    â€œThat was an accident. I just came out. Like I went in. Don’t know how. You PLANNED this one. So how d` we get back?”
    â€œWe just wait till the effect wears off.”
    Then I remember we ate extra berries. “What if it takes days `n’ days?”
    â€œWhat if?”
    I’ve another idea and my heart drops into my stomach at the thought. “Maybe we overdosed. What if we never get back? That book you had said some people never got back.”
    â€œI don’t know that I want to get back.”
    I go ballistic. “Not get back! We can’t stay here. There’s nothing here but monsters. No decent houses... no TV… no football... no…”
    She cuts me short. “Don’t you care?”
    â€œCare? Course I care. Job’s done. Now let’s get back.”
    â€œDon’t you care about Aidan?”
    â€œAidan? Yes. We saved him from the dogs, like you said. Now he’s sorted out, like the bull and Fergus.”
    â€œYou nerd. You don’t care about him. You just think he’s a… a…”
    â€œDead kid from long ago. He’s lucky he’s dead now. You said he’d be at peace, remember?”
    â€œHe was real a moment ago. Now he’s dead.”
    For a moment I think she’s going to cry again, but she stays cool.
    â€œLook,” she says, “we’ve got to get it together. Gawawl might be around somewhere.”
    â€œAnd we can’t get back to today time.”
    â€œWell, that’s not my fault.”
    â€œYou might’ve thought of a way to do it.”
    â€œWhy don’t you think for yourself sometimes?”
    â€œYou’ve got all the books. Besides, it was you who said to eat extra berries. Never thought it might make us stay here for good, did you?”
    I’m really angry with her now. But she just goes quiet.
    â€œI don’t care any more.”
    â€œNo. You just want to curl up and blubber over a dead guy from the Bronze Age.”
    â€œYou rat. You rotten rat.”
    I’m sorry I said that, but I don’t know how to say I’m sorry. So I change the subject.
    â€œWhat’re we gonna do with this?” I kick the cauldron.
    â€œDoesn’t matter.”
    â€œCan we take it into today time with us?”
    â€œWhy not?” Then she has another thought. “No. We musn’t. It’s Gawawl’s now. We’ve sacrificed the bull. Gawawl can have the cauldron. It’s better that way.”
    â€œHow?”
    â€œBecause if he doesn’t get it he’ll come looking for it.”
    â€œSo what? I can handle him.” I’m feeling cool again. Besides, I need a bit of a boost. I’m still sorry at what I said about Aidan. “Come on, Gawawl,” I challenge. “I’m waiting.”
    I’m certain he won’t come. It’s all over. He’s toast, like Aidan and Fergus.
    But he’s not.
    And he does come.
    Fiona screams. She can’t speak. She’s pointing at the ford. The tide’s just started to come in. You can see the edge of the water nibbling at the mud on the bank.
    There’s four or five Firbogs wading across the water up to their knees. Gawawl’s in front. I recognise him by that gross tooth. Then the others, red-haired, shaggy, with long arms and enormous chests. Some of