Read Online Resurgence by Kerry Wilkinson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kerry Wilkinson
Ads: Link
That’s what he called you at first: “The Leech”.’
‘I never heard him say that.’
‘Neither did Mum. He’d wait until I was on my own. He didn’t like the way you were with Imp either. He’d say, “He already has a mother, he doesn’t need
another”.’
It’s hard to describe the feeling in my stomach but I feel violated, as if there is a part of my own life I have been unaware of. Our families have done lots together over the years, even
when Opie and I weren’t as close as we are now.
‘How come you never said anything?’ I ask.
‘What good would it have done? It would have annoyed and hurt you and it wasn’t going to change his mind.’
‘What did?’
Opie puts an arm around me. His fingers feel wet through my top. ‘You did. As soon as he spent real time with you, he realised you weren’t the person he thought. When we were
upstairs in the hall, before he went outside, he nodded towards you and said, “Keep her safe. You’ve got a winner there, kid.” It was the first time he ever said anything
complimentary about you.’
I pause for a moment and then the words slip out anyway: ‘Are you going to keep me safe?’
‘That depends on whether you’re mine, doesn’t it?’
Somehow, I have walked into the conversation I’ve been trying to avoid.
Imrin and Opie
.
‘Opie . . .’
He squeezes me but his thick fingers are delicate on my frail shoulders. ‘I’ll need an answer one day.’
‘I know.’
Opie leans forward and kisses me on the forehead. ‘One way or the other, I’ll be trying to keep you safe regardless of who you choose. First, let’s go get Imrin.’
He stands up too quickly, bumping his head on the low ceiling. Even when he says the perfect thing, he still manages to get something wrong.
Opie and Imrin.
He rubs his head with one hand and pulls me up with the other. ‘What about everyone upstairs?’ I whisper.
‘They’re defending you because they want to.’
He’s right but it doesn’t feel like it. More blood, more death. All in my name.
Hart’s voice hisses through the gloom, calling to me.
‘We’re still here,’ I reply.
He emerges from the shadows, the two girls by his side. ‘We’re in the sewers underneath Martindale. Most of the grates are blocked because of the rubble but there are a few sparks of
light.’
‘Can you see anything?’
‘No, and it’s quiet up there. Is your . . . thing . . . working again?’
I take the teleport box out of my pocket, relieved to see that it didn’t smash during the fall. The back is still warm but it is too dark to start fiddling with.
‘No, we’re going to have to walk for now.’
Hart points towards the direction they have come from. ‘There isn’t much that way and it gets darker the further you go.’
I retrace our steps until I am under the chute, trying to figure out where we are facing. Opposite to the direction in which Hart went, there is a fork with two alternative routes. I point
towards the one on the right. ‘That should take us towards the gully. It has to open out eventually.’
The water soon dries up as we walk but the ceiling gets lower, making it an uncomfortable fit for Hart and Opie, before levelling out again. It gradually begins to lighten, which gives me an
idea we are heading in the right direction until eventually the sun blinds our eyes that were accustomed to the darkness.
We emerge at a spot around a third of the way around the gully. Ahead is the rusting, broken hull of a van shielding the waste pipe from the outside. Opie says he remembers seeing the truck
during our times exploring but neither of us ever bothered getting too close.
Hart climbs out first and helps to support the rest of us as we hang from the tip of the cylinder and drop onto a broken pile of metal. We start to clamber up the bank towards the woods when I
realise there are only four of us. Pietra has lagged behind and is waving her arms frantically, her face strained and
‘I never heard him say that.’
‘Neither did Mum. He’d wait until I was on my own. He didn’t like the way you were with Imp either. He’d say, “He already has a mother, he doesn’t need
another”.’
It’s hard to describe the feeling in my stomach but I feel violated, as if there is a part of my own life I have been unaware of. Our families have done lots together over the years, even
when Opie and I weren’t as close as we are now.
‘How come you never said anything?’ I ask.
‘What good would it have done? It would have annoyed and hurt you and it wasn’t going to change his mind.’
‘What did?’
Opie puts an arm around me. His fingers feel wet through my top. ‘You did. As soon as he spent real time with you, he realised you weren’t the person he thought. When we were
upstairs in the hall, before he went outside, he nodded towards you and said, “Keep her safe. You’ve got a winner there, kid.” It was the first time he ever said anything
complimentary about you.’
I pause for a moment and then the words slip out anyway: ‘Are you going to keep me safe?’
‘That depends on whether you’re mine, doesn’t it?’
Somehow, I have walked into the conversation I’ve been trying to avoid.
Imrin and Opie
.
‘Opie . . .’
He squeezes me but his thick fingers are delicate on my frail shoulders. ‘I’ll need an answer one day.’
‘I know.’
Opie leans forward and kisses me on the forehead. ‘One way or the other, I’ll be trying to keep you safe regardless of who you choose. First, let’s go get Imrin.’
He stands up too quickly, bumping his head on the low ceiling. Even when he says the perfect thing, he still manages to get something wrong.
Opie and Imrin.
He rubs his head with one hand and pulls me up with the other. ‘What about everyone upstairs?’ I whisper.
‘They’re defending you because they want to.’
He’s right but it doesn’t feel like it. More blood, more death. All in my name.
Hart’s voice hisses through the gloom, calling to me.
‘We’re still here,’ I reply.
He emerges from the shadows, the two girls by his side. ‘We’re in the sewers underneath Martindale. Most of the grates are blocked because of the rubble but there are a few sparks of
light.’
‘Can you see anything?’
‘No, and it’s quiet up there. Is your . . . thing . . . working again?’
I take the teleport box out of my pocket, relieved to see that it didn’t smash during the fall. The back is still warm but it is too dark to start fiddling with.
‘No, we’re going to have to walk for now.’
Hart points towards the direction they have come from. ‘There isn’t much that way and it gets darker the further you go.’
I retrace our steps until I am under the chute, trying to figure out where we are facing. Opposite to the direction in which Hart went, there is a fork with two alternative routes. I point
towards the one on the right. ‘That should take us towards the gully. It has to open out eventually.’
The water soon dries up as we walk but the ceiling gets lower, making it an uncomfortable fit for Hart and Opie, before levelling out again. It gradually begins to lighten, which gives me an
idea we are heading in the right direction until eventually the sun blinds our eyes that were accustomed to the darkness.
We emerge at a spot around a third of the way around the gully. Ahead is the rusting, broken hull of a van shielding the waste pipe from the outside. Opie says he remembers seeing the truck
during our times exploring but neither of us ever bothered getting too close.
Hart climbs out first and helps to support the rest of us as we hang from the tip of the cylinder and drop onto a broken pile of metal. We start to clamber up the bank towards the woods when I
realise there are only four of us. Pietra has lagged behind and is waving her arms frantically, her face strained and
Similar Books
