Read Online The Black Room by Gillian Cross - Free Book Online Page B

clever things Tom had meant to say went right out of his head. He just pushed the sports bag forward and shook it furiously.
    â€œLook,” he said roughly. “Look!”
    For a second, Robert didn’t understand what Tom wanted him to see. Then Tom thrust the bag at him, zipper uppermost, so that the toggle was right under his nose.
    â€œLook!”
    Robert froze and all the color drained out of his face. He reached out a hand toward the braid and stopped before he touched it, as if he thought it would burn him.
    â€œWhere did you get that?” he whispered.
    â€œDon’t you know?” Tom flipped the braid with his finger. “I thought you were the expert. Why don’t you tell me where it comes from?” He pushed the bag at Robert again, harder this time, trying to knock him off balance.
    But he wasn’t strong enough. Robert caught him by the arms, pulling him forward. “Where did you get that braid?”
    For a moment Tom couldn’t speak. It was like a horrible joke. He’d spent years nagging Robert to be more aggressive (Stand up for what you want. Assert yourself. Don’t take “no” for an answer ), and now all that had backfired on him.
    â€œTell me!” Robert shook him again, impatiently. “Where did you find it?”
    â€œWhy?” Tom struggled to get the words out. “What’s the big deal?”
    For a moment he thought he was going to get hit again. Robert caught hold of the braid and flapped it in his face.
    â€œCan’t you see how the hair’s braided into it? That’s what Lorn does. She must have made it!”
    â€œLorn?” Tom couldn’t make sense of the words. “What are you talking about? I thought Lorn was some kind of midget fairy. How could she make anything as big as that?”
    Robert closed his eyes and spoke very slowly. “Why don’t you listen—instead of trying to be clever? It hasn’t got anything to do with fairies. Lorn’s a real person—like you and me. And when I was in the cavern, I was still here, wasn’t I? Even if I was like a zombie.”
    Tom stared. I don’t w ant to hear this. It’s crazy .
    But Robert’s voice went on relentlessly. “That’s Lorn’s pattern, Tosh. And I’ve got to find her. If I can’t get her out of the cavern before the winter comes, she’ll die of cold. So are you going to tell me where you got it from—or do I have to beat it out of you?”
    Tom dropped the bag and put his hands in the air. “Calm down. Of course I’ll tell you. For what it’s worth. I swiped it from a boy in town.”
    â€œYou stole it?”
    â€œOnly so I could show you the braid,” Tom said defen sively. “And he was a stupid kid. Too busy guzzling sweets to notice what was going on.”
    â€œYou didn’t have to take it. You should have asked him where he got it from.”
    â€œWhy would I care?” Tom was beginning to feel annoyed now. “It’s just a few bits of wool twisted together, Robbo. It doesn’t mean a thing to me.”
    They were still standing at the front door, Robert inside the house and Tom outside. Suddenly, Robert stepped over the threshold and pulled the door shut behind him. He bent down and picked up the sports bag.
    â€œCome on,” he said. “We’ll go back, and if the boy’s still there, we can ask him about it.”
    â€œYeah, right,” Tom said sarcastically. “ Hi there! I’m t he one who stole your bag. And now I’d like you to answer a few questions. That’s really going to work, isn’t it?”
    He turned to go, but Robert’s free hand shot out and closed around his arm.
    â€œI’m not messing around, Tosh,” he said. Dangerously. “I’ve got to find Lorn. So either you come and point out the boy—if he’s still there—or else I go by myself. And if there’s any