Read Online The Deptford Mice 1: The Dark Portal by Robin Jarvis - Free Book Online Page A

expecting it.’
    There was a loud laugh and the rat with the eye patch leapt on to a brick behind them. He waved the sharp steel over his hideous head. Arthur swung out his stick, but the other was too quick, dodging here and there whilst the mouse tried in vain to hit him. Then the rat struck out – he jabbed Arthur in the arm and then cut his ear. The mouse gritted his teeth and winced at the pain, blood trickling from the wound in his ear. He changed the stick over to the other paw and continued.
    Twit was having problems of his own. Over the side of the ledge a claw had appeared followed by a great ugly rat head. The fieldmouse raised his stick and then dropped it as the rat brought his other arm over the edge, revealing the peeler. Twit shrank further back against the wall while the rat advanced.
    Oswald was jumping up and down in dismay. He saw that Arthur was tiring and that his wounds were hurting. He knew that the rat with the eye patch would soon finish him off. He froze in horror and blinked his albino eyes at the mouse-peeler in front of his cousin. Then the third rat came behind him and Oswald was seized.
    The mouse leaped in terror, then kicked and flailed his arms around so wildly that the rat was taken aback for a moment, and before he knew what was happening the snarling creature was left holding nothing more than a green scarf.
    But Oswald had nowhere to run. The three friends were cornered. Trapped with a rat on every side and the wall at their backs, the mice knew that this was it. Arthur’s stick was sent flying out of his paws and resistance was over. Oswald covered his face.
    ‘What a catch!’ said Skinner. ‘Let’s make a “bloody bones” of them.’
    ‘Beats digging any day,’ cackled One-Eyed Jake.
    The third rat laughed. ‘A “raw head and bloody bones” just for us – not for Him. I’m not goin’ back there lads, never.’
    ‘Nor us – kill ’em and let’s have done.’
    Skinner edged forward, licking his teeth as he decided who to slaughter first. The mice could hear the juices stirring the rats’ bellies into action, squelching and gurgling horribly inside their dirty skins.
    Twit closed his eyes. He had been chosen.
    ‘How’s this for a pretty coat,’ Skinner jeered.
    The fieldmouse waited for the first blow.
    Suddenly all was confusion. Skinner was knocked off the ledge and sent spinning into the water below. Something leaped on to Jake’s back and bit deeply into one of his ears so that he cried out and dropped the steel point.
    The three friends stood amazed as a strange grey mouse picked up the weapon and charged after the rat with the broken teeth who turned and fled. At the same time Audrey – for she it was – clung on to Jake’s neck and gripped his ear with her teeth until he too ran.
    She sauntered back wiping her mouth.
    ‘Yuk,’ she said, ‘rat tastes horrid.’
    ‘Come on,’ urged Piccadilly, ‘let’s go while they’re still surprised.’
    So they ran, Oswald leading the way because he remembered it best.’
    There was no time for talk – no time to explain. Arthur had a score of questions to ask. What was Audrey doing down here and who was this grey mouse? He had to wait until they were all in the cellar once more before he began.
    Audrey fended him off firmly.
    ‘Look Arthur, I went to find Father. No one else seemed bothered.’
    ‘That’s not fair, Audrey,’ Arthur snapped back. ‘Have you thought of Mother in all this? She’s been going spare.’
    Audrey glared at him.
    ‘I had to go, I had to try. Why does everyone think the worst when someone goes off?’
    ‘Because they care, you silly ass!’
    There was a pause. Oswald coughed uncomfortably.
    ‘Oh look Audrey,’ sighed Arthur shaking his head sadly, ‘you’ve got to realise once and for all that Father must be dead.’
    There was that word again. Audrey turned cold.
    ‘This is Piccadilly. You’d better hear what he has to say,’ she said.
    Piccadilly felt awkward. He said