Read Online The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall - Free Book Online
Authors: Robert Westall
Tags: Fiction, General, Historical, Classics, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Military & Wars, Transportation, Aviation
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they didn't bother. They were sleepy or had homework worries, or were late. But the end of the day was always rounded off by an hour of torture.
Chas looked at Nicky. The face was good-looking, with a pale girl's good looks. The hair was curly and kept long. He had an operation scar on the side of his neck. But did that explain the constant bullying? Every kid had some peculiarity—was fat or thin or had big ears. Chas got twitted because he had thick lips and a funny fold of skin on the back of his neck. So why was Nicky singled out?
Chas wondered how he himself felt about Nicky. He'd never touched him, but constantly teased him. Why? Chas shrugged. That wasn't the job in hand. The job was to see that, for once, Nicky got home unscathed. But not too painlessly. That would look suspicious.
Nicky sighed, closed his desk and walked to the classroom door. Chas, Cem and Clogger closed in round him.
"Good evening, Knickers, my dear chap," started Chas. "How seems the world to you today?" Nicky looked frightened and hopeful at the same time. Anything was better than the wolf pack. They walked downstairs and into the yard, making remarks about Nicky's puny muscles; asking him how many times a day he went to the toilet, and whether he wiped his bottom with his left hand or his right. Nicky blushed, but it wasn't as bad as being hit with school bags.
The wolf gang was waiting just beyond the school gate; nine of them, including pack leader Boddser Brown. Chas kept up his flow of rudeness, but watched Boddser out of the corner of his eye. Boddser was looking worried; he didn't like anything unusual.
"Gerraway, McGill; he's ours," said Boddser.
"I beg your pardon, O Mighty One, O Star of the East, O Moon of my Delight. Your beauty is dazzling, especially your haircut, Four-eyes!" There was a titter even among the wolf pack.
Boddser reddened. He looked uneasily at Clogger. He didn't like the new confidence in Chas's voice.
"Gerraway, McGill. I'm warning you! I've got no quarrel with you, for now."
"Oh thank you, thank you, worshipful lord," said Chas, making low salaams. "May Allah bless your luscious toenails." The smaller group moved past the larger one. So far, so good. They went on down Hawkey's Lane, not hurrying. Hurrying would be fatal. The wolf gang looked at Boddser. Already their victim was past any previous torture-place, getting nearer the main road where adults might interfere.
"Pull him out," said Boddser to two of his minions.
The minions dived for Nicky, who was between Chas and Cem.
Clogger moved like greased lightning. His steel toecap caught the first minion on the knee, leaving him writhing in the gutter. His fist caught the second full on the nose, drawing a satisfying stream of blood. The wolf gang drew back, and looked pointedly at Boddser. It was up to him, now, and the main road, full of people who might telephone the school, was only forty yards away.
"Get past them," shouted Boddser. The wolf gang streamed past, well clear of Clogger's boots, and blocked the end of the lane, solid.
"Told you so," said Cem ruefully. "Bloody fool, Chas!" But he doubled his fists. He was loyal.
Boddser stepped out in front.
"Right, McGill, you've asked for this." His bluster was gone. He had made up his mind, as a man might decide to nail up a fence he'd watched sagging all winter. Chas had made Boddser's dignity sag a bit lately; now it was to be mended with Chas's blood. Boddser didn't even sound cruel or gloating as he did when he tortured Nicky; just determined. The time for talk, Chas decided, was over. It was time for action. But what? Chas was quick, and not soft, but no one he knew could stand up long to the pounding of Boddser's fists, except perhaps Clogger, and it wasn't Clogger's fight.
He could dive, head down, for Boddser's midriff, slide down and pinion Boddser's legs and hope to push him over. But that would end, inevitably, with Boddser sitting on his chest, banging his head against the
Chas looked at Nicky. The face was good-looking, with a pale girl's good looks. The hair was curly and kept long. He had an operation scar on the side of his neck. But did that explain the constant bullying? Every kid had some peculiarity—was fat or thin or had big ears. Chas got twitted because he had thick lips and a funny fold of skin on the back of his neck. So why was Nicky singled out?
Chas wondered how he himself felt about Nicky. He'd never touched him, but constantly teased him. Why? Chas shrugged. That wasn't the job in hand. The job was to see that, for once, Nicky got home unscathed. But not too painlessly. That would look suspicious.
Nicky sighed, closed his desk and walked to the classroom door. Chas, Cem and Clogger closed in round him.
"Good evening, Knickers, my dear chap," started Chas. "How seems the world to you today?" Nicky looked frightened and hopeful at the same time. Anything was better than the wolf pack. They walked downstairs and into the yard, making remarks about Nicky's puny muscles; asking him how many times a day he went to the toilet, and whether he wiped his bottom with his left hand or his right. Nicky blushed, but it wasn't as bad as being hit with school bags.
The wolf gang was waiting just beyond the school gate; nine of them, including pack leader Boddser Brown. Chas kept up his flow of rudeness, but watched Boddser out of the corner of his eye. Boddser was looking worried; he didn't like anything unusual.
"Gerraway, McGill; he's ours," said Boddser.
"I beg your pardon, O Mighty One, O Star of the East, O Moon of my Delight. Your beauty is dazzling, especially your haircut, Four-eyes!" There was a titter even among the wolf pack.
Boddser reddened. He looked uneasily at Clogger. He didn't like the new confidence in Chas's voice.
"Gerraway, McGill. I'm warning you! I've got no quarrel with you, for now."
"Oh thank you, thank you, worshipful lord," said Chas, making low salaams. "May Allah bless your luscious toenails." The smaller group moved past the larger one. So far, so good. They went on down Hawkey's Lane, not hurrying. Hurrying would be fatal. The wolf gang looked at Boddser. Already their victim was past any previous torture-place, getting nearer the main road where adults might interfere.
"Pull him out," said Boddser to two of his minions.
The minions dived for Nicky, who was between Chas and Cem.
Clogger moved like greased lightning. His steel toecap caught the first minion on the knee, leaving him writhing in the gutter. His fist caught the second full on the nose, drawing a satisfying stream of blood. The wolf gang drew back, and looked pointedly at Boddser. It was up to him, now, and the main road, full of people who might telephone the school, was only forty yards away.
"Get past them," shouted Boddser. The wolf gang streamed past, well clear of Clogger's boots, and blocked the end of the lane, solid.
"Told you so," said Cem ruefully. "Bloody fool, Chas!" But he doubled his fists. He was loyal.
Boddser stepped out in front.
"Right, McGill, you've asked for this." His bluster was gone. He had made up his mind, as a man might decide to nail up a fence he'd watched sagging all winter. Chas had made Boddser's dignity sag a bit lately; now it was to be mended with Chas's blood. Boddser didn't even sound cruel or gloating as he did when he tortured Nicky; just determined. The time for talk, Chas decided, was over. It was time for action. But what? Chas was quick, and not soft, but no one he knew could stand up long to the pounding of Boddser's fists, except perhaps Clogger, and it wasn't Clogger's fight.
He could dive, head down, for Boddser's midriff, slide down and pinion Boddser's legs and hope to push him over. But that would end, inevitably, with Boddser sitting on his chest, banging his head against the
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