Chapters (96)

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96

Ollie’s mouth went dry. He didn’t like the sound of that. Tunnels, in his experience, were bad news. He gave the reception area another once-over, trying to reassure himself. Surely, surely if there was anything dangerous in here there’d be some evidence; it wouldn’t look so clean and neat and tidy.

And there was no smell.

Usually you could smell grown-ups if they were nearby. He met Emily’s gaze. She’d finished with Big Mick and was standing next to him.

‘What do you think?’ he asked, moving closer. ‘Are we going to be all right in here?’

‘Don’t ask me,’ said Emily. ‘You’re supposed to be the ones who know about that sort of thing.’

‘Yeah, but as you said, Emily, none of us really know what we’re doing, do we? I mean, I know sickos, as you call them, but what if there’s something else? Something worse?’

Chapter 37

Closer, closer, they’re coming closer. I’ll wait for them. They’ll come to me. They have to. There’s no other way. So I’ll just wait. I’m good at waiting. All my life. Stay hidden, stay still, stay quiet. Alone. Stay quiet. Lie still. Wait. Listen to the buzzing in the air. The hum and twitter of the creeps out there.

The fallen.

Some had gone away just now. Something had shut them up and they’d disappeared. Including one who’d been bugging him for some time. Like he’d been switched off.

Bang-bang. Sing no more.

There were more of them, though, plenty more. They kept him in touch with what was going on outside. Once he’d learnt to understand their babble. Like tuning a radio. Some days he heard them clearer than others. Some days he understood more. And lately it had been getting clearer and clearer. Was he getting cleverer or were they?

He wriggled deeper into the space between the walls. Settled down to wait. Feeling the comforting toughness of the concrete against his skin.

Maybe the new kids would give him some answers?

They’d be here soon.

They were coming closer and closer …

Chapter 38

‘Shall we get the next one in then?’

Ooh, yes please, let’s …

Maxie was having a well boring morning interviewing the museum kids, one after the other. An endless succession of worried faces.