Devil's Rock - Chris Speyer [35]
‘You’ll get your walk in a bit,’ said Grandad. ‘I’m runnin’ these young’uns home first.’
Jenna dropped back down with a low groan of disappointment.
Zaki and Anusha hurried to follow Grandad out of the house.
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Chapter 9
‘I’ll drop you here, if it’s all the same to you. Save me turnin’ the old girl round.’ Grandad pulled in at the end of Zaki’s street.
Zaki was done in. It had been the longest day ever. He was grateful for the lift home but he wished his grandfather had driven him to the front door. He climbed out into the darkness, said, ‘Goodnight, Grandad,’ and swung the passenger door shut.
The old Volvo’s suspension groaned as it heaved itself slowly out of the gutter, as if it too were tired and reluctant to make the journey home. Zaki waved to the red glow of the receding tail lights, then, head down, trudged off along the street. The houses here were set back from the road, tucked behind high hedges or front gardens full of the dark, looming shapes of shrubs and trees. In most windows the curtains were drawn and little light reached the deserted street.
‘I know where you are.’
Zaki froze. The voice was unmistakable. It was infused with the same cold venom with which she had spoken after she had pulled him from the cave. The girl! But where was she? Zaki glanced frantically up and down the dark street. Had she followed him? How? Or had she been lying in wait for him? What was she going to do to him?
‘I don’t need to follow you.’
Zaki shrank back into a garden hedge, but its prickly surface felt too insubstantial to offer real protection. Zaki’s mind conjured up a shadowy form couching behind the hedge.
Where is she, he thought, where is she?
She gave a chill little laugh. ‘Yes, where am I?’
He jumped. She seemed to be right beside him. Had he spoken his thoughts aloud? No – then she knew what he was thinking! How could that be possible? Zaki kept completely still, listening, but his mind refused to stay quiet for long. What do I do now? he thought.
‘You could start by giving back what you’ve stolen,’ came the sharp reply.
The bracelet! Of course, she was after the bracelet.
‘All right,’ he said aloud, ‘All right, I didn’t mean to take it. I just put it on. I was just looking at it, and then I forgot. You can have it back. I haven’t done any harm.’
‘You have no idea how much harm you have done!’
What did she mean? What harm? If only he could see her.
‘You really don’t understand, do you.’ It was more of a statement than a question, but he answered it anyway.
‘No, I don’t!’ He was tired. He was confused.
‘Look around. Can you see me?’
‘No,’ he said, ‘but it’s dark.’
‘You can’t see me, because I’m not there.’
Not there? What did she mean? He was talking to her, for goodness’ sake!
‘Work it out for yourself.’
It made no sense unless . . . the bracelets – she had one, he had one – they could connect – it was like telepathy. No. Impossible! But he was wearing one of the bracelets, maybe if she was wearing the other one then she could hear what he was thinking.
‘Good . . . good,’ she mocked, ‘you’re not completely stupid.’
Suddenly he felt annoyed. He pulled the bracelet off his arm and laid it carefully at his feet. There, now he could think in peace without her listening in. He waited to see if he were right. Yes, the voice was gone. He took his time deciding what he wanted to say. It gave him some satisfaction to know that he could cut her off. It was like hanging up the phone on an annoying caller. When he was ready, he picked up the bracelet and slid it back on to his left arm. Of course, he didn’t need to say anything out loud; all he needed to do was think. He understood that now. Tell me where to meet you, and I’ll bring you back the bracelet. He thought the words very clearly.
‘No!’ There was an edge of panic to her reply and he couldn’t help glancing round, it seemed so loud, as though she had shouted in his ear. It was hard to believe all this was happening inside his head.