Adrift by Rob Boffard

Author:Rob Boffard [Boffard, Rob]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780356510422
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Published: 2018-06-04T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 34

Corey doesn’t quite understand what happens next.

He’s staring at Volkova’s body, at her blank eyes and the big – no, the giant pool of blood around her neck. Seema is standing over her, an expression of startled fury on her face, ignoring Brendan, who keeps bellowing “What the fuck did you just do?” over and over again.

Then his dad launches himself out of the trapdoor, pushing Malik back, getting alongside his wife and grabbing Corey. Hannah shoves Jack. The edge of a chair takes him at the knees, and he sits down hard.

Everyone is screaming at each other, and all Corey can see are wide mouths and huge eyes.

Brendan tries to pull Hannah away. Corey doesn’t see it all – his mom and dad shuffle backwards, getting between them and the fight, the trapdoor just behind him. Corey still can’t look away from Volkova’s body. The knife must have hit an artery – or is it a vein? Corey can’t remember. She might not be dead yet, but it won’t be long before –

“Stay here,” Everett shouts over his shoulder.

“But Dad—” Malik says. Everett ignores him. He takes a step forward – only to trip over Volkova’s outstretched leg. Anita grabs him, and that’s when Jack shoves Hannah.

She stumbles, colliding with Everett. Corey has just enough time to think that maybe he should get out of the way when his dad slams into him, and he falls backwards.

Malik reaches for him, gripping the sleeve of his T-shirt. There’s a second when he has it, and then he doesn’t, and then Corey remembers that the trapdoor is just behind him.

As gravity takes him, as his body works out that the floor isn’t there to catch it, Corey gives a strangled yell. Then he’s falling, the trapdoor above him framing the scene. His dad, eyes wide with panic. His brother’s hands, still trying to catch him. The edge of his mom’s shoe.

Oh, Corey thinks. Then the impact wipes his mind clean.

He’s only out for a split second. Or, at least, it feels like a split second. He can’t see anything. The metal floor is cold against his cheek, and there are people talking, their voices loud and terrified.

His mom: “Shit, oh shit, oh God, Corey, talk to—”

Hannah: “—close it! Close the—”

Dad: “—told you we should’ve—”

Corey blinks, and goes away again for a while.

It’s Malik’s voice that brings him back. His brother is saying his name, over and over, and his voice sounds so small and scared that Corey almost laughs. What is Mal worried about? He’s fine. He just had a little nap. He didn’t –

He opens his eyes. He’s propped against a wall, in a strange room he doesn’t recognise. No, that’s wrong, he knows where he is. Astronautics. His mom and Malik are kneeling in front of him, eyes wide. Hannah behind them, pacing, looking up at the ceiling. His dad standing above them on the ladder, cheeks flushed and sweaty. The trapdoor is shut, his dad holding it closed, sweat shining on his forehead.

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