Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley

Author:Chris Priestley
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2011-08-07T22:00:00+00:00

Billy woke just before daybreak as the canopy above him rang with the songs of a thousand birds. He blinked and tried to focus his eyes, looking up through the layers of leaves.

Sitting up he saw that the fire had died away to red embers and there was a sharp chill. He hugged himself and slapped his own face, trying to wake up. Then he realised there was no sign of Creecher.

Billy, city boy that he was, had a fearful dread of being left alone in the wood. But before he could decide what he was going to do about such a calamity, he saw Creecher striding soundlessly through the undergrowth towards him.

The moment that Creecher returned, the birdsong stopped. The effect was so startlingly sudden, it was as if Billy had instantaneously been struck deaf.

‘What is it?’ said Creecher, seeing the look on Billy’s face.

‘Nothing,’ said Billy. ‘I thought . . . Nothing.’

Creecher frowned and studied the boy’s face.

‘Come,’ he said. ‘I have found water.’

The giant led him to a stream meandering through the trees, opening out into a wide pool as black as oil.

Billy drank and the water was cold and caught in his throat, making him cough and then laugh. It tasted good. He splashed some on his face and put his whole head under, laughing again when he emerged, flicking water from his hair.

When he looked at Creecher, he saw the giant crouched over the pool, staring as though in a trance. He was staring at his own reflection. There was a look of black despondency on his face.

‘Hey!’ called Billy. The giant took a moment to respond. ‘We’ve got a bit of a problem, haven’t we?’

‘What is it?’ said Creecher.

‘Our bags are still on that coach,’ said Billy. ‘I can hardly follow Frankenstein dressed like a tramp, can I? We need money.’

Creecher sighed, as if these things were a tedious bore to him.

‘What do you suggest, my friend?’

Billy smiled.

‘I’m suggesting we do a spot of highway robbery!’ he said gleefully.

Creecher frowned.

‘Why do you take such pleasure in theft?’

‘Why shouldn’t I?’ said Billy defensively. ‘It strikes me that the whole world runs on theft of one kind or another. Anyway, I’m good at it.’

Creecher stared at Billy, making the boy shift uneasily.

‘You hate the world, don’t you?’ said Creecher.

‘Maybe I do at that,’ said Billy. ‘The world ain’t exactly been no friend to me, has it? Besides, I don’t see you wasting much love on the world, neither.’

Creecher’s mouth twisted into a half-smile.

‘True enough,’ said the giant. ‘We shall hate the world together, then.’

‘It’s a deal,’ said Billy, shaking Creecher’s hand.

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