The Dark Portal by Robin Jarvis

Author:Robin Jarvis [Jarvis, Robin]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9781908318756
Published: 2012-03-07T00:00:00+00:00

9. Trusting to Luck

Piccadilly paddled furiously. The water splashed his face and his hair hung in a wet curtain over his eyes. Mechanically his arms rose and fell as if driven by pistons. Into the water – pull – out of the water – over – into the water – pull – out of the water – over . . . He glanced back. The pursuing rats were very close now. One had a knife between his teeth. He could see the shining greedy eyes and the snorting wet noses. It would take a miracle to save them.

The rat with the knife caught up with them and scrambled on to the raft. His great claws tore at the wood and the plank lurched dangerously in the water. Just as the ugly brute was getting his balance, Piccadilly sprang at him and with a startled wail, the rat fell back and landed on one of his comrades. There was an almighty smack and a fountain of water spouted up around them.

Piccadilly hastily resumed paddling. Ahead he saw the end of a pipe jutting out of the sewer wall. He wondered if he and Oswald could reach it and climb inside. He called to him and signalled his plan: Oswald understood and nodded vigorously. Anything to get off the raft!

They steadied themselves on the plank and stood up shakily – clutching each other’s paws for safety. The pipe drew near.

‘We won’t be able to reach it,’ howled Oswald. ‘It’s too high.’

‘Well then, we’ll have to jump. Get ready.’

‘Oh no that rat’s got us.’

‘One.’

‘He’s trying to climb up again! Oh Piccadilly!’

‘Two.’

‘Eek!’

‘Three.’

All at once a number of things happened. Firstly the raft passed under the pipe and Piccadilly jumped, which was fortunate for him because the rat suddenly lunged at him with his mouth wide open. But the most surprising thing came with a fierceness that stunned everyone, rats and all with a roar of foam and spray a great rush of water flushed out of the pipe above.

The rat got a mouthful of it and was knocked off the raft into the stream – which had suddenly become a raging torrent. He sank to the murky bottom, never to surface. The other rats were cut off by the sudden waterfall and could not cope with its frothing force. They snapped angrily behind the storm, swearing terrible oaths and punching each other.

Piccadilly’s luck held. Although he missed the pipe, he managed to land back on the raft just as it was gripped by the new current and was swept away at breakneck speed. Oswald grasped the sides for dear life.

‘Ha, ha,’ laughed Piccadilly. ‘That did it. Wheeee!’ The raft was tossed around like a straw. It was a wild bounce of a ride for the two mice as they shot along.

‘I don’t like this!’ Oswald cried.

‘Well, we’re free of them anyway,’ replied Piccadilly, having a great time.

The water surged about them. ‘Where are we going?’

Oswald had closed his eyes.

Piccadilly smiled at his squeamish friend and fixed his attention ahead.

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