Witherwood Reform School by Obert Skye

Author:Obert Skye
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781627793209
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

“No,” Tobias heaved. “Those are real.”

“That means whatever chased us last night was probably real too!”

Tobias jumped into a short tunnel that ran beneath a massive stone. He popped out the other side and kept running alongside Charlotte. They stumbled through a Student Morale Day banner hanging from the side of a lamppost and fell to the ground. Picking themselves up, they continued to run until Tobias could run no more. He slipped behind a horseshoe-shaped boulder and ducked as low as he could. Charlotte crouched next to him as something about the size of an orange landed on Tobias’s head and began to tear at his hair. With one strong nod, he threw his head to the side and smacked the creature against the boulder. The animal bellowed and fell to the ground.

“Look,” Charlotte whispered. “It’s so little.”

The creature shook and cried.

“I think you broke its … wing?”

“It was tearing at my head,” Tobias whispered back.

The wounded creature sputtered and rolled on its side. Without thinking, Charlotte reached out and picked it up. The animal was covered in stringy feathers that resembled miniature dreadlocks. It was round and had droopy ears and large bulging eyes perched on top of an olive-sized nose. It opened its mouth and squawked.

Tobias looked at his sister. “You can’t keep it.”

“We can’t leave it,” she whispered.

“I could give you about a hundred reasons why we should, but I know you won’t listen.”

“Good. Don’t tell me then,” Charlotte said. “We should keep going. I can hear people coming.”

“I don’t know where to go,” Tobias admitted. “We’re trapped in these gardens.”

“Well then, let’s find somewhere better to hide.”

They moved quickly away from the horseshoe-shaped boulder and toward the middle of the gardens. Charlotte held the small creature against her chest. Eyes flashed open around them as they ran, but no animals attacked.

“Maybe it’s good you kept that thing,” Tobias said. “And could you please run slower? I can’t breathe.”

Charlotte slowed just a bit.

In the center of the gardens was a building covered in ivy. Charlotte would have run right into it while weaving through the trees if the animal in her hands hadn’t squawked. She came to a skidding stop and braced herself for Tobias to slam into her. This was unnecessary—Tobias was still a good twenty feet behind and having a hard time. He caught up and attempted to catch his breath.

“What is that?” he huffed, staring at the ivy-covered structure. “I don’t remember seeing a building in the gardens on the school map.”

“I think this is what Fiddle was talking about. But that doesn’t matter, because I hear people.”

The siblings ran around the square building, but the only door they found was locked tight. Sounds of more and more voices and footsteps were around them.

The speakers announced, “The missing students are in the gardens.”

Charlotte took her brother’s hand and headed toward East Hall. They wound through bushes and down a narrow dirt path that zigged across the overgrown ground. Tobias tripped, and Charlotte helped him up while still holding the animal.

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