The Great Big Demon of Flint Hall (Spencer & Bart Book 2) by Peter Oxley

Author:Peter Oxley [Oxley, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Burning Chair Limited
Published: 2024-01-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“I really don’t like that bloke,” said Bart as they left the pub. “Would you mind if I taught him a bit of a lesson? You know, with my fists?”

“I wouldn’t mind,” grinned Spencer. “But our hosts at the Hall might not look too kindly on it. Best to wait it out. These things come around, you know?”

“Wait until after we’ve left the Hall. Got it.”

They walked on in silence as they left the meagre pool of light cast by the tavern, and on into the darkness. It was blackly quiet, making the two city dwellers feel as though they had fallen into a featureless, blank hole. The crunching of their footsteps on the ground was their only companion, the sole sign that there was anything around them, aside from the cloying night.

Even the moon and stars seemed to have deserted them, retreating behind a covering of clouds. Their eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, but even so they found themselves stumbling off the side of the road and almost turning their ankles in potholes.

Mrs Smith had given them a lamp to light their way home, and Spencer stopped to strike a match and hold it to the wick, grunting with satisfaction as it caught and the light flared up. He closed the hatch and held it up, frowning when all it did was lighten up empty space.

“Well that worked a treat,” he muttered.

They both jumped at a shrieking sound from the distance.

“Probably just a fox,” said Spencer, sounding like he was not even convincing himself.

“Here, where’d you reckon that Bishop bloke went to?” asked Bart.

“Dunno. Home probably. Hopefully not wherever that sound came from.”

“Thought you said it was a fox?”

“Yeah. Of course it was. Just prefer not to be around it, that’s all.”

“You’re not scared of a little fox, are you?”

They both jumped as another piercing sound cut through the night, a bellowing shriek which echoed around them. They looked at each other,

“That didn’t sound much like a fox,” muttered Bart.

“No. Let’s get back to the Hall. Quick.”

They ran as fast as they dared, stumbling in the lantern’s shaky light, which threatened at any moment to be blown out by the way it swayed in Spencer’s hands. They came to a fork in the road and skidded to a halt.

“Which way?” asked Spencer.

“I dunno. I don’t remember a fork on the way out.”

“Nor me. Bugger. You reckon we took a wrong turn?”

“I...” They both jumped at another skin-crawling screech. “No, wait,” said Bart. “I remember that tree there. We go that way.” He pointed to the right.

“You sure? I really don’t fancy wandering around all night.”

“Nor me. Yeah, I’m pretty sure. I remember looking at that tree and thinking it reminded me of a girl I once knew.”

Spencer peered at the tree and at then his friend. “I don’t want to know,” he said, shaking his head. “Sometimes, you come out with some really strange things, mate.” He led the way down the right-hand path, Bart following him with a shrug.

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