The Secret by Ruth Thomas

Author:Ruth Thomas
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781448101887
Publisher: RHCP

9

Scatter!

NICKY SCREAMED. ‘IT’S going, it’s going, we got to get off!’

She grabbed at her bags and kicked Roy. ‘Roy! Come on. We got to get off the train!’

The elderly lady and her husband were both looking very upset. ‘Don’t get off if it’s moving, you’ll hurt yourselves!’

The train gave a little jerk. Nicky grabbed Roy with her free hand, and dragged him to the door. ‘I can’t open it! I can’t open it! Somebody open it for me!’ she shrieked.

The train was moving. Not very fast, but definitely moving. ‘Go on then, hurry up!’ A young man was opening the door for Nicky, which was a most unwise thing to do, though he meant well.

Nicky jumped, pulling Roy with her.

They fell on to the platform, and Roy shouted as the shock of the fall brought him painfully into full awareness of what was going on. Nicky did not cry out, but her face twisted up as her knee struck the platform and she rolled over, still clutching her bags.

The platform was empty of passengers – the two trains had taken them all. But from the far end a railman was running towards them and, worse, the guard had seen the children tumbling out. With a screech of brakes, the train shuddered to a halt.

‘Get up!’ said Nicky, yanking Roy to his feet. Her knee hurt so much she was surprised to find she could stand, but in fact it was only bruised. ‘Run!’ she shouted. ‘Run!’

The railman was a good distance from them still, and anyway there were lots of convenient obstacles on the platform he needed to swerve around. But the guard, riding at the back, had climbed off the train and was lumbering towards them, consternation over all the folds of his fleshy face. And the guard was between them and the exit from the platform!

Nicky seized Roy by the wrist and hauled him along with her, straight towards the guard, and away from the railman. The railman was young and lithe, he was the one to watch! The guard, poor man, was older and portly, with several rolling stomachs.

‘Dodge!’ Nicky shrieked, as they were about to run into his arms. She gave Roy a push to the left, while she herself shot off to the right. The guard lunged at air and hesitated, unsure which child to pursue.

The boy was the smaller, – the boy would be the easier to catch. The guard gave chase – Roy was nearly at the exit by now. In blind panic Roy turned, and ploughed along the path which crossed the platforms, inside the barrier. The guard chased him a short way and then, winded, stopped to get his breath. He felt more than a little foolish, and hoped not too many people were looking.

Nicky, meanwhile, was charging straight at the ticket man’s box. ‘Hey, you!’ said the ticket man, who had come out of his box to intercept her. ‘I remember you!’ He held her by the arms, and Nicky’s head whipped swiftly round to bite his hand.

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