Hollow Earth Read Online Free

so sorry, Sandie. For everything.’
    Sandie flipped her phone closed and stood paralysed. Tears welled up in her eyes. She loved this flat and she didn’t want to leave. But for several months she’d been trying to ignore signs that this day was coming – and now it was here.
    If the Council reached the twins first, they were sure to vote to bind their powers. Terrifying as this was, it was not the worst threat that faced her children. She’d heard rumours that the Hollow Earth Society had once again crawled from its catacombs.
    There was only one thing she could think to do. But first she needed to get the twins to safety.
    She made a swift phone call, then glanced at her watch. They could get out in ten minutes. She had rehearsed. She hoped it would be enough.
    Darting into her bedroom, she pulled a suitcase from under her bed. Quickly, she unzipped it to check it held everything she needed. Tossing a couple of extra books into the suitcase, she grabbed her toiletries from the bathroom. Her sketchbook sat on her bedside table, so she shoved that into her bag, too. Then she wheeled the suitcase out to the main room at the same time as the twins, sandwiches in hands, came into the flat with Violet trailing behind them.
    Seven minutes left.
    From the door, Matt stared in shock at his mum. ‘You can’t leave us, too!’
    Em dashed across the room, throwing herself around Sandie’s waist and bursting into tears. ‘Mum, we won’t draw again, I promise. We promise. Don’t we, Matt?’
    Sandie let go of the suitcase and scooped up both children. ‘I’m not leaving you. Ever.’ After a couple of beats, she pulled away from the embrace and checked her watch.
    Six minutes.
    ‘But we do have to go. Right now. I’ll explain everything soon, but I need each of you to get your travel backpacks.’
    ‘But where are we going?’ sniffled Em.
    Sandie glanced at Violet, whose dishevelled air made her look her sixty-plus years. ‘They’re coming, Violet.’
    On the street outside the flat, tyres squealed and car doors slammed. The twins ran to the window.
    Violet squeezed Sandie’s hand. ‘When you’re safe, let us know. Anthea and I will have everything sent to you. Take our car. Go out through the garden.’ She fished some keys out of her cardigan pocket and handed them to Sandie.
    ‘Wait,’ Sandie said, dashing back to her bedroom. She returned with an aluminium cylinder, the kind artists use to protect unframed canvases, and handed the tube to Violet.
    Violet’s hand instinctively went to her mouth in a gasp. ‘Is this …’
    Em and Matt turned from the window and watched Violet take hold of the cylinder as if she were accepting explosives.
    ‘Of course it’s not,’ answered Sandie. ‘But I want them to think that it is. Use it to stall them, but if they take it from you, don’t let them think you’re giving it up easily.’
    Violet tucked the tube under her arm. ‘I can do that, my dear. Now be safe. We’ll keep them occupied for as long as we can.’
    ‘Thank you.’ The two women embraced. ‘For everything, Vi. We couldn’t have survived here without you and Anthea.’ Sandie glanced at the kitchen clock. Five minutes left.
    At the window, Matt and Em watched as a man dressed in dark jeans, a white collared shirt and dark glasses halted traffic on the street, while a woman, about their mum’s age, with short blond hair and in a bright-red dress, opened the rear car door for another man. He was older, and from his demeanour it was clear that he was the one in charge. As he climbed out of the car, apparently arguing with the woman, he turned and stared up at the flat’s windows. Matt and Em ducked instinctively, both letting out a yelp.
    Did you feel that ?
    Matt rubbed his temple. Like someone nipped my brain.
    Who are they ?
    Dunno.
    Sandie set their backpacks against the flat’s front door.
    ‘Why do we have to go?’ Matt demanded.
    ‘Who are these people?’ asked Em, still watching