Slayers (Jake Hawkins Book 1) Read Online Free

in an attempt to get to their lockers as quickly as possible.
    Liam promised to meet up later and turned left, following a path back to the locker bays. Jake didn ’ t have any books to drop off. He headed straight for the canteen, using his strength to his advantage to power his way through the quad.
    The canteen was packed with kids, gossiping and talking amongst themselves in the line. It would take at least half an hour to get food, which would ultimately end up being nothing more than an overpriced container of greasy chicken anyway.
    Jake sighed and headed back out into the sunshine. His insides were constricting. It had always been a dream to leave school and go on adventures, but his dreams had never materialised. Probably because they were ridiculous. Now, facing the idea of having to actually leave school early, Jake found it a daunting concept, one which was looking more and more likely with each passing moment.
    He started to make his way back the way he had come, along the twisting path. As he walked, he desperately tried to quash the pit of nervousness forming in his stomach.
    You have to go back .
    That ’ s what his brain was telling him. He had to see if his father was seriously hurt. It didn ’ t matter how he reacted – Jake had to do the right thing. If his dad was okay, the most likely outcome would be rejection. Jake knew Colonel Mark Hawkins wouldn ’ t bat an eyelid over throwing him out into the cold. But he had to try.
    There was a low rumble. A quick glance skyward revealed a cumulonimbus cloud snaking across the sky, black as night. There was a storm coming.
    A pair of hands came out of nowhere and grabbed the collar of his shirt. One hard shove, and they released him. Jake lost his footing and went sprawling into a path wedged between two blocks of classrooms.
    Now, he found himself out of sight from any passers-by. The path was deserted. There wasn ’ t a teacher or student in sight. He looked up and saw who had shoved him.
    Two older guys were moving in. Jake recognised one of them; Adrian was a Year 12 with anger management issues, infamous around the school for bullying the younger kids into submission, often forcing them to hand over lunch money in exchange for an absence of bruises. He had short black hair and an acne-ridden face, and walked with the strut of someone who thought they ran the place. The other guy was slim and wiry, sporting a fringe that stretched all the way down to his chin. He wore trainers instead of school shoes and sported a rat-like face. Both of them were dancing on the balls of their feet, high off the energy two thugs get before a fight.
    Jake didn ’ t have time for this. He gave a half-smile and strode towards them. When he reached the pair, he moved to walk straight past. The guy with the fringe tried to shoulder bump him, but Jake was stronger. Adrian grunted and grabbed a handful of Jake ’ s shirt, violently shoving him backwards. He didn ’ t have enough strength either, so his friend stepped in and gave a hard, double-handed push. Finally, it was enough to make Jake stumble.
    The guy with the fringe gave a cocky laugh, but Jake had assessed the competition.
    “ What do you boys want? ” he said.
    “ How much money you got, kid? ” Adrian said with a smirk.
    “ Kid? ” Jake said, smiling. “ I ’ m taller than you, buddy. ”
    Fear had suppressed his rage this morning, but he could feel it coming back.
    “ I ’ m going to leave now, ” he said, loud and clear as if he was talking to a pair of children. “ Don ’ t push it. ”
    The guy with the fringe cackled again. “ The Year 11 thinks he ’ s tough? Listen, dickhead, hand over whatever money you ’ ve got or we ’ ll smash your face in and leave you here on the ground. ”
    He advanced until they were almost nose-to-nose. Jake was burning inwardly.
    “ Try, then, ” he said.
    The invitation was enough. The guy swung a fist with the verve of a kid whose fight repertoire consisted