The Darkest Corners Read Online Free Page A

they’s just beginning.’
    â€˜Shut him up,’ Ameena said.
    â€˜How?’
    She glanced along at the barricaded doors. It took me a moment to realise what she meant. Her eyes drilled into me, urging me on. Along the aisle, Joe Crow paced towards us on his tiny legs.
    I nodded. The sparks lit up the inside of my head and the doors flew open. Joe Crow stopped advancing as the screechers burst through. Their eyes locked on him. Their jaws gnashed.
    â€˜Aw,’ Joe groaned, ‘crap.’
    They were on him before his birds could react, ripping and tearing at him, their teeth already slick with blood.
    His command over them broken, the birds began to thud against the walls and fall to the floor. I moved to run for the door, but there were more screechers rushing through.
    Ameena and I began clambering quickly over the pews in front, and Billy raced to do the same. The screechers were still busy with Joe Crow, and we hurdled our way to the front without them noticing us. Together, all three of us ran for the back room and hurriedly closed the door.
    â€˜This way,’ I said, making for the rear exit that led out into the graveyard. As I pulled it open a hand clawed through the gap. Billy and Ameena rushed over and threw their weight against the wood. Between us, we forced the door closed, but the screecher on the other side was already trying to break it down.
    â€˜What now?’ Billy yelped.
    â€˜Magic them away,’ Ameena told me. ‘If you’re ever going to do your thing, now’s the time.’
    â€˜Don’t be stupid,’ Billy told her. ‘You saw what happened. Those things are starting to come through.’
    â€˜So what do we do, Billy? Just wait here to die?’
    â€˜What’s it matter to you?’ Billy asked her, and I could see his old wicked streak shining through. ‘It’s not like you were ever alive to begin with.’
    â€˜Ladder,’ I said, pushing between them. A metal ladder was attached to one of the walls. It led straight up to a hatch in the high ceiling. ‘It must lead to the tower. We can hide there.’
    â€˜For how long?’ Ameena asked. ‘Up there we’ll have nowhere to run to.’
    A clawed hand punched a hole through the back door. There was no more time to make plans.
    â€˜Go,’ I said, gesturing for Ameena to lead the way up the ladder. She hesitated, but then set off at a breakneck rate. By the time Billy was halfway up, she was already at the top, pushing open the hatch and clambering through.
    I went last. When I got to the top, Billy reached down and helped pull me up into the tower. The hatch closed over just as the back door came down, and we heard the screecher howl in confusion.
    â€˜We’re safe,’ I whispered.
    â€˜Maybe for now,’ Ameena added quietly.
    The inside of the tower was dark and gloomy. There had once been a bell up there, but it had long since been removed. The rectangular openings in each wall that would once have allowed the chimes to ring out across the village were boarded over, letting only scraps of light seep through. The floor was thick with dust. Mousetraps were dotted here and there around the little square room. Billy kicked one to the side and it snapped shut with a clack .
    â€˜Sssh!’ I hissed. I pointed down at the floor, and to the screecher that lurked below.
    â€˜That’s our plan then, is it?’ Ameena asked. ‘We stay up here and keep quiet?’
    â€˜You got any better ideas?’ I asked.
    â€˜What happened to finding your dad? When did that plan stop?’
    Billy answered for me. ‘When he realised he was playing right into his dad’s hands.’
    â€˜We don’t know that’s true,’ Ameena protested. ‘Kyle, if you want to get him for what he did, you’re going to have to use your abilities. That’s just how it is.’
    Billy looked Ameena up and down. ‘Why are you so