she couldn’t afford to feed you. You help me and my dad will give you a reward – all the money you could ever want. You could be with your mum tomorrow, easy.”
A flash of pain shot through John’s eyes. Ash felt guilty, playing on the boy’s weakness, on what must be his secret dreams, things he wouldn’t allow himself to acknowledge.
“We’re all alone here, John.” A lump rose in Ash’s throatand he choked out the words. “But my dad will come and get us. I just need to call him. Please, get me a mobile.”
John met his gaze, biting his lip with indecision. Then, abruptly, he shook his head.
“No. Sorry. I can’t.”
“Lucks. Get up. We’re leaving.”
Lucky opened her eyes instantly. She sprang up and checked the door, making sure no one was around. “What’s the plan?” she asked.
“The plan is to get the hell out of here. Good enough?”
“Certainly is.”
Night had come. They’d rested and eaten and were now ready. No one had bothered to check on them for the last few hours. If John wasn’t going to help them and Rishi had run off, then they couldn’t count on anyone, not any more. It was a bitter thought, but he and Lucky were getting out tonight.
Ash tied his shoelaces together and hung his Converse All-Stars round his neck. No point making any more noise than totally necessary.
In the distance the temple bells chimed and somewhere nearby dogs barked and fought. The chatter of Varanasidrifted up from the crowded streets of the old city, and the air carried the scent of cooking oil, spices and the musty water slowly evaporating off the Ganges.
“Come on.”
Ash dragged the door open. They’d head down into the streets. There were loads of Internet cafés. They’d call Dad from there, get out of India, and put this nightmare behind them. His hand rested on the door handle. They’d sort out Savage. But first they needed to leave.
Lucky grabbed Ash’s arm.
A living line slithered across the roof. The moonlight shone on its dark green scales, glistening like oil. Two green eyes blinked in the darkness.
Ash moved back as the snake came closer. It curled up in the doorway, blocking their exit, then rose. Its tongue flickered between its ivory fangs. Its hood spread as it swayed.
A cobra.
Lucky stepped up on to the bed, pulling the sheet up.
“Don’t move,” Ash whispered. Now what? He reached for the door again, but the snake hissed loudly, its head weaving towards his hand.
“Ash…”
“Shh.” The snake’s eyes focused on him.
Suddenly Lucky pushed Ash aside and threw the sheet. The snake whipped forward, but not before the cloth covered it. It struggled and thrashed under the cotton, and Lucky leaped off the bed, grabbing Ash’s shoes from round his neck.
“Hit it!”
The snake thrust its head forward under the sheet, but Lucky whacked it sideways. If they could get it halfway through the door they might squash it. Ash shoved it with his foot and the serpent snapped towards him, batting its head against his ankle, but unable to bite through the sheet. But it still blocked the door, and taking out a live cobra wasn’t easy with just a shoe.
Still under the sheet, the snake coiled into a lump, flicked its tail and went limp.
“Think you got it, Lucks.”
Its body rippled with a shiver and a small, broken sigh whispered out.
Hold on, wasn’t it bigger now?
Ash stepped back as the sheet rose. It was as if the snake was growing – the sheet hung now over a curved back. Long green-tinged nails poked out from the cloth.
Ash pushed himself against the wall. The door was onthe far side of the room. If he shouted for help, the snake would attack the next person in. He reached over for the lamp.
Limbs took shape under the sheet, and the creature that had just been a cobra now stood up on two legs. The sheet fell away from the head, and glossy black hair shone in the darkness. The creature straightened its neck and stretched out its arms. Then fingers
A flash of pain shot through John’s eyes. Ash felt guilty, playing on the boy’s weakness, on what must be his secret dreams, things he wouldn’t allow himself to acknowledge.
“We’re all alone here, John.” A lump rose in Ash’s throatand he choked out the words. “But my dad will come and get us. I just need to call him. Please, get me a mobile.”
John met his gaze, biting his lip with indecision. Then, abruptly, he shook his head.
“No. Sorry. I can’t.”
“Lucks. Get up. We’re leaving.”
Lucky opened her eyes instantly. She sprang up and checked the door, making sure no one was around. “What’s the plan?” she asked.
“The plan is to get the hell out of here. Good enough?”
“Certainly is.”
Night had come. They’d rested and eaten and were now ready. No one had bothered to check on them for the last few hours. If John wasn’t going to help them and Rishi had run off, then they couldn’t count on anyone, not any more. It was a bitter thought, but he and Lucky were getting out tonight.
Ash tied his shoelaces together and hung his Converse All-Stars round his neck. No point making any more noise than totally necessary.
In the distance the temple bells chimed and somewhere nearby dogs barked and fought. The chatter of Varanasidrifted up from the crowded streets of the old city, and the air carried the scent of cooking oil, spices and the musty water slowly evaporating off the Ganges.
“Come on.”
Ash dragged the door open. They’d head down into the streets. There were loads of Internet cafés. They’d call Dad from there, get out of India, and put this nightmare behind them. His hand rested on the door handle. They’d sort out Savage. But first they needed to leave.
Lucky grabbed Ash’s arm.
A living line slithered across the roof. The moonlight shone on its dark green scales, glistening like oil. Two green eyes blinked in the darkness.
Ash moved back as the snake came closer. It curled up in the doorway, blocking their exit, then rose. Its tongue flickered between its ivory fangs. Its hood spread as it swayed.
A cobra.
Lucky stepped up on to the bed, pulling the sheet up.
“Don’t move,” Ash whispered. Now what? He reached for the door again, but the snake hissed loudly, its head weaving towards his hand.
“Ash…”
“Shh.” The snake’s eyes focused on him.
Suddenly Lucky pushed Ash aside and threw the sheet. The snake whipped forward, but not before the cloth covered it. It struggled and thrashed under the cotton, and Lucky leaped off the bed, grabbing Ash’s shoes from round his neck.
“Hit it!”
The snake thrust its head forward under the sheet, but Lucky whacked it sideways. If they could get it halfway through the door they might squash it. Ash shoved it with his foot and the serpent snapped towards him, batting its head against his ankle, but unable to bite through the sheet. But it still blocked the door, and taking out a live cobra wasn’t easy with just a shoe.
Still under the sheet, the snake coiled into a lump, flicked its tail and went limp.
“Think you got it, Lucks.”
Its body rippled with a shiver and a small, broken sigh whispered out.
Hold on, wasn’t it bigger now?
Ash stepped back as the sheet rose. It was as if the snake was growing – the sheet hung now over a curved back. Long green-tinged nails poked out from the cloth.
Ash pushed himself against the wall. The door was onthe far side of the room. If he shouted for help, the snake would attack the next person in. He reached over for the lamp.
Limbs took shape under the sheet, and the creature that had just been a cobra now stood up on two legs. The sheet fell away from the head, and glossy black hair shone in the darkness. The creature straightened its neck and stretched out its arms. Then fingers
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