Billy and the Golden Gate by Emma Gowing

a bad, bad feeling about this. I don’t like the look of it, one bit.”
    Gunner Sharpie’s face hardens. He glares at Daisy.
    â€œWhat did I just say to you?”
    Daisy ignores him. Peter, Rufus and Rex all close in on her. In the distance, the wolves have started to howl – a low menacing sound. Miss Beetle seems oblivious to it all. She is still flicking through the book.
    Billy looks back through the archway, trying to decipher what lies beyond. Whatever it is, it appears to be the most beautiful place ever.
    â€œDaisy, it’s my dad,” he says, looking back at her. His eyes are almost pleading.
    Daisy shakes her head, “Billy, your dad is dead, remember? He died that day in the quarry; remember you had to run the whole way home on your own?”
    â€œBut, Daisy, if I could only just feel him, see him, one more time.”
    Rufus says, “Billy, you will, some day, when you are ready to leave, when your time has come, but that’s not for you to choose. It’s like when Rex ate the dodgy fish, he puked, and he looked like he wanted to die, but he’s still here.” Rex nods and barks a short sharp woof. “You know?” Rufus says.
    Billy lets out a sob. It’s not a girly sound; it’s a bit like he has found the sound that matches the hole in his chest. It is low and harsh and heavy.
    Gunner Sharpie steps forward.
    â€œNow you look here you lot of little ingrates, you know nothing of this world.” His voice is very strong; it booms. All four flinch away from him. Rex growls.
    â€œNothing!” he booms. “You will do as you are told. Billy, don’t you waste the only chance you will ever have of seeing, feeling your father ever again.”
    Miss Beetle sneezes. It is a loud, most unladylike noise.
    â€œOh,” she says. “Excuse me!” she sniffs.
    Billy says, “God bless you, Miss.”
    Gunner Sharpie twitches.
    â€œAny tissues in that bag of yours, Billy?” she says.
    Billy shakes his head but digs a tissue out of his hoodie pocket – it’s mostly clean. Daisy releases her grip on his hoodie. He walks over to Jasmine and hands it to her.
    â€œWhy thank you,” she says. “You know, Billy, you are going to have to get this little book repaired – see the spine?”
    Billy creases his forehead. “Erm, Miss, we are kind of busy here,” he gestures back to his friends and Gunner Sharpie.
    â€œUm,” she pauses and tilts her head slightly, “really? All I’ve heard is mumbo jumbo.” She glances at Gunner Sharpie as she says this.
    He returns her glance with a cold, grey blue glare. There is no emotion in his face; his eyes look dead, so much so – dead, flat and empty.
    Daisy looks at Miss Beetle and then turns to Gunner Sharpie.
    â€œI don’t think you are a very nice man, Mr Sharpie,” she says.
    Gunner Sharpie jumps forward and grabs Daisy by the cuff of her rain mac; he has a short, sharp, silver knife in his hand and holds it to her neck. Daisy hangs limply; she is terrified.
    â€œNow,” he snarls. “Billy Spade, do as you are told.”
    Billy runs back to them.
    â€œPlease, Mr Sharpie, why are you doing this? Please let Daisy go, sir.”
    â€œYou deign to ask me why, little boy? You deign to ask Gadriel Sharpie why?” he hisses through his teeth and finishes in a cold, grey blue tone. “Because I can.”
    Rufus, Peter and Rex have got busy. Peter rolls his helmet behind Gunner Sharpie; Rex has run towards the wolves and howls at them. It is a most unusual sound but it achieves the desired result. They howl back in unison – the sound is primeval.
    Gunner Sharpie looks at them, in shock. Just at that moment, Rex jumps up and bites Gunner Sharpie on the bum. He yells and lets Daisy fall. He steps back and trips over the helmet rolling on to the ground.
    The wolves move as one, streaking across the ground at an astonishing