The Darkest Corners by Barry Hutchison Page B

told her. I looked up at the darkened hospital standing before us. ‘If Doc’s really in there, we’re going to need them.’

W e’d been hoping for shotguns. We found batons.
    They were the telescopic kind that extended out to about fifty centimetres and folded down to about twenty. We picked them up and swished them a few times, getting used to the weight.
    â€˜He could’ve left us some hand grenades or something,’ Ameena grumbled. ‘If he was so keen on helping us.’
    â€˜I’m sure he had his reasons,’ I shrugged, pulling the boot closed as quietly as I could manage.
    â€˜Or a bazooka, maybe.’
    I moved towards the wall, keeping low. There was no movement at any of the windows, and I couldn’t see anything moving around in the hospital grounds. It was dark, though, and I was all too aware that anything could be hiding in the shadows.
    â€˜Door’s over there,’ Ameena whispered. I followed her finger until I found the main entrance.
    â€˜Too obvious. There’s another door round the side. We’ll go that way.’
    â€˜OK. Want me to wait here?’
    â€˜No,’ I said. ‘Why would I?’
    â€˜No reason.’ She looked up at the hospital and shivered. ‘Just hoping.’
    â€˜If you don’t want to come, you don’t have to,’ I told her.
    â€˜Hey, trusty sidekick, remember?’ she said, and she made a passable attempt to grin. ‘I’ve got your back.’ Her smile faded and her face became solemn. ‘Promise.’
    â€˜Right then,’ I said. ‘Stick close together. Let’s go.’
    We jumped over the low wall, then discovered it was substantially further to fall on the other side. I landed badly and almost screamed as pain popped in my kneecap. It took a few moments of deep breathing before I could trust myself to open my mouth.
    â€˜Forgot about the drop,’ I muttered, and we began limping and running towards the main part of the building.
    We pressed ourselves against the wall. The windows were a metre above us, too high to see through. But the rooms beyond them were silent and dark.
    Keeping my head down, I moved round the building towards the side door. A few moments ago the baton had felt reassuringly solid, but now it slipped in my sweaty hand, and I couldn’t imagine it being of any use whatsoever. I gripped it tighter all the same.
    â€˜I don’t know if these will stop a porter,’ I whispered.
    â€˜Aim for the legs,’ Ameena said. ‘They’re the weak spots.’
    â€˜Oh yeah, I forgot. You’re all best friends, aren’t you?’ I said. It was partly meant as a joke, but it didn’t come out that way.
    â€˜No. I’ve never met one, not up close. But anyone living near Doc Mortis learns the best way to deal with a porter.’
    She was on the defensive now. ‘And it’s not like we all just hung about, you know? I grew up terrified of Mortis, hearing all these stories about him. Hearing about what he did to people. I didn’t even know him and your dad had some kind of truce figured out until today. I didn’t know they were working together. It’s not like I was ever kept in the loop.’
    I shrugged, but didn’t risk replying in case it came out sounding petty or angry. We were nearly at the side door. There was a sensor mounted above it, and it should have slid open at our approach. It didn’t move, though, and it occurred to me that the door would probably be locked.
    I stopped and studied the toughened glass. The room on the other side was too dark to see into.
    â€˜Should we smash it?’ I asked.
    Ameena elbowed me aside. ‘No; stand back. Watch this. You’re not the only one with magic powers, you know.’
    She clapped her hands once and rubbed them together. Then she pressed her palms flat against the glass. I held my breath and took another step back. Ameena moved her