Clockwork Dolls - FF by R. W. Whitefield - FF Read Free Book Online Page A

accelerate.
    Maggie pulled Dave close and spoke into his ear.
    “Keep inside the circle. We should be safe here.”
    “Should be, or will be?”
    By now frost covered all the surface of the windows, so thick it looked almost opaque. The noise of the engine revving up sounded as if it came from right beside them. The wind whistled, sending their hair flying, tugging at their clothes. The floor froze underfoot, cold biting into Dave’s feet and ankles. A twin beam of headlights ran around the walls.
    As quickly as it had started, it stopped. Everything went completely silent again.
    Maggie and Dave looked at each other, fear in both their eyes, their breath steaming in the air, their skin pale, almost blue from the cold.
    A loud bang came from the front of the house. Maggie started to move but Dave tightened his grip on her hand, keeping her close to him.
    “It could be a trick,” he said.
    The noise was repeated. The banging became more frantic.
    “Dave?”
    It’s Jim.
    Dave started to move. This time Maggie pushed him backwards.
    “Don’t leave the circle. I’ll go.”
    She let go of his hand and stepped out of the circle. She stood, just outside Dave’s reach, and waited to see if an attack would come. Nothing happened.
    Jim Barr banged hard on the front door again. Maggie went out into the hall beyond and now Dave could only see her as a dark silhouette. Beyond her there was a darker shadow looming outside the front door.
    “Is everything OK?” Dave shouted.
    “Shush!” Maggie replied in a mock whisper.
    Renewed thumping on the front door caused Maggie to jump again.
    “For fuck’s sake, Dave. Let us in. It’s coming back.”
    Maggie relented and opened the door. Jim Barr stood there, holding up an unconscious, bleeding Jane. Even as the door opened, Jim started to fall. Maggie got to him just in time. With Jim half-carrying Jane, and Maggie trying to support all three, they staggered towards the main room.
    Dave started to step out of the circle.
    “No. Stay there,” Maggie shouted. “I’ve got this.”
    She pushed Jim and Jane into the circle. Jane’s trailing leg caught some of the crystals, sending them rolling across the hardwood boards.
    Wind blew through the room. An engine, impossibly loud, revved up. Light washed across the walls.
    “Take them,” Maggie said to Dave. “I’ve got to complete the circle.”
    Dave nearly fell over as he took charge of the combined weight of Jim and Jane. Jim crumpled, exhausted, to the floor, taking Jane down with him as Maggie moved to fix the gap. She had to step outside the protection to fetch the last two crystals. The engine howled in anger, and the wind buffeted her, threatening to knock her sideways. She forced her way against it, stepped back into the circle and placed the crystals on the floor.
    The room fell quiet and still once more. The only sound was Jim’s labored breathing.
    “What happened?” Dave said.
    Jim looked up, tears in his eyes.
    “Wind, lights, noise…it all happened so fast. I never even saw what I hit.”

June 11 th

    The cop interrupted Dave again.
    “Wait a minute. You’re saying it was all the fault of some noise and wind?”
    Dave nodded wearily.
    “I told you that you wouldn’t believe me.”
    “You were right. You’re going to need more than just a good lawyer, son,” the cop said. “You’re going to need a miracle. And as for all of this noise and wind…where is it now?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “And that’s going to be your defense, is it?” the cop asked, putting on a sing-song, childish voice. “It wasn’t me. A big invisible thing did it and ran away.”
    An engine revved up nearby, and a shadow ran around the walls of the interview room. Dave flinched, but the noise wasn’t repeated. He sat back in the too-small chair and sighed.
    “If you liked that, then you’ll love the rest of it.”

June 10 th

    Jane bled from a head wound. Jim was bent over her, trying to coax her into opening her