Kit's Wilderness by David Almond Read Free Book Online Page B

Allie leaning in toward us, desperation on her face.
    “Don’t wake him!” she yells. “Don’t wake him, stupid Burning Bush!”
    Tears are pouring from her eyes. “Don’t wake him!” she yells.
    Burning Bush lifts me further from the floor.
    “Come on,” she says. “Come on. Wake up, Kit Watson.”
    She glares up at the faces. “What
is
this?” she shouts. “What’s been going on?”
    The faces disappear. Only Allie stays, staring in, weeping.
    “Come and
help
us,” says Burning Bush.
    And Allie clambers in. The two of them haul me to my feet. My legs are leaden. I remember nothing, just darkness, nothingness. I hear whispering, giggling. I see skinny bodies shifting at the edges of my vision. I turn and turn my head, trying to see them true.
    “Kit!” says Burning Bush. “Come on, Kit! Snap out of it.”
    They help me up toward the entrance and out into the light.
    I scan the wilderness. Children are scattering away across the grass toward their homes.
    Burning Bush names them as they flee.
    “Daniel Sharkey,” she says. “Robert Carr, Louise McCall . . .”
    We rest on the grass. Burning Bush’s face is set in anger.
    “What
is
this?” she demands.
    Allie strokes my face, my hair, my shoulders.
    A dark thickset figure and a dog move away along the riverbank.
    “And John Askew,” whispers Burning Bush. “I might have known. John Askew.”

 
    PART TWO
----
    Winter

 

    N ext day, all but one of us stood in Chambers’ office. He had Burning Bush’s report in front of him, and the list of our names. He watched us, as if he was mystified, as if we were strangers to him. He said he was troubled to see such leanings to darkness in those who were so young and who had such bright futures before them. “What am I to make of it?” he said. “How can you explain it?” Outside, frost had formed on the wilderness. I peered out past Chambers’ confused face. Askew was out there, a black figure on the white ground, walking heavily through the white misty air. Bundled up in heavy clothes, black woolen hat pulled down over his head, sketch pad under his arm, Jax by his side.
    “Watson!” snapped Chambers. He peered into my eyes. “Can’t you even concentrate on what I’m saying, boy?”
    I tore my eyes away from Askew. The others told the story of the game: the way we played it, the way we died, the way we came back to life again. Chambers asked about Askew, and it was agreed that yes, it had been Askew’s game and Askew’s den, and Bobby went on to cry and say that we couldn’t help ourselves, that there was evil in Askew. That he had enticed us and threatened us. That we were under his spell. Daniel and Louise nodded their heads at that.
    “Yes,” they whispered. “We couldn’t help ourselves. Askew is evil. We were under his spell.”
    They hung their heads and said they would never go near Askew again.
    Allie clicked her tongue.
    “Yes, Alison?” said Chambers.
    “Well,” she said. “It’s nonsense. It was just a stupid game, that’s all. And Askew’s just a lout. A caveman. Evil, huh!”
    Chambers pondered.
    “Be careful,” he whispered. “There is such a thing as evil in the world. And it may well be that those who doubt it are those at most risk from it.”
    He scribbled in his notebook.
    “Christopher?” he said. “You’re very quiet.”
    I shrugged. “No,” I said. “He isn’t evil. There’s good in everyone. There’s good in Askew. He’s just different from the rest of us. And it was just a game.”
    Chambers shook his head and went on writing.
    “You’re just children,” he said. “Innocents. It is our duty to protect you. You have to understand that there are people who can lead us into great danger.”
    He looked at our faces one by one. He said the board of governors would decide what action should be taken against us.
    “I think that our Mr. Askew will be taking his leave of us,” he said. “Make sure you don’t follow him into the