Robyn and the Hoodettes by Ebony McKenna Read Free Book Online

vertical
to the wall.
    “ Keep listening to me, keep doing what I say,” she said,
between coughing fits.
    With a pained voice Marion said, “You’re loving this, aren’t
you.”
    “ Oh yes.” When all else failed, there was sarcasm.
    Just as she’d described it, the stones really were set apart
like rungs on a ladder. It was easy to find footholds and handgrips
at regular intervals. “That’s it, you’re doing great. Now, move
your right hand down here, and grab on to the top of this stone.
That’s it. Good. We’re getting there.”
    Was it her imagination, or were the stones getting warmer? Now
that they’d moved a couple of painful stone courses downwards, the
smoke started to clear around them.
    Yet it felt hotter.
    Because the tower was acting like a chimney, sucking in air
through the bottom and sending it racing up to the top. The middle
floors were completely alight, conducting heat into the tower
walls. Thank goodness they weren’t still up on the top, they’d be
dead by now. “You’re doing it. We’re both still alive, and we can
tell Mother Eleanor and Joan all about it when we get
down.”
    Mother and Joan? Robyn prayed they were waiting this out
somewhere safe, somewhere down by the river.
    “ You’re doing great. Keep listening to me,” Robyn said,
desperate not to utter an ominous, “don’t look down”.
    Block by block, limb by wobbly limb, they descended. The
stones felt hotter than ever, but there was no way to protect their
skin. She pulled her tunic sleeve over her palm, but it made it
harder to grip the bricks. They’d have blisters for sure, but
they’d also have breath in their body and that was always a
bonus.
    “ I can’t do it,” Marion said, every muscle shaking.
    “ Yes you can, you’re nearly there.”
    Marion pressed his body into the stones as if he could merge
with them.
    Robyn opened her mouth and her mother came out. “Look at me
Marion. Open your eyes and look at me.”
    It worked though, Marion did open his eyes.
    Praise the saints!
    “ Here’s the thing. You won’t tell anyone I can’t read, I won’t
tell anyone about this. Deal?”
    A faint smile spread over his face. “Deal.” It came out in a
whisper.
    “ Left hand, move it down to the next block, got it? Good,
now move your right leg, that way you’re covering more space and
spreading your weight out more evenly. Good. Now move your right
hand, and then your left leg. Right?”
    “ You said left.”
    “ Don’t get smart.” Relief flooded Robyn. Back-chatting had
to be a good sign.
    They were doing it. And the stones weren’t as hot all of a
sudden. They must be lower than she thought. Looking down at last,
Robyn nearly laughed.
    “ We can jump from here,” she said.
    “ What?”
    “ Look down.”
    With a gulp, Marion obeyed and looked down. Then he too
laughed with relief. They’d climbed all the way down between the
arches and were only three stone courses above the
ground.
    Robyn let go of the wall and landed with a welcome thud on the
ground. Marion landed a short while later, having jumped from the
second course.
    The village of Littleton flamed on around them.
    The tower beside them reduced to a shell.
    All the supplies they’d tried to save had been in that tower.
Now they fell as ashes.
    They were alive, but they had nothing.
    “ Water,” Marion said, getting to his feet and holding his hand
out to help Robyn up.
    When they reached the river, Robyn slumped into it,
covering her entire body with coldness. What sweet relief it was to
cool her burned palms and baked body in the water.
    “ Robyn! Marion! Thank heavens you’re all right!” Joan and
Eleanor came running up to them and splashed into the edge of the
river. Eleanor stopped at the banks. “Get out of there, you’ll
drown!” She ordered.
    “ It’s only waist deep!” Robyn said.
    “ I don’t care. Water is for cooking, not bathing,” Eleanor
said, reaching her hand out to her daughter. “Now get
out.”
    “