Temple Boys by Jamie Buxton Read Free Book Online

of them went off with Big and Red to get some food. When they came back with bread, cheese, and fresh vegetables, one of the followers produced a cloth and they spread the food out, then sat around it.
    â€œFlea, come and join us,” Yeshua called.
    Flea felt as if he were being torn apart, with half of him wanting to accept Yeshua’s invitation but the other half too proud. He went around the corner and sat down, hugging his knees with his back against the alley wall and the sound of people having fun burning inside him. What was wrong with him? The man had just cured Gaga and even that didn’t impress him. There was just something about Yeshua, something that tried to draw you in. That was it! He wanted to draw you in, but to what?
    â€œWhat are you doing?” a voice said. Flea looked up in surprise. The skinny girl who was always hanging around was standing in front of him. She was about Flea’s height, with gangly, skinny limbs. Her tunic was even shabbier than Flea’s. She had half a loaf of flatbread in one hand and an orange in the other.
    â€œWhat does it look like?” Flea snapped.
    â€œIt looks like you’re sulking,” the girl replied. “Here, want some bread?” Flea tried to wave her away.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” she persisted. She pointed at the magician and said, “Who’s that man?”
    â€œDon’t you know? He’s only meant to be the Chosen One,” Flea said.
    â€œWho chose him?” the girl asked.
    Flea opened his mouth to answer, then realized he didn’t know.
    â€œIf you ask me, he’s trouble,” she went on. “I heard people talking about him. They said he’s come to the city to mess things up.”
    â€œHow?”
    A shrug.
    â€œWell, if you don’t know, there’s no reason to hang around, is there?” Flea snarled.
    â€œNo reason for you to, either,” the skinny girl said calmly. “Why don’t you come with me? You could have some bread. I’ll even give you a bit of orange.”
    Flea’s mouth watered but he said, “You think I need your food? Anyway, I’ve got to stay here. Someone has to look out for the gang.”
    The girl gave him a level look that made him hate her. Another shrug. “See you, then,” she said, and walked off slowly.
    But she had given Flea an idea. If he found out more about Yeshua, then he could go to the gang and tell them.
    When Yeshua and his followers finally got up to leave, Flea hid. When Big and Little Big came looking for him, his heart lifted—for a moment.
    â€œThat’s it,” Big said. “You’ve just proved you’re a total loser.”
    â€œYeah,” Little Big said. “Loser.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, loser?” Flea protested. “You’re the loser. Who’s hanging out with—”
    â€œJust shut up, Flea,” Big said. “No one cares what you say. In fact, we’ve decided to kick you out.”
    â€œYou what?”
    â€œWe’re kicking you out of the Temple Boys. Not that you were ever in the gang. You just bored us into letting you stay.”
    â€œBut I do stuff. I get the water. I—”
    â€œYeah, you were useful, but now you’re not. You’re just annoying. We’re moving on and you’ve made it clear what you think.”
    â€œBut I’m allowed to say—”
    â€œShut up.”
    â€œâ€¦ to say…”
    Big picked up a stone and tossed it from hand to hand.
    â€œâ€¦ what I think.”
    The stone thumped hard into the middle of Flea’s chest and suddenly he was sitting down, feeling as if the air had been sucked from the world around him.
    â€œBut—” he managed to gasp.
    â€œJust get out.”
    Big picked up another stone and Flea staggered to his feet and out of the alley, folding his arms against the pain.

 
    12
    It was the worst night of Flea’s life. Worse than