The Lightning Bolt by Kate Forsyth Read Free Book Online Page A

don’t eat honey,’ Luka said. ‘Surely anything so delicious must be a sin?’
    They came into the house, laughing, Zizi riding high on Luka’s shoulder, her paw on his ear.
    They heard a bang from the kitchen, and at once Fairnette’s face sobered, and she hurried through the house.
    The boy with the woollen hood was stooped over the kitchen table, holding a jar pressed to his body with a thin, red, knobbly stick. He was trying to open the lid with his free hand, but could not manage it. The bang they had heard was him thumping his fist on the table with frustration.
    Emilia wondered why he did not just hold the jar in one hand and open it with the other, but the very next instant she realised with an awful shock that the red, knobbly stick was in fact the stump of his forearm. He had no hand.
    Just then, he glanced around.
    She gasped aloud.
    One side of his head was horribly scarred. His hair was burnt away, and his scalp was mottled red and white like a slice of sausage.
    He flinched away at the sound of Emilia’s gasp,and hunched his shoulders. ‘Who are they?’ he cried, his voice shrill. ‘Tell them to go away!’
    Fairnette rushed forward. ‘Are you hungry, Van? Here, let me open it for you!’
    â€˜I don’t want you to open it for me!’ he cried. ‘I want to do it myself!’
    â€˜It’s just a bit stiff, that’s all,’ Fairnette said, and went to pick up the jar.
    He struck her hand away. ‘Leave it alone! I don’t want any!’
    Fairnette was distressed. ‘Let me open it for you, Van. I don’t mind. Please. I don’t want you to be hungry.’
    â€˜What’s the use?’ he said in a voice of utter misery. ‘I can’t do anything. I can’t even open a stupid jar.’
    Zizi’s eyes had brightened at the sight of the jar, which she recognised as the one that held the dried apples. Paying no attention to the children, she swung herself down on to the table, picked up thejar and deftly opened it. She helped herself to a few dried apples, then, remembering her manners, held it out to Van, her head cocked to one side.
    There was a moment’s silence. Emilia held her breath, braced for another explosion from the scarred boy, but instead he slowly put out his hand and took one of the apple rings.
    Wondering what the other jars contained, Zizi swung herself up to the shelf and nimbly opened another. It held flour, which held no interest for her, though she dabbled at it with her tiny paws and tasted it, before spitting in distaste, screwing the lid back on, and trying the next, which held dried herbs. In the third jar she found fresh plums, which she adored. She gobbled a few down, then, wondering at the silence, looked round. In an instant she had bounded back to the table and was offering the jar to Van. Silently he took one with his good hand and ate it, and Zizi offered the jar to the others.

    â€˜Isn’t she a darling,’ Fairnette breathed.
    Van had a strange look on his face. ‘Oh, I wish . . .’ he murmured.
    Luka at once scowled and gathered Zizi close. ‘Don’t you go helping yourself, you naughty girl. What will everyone think of you? They’ll think you’re a very badly brought up monkey girl.’
    Zizi at once pretended to weep.
    â€˜Oh, don’t scold her,’ Fairnette cried. ‘Let herhave some more plums, Luka. I have plenty, really.’
    Zizi spread her fingers and peeped through coyly.
    â€˜Here, little monkey,’ Van said, and held out another of the reddish-green fruit.
    Zizi screeched with joy, then leapt to Van’s shoulder, taking the plum and eating it greedily. She held onto Van’s ear with her other paw, and he stood very still, hardly daring to breathe. Zizi spat the stone out into her paw and offered it to Van, and rather dazedly he took it.
    â€˜Isn’t she funny?’ Fairnette cried.
    â€˜She’ll