The Wooden Skull by Benjamin Hulme-Cross Read Free Book Online Page B

“How do we stop it?” he said, “we have to help Mary!”
    â€œDestroy the skull and we destroy the double,” said Mr Blood. “Hurry, we have to get to the bridge.”

    They ran out of the inn and towards the river, shouting Mary’s name. People stopped and stared at them as they raced along the road. Up ahead they could see the bridge.
    And then they saw Mary. She was walking onto the bridge.
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    â€œMary!” cried Edgar. “Don’t do it!”
    She turned and smiled at him. He saw another Mary standing on the bridge. This Mary looked very tired and sad.
    â€œThat’s the real Mary!” Mr Blood shouted. “The girl nearer us is the double. I’ll deal with her. You get to the real Mary. Get that skull away from her and destroy it.” Mr Blood took a knife from his belt and raced towards the double.
    The double gave an evil smile. Mr Blood sprang at her but she stepped to one side and kicked him. He flew through the air and crashed through a shop window. Mr Blood got up and went for her again.
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    Edgar ran past the false Mary and onto the bridge. The real Mary didn’t seem to see him as he came close to her.
    â€œMary, give me the skull,” Edgar begged. Mary didn’t answer. She was staring back along the bridge.
    She looked tired and ill. But as Edgar watched, her face began to change. The colour came back to her cheeks and she smiled. She seemed happy and calm.

    Then Edgar remembered that the man on the bridge had done the same thing just before he jumped.
    Behind Mary, Edgar saw a cart coming from the other side of the bridge. It was pulled by two horses. Edgar looked behind him. The double was walking forward, towards the real Mary. There was no sign of Mr Blood.
    The double stepped up onto the wall at the side of the bridge. The real Mary did the same.
    â€œMary! No!” Edgar cried.

    Edgar ran towards the real Mary. He grabbed at the skull that she held in her hand, and snatched it away from her, pulling her off the wall and onto the bridge. Mary lashed out at him and scratched his face with her nails. The double screamed and sprang at Edgar.
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    As the cart passed them, Edgar threw the double skull under its wheels.
    The horses reared up wild with terror. The skull cracked as the cart ran over it.
    The fake Mary howled and stumbled sideways, to the edge of the bridge. Then she tripped and toppled over the wall. With one final scream, Mary’s double fell into the dark river.
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    Mr Blood came limping onto the bridge and Edgar ran over to help Mary. Her eyes flickered and opened. She stared up at him.
    â€œEdgar, how did you get those scratches on your face?” she asked.

Bloomsbury Education
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    First published 2015
    Text © Benjamin Hulme-Cross 2015
    Illustrations © Nelson Evergreen 2015
    All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage or retrieval systems – without the prior permission in writing from the publishers.
    British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
    A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
    ISBN
    Â Â Â Â  PB: 978-1-4729-0831-5
    Â Â ePub: 978-1-4729-0832-2
    ePDF: 978-1-4729-0833-9
    Â XML: 978-1-4729-2790-3
    Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
    A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
    This book is produced using paper that is made from wood grown in managed, sustainable forests. It is natural, renewable and recyclable. The logging and manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations