Whisper Gatherers by Nicola McDonagh Read Free Book Online

or two phrases that I’d rather have not heard.
    “Catcher of Birds.”
    “Meat Bringer. She can serve us.”
    “My ‘nuncle’s a Carnie, hiding out near the Woodsfolk camp. In with the Agros he is. When I give him this info I can barter with him and get that 3D replicator I saw in a tech mag.”
    “I’ll get her to bring down all the birybirds. We can have a right real feast. Why should the Carnies have all the fun?”
    “We can sell her to the Agros. Then we’ll never go without.”
    So it continued. My head buzzed with talk of how folk could use me for their ill-gotten gains. The hubbub grew. The hundreds of Citydwellers that had sat so placid throughout this ordeal, rose as one and moved in on Greatgrangran and myself.
    Before I could grab her and rush to safety, the mass of greedy folk had surrounded us. I began to wonder whether the Carnie’s gas bomb was fuelled with some kind of mind-bending drug to make these sissy’s crave flesh so. I called to Santy and thought I heard her call back, but I couldn’t be sure such was the din coming from the throats of my potential attackers.
    “What’s going on? Get your silly selves away from me and mine,” Grangran said and started swatting folk with her niknakbag.
    I took a defensive stance. Jabbed out at those that tried to grab me. Santy trained me well. I was goodly indeed when up against a scrap. Only two full moons ago I defeated all and sundry at the somewhat illegal ‘Rough House Games.’ However, then unlike now, my assailants attacked individually, not on mass. I felt many hands grip onto my arms, legs and shoulders. Before I could protest at the outrage of it all, I was lifted up into the air and carried towards the exit.
    I wriggled and they flipped me over so that I saw the floor instead of the ceiling. I was jiggled about so much that my innards spun and tumbled, for a sec I thought that I would barf. Then I heard a familiar voice say, “Put her down or by the OneGreatProvider, I and the other S.A.N.T.S. will rope you like the Praisebees.”
    “You can try if you like,” someone said. I heard a dull thud, then I was dropped.
    However, I did not fall flat on my face, as two outstretched arms caught me before I hit the ground. Meilyr held me close. I wrapped my arms around him and almost shed a tear. “Quickly, get her out of the building,” Santy said. I lifted my head and saw her thwack and wallop folk after folk that tried to yank me from the staffnursy’s grip. Yep, that gas contained something nasty all right. These placid dwellers were out for blood.
    Meilyr let me down, holding onto me with one arm whilst striking out with the other each time a hand reached towards my bod. I kicked, spat and clawed at anyone who came near. But they were as if possessed by the very phantoms they believed had risen. Despite mine, Santy’s, and Meilyr’s best efforts, I was ripped away from his protective grip.
    Hauled backwards by the belt with astonishing speed, I thought I would take off. The Cityfolk swarmed after. Orva appeared from who knows where, gave me a thumbs up sign, then turned and fired a barrage of small pellets at the advancing mob. They fell to the ground, hands over their head, yelling as if they had been smacked with a tree trunk. We came to a halt. A strong arm swivelled me around, hauled me up and onto their shoulders. I looked down at the upturned face smiling at me. “Ta.” Dreng gave me a wink and ran full pelt up the steps.
    Orva followed close behind, pushing the Headteach and the sheriff to the ground. Then she pressed a button that I thought would activate the curfew bell, but to my surprise, saw a door open at the back of the stage. Dreng put me down and whispered in my ear, “Run as fast as you can. We will be right behind ye. Don’t stop until ye reach the end wall.” He pushed me. I did as he said and ran into the dark space.
    It was too dim for me to get a clear look at where I was. I stretched my arms out to the side