Free Dan and the Dead by Thomas Taylor Page B

look up and get smacked in the gob by a boot, but in the mirror I spot a whole display’s worth of ladies’ shoes pile through Bagsy’s windscreen, stiletto heels and all.
    â€˜A creditable hit!’ cries Si, as Bagsy’s car appears to lose control.
    But I’ve got no time to cheer along. I fight with the wheel again and bring the limo into a straight line, and thank Death there’s a second shop window at the back, facing onto the next street. With a crash like athunderclap, we erupt through it and back out into the night.
    I skid round onto the road, and the engine gives a cough. The tank must be nearly dry.
    I look behind and I can hear sirens everywhere, even the thrum-thrum of a helicopter, but there’s no police to be seen. As I watch, I see Bagport’s car trundle out of the ruin of the shoe shop and turn into the road behind us.
    But I’ve noticed something else. We’re not going to make it home, that’s for sure, but I know the street we’re in really well. It’s a street I see five days a week, because at the end of it is my school.
    And tonight’s the night of the school show, remember? Crowds. I’ll be safe there until the police catch us up.
    I press the accelerator to the floor, but even as we surge forward there’s a falling off of power and the engine coughs again.
    â€˜Come on!’
    I jab my foot up and down, and I see the entrance to my school up ahead, but just then Bagport and Ringpull get abreast of me again, and Bagport points his pistol.
    How much freakin’ ammo have they got?!
    I set the wheel for the school gate – there’s no time to turn into it properly – and drop below the dashboard. Bagsy fires two shots. The front tire explodes and we go into a spin. I brace myself and shout ‘Crapsticks!’ as we pile smack bang into the brick gateposts of my school with a sound like the end of the world.

18
GUBIE GETS HIS WAY

    When I sit up, my head is ringing. There’s light dancing around me and smoke and heat.
    â€˜Daniel!’ says Si. ‘Daniel, get out! The car is ablaze.’
    It’s true. But with petrol pouring through the back of the car all that time, this shouldn’t be suprising. I shake the confusion out of my head, reset my purple specs, and try the door.
    Locked.
    I shuffle over to the passenger seat and the buckled door falls open, tumbling me out onto the tarmac of the school car park. I look about as I lie on the ground and see Bagport’s small car has smashed into the chain link fence, and wedged tightly, half way through. As I watch, I see movement in the front seat and Bagsy’s door opens.
    â€˜Gargh!’ he shouts, and before I can get to my feet, he raises his pistol at me and pulls the trigger.
    Click!
    â€˜Get up and run!’ Ems and Si shout exactly the same thing and I don’t need to be told twice. I’m on my feet, clutching Gubie’s apparatus with his skull rattling around inside, and I stagger to the school. Behind me police cars are screeching up to the school gate, but the limo, which is blazing furiously as the computers catch alight, is wedged between the gateposts and blocking the way.
    So much for all that evidence.
    I stumble up to the school door and heave it open. The lights are on. The door to the assembly hall is at the far end and I see it’s packed for the school show, and hear the tortured wail of a lone violin from within.
    Standing in front of the door is the leering ghost of Silas Lugubrian.
    â€˜You were never really going to avoid this moment, you do realize that, don’t you, boy?’
    The violin misses a high note, and makes a sound like scraping ribcages.
    â€˜That’s what I like most about you, Gubie,’ I say, running towards him, clutching his apparatus. ‘Your cheery, smiley ways.’
    He steps to one side and bows to the door.
    â€˜Enter! Your destiny and my fortune