Free Unleashed! by J A Mawter Page A

tugging at Darcy’s sleeve. ‘I’d know that cry anywhere. Question is, where’s it coming from?’ She rushed to the reception office, still filled with darkness, and pressed her ear against the door.
    No-oh-w. No-oh-w. No-oh-w.
    ‘Not in here,’ announced Clem, pulling away. With long strides she paced round the compound, stopping every now and again to listen. Suddenly, she came to a standstill. She strained to hear, then frantically looked for something to climb on. Spotting the bin she called, ‘Darcy. Bryce. Over here.’
    Darcy ran over as Clem pushed the bin against the fence which was wooden and covered in ivy. ‘What are you doing?’ he asked as he grabbed Clem’s shoulder. ‘Clem, no.’
    Bryce grabbed Clem’s wrist, saying, ‘Are you crazy?’
    ‘Nup.’ Clem shrugged from the boys’ grasp. She stood with her hands on her hips, her head raised. ‘I’m going to jump the fence and you’re not going to stop me.’ She turned and pulled herself up on the bin.
    ‘No!’ Darcy grabbed a fistful of Clem’s shirt and tried to pull her down, but Clem kicked him away.
    Bryce gripped onto her ankle, saying, ‘We can’t break in. It’s illegal.’
    Another mournful cry pierced the air. ‘Listen to her!’ Clem snarled. ‘She’s hurting. We have to help her.’ Twisting from Darcy’s grasp and shaking free from Bryce she clambered the fence.
    The cry went up again. This time other dogs joined in. There was an explosion of barking.
    ‘Clem, don’t!’ Bryce broke into a sweat. His face went red as he thought of the consequences. ‘I can’t get into any more trouble. I just can’t.’
    Darcy felt torn. Part of him wanted to help Clem rescue the dog, whatever it took. And part of him felt sorry for Bryce.
    Clem stopped climbing. She hung suspended like a monkey from a branch and hissed, ‘Chickens! That’s what you both are—big fat chickens.’
    ‘We’ll come back tomorrow.’ Darcy looked around, worried about the noise. ‘Promise.’
    ‘Tomorrow isn’t good enough,’ snapped Clem as she almost lost her grip. ‘We have to find her, now.’ She tried to climb further but the vine was spindly and there was no toe-hold to lever herself up.
    ‘Clem!’ Darcy was yelling now. ‘No!’
    ‘I can’t believe you’re doing this.’
    ‘We don’t want to break in.’
    ‘But listen.’ Another mournful wail swelled, then faded, only to swell again. ‘How can we leave her?’
    ‘We have no choice.’
    Bryce stabbed the air with his finger. ‘I can’t afford to get in trouble, Clem. If I get caught I’ll be sent to juvenile detention. It’s all right for you but I’ve got too much to lose. We’ll do this tomorrow, legit. I’ll meet you first thing. Promise.’
    ‘Don’t bother!’ Clem was too angry to see the hurt in Bryce’s face.
    ‘See ya, then,’ said Bryce as he walked across the car park.
    ‘We’re coming, too,’ said Darcy. He followed Bryce, calling, ‘C’mon, Clem. Let’s go. We’ve done as much as we can today. We’ll be back tomorrow.’
    Darcy and Bryce picked up their bikes and settled themselves on the seats, strapping their helmets on. At the same time Clem began to climb down. She was part-way there when all of a sudden a light shone in her face.
    ‘Oy!’ said a man wearing navy overalls and black work boots. The man’s cap said Caretaker. ‘What you up to?’ He strode closer, pointing the beam in Clem’s eyes. She shimmied down the fence, then faltered, wondering where the bin was.
    ‘To your left!’ screamed Darcy, so hard it hurt his throat. As he fumbled to find his pedal, Clem’s foot finally made contact with the bin. ‘Run, Clem. Run!’
    ‘This way!’ called Bryce. ‘Quick!’
    Clem leapt towards the boys but the caretaker ducked and weaved and cut her off.
    ‘Aaaagh!’ Clem tried to backtrack but the man came after her.
    Darcy grabbed Clem’s bike from the fence. Riding in tandem he zoomed up to her, screaming, ‘Get on! Get