Dancing Jax. Robin Jarvis

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ It tickled him and he hopped about manically. Spiders of light came leaping from his arms and legs.

      Tesco Charlie could barely make out what was happening. It was a blur of brilliant blue zigzags and shapes, but he thought it was amazing and threw back his head to yell out his delight.

      “Begin,” Jezza said to Howie.

      The tattooist had been very quiet and now, when they looked at him, they saw that his piercings were spitting with strands of flickering blue flame and yet he seemed oblivious to it.

      “And so the Holy Enchanter dared what only the Dawn Prince before had done,” he said, reading out loud from the book. “For there was no other way to bring order to the warring Court. With great courage, he stepped up to the Waiting Throne and proved that only he was worthy of becoming the Ismus. Only he could rule in his Lord’s absence and so the pact was made and sealed with fire!”

      On that last word there was a deafening clap of thunder and a bolt of lightning came shooting down. It slammed into the iron chair. There was a shrill, razoring chime and the coals within exploded in flames.

      Everyone cried out and covered their faces. Shiela turned to run, but the alley between the containers was alive with electricity. The forking streaks were rebounding from wall to wall, forming an impassable and lethal fence.

      Manda was sobbing into her hands, but Howie’s voice was louder.

      “From that day the Holy Enchanter’s word was law,” he declaimed. The studs in his bottom lip were wreathed with cold fire that snaked throughout his gingery beard. “And none who beheld that contract dared conspire against him! His authority was absolute.”

      The coals within the iron chair were blazing and beginning to glow a cherry red. Then Shiela realised what was about to happen.

      “No,” she breathed in horror. But she couldn’t stop it. Though her mind told her it was insane, she knew this was meant to be. This was how it must be. Howie’s voice was fogging her judgement. She thought she was back in that castle, looking up at the throne, and the entire Court was gathered around them, holding their breath with fear and wonder.

      Jezza removed his leather jacket and slipped off his boots. Howie continued reading from the book and still Queenie danced.

      Then the rain began. The iron chair hissed and the flames died within the charcoal. The electric forces around them dimmed and were extinguished. Jezza was naked now. With his head bowed, he approached the Waiting Throne.

      “Don’t!” Shiela begged, her reason struggling to the fore. “You’ll die!”

      Her boyfriend did not respond, but Howie turned to her and in a solemn, commanding voice said, “Have faith, Labella.”

      And then, as the rain teemed down, Miller stepped forward, all expression gone from his face. The burly man lifted Jezza by the waist and lowered him on to the scorching metal of the chair and Jezza pressed his bare back against it.

      Shiela covered her ears. His shrieks were louder than the thunder that boomed across the harbour. She saw him clench his teeth so tightly that every vein stood out across his neck and chest and he placed his arms on those of the chair. Another howl of thunder – or was it merely him?

      Miller bowed and walked backwards.

      “Enough!” Shiela screamed, breaking through the enchantment that had smothered her. “That’s enough!”

      Darting forward, she seized Jezza’s hands and pulled him clear. He went rolling on the ground, curled up in a ball, choking with his pain-filled cries.

      When she saw the state of his back, she grabbed one of the water carriers and emptied it over him.

      “Call an ambulance!” she shouted. “Hurry!”

      “No!” Howie answered.

      “He’ll die!” she yelled. “Look at him – look at that!”

      “It’s beautiful,” the tattooist said admiringly. “Such exquisite work.”

      The girl stared at him for an instant. Had everyone gone crazy? Howie was normally so level-headed and sensible. She reached for her phone and was about to dial 999 when a trembling hand knocked it from her grip.

      “No hospitals!” Jezza struggled to say. “No doctors! I must… endure it alone.”

      “Jezza!” she protested. “You need help.”

      “There is no Jezza!” he screamed back at her. Then he collapsed and lay sprawled face down on the floor, the rain lashing across his body.

      Shiela looked round at the others. They were staring at the man at her feet. The throne had seared strange symbols and ancient writing into his flesh.

      “The contract is made,” Howie announced. “Lift the Ismus. We must bear him from this place.”

      With the utmost reverence, Miller, Tommo and Dave approached the unconscious man. Tesco Charlie had put his glasses back on and brought a blanket from his cab. They covered the Ismus with it and gently carried him inside the container on the back of the lorry.

      Shiela watched in disbelief. Even Manda and Queenie were playing along with it now, walking behind them like overawed worshippers.

      Howie emptied the other two water carriers over the Waiting Throne and clouds of steam billowed upwards.

      “Come, Labella,” he said, emerging from the white vapour with a beatific smile widening in his beard. “Rejoice. We have a Lord to rule over us and govern the Dancing Jacks. When the Ismus recovers from the Great Ordeal and arises, order shall be restored.”

      Shiela could not comprehend what had happened that night. But she knew they had all taken a step towards something sinister and final and there was no going back.

       Chapter 9

      “IT’S ALL QUIET here today, but on Friday night, right behind me, outside the historic Landguard Fort here in Felixstowe, tragedy occurred – a tragedy that claimed the lives of many local young people. At nine o’clock last night several thousand were gathered here to take part in a supposed flash mob. Each of them had been invited via an anonymous email that the police are currently trying to trace. Details are not completely clear yet, but something sparked a riot and, while that was going on, a car came hurtling down this approach road, seemingly out of control. It skidded then crashed into another car, parked over there in that car park, and exploded. The second car followed moments after. You can only imagine the terror, the panic.”

      A cool female voice interrupted.

      “Have the police made any further statement as to how the car came to be out of control?”

      The man on the screen shook his head. “Not as yet,” he said. “The forensic teams are still combing the wreckage and the area, as you can see behind me. But eyewitnesses we’ve spoken to say there was smoke coming out of the car even before the crash. Others claim to have seen flames.”

      “Thank СКАЧАТЬ