The End Read Free Page A

snuffling around, tails wagging.
    ‘They’ve found something,’ said the hunter. ‘A scent.’
    ‘What do you reckon it is?’ Ryan asked, joining the boy. ‘An animal? Another dog?’
    The hunter was sniffing the air. He wrinkled his nose.
    ‘I reckon it’s the bastards we’re looking for,’ he said. ‘Must have got inside.’
    ‘Bastards?’ said Paddy, looking at Achilleus.
    ‘Is what they call grown-ups,’ Achilleus explained.
    Ryan was walking round the building. ‘Check and see if there’s any openings,’ he said.
    ‘Here!’ shouted another hunter. ‘There’s an open door. And I can smell them. There is definitely at least one bastard in there.’

3
    It was dark inside the building. The open door they went through led to a narrow, dirty corridor. This was probably a service area, behind the main gallery. Paddy kept close to Achilleus. The smell of the stuff the grown-up had sprayed on him was much worse in here in these cramped conditions.
    ‘Jesus, Paddywhack,’ said Achilleus. ‘Did you just open your lunch box?’
    Paddy said nothing. He was gagging and struggling not to be sick again, his head spinning. Felt like he might actually pass out. This was the smell of death, he thought.
    It really wouldn’t be cool to throw up again. There was never enough food and to puke half of it up like he’d done, that was bad. He so wanted to hang on to the rest of what was inside him, even though it churnedin his guts like acid. His dogs used to eat their own sick. Nothing went to waste. Paddy wondered how hungry he’d have to be to do something like that. He was shaking, his teeth rattling in his skull. He tried to tell himself that it was because he was cold. His clothes were damp from the spray and as it dried it cooled. It wasn’t that, though. He knew it wasn’t that.
    Paddy wasscared. No argument. He never used to get this freaked out, but lately it had got worse. He’d gone outwest with Achilleus and the Holloway kids. That had been a nasty experience. He knew how easy it was to get hurt, to get killed. Before joining up with Achilleus’s crew he hadn’t been that bothered about staying alive. His world had been sick and painful and friendless. Now he hadgood friends and a better life, he wanted to hold on to them.
    Stupid to get killed now, here in this dumb building in the middle of the park. As long as he was with Akkie, though, he’d be OK. Everything would be all right …
    The corridor passed by a kitchen. Nothing worth scavenging in there. It had been cleaned out months ago by the look of it, probably last year when everythingstarted to go wrong. There was really nothing of any use. All there was, was grown-ups.
    Ryan was leading the way, his big dog sniffing the air, tensed up. He held up his hand and they all stopped. Ryan had brought four of his hunters in with him and two of his dogs, the biggest two. The others had stayed outside with the rest of the pack.
    Paddy still had the Gáe Bolg , itsblade covered with dried blood, turning crusty. Stupid. He should have cleaned it. He wasn’t doing his job. When this was over, he needed to clean all the weapons. He didn’t want Achilleus to get mad at him.
    Oh God, but he wanted to be sick. His skull was pounding and he had a headache coming on that you wouldn’t believe. Was it too late to go back outside and join the others? Getsome fresh air.
    Which was scarier? Going back outside without Achilleus or staying in here with him … and the grown-ups.
    Ryan beckoned them on and Paddy went with them. They rounded the end of the corridor and Paddy saw thebig open space of the gallery off to their left. Back here there were a number of smaller rooms, storerooms mostly by the look of them. The dogs were sniffingand whining at the closed door of one, the fur sticking up all along their backs.
    ‘Hold!’ said Ryan and his dog moved away, obeying him. The hunter with the other dog pulled him back on his chain. Ryan looked to his team.