A Bridge to the Stars Read Online Free PDF Page B

horrible thought he would
rather not entertain.
    The trouble is that Samuel always takes such a long
time to make up his mind. When there is only one red
bicycle, he has to get a move on.
    Joel takes one last look at the bike, then goes round to
the back of the building for a pee.
    A single bulb in a broken shade is shining over the
back door. Joel pees into the snow and tries to write his
name. It's not hard to write Joel, but he never has
enough for more than half the surname. He kicks some
snow over the yellow letters and refastens his fly.
Without really knowing why, he walks up to the back
door and tries it. Perhaps he's afraid that somebody
might try to steal The Flying Horse.
    To his astonishment he discovers that the door is
unlocked. He can see right into the shop. See the bikes
in the illuminated display window. The counter and the
cash register.
    His heart is pounding as Joel does what he really
doesn't dare to do.
    He closes the door behind him, tiptoes past the
counter and goes to the bike that one day will be his.
    There's a nice smell of oil and rubber. The saddle is
wrapped up in paper. To keep it clean.
    I'm not going to think at all, he tells himself. I'm
simply going to do what I want to do but don't really
dare.
    He slowly removes the bicycle from its place in the
window display and wheels it towards the back door. He
cautiously opens the door and peers out. It's almost
stopped snowing. He carries the bike down the steps,
switches on the dynamo on the front wheel, then pedals
off. He turns into Norra Vägen, where the sanded road
surface hasn't yet been covered in newly-fallen snow.
And he keeps on going.
    When he gets to the Hedevägen crossroads he stops
and listens for traffic, but all is quiet and he sets off
again. It's hard not to think. Not to be scared stiff of
what he's doing.
    I've become a Petty Thief, he thinks as he climbs the
hill leading to the railway station. A Petty Thief who
can't keep his hands off what isn't his.
    He tries to calm himself down with the thought that
he had no intention of stealing the bicycle, merely of
trying it out.
    Maybe he ought to write a note to Anton Wiberg and
pin it to the door? Saying that The Secret Society's night
patrol has discovered a back door unlocked and been
keeping a lookout for Petty Thieves all night long . . .
    He climbs up the hill to the railway station and is
concentrating so hard on not falling over and damaging
the bike that he forgets to listen out for cars.
    Suddenly, out of nowhere, two headlights are coming
straight at him. He gives a start and swerves towards the
side of the road.
    Now I'm done for, he thinks in desperation. I've
nowhere to hide.
    The front wheel skids into the snow piled up in the
gutter and before he knows where he is, he falls over and
the bike lands on top of him in the snow. He can hear the
car pulling up behind him, a door opening, then winter
boots squelching in the snow.
    It's Dad, he thinks. I didn't mean it. I wasn't going to
steal it, I was just going to . . .
    'Are you all right?' he hears a voice saying.
    When he looks up he sees The Old Bricklayer standing
over him, his woolly hat pulled down over his ears.
    'Have you hurt yourself?' he asks. 'What on earth are
you doing at this time of night, cycling around town?'
    Joel feels a strong arm pulling him up out of the
snowdrift.
    Simon Windstorm is mad, he thinks. He's going to
kill me.
    'You seem to be OK,' says Windstorm. 'Go back
home to bed now! I won't insist on knowing what you're
doing out here at this time. That's none of my business.
Me, I drive around at night in my lorry because I can't
get to sleep. Off you go now!'
    The Old Bricklayer mutters something to himself then
goes back to his lorry and drives away. Joel wheels the
bike back to the shop as quickly as he can. He carries it
up the steps, opens the back door and puts it back in the
display window. He tries to wipe it clean with his woolly
hat, but the frame is scratched in one place and he