Gabriel's Clock Read Online Free PDF Page B

rest of his face. “Do you know how you got here?”
    Jonathan frowned as he tried to make sense of what had happened. But the man had said he was safe . . . Perhaps he could help Dad, too?
    â€œThe cottage! Dad! Those . . . things! Mom pulled me out, and we got into the car and . . .” Jonathan put his hand to his forehead. Everything after that was mostly a blur. But he knew he had one important question. “Is Mom here?” he asked, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill down his face.
    Grimm shook his head. “You’ve been here a week, lad. We found you in the churchyard. You were unconscious and sporting a nasty head wound. There was nobody else about.”
    â€œBut Mom put me in the car . . . Why would she just leave me here?” Jonathan cried. “I need to go find out what happened to Dad, too. He could be hurt.” Unable to lock it away any longer, he put his head in his hands and sobbed. A week? How could his dad have survived a week in all that rubble?
    Grimm placed a huge, reassuring hand on Jonathan’s shoulder and let him cry. With tears filling his eyes, Jonathan was unable to see the look of anguish on Grimm’s face—the big man was distraught as a result of lying to the new arrival.
    â€œLook, Jonathan,” he said at last, “we’re going to help you, it’s what we do here. Hobbes End is a safe place, and I guess your mother must have known that—it must be why she brought you here. You mentioned something about a cottage and your dad?”
    Jonathan nodded, and Grimm handed him a tissue to wipe his eyes and nose.
    â€œWell,” said Grimm. “I can help with that. You aren’t going anywhere farther than the bathroom for another week, so how about you give me the address you were living at, and I’ll go and take a look for you?”
    Jonathan gave Grimm a sad smile. “Thank you,” he said, relieved that someone seemed to believe him and was going to help.
    â€œRight,” said Grimm. “I’m going to get you a mug of tea first. Ignatius will be back from Sunday service in a bit, so you can sit and have a chat with him.”
    â€œWho’s Ignatius?” asked Jonathan.
    â€œHe’s the vicar of Hobbes End,” said Grimm. “You’ll like him. Now just relax and try not to wave your head about. I’ll be back in a bit.”
    Jonathan nodded and watched Grimm leave the room, then turned his head to look at the open window. Sunlight poured in, and a gentle breeze ruffled the curtains. He could hear the sounds of people from outside: murmurs, the odd car engine, and a girl’s laughter. Suddenly feeling horribly alone, he decided to disobey Grimm and take a look at the world outside. He sat up, swung his legs out of bed, waited for the room to stop spinning, and tottered to the window.
    Shielding his eyes against the sun, he could see gardens surrounded by a high stone wall, and a long gravel drive leading to some open gates—it looked familiar somehow. Beyond the gates lay a village green flanked by thatched cottages, a huge pond, and a forest that stretched as far as the eye could see. People were walking to and fro, and over on the far side of the green, beyond a row of beech trees, was a village shop with a bench of fresh fruit and vegetables propped up outside.
    He heard another shriek of laughter, and Jonathan saw that it came from a girl being chased around the green by a large black cat. The cat kept catching her, jumping up onto her back, and looking as though he was trying to be sick. He’d then jump off and they’d start all over again.
    Jonathan pressed his hand against the glass. It had been such a long time since he’d had any proper friends—he’d moved house so often that he’d never had time really to get to know anyone. He doubted he’d be here long enough to make friends with the girl, whoever she