Chaos Walking: The Complete Trilogy Read Online Free Page B

and I come into view off the path. He’s lying down on the ground, deep into our little fission generator, the one outside the front of the house, fixing whatever’s gone wrong with it this month. His arms are covered in grease and his face is covered in annoyance and his Noise is buzzy like mad bees and I can already feel myself getting angry and I haven’t even properly got home yet.
    “I was in the swamp getting apples for Ben,” I say.
    “There’s work to be done and boys are off playing.” He looks back into the generator. Something makes a clunk inside and he says, “Dammit!”
    “I said I wasn’t playing, if you’d ever listen!” I say but it’s more like a shout. “Ben wanted apples so I was getting him some ruddy apples!”
    “Uh-huh,” Cillian says, looking back at me. “And where might these apples be then?”
    And of course I’m not holding any apples, am I? I don’t even remember dropping the bag I’d started to fill but of course I must have when–
    “When what?” Cillian says.
    “Quit listening so close,” I say.
    He sighs his Cillian sigh and here we go: “It’s not like we ask you to do so much around here, Todd” – which is a lie – “but we can’t keep this farm running by ourselves” – which is true – “and even if you ever finish all yer chores, which you don’t” – another lie, they work me like a slave – “we’d still be playing a catch-up to nothing, now wouldn’t we?” – and this is true, too. The town can’t grow no more, it can only shrink, and help ain’t coming.
    “Pay attenshun when I talk to you,” Cillian says.
    “Tenshun!” Manchee barks.
    “Shut up,” I say.
    “Don’t talk to yer dog that way,” Cillian says.
    I wasn’t talking to my dog, I think, loud and clear enough to hear.
    Cillian glares at me and I glare back and this is how it always is, our Noise throbbing with red and hassle and irritashun. It’s never been so good with Cillian, not never, Ben’s always been the kind one, Cillian’s always been the other one, but it’s got worse as the day approaches when I’ll finally be a man and won’t have to listen to any more of his crap.
    Cillian closes his eyes and breathes loudly once thru his nose. “Todd–” he starts, his voice a bit lower.
    “Where’s Ben?” I say.
    His face hardens a little more. “Lambing starts in a week, Todd.”
    All I do to this is say again, “Where’s Ben?”
    “You get the sheep fed and into their paddocks and then I want you to fix the gate to the east field once and for all, Todd Hewitt. I have asked you at least twice before now.”
    I lean back on my heels. “‘Well, how was your trip to the swamp, Todd?’” I say, making my voice go all sarcastic. “‘Well, it was fine and dandy there, Cillian, thank you for asking.’ ‘Didja see anything interesting out there in the swamp, Todd?’ ‘Well, funny you should ask, Cillian, cuz I sure did see something interesting which might explain this here cut on my lip that you ain’t asked about but I guess it’ll have to just wait till the sheep are fed and I fix the goddam fence !’”
    “Watch yer mouth,” Cillian says. “I don’t have time for yer games. Go do the sheep.”
    I clench up my fists and make a sound that sounds like “awwghgh” which tells Cillian that I just can’t put up with his non-reason not for one second longer.
    “Come on, Manchee,” I say.
    “The sheep, Todd,” Cillian calls as I start walking away. “The sheep first.”
    “Yeah, I’ll do the ruddy sheep,” I mutter to myself. I’m walking away faster now, my blood jumping and Manchee’s getting excited from the roar of my Noise. “Sheep!” he barks. “Sheep, sheep, Todd! Sheep, sheep, quiet, Todd! Quiet, quiet in swamp, Todd!”
    “Shut up, Manchee,” I say.
    “What was that?” Cillian says and there’s something in his voice that makes us both turn around. He’s sitting up by the generator now, his full attenshun on us, his