Superpowers Read Online Free

into the ground beside him. ‘Which way?’ he shouted to Max.
    Max looked round. ‘Let’s go through the courtyard!’ he gasped.
    But as they turned towards the courtyard, three birds charged through the hole in the fence and headed them off. The birds stopped by the courtyard entrance. They stretched out their heads and necks, their razor-sharp beaks opening.
    The remaining birds spread out and began striding purposefully towards them, their beady eyes fixed on the two boys.
    Max and Finlay looked round. Where could they go? The birds were closing in on all sides.
    â€˜What are we going to do, Fin?’ Max said.
    Finlay looked around. ‘Let’s go into the maze!’
    He and Max ran towards the maze. The birds stalked after them; they walked together in a group, their red eyes gleaming. Max had a sudden, horrible feeling that he and Finlay were being made to go exactly where the birds wanted them to go. But what else could they do? The birds had them surrounded!
    Reaching a sign that said
Entrance
, Max and Finlay ran into the maze. On either side of them the hedges grew up thick and strong.
    â€˜So what now?’ Max heard a screech behind him and knew with ahorrible sinking feeling in his stomach that the birds had entered the maze too.
    â€˜We’ve got to lose them and then get out of here!’ Finlay panted.
    Max nodded. ‘What about killing them?’
    â€˜Let’s just stop them from killing us first!’ said Finlay.
    They reached a turning in the maze. ‘Let’s go right!’ Max decided.
    They took the right but within seconds had run straight into a dead end.
    â€˜Wrong way!’ groaned Finlay. ‘We’ll have to go back!’
    â€˜But what about the birds?’ Max demanded. ‘They might be there!’
    As he spoke an evil shriek came from just the other side of the hedge. Maxand Finlay both jumped in alarm. ‘Argh!’
    The bird gave another shriek and began slashing at the hedge with its beak. ‘We can’t stay here!’ Finlay gasped. ‘Come on!’
    He and Max charged back down the path, their trainers kicking up gravel, their breath coming in ragged gasps. They came to a leafy crossroads. Birds ran towards them from both the right and the left.
    â€˜Quick!’ yelled Max. He led the way down the only possible route – straight ahead!
    Another bird burst into view at the far end of the path. Its curved beak snapped open with triumph as it saw them.
    â€˜Two behind us and one ahead,’ Finlay panted as he and Max screeched to a halt.
    Max’s thoughts raced. What could they do? Which way should they go? He could hear the birds coming up behind them and he made a decision. ‘This way!’ he exclaimed, charging straight
towards
the giant bird in front of them.
    â€˜Max!’ Finlay shouted in alarm.
    â€˜Trust me! It’s our only chance,’ Max yelled back. His heart pounded. There
had
to be another path leading off along here; surely the hedged-in passage was too long for there
not
to be one? At the far end, the monster bird’s eyes glowed a darker red and narrowed

    as it began to stalk eagerly to meet them.
    Max could hear Finlay’s feet tearing over the gravel right behind him. Sweat prickled down Max’s back. If he was wrong about this, then he was killing Fin as well as himself…
    Suddenly, to his right, he saw the opening that he’d been hoping for – another route leading off deeper into the maze. ‘Here!’ he exclaimed and, skidding to a halt, he grabbed hold of Finlay’s arm and bundled him down the new path.
    The monster birds were moving too fast to turn in time. They crashed into each other. Screeches of rage and feathers filled the air.
    â€˜Yes!’ Finlay shouted, punching the air in triumph.
    â€˜Come on!’ Max urged. He knew that any head start they could get on the birds was vital. The path forked off left and right,