Twisted Winter

Twisted Winter by Catherine Butler

Book: Twisted Winter by Catherine Butler Read Free Book Online
Authors: Catherine Butler
kind of sick game?”
    â€œI’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” he said, almost lazily, as if he didn’t expect to be believed and was past caring.
    â€œI thought you were over all that stuff. Killing cats and squirrels. You’re better than that.”
    â€œYeah, right, I’m
so
much better than that.”
    â€œOf course you are! You ran four hundred metres in less than fifty seconds last summer. You’re the best in the school! You should take some pride in yourself.” I must have sounded like our mother. “There’s no point in denying it, Adam. I saw you drop this in the garden.” I set what was left of the tabby’s head on his plate, next to what was left of the sandwich. “Do you really think it’s a laugh to catch somebody’s pet and set a Staffy on it?”
    â€œIt wasn’t a Staffy,” he said quietly, gazing at the cat.
    â€œI don’t care what breed it was! You still had a dog ripping a cat to pieces!”
    His voice was low and hollow, without expression: “Listen, Nell. It – wasn’t a dog.”
    It took a few seconds for those words to sink it. I realised then how hard I’d been hoping I was wrong. Hoping against hope that it
was
a dog.
    He saw my expression, then looked away, disgusted. “But you don’t need to worry your head about it. You’re a girl.”
    Now,
that
was offensive. “I can understand anything you can, you pig!”
    â€œThat’s not what I mean! Girls aren’t affected. It’s not your problem.”
    â€œI
am
affected, Adam. I’m scared stiff! Hadn’t you noticed?”
    â€œOkay, Scooby Doo. So, what exactly are you scared of? What do you
think
is going on?”
    A horrified embarrassment clamped my mouth shut.
You can’t unsay it, once it’s said
. Outside, the Hunter’s Moon had risen. I stared it full in the face, and it stared back at me.
    â€œWhat’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”
    â€œLast night,” I began, as steadily as I could, “you sneaked back into your room by climbing on the shed roof and in through the window, the way you used to when you were… wild. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, at first. Your face – ”
    â€œWhat about my face?” His voice was low in the throat.
    â€œNot just your face. The blood was everywhere. All over your hands and shirt. That Gorillaz T you wear all the time? That was drenched. Where is it now, Adam? Not in the wash – I’ve checked.”
    â€œI’m not into Gorillaz any more.”
    â€œSo where did that blood come from? And don’t change the subject. You can’t hide the truth from me for ever.”
    Adam sighed, deep and long. It seemed to tremble through his entire body. “You’ve got it the wrong way around, Nell,” he said at last. “Mum and Dad and me – we haven’t been hiding the truth from you. We’ve been sheltering
you
from the truth. Believe me, there’s a difference.”
    The way he said it – I’ve never heard anyone sound so lonely. I wanted to hug him. I wanted to run for my life.
    â€œBut you’re right,” he said. “It’s too late for pretending. The change has gone too far: no one can stop it now. There’ve been others in our family, way back, and the story’s always the same. It only happens to boys. You seem to be normal till you hit sixteen, and then… you’re not. Nell, each month sucks more of the human from me. By the time the Wolf Moon comes, there won’t be much left.”
    He beckoned me to him.
    â€œClose your eyes, Nell, and touch my face.” He saw me flinch, and grabbed my wrist. “
Do it
.”
    So I closed my eyes. As soon as I did, the touch of his hand upon my wrist seemed to change. It no longer felt like Adam. This grip was sinewy, coarse, with tapered nails that dug into my skin. It was

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