Billy and the Golden Gate by Emma Gowing Page A

speed.
    â€œDaisy, Daisy!” Billy yells and grabs her. “Daisy? Are you OK?”
    Daisy stares at Billy.
    â€œOK, I’m OK, but don’t leave us, Billy, don’t leave us. It’s like Rufus says, today you’ve just eaten dodgy fish, is all. Please, Billy.”
    Peter says, “It’s truth, Billy; you are meant to stay with us.”
    â€œMr Sharpie, no, I will not,” Billy says in a loud crystal clear voice.
    Gunner Sharpie screams; the noise is so awful the four children cover their ears with their hands.
    Jasmine Beetle doesn’t seem to notice it. She has put the tissue in the pocket of her jeans and is tracing the spine of the book with her index finger on her right hand. She is tutting under her breath and shaking her head slightly.
    Billy and his friends look at Gunner Sharpie. His skin is darkening in colour. The twigs in his pocket rub off each other and catch fire. The fire spreads quickly from his pocket and envelopes him.
    â€œMy Lord!” he screams.
    The wolves circle around him, unafraid of the flames that lick at their paws.
    The gate has started to swing back. Gunner Sharpie backs away from the wolves in terror. He takes several short steps backwards, but the wolves follow him.
    And then Gunner Sharpie reaches the gate; the flames that now engulf him spread over and through the gate. Soon the whole thing is on fire. Beyond the gate there is no longer any light, only darkness. The gate cranks shut, imprisoning Gunner Sharpie on the other side.
    The four children stand up. Rex trots over to a rock that is close to Miss Beetle. He lifts his back leg and pees – even with the crackling of the flames you can hear the whooshing sound.
    â€œSee?” Daisy says. “Come on, Billy.”
    As they walk away from the flaming gate, Billy starts to cry. Rufus puts his arm around him.
    â€œCome on, Billy, all will be well.”
    Billy sobs and sobs.
    â€œDad,” he says.

Chapter Sixteen

    The Other Gate

    The children stand for a moment. As they look around, they see the second gate and start to walk towards it. Rex sees the water pump on the far side and thumps the gate with his head. It needs opening. He barks and barks and barks. Soon the four children are looking at him; Billy’s sobs have subsided.
    â€œYou want some water, Rex?” he says. “Hold it a second.” Billy’s breathing is shallow. He reaches to the clasp on the gate – it’s a bit rusty and needs a little nudge, but eventually he unclasps it. Billy pushes the gate. It swings away from him, making creaking noises.
    Rex scampers ahead to the water pump – the water bowl needs filling – and whines back at the four children.
    Daisy runs in, unhooks the old pump and fills the bowl for Rex. It must be the best water ever as he laps it down with abandon. The four children look around the field; the grass is green and slightly mossy – some bits are filled with clover and in other parts, it’s more like scrub. It’s a pretty normal field really. There’s a shovel standing against the water pump. In the distance there are sheep, lots of them, black heads, white fluffy-looking wool. They are bleating, just a bit.
    Rufus plonks down on the ground. “I am pure knackered,” he says. “I’m sitting for a few minutes anyways.”
    The bell in Billy’s bag starts to tinkle. Billy takes the backpack off and tumbles everything that’s in it out onto the ground. The bells rolls and tinkles non-stop. There’s the collar, the tin box, the soldier, the marble – they are all there.
    Daisy and Peter join Rufus, and they sit down on the grass.
    â€œWhat next?” Peter asks.
    Billy says nothing.
    Rufus says, “I’m hungry.”
    They feel the wolves before they see them. They amble towards Billy, his friends and Rex. The skinny wolf sits beside Peter, the more muscular one sitting down beside Rufus. The one