Read Chaos Walking: The Complete Trilogy for Free Online Page A

leather cover and when Ben thumbs thru it, the pages are cream-coloured and filled with handwriting.
    Ben closes it like it’s an important thing and he wraps it inside a plastic bag to protect it and puts it in the rucksack.
    They both turn to me.
    “I ain’t going nowhere,” I say.
    And there’s a knock on the front door.
    For a second, nobody says nothing, everyone just freezes. Manchee’s got so many things he wants to bark that nothing comes out for a minute till he finally barks “Door!” but Cillian grabs him by the collar with one hand and by the maul with the other, shutting him up. We all look up at each other, wondering what to do next.
    There’s another knock and then a voice comes thru the walls, “I know yer in there.”
    “Damn and blast,” Ben says.
    “Davy bloody Prentiss,” Cillian says.
    That’s Mr Prentiss Jr. The man of the law.
    “Do you not think I can hear yer Noise?” Mr Prentiss Jr says thru the door. “Benison Moore. Cillian Boyd.” The voice makes a little pause. “Todd Hewitt.”
    “Well, so much for hiding,” I say, crossing my arms, still a little annoyed at it all.
    Cillian and Ben look at each other again, then Cillian lets go of Manchee, says “Stay here” to both of us and heads for the door. Ben shoves the sack of food into the rucksack and ties it shut. He hands it to me. “Put this on,” he whispers.
    I don’t take it at first but he gestures with a serious look so I take it and put it on. It weighs a ton.
    We hear Cillian open the front door. “What do you want, Davy?”
    “That’s Sheriff Prentiss to you, Cillian.”
    “We’re in the middle of lunch, Davy,” Cillian says. “Come back later.”
    “I don’t think I will. I think I need to have a word with young Todd.”
    Ben looks at me, worry in his Noise.
    “Todd’s got farmwork,” Cillian says. “He’s just leaving out the back. I can hear him go.”
    And these are instructions for me and Ben, ain’t they? But I ruddy well want to hear what’s going on and I ignore Ben’s hand on my shoulder trying to pull me towards the back door.
    “You take me for a fool, Cillian?” Mr Prentiss Jr says.
    “Do you really want an answer to that, Davy?”
    “I can hear his Noise not twenty feet behind you. Ben’s, too.” We hear a shift in the mood. “I just want to talk to him. He ain’t in no trouble.”
    “Why you got a rifle then, Davy?” Cillian asks and Ben squeezes my shoulder, probably without even thinking.
    Mr Prentiss Jr’s voice and Noise both change again. “Bring him out, Cillian. You know why I’m here. Seems like a funny little word floated outta yer boy into town all innocent-like and we just want to see what it’s all about, that’s all.”
    “‘We’?” Cillian says.
    “His Honour the Mayor would like a word with young Todd.” Mr Prentiss Jr raises his voice. “Y’all come out now, you hear? Ain’t no trouble going on. Just a friendly chat.”
    Ben nods his head at the back door all firm like and there ain’t no arguing with him this time. We start stepping towards it slowly, but Manchee’s kept his trap shut for just about as long as he can bear and barks, “Todd?”
    “Y’all ain’t thinking about sneaking out the back way, are ya?” Mr Prentiss Jr calls. “Outta my way, Cillian.”
    “Get off my property, Davy,” Cillian says.
    “I ain’t telling you twice.”
    “I believe you’ve already told me about three times, Davy, so if yer threatening, it ain’t working.”
    There’s a pause but the Noise from them both gets louder and Ben and I know what’s coming next and suddenly everything’s moving fast and we hear a loud thump, followed quick by another two, and me and Ben and Manchee are running to the kitchen but when we get there, it’s over. Mr Prentiss Jr is on the floor, holding his mouth, blood already coming from it. Cillian’s got Mr Prentiss Jr’s rifle in his hands and is pointing it at Mr Prentiss Jr.
    “I said get off my property,