Proudly Published by Snowbooks in 2006
Copyright © 1997 Carol Anne Davis
The Author asserts the moral right to
be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 1-905005-32-6
ISBN 13 978-1-905005-32-1
Shrouded
Carol Anne Davis
PROLOGUE
The boy awoke—was wakened. Shadows slipped and
slithered round the room. Down below, he heard the settee
squeaking. Each creak broke the stillness—a rhythmic
groan. His little church-shaped clock read ten thirty, which
meant they hadn’t gone to bed after all.
Now he could watch Fear on Friday with them. The
other kids at school got to see it every week.
‘Tate’s not got a telly!’ three of the tougher boys
had started to chorus most days. But he did, he did. Only
sometimes Paul said that a programme was bad for you, or
dangerous. That you shouldn’t watch TV when eating, or
on Sundays at all.
So he’d read instead, running his torch along the lines
of print as he huddled beneath the covers. Sometimes he
told one of the quieter boys about the adventure stories
he’d read. Even then, when his classmates discussed
Friday’s werewolves and vampires, he couldn’pete.
Unless...
5
Slowly, slowly he slid one foot out of bed, wincing
at the coolness. Stretched it out, out, past his slippers to
the floorboard nearest the chest of drawers. This was the
friendly floorboard, the silent one, the one that would
never tell. If Paul heard him in his room or on the stairs,
he’d hit him and even kick him if his mum wasn’t looking,
then send him back to bed.
Douglas breathed slowly, shallowly, hands searching
the air in front of him like a sleep-walker. If he made it
safely into the living room, there was a good chance mum
would let hi
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