Jacob Grey - The White Widow’s Revenge

He turned in the gloom, and saw a dim light to his left. He skittered down the shaft towards it. Three slats crossed the opening, but by flattening his wings he popped through to the other side. Caw was in a narrow stairwell with bare walls of patchy plaster. He guessed it was there to give access to the roof, for repairs. Shimmer flapped through too, scattering a loose feather. She was covered in dust and cobwebs.

Up there , said Caw.

At the top of the steps, a vertical ladder led to the underside of the metal hatch they’d seen on the rooftop. On this side, a simple rusty bolt was drawn across. He and Shimmer flew up. Caw twisted his head and took the bolt in his beak. He strained his neck and managed to shift it a fraction.

Help out, will you? he said.

Shimmer joined him, fastening her beak on the bolt as well. Together they succeeded in moving it across.

Lydia, it’s open! Caw shouted, forgetting for a moment that he was talking in crow.

But his friend must have heard the sound of the bolt shifting. The hatch swung open from above, and she grinned down. “Nice work, guys!”

Caw flew out on to the roof, and landed next to his motionless human form. He concentrated hard on letting his aura split from Screech’s and wobbled slightly as he reassumed his normal body.

Screech blinked then pecked him on the ear lightly. You got me all dirty.

“Sorry,” said Caw. “And thank you.”

Lydia started to climb down the ladder into the service stairwell. Caw followed her, instructing all the crows to stay on the roof apart from Glum, Screech and Shimmer.

At the bottom they came to a plain metal door. Caw turned the handle slowly and opened it up a crack. The corridor on the other side took him by surprise.

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