Charlie Bone and the Time Twister (Children of the Red King, Book 2) (15 page)

"Hello, boys!" Miss Ingledew looked into the room. "How about some hot muffins? It's such a cold day."

"Yes, please," said the boys, both rubbing their stomachs.

Miss Ingledew popped out to the kitchen and came back with a tray of muffins and hot chocolate. Charlie told her about his visit to the hospital.

"I wanted to ask Uncle Paton about the book, but my awful aunts were there and he wouldn't talk." He handed Miss Ingledew the little brown book. "He said I would need it for . . .," Charlie hesitated, "for visiting someone."

Miss Ingledew darted him a quizzical look. "I see." She opened the book and scanned the pages. "This is a Welsh dictionary Charlie. Welsh and English, that is. Your uncle has marked some of the words, see!" She showed them the small stars that were scattered throughout the book.

"Why those words?" said Charlie.

"I've noticed that they're all verbs," said Miss Ingledew, "or commands. ' Move,' 'fly' 'talk,' 'push,' 'listen,' 'look,' 'catch,' 'run,' et cetera. And look, he's written the pronunciations at the front of the book."

"But why?" asked Charlie. "What can it mean?"

"Welsh is an unusual language. It doesn't always sound the way it looks. I can only think that your uncle wanted you to learn the Welsh for these words. But I've no idea why"

"When the time comes, you'll know" said Emma.

Miss Ingledew smiled at her niece. "What strange children you are," she said fondly "I'm not sure that I would like to be endowed." "Me, neither," said Benjamin.

A chilly dusk had begun to steal through the streets as Charlie and Benjamin left the bookshop Runner Bean made sure they kept up a brisk pace.

As they approached number nine, Benjamin slowed down. "Who is this person you might be visiting?" he asked Charlie.

Charlie told him about the painting of Skarpo.

"You mean you can go in, right in, to the painting? And then what?" Benjamin looked alarmed.

"He's a magician, Ben. A sorcerer. And a bit of magic could help me to rescue Henry."

"Which bit?" said Benjamin gravely “And how?"

"I don't know do I — until I get in!"

"Suppose you can't get out?"

"Don't be crazy Ben. It's not as if I'll go right into another time, like Henry It'll be like when I hear voices. I don't go right into the photos. It's just my mind."

" Hm," muttered Benjamin. "Be careful." He turned away and crossed the road with Runner Bean bounding beside him.

Charlie ran up the steps to number nine. He wished he hadn't snapped at Benjamin. To tell the truth he was a little afraid of what might happen when he went into the sorcerer's room.

Mrs. Bone had laid clean clothes on the bed, ready for school. Charlie began to pack his bag. He left the painting until last. Without looking at it he began to wrap it in a shirt. But as he turned the painting over he caught sight of the sorcerer's dark figure. Once again, the face turned toward him.

"Soon!" said the sorcerer.

CHAPTER 14
THE TOLLROC

Olivia had made a decision. If it was impossible for Charlie to find Henry then she would. She wouldn’t tell anyone about it. She would just do it.

During the first break on Monday Olivia wandered around the field by herself. Bindi was still at home with the flu and Olivia didn't feel like joining the other girls. They were discussing the new play and Olivia hadn't been given a very good part. Mrs. Marlowe head of the drama department, had told her that she must let others have a chance to shine. After all, she'd had a starring role in the Christmas play.

"What's up, Olivia?" called Charlie.

"What? Brown hair?" said Fidelio.

The two boys strolled over to her.

"I've been too busy for hair," said Olivia. "Anyway, I needed a change. Any news of Henry?"

Charlie shook his head. "I know he's in the ruin but I can't get in. I'm still being watched. Look!" He glanced across the field at Zelda Dobinski and her friend, Beth Strong. They were both staring at him. On the other side of the field, Manfred and Asa were pacing beside the wood. Manfred looked over his shoulder, saw Charlie, and looked away.

" Asa's bandages are off, then," Olivia remarked.

"That means he's back in business," said Fidelio grimly.

This was bad news. Olivia gave a nervous shrug. She noticed Lucretia Yewbeam standing beside the garden door. The matron was watching Charlie.

"Your aunt's still on the warpath," said Olivia.

Charlie told her about Paton's accident. "He said they did it; his own sisters tried to run him over."

"But why?" asked Olivia.

"I'm not sure, but I think it's got something to do with a picture they gave me. It's a painting of a sorcerer called Skarpo. He might be able to help me rescue Henry."

"How?" asked Fidelio. "He can't come out of the painting, can he?"

"No, but I can go in."

Fidelio and Olivia looked dumbstruck.

"But you've got to find Henry first," Olivia murmured.

"I know." Charlie sighed. "And I haven't a clue how I'm going to do that."

Olivia looked up at the slate gray clouds and gave a mysterious smile. "Not long now" she said.

Before Charlie could work out what she meant, the horn sounded for the end of break and Olivia rushed off to her mime lesson.

That evening, when the juniors were getting ready for bed, Olivia prepared herself for the night ahead. She set the alarm on her watch for midnight, kept her tights on under her pajamas, and placed her outdoor shoes close to the head of her bed.

She needn't have bothered with the alarm. At midnight she was still wide awake. She was both anxious and excited at the prospect of going into the ruin alone at night.

Quickly slipping out of bed, Olivia put on her shoes and swung her purple cape around her shoulders. She tiptoed across the dormitory and was about to open the door, when a voice whispered, "Is that you, Olivia?"

"What if it is?"

"Where are you going?" asked Emma Tolly in a hushed voice.

" Shh! To the bathroom."

"You're not. You're going out, aren't you?" There was a creak and, all at once, Emma was standing beside Olivia. "Let me come with you."

"No. It's got nothing to do with you. Go back to bed or we'll be caught." Olivia opened the door and leaped into the passage.

"I want to help," said Emma as Olivia closed the door.

Why's Emma being friendly?
Olivia wondered as she hurried along the chilly passages.
Suspicious, that's what it is.

She became more cautious as she passed the senior girls' dormitories. She didn't want Zelda Dobinski or Beth Strong to leap out and grab her. The assistant matrons always looked so tired they were bound to be asleep. That left only Matron Yewbeam, and she was probably lurking near Charlie's dormitory.

A cold wind had blown the clouds away and a full moon beamed through the windows that Olivia occasionally passed. There was just enough light in the long passages for her to see her way to the staircase.

The hall looked vast when it was empty and here Olivia kept close to the paneled walls. As she skirted the great slate-stoned room she kept an anxious eye on the staircase, but no one appeared. She reached the garden door, drew back the bolts, and slipped out into the night.

The moon was so bright that every stone and plant, every bush and blade of grass was silvered with light. Olivia gave in to a sudden urge. She spread her cape out like wings, and rushed across the frozen ground in joyful, leaping strides.

The dark walls of the ruin brought her back to earth. This was the part she'd been dreading. She wrapped her cape tightly around her body and slipped through the entrance.

For a moment, Olivia thought she must be dreaming. A cat sat in the center of the paved courtyard. It was a bright coppery red, and every whisker, every hair was glowing.

The cat purred softly and Olivia realized that she had seen it before, at Miss Ingledew's Christmas party. In the bookshop it had looked unusual, but here, in the dark, it was magical.

"You're Aries, aren't you?" breathed Olivia.

The cat purred, then he turned and ran to one of the dark tunnels that led into the ruin. It was boarded with thick wooden planks, but the cat stepped neatly through a gap at the bottom.

If he can do it, so can I
, thought Olivia. Kneeling on the ground, she squeezed under the planks, just as the cat had done; arms first and then her legs. As soon as she was in the tunnel Olivia stood up and followed the glowing cat.

The tunnel had a dangerous slope; the ground was slimy and black water dripped from the rocky walls. Olivia kept her eyes on the cat. He was leading her somewhere and she had to trust him.

They emerged at last onto a wooded bank and before Olivia had time to get her bearings the cat was off again, weaving his way down through the trees to a shadowy glade. In the center of the glade, an orange cat and a yellow cat stood on a large black rock. Their eyes glittered green and gold in the moonlight.

Using the trees to steady herself Olivia walked down the steep bank. She crossed the glade and reached the black rock. The three cats, standing so close together, shone like a bonfire.

Olivia looked down to see her heavy black shoes turned to gold by the flames. And then she noticed a thin gap beside her feet. The rock seemed to be covering a pit. Could it possibly be a dungeon? She knelt in the grass and called, "Henry! Henry! Are you there?"

A thin voice came floating up to her. "Hello. I think it's me, but I'm not sure anymore."

"Well, I'm sure," said Olivia. "You're Henry all right. Have they been starving you? I forgot to bring food."

"Zelda and Manfred push bread through the gap, and bottles of water."

Olivia heard a scuffling noise and all at once, two eyes were peering up at her through the gap.

"Hello, Olivia," said Henry "I'm so glad to see you."

"It's good to see you, too, Henry But not in that pit. How did they catch you?"

"A boy with white hair tricked me."

"Billy Raven," muttered Olivia. "I didn't think he'd sink that low."

"Manfred brought me out here, and a girl called Zelda. They put sticky tape on my mouth and arms! It hurt like anything when I pulled it off."

"Ouch!" said Olivia.

"Olivia, I've seen my cousin Zeke," said Henry "He's so old and horrible. He still hates me after all this time. He made them bring me out here. Zelda moved that rock just by looking at it. I can't get out. I've tried and tried. But I can't budge the rock an inch."

"I'll try," said Olivia.

She threw her whole weight at the rock, but it' didn't move. For the next few minutes Olivia tried pushing and pulling, kicking and hitting the rock, but it was useless.

"I'm sorry Henry we'll have to try something else.” she said. "I'll tell Charlie where you are and we'll work something out, I promise."

"They're going to move me on Sunday" Henry said desperately "I don't know where I'll be going. I don't think I'll see any of you again — ever."

"We'll get here on Saturday" Olivia said firmly "Charlie's uncle will help. Will you be all right till then? Is it cold down there?"

"It was at first, but the cats keep me warm. They keep my spirits up. Their light is so cheerful. And then, there's the tree."

"What tree?"

"It must be very close," said Henry "Whenever I feel really gloomy I can hear the leaves singing, and it makes me feel better."

Olivia was mystified. It was winter and the trees were bare. She looked around and was just in time to see two figures in plaid bathrobes rush down the bank. The cats yowled a warning and leaped at the strangers. There were two shrieks as Zelda and Beth tripped over the cats and tumbled to the ground.

Olivia jumped up and ran for the tunnel, but Zelda was on her feet again. She made a grab for Olivia and caught her arm. Olivia swung around and punched Zelda in the stomach.

"Help!" screeched Olivia, although there was no one else around.

The cats were having quite a tussle with big Beth Strong; biting and scratching every part of her body that they could reach. With a loud grunt of fury Beth threw them off and lunged at Olivia, catching her around the waist.

"Got you!" Beth cried triumphantly.

"You've had it, Olivia Vertigo," said Zelda. "We're going to tie you to a tree, and very soon a vicious old beast is going to come prowling around here. You'll be in a very nasty mess by morning."

"You won't get away with this," cried Olivia. "My mom'll . . ."

"Your mom'll be too late," said Beth. "Naughty girls shouldn't go out at night."

Shrieking with laughter, Zelda drew a piece of rope out of her pocket. As she pulled Olivia's wrists behind her back, the moon was suddenly obscured by a huge black cloud. The cloud seemed to be falling to earth; it dropped toward them and now Olivia could see it was a gigantic bird.

The vast wings drove a rustling wind across the glade and Zelda and Beth gazed up in horror. All at once they were in the air; hooked up by the necks of their bathrobes, and dangling from the talons of a great feathered foot.

"Kraaak!" called the bird.

Olivia shrank against the bare trees and watched in horrified amazement. Beth and Zelda sailed into the night sky Beth's head lolled forward in a faint, while Zelda's mouth was open in a silent scream.

Olivia tore up the bank and began to slither along the tunnel. The cats had joined her and filled the tunnel with their bright light. But when Olivia squeezed through the boarded entrance the cats remained behind.

"Thanks!" whispered Olivia.

She raced across the garden, not daring to look back. The door into the hall was still unlocked. There was no one about. Olivia crept up the stairs. As she entered her dormitory one of the windows closed with a soft thud. Olivia could see a figure silhouetted against the moonlight.

"Who's that?" she whispered.

"Me," said Dorcas. "I was just shutting the window It was freezing in here. Where've you been?" Dorcas was one of the endowed but Olivia had never seen any evidence of a magical talent.

"I've been to the bathroom." said Olivia.

"Did you see Emma? She's gone, too."

" Er — yes," said Olivia.

"Night then." Dorcas closed the curtains and got into bed.

For several minutes Olivia sat in the dark wondering about the window. Who had opened it? And where was Emma? They said Emma could fly. Was it possible that she and the bird in the ruin were one and the same? If it were true, then Emma would need a way to come back.

When she was sure Dorcas was asleep, Olivia tiptoed out of the dormitory and opened one of the windows in the corridor.

"Good luck, Emma!" she murmured.

The next morning, Olivia could barely keep her eyes open. Emma looked exhausted, too. The girls went down to breakfast together. They caught up with Charlie and Fidelio, just as they were going into the dining hall.

"You two look as if you've been awake all night," said Charlie.

"We have," said Olivia, grinning at Emma. "Tell you about it later."

In the first break the two girls found Charlie and Fidelio sitting on a pile of logs outside the ruin.

"What's the news, then?" asked Charlie.

Olivia told them about her adventure. Charlie looked at Emma. "The tollroc came to life, then?" he said.

"Of course," said Emma.

At that moment, Gabriel came running up. "Have you heard?" he cried, dropping on to a log. "Beth and Zelda were found wandering on the Heights in their pajamas. They're in a state of shock and can't remember how they got there."

"We know;" said Olivia.

When she told Gabriel about the tollroc, he stared at Emma in disbelief.

"You don't eat gerbils, do you?" he asked gravely.

Emma shook her head and everybody laughed. But as the laughter died, a chilly draft crept down Charlie's neck and he thought of Henry.

"I can't wait until the weekend," he said. "Tonight. I may need your help."

Fidelio stared at Charlie. "You mean . . .?"

"I'm going to visit Skarpo."