Fablehaven

by Brandon Mull

Page 25

  Would it be the same today? Was the anticipation worse than the event itself? At least once they got there, reality would replace uncertainty and they would be able to do something, to act. All she could do at present was worry.

  How far away was this crazy church? Grandma said it wouldn't take Hugo much more than fifteen minutes, since there was a decent road all the way. Although she kept an eye out for unicorns, Kendra saw no fanciful creatures.

  Everything was hiding.

  The sun dipped below the horizon. Grandma was pointing. Up ahead, in the middle of a clearing, sat an old fashioned church house. It was a boxy structure with a row of large windows fanged with broken glass and a single cupola that probably contained a bell. The roof sagged.

  The wooden walls were gray and splintered. There was no guessing what the original color might have been. A short flight of warped steps led up to an empty doorway, where double doors had once granted access. It looked like a perfect lair for bats and zombies.

  Hugo slackened his pace, and they came to a stop in front of the shadowy doorway. The church was completely still. There was no sign anybody had been there in a hundred years.

  I'd rather have the sun, but at least we still have some light, Grandma said, using a tool to set the silver-headed arrow to the string of her undersized crossbow and pull it into position. Let's get this over with as soon as we can.

  Evil likes darkness.

  Why is that? Seth asked.

  Grandma thought about the question a moment before answering. Because evil likes to hide.

  Kendra did not appreciate the tingles she got when Grandma said that. Why don't we talk about happy things? she suggested as they climbed down from the wagon.

  Because we're hunting witches and monsters, Seth said.

  Kendra's right, Grandma said. It does us no good to dwell on dark thoughts. But we do want to be on the road and away from here before the twilight is gone.

  I still say we should have brought some shotguns, Seth said.

  Hugo! Grandma said. Lead the way quietly into the basement. Protect us from harm, but do not kill.

  Kendra felt comforted just looking at the hulking goliath of earth and stone. With Hugo as their champion, she could not picture anything giving them much trouble.

  The steps groaned beneath Hugo as he climbed them.

  Stepping gingerly, he ducked through the large doorway. The others followed, staying close to their massive bodyguard.

  Grandma draped a red scarf over the crossbow, apparently to conceal it.

  Please let Muriel not be here, Kendra prayed silently.

  Please let us just find Grandpa and Lena and nothing else!

  The inside of the church was even gloomier than the exterior. The decaying pews had been smashed and overturned, the pulpit at the front had been thrown down, and the walls were graffitied with maroon scrawlings.

  Spiderwebs festooned the rafters like gossamer banners.

  Amber light from the sunset found entry through the windows and some irregular holes in the roof, but not enough to dispel the murkiness. There was no token indicating that this had once been a house of worship. It was just a big, dilapidated, vacant room.

  The floorboards creaked as Hugo tiptoed toward a door on the far side of the chapel. Kendra found herself worrying that the floor would give way and Hugo would take an abrupt shortcut to the basement. He had to weigh a thousand pounds.

  Hugo eased the corroded door open. Since the doorway was of a normal size, he had to crouch and twist in order to squeeze through.

  Everything will be fine, Grandma said, placing a bracing hand on Kendra's shoulder. Stay behind me.

  The stairs wound down and ended at a doorway without a door. Light poured through into the stairwell. Peering around Hugo as he contorted to pass through the doorway, Kendra glimpsed that they were not alone. As she followed Grandma Sorenson into the spacious basement, the implications of the scene began to register.

  The room was cheerfully illuminated by no fewer than two dozen bright lanterns. It had a high ceiling and sparse furnishings. Grandpa Sorenson and Lena were each shackled spread-eagle to the wall.

  A peculiar figure stood in front of Grandpa and Lena.

  Fashioned entirely of smooth, dark wood, it looked like a primitive puppet not much shorter than Grandpa. Instead of proper joints, the wooden parts were connected by golden hooks at the wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, ankles, knees, hips, waist, and knuckles. The head made Kendra think of a wooden hockey mask, though that was not quite right, because it was cruder and simpler. The unusual mannequin was dancing a little jig, arms swaying, feet tapping and shuffling, gazing toward the far end of the basement.

  Is that her limberjack? Seth asked quietly.

  Of course! It was Muriel's creepy dancing puppet, only much bigger, and no longer guided by a rod in its back!

  At the far side of the basement was a large alcove. It looked like someone had torn down some planks to access the niche. A net of knotted ropes crisscrossed the alcove, preventing a view inside the dismal recess. A dark form loomed beyond the ropes. A tall, beautiful woman with a lustrous cascade of honey-blonde hair stood beside the recess blowing on one of the many knots. She wore a spectacular azure gown that emphasized her seductive figure.

  The striking woman was surrounded by what looked like human-sized versions of the imps Kendra had seen in Muriel's shack. They were all facing the alcove, staring at the ground. They ranged from five to six feet tall. Some were fat, some were thin, a few were muscular. Some had crooked backs, or humps, or horns, or antlers, or bulging cysts, or tails. A couple were missing a limb or an ear. All had scars. All had weathered, leathery skin and nubs instead of wings. At the feet of the human-sized imps were a multitude of the tiny, fairy-sized versions.

  The air shimmered. A pair of black wings made of smoke and shadow unfurled from the alcove. Kendra experienced the sense of vertigo that had overwhelmed her when they were changing Grandma back from being a hen.

  It seemed like the alcove was growing more distant, like she was looking at it through the wrong end of a telescope.

  A burst of darkness momentarily eclipsed the steady luminance of the lanterns, and suddenly, in the midst of where all the imps were focusing their attention, a new human-sized imp sprouted up.

  Kendra covered her mouth with both hands. The beautiful woman had to be Muriel. Bahumat was imprisoned by a web of knotted ropes, similar to the rope that had trapped her, and she was using wishes to increase the size of her imps, gradually freeing the demon in the process!

  Hugo, Grandma said softly. Incapacitate the imps and capture Muriel, on the double.

  Hugo charged forward.

  An imp turned and let out a disgusting yowl, and others spun to face the intruders, revealing cruel, devilish faces.

  The gorgeous blonde turned, eyes widening in surprise.

  Seize them! she shouted.

  There were more than twenty of the big imps, and ten times that many small ones. Led by the biggest and most muscular of the lot, they rushed at Hugo, a motley mob of wiry fiends.

  Hugo met them in the center of the room. With fluid precision, he snatched the leader by the waist with one hand, seizing both feet with the other, and twisted briskly in opposite directions. Hugo tossed the howling leader aside as the others descended on him.

  Fists flailing like battering rams, Hugo sent imps sailing in wild cartwheels. They swarmed, making agile leaps to land on his shoulders and scratch at his head. But Hugo just kept twirling and twisting and heaving, a violent ballet that sent as many imps as pounced on him careening across the basement.

  Some of the imps nimbly dodged around him to sprint toward Grandma and Kendra and Seth. Hugo whirled and charged after them, grabbing a pair of them by the knees and then wielding them like clubs to swat others away.

  The resilience of the imps was impressive. Hu
go would fling one into the wall, and the tenacious creature would stumble to its feet and wade back in for more. Even the burly leader was still in the fray, staggering awkwardly on mangled legs.

  Looking beyond the tumult, Kendra noticed Muriel blowing on a knot. Grandma, she's up to something.

  Hugo, Grandma cried. Leave the imps to us and go capture Muriel.

  Hugo hurled the imp he was holding. The whining creature skimmed the ceiling the entire distance to the wall, where it impacted with a revolting crunch. Then the golem dashed at Muriel.

  Mendigo, protect me! Muriel squealed. The wooden man, who still danced near Grandpa and Lena, sprinted to intercept Hugo.

  Free from the indomitable onslaught of the golem, the injured imps converged on Grandma, who placed herself in front of Kendra and Seth. Holding a pouch in one hand, Grandma swung it so that it scattered a twinkling cloud of dust. As the imps reached the cloud, electricity crackled, hurling them back. A few lunged into the cloud, trying to force their way through it, but electricity flared brighter and sent them tumbling. Grandma spread more dust in the air.

  Great dark wings were spreading out from the alcove.

  The air undulated. Kendra felt like she was viewing the basement from far away, through a narrow tunnel.

  Hugo had almost reached Muriel. The overgrown limberjack dived at the golem's feet, using both arms and legs to entangle Hugo's ankles. The golem toppled forward.

  Hugo kicked free of Mendigo, sending the wooden puppet skidding across the floor, then rose to his knees and reached for Muriel. His outstretched hands were inches from taking hold of her when a thunderclap shook the basement, accompanied by a brief moment of blackness.

  The massive golem crumbled into a pile of rubble.

  Muriel brayed in triumph, eyes crazed, delirious at having so narrowly avoided Hugo's clutches. Off to one side of the room, Mendigo sat up. The puppet had lost an arm at the shoulder. He picked up the limb and reattached it.

  Muriel's eyes sharpened as she sensed certain victory.

  Bring them all to me, she trumpeted.

  A red scarf fluttered to the floor. Grandma Sorenson raised the crossbow in one hand while scattering the last of the contents of her pouch with the other. She discarded the pouch and stepped forward into the glittering dust cloud, gripping the crossbow in both hands.

  The arrow took flight. Mendigo sprang, desperately trying to block the dart, but Hugo had knocked the puppet too far away. Muriel shrieked and toppled back against the net of knotted ropes, a manicured hand covering the front of her shoulder. She rebounded forward, falling to her knees, panting, still clutching her shoulder, black feathers protruding between her slender fingers. You will pay for that sting! she screamed.

  Run! Grandma Sorenson shouted to the children.

  Too late. Eyes closed, lips moving soundlessly, Muriel stretched forth a bloody hand, and a gust of wind stripped away the sparkling dust. The injured imps rushed in, seizing Grandma Sorenson roughly.

  Seth sprang forward, throwing a handful of dust over Grandma and the imps. Lightning crackled and the imps stumbled away.

  Mendigo, bring me the boy! Muriel called.

  The wooden servant charged toward Seth, racing on all fours. The imps had fanned out, several clustering near the door to prevent escape. Seth flung dust as Mendigo leaped.

  The electric cloud repelled the puppet. At the same time, an imp darted in from behind, knocking the pouch from Seth's grasp with a chopping motion.

  The tall imp twisted Seth around, grabbed his upper arms, and hoisted him into the air so they were staring eye to eye. The imp hissed, mouth open, black tongue dangling grotesquely.

  Hey, Seth said, recognition dawning. You're the fairy I caught!

  The imp draped Seth over its shoulder and ran toward Muriel. Another imp seized Grandma to bring her to the witch.

  Kendra stood frozen with terror. Imps surrounded her.

  Escape was impossible. Hugo had been reduced to a pile of debris. Grandma had missed with the arrow, wounding but not killing Muriel. Seth had done his best, but he and Grandma had been captured. There was no more defense.

  No more tricks. Nothing between Kendra and whatever horrors Muriel and her imps wished to inflict.

  Except that the imps were not taking hold of her. They stood all around her, yet they seemed unable to reach out their hands and grab her. They would lift their arms part of the way and then stop, as if their limbs refused to obey.

  Mendigo, bring me the girl, Muriel commanded.

  Mendigo shouldered through the imps. His hand stretched toward her and then stopped, wooden fingers twitching, hooks clinking softly.

  They can't touch you, Kendra, Grandpa called from where he hung shackled to the wall. You have caused no mischief, worked no magic, inflicted no harm. Run, Kendra, they can't stop you!

  Kendra pushed between a pair of imps, heading for the door. Then she stopped short. Can't I help you?

  Muriel is not bound by the laws restraining her minions, Grandpa shouted. Run all the way home, straight down the road you came by. Do no harm along the way!

  Don't stray from the path! Then get off the property! Ram the gate with my truck! Fablehaven will fall! One of us has to survive!

  Muriel, clutching her wounded shoulder, was already in pursuit. Kendra raced up the stairs and dashed across the chapel to the front door.

  Child, wait! called the witch.

  Kendra paused at the threshold of the church and looked back. Muriel leaned in the doorway that led to the basement.

  She looked pale. Blood drenched the arm of her gown.

  What do you want? Kendra said, trying to sound brave.

  Why rush off in such a hurry? Stay, we can talk this through.

  You don't look so good.

  This trifle? Loosing a single knot will mend it.

  Then why haven't you done it?

  I wanted to talk before you hurried away, the witch soothed.

  What is there to talk about? Let my family go!

  demanded Kendra.

  I may, in time. Child, you do not want to run off into the woods at this late hour. Who can say what horrors await out there?

  They can't beat what's going on in here. Why are you releasing that demon?

  You could never understand, said Muriel.

  Do you think it will be your friend? You're going to end up chained to the wall along with the others.