Mrs. Jillings had become frustrated but had no other choice but to give in, shrugging her shoulders and pulling the bedroom door to a close as she made her way back downstairs.
“Well, there’s no one upstairs and everything seems to be in one piece. You may have been right, perhaps a minor earthquake,” Mrs. Jillings slumped back in to her armchair and reached across for her cup and saucer. Kirsten glanced over, meeting her gaze.
“It’s nothing to worry about, is it?” she asked, sounding nervous.
“I wouldn’t have thought so, it’s Christmas! Don’t let it distract you, my dear.”
“No, I shan’t. I’m just wondering when Robin will be back, he’s been gone nearly an hour now. Charlie's house is only ten minutes down the road.”
Kirsten turned her gaze towards the window where she began to cast her mind away from the tremor, as the sky was slowly becoming heavy and gloomy as the storm on the horizon approached, drifting from the direction of Shoulders Heath, beyond the black mountains.
However before her mind could detach from the fear of another earthquake, there it was again, the shaking, the walls vibrating and bumps and knocks pounding from upstairs.
The attic hatch suddenly became unhooked and swung open, releasing a bundle of bodies that dropped from the attic and crashed down to the passage floor.
It was Robin, Kenneth and Professor Magenta, they were now stacked upon one another, pushing and shoving as they climbed back to their feet and began to knock away the sawdust and cobwebs that clung to their coats.
“I’m sorry! I’ve never even been up there before, I didn’t know we had an attic!” Robin muttered, staring at the other two who were looking at each other and both furious.
“What did you think you were doing? You do realise how dangerous that could have been?” Kenneth roared, just inches from Magenta's face.
“We’re safe aren’t we? Besides, the Reapers couldn’t have followed us, that’s not how the spell works!”
Robin didn’t understand a word they were going on about, he felt it would be best to remain silent and let them have it out, it seemed like there had been a lot bottled up by the way it was pouring from their mouths.
“Robin, dear, You’re probably wondering what that was? Now, Kenneth listen up because you might learn a thing or two. Senteer is a spell of transportation, very handy if in a spot of bother like we were, but it’s always good for covering large distances in the matter of seconds, just don’t push your luck; otherwise you might end up in Shoulders Heath!”
Kenneth still didn’t look amused as questions still burned in his mind.
“The only reason we ended up here is because we were protecting Robin,” she added, waiting for Kenneth to have his say.
“And what if the Reapers made it through? What if they had managed to filter their minds and arrived in this very building?”
Magenta moved closer to Kenneth, once again invading his personal space to counter his argument.
“Look, I did something and we’re safe...If it was down to you, Kenneth Brown, you’d be dead and they would have taken Robin. No offense, Robin, but you wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it.”
“No offense taken,” he muttered, looking down at the mess on the carpet, the splintered shards and mounds of dusts.
“You’ll pick it up quickly, now, are you ready?” she asked, as Robin cast her a look of confusion.
“Ready?”
“No, he’s not ready, Magenta,” Kenneth interrupted, standing between them, “This is ridiculous! We have to report back to Professor Grimtale, he has to know that the Reapers are back, perhaps then he will reconsider Silverstein's ludicrous plan.”
“Do I not have a say?” Robin piped up, reverting his position between the two flamboyant characters, “As mad as it sounds, shouldn’t I be the one to decide whether I help or not?” he added, and for a moment there was silence as they collected their thoughts.
“I think that’s fair,” replied Kenneth, shooting a smug look at Magenta who stood beside him, reluctantly, not wanting to waste her energy by meeting his gaze any longer.
“Go ahead, just remember what’s at stake…”
Robin frowned.
“What exactly is at stake?” He hissed through his teeth as Mrs. Jillings began to climb the stairs again, alerting Robin, as the bottom step made a nasty squeal.
“Get out of here, both of you! And I’d prefer not to see you again, you understand?” He said in a hushed tone, waving his hands, prompting them both away as Magenta suddenly looked worried and Kenneth still looked smug, knowing that Robin was no longer going to be returning with them - which translated as hope as the thought of Robin and his family safe, and hidden far from Vinemoore loomed bright in his thoughts.
“Ethel will make him understand, this isn’t over, Kenneth.”
Magenta blinked, then Kenneth cast the spell of transportation with his cane, slamming it against the floorboard and chanting “Senteer” as both stepped back, into the portal of crystallised energy that had suddenly erupted from thin air, illuminating the passage with a golden ray of light. The two figures quickly disappeared beyond the light, holding a strong thought of where they were headed, clearly in their minds as the energy closed behind them, concealing itself until there was nothing left behind but a weary man dressed in a mustard yellow frock coat, and a old confused lady, stood upon the landing, comfy and warm but also curious as her gaze fell cold upon Robin who was yet to notice her, frozen still on the top step.
“It’s not what it looks like,” Robin claimed as he turned awkwardly, trying hard to look casual, wondering whether she had seen what he had just witnessed.
“Don’t suppose we have a dustpan and brush?” he grinned, his cheeks glowing bright red as he crept towards Mrs. Jillings.
She still didn’t look amused as she frowned at Robin, watching as he approached, stepping into the dying light of the sun that was shining through the landing window above the front door.
“I think it’s time we sat down over a cup of tea, Mr Occamy,” she said, sternly.
“You drink a lot of tea, don’t you…”
“Of course, tea is good.”
Then she led the way down the stairs, pulling the front room door closed as she passed and went on to the kitchen - Robin followed behind.
Once in the kitchen Mrs. Jillings wasted no time running the kettle under the tap, and throwing it on the hob before taking a seat up the table.
“Do take a seat,” said Mrs. Jillings, signaling towards the chair beside her as Robin peeped his head around the door frame.
“Dinner smells good Mrs. J,” he said, winking at her as he removed his coat and placed it on the back of his wooden chair. Then as he sat down on the chair and brushed away the creases on his clean white shirt, he noticed that Mrs. Jillings was still looking at him in a strange way.
“Is everything...okay, Mrs. Jillings?”
She continued to stare, as if she was looking directly at the core of his soul.
“What did they have to say?”
“I’m sorry?”
“The Morients you brought home, what did they want?”
Robin's eyes widened.
“I didn’t think you - I didn’t think you noticed,” he mumbled, awkwardly.
“I didn’t think I’d see a Morient on Christmas day!” she chirped, still frowning and waiting patiently for the water to begin to boil.
“What did the Professor and Kenneth Brown have to say for themselves, Mr Occamy?” she added, leaning in so close that she could feel Robin's breath panting against her brow.
“Why am I seemingly the only one who has no idea what the hell is going on? I ran into a strange man, a man with a stick - a wand, a magic wand!”
“Kenneth?”
“No! He has some kind of magic cane, this man was different. They called him a...Reaper?”
Mrs. Jillings expression finally changed, Robin could almost see her second skin breaking aw
ay and crumbling as her face expressed a look of surprise and mixed anger to account for the breaking news, the return of the power that many had feared...
“If they are back, that can only mean one thing…”
“And that is?” asked Robin, reaching for Mrs. Jillings hand to find it had turned cold and blue.
“It means things are going to change,” she added in a shocked whisper, turning away as a tear fell down the side of her cheek, and the kettle began to whistle a stream of steam from its spout.
“Mrs.J, what do you know of these Reapers?” Robin asked curiously, as she wandered over to the stove and lifted the kettle over to the side board where two floral coated, china cups waited with a tea bag set inside.
“Everything there is to tell,” she said, “Apart from, it’s not my place to say, and I'm sorry, Robin. It would appear that I haven’t been completely honest with you these past few months…”
“Oh not you as well!” he remarked, reminded of Kenneth who had turned out to be some kind of magician.
“I have been watching over you and your family, but it was no coincidence. There is a man who wanted to make sure that you, Kirsten and Emily would be safe. So I pledged my allegiance to your family, not realising I would grow a fondness for you all.”
Mrs. Jillings stirred up the cups of tea and brought them back to the table where Robin was sat, listening carefully and trying his best to understand what was being explained.
It wasn’t easy but even though it seemed silly and bizarre, he was still curious, after all, he had already seen a great deal with his own eyes, fallen through a portal of liquid energy, and watched as Kenneth and Magenta vanished through the fabric of reality.
Nothing was questionable anymore as he listened to all Mrs. Jillings had to say.
“There is a lot that you’re about to learn about the world we live in, and if I'm honest I think there’s a lot to be learned about yourself, too. But I am not the one to tell the tales, Mr Occamy.”
Robin took a sip of his boiling hot cup of tea and took a moment, casting his mind back to all the weird and wonderful things he had experienced since living in the town of Vinemoore. The more he thought about it, he realised that there wasn’t a great deal of memories to recollect, anything beyond moving into the cottage was all a blur, a vivid image concealed by a cloud of hazy smoke that wasn’t yet ready to disperse.
“You’re wondering aren’t you, perhaps realising that this makes more sense than what you had originally expected, but please if you take anything away from me, let me tell you that Kirsten and Emily are safe, and what may be required of you will not bring them to harm.”
Robin now looked worried, taking another sip of his tea to hydrate the brittle skin forming on the surface of his lips.
“Do they know?” he asked.
“Of course not. They’re lucky, they’re amazing people and they shall never know.”
“Are you one of them?”
Mrs. Jillings sighed and looked down for a moment, then met Robin's gaze.
“I am Morient. But I am one of few, much like Kenneth who live in harmony with Human beings.”
“Am I Human?” Robin asked, noticing that Mrs. Jillings was slowly becoming more and more vague by the way she was turning away and peering out of the kitchen window that looked out towards the clear skies that would soon be overwhelmed by darkness.
“Mr. Jillings...You know, I know you do...am I Morient?”
She still looked away and sipped at her tea, avoiding the question.
“I’ve said too much already, I will not jeopardise what’s been put in place. I don’t have the right, and I don’t want to see you or your family coming to unnecessary harm, do you understand?” she muttered, still facing the opposite direction.
“No, I believe I don’t,” he replied, stepping up and walking in front of the window, breaking her stray gaze that had now settled on his face.
“What were you really sent here for?” he demanded.
“To protect, to nurture your family, Mr Occamy.”
“You’ve done that pretty well, now what else? What has been put in place, why did they say that they needed me?” he bellowed, towering over Mrs. Jillings, who was slowly slumping down into her chair and cowering behind her china cup and saucer that was raised in front of her face.
Then creaking on its hinge, the front room door slowly began to open, then a pair of curious eyes peeped and widened as Emily spotted her Father stood in the kitchen.
“Papa! You’re home!” she chirped, jumping in to the kitchen and throwing her arms around Robin's left leg.
“Hello, sweetie. Are you hungry?”
She nodded, with a massive grin, sniffing at the smell of turkey wafting up from the oven.
“Can you go and tell mummy that there’s not long until dinner…”
“Okay!” she then skipped her way through to the front room to deliver the tasty news, giving Robin and Mrs. Jillings a last moment to revert their gaze and board the train of thought that had momentarily escaped them.
“Magenta said, before she left, you would be able to bring me around, make me understand,” he said in a hushed tone as he heard Emily rambling away to Kirsten in the front room.
“My mind is open, there is no better time than now! You have to tell me, what is it you’re keeping from me?” he hissed, becoming slightly aggressive as he leaned close to Mrs.Jilling’s face as all its warmth washed away and fear glistened from her eyes that was all too apparent to Robin as he glared at her, coldly - aggressively.
“Don’t you dare speak to me like that, Mr Occamy. Don’t you ever do that again!”
Mrs. Jillings pushed Robin away, where he quickly realised his wrongs as he buried his head in his hands and pressed away his hair.
“Please accept my apology,” he begged, which immediately wiped the fear from Mrs. Jillings eyes, and it was as if the fires were reignited as she rose from her chair, clutching her cup and saucer that were now sipped dry of tea.
“When the time is right, you will learn,” she said, placing her china in the sink then turning back to face Robin, still massively upset.
“When the Occamy household falls into a slumber, meet me at the grandfather clock, then and only then will I begin the necessary proceedings that you seek.”
Robin anxiously stood in the kitchen, running his mind over the questions that still remained.
“But we don’t have a grandfather clock, do we?”
“What do you think?”
Robin scratched at his chin, looking about the kitchen. He had definitely heard the sound of a clock for as long as he could remember while living in the cottage, but still he was yet to find it. Perhaps it was a miniature sized clock? Or an invisible grandfather clock? He thought, as what seemed like crazy ideas yesterday, were now no different to the norm as he fell on to his hands and knees and began to scour the kitchen tiles for a trace of the infamous clock that chimed at the turn of day.
* * *
During the time that Robin had been in search of a grandfather clock that may not even exist, Kenneth and Magenta had arrived at their desired destination, stepping out from within the portal of energy spiralling around on the surface of a dark rocky quarry, surrounded by tall, dark mountains that sat vertical through the angry grey clouds overhead.
It was like home to Magenta as they stepped a foot back inside the Morient realm, allowing the Senteer spell to close firmly behind them, exploding like a bright orange firework, casting light upon the vast institute temple that perched upon the cliff edge, across from where the two Morients had come to stand.
“Ready for a climb?” said Kenneth, staring down in to the depth of the valley where the grand Institute for Morient kind sat peacefully at a distance.
Magenta had begun to chuckle as she glanced towards Kenneth - he was being serious, he must have forgotten, which only make it funnier, she thought, as she drew her wand and tapped it gently against her head, accelerating a pleasant gift
that she had discovered back in the days of schooling. She was surprised that Kenneth hadn’t remembered as he turned to catch a glimpse of Magenta, shrinking to the size of a bird and spreading her fluffy pink wings.
“Sorry, Kenneth. Must dash!” she chirped as she jumped from the cliff edge and swooped down towards the institute’s courtyard, flapping away and disappearing in to the distance, leaving behind a trail of glistening pink sparkle that stung as it bristled past the glass of Kenneth's spectacles.
“Brilliant, just bloody brilliant!” he cursed, taking the first step of a long, painful journey, down the side of the rocky valley, knowing Magenta was probably already inside the institute and about to slate his name again. Convincing the chamber that Kenneth Brown was the sole reason behind the failure in capturing Professor Robin Occamy. As if the day couldn’t get any worse, he thought, slowly descending, remaining vigilant as he feared by the time he arrived at the gates, the only reason to enter would to be faced by Silverstein, ready to cart his corpse to the deepest, darkest corner of the Institutes dungeons....
CHAPTER 6
The Unpleasant News
The heavy chamber doors squealed and crunched as they returned to their closed position behind Professor Grimtale and Sachester Bilshore. They were headed for the front gates which stood beyond the grand, golden decorated hallway with pearlescent marble tiles that were glistening like a river beneath their feet. The gates were tall and dark and made from the strongest of steel, because even in an alternate world, the primitive metals had their uses and had never failed in keeping evil at bay, not while they remained shut and sealed by one of Grimtales most powerful enchantments.
There was no way to emphasise the sheer size, they towered four times the height of the professor as he arrived at the foot of them, where his journey had come to its conclusion as he waved away the aura of energy that was binding the two steel structures like a mystical padlock.
The Professor and the Starlight Phoenix Page 6