by Tim O'Rourke
The light was poor and the place stank of sweat, urine and excrement. Rats scuttled around in the gloom and they bared their glistening teeth at anyone that dared to come too near. The prisoners lay weak and frail looking on the floor or huddled in the corners of their cells with their heads in their hands. One frail-looking inmate stood at the bars of his cell and dribbled from the corners of his mouth as he banged the cell door with a human thighbone.
‘Which way?’ Zach asked William.
‘I don’t know,’ William barked, looking all about himself. ‘We’ll have to check all of the cellblocks!’
Leaping away down the tunnel, Zach and Neanna chased after him.
‘Granddad! Granddad!’ he howled. ‘It’s me William!’
Hearing the commotion, some of the prisoners came to their cell doors, clutching at the three of them as they raced through the winding tunnels.
‘Help us!’ they begged, waving their filthy hands through the bars.
Looking into their faces, Zach could see the despair in them and in others he could see complete madness. He didn’t care what they had been convicted of – no one deserved to be treated like this.
‘Give me the keys!’ Zach shouted at Neanna, taking her by the arm.
‘Why?’ she asked.
‘Just give me the keys!’
Sensing the desperation in his voice, Neanna handed him the ring of keys that she’d taken from the Norsori. Fumbling with them in his hands, Zach thrust one of the keys into a cell lock and twisted it hard to the right. The lock gave and the cell door swung open. Pulling the key from the lock, Zach tried another. This key also opened the cell door. Taking one of the keys from the ring, he handed the rest of them to the prisoner who stood in the open cell doorway.
The prisoner looked wizened and tired, and had no hair except for a few black, matted clumps. The rest looked as if it had fallen out. Trembling, the prisoner took the keys from Zach.
‘Bless you! Bless you!’ the prisoner said through a mouthful of broken teeth. ‘Bless you!’
‘Free the others,’ Zach ordered.
‘Even him?’ the prisoner whispered, looking over Zach’s shoulder in fear.
Spinning round, Zach could see a dark figure lurking in the corner of the cell behind him. Crossing the tunnel, Zach moved towards the cell door.
‘What do thee want boy?’ came a deep voice from within the darkness.
Zach stood without saying a word, squinting into the gloom of the cell and at the figure in the corner.
‘This aint no zoo boy. Quit staring or things are gonna get a bit crazy down here,’ came the voice again.
Zach’s fingers hovered over his crossbows, but before having the chance to draw them the figure had leapt across his cell and had gripped Zach by the throat.
‘Got a good ‘nuff look ‘ave thee now boy?’ the prisoner seethed. His face was weather-beaten and looked like dry leather. A series off scars crisscrossed his face in white bulbous streaks, and his powerful jaw line was covered in a mosaic of white and black whiskers.
‘Well?’ the prisoner hissed, spraying Zach’s face with hot spittle.
‘Are you worthy to be freed?’ Zach said, staring into the prisoner’s grey eyes.
‘Are thee worthy to set me free?’ he grinned.
‘What was your crime?’ Zach asked, sliding one of his crossbows from its holster.
‘Got me-self a woman from the town of Tux,’ he smirked. ‘But not any ordinary lady thee see. The Sheriff’s intended she were. He were away fighting some heroic crusade. But I treated that lady real fine. Took ‘er out into the desert. But one night, I caught ‘er trying to escape me – off into the desert she fled. I chased ‘er down for two days and nights. I could ‘ave caught her sooner but I was just playing with ‘er. Anyways, I hounded her into the onyx sea. Stood on the shore and watched her for a while, kicking and hollering like a goodun, but the Angelshark’s soon took her under. Those sharks fed well that night me reckon…’
CLICK! The prisoner rolled his eyes to the left as Zach raised his crossbow. Grinning like a crazy, the prisoner released his grip on Zach’s throat. Stepping away from the cell door, Zach stood looking at the man staring back at him from behind his prison bars.
‘What thee waiting for boy?’ the prisoner screamed. ‘You think thee are judge and jury. SHOOT ME!’
Zach held his crossbow in his fist and said nothing.
‘What thee waiting for? Put me outta me misery!’ the prisoner cried, throwing his arms out to the side and puffing out his chest. ‘I’ve killed thirteen in all and the last was the sweetest. Sweet darling Meadda. What a peach!’
Zach stood and watched the insane murderer boast of his killings. And without a word, Zach holstered his crossbow.
‘SHOOT ME!’ the prisoner demanded. ‘EITHER RELEASE ME BOY OR PUT A STAKE IN ME SKULL. BUT DON’T LEAVE ME TO ROT IN HERE!’
Turning his back on the murderer and looking at the frail prisoner who stood holding the keys to the cells, Zach said, ‘release every prisoner except him and anyone else like him.’
‘As you wish,’ the tired old prisoner said, ‘as you wish.’ And then he was gone, shuffling down the tunnel, unlocking cell doors as he went.
Zach glanced one last time at the murderer who stared back from the darkness of his cell.
‘I won’t forget thee face boy,’ the murderer hissed. ‘In this life or another, we’ll meet again and it’ll be me playing judge and jury!’
Turning, Zach raced back up the tunnel after William.
Chapter 34
The tunnels soon became a hive of frantic activity as prisoners hobbled and stumbled from their cells. Some of them laughed with tears of joy and others cried at the thought of all their lost years.
‘Granddad!’ William yelled again.
They searched the whole of cellblock one and two without finding William’s granddad.
‘He’s got to be here somewhere!’ William cried, peering into each cell that he passed. He raced into the third tunnel and glanced through the bars of the first cell. In the corner lay a frail old man, who had his arms drawn about him as if cradling himself. William was just about to turn away from the cell, when the tired looking man whispered something.
‘Did you say my name?’ William said, stopping in his tracks.
‘If you are William-the-wolf-Weaver, son of Warden Weaver, then yes I said your name,’ the tired-looking man said.
‘Do I know you?’ William asked, watching the man pull himself from his mattress and stagger to the gate.
As the man stood in front of him in the glow of the torchlight, William thought he had perhaps met him before. He was short, squat and dressed in rags. This man had a set of white eyebrows which were so long they hung in front of his eyes. It was seeing these again that made William remember who it was that stared back at him from within the cell.
‘Captain Bom?’ William asked.
‘That it is,’ Captain Bom said and chopped off a weary salute.
‘What are you doing in here?’ William asked, crouching down by the cell bars.
‘All of the Queen’s loyal staff were imprisoned when Throat took over the Splinter.’
‘Where is my granddad?’ William asked as Zach turned the key in the lock and released the Captain.
Taking hold of William by his forearm, Captain Bom looked up into his face.
‘Where is my granddad?’ William asked again. ‘Take me to him.’
‘I wish I could, young William but I’m afraid…’
‘Take me to him!’ William barked, not wanting to hear the rest of what Captain Bom had to say.
‘Your dear granddad passed…’ Bom began.
‘No!’ William howled. ‘It’s not true!’
Tightening his grip on William, Captain Bom said, ‘he died about a month ago.’
Zach and Neanna stood next to William. Neanna stroked the long hair that trailed over his shirt collar.
‘I don’t believe it,’ W
illiam barked, his eyes losing their glow behind his spectacles. ‘How did it happen?’
‘He just grew weak and tired. I could see it coming for months,’ Captain Bom said. ‘I was surprised that he lasted so long, but he was waiting for you William.’
Pulling away from Captain Bom, William buried his head in his arms and began to howl.
‘This is my fault!’ he sobbed. ‘He must’ve hated me for what I did!’
Shuffling forward, Captain Bom touched William’s back.
‘To the contrary,’ he soothed, ‘your granddad never stopped talking about you. He told me how proud he was of you and how he knew you would put everything right.’
William stood alone, his face buried in his hands. His friends watched tears of light seep between his fingers and disappear into his beard.
‘But without him, everything has been in vain. He was meant to help us on our journey. We can’t go on without him,’ William mumbled, choking on his tears.
‘Your granddad entrusted me with something. He said you would know what to do with it,’ Captain Bom said, reaching inside his torn and tattered shirt.
Wiping away his tears and sniffing up ropey lumps of snot that had dribbled from his nose, William looked down at the Captain. Moving closer, Zach and Neanna peered into the orange shadows to see what it was that Captain Bom had been entrusted to look after. From over his head, Bom pulled a thin silver chain and held it out before him. Glinting in the torchlight swung a small, white coloured key.
Stepping towards Captain Bom, their mouths open in awe, Zach, William and Neanna stared in wonder at the key. It looked as if it had been whittled out of bone and at its end were engraved three small teeth. Bom handed the key to William, who continued to stare at it in wonder.
‘So this is what we came for? This tiny piece of bone?’ William said.
‘It’s the key to the box!’ Neanna nodded.
‘Your granddad kept it safe for you William,’ Zach said, unable to take his eyes from it.
Turning it over and over in his huge hands like a precious relic, William said, ‘but it looks so delicate…so fragile.’
Stepping close, Captain Bom looked through his long eyebrows and said, ‘just right for a Queen, don’t you think?’
‘It’s perfect,’ William whispered, pulling the chain over his head and hiding the key beneath his shirt and the think lengths of brown hair that covered his chest.
‘Now that we have the key, we’d better get going,’ Zach said, pulling them all from the trance-like-state the key had put them in.
Looking at him, Neanna said, ‘you’re right. We’ve come too far to be captured now!’
Stepping forward, Captain Bom took hold of William’s hand.
‘I wish you our Queen’s peace on your journey. May you find the box that you seek? Endra’s fate lies in your hands,’ he said. Then turning to face Zach and Neanna, he added, ‘In all of your hands.’
Zach looked at the fat little man before him with his bushy, white eyebrows and torn clothes.
‘Not just in our hands,’ Zach said, ‘it lies in yours too.’
‘What are you talking about young man?’ Captain Bom said.
‘Why, you’re coming with us. We could do with some rank on our journey.’
‘But…I’m too old and too…’ Captain Bom started to protest.
Ignoring him, Zach said, ‘by the way, I’m Zach Black,’ and shook the captain’s hand. ‘Now let’s get going!’
Chapter 35
Swooping from the night sky like a tornado, the Hollow Child took form in the desert a mile from the prison. The boy walked towards the Demonic Guardians and Radan that had amassed in their thousands. He wore a white shirt that was buttoned at the throat, grey knee-length shorts, socks and black shoes. He could have been mistaken for any eight-year old school boy.
The Hollow Child’s face looked like that of a cherub beneath the light of the moon. His thick white hair curled about his shoulders like liquid gold and his heart-shaped lips formed a perfect smile as he addressed the troops.
‘Our master’s desire is that you take the prison,’ he said, and despite his angelic appearance, his voice was deep and old. It boomed off the surrounding cliff-faces and made the earth tremor.
‘You are to show no mercy,’ he continued. ‘Every living thing within the prison walls is to be destroyed.’
‘Even the Norsori?’ one of the Demonic Guardians asked.
Stepping towards the Guardian, the boy looked up into its blood red eyes and said, ‘what is your rank?’
‘Field Marshal,’ the Guardian stated.
‘The highest rank in Throat’s army? Then you should know better than to question orders,’ the Hollow Child roared, stretching out his arm an unnatural length and snapping the Guardian’s neck like a brittle stick. The Field Marshal dropped to the ground, where he twitched for a moment before lying still like a toy solider whose batteries had gone flat.
The boy withdrew his arm and it coiled back towards him like a spring. He walked along the line of Guardians. Stopping before one of them, the Hollow Child looked up at it and said, ‘can you lead this army into battle without question?’
Staring straight over the head of the boy, the Demonic Guardian said, ‘this won’t be a battle; this will be a slaughter!’
The Hollow Child chuckled and it sounded like thunder. ‘Very good.’ He then stared hard at the Guardian and said, ‘don’t fail me Field Marshal!’
The promoted Guardian braced to attention and slammed his swordstick into the ground.
Stepping aside, the Hollow Child nodded and said, ‘when you’re ready.’
Seeing her uncle Fandel, Anna spun on her heels and raced back into the Railroad Station. Slamming the door closed and seeing a bolt, Anna forced it across the doorway.
Grinning, Fandel rapped on the glass windowpane with his knuckles and peered in at her. ‘I thought you’d be pleased to see your dear old uncle again,’ he teased from outside.
‘Go away!’ Anna screamed, looking around for another way of escape.
‘Oh don’t be like that,’ he smirked, rattling the door handle.
Anna looked at the doorway that led down into the dark and raced through it. Taking two steps at a time, she sped into the underground sleeping chamber. Glancing back over her shoulder, Anna heard the sound of snarling coming from above. With her heart somersaulting in her chest, she darted back and forth in the darkness, realising she had trapped herself underground. Anna dropped to the floor as the sound of smashing glass and splintering wood thundered from above.
Bounding towards the Railroad Station door, Max slammed his large skull into it. The door buckled in its frame and the glass shattered.
‘Go on my sweetie. Catch mummy that naughty girl!’ the Delf screeched over the sound of her own farting.
Max took another run at the door and this time, he ripped it free of its hinges. The door exploded across the small dining area in a shower of splinters. Prowling into the Railroad Station, Max sniffed the air.
Crawling around in the pitch-black, Anna heard the door cave-in above her.
Where can I hide? She screamed inside.
Running her fingers along the edge of the bunks, Anna for a moment considered hiding beneath one of them, but the sound of something huge and mean coming down the stairs forced her to change her mind.
Manoeuvring herself in the dark to the furthest corner of the room, Anna slid down the wall. From above, she could feel a breeze from the air vent she had noticed earlier. Scrambling to her feet, she gripped the wire mesh that covered it. She pulled on it with all of her strength, trying to tear it free from the wall.
The sound of claws rattled against the hard floor of the sleeping chamber like spurs on a pair of cowboy boots. The sound of heavy breathing was just feet from her. Whatever it was in the room with her, it made a woofing sound then barked. Jumping with fright, Anna tugged on the wire mesh until her fingers started to bleed. Footfalls fell on the s
tairs and a glow of orange light accompanied them. Peering over her shoulder, Anna could see her uncle and the most repulsive looking woman she had ever seen, step down into the sleeping chamber.
Waving the candle before him, Fandel said, ‘come out, come out wherever you are?’ Then he saw his niece cowering in the far corner of the room. Before he had the chance to say anything else, the Delf was screaming beside him.
‘Max, there she is! Get the girl!’
Staring in horror over her shoulder, Anna saw the giant dog come sauntering towards her. Max snarled, revealing a red mouthful of razor teeth. Drool swung from its lips like stringy lengths of glue.
Turning her back on the creature, she couldn’t bear to look at the thing that was going to kill her. Anna pulled on the wire mesh with the last bit of strength that she had.
‘You can’t get away,’ Fandel whispered from the bottom of the stair.
With one last yank on the mesh, it came away in her hands. Throwing it at the dog, she scrambled up into the air vent. Max lept forward and lunged at her feet as she wriggled into the tunnel. He clamped his huge jaws around one of Anna’s boots and began to drag her from the hole. Anna tried to dig her fingernails into the tunnel walls, but they were made of tin and her nails screeched as she was dragged backwards.
Twisting onto her back, she could see the hideous looking dog biting and tearing at her foot. Thrusting her right leg out, Anna smashed the heel of her boot into Max’s snout. He growled and his eyes rolled in their dark sockets.
‘Get off me, you filthy animal!’ Anna screamed, kicking and thrashing with her foot. Over and over again, the heel of her boot smashed into the dog’s long snout as it ripped and pulled at her. Drool flew from its jaws in a foamy spray and splattered the walls of the tunnel like wet plaster.
‘LET! GO! OF! ME!’ she hollered, punctuating each word with a kick to Max’s head. The last of the kicks drove the heel of her boot straight into one of Max’s eyes. Releasing his grip on Anna, Max howled in agony. His bloodshot eye squirmed in its socket like a squashed tomato.