That couldn’t have happened, thought Frank. Even his inner voice trembled.
You don’t sound very confident, The Collector remarked.
Joe slid his hands up, moving over the bruised skin of Anne’s belly, higher and higher. He glided beneath her top and cupped her breasts. She moaned, the sound muffled, clamped inside by Joe’s eager kiss. Her top pulsated as he slowly started to squeeze and caress her.
Enough! cried Frank, and the image vanished, revealing the living room again. The Collector still talked to the group.
Food for thought, said The Collector. Now, in return for letting you in on their little secret, you must do something for me. This conversation never happened. Say anything or behave oddly and I’ll have the Prowlers tear this house down and rip you all to pieces. Understand?
Y-yes, said Frank. The room span, and his vision fuzzed.
Now listen, Harper, listen very carefully…
5.
“So, where is it?” The Collector drained the last of his tea.
“Erm…well…” said Eleanor. “As you said yourself, it can be quite elusive. You must allow us a little more time to locate it again.”
“You still do have it, don’t you?” asked The Collector.
“Oh yes!” said Eleanor. “But you were right. We all believed the mana to be the spirits of our loved ones. Now you have informed us of its true nature, why would we want to keep hold of it?”
“Really…” said The Collector. He fidgeted with the bowler hat resting in his lap.
“But you must grant us more time, to say our goodbyes. I haven’t seen my husband’s face for years. Surely you can humour us a little longer?”
The Collector stood sharply. They all jerked, especially Frank, who cowered in the corner.
“You must appreciate the severe time issues I’m under here,” said The Collector. “I fear I cannot wait much longer. The mana dissipates in this plane, losing energy through light and sound. It could be gone soon.”
“Trust me,” said Eleanor. “We know it’s still here.”
Joe nodded in agreement while everybody else sat still.
“Very well,” said The Collector, after pausing for thought. “You have one hour. If I am not presented with the mana within this time, then I will visit again, only this time, on much more serious terms. I bid you all good day.” He turned towards the doorway leading out into the hall.
“Wait,” cried Jake.
The Collector looked back over his shoulder, finding the teenager standing up from the armchair.
“I’ll see you out.”
“Hmm,” said The Collector. “I’m glad to see some good things have come from all of this. The boy has actually learned some respect. And manners.”
“After you,” said Jake, bowing his head.
The Collector laughed and placed his hat back onto his head. He gave it a firm push down, securing the bowler.
“How very touching. Come on, boy, if you insist. We wouldn’t want to waste what little time you have left in a battle of politeness.”
He walked out of the room, Jake quickly following behind.
“One hour,” he called back. “Be prompt!”
In the hall, Jake dashed around him to the front door. He unlocked it and swung it open, allowing the blazing light of the day to flood into the narrow room. He stood by the door, holding it open.
“I’m surprised,” said The Collector, studying him. “Maybe it was the other twin who was the bad influence. Perhaps you may become a more rounded person in his absence.”
“You’ve said your piece, now go,” said Jake. He waved his hand in front of his face. It felt like a fly was crossing his forehead.
“Very well,” said The Collector with a shark-like grin. “Remember young one, you have one hour. I feel you’ll be a key player in bringing back my mana…” He walked past Jake and out through the front door.
Jake slid the hammer from the back of his pants and, holding his breath, held it aloft and swung it down towards The Collector’s head.
“Nooo,” Jake cried, dropping the hammer and clutching his temples. It felt like a hand had punched through his skull and wiggled its fingers inside his brain. He toppled backwards, landing at the foot of the stairs.
“Stupid boy,” said The Collector, turning around and giving the dropped hammer a kick. It tumbled a short distance across the carpet and came to rest next to Jake’s left foot. “One hour, and I hope you have a better plan than that.”
Flashing his dangerous smile, The Collector headed back outside and strode down the garden path. Prowlers jumped from the bushes to accompany him.
Feeling the horrific sensation lessen the further The Collector walked, Jake grabbed the hammer from the floor and with eyes full of tears, fled upstairs.
He took the stairs two at a time, bounding upwards onto the landing. Behind him, he heard The Collector whistle a merry tune as he opened the garden gate. A shudder ran through Jake’s body. Though the penetration of his mind had ended, a tremor ran across the skin of his forehead.
Jake reached Charlie’s bedroom and banged both fists against the door.
“Open up,” he said, glancing over his shoulder to check The Collector hadn’t turned back and followed him. “It’s Jake. Open the door!”
He heard a noise from the other side: the chair being pulled from the knob and slid back. The door clicked and opened a couple of inches. Charlie peeked out.
The boy leapt back as Jake shoved the door open with a hard push.
“Hey!”
Jake walked in, finding Bronwyn sat on the bed and his mother dozing on the mattress on the floor. Her blankets had been replaced with clean ones.
“You two,” he said to the children. “Downstairs.”
Charlie was pressed against the wall, eyes wide and body shaking slightly, the rabbit watching the advance of a fox.
Jake felt pleased that his reputation still stood in these extreme circumstances.
“Problem?”
“Is…is it safe?” asked Charlie, his voice trembling.
“Safer than up here, if you get me…” Jake snarled.
“Come on, Bron,” said Charlie, holding out his hand. Bronwyn shuffled off the bed and shooting Jake a mean look, took her brother’s hand. He led her out onto the landing.
“And close the front door,” Jake ordered. He waited until their footsteps reached the end of the stairs before prodding his mother’s side with his foot. “Hey. Wake up.”
Jenny’s eyes gradually opened. She blinked.
“Jake? I must have dozed off…”
He crouched next to her.
“Yeah, you must have. Good job Harper didn’t catch you sleeping while you were meant to be watching his kids. He’d have killed you.”
“Yeah, yeah,” dismissed Jenny. She sat up. “I take it you’re here because he’s gone?”
“He’s gone all right,” said Jake. He shuddered again.
“And?”
“He caught me,” he said, hanging his head. The hammer hung weakly in his hand, pointing at the floor.
“You idiot,” said Jenny. “I told you to be careful, didn’t I? It’s going to be even harder next time. Now he’ll be expecting it!”
Jake swallowed. “Next time?”
“Of course next time. You want him to get away with this?”
Jake looked at her. “I…I don’t think I can.”
“Really, Jake? I thought you were the big hero now? I’ve heard them talking about you, about how you did us all proud when those things got in. And now you’re telling me you can’t finish the job?”
Jake stared at the floor, staying silent. “I…I think you’re just upset, Mum. You’ve never been like this. It’s the stress…”
“They don’t know the real you,” said Jenny, ignoring him. “They don’t know the years of abuse I’ve had to put up with. They don’t know it was your brother that saved me last night, not you…”
“Mum,” Jake cried
, tears now cascading down his cheeks. “Please don’t say this. It’s just the situation.”
“Truth hurts, doesn’t it?” Jenny continued. “I’ve been shut up in here all night. The crazy woman, out of sight, out of mind. While you all planned and schemed together, I was alone. At least you kept me updated, which was something.”
Jake sniffed.
“I’ve had time to think,” said Jenny, “and I want him dead.” She spat the words out like they were acid on her tongue. “He took my boy, and it was because of you…”
“Mum! Please!”
“You had to be the big man, didn’t you? Chase him on that goddamn bike. That’s why he came for us, Jake. That’s why your brother is dead!”
“B-But…”
“But nothing. I know it was your idea to chase him, everything was always your idea…”
Jake dropped the hammer and put his hands over his face, sobbing into his palms.
Jenny ignored him, staring into space. Her eyes were dry.
“All we have is each other now, Jake. While he still walks, we can never be a family again. What you did will always hang over us while your brother’s murderer still lives. Do you agree, Jake?”
He slowly nodded.
“I said, do you agree?”
“Yes,” he shouted, pulling his hands away to reveal a face of tears and mucus.
“Clean yourself up and get back down there. Whatever they’re planning, be a part of it. Get close to him. Don’t let me down.”
“Th-There’s more,” said Jake. His words came out breathlessly. He gulped down air.
Jenny’s eyes found him and narrowed. “What?”
“We…we have one hour before he comes back.”
Jenny smiled.
“Then we’ll be waiting for him, won’t we?”
Again, all Jake could do was nod.
Jenny grabbed the front of his T-shirt and pulled him in close.
“We’ll get him. No one hurts my family. Hear me? No one!”
“Y-Yes, Mum.”
She pushed him away. Jake nearly fell backwards.
“Go back down,” she ordered. “You don’t want to miss anything. And tell no one. As far as they’re concerned, I’m still upset and a blubbering wreck. The less they know, the better. Eleanor and that grandson of hers would only try and stop us. Too nice for their own good, those two.”
“B-But Mum, shouldn’t we hear what they are planning first? I mean, if they think of a way out of this…”
Jenny glared at him.
“You know what you have to do,” she said. “You have a lot to make up for, Jake. Don’t let me and your brother down.” She looked to the door. “Now go.”
The Plan
1.
“Why the hell did you lie?” stormed Frank. He paced back and forth in the living room, sweat pouring down his face. “Why the hell did you tell him we had the damn mana?”
Eleanor sat calmly on the sofa, watching him rant with cool, ancient eyes.
“What was going through your head?”
“Frank,” she said quietly. “If he knew we didn’t have it, he’d have killed us immediately. I have no doubt of it. The mana is all he wants and as long as he thinks we can provide it, he won’t touch us. If he knows it’s gone, we’re nothing to him, annoying flies getting in his way to be swatted aside.”
“So what good came from this?” demanded Frank. “We were dead before and we’re dead now.”
“At least,” said Eleanor, “it bought us an hour. I don’t think he’ll bother us till our time is up. It gives us time to think of something.”
Frank stopped directly in front of her.
“Because of you,” he shouted, “we all have one hour left to live. You had to talk to him, didn’t you? Had to get your answers, you selfish old bitch-”
“That’s enough,” said Joe from the other side of the room. “Don’t speak to her like that!”
“I’ll speak to her how I fucking want, McGuire. This is still my house.”
Anne stood up from the sofa and stepped in front of Frank.
“This is my home too,” she said firmly, “and I’ll not have you shout at Eleanor like this. We’re wasting time here!”
Frank leaned down towards Anne until their noses where almost touching.
“Honey,” he said. “Get out of my way.”
Anne stood completely still, her eyes locked with his.
“Get-out-of-my-way,” Frank repeated slowly, his voice so low that it growled out of his throat.
“No,” said Anne. “I won’t.”
“Bitch,” he cried, grabbing her top. “Ungrateful whore!” He slapped her across the cheek with his other hand.
“No,” shouted Joe. He shot across the room at Frank, slamming into him as Anne fell to the floor clutching her face.
Both men toppled backwards, all flailing arms and legs. Joe landed on top and drove a knee up into Frank’s stomach. Frank grunted, the air knocked out of him, and cried out from a sharp blow across the face. Joe grabbed him by the shirt.
“You coward,” he screamed into Frank’s face. “You fucking coward!” He shook Frank. The teacher’s head bounced off the floor.
Joe felt hands grab him by the shoulders and he allowed himself to be pulled off.
“Stop it,” cried Anne, pushing him away. “Just stop it!”
“Wife beating scumbag,” muttered Joe. He walked to the corner of the room, panting.
“This is wasting our time!” said Eleanor.
Frank sat up with blood trickling from his nose. He dabbed it, and after inspecting the red smear on his fingertips, pinched the bridge. He grinned at Joe, baring his teeth.
“Stop it,” said Anne again, glancing between them. The side of her face was tinged a deep pink.
“He shouldn’t have hit you,” said Joe.
Anne fixed her eyes on him. “Please, just stay out of it.”
They all turned to the doorway at the sound of Charlie and Bronwyn running down the stairs and into the living room.
“What are you doing down here?” asked Anne. “Back upstairs, quickly.”
“Jake Dean told us to come down here,” said Charlie. “He said it was safe.”
Bronwyn shook her head. “Not safe.” She looked to the window. “The bad man’s still there. He’s scary.”
Anne crouched in front of the children.
“Then why didn’t you stay upstairs?”
“The bad man’s scary,” whispered Bronwyn, “but Jake Dean’s scary too.”
Charlie looked around his mother. “Dad? What happened?”
Frank wiped away more of the blood that poured from his nostrils.
“This? Oh, I just walked into a door.” He glared at Joe.
“C’mon, you two,” said Anne. “Come and sit on the sofa with me.”
She sat down, and the two children quickly joined her. Bronwyn jumped into Anne’s lap, pulling her arms around her small body. Charlie sat beside.
“Hello again, Mrs McGuire,” he said.
Eleanor ruffled his hair. He giggled.
“They should be locked back in the bedroom,” said Frank, back on his feet. “Where it’s safe.”
“In less than an hour, nowhere will be safe. I want them here, with me.” Anne gave Bronwyn a squeeze.
“Speaking of which,” said Eleanor, “the clock is ticking and we’re yet to decide our best course of action. That is, if we can behave like adults and get on.”
“As long as he keeps his hands to himself,” said Joe.
“Please,” said Anne, looking to Joe. She shook her head and nodded down at Bronwyn sat in her lap.
“What is there to decide on?” said Frank. “We can’t beat him and the one thing he wants is gone. There’s nothing we can do!”
Jake silently entered and sat in the armchair.
“Why did you send my children down here?” asked Frank when the boy stayed quiet. “Don’t you think you should have asked us first?”
> “He’s gone,” said Jake coldly. “It’s safe down here, at least for a bit. I just thought they’d want to after being stuck in that room all morning.” He smiled sweetly at them.
“Don’t you ever think?” said Frank.
“Be quiet, both of you,” said Anne. “It doesn’t matter. What does is thinking a way through this.”
The room fell quiet.
“My priority,” continued Anne, “is getting these two to safety. I don’t care if it means hiding them where he can’t get them or getting them away completely. He cannot be allowed near them.”
There were a few nods of agreement.
“But we need to stop him,” said Jake. “Even if we do get the kids away, what about the rest of us?”
“How many more times?” cried Frank. “We can’t stop him!”
“Maybe we can,” said Eleanor. “Something he said has been playing on my mind.”
“Huh,” snorted Frank. “I can’t wait to hear this…”
“Our problem is not that we can’t beat him, we can and we have. We survived several attacks from the Prowlers and that pet of his, and he came out worse than we did. We can beat him! Just every time we destroy a group of Prowlers, he manages to get more to replace them. Going back to the chess idea, we can’t defeat him if every time we take one of his pieces, he puts more on the board.”
“Then where are they coming from?” asked Anne. “It’s like he can magic them out of thin air.”
“They can’t just appear,” said Eleanor. “They come through the door, the door he came through to get here, the door that leads to his City. We just have to find it and close it. At least that would improve our chances.”
“But then we still have to confront him,” said Anne.
Eleanor patted her hand.
“Yes, dear. I’m afraid we do. He won’t leave us alone until we either give him the mana or he finishes all of us. The hardest thing will be finding the door. Now, I’ve had a little time to think about this. At the time of his…arrival, we were all in our separate homes, so there’s no need to search the houses. Also, the door has to be close by. It would be reckless for him to bring God-knows-what creatures from a distance away for the risk of being seen. It has to be around here somewhere.”
Everyone was quiet. Eleanor looked at Joe, now perched on the arm of the sofa, staring into space.
The Collector Book One: Mana Leak Page 32