by S. C. Ransom
Some of the excitement faded from his eyes. “I’m sure it will wait. I’m just curious about what you might be able to do.”
“What are you expecting?”
He gave me one of his most devastating smiles. “Who knows? I’m just really interested in finding out.”
I had to confess the concept was intriguing. There was obviously something he thought I might be able to do which he wasn’t telling me about. The only way to know would be to go.
I told him to go and gather for a bit while I checked out the family’s plans. Mum was working in the office downstairs and Josh, having finished all his exams, was lying in the sunshine, listening to his iPod. Dad’s car was gone.
Mum seemed delighted I was awake, and got me some breakfast. She hovered around while I ate, obviously still overwhelmed by the fact that she had got me back from the dead. This wasn’t going to be easy.
“So what are the plans for today then?” I finally had to ask when the subtle approach failed.
“You just get to relax, sweet-pea. The doctors have signed you off for another week, so there is no need to do anything.” I winced a bit at the old endearment and wondered if Callum was listening.
“Are you home all day too? I expect you have loads of work to do after a week camping at the hospital.”
“I’m pretty busy, but I can manage from home. I don’t want to leave you, not so soon.”
“Honestly, Mum, there’s no need for that. I’m not going to keel over if you go into the office.”
I could see the indecision in her eyes, so I nudged her in the right direction. “And Josh is here, so I wouldn’t even be on my own.”
With perfect timing her BlackBerry buzzed, announcing another email. She quickly scrolled down through the list and sighed. “Well, if you’re absolutely sure… I really could do with going in for a few hours to sort some of this stuff out.”
“I’ll be fine, Mum. What could go wrong?” I crossed my fingers as I said it: I had no idea what weird things Matthew had in mind.
“OK… As long as you are sure.” I could tell she was beginning to feel guilty now, and would beat herself up about it until she got into the office. Then she would get completely absorbed in what she was doing and be gone for hours.
“I’m positive,” I soothed her. “I really don’t need to be babysat: I’m OK.”
“Fine. I’ll get going then. The sooner I go, the sooner I’ll get back.” I knew this was nonsense, but she seemed to have deluded herself into thinking it was true so I nodded in agreement.
“I’ll see you later, Mum. I’ll call you if I feel odd or need anything, I promise.”
“Alright, darling. Thank you. I’ll see you later. Tell Josh, will you?”
“Of course I will. Have fun at the office!” With a flurry of papers and charger cables she was through the door and off. Sometimes there were real advantages to having a mother with a career.
With Mum out of the way, I only had to deal with Josh. I ambled casually out into the garden, where he was still lying with his headphones on. There was no sign of consciousness at all.
I quickly ran back into the house and got ready to go out, and he was still sleeping when I approached him twenty minutes later.
I shook him gently to wake him up, hoping that this wasn’t going to annoy him too much. He peered at me from under his shades. “Uh, you up now then, are you?” he grunted.
“Sorry to wake you, but I just wanted to let you know I’m popping out for a bit. Oh, and Mum’s gone to the office so you are on your own. Got your mobile on you?” I said the last bit over my shoulder as I started back to the house, hoping it would discourage a conversation. He patted his pocket and gave me a thumbs-up as he sank back.
I knew it was going to take me a while to get to London, so I called Callum to tell him I was on my way and to meet me at Waterloo Station. The timetables were with me: a bus arrived just as I was walking past the bus stop, and as I arrived at the local station I had just enough time to get a ticket and jump on the next train. As I sat on the train I considered all the possibilities ahead of me, but I couldn’t think what would get Callum so excited. Then I realised what he’d been thinking about: our first meeting! Directly under the middle of the dome in St Paul’s I had been able to see him without a mirror.
The journey dragged on, stopping at every tiny station on the line, and I counted them off until we got to Waterloo. The station was huge, with a vast glass roof where I could see some pigeons making themselves at home. I searched around for somewhere to buy some water and ended up paying a fortune for a tiny bottle from a coffee stall. It was deliciously cold though. I looked around the concourse to find somewhere unobtrusive to call Callum. Even at this time of day there were hundreds of people milling about, some obviously commuters off to meetings, some harassed parents with fractious children, and several elegant ladies who were clearly going to be lunching. Watching the crowd was mesmerising. I could see yellow flashes around the heads of several people, particularly above people who were arriving, and I guessed it wouldn’t be like that in the rush hour, though: these people clearly had exciting places to go. I smiled to myself: I realised that no one was watching me, so there was no need to find a quiet corner. I put on my earpiece and called his name.
There was a moment’s hesitation when I thought I was going to have to call again, but then he was there. I realised as I felt the welcoming sensation in my arm that now it felt odd when he wasn’t there: the tingle was now what I expected to feel.
“Hello. I made it. What’s the plan?”
“I’m so glad you’re here. But there is no plan. We go up the front steps of the cathedral like everyone else. I just don’t have to pay like you do – I hope you brought some cash!” His fingers tickled my back and I resisted the compulsion to wriggle – that would have looked a little odd.
“We only need to get you there,” he added. “How long before you are missed at home?”
I looked at my watch and did a quick calculation. “I’ve only got a couple of hours before I need to start heading back. I’d like to avoid Mum finding out that I’ve sneaked off.”
“OK, then, we need the most direct route, not the scenic, tourist approach. Waterloo and City line to Bank, then a very brisk five minute walk round the side of the cathedral. I’ll catch up with you outside the tube station.” The excitement in his voice was infectious.
“Oh, please tell me why you’re so excited! What should I expect?”
“Let’s find out when we get there. You need to get down to the underground.” If he could have pulled me along, he would have.
“OK, OK! I’m coming. See you in ten minutes.”
I quickly ran down to the tube and found that the Waterloo and City line went from a different part of the tube station. Muttering crossly to myself, I finally found the right place and jumped on the first train. It was a weird little tube line with only two stops, and I noticed that in the tube there were far fewer yellow lights: most people were dressed in formal suits and looked as if they were on their way to meetings. The little train shuttled along to Bank very quickly, though, and I was soon running up the escalators into the sunshine.
Callum was with me almost as I got to the street. He must have been watching out for me. He directed me down the road, giving me details of some of the sights we were passing. It was like having a personal tour guide in my head, except that he also kept up a running commentary on the auras of the people we passed.
He was right that the majority of people were gloomy, and I didn’t get that much chance to practise my new skill. I thought as we rushed along that if I looked really hard, I could perhaps detect a hint of red in the air around some people.
Callum got more and more twitchy the closer we got to the cathedral. I tried to think of things I could say to calm him down, but given how nervous I was feeling I wasn’t able to do much good. Finally, we made it to the front steps. The imposing portico loomed up above us and I suddenly felt
very scared.
“Callum, can the other Dirges see me? Are they expecting me?”
“Relax,” he whispered. “Most of them are out gathering.”
I really didn’t believe him. If this was an unusual event in an otherwise completely unchanging daily grind, I was willing to bet that most of them would be watching.
“You are such a liar! Come on, how many are looking?”
He gave a nervous laugh. “OK. I was just trying to make you feel more relaxed. I think they’re pretty much all here.”
“Oh! I wish I hadn’t asked. Is Matthew there too?”
“Yep. He’s there waiting.”
“For you, I hope.”
“No! For you, of course. He sees me every day.” He was trying to sound casual but was failing miserably.
I took a deep breath. “What do I have to do?”
“Once we get to the top I’ll get out of the way and Matthew will join you.” It sounded as if he was as nervous as I was.
My heart pounded. “Have you any last minute advice, or anything?” I asked as we started climbing up the steps.
“Just be you. It’ll be fine.” He kissed me quickly and then whispered, “Stop behind the pillars by the main doors. I promise I’ll be right by your side.”
The steps were dotted with tourists, some standing looking down Ludgate Hill or poring over maps, some sitting eating ice creams or sandwiches, and still others just enjoying the sunshine. I worked my way around them all to the top, and then went past the immense pillars. It was relatively quiet as the tourist entrances were to either side. The big doors here obviously only opened on special occasions. I stopped where there was a reasonable amount of space around me: I didn’t want too much of an audience for what I was about to do.
My mouth was dry with nerves. I got out my water and had a quick swig before I pulled out the little mirror. My earpiece was already in place. I swiftly scanned around me and almost dropped the mirror as I suddenly realised that I was in the middle of a huge crowd of dark-cloaked figures. For a split second I was frozen with fear and an urge to run almost overcame me, but then I caught sight of Callum watching me anxiously and tried to calm down: I was doing this for him, I remembered. I adjusted my earpiece and spoke clearly. “Hello, Matthew, Callum tells me you would like to meet me.”
There was the tingle in my wrist, subtly different from the one I was used to, and I glanced in the mirror. Matthew was standing in front of me with his hand extended towards mine, our amulets occupying the same space. He was shorter and stockier than I expected, with close-cropped grey hair and fierce, deeply-set eyes. I almost stepped back and broke the connection, but I recovered myself in time. I smiled at him. “I’m Alex. Callum has told me a lot about you.”
I couldn’t really follow his expression in the mirror without it appearing odd to ordinary onlookers so it was hard to see his reaction. The voice that suddenly boomed in my head was brash and tough, but not unfriendly. “Welcome, Alex. We’re all very happy to meet you.”
The volume nearly made me stagger back, and I was too surprised to properly notice the warmth of his voice. “Oh… me too. But, please: – I can hear you very well if you talk quietly,” I tried to say at a normal volume.
“Ah, right, sorry.” The deafening voice reduced in volume to an almost bearable level. “I’ve not spoken to anyone real this way before – not really sure of how it all works.” I could hear the East End accent in his voice and wondered how long he had been a Dirge.
I smiled weakly. “Of course. I understand.” It felt a little lame, but what could I add? Where could I possibly start?
“Now, I’ve got plenty of questions for you, but I know that it’s not me you want to talk to. I’ll let you and Callum work out what new talents you’ve got, and we can talk later.” The tough voice was almost chuckling so I had to sneak a quick peep at him. He looked as if he had surprised himself by laughing. It was clearly not something he did every day.
“Thank you, Matthew,” I whispered. “I’ll call you.”
I saw him give a brief nod, then the tingle stopped and I was alone.
Callum was back with me in an instant, and I gave a quiet sigh of relief. “Can they still hear what we are saying?” I whispered.
“Uh-huh,” he mumbled. “Let’s go inside quickly, and then we can relax.”
I walked along the front of the cathedral away from the huge ornamental doors to the tourist entrance on the left. The place was full of people milling about, speaking a multitude of different languages, and staring up in awe at the inside of the building. Almost all had a bright yellow light flickering above their heads and the effect was mesmerising. I shuffled along in the ticket queue totally absorbed in watching their visible thoughts. There was no doubt that whatever talent I had was stronger here: I could see differences in the intensity of the yellow lights, and the hints of red that I’d seen on the street, and which here were mostly over the people in the queue, were much clearer. I also got my first glimpse of a purple mist that surrounded an elderly lady who was leaving.
I was starting to get pretty excited. When I finally made it to the ticket desk, the man looked up from under his red cloud.
“Yes?” he asked in a bored tone. I had no idea where in the cathedral Callum wanted me to go, but he was still with me so I would have to ask.
“Oh, now, where do I want to go? What are the options?” I smiled sweetly at the man hoping Callum would take the hint.
He looked at me as if I was mad, the red cloud intensifying in colour. “Options? What do you mean? You want an adult ticket, right?” The line behind me started to fidget, but finally Callum got it.
“Sorry! I forgot. You want to go up to the very top of the dome.”
“A student ticket including the top of the dome, please.” I smiled again and flashed my student ID card as he scowled at me.
“Whispering Gallery’s open, Stone Gallery’s open, Golden Gallery at the top’s shut for maintenance,” he announced in a bored tone as he took my money. “All one ticket price anyway. ‘Options’…” He tutted to himself as I moved aside for the next customer.
Finally I was in the vast emptiness of the belly of the church. The concentration of visitors at the entrance suddenly gave way to the stillness of the enormous space. I walked up the nave towards the dome and almost jumped when I heard Callum’s voice in my head.
“You need to go to the stairs.”
“Can’t we go under the centre of the dome first? It would be great to be able to see you in front of me again.”
“Later. We can’t do that right now, anyway: there is a service in progress.”
I looked up the nave and saw that he was right. There were a number of people sitting in the chairs surrounding the central star, and the minister was up by the altar.
“OK. Let’s go up the stairs, then. But I can’t get to the top: the man said it was shut.”
“I don’t think we need to worry about that. I can sneak you through. Head over towards that woman in the red.”
As I located the woman, I was conscious of other movement, of insubstantial cloaked figures just disappearing out of sight. I turned to look at Callum and there was a hint of him in the air, like a reflection in a pane of glass, a ghostly, half-transparent shape with the face I loved.
“I can see you!” I exclaimed, far too loudly. “Did you know?” I added in a whisper as a passing tourist gave me a disapproving stare.
“I hoped it might make a difference. The effect should be greatest at the top.” He was trying to sound cool and calm but I could feel the edge of excitement in his voice too.
We had walked to the entrance to the stairs, so I showed my ticket and walked in. There was a notice warning that it was five hundred and twenty eight steps to the top. “Couldn’t you have arranged something a bit lower?” I joked.
“Well, I guess if I’m not worth a bit of effort…”
“I’m going, I’m going.” I laughed as I set off.
&n
bsp; “I’m going to go ahead. Carry on up, and just ignore any barriers. I’ll see you at the top.”
The stairs up to the Whispering Gallery were in a wide spiral and very shallow. In my impatience I took them two at time, passing struggling tourists easily. It seemed as if the staircase would never end, but finally I was working my way through the narrow corridors to the gallery itself. I paused for a moment and looked down at the view to the beautiful floor below. The pattern was spectacular from here, and lit with long beams of sunlight dancing in from the windows.
As I looked up from the view below me, I gasped. Sitting around the gallery on the thin stone bench running round its edge were dozens of shadowy, cloaked figures. Most had their hoods up, concealing their faces. It was as if they were superimposed on another scene, as the more solid tourists played with the acoustics around them.
For a moment I experienced another wave of fear, the sense that I should have nothing to do with this strange, ethereal group. But then I glanced behind me, and caught a glimpse of a few of the faces hiding in the nearest hoods. They were just ordinary faces wearing looks of wonder and puzzlement as they looked at me. I smiled at a brown-haired girl who looked younger than me, and she immediately blushed and looked down, but I did see a brief twitch of her lips before she hid her face.
The tourists could see nothing. As they sat on the stone bench, the Dirges seemed to glide out of their way. I had to walk past them to get to the entrance to the next stairway, which was right on the other side of the gallery. Most of them shrank back towards the wall as I passed, but some acknowledged me with a nod.
Through the next door, the stairs carried on relentlessly upwards. At the Stone Gallery, which circled the base of the dome on the outside, I stepped out into the welcome breeze, and I quickly looked around me for cloaked figures, but there were none. I only stayed long enough to let the pain in my calves settle, and then I headed on to the entrance to the stairs for the Golden Gallery. As the grumpy ticket man had predicted, there was a barrier by the entrance with a sign saying that the gallery was shut. I glanced around me. All the tourists were concentrating on the view, so I quickly jumped over the barrier and into the cool gloom beyond.