by Rowan Casey
“First the food fight and now this,” one of the matrons complained. “Tomorrow there’s going to be hell to pay.”
Immediately, Daniel understood the food fight was a distraction Charlene organized in order to pull everyone away from their routines so the girls could attack Hannah. The timing must have been intricate since no one knew when they’d be back. Their lingering out front actually gave the attackers time to get into position.
“Daniel, whatever were you doing with these girls?” Bill asked, personally walking him up the staircase to the boy’s wing. “When did you and Hannah get back? Did your host sign you both in?”
Daniel nodded and kept quiet. Bill went on muttering about the mess and the required cleanup in the morning before breakfast was served. As they walked, Daniel realized the tight rules and regulations that made the home normally a peaceful place, was also a major impediment to their ability to go looking for the horn. Grimm couldn’t tell them where to look, but something indicated it was somewhere in Brooklyn. The borough had over two million people in it and any one of them might have it tucked in a closet. Grimm was certain his sight would be of use, but how if he was trapped in the house, on temporary lockdown as a punishment?
Bill stopped before Daniel’s room, the only one he’d known for years. He’d shared it with five other boys during his time at the home. Currently his roommate was Teddy, a onetime drug dealer who kept running away from home so he was placed here. Teddy was wiry and still growing, likely to top six feet and the staff kept trying to get him to like basketball, but he seemed to prefer skateboarding.
“Other than the bathroom, you do not leave this room until the morning,” Bill warned in a lowered voice. Thankfully, his clean record and seniority meant he got a later shower schedule and could sleep until seven. The staffer turned and left muttering about being damp, Daniel watching his departure. Then, just past him, down the hall, was that thing he spotted once before. It was short, like a normal-sized person squeezed into a smaller more compact form. It was square and squat, with a bushy black beard, and piercing dark eyes filled with hatred. A gray cloak covered most of its small form but he didn’t appear to be dressed in much more than a long, leather loincloth.
No one else reacted to his presence. The little figure stood at the end of the hall and just stared at Daniel. This was no illusion because you couldn’t conjure up that sweat-stained odor. After everything he had learned the previous day, his mind immediately labeled the thing an elf, a particularly dark one. They stared at one another, neither doing more than blinking, and all Daniel could hear in his mind were Grimm’s words. Everything was true. Merlin. Knights. The horn. The Veil. All of it.
Finally, the dark elf was finished studying Daniel, a predator sizing up its prey, and silently turned and went down the stairs. He debated following the creature but he’d gotten into enough trouble for one night and didn’t want to endanger anyone else in the building. If anything, it did convince him. He and Hannah had to leave to have a chance of success. If he were truly Sir Yvain reborn, he had a duty to protect the innocent, even the ones living in this home. They might be assholes, but they didn’t deserve to be caught up in this battle.
So, rather than follow the dark elf or sneak into the girl’s wing to warn Hannah, he turned the knob on the door and went into his room. There, he changed into fresh boxers and a t-shirt and readied for bed despite the relatively early hour. He needed time to think and with Teddy watching TV elsewhere, he had the room to himself. After washing up, he climbed into bed and sat there replaying the day in his head. He had to process the knowledge Grimm imparted and dredged his memory for what he knew about the Knights and felt woefully unprepared for this quest. He had to do more research, but computer access was restricted and he couldn’t get to it that night. Instead, he picked up his cellphone and powered it up. He had some data left for the month and began a web search for his - what was Sir Yvain to him? Ancestor wasn’t right. Earlier self? A webpage slowly came to life thanks to the weak signal in the house but before Daniel could read much, his mind had made a decision without his realizing it.
Sir Yvain could wait. That elf was a clear and present danger, one that had to be led away from the home. Getting out of bed, he grabbed his school backpack; one that had seen plenty of use and was getting threadbare. He needed some things but had to travel fairly light so he tossed in some shirts and underwear, socks, toiletries, charging cable, and his emergency flashlight. Daniel mentally ticked off what else might be needed and added a Yankees cap. Then he opened his vinyl Velcro wallet and counted his cash. He had spent that month’s clothing allowance already so had just fifteen dollars, which was never going to be enough. He’d need to bring some food as well.
Looking across the spare but neat room, he knew Teddy kept what little cash he could save in a sock. He needed it and did not feel at all like a noble knight crossing the short distance and helping himself to the twenty-three dollars. He silently swore his first act upon completing the mission, should he survive, was to repay Teddy. Tucking the money away in the wallet, he stuffed it under his bed and got under the covers, hoping to get some sleep before sneaking out.
Daniel texted Hannah about their need to leave. There was no reply. Maybe her phone was off, maybe she was still freaked out. He’d have to go there in person, later, and hope they didn’t wake her roommate, Kenisha, who he noted was not a part of her attack party. With that settled, he closed his eyes and willed himself to relax, hoping sleep would overtake him before Teddy returned.
When he next opened his eyes, Daniel saw darkness but heard Teddy’s breathing. Their shared clock radio told him it was 1:23 in the morning. Okay, that meant just one on-duty staffer and the best chance for them to sneak out. Carefully, he left his bed, grabbed his backpack, and the stack of clothes he laid out for the next day. Teddy snored softly and didn’t stir as Daniel gingerly opened the door and let himself out. Staring down the dimly-lit hallway, there was no sign or smell of the elf. He silently wished his roommate luck. He hurried down the hall to the communal boy’s room which smelled of feet or disinfectant. A night light offered some visibility and he ran water through his hair, then dressed in a black polo shirt and gray khakis, double knotting his Kicks.
The duty night staffer usually sat in a common room or kitchen, alert for noise and on hand in case of emergency. Daniel wasn’t sure who was on that night but knew he had to be as silent as possible. Getting to the girls’ wing meant going downstairs, somehow bypassing the gate, and crossing over to the staircase, then climbing up and hoping no one needed the bathroom at that moment. His steps sounded loud to him but he heard nothing in response.
Whoever was on duty was in the TV room, a soft sound and light flickering against the walls told him as much. Daniel crept towards the gate, mentally sorting options as to best to pick the lock. Instead, to his surprise and alarm, it was ajar, parts of the mechanism deeply gouged. He needed to be quiet so as not to alert anyone or anything that might be above him. To be safe, he took the steps two and three at a time, making sure each landing was soft. As he reached the top, there was a shape just a few feet ahead of him, but too short to be a girl.
“What did Merlin tell you, Sir Knight?” the dark elf asked in a low voice that sounded like rocks rubbing together. Being addressed as a Knight, if anything else, absolutely convinced him none of this was a hallucination or fake. This was a real live elf talking to him about Merlin.
“What is it you have been tasked to recover?”
Daniel gaped, unwilling to speak, wake someone up, or alert the staffer. The aura around the elf was nearly obsidian, dark and light-absorbing. He needed to get past this thing, whatever it was, and get out with Hannah. Had it already questioned her? Harmed her? His blood ran cold at the thought and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention. He sensed an energy in the air between them, something he’d never encountered before and surmised it might be magic. What could this elf do?
�
�Speak, Sir Knight. I would have answers,” the elf growled, the voice growing louder. “Merlin gave you a task. Find it and share it with me. I will make it worth your while unlike him and the Morgan.” So Grimm was Merlin. But who the hell was Morgan? Damn, he wished he knew more about these legends! Maybe he’d feel better prepared to chat with an elf. And the only elves he knew either made cookies or were pretty boys in fantasy films.
Daniel stood his ground, his eyes darting into the gloom in the hopes something would suggest itself. All he saw was the fire alarm and a glass case with an old-fashioned, long out of use fire hose coiled around a drum. Bars meant he couldn’t sneak out the windows. Going back downstairs appeared to be his only option.
“Last chance before I do something you won’t like,” it hissed at him.
Backing away seemed the right plan, hoping to lure the elf after him and away from the girls. He took one step backward when the elf reached inside the voluminous cloak.
“Do you know what we Dvergr are? What we make?” it asked as he took another step forward. Daniel had never heard of a Dvergr before and it sounded more like a species than a personal name. The questions would have to wait. “We are builders. We are those who built the gods’ weapons of war. Like this.” He withdrew something small and round and Daniel strained to look at it and then something akin to a filter fell before his vision. The world was suddenly brightly lit, everything crystal clear down to the crumbs embedded in the thin carpeting in the hall. He could now see clearly, the darkness gone, and he saw the metallic device was studded with bands around its circumference. If anything, it resembled a hand grenade and Daniel hoped it was anything but that.
“As you wish,” the Dvergr said and rolled the orb like a bowling ball, behind him and away from Daniel. As it rolled, each stud popped out with a spark and soon the carpet was afire. Flames quickly traveled from carpet to the plaster and papers on the walls and wooden doors. Studs flew in all directions; small flames caught on paper signs on doors, a bulletin board, and finally, a wooden table. Daniel rushed forward to try and stamp out the bright white flames, the intense heat felt keenly through his sneakers. As he acted, the Dvergr rushed toward him. Daniel tried to stomp on him, treating the creature like one of the cockroaches that visited the bathrooms and kitchen. The elf was fast and avoided the kick, but the moving air helped spread the flames. The elf turned and dashed down the stairs. He could chase it or try and put out the fire.
The wood was dry and caught quickly. The flames were spreading, tongues of fire thirsting to consume. While there was a sprinkler system, Daniel wondered if elf fire was something that could be extinguished.
5
Hannah
Hannah slept fitfully, waking up frequently, her mind filled with thoughts of Merlin and the horn. She tried to imagine herself in chainmail and it made her giggle. She was too short to be a Knight and too busty to comfortably pull off a suit of armor. How on Earth were she and Daniel going to find the horn? First of all, they had limited hours to go wandering around Brooklyn and Grimm had not told them where to start. The illusionist apparently thought Daniel’s “sight” would help in some inexplicable way. Her mind often turned to their need to break the house rules and just bust out. Surely their keepers would understand they had to save the world from things that go bump in the night. Uh huh.
For a moment, she thought she heard her name being called. It was a male voice, which made no sense.
Then she smelled smoke. Her eyes flew open and she rolled out of bed, placing her hand flat on the floor to balance herself. The movement reminded her of how sore she felt from head to toe. The fight had taken its toll, but she ignored the pain and crossed over to wake Kenisha. The taller girl mumbled until she finally cracked open an eye.
“There’s a fire, get up,” commanded Hannah.
While Kenisha jumped from bed with a squeak, Hannah was already grabbing clothes to put on, refusing to leave a burning building in a tank top and panties. She struggled to get on a t-shirt and jeans, picking up her sneakers. Her roommate was similarly dressing as the acrid smoke smell grew stronger. Which is when the fire alarm sounded.
Just then the sprinklers half-heartedly snapped on, spraying water in fits and starts around the room. Hannah grabbed her phone and charger from the wall and stuffed them in her back pocket so they wouldn’t get wet. There were sounds of panicky voices in the hall as the alarm repeated its shrill cry. The two girls touched the door, as they had been taught, and it felt hot. So much so they both yanked their hands away in surprise. Since the windows were barred, they had little choice but to open the door and chance it. Flickering yellow and orange flames greeted them, racing across the carpeted floor, walls, and ceiling toward their end of the hall. Before them, girls in various states of dress were rushing and bumping shoulders as they hurried into the hall, trying to avoid the fire, which was everywhere. If there was a chance for Charlene to lead, it was now, but she was towards the head of the pack, running for her own safety. Desiree, the tall, model-perfect fire warden, tried to direct the mass of girls, but it was hopeless.
Hannah then spotted Daniel working his way through the crowd toward her, matching the pace of the fire. He was also fully dressed and was carrying a backpack, so wasn’t he the Boy Scout, all prepared. With a hand, he gestured for her to join him and since there was nowhere else to go, she made her way to him, shouldering past two girls standing in place and shrieking to be heard above the alarm. “Run,” Hannah yelled as she passed.
“Don’t’ ask, but there’s an elf here who set the fire,” Daniel said.
An elf? Was that from Arthurian legend? She shook her head.
“He’s probably waiting for us outside. We need to find another way out,” he said.
She blinked at him in utter confusion. An elf, like in The Hobbit? The day was already crazy enough for her so this was one thing too many. Still, adrenaline, her old familiar friend, fueled her and she gestured to follow her end of the hall. There was a sealed emergency door to the roof and she wanted him to follow her. Now it was Daniel’s turn to give her the “are you crazy?” look.
Hannah didn’t want to waste time and charged the door, checking to see how to unseal it. Daniel was at her side and together, they rammed it with their shoulders. Behind them, flames crackled, the alarm blared, and footsteps were heard hurrying down the stairs, shrieks and cries adding to the cacophony. Whoever was on duty would have their hands full and so they had time before a head count and then roll call could be taken. The door vibrated under the impact but didn’t open. The first licks of flame made it to that end of the hall; the walls of fire right behind then. The intense white heat made them both perspire, adding to the sense of urgency.
Daniel searched for something to use for leverage. Hannah went to the utility closet and withdrew the metal mop, the very same one used earlier. She handed it to him and he wedged it into the jamb, where the rusting lock held firm. A few solid whacks finally got the lock to snap open and cool air from the stairwell greeted them. She tossed the mop behind her and dashed up the stairs. Leading the way, she felt how much cooler the summer night air was. She knew there was a short climb from the door leading to the roof. The house was the first one on 51st, a bank at the corner. On the opposite side was a two-family home and behind that was parking and open space.
The distant wail of fire sirens greeted them as they emerged on to the flat roof, the smell of tar and rotting garbage greeting them. The smoke was beginning to trail up behind them and they could see below as girls and boys mingled on the opposite side of the street. Neighbors were beginning to look out windows or step out onto the street to gawk, despite the early hour. Smoke was escaping from broken windows and trails rose to meet the calm night sky where a crescent moon awaited them. Hannah swiveled her head in every direction, studying their options, none of them looking particularly good.
“An elf? Are you shitting me?” she finally said as her mind began to put things in priority order. The fire w
as deliberately set and now her new partner was telling her it was from something out of a fairy tale.
Daniel, for his part, was more slowly scanning the crowds below, clearly looking for the mythical creature. In fact, he was concentrating so much that she had to call him by name before he met her eyes.
“You had to see it, but believe me, it’s real,” he told her. “It’s not an elf, not really. It called itself a Dvergr.”
“What the hell is a…never mind. You’ll tell me all about it later. Right now we have to move.” Since the police, fire, and EMT vehicles were coming down Church, she opted to go further down 51st, away from the crowds and presumably the elf. She gestured to the house and got him to understand they had to jump. She almost giggled at the way his eyes bulged and he shook his head in refusal. He was clearly no athlete but she estimated the distance as short enough that even he could make it. He just needed to see how easy it was.
Taking several steps back, she took quite a few calming breaths then sprinted forward and as she reached the lip of the roof, she propelled herself forward. The moment of nothing but air surrounding her was a taste of freedom, something to savor; but it was over in seconds as she reached out and went into a summersault, skinning her arms on the rough surface of the neighboring roof. Already aching, this added fresh pain to her hands and shoulders. She stood, spread her arms out and gave him a smile as if she just won Olympic gold. She gestured for him to follow.
Daniel hesitated.
“Start by throwing me your backpack!” she called. That Daniel could do and the heavy bag neatly arced through the air and she caught it, hugging the bag to her large chest and jogging back several steps with the momentum.