by Obert Skye
And so it goes.…
Tobias and Charlotte climbed into the back of the cop car with wide smiles on their faces.
“Watch your heads,” Sheriff Pidge said kindly. “I need to get you home in good condition. Well, no worse condition.”
Tobias and Charlotte looked at Sheriff Pidge and laughed.
Sheriff Pidge was a medium-sized man with uneven shoulders and a tiny waist. He was wearing a full sheriff’s uniform, including a stiff brown hat and a gun on his belt. He had a thin mustache and a friendly smile. The two had told him all they had been through since their father had dropped them off. They told him about the animals and showed him Lars. They told him about Orrin, Ms. Gulp, Mr. Himzakity, the dishes, the drudgery, the secret floors, and Student Morale Day. Sheriff Pidge had written down some notes and radioed his station the information.
The sheriff shut the car door for Tobias and then climbed into the driver’s seat. He adjusted his rearview mirror to get a better look at the kids.
“Ready to go home?” he said with a wink.
“Yes,” Tobias said with enthusiasm.
“What a relief,” Charlotte said as Lars settled on her lap.
Sheriff Pidge started the car and pulled out of the overgrown parking lot onto the highway.
“I’ve never been in a cop car before,” Tobias said, looking at Charlotte. “I always thought it would be a bad thing. But I’m pretty happy to be in one now.”
“Me too. I can’t wait to see Dad.”
“Same here. I have a few questions for him.”
The back seats in the squad car were made out of a hard plastic and were not very comfortable. There was a metal screen dividing them from Sheriff Pidge.
“I can’t wait to sleep in a real bed, with pillows.” Charlotte looked out the rear window. Her ears twitched again. She turned to look out the front and then looked back again.
Tobias watched her expression grow grim, and a weird feeling began to creep up the back of his spine. Something wasn’t right. He searched his brain for any indication of what that something might be.
“Sheriff?” Tobias called out.
“Yes?” he replied.
“How did you know we were there?” Tobias asked through the screen.
“I didn’t,” Sheriff Pidge said as he continued to drive. “Just luck, I guess. I check that abandoned rest stop every now and then to see if anyone’s in there messing around. Imagine my surprise when I found two kids.”
“Oh,” Tobias said uncomfortably.
Charlotte pinched her brother softly. “I think we’re going in the wrong direction,” she whispered in a panic.
At that moment, Sheriff Pidge turned off the highway and onto the twisty road. There, like a horrible ugly villain, sat the large Witherwood sign.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”
“Calm yourselves,” Sheriff Pidge said coolly. “If what you say is true about how bad this place is, I need to check it out.”
“NO!” Tobias shouted. “If you’re going anywhere near Witherwood, let us out.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Sheriff Pidge said. “I mean, your dad left you out here, and look what happened.”
“Let us out,” Charlotte demanded. “We’re not going back in there!”
“I beg to differ,” the sheriff replied. “I promised I’d take you home, didn’t I?”
Tobias and Charlotte frantically tried the doors, but they were locked. Charlotte started to pound on the metal screen, while Tobias shifted and kicked at the side window with his feet. Lars kept quiet.
Sheriff Pidge paid no attention. He just pressed on the gas and zoomed up the twisty road to the top of the mesa.
“You can’t do this!” Tobias hollered. “There’s something awful going on in that school!”
“I don’t think it will hurt you two to do a few dishes,” Sheriff Pidge said, smiling. “Witherwood is a trusted institution.”
“I’m not talking about dishes,” Tobias hollered. “There’s something really weird happening in there—something wrong.”
“What?” Sheriff Pidge asked. “What’s so wrong?”
“There’s animals and strange-smelling pudding and awful parades and a forbidden third floor and—”
“If you ask me,” the sheriff interrupted Tobias, “that animal looks friendly. And I think Witherwood is an important place of learning, and you should realize how fortunate you are to be a student.”
“We’re not going back,” Charlotte snapped.
Tobias continued to kick at the window, but the thick glass was showing no signs of breaking. He shifted again and began to claw at the door, looking for some way to open it.
“Good luck,” Sheriff Pidge said, glancing back at them through his rearview mirror. “Cop cars are designed to keep you in. Sort of like Witherwood, I suppose.”
Tobias and Charlotte yelled and screamed and pleaded, but the sheriff just ignored them. The road leveled out, and in the beams of the headlights, the foreboding iron gate appeared.
“I can’t believe this,” Charlotte said desperately, beginning to hyperventilate. “We were out!”
Sheriff Pidge reached up and pressed a garage door opener that was clipped to his visor. The iron gate began to beep and open.
“You have a remote to the gate?” Tobias asked in disgust. “You weren’t checking the rest stop—you were hunting for us!”
“When my uncle Marvin calls and asks for a favor, I do it. He’s family, and what kind of a world would it be if people stopped helping family?”
Charlotte was so exhausted, all she could do was cry.
The car moved slowly along the cobblestone drive. The first signs of daylight were beginning to appear. Tobias gazed out his window and stared at the odd trees, wondering if he would ever feel safe again.
CHAPTER 23
THE LOOKING GLASS
Sheriff Pidge escorted Tobias and Charlotte into the office. An orderly took Lars from Charlotte, and they were taken by Orrin and Ms. Gulp through the school and back to the ivy-covered building in the center of the gardens. They begged to be let go, or to be sent to their room, or to the kitchen to clean—anything but back to Marvin. They both knew if they heard his voice, there was a good chance they would never think clearly again.
“Don’t do this,” Tobias pleaded.
“We would have preferred you stay in your room and not try to escape,” Orrin said. “But you didn’t. This is for your own good.”
“I told you both to do as you’re told and nothing else,” Ms. Gulp reminded them.
“We’ll stay put now,” Charlotte tried to assure them.
“It’s too late for that,” Orrin said sadly.
It felt too late. They had blown it. Clearly, they should have run from Sheriff Pidge.
Ms. Gulp opened the front door to the square building, and Orrin pushed them in. The door slammed behind them. They flopped into the chairs, completely deflated. In the mirror, they could see the words that were painted on the wall behind them: Time is a trick of the mind.
Tobias put his head in his hands and spoke. “We need Dad. I know he didn’t mean for this to happen. I don’t care if he grounds me for a year, or has me do chores forever, or if he wants me to apologize to Martha. I’ll do it. I want to go home.”
The light in the square room suddenly dimmed, and the mirror began to glow.
“Cover your ears,” Tobias commanded.
They both put their hands up over their ears.
“Hello,” the familiar voice spoke.
Tobias and Charlotte just sat there looking like something the cat had not only dragged in but had chewed on and scratched at for hours. They had their ears covered; still, Marvin’s voice was as clear as if they didn’t. It permeated their minds and souls. Both of them dropped their hands, realizing it was futile. Tobias stood up.
“Yes,” Marvin said. “Many have tried to cover their ears. It seems my voice has a way of sneaking in.”
Ch
arlotte stood next to her brother.
“I didn’t think I would see you two again so soon. Such a strong desire to leave us. Tell me, why are you so desperate to flee?”
Tobias and Charlotte stared at the glowing mirror. There was no sign of the silhouette or image of Marvin behind it yet.
“We don’t belong here,” Tobias tried. “Just let us go.”
“But why?” Marvin asked, his words drifting down on them like snow. “Your father left you, and now you are fortunate to have this home.”
“This is not our home,” Tobias insisted.
“How wrong you are,” Marvin said. “I didn’t tell him to drop you off. In fact, it is a burden to us to have to care for you. Food, shelter, education, safety—those things aren’t free.”
“Thank you,” Charlotte said. Marvin’s voice was already messing her head up.
“However, we make those sacrifices so that we always have just the right students,” Marvin said with a syrupy voice. “The science we perform here requires a certain type of child.”
“What?” Tobias asked, not understanding what Marvin was saying.
“I’m always surprised how the Catchers manage to find just the right ones,” Marvin answered. “You children who come to us in nontraditional ways are always more of a risk. But your strong spirit is going to produce quite the prize someday. Now, why don’t you just relax and listen to my voice. We’re glad to have you back.”
Tobias shivered.
“Listen,” Marvin said as the room continued to grow darker and the mirror brighter. “This is a reform school, and you will be changed.”
“Our dad will find us,” Tobias insisted, his brain trying desperately to fight off the oncoming fog.
“Yes,” Marvin said. “About that. I think there’s something you should see.”
There was a long pause, followed by the sound of something moving behind the glass.
“What does he want us to see?” Charlotte asked.
“I’m pretty sure it won’t be good.”
Charlotte shook her head. “I can already feel my brain going dumb.”
“Yeah, I could tell when you thanked him for taking care of us.”
The room became completely bright, and the mirrored wall no longer glowed at the edges. A light snapped on behind the mirror, and they could see right through and into the space behind it. There was nothing on the other side besides the empty leather chair and a back door.
“Where’s Marvin?” Tobias asked.
Before Charlotte could answer, the back door behind the mirror opened and Orrin walked in. He was just as short as he had always been, but he wore a smile that suggested he was hiding something.
“What’s he doing?” Charlotte asked.
Orrin stood there for a second, staring at the Eggers kids with his mismatched eyes. He was wearing his white overcoat, and his four gray hairs were combed over and plastered to his head. He scratched himself and grinned. Behind him, coming through the door, was Ralph Eggers. Their father had his arm in a cast and a troubled look on his face.
“Dad!” Tobias and Charlotte shouted. “Dad!”
The two children ran to the mirror and began to pound on it. Ralph Eggers spun and looked at them. He stepped back, frightened by their appearance and actions.
“Dad!” Charlotte hollered. “It’s us.”
They could see Orrin saying something to their father but couldn’t hear him. Orrin pointed toward Tobias and Charlotte, and Ralph looked at them and shook his head sadly.
“Dad,” Charlotte pleaded.
Tobias bent down and picked up a chair. He threw it at the mirror, but it did nothing except frighten Ralph more.
“Dad!” Tobias screamed.
Orrin and Mr. Eggers turned away from them and walked out the back door of the square room.
“I don’t get what’s happening,” Charlotte cried. “Dad!”
Tobias ran to the trapdoor in the middle of the floor. He grabbed the gold ring and pulled—it was still locked tight. He ran to the front door and desperately tried to open it. He pounded and yelled.
“Dad! Dad!”
Charlotte fell to her knees with her head in her hands as she and her big brother let go of every bit of hope they had ever held in their lives.
It was not a pleasant feeling.
CHAPTER 24
ABHORRENCE
People are easily startled. It’s a fact that’s simple to prove. Walk up behind someone with a pin and a balloon, and you’ll see for yourself. Or if you’re feeling really adventurous, procure two thin flat boards and when someone is sleeping, slap the boards together as hard as you can. It’s a fun way to make friends.
Ralph Eggers was more startled by what he had just seen than if someone had slapped two boards together right next to his ear. He left the square building no wiser than when he had entered.
“So,” Sam said to Ralph as he came out with Orrin, “did you see anything familiar?”
“No,” Ralph answered, confused. “Just a couple of kids.”
“What’d they say?” Sam asked.
“We couldn’t hear them,” Ralph replied. “They seemed out of control.”
“The two-way mirror is soundproof when we need it to be,” Orrin said. “I didn’t want you to hear some of the vulgar things they were saying. Those two kids are a couple of our tougher cases. We love them all, but some are just a bit more challenging than others. I wanted you to see what we’re working with here. I’m pretty certain you would have remembered being around that. Is there anything else we can do for you?”
Ralph shook his head. “It looks like this is a dead end.”
Ralph, Sam, and Orrin walked through the gardens in silence. At the front of the school, Sam got into the driver’s seat of his taxi while Ralph thanked Orrin.
“I wish we could have helped,” Orrin said.
“So do I. Before I go, do you mind if I ask you one last question?”
“Please,” Orrin said, looking up at Ralph. “Anything.”
“You don’t happen to know anyone by the name of Martha here?”
“There’s no one here named that,” Orrin answered.
Ralph shrugged, looked at Witherwood one last time, then got into the taxi, and Sam drove away.
CHAPTER 25
GLIMMER
Tobias and Charlotte shuffled down the hall with Ms. Gulp behind them. After their father had disappeared, they had spent the next two hours in the square room listening to Marvin and forgetting everything. Their brains were so mucked up now that they couldn’t even remember seeing their dad.
“We’ve put a new lock on your door,” Ms. Gulp said, creaking as they walked through Weary Hall. “Our security needed an update. Things should stay where they are now.”
“What about when we need to use the bathroom?” Charlotte asked kindly.
“I still find your questions insufferable,” Ms. Gulp said, bothered. “There will be someone checking on you every couple of hours to make sure you’re still in your beds. Ask them to take you.”
“That’s nice,” Tobias said. “Thank you so much.”
“It looks like Marvin really got to you,” Ms. Gulp said, smiling. “I don’t know why he doesn’t just forget about you two. But I suppose he’s always in need of new things to … well…”
“What?” Charlotte asked.
Ms. Gulp stopped walking and turned to face them. With a cruel smile, she said, “What I meant was that I suppose there’s value in everyone.”
“I’m glad we can help,” Charlotte said.
When they reached the seventh door on the left, Ms. Gulp took out a black key and unlocked the new lock. She pushed Tobias and Charlotte inside their room.
“You might want to rest up,” Ms. Gulp growled. “Come morning, you’ll be working harder than ever.”
“Okay,” Tobias and Charlotte said in a pleasant way. “We will.”
“And remember, do as you’re told and not a thing more.”
&nbs
p; Ms. Gulp slammed the door and locked it. Tobias and Charlotte stood there blinking slowly and trying to figure out how they should feel.
“It seems like we should be talking about something important,” Tobias said to his sister.
“Really?” Charlotte said, walking to her cot. “What do you think we should be talking about?”
“I can’t remember,” Tobias told her.
Now, I know what you’re probably thinking: “I can’t remember” wasn’t really the best line of dialogue to end the book on. But the future for Tobias and Charlotte wasn’t going to be easy. They were trapped in Witherwood, and it appeared that even their father had abandoned them. It certainly seemed like a moment when it would have been nice to see hope come pouring down on them in buckets. Instead, however, hope came in a thimble.
At the head of both their cots were two large pillows with duck-print pillowcases. Somehow, Fiddle had made it back and delivered them something hopeful. They didn’t know this, or even remember Fiddle, but they knew what pillows were and they were happy to see them.
Tobias almost cried. Charlotte started to whimper with joy as she sat down on her cot, leaned back, and let her head sink into the pillow. Tobias took a second to slip off his shoes and then did exactly the same.
In the moments before he drifted into a foggy sleep, Tobias noticed the floor beneath one of the empty cots. The way the light rested on the dusty surface was most unusual. Something about it made Tobias hopeful.
He closed his eyes and let sleep smother him.
These were small things—a map written in the dust, pillows to rest their heads on—but it’s amazing how far a tiny thimble of hope and ten hours of sleep can go toward making things right.
TO BE CONTINUED …
I MIGHT ADD
Some people will shut this book and talk about how children are best kept locked up in mysterious schools high on a mesa that grew from a meteor that fell in the middle of a desert. Some will shut it and talk about how parents should be careful when they punish their kids—they’ll say Ralph should have just sent them to their room or made them clean up the house instead of what he did. And some readers will simply shut the book and remember to check what’s in the gravy before they eat it next time.