by Jenny Nimmo
Alter supper Mrs. Bloor helped Cook to wash the dishes and then crept away to her lonely room in the west wing.
"Mrs. Bloor is a very sad lady" Henry remarked as he carefully placed Cook's china plates on the dresser.
"Sad indeed," sighed Cook. "If only she could go back to the way she was before her hand was crushed."
"Perhaps the Time Twister could help?" Henry suggested.
Cook darted a wary look at him. "People can't go back, you know that, Henry."
"Yes, but in her case it would only be five years. And she hasn't had a real life here. Who would notice?"
" Hm !" was all Cook said.
Later, as Henry lay in bed his thoughts kept returning to the Time Twister. Cook had no right to hide it from him. The glowing glass fixed itself in his mind so firmly Henry couldn't sleep. He got up, threw his blue cape over his pajamas, and tiptoed out of the tiny room where he slept.
Moonlight, striking through the skylight, lent a pearly glow to the objects in the room beneath. The china on the dresser glimmered softly and Henry looking up to the top shelf saw a row of china mugs They were decorated with hands of gold and silver leaves; two of them were placed closer together than the others, as though someone had moved one of them in haste.
Henry pulled a chair close to the dresser and climbed onto it. He still couldn't reach the top shelf so he stepped onto the dresser itself. Now he could touch the row of mugs. The first one he picked up was empty. He replaced it and drew the second mug toward him. As he lifted it off the shelf something rolled out and dropped to the floor.
Henry looked down to see the Time Twister glowing beneath him. He smiled with satisfaction but before he could climb off the dresser a shadowy form ran toward the glass ball.
"No, Blessed ," said Henry recognizing the dog's dumpy shape.
Blessed took no notice. He scooped up the Time Twister in his mouth and trotted to the door in the corner.
"NO!" Henry said. "This isn't the time for a game, Blessed ."
Blessed nosed open the door and disappeared. Henry leaped from the dresser, knocking over the chair, but by the time he had reached the staircase behind the door, all that could be seen of the dog was his wagging bald tail. Henry tried to grab it and slipped off the first step. Getting to his feet, he leaped up the steps again.
At the top of the staircase Henry found himself in a dark passage. He could hear the tap of Blessed’s claws echoing somewhere beyond him and ran toward the sound.
The passage curved in seemingly endless circles until it eventually led to a low door. The door was locked. Blessed had vanished. How could he have walked through a locked door? Henry stared at the empty passage behind him. He noticed a thin beam of light coming from a wooden panel at the bottom of the wall. Gently he pushed the panel with his foot. It opened like a cat flap. Or a dog flap? If fat Blessed could get through it, so could Henry
He knelt down and crawled through the flap. On the other side was a corridor with highly polished floorboards. Gold-framed paintings hung on the walls and a lamp with a colored glass shade stood on a small round table.
A little further on Henry could see a dark closet. He guessed that it hid the door Mrs. Bloor used to visit Cook. As Henry tiptoed down the corridor he could hear a voice. "Tell me!" it said. "Speak to me, dog!"
Henry sidled to the end of the corridor and found that it led to the landing above the hall. On the other side of the landing, a small boy in a blue bathrobe was talking to Blessed. He stopped talking and began to grunt and whine like a dog. The boy had white hair and the glasses he wore made his eyes look like round red lamps.
Henry pressed himself against the wall and watched. The boy was having no success with his grunting dog language, so he began to use words again.
"Tell me, you stupid dog! Speak! Why won't you tell me where he is? Where's the boy from nowhere?"
Blessed gazed mournfully up at the boy but he refused to speak.
"What have you got in your mouth?" asked the boy "It's that thing, isn't it? The magic marble. Give it to me and I'll take it to Mr. Ezekiel."
At these words Henry froze. So the boy was working for Ezekiel. He was about to creep away down the corridor when something happened.
"Give it to me, dog!" The white-haired boy suddenly lifted his foot and kicked the old dog in the ribs. Again and again. Blessed groaned and sank to his knees.
As the boy lifted his foot again, Henry cried, "Don't!"
The boy looked up and smiled.
"You're him, aren't you? The one from nowhere."
"Leave the dog alone," said Henry "He's old. You're hurting him.
"He's got the time thing, hasn't he?"
"Maybe," said Henry "Who are you?"
"I'm Billy Raven," said the boy "1 talk to dogs. They usually answer me. I don't know what's wrong with silly old Blessed today."
At that moment Blessed dropped the Time Twister. It lay between the boys, glowing softly
"Don't look at it!" Henry warned. He didn't like Billy, but the white-haired boy was very small, and Henry didn't want him to be twisted into another century
"It's beautiful" said Billy He bent to pick it up but Henry kicked the marble away It rolled across the landing and dropped through the bannisters . There was a light ping as it hit the stones below:
Billy Raven glared at Henry "You shouldn't have done that," he said.
Henry was tempted to run down and find the marble, but the other boy was giving him such an odd sly look, he hesitated.
All at once Blessed gave a low rumbling howl.
The warning came too late.
A hand came down on Henry's shoulder and a husky voice said, "Well, look what the dog dragged in!"
Henry tried to twist away but the hand was strong and held him like a vice. He turned his head and looked into the long mean face of Manfred Bloor.
"Let me go," said Henry
"You're joking," said Manfred. "Someone wants to see you very much." He pushed Henry along the landing. "Well done, Billy A Little present will be coming your way very soon."
"Thanks, Manfred!" called Billy
Manfred shoved Henry into a passage leading off the landing, but Henry continued to struggle. They reached a staircase and, at this point, Henry almost got away but Manfred shrieked, "Zelda, where are you?" and a thin, long-nosed girl leaped toward them. She grabbed Henry's arm, almost wrenching it out of its socket.
Henry let out a blood-curdling yell.
"Shut up!" said Manfred. "Zelda, hold him still."
Zelda twisted Henry's arms behind his back, and Manfred tied his wrists together with a length of sticky tape.
"We'll need the flashlight," said Manfred. "Where is it?"
"It's all right," said Zelda. "I haven't forgotten it."
Grunting and struggling, Henry was led up the stairs, along dark passages, down ancient spiraling steps and then up again and into a part of the building he almost recognized; the place where he and James had spent their last miserable Christmas together.
"We're not there yet!" hissed Manfred.
Up they went again. Up and up, into a shadowy world lit by a jet of gas, whispering from the wall in their rusty iron brackets. Henry remembered the gaslights, but the walls that had once been covered in richly patterned paper were now stained with damp and hung with gray cobwebs.
They reached a door, its black paint scratched and peeling. Manfred knocked.
Henry's mouth felt dry with fear and he could hear his own heart, thumping in his chest.
"Who's there?"The voice was old and sligh
tly hoarse.
"It's Manfred, Grandpa. And guess who else? I've got a lovely surprise for you!" Manfred grinned at Henry
"What?" There was a delighted shriek from within the room. "Bring it in! Bring in my lovely surprise!"
Manfred opened the door and shoved Henry into the room.
Henry found himself looking at the oldest man he had ever seen. It was difficult to believe that the wizened creature in a wheelchair had once been his cousin Zeke. And yet there was something familiar about the spiteful, hooded eyes and thin cruel mouth/
The air in the room was stifling. Behind the old man, logs burned in a huge fireplace. The floor was padded with many worn carpets and the windows covered by thick velvet curtains.
"Well," said the old man. "Well, I never. If it isn't cousin Henry?"
Henry tried to swallow but there was a lump in his throat. He couldn't think of anything to say
"Come closer," said Ezekiel.
Manfred and Zelda gave Henry another push. He staggered forward feeling faint. The old man was draped in blankets. How could he stand the heat?
"My my ! You are young, aren't you?" Ezekiel said resentfully.
Henry tried to clear his throat. "I'm eleven," he croaked. "At least I was last week."
Ezekiel scowled. "Last week. You mean ninety years ago, don't you?"
"Not quite," said Henry feeling bolder. "Not by my reckoning."
" Ooo ! ' Not by my reckoning,'" the old man mimicked. "Always were the clever one, weren't you? Well you're not so clever now. Got yourself caught, haven't you?"
Henry nodded.
"So where have you been hiding?"
Desperately Henry tried to think of an answer. He knew he mustn't give Cook away "In a closet."
"In a closet? Where?"
"In the kitchen," said Henry "No one saw me. I came out at night for food."
The old man sniggered. "This time you came out too far, didn't you?"
"Yes," said Henry meekly
"What are you going to do with him, Grandpa?" asked Manfred.
"Put him in the attic," Zelda suggested. "With the rats and bats." She cackled gleefully
The old man stroked his stubbly white chin. " Hm . Where's the Time Twister?" he demanded.
"I don't know The dog had it."
"Did he now? He's a good doggie — bringing his old master another present. He was very scared of that Twister, you know" Ezekiel's smile was worse than his scowl. He had very few teeth and those that remained were chipped and black.
Henry figured that Blessed had just wanted a game but he decided to let Ezekiel think what he wanted.
"So, where's my doggie, now?" asked the old man.
"Had a bit of trouble there," said Manfred. "Billy Raven kicked the dog and he dropped the marble."
"Kicked?" shouted Ezekiel. "Kicked my dog? The wretch. So why didn't you get the Twister, you nincompoop?"
Manfred sucked his teeth and answered curtly
"You wanted the boy so we brought the boy Billy will find the marble."
"Bah!" the old man spat into the grate. "He'd better bring it soon."
"So, is it to be the attic for this one, sir?" asked Zelda. "Until you can send him off again."
"No! There's too much going on up there. Take him to the dungeons." Ezekiel swung his chair away turning his back on Henry
Henry shuddered. "Couldn't I stay here? I wouldn't be any trouble. 1 could live with Charlie Bone. He . . ."
"Stay?" screeched Ezekiel. "Never in a thousand years. Get him away from me. Now! I can't stand the sight of him, all young and hopeful. Get him OUT!"
Henry was tugged away "Please!" he cried. "Don't do this."
Manfred and Zelda pulled him out into the passage and slammed the door. While Zelda held him still, Manfred covered his mouth with a thick piece of sticky tape, and then Henry was dragged and bundled down to the hall and out into the freezing night. The cold hit him with such force he gave up struggling and allowed his two captors to lead him across the frozen ground.
The icy stars above them gave the world a strange, pale glow but the moon had disappeared. Zelda’s flashlight threw a narrow path of light across the patches of snow and although Henry could hardly see a thing in front of him, he knew where they must be heading. It was still a shock, though, when the great walls of the ruined castle loomed before him.
He was pushed through the archway and then into one of the passages leading out of the courtyard. Unlike the passage he had entered yesterday this one seemed to be leading downward. The ground was wet with mildew; and every now and again Henry found himself skidding into Zelda, who led the way
"Stop that," she snarled, "or I'll drag you there on your bottom."
Where was there? Henry wondered.
Deeper they went. Deeper and deeper. The air was so thick and musty Henry began to choke. The tape over his mouth made it difficult to breathe. Just when he thought he might die of suffocation they emerged onto a grassy bank. Tall trees reached into the night sky rustling softly
"Go on!" said Manfred, giving Henry a shove.
Henry tumbled down the bank while the others ran after him, giggling spitefully
They hauled him upright and marched him over to a black rock, half-hidden in the undergrowth.
"OK, Zelda. Get to work," said Manfred.
Zelda gave a crooked smile. She stared at the rock. In the dim light, Henry saw her smile become a terrible grimace as, very slowly the rock began to move. Zelda was obviously one of the endowed. No ordinary person could have done that. With a rough, grating sound the rock slid back, revealing a round black pit.
Before Henry knew what had happened, Manfred had pushed him to the edge.
"Go on," said Manfred. "Down!"
"Mm mm !" Henry shook his head.
"Oh, yes you will." Manfred gave him a thump on the back, and Henry tottered forward onto a narrow stone step.
"DOWN!" ordered Manfred, this time pushing Henry's head.
Henry bumped and slithered down a flight of steps, desperately trying to free his hands. Painfully he ripped one free of the tape and groped for something to stop his fall. At last he touched an iron ring driven into the side of the pit, and clung to it. But even as he started to climb back up the steps, the huge rock crunched across the top of the pit. Henry was plunged into a darkness so deep and dreadful he fell he must be dead.
Roused from sleep by a noise from the next room, Cook had found the empty mug and the upturned chair. She guessed what had happened. The flame cats were already scratching at her skylight. As soon as she let them in, they sped across the room and up the hidden staircase. They knew when a child was in trouble. But by the time the cats reached the landing, Henry Yewbeam had gone and they found Billy Raven peering over the railings. As soon as he saw them he ran back to bed.
The cats found Blessed, lying on his side and breathing heavily. Gently they nudged the old dog to his feet, and then, with soft, encouraging voices they eased his pain and kept up his spirits until he reached the place he called home. Now he lay at Cook's feet, wrapped in a blanket and half-asleep.
"Poor dog, you paid dearly for keeping my secret, didn't you," Cook murmured. "Thanks to you, he'll live," she told the cats. "But somewhere in this godforsaken place, there's a poor boy who may not last the night." She buried her face in her hands. "Oh, Henry you foolish boy where are you?"
Aries couldn't bear the sound of weeping. With a gentle meow he stood up and patted Cook's knee.
Cook wiped her eyes. "You're right. This won't help will
it? You'd better go and look for him, my dears."
She opened the skylight and the three flames leaped out into the dark. It did her heart good to see their bright forms streak into the night.
"What's become of the Twister, I'd like to know," Cook said to herself. "Has that wretched Billy Raven found it?" As she closed the skylight she heard the distant chimes of the cathedral clock strike midnight.
Billy Raven was fast asleep in bed. Down in the hall, the Time Twister still glimmered in a corner. The door to the west wing stood slightly open, and now a figure emerged. Keeping to the shadows, the dark form slowly circled the hall until it reached the marble. The glowing glass sphere was lifted out of its corner and slipped into a deep pocket.
EZEKIEL’S VISITORS
On Monday morning Olivia Vertigo's famous film star mother had to be at work very early; so Olivia was dropped off at the academy long before her friends. She was surprised to find the hall full of people. Cleaners with mops and brooms were sweeping in corners; Dr. Saltweather and some of the stronger teachers were moving furniture away from the walls; others were peering under the long tapestries and heavy curtains.
"Don't just stand there, girl, do something!" Dr. Bloor shouted from his seat in the middle of the hall.
Olivia wasn't sure what she should do. “Are you looking for something, sir?" she asked.
"Of course we are. A marble. A most particular marble. Get on with it."
"Yes, sir." Olivia dumped her bag by the door and wandered around the hall. She kept her eyes trained on the ground but there was hardly a speck of dust to be seen.
After an hour of fruitless searching, Dr. Bloor ordered the furniture moved back and the hall cleared "It's not here," he muttered. "So who's got it?"
Olivia heard voices in the courtyard behind her and, picking up her bag, ran out to see if she could catch Charlie before he went into assembly. She found him coming up the steps with Fidelio. They were talking about a pets' café.
"Hi, you two!" said Olivia. "I've got news."
