Argentum (P.A.W.S. Book 2)

by Debbie Manber Kupfer

  Oswald took them on a tour of the Institute. Everything appeared a little older, a little bigger, and a little grander than in St. Louis. A kind of shabby decorum filled the halls of this building. Miri wondered how many students lived here. They saw some in the hallways and the rec room, and a few studying in the library where the librarian flew down from the rafters to greet them and tell them to be quiet. Oswald didn’t seem to be able to abide by this, employing a stage whisper that could have easily projected to the very back of the largest Broadway theatre.

  Finally, after navigating a maze of corridors that Miri was sure she would never be able to find her way through again, Oswald showed Danny and Miri to two adjacent rooms.

  “But, no nooky,” he said with a smile. “I promised your mother I would keep an eye on you, and one must not incur the wrath of Jessamyn.”

  Miri dumped her backpack on the floor and sat down on her bed. The room was small but pleasant, with faded wallpaper which long ago depicted a woodland scene. She took off her shoes. On the floor was a plush green rug that felt good under her weary feet that ached from all their walking that day. She transformed slowly into her cat form and stretched out on her bed. It felt so comforting to be in this form. She had yet to manage to hold her feline form during sleep, but often she liked to start out that way. She had once read that cats spend about two thirds of their lives asleep. She wondered how that would be. What was reality for a cat? Their daytime world or the world of their dreams?

  Miri started to snooze. She found herself in a forest. It was dark and she was alone, but she wasn’t afraid. This is where I’m meant to be, she thought. Through her whiskers, she could sense others nearby, but could only make out faint glimmers of eyes shining in the density of the forest. She sat there purring with anticipation, the tip of her tail twitching back and forth. Slowly, a cat emerged from the forest. It was the grey cat with the green eyes.

  “You are doing well, Miri. You were right to come to New York. There are secrets hidden here that even Alistair never knew . . .”

  Alistair? Miri was confused. Why was this cat talking of Alistair? Surely there was no connection. She opened her mouth to ask the question, but the grey cat was no longer there. Just an echo filling her head, “Be brave, mein katzel.”

  She woke with a start, still in cat form for the first time in her life. Something was licking her ear. She opened her eyes and saw the familiar form of the Maine Coon. She purred as Danny used his rough tomcat tongue to wash the length of her feline form. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of his paws kneading her and his tongue working from her nose and ears across her belly and all the way to the tip of her tail.

  There was a harsh rap on the door and Miri opened her eyes. Oswald opened the door and looked in. “Dinner will be served in five minutes!” he said. “I expect you are famished after your journey.”

  Miri and Danny rapidly changed back into human form and adjusted their disheveled clothing. Miri felt she definitely could do with a shower and a change of clothes, but that would probably have to wait until after dinner.

  They followed Oswald out into the corridor. Miri tried very hard to memorize the way to the dining room, but it seemed hopeless as they twisted and turned in an unending labyrinth of corridors, and Miri once again wondered how large this Institute actually was. Danny held her hand and sent her encouraging thoughts. She hoped he knew how to get back to their rooms. She knew she didn’t.

  When they reached the dining room, it was already filled with students and several stared at them in curiosity as they walked in. Dinner was set out cafeteria style, as it was in Midwest P.A.W.S., and they each grabbed a tray and started filling it. Everything looked good and Miri realized that she was indeed very hungry.

  As they reached the end of the buffet table and took their silverware and napkins, a voice called out:

  “Danny! Over here!”

  Miri looked over and saw it was a girl of about seventeen. She had long, black hair that went all the way to her waist. Her eyes were dark, almost black and heavily lined with black eyeliner. Her lips were very red, as were her nails. She wore a tight-fitting black T-shirt with the logo of a band Miri had never heard of, and purple skinny jeans.

  Danny smiled when he saw her and started making his way over to her table. Slowly Miri followed, carefully balancing her overfull tray, while feeling a knot forming in her stomach. As they sat down, the girl smiled warmly at Danny and glanced at Miri, who looked away. She felt a nudge inside her and rapidly put her mental shield in place.

  “Danny, I didn’t know you were coming. It’s so good to see you again!”

  “Miri, this is Demonica. She’s . . . a friend of the family. Demonica, this is Miri.”

  Demonica glanced at Miri and decided she was unimportant. Miri ate to cover her disquiet, while Danny and Demonica chatted like old friends, which obviously they were. Miri wondered if they had been more than just friends. Probably, from the way she was flirting with him. She also wondered if maybe this was the real reason Danny had been so keen to accompany her to New York.

  “So, do you still play guitar, Danny?” Demonica asked. “Me and a couple of the gals here have formed a band—Demonica and the Screaming Foxes. We’re getting pretty good. We’ve got a gig on Saturday night. You must come. Maybe you can jam with us. Do you play anything, Miri?”

  “Um . . . no,” Miri mumbled.

  “Miri writes,” said Danny. “She’s going to be a famous author one day. You’ll see.”

  “Well, that’s nice,” said Demonica. “I don’t really have much time for reading outside of the boring stuff we have to do for class. So much fun to be had. Don’t you agree, Danny?”

  As Demonica and Danny continued talking, Miri felt like she was sinking. All the joy that was inside her before from spending time alone with Danny on their journey to New York was trickling away. She resisted Demonica’s mind, which was strong and overpowering. She could guess what she was feeling, but she didn’t want to know those emotions. After she’d finished about half the food on her tray, Miri excused herself, saying she was tired, and wandered off into the corridors of P.A.W.S.

  She had no clear idea where her room was. She saw several students and teachers wandering in the hallways. Their voices seemed too loud and her head started to pound. She shifted into cat form. There were others in their animal forms here too. She felt more comfortable that way, and was better able to cloud the image of Danny laughing with Demonica. After wandering for about an hour, she found herself at the doors of the library. She shifted back to human form and went in. Maybe the librarian could help her find her room.

  The librarian flew down from the shelves as Miri entered. She was a formidable tawny owl with black rings around her eyes. When she changed back into human form, she wore large spectacles with thick black rims. Miri noticed a polished brass plate on her desk:

  “Maybelline Ainsworth, Librarian, P.A.W.S. Institute of New York,” Miri read.

  “And what can I do for you, young lady?” asked Maybelline.

  “Um . . . I’m lost.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re in the library,” she replied, and started going through a pile of papers on her desk.

  “Er . . . could you perhaps tell me how to get back to my room. Or . . . maybe direct me to Oswald, so he can tell me?”

  “Oh well, I’m sure Oswald is far too busy to help with something as trivial as that. He has a whole Institute to run, after all.”

  “He does that, does he? I mean, I only met him today. He’s really the Head of this Institute. He seems very different from Jessamyn.”

  “Ah, Jessamyn! I remember her from when she was just a child. A precocious one for sure, but just a child nevertheless. Ah, let me see.” She walked over to a bookcase and took out an old leather-bound book. She brought it back to the table and opened it and searched in the table of contents to find the page she was looking for.

  “Here,” she said and beckoned Miri forward. On the p
age was a picture of Jessamyn. She was much younger than she was today; the skin on her face was smooth and her eyes held an impetuous look as if she believed anything was possible.

  “One of our finest graduates. You would do well to pay attention to her story. I sense that you have great power in you, but power can be used in many different ways or, sadly, it can be wasted. It’s really up to you. And now I suppose I’d better help you find your room.”

  The librarian took a small parchment from her desk and a silver pen.

  “What is your name, child?”

  “Miri Katz, ma’am.”

  She waved the silver pen over the parchment and intoned:

  “Argentum calamo dux Miri Katz thalamo suo.”

  A pattern of lines formed on the parchment with a blue throbbing dot in one end and a yellow shining square at the other.

  “This should do it,” said Maybelline, handing Miri the parchment.

  “Thank you,” replied Miri.

  Miri left the library and followed the path of the little blue dot, which thankfully led to her bedroom. As she walked passed Danny’s room, she stopped outside and wondered if he had returned. She tapped gently on his door, but there was no answer, so she went into her own room.

  There was a small washroom attached to her room, with a sink, toilet, and shower. Miri took off her clothes and stood under the warm jets of the shower for a long time. Tomorrow she would go to the Lower East Side. She realized she was spending far too much time feeling sorry for herself. So, Danny had a friend here. She hadn’t come here to make friends. She’d come here for answers.

  She came out of the shower, changed into her pajamas, and exhausted, fell asleep.

  Chapter 32

  Miri snuck out early the next morning. She wanted to avoid Danny. She realized that even before they had encountered Demonica; in her heart she knew she wanted to make the pilgrimage to the Lower East Side by herself. She was not sure what, if anything, she would find there. It was almost five years since she left her old neighborhood. A lot could change in that time.

  She was pleased to discover that the map the librarian had given her was still working. She located the exit on the map and followed her blue dot out into Central Park. At one point she saw a small group of students in the hallway, and thought she could see Danny and Demonica in the crowd. She quickly turned the other way and traced the blue dot around to the exit via a less direct route.

  At the entrance to the elevator was a middle-aged man dressed in green overalls. He nodded at Miri as she came up and they entered the elevator together.

  “A visitor, I see. Welcome to New York. Staying long?” he said, looking at Miri. He had very green eyes in a reptilian shade. When he opened his mouth it seemed like it was filled with too many teeth. Miri shuffled uncomfortably. Why did this elevator ride have to take so long?

  “Not sure,” said Miri.

  “Derek Stone,” the man said, holding out his hand. Miri took it cautiously. The man had a firm grip and his hand felt rough with callouses. “You probably know my brother Bob?”

  Now Miri got it. This man was probably the maintenance man at New York P.A.W.S., just as was Bob Stone, the animagus tortoise in St. Louis.

  Miri nodded. “Well, have a good day. Subway’s in that direction if you need it.” Derek walked off in the opposite direction, mumbling something about a goose.

  Miri walked a little way and then sat down on a bench. She watched some squirrels chase each other. Her feline senses heightened as they did whenever she was around prey. She looked through her backpack for her wallet. Luckily, she had some money of her own with her. P.A.W.S. gave their students a small amount of pocket money each month and Miri had been saving hers for this trip. Okay, she would take the transit to the Lower East Side. She walked in the direction Derek had indicated and found the subway station. She bought herself a subway card and asked for a map and studied the lines. She’d never been alone in this city before. She’d only been ten years old when she left.

  The subway was crowded with commuters and Miri needed to stand. She held on tight, scared that she might fall as the train lurched through the tunnels. She nervously glanced at the map frequently, counting each stop as it went by. Finally, when she reached her stop, she pushed her way out of the train, through the turnstile, and up the steps onto the street.

  As she emerged, she took a deep breath and was overwhelmed by the emotions all around her. Delancey Street was just how she remembered it. The sites, the smells, the flavors. She turned onto Essex Street. She wandered past the pickle man, remembering how she and Jenny would sometimes come here and buy a crunchy half-sour pickle each to munch on their way home from school. The pickle man called them his little princesses. They would laugh and say they were not just princesses, they were fairy princesses on the way back to their cloud castles, that the pickles were their special wands.

  Remembering this, Miri realized how much she had missed Jenny. She had friends at P.A.W.S., and of course there was Danny, but there was nothing like a best friend, someone you could share all your secrets and silliness with.

  Miri slowly picked her way down Essex Street towards her old apartment building; a mixture of excitement and apprehension filled her stomach with butterflies. From the outside, at least, the building looked the same. A stray cat sat on the steps. Miri thought briefly of her cats Kitty and Susie that had been abandoned five years ago when she was taken to St. Louis, but this was a completely different cat, a bony calico that stared at her with vacant eyes.

  She walked up the steps of the building and stopped outside Jenny’s apartment. Jenny’s doorbell had played ten different tunes and she’d always loved pressing it. Today when she pressed it, it was silent. She knocked on the door and waited, but nobody came. Maybe they were out?

  She decided to continue up the steps to her old apartment. She and her omama had lived on the top floor. She was a little out of breath after she’d climbed all the stairs, and stopped for a moment to use her inhaler. Miri felt very grateful that Mrs. Bumsqueak, the healer at P.A.W.S., was still able to get these for her. While magic could heal a lot of afflictions, asthma was not one of them, though it did seem that as she grew older it was not as severe as it used to be when she was small.

  Gingerly, she knocked on the door of her old apartment. As she touched the wood, the memories of her years with Omama came flooding through. Miri held her breath as she waited. Would there be someone here? She didn’t really understand why she had returned here anymore, or what it was she was seeking.

  She heard footsteps and cursing from within.

  “Scheisse dreck! Ich slafen. Ach!”

  The door flew open and Miri took a step back. The woman in the doorway looked like she had walked out of a Grimm’s fairy tale. Her white hair was tied in a bun on the top of her head and secured with what looked like two knitting needles. Her nose was large and bulbous with a huge yellow wart on its tip. Her back was bent and her legs were bowed. When she opened her mouth a collection of rotten tooth stumps came into view.

  “Was möchten Sie tun?--What do you want?”

  Miri stared at the woman.

  “Hast du deine Zunge?”

  “Bitte . . . please, I’m looking for . . . I used to live here. May I just look . . .”

  “Nein!” the old crone screeched, and slammed door shut.

  Miri stood outside the door, speechless, then she turned around and slowly began walking down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she tried again knocking on Jenny’s door, but there was still no one there. Disheartened, she walked outside. The harsh light from the midday sun hurt her eyes. Unsure what to do next, she sat down on the steps of the building. The calico cat came up to her and started nudging her hand. Miri reached into her head and talked to her. “Food?” the calico asked.

  “Sorry,” said Miri. The calico walked away in disgust. Miri almost called her back. Maybe if she turned feline she could talk to her properly, maybe she’d know something abo
ut Jenny, or Kitty, or Susie.

  As Miri sat there, she heard someone coming rapidly down the stairs. She got up and turned around. The old crone from the top apartment was coming straight towards her. She had something in her hands and when she reached Miri she shoved it into her chest.

  “Nehmen Sie diese! Jetzt gehen! And don’t come back!”

  Then the old lady disappeared down the street, a lot faster than should be possible for a woman who looked so frail.

  Stunned, Miri started walking aimlessly down the street. In her hand she held the small rectangular package the crone had given her. She didn’t feel like going straight back to Central Park. Didn’t want to watch Demonica flirting with Danny. Instead, she found a small deli and ordered herself a pumpernickel bagel and cream cheese and a glass of apple juice. The bagel was so fresh and warm. They didn’t have bagels like this in St. Louis. People passed in and out of the deli, anxious to get on with their days. Miri just sat there, taking it all in. She looked at the brown package in front of her. Curiosity burned inside her, but her instincts told her it was better not to open it until she was in a private spot.

  Reluctantly, she left the diner and made her way back to the subway station. She took the first train uptown to Central Park. As she walked through the park towards the oak tree which hid the entrance to P.A.W.S., she noticed a familiar feline form in the distance. Ha . . . maybe Danny was out looking for her. Making sure that the brown paper package was concealed in an inside pocket, Miri changed into her black cat form and rushed out to meet him.

  It was him, but he wasn’t alone; a medium-sized fox with silky black fur was at his side. Miri sensed immediately who it was and tried to backtrack, but it was too late. Both Danny and Demonica came bounding towards her.

  “Hi, Miri,” said Danny. “Demonica was just taking me on a tour of the park. Do you want to come?”

  “No, I need to get back inside P.A.W.S. and use the library,” replied Miri, and ran off towards the left.