So much for the truth then, Sarina thought, but maybe Nathan was right. They needed to get out with the minimum of fuss, find Paolo and carry on with their rescue. She was suddenly aware the Inspector was speaking and reaching down into the box again.
“—and so we searched the rest of the shed. This wouldn’t be your joke hand then would it?” He eyed them both suspiciously as he thumped the severed hand down onto the table.
Sarina fainted.
~~~
She opened her eyes to blurry vision and strained to make out the objects around her. Her gaze came to rest on a still-slightly-out-of-focus-Nathan sitting on the floor next to her.
“Where am I? What happened?” She closed one eye and opened it again, then the other and tried to focus.
She looked down and saw she had been lying on a hard bed and sat up, sending her head spinning. She rubbed her head and frowned. It was coming back to her now. Oh dear.
She looked around and saw Nathan sitting on the concrete floor next to her. Above the bed was a window, with bars on the outside. The other side of the room was floor to ceiling bars, with a barred steel door in the middle. “We’re in a cell?”
“Yes. Apparently the police have called both our parents and they have to come and collect us. We have to report back and,” he frowned, “we are still ‘under investigation’.”
He got up and stretched. “As for what happened? You fainted and they put you in here with me. Nothing else to report really. I’ve been waiting for you to wake up,” he looked at his watch, “for about 10 minutes.” He looked at Sarina with a cheeky smile. “They still think that hand is a fake.”
“Ugghh.” Sarina shuddered at the thought of the hand again.
Nathan continued. “But I’ve been thinking about these dream portals, wormholes, or rifts or whatever we call them. We’ve both experienced them only as dreams, up until yesterday, when we actually went through one. Twice. It shouldn’t be possible”—he held up his hand as Sarina started to protest—“yes, I know, I know. I’m with you this time. Obviously they are possible.” He got up and started to pace the cell. “The thing is, even if dark energy in the universe has suddenly increased, it would still have taken a huge local change to bend the laws of physics the way we did.”
Sarina pulled a face. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Are you saying something happened to cause all this? And while I think about it, why don’t we get that weird cold plasma stuff when we touch in our world?” She reached across as Nathan paced across and touched him on the arm, gingerly, just in case, but nothing happened.
He stopped and looked at her for a moment. “The plasma? I don’t really know. Must be because the dark energy has allowed us to enter another world. You know how matter has different states? You know; solids, liquids and gas? Well plasma is the fourth state of matter. So maybe when we are there, our matter behaves differently. Sort of the same way that if you took a big block of ice straight from the freezer and put it in the sun, you’ll see distortions in the air around it.”
“And then it melts.” Sarina heaved a sigh. “Like I feel my brain is doing right now. So what do you think did this?”
“I have no idea. I think it’s a bit like the dinosaurs. You know, here one day, suddenly, ‘boom’ a meteor lands; causes an ice age—and bye-bye T-Rex. Could be anything like that. Something that caused a ripple or a change in the fabric of space. We may never know. Maybe we’re the only ones it ever affected. Who knows?” He grinned. “Great-great-grandpa Nathan is probably turning in his grave at the thought.”
Sarina’s thoughts whirled. How true. A small thing with big repercussions. One letter; ‘F’ and her life over. No painting, no competition, only dull grey days. If only her mother would understand!
A shiver ran down the back of her neck. Her mother. How selfish of her. At least she knew her mother was alive. What about Paolo? She grabbed Nathan’s arm.
“Nathan. Paolo. Do you think he’s alright?”
Nathan shrugged. “So far he seems to be able to take care of himself. Hopefully we’ll catch up with him as soon as we get free of this place.”
“But what will he do while he waits for us to get out?”
“How about this?” said a familiar voice from outside, just before they heard a loud cracking noise and the entire security bar was wrenched from its position, followed by the window and its frame.
A head poked in through the gaping hole and Paolo grinned. “Anyone want out?”
Sarina groaned. “I don’t believe this is happening to me. Is this a Hollywood action movie I’ve stumbled into?” She looked at Nathan, who had already climbed up onto the bed and was reaching up for Paolo’s outstretched hand.
“Come on then!” Nathan looked back down at Sarina, with one knee on the window ledge. “We can escape and help Paolo. I don’t know about you, but this is far easier than trying to extricate myself from being grounded once my parents get here.”
Sarina took a moment to weigh up an escape here or face her mother’s reaction and the high probability of being sent to Frenchstone, or more likely, and much worse, back to Stratford. And strapped down in a bed, and then who knows what else Dr Timms had planned for her brain. She shuddered.
“Come on, Sarina! What’s the matter?”
She sighed. “You’re right. This is our best chance. Oh well, here we go again!” She jumped up onto the bed and Paolo and Nathan helped her out through the window.
~ 28 ~
Summons
The women Makthryg had demanded be volunteered had been taken to a firing line outside the fortress, to face a row of archers. The line-up had deliberately been placed close to the stockade, and they stood defiant, their faces tight. Makthryg smiled. He was pleased to see that the boy’s feisty mother was one of them, as he guessed she would be.
Two guards appeared at one of the large doors leading out from the fortress, each dragging two kicking and screaming children. As they passed the stockade, someone must have spread the alarm inside, because hysterical shrieking filled the air from inside.
The terror was mounting. He was certain he would summon the boy and his cohorts.
“Line the children up with the women.” He motioned to Valkrog. “Do you have the picture ready?”
“Almost, your Greatness,” the bird-man replied. “Your court artists are placing the finishing touches—ah, here you are, my Lord, it arrives.” He looked over at the great portcullis gate where several men appeared, struggling to carry a giant easel and canvas covered with a large hessian curtain.
“Your instruction, my Lord?” the creature said.
“Place it facing the women and children, make sure they can see it clearly, but also make sure your line of fire is not obscured.” He pointed to the line of archers formed up across from the women. “I need the women and children to see the arrows being fired.”
The creature nodded and moved away to issue instructions.
The screaming abated to a tense silence. It was time to begin the terror. He watched Valkrog place the easel and canvas and turn to Makthryg for confirmation. Makthryg nodded and gave the signal to remove the curtain.
Valkrog’s men unveiled the canvas and the women and children screamed; and from inside the stockade more screams joined the chorus of terror.
Makthryg smiled. Good, the time was perfect. He held his hand up and waited for Hursk to acknowledge his signal. The commander nodded and gave a signal to the line of archers to raise their crossbows and aim at the line-up of women and children.
The screaming grew louder.
Makthryg dropped his hand and gave the order to fire; closed his eyes and started chanting. He concentrated on the terror overwhelming the women and children; drawing their fear into himself to intensify and multiply it until he was able to shape it into his curse.
Then he focused his thoughts entirely on the painting; a picture of Paolo, Sarina and Nathan, their faces contorted in terror, painstakingly detailed by the court ar
tists. Holding an image of the girl central in his mind and with a sudden flick of his hands, he loosed the curse.
In the midst of all the screams, the arrows flew in the air.
~ 29 ~
The Playground
They scrambled down from the window and ran across the open air section of the car park to a high fence. Sarina looked up and hesitated. Not again, she thought, but was swept off the ground by a strong arm and lifted up to the top of the fence, wherein the owner of the arm followed, still holding her, and gracefully lowered her down on the other side, dusting himself off.
“Thanks, Paolo. I think,” she said, looking up to see Nathan jump down from the fence, looking at them both.
“Now what?”
Paolo walked over and picked up two skateboards hidden under a nearby car and walked back. He thrust one at Nathan and beckoned Sarina to approach him as he stepped on, ready to kick off.
“Whaaaa?” but Sarina had no time to think as Paolo carried her off, his huge arm lifting her up as he kicked away. They sped down the street, with Nathan pounding away on his board trying to keep up.
Every now and then, Paolo looked over his shoulder at Nathan, who, gasping for breath, would manage to point out the next direction, while kicking his leg out forcefully and skating like he had never skated.
Eventually they turned into a large park at the other end of town. Nathan bent over, his hands on his knees and panting hard. “Whoa, that was crazy.”
“You could say that,” Sarina said. She looked up at Paolo, her hands on her hips. “Do you know that jail breaks are very serious offences? And where did you get that uniform from?” She jabbed a finger at him and he stepped back, startled.
“I do not know what a jail break is, but I do know that killing the women and children of the valley must be far more serious. I had no choice.” He looked at Sarina, the sadness in his eyes exaggerating their size.
“As for the uniform, I noticed a stores building nearby the school and so while you were in the back of the metal carriage with flashing lights, I walked over to take a look. There was a very handily placed outfit dressed on a large doll, quite ready to wear, behind some glass. Your world is very organised I think.” He looked down at the now-slightly-scruffy security guard shirt and smoothed it down.
“Oh boy,” Nathan groaned, now recovered. “I know that shop. It supplies uniforms for the schools, as well as local security firms. And the police.” He looked at Sarina, “I think we’d better hide before the entire town’s institutions come after us.”
She nodded and pointed. “Over there. There’s a playground and, er … large cubbyhouse.” Lucky it’s over-sized, she thought, looking at Paolo. “Let’s go.”
They walked as inconspicuously as possible over to the playground. As inconspicuously as a huge, badly-dressed security guard and two bedraggled kids could manage, while discussing their plans.
“What plan?” Nathan was doubtful. “We had a plan, right up to getting trapped in that forest. Then we threw it out. I vote we hide in that thing,” he pointed to the playground’s cubbyhouse, “and come up with something clever.” He scratched his head as they walked, thinking about their options. “Sarina, do you have any idea where they will take the women and children?”
She didn’t answer.
He looked to his side for Sarina but she was no longer walking next to him. He stopped in a panic and turned around, grabbing Paolo by the arm. “Paolo!” They ran back to where Sarina had fallen unconscious on the grass.
Nathan knelt down beside her and slapped her face.
“Nathan!” Paolo said, “In my world that’s not a nice thing to do to a girl!”
“It’s not here either, but I’ve seen this happen to her before—”
“WILL YOU STOP THAT!” Sarina opened her eyes and glared at Nathan. “That’s the second time in two days now.”
“Sorry.” Nathan avoided eye contact.
“Never mind.” She sat up, rubbing her brow. “The reason I blacked out, I think, is because Makthryg is using a powerful summoning curse to get a message to us. It just arrived.”
She gripped Paolo’s arm, wide-eyed. “Paolo. Makthryg is going to kill the women and children, one by one, starting in what he said was one hour’s time, unless you tell them where something called Xtrium is.”
She looked down at her feet, ashamed at the terrible news she was about to deliver.
“The thing is, he placed a very specific picture in the message. Your mother is in the first group. And I’m afraid they have already started.”
Paolo’s eyes narrowed and he clenched both hands until his knuckles turned white. “I must save her.”
“Then there is no time to waste,” Nathan said, plucking two brightly coloured cans from his bag and handing them to Sarina. “I remembered that I’d … ah … borrowed these from that shed we hid out in. We’ll replace them of course. Do you think you can make it work?”
Both Sarina and Paolo looked at him in confusion. “Nathan, I don’t think you understoo—” her eyes widened as she realised Nathan’s intentions. “Brilliant! But can I make it work?” She frowned. “The last two times we managed to make it work we were desperate; and nothing happened until we joined hands. But I think I know the feeling to focus on now, which should make it easier. As for desperation—well, we have that. Mountains of it.” She looked at Paolo with a pained expression, “I have to make this work, that’s all there is. We need to get back to the valley before Makthryg manages to summon us. And this time we play rough.”
She took a deep breath and with her heart beating fast and her jaw clenched, she grabbed Paolo’s hand. “Come on, Paolo, I’ll need your help to hold me up.” She pulled Paolo along and they sprinted to the cubbyhouse.
“Hey! I think you’ll need these!” Nathan shouted, and ran after them, shaking the cans.
As soon as they arrived at the wooden structure, Sarina started to spray an outline on the largest of the outer walls. She wondered how many more years in prison she would spend for defacing a child’s playground in addition to the long list of offences she’d managed to commit over the last two days. Oh well. Too late now. She sighed, looked at Paolo and pointed to the top of the wall. Paolo lifted her up while she worked as fast as possible to finish the portal.
~ 30 ~
The Trap
Makthryg felt the disruptive ripple of energy race through the air. He whipped around and saw Valkrog running back from the firing ground. “Did you feel the disturbance that time, Valkrog?”
“Yes, my Lord. I am quite certain that was them returning to our world. What now?”
“We wait and ambush them when they arrive to try to rescue these pitiful creatures,” he waved a hand at the women and children being led away from the ‘firing line’. “They won’t know that we only fired over their heads and will rush in without thinking.”
Valkrog nodded, a glint in his eyes. “And then, your Greatness, is that when I must question the boy and retrieve the whereabouts of the Xtrium?”
“Yes, Valkrog. Your unique skills will be crucial. But beware. In summoning the strangers, we also invite the Orange Witch into the battleground. This time, she must be defeated.” He fixed his eyes on Valkrog to assert his meaning. Failure would not be an option.
The bird-man fingered his shoulder. “Sire, I will dispose of the evil witch, of that you can be assured.”
Makthryg watched the creature move back to his men in preparation for the ambush. If Valkrog was right then a new world was within his reach. But if he failed—and if the witch defeated Valkrog—then his plans would suffer a setback. Temporarily. Eventually he would succeed and whether Valkrog survived or not was of no import.
Catching himself, he drew his body up and strode to his heavily armed men to demand his armour be attached.
Before long, two tight formations of Makthryg’s best men, led by Hursk, were trotting purposefully into the forest to lay their trap, accompanied by Makthryg and the bird-man
.
~~~
Sarina, Paolo and Nathan climbed out the other side of the portal and found themselves in a children’s treehouse in the park at the town square.
“I’m glad I remembered this,” Sarina said looking around, “though I only saw it in a dream.” She glanced down at Nathan who was at the top of the ladder leading down to the park. “It’s hard to tell what is a dream and what is real now isn’t it?”
Nathan looked up as he climbed down. “Real enough to me. It’s breaking the laws of physics that’s weird.” He flashed a grin.
“Boys.” Sarina sighed. “All head and no heart.”
Paolo helped Sarina down from the treehouse and they crept away from the dark park in the middle of the township, hugging the walls of the nearest buildings to remain unseen.
Paolo stopped and held his finger up for some quiet as he ventured his head around the corner of the building.
“There is no-one around.” He looked at the others in surprise. “Shall we continue?”
“Wait,” Sarina said, “what’s that?” and she pointed over to the other side of the street. A body lay on the ground, half hidden in the dark between the wall of a building and a hedge.
“Yikes,” Nathan said, his hands on Paolo’s shoulders peering over. “Is he dead?”
Paolo shot Nathan a glare.
Nathan winced at his lack of tact. “Oops, yes. OK, we’ll go take a look.”
Paolo checked again and craned back. “The way is clear, let’s go.”
They tip-toed in a crouch across the roadway. Sarina wasn’t quite sure why they crouched, but she followed the boys’ lead anyway, arriving in a huddle at the hedge.
“Nathan,” Paolo beckoned him over, “you’re the scientist. Can you see if he’s alive or dead?”
The Dreamer Chronicles Trilogy Boxed Set Vol I - III: A Sci-Fi Parallel Universe Adventure (The Dreamer Chronicles - Science Fiction For Kids And Adults) Page 19
