Into the Woods

by Lyn Gardner

  ‘So what happened?’ asked Aurora wonderingly. ‘With Zella and Wolf – I mean Dr DeWilde?’

  Mother Collops sighed. ‘Zella came into my care after my daughter died. Her father was a terrible gambler, you know. In the end he staked the only thing he had left – his own baby daughter. He lost, and he brought Zella to me and begged me to hide her away in the tall tower of Hell Heights where his creditors would never find her. He had to salvage some pride though, so he started a rumour that I was an ogress who had claimed Zella from him as a promised child and that I was keeping her imprisoned in a tower. People in the village had always been wary of me, but that was when they really started to turn against me. I think even Zella believed the story. I never had the heart to tell her the real truth about her dad.’

  Mother Collops smiled at Aurora. ‘Your mother was an exquisite child who grew into a beautiful young woman: white skin, red mouth, raven hair. And with a throaty laugh like diamonds in a drain. And her smell!’ She closed her eyes as if remembering.

  ‘Like caramel pineapple crossed with nightscented stocks!’ chorused Storm and Aurora together.

  ‘Yes,’ agreed Mother Collops delightedly. ‘With undertones of cherry tart and hot buttered toast, I always thought.’ She blew her nose loudly. ‘Of course, she was lazier than a three-toed sloth. But I suppose that comes of growing up in a tower with very few opportunities for exercise. Wolfie used to follow her around, fetching and carrying. He adored her. But I knew she’d never look twice at him.’ Mother Collops gave the figure on the floor a pitying look. ‘When your father arrived on the scene,Wolfie was wild with jealousy. And when they ran off together, love turned to rage and spite. That’s when he started going into the forests and the mountains. He did make one more effort to win Zella though. He stole my invitation to Aurora’s christening and went disguised in my place. He failed, of course. And there was a terrible scene.’ Mother Collops sighed again. ‘After that he spent more and more time in the forests and mountains, and every time he came back he was a little more tipsy on his own power, a little more twisted. I guessed what he might be up to – I knew the legends surrounding Piper’s Peak as well as anyone. But it wasn’t until I found the map and key under the mattress in his room that my worst fears were realized. It’s in his blood, you see. He belongs in the barren mountains and the dark forest, not our sunlit world. It is in his nature to seek power and exterminate things.’

  ‘Who was his father?’ asked Storm in a small voice.

  ‘Nobody knows for certain, but on the night he was found abandoned on the orphanage steps, wolves were seen running through the streets, led by a large grey beast who held a baby wrapped in a nettle blanket in his mouth. When the orphanage matron took the bundle in, at first she thought that it was a wolf cub. It was only when she unwrapped the nettle blanket and lifted up the little scrap of a thing that she realized it was a baby boy.’ Mother Collops leaned heavily on her stick.‘I think the orphanage was the closest place to a home he ever found. I know he always blamed me for taking him away. But, despite everything that’s happened, I still pity him.’

  ‘I don’t want your pity,’ snarled Dr DeWilde. He rose to his feet. ‘But I do want that pipe – and I know how to get it.’ He cradled his injured hand to his chest, but his look was triumphant. ‘There is another way. Your pretty little story reminded me.’

  Mother Collops looked stricken. ‘Me and my big mouth,’ she mumbled, a hand clasped across her face.

  ‘Too late,’ the doctor crowed. ‘Now tell them what I mean.’ It was an order, not a request.

  Mother Collops’ shoulders drooped. ‘There are only two ways that the pipe can be passed from one person to another,’ she said hesitantly. ‘Either it must be freely given in total, unconditional love or it can be’ – her voice trailed to a whisper – ‘won.’

  ‘Won?’ said Storm sharply.

  ‘Yes, won in a wager,’ said Dr DeWilde with an evil smile and a flash of sharp, white teeth. ‘Either in a fight or a game. Which is what we’ll be playing. A game. Winner takes all: the pipe and your sisters.’

  ‘And Mother Collops,’ added Storm sharply.

  ‘Oh,’ said Dr DeWilde lazily, ‘I’ll throw the old hag in too – if you win.’ He chuckled. ‘Which you won’t.’ He gave Storm a nasty look. ‘Choose your game.’

  ‘Poker,’ said Storm confidently.

  Dr DeWilde eyed her with stony amusement. ‘You’re prepared to lose your sisters at cards?’

  ‘I’ll take my chance,’ said Storm, trying to sound completely assured.

  ‘Oh, there is nothing quite so depressing as boundless optimism,’ murmured Dr DeWilde. ‘Remember – these are high stakes.’

  ‘The highest,’ said Storm, meeting his gaze and holding it.

  ‘Well,’ said Dr DeWilde, ‘since you want to play poker, I think we’ll choose something else.’ His expression turned sly. ‘Since I hold all the advantages here, I’m going to choose the game after all. And the game I’m going to choose is … spelling. We’ll have a spelling contest.’

  Storm’s insides turned to water.

  ‘I won’t do spelling. I can’t do spelling. I refuse,’ Storm stormed.

  Dr DeWilde raised an eyebrow.

  ‘You’ll regret it.’ He gave a little whistle and a wolf moved closer to Any and, with a snarl, bared its teeth. Storm stared at the doctor, aghast. She knew that he had her trapped. She felt as desperate as an animal backed against a wall. She saw the others’ shocked, frightened faces. It was up to her to save them. She took a deep breath. ‘All right,’ she said sulkily. ‘We’ll do spelling.’

  Dr DeWilde clicked his fingers and Alderman Snufflebottom stepped into the room with a dictionary. ‘Since I’m a fair and honest man,’ he drawled, ‘we’ll have the alderman and the hag check the dictionary to make sure that there is no cheating.’

  Storm felt sick: she knew that she was going to let everyone down. How had it come to this?

  The doctor ignored her stricken face. ‘Let’s begin,’ he said, in a voice tight with excitement. ‘First to five wins – and if we’re both even at that point, it’s’ – he paused for effect – ‘sudden death!’ Aurora gave a little mewl of despair and Any covered her face with her hands. ‘And I have just the word to start with … Spell Chihuahua.’

  Storm smiled. That was easy. She had always wanted a pet dog and had spent hours studying dog breeds.

  ‘C-H-I-H-U-A-H-U-A,’ she spelled triumphantly. The doctor’s face fell.

  ‘My turn,’ said Storm. And she tried to think of the longest word she’d ever heard.‘Discombob-ulated,’ she challenged.

  But Dr DeWilde reeled the letters off as if it was a word he used every day. Then, ‘Spell broccoli,’ he spat.

  Storm hesitated. ‘B-R-O-C … O …no, that’s wrong,’ she said, correcting herself. ‘B-R-O-C-C-O-L-I.’ Aurora and Any breathed huge sighs of relief as Storm racked her brains for a more difficult word.‘Lycanthropy,’ she said finally, not really sure what it meant.

  The doctor shot her an odd, twisted look, then spelled it perfectly.

  He considered her coolly. ‘Phosphorescence.’

  ‘I can spell that,’ said Mother Collops excitedly.

  ‘Yes, but you don’t have to,’ said Storm tensely, ‘I do.’ And she reeled off the letters like an express train with her eyes tight shut. Aurora, Any and Mother Collops clapped loudly. Fury flashed across Dr DeWilde’s face as Storm cast around for another word.

  ‘Coccyx,’ she said triumphantly.

  Mother Collops looked puzzled. ‘What’s that?’

  ‘Tailbone,’ said Any.

  ‘How do you know that?’ Aurora asked admiringly.

  ‘Oh, I’ve been reading that dictionary while we’ve been locked up here,’ said Any airily. ‘Although it’s taking much longer than Astrophysics for Beginners and Trepanning for the Moderately Gifted took me. I’m only up to D. At this rate I’ll be ancient – maybe even three – by the time I get to zymurgy
.’

  ‘Zymurgy?’ asked Mother Collops.

  ‘It’s the chemical process for brewing,’ said Any. ‘And it’s the very last word in the dictionary.’

  ‘What’s the first?’ asked Mother Collops.

  ‘A, of course,’ laughed Any.‘Are you completely dumb?’

  ‘No, I’m partially blind,’ chuckled Mother Collops.

  ‘Oh, do shut up,’ said Dr DeWilde menacingly. ‘Or I’ll rip both your tongues out and have them for my tea. You’re deliberately trying to put me off.’ He shut his eyes and thought hard. ‘C-O-C-C-I …No, that’s wrong. It’s a Y. C-O-C-C-Y-X!’ Only Alderman Snufflebottom clapped politely. Dr DeWilde considered Storm through narrowed eyes. ‘Spell blancmange,’ he challenged.

  Storm’s heart raced. She ought to know this one. She dimly recalled that Aurora had told her it quite recently. If she could only remember when, she might recall how to spell it. But she couldn’t think straight.

  ‘B-L-A-N-C …’ She paused and looked around. Aurora had her eyes screwed tightly up and Any had her head in her hands. ‘H-M-A-N-G-E.’

  There was a bubble of silence and then Dr DeWilde shouted in delight. ‘Wrong! You’ve got it wrong! There’s no H in blancmange!’

  Storm couldn’t bear to look at the others. If Dr DeWilde spelled his next word correctly, he would win.

  ‘Don’t worry, Storm. He’s going to get his next word wrong,’ said Any confidently.

  Storm’s mind was whirling. She couldn’t think of a single word, let alone a hard one. But then she had an idea. ‘Diarrhoea,’ she said.

  Dr DeWilde looked nervous. He thought hard.

  ‘D-I-A-R-R-H-O …’ He didn’t look too sure of himself.‘E … no that’s wrong.’ He pressed his knuckles against his head. ‘No it’s not. It’s right. D-I-A-R-R-H-O-E-A,’ he spat with a triumphant little snarl.

  Alderman Snufflebottom cleared his throat. ‘I declare Dr DeWilde the winner. Three cheers for Dr DeWilde. Hip, hip …’ Nobody joined in.

  Any ran and hugged Storm’s legs.

  ‘You did your best, Storm,’ said Mother Collops soothingly.

  ‘Yes,’ said Storm bitterly. ‘But my best wasn’t good enough, was it?’

  Aurora moved towards her.

  ‘I suppose you’re going to tell me that I should have paid more attention for all those years in spelling lessons. That a failure to prepare is preparing to fail.’ Storm scowled.

  ‘No, Storm, of course not, sweetie,’ said Aurora, looking deeply hurt. ‘You were amazing. I know that you don’t find spelling easy.’

  ‘About as easy as you find holding ropes,’ whispered Storm viciously.

  ‘Storm, you must let me explain!’ cried Aurora. But it was too late. Dr DeWilde was upon them.

  ‘Give me the pipe, Storm Eden.’

  Watched closely by the wolf, Storm bent to retrieve the pipe and dropped the tiny instrument into the doctor’s outstretched palm. This time it didn’t scald him. He nodded at the wolves. ‘Take Mother Collops back to the workers’ pens and take Any and Aurora into the garden. I am going to have a talk with this young lady.’

  Two wolves harried Aurora and Any through an arched doorway that led into an exquisite rose garden right in the heart of the mountain. Beyond the roses, a pair of intricate wrought-iron gates gave way to the rugged mountainside.

  ‘Storm,’ whispered Mother Collops urgently under her breath, ‘whatever he offers you, don’t trust him. Even if you had won the game, he would not have kept his promise to set us free. Believe me, he can lie the blue right out of the sky.’

  ‘I’m not a fool,’ said Storm irritably.

  ‘I know you’re not,’ said Mother Collops, looking anxiously around. ‘But I’m not sure you realize how much you and your family have humiliated him. First Zella, when she wouldn’t return his love, then you when you outwitted him and escaped from the Ginger House. He will never, ever forgive you, and he will prey on any weaknesses you display. Beware!’ A wolf nudged Mother Collops’ bottom and snarled, indicating that she should leave.

  Dr DeWilde beckoned Storm to sit. For a moment there was a charged silence between them and then he spoke.

  ‘I like you, Storm Eden. I like your spirit. I like it a lot. So, after careful consideration, I am going to let you go. On the understanding, of course, that you do nothing further to bother me. Although now I have the pipe, I am, you understand, quite invincible. Opposition would be futile. If you make any attempt to thwart me, in any way, I will crush you.’

  Storm lifted her head and looked at him, dazed. ‘You’re going to let me go?’ she whispered, amazed.

  ‘Yes,’ said Dr DeWilde in a soft velvety voice, ‘and what’s more, I’m going to throw in one of your sisters too.’

  Storm’s face lit up, and then just as quickly her smile collapsed. ‘Only one sister?’

  ‘Come, come, my dear. I’m not stupid. I need the other one and your great-grandmother as my insurance policy. Just to make sure you don’t try stirring up trouble.’

  Storm felt a cold knife of knowledge cut through her heart as she began to understand the choice that Dr DeWilde was asking her to make. Her tongue felt as if it had tied itself into a reef knot inside her mouth. A small smile played around the corners of Dr DeWilde’s lips and his eyes appraised her as if she was a particularly interesting specimen that he was examining under a microscope. At last Storm found her voice.

  ‘You want me to choose between my own sisters?’

  ‘Their futures are entirely in your hands.’

  ‘You’re asking me to decide which of them will go free and which of them will be doomed to stay here in Piper’s Peak for ever?’

  ‘Precisely,’ said Dr DeWilde with another devilish smile. ‘I am impressed. You have grasped the situation remarkably quickly.’

  Storm’s eyes smouldered with hate and rage. ‘Have you no pity?’

  Dr DeWilde laughed, a desolate sound.

  ‘None at all, I’m afraid. My emotional range is limited: greed, boredom, revenge … that’s about it.’ With an exaggerated gesture he patted the left-hand side of his chest as if looking for something he had lost. ‘No, I’m sorry. I just can’t seem to feel any pity. All I feel is mild indifference.’

  ‘What you’re asking me to do is barbaric. I won’t do it. I refuse to choose. You can’t make me.’

  ‘Oh, I think I can,’ said Dr DeWilde evenly. ‘If you won’t choose, you condemn your entire family, not just yourself. Any is so small, the little poppet. It would be a crime to have to put her in the wheel. The thought makes me feel quite tearful. So I think you had better choose. I have you all in my power; in the circumstances I am quite astonished by my own benevolence. Make up your mind quickly, before I change mine and have you all thrown to the wolves.’

  Storm walked over to the window. Outside Aurora and Any sat side by side, their heads bent close together.

  Sensing they were being watched, the girls looked up. Any gave an expectant little smile. Aurora’s worried eyes briefly met Storm’s. Storm’s heart lurched. She felt nauseous. Her eyes were blind with tears.

  ‘Have you made your choice?’

  ‘I can’t.’

  ‘You must. I ask you for the final time, have you decided?’

  Numbly, Storm nodded.

  ‘Then listen carefully. This is what you will do. Any deviation and you will regret it for the rest of your extremely short life. You will go into the garden and you will kiss on the cheek the sister that you have decided to sacrifice.’

  Storm’s eyes flashed with anger. ‘This is an outrage,’ she stuttered.

  ‘Yes, it is, isn’t it,’ smiled Dr DeWilde pleasantly. ‘I just want everyone involved to be clear who is the betrayed and who is the betrayer. I always think the kiss on the cheek sends an unmistakable signal.’

  ‘Kill me. Kill me instead,’ pleaded Storm.

  ‘Oh, my dear, that would be too easy,’ said Dr DeWilde. He leaned forward and hissed in her ear, �
�I want you to suffer. I want you to live with what you’ve done every day and every minute for the rest of your life.’

  The doctor led Storm into the garden, where the wrought-iron gates onto the mountainside beyond were slowly swinging open. Tears misted Storm’s eyes so she could hardly see. She stumbled and would have fallen if Dr DeWilde had not held her arm in a vicious grip. Aurora and Any rose to meet them. A few metres from the sisters, Dr DeWilde pushed Storm forward, murmuring,‘You know what you have to do.’ Storm stumbled and Aurora put out her hands to support her.

  ‘Don’t! Don’t touch me,’ cried Storm, recoiling from Aurora as if her sister’s fingers were red-hot pokers. Aurora took a step backwards, puzzled and frightened. Storm looked into the chaos of her sister’s face. For a moment it was as if time stood still, as what had been, what might have been and what would be became distilled in the essence of a single moment. Without speaking the two sisters looked deep into each other’s eyes and read what was written there. Aurora suddenly stiffened as she understood exactly what Storm’s desperate, beseeching silence was telling her. Then she smiled gently at Storm, with a look that Storm couldn’t quite work out – not pity, but compassion – on her beautiful face.

  ‘It’s all right, Storm,’ she said, gently placing her hand on her sister’s shoulder. ‘I understand. You had no choice.’ Storm’s eyes blurred with fresh tears. She stood on tiptoe and planted a whisper of a kiss on Aurora’s cheek. Aurora didn’t flinch. She simply closed her eyes, tears glistening like tiny, fragile stars on her thick lashes.

  ‘Love you, Storm. Love you, Any,’ she murmured. ‘Go now, lovelies, while you still can,’ and she turned her back on Storm and Any and walked towards Dr DeWilde, who took her hand proprietorially in his. Storm took Any’s hand tightly in her own and began pulling her towards the gates. Baffled and scared by her sisters’ tears, Any tried to pull away.

  ‘What’s going on, Storm? Why are we leaving Aurora behind?’ She planted her sturdy little feet in the ground and refused to budge. ‘I’m not going anywhere, Storm, until you tell me what’s happening.’