by Sean Cullen
“Or maybe two,” Dad suggested hopefully.
“Midnight. And there’s food in the fridge. Just nuke it in the microwave. I’ll be on my cell so if there are any problems … ” Mum instructed.
“There will be no problems.” Brendan’s dad rolled his eyes. “We have to go!” It was still early, only five o’clock, but they were going to have dinner before the sound check. Despite the early hour, darkness was falling fast. This was, after all, the shortest day of the year: the winter solstice, the day of the Clan Gathering and Brendan’s Proving Ceremony.
He watched his parents prepare, happy and carefree. He wished he could go with them and forget about what was coming that night. Why did life have to be so complicated? Delia interrupted his train of thought before he could spiral into self-pity.
“Mum, I’ll be staying at Katie’s tonight, remember?” Delia stood by the door with her arms crossed. “I told you this afternoon.”
“Oh yeah.” Mum nodded. “Fine. Just be sure you leave her number on the fridge.”
“Okay,” Delia agreed, heading away up the hall for the stairs. She’d been weirder than usual during dinner. She seemed reluctant to even look at Brendan. She kept her head down and ate her food and left the table as soon as she was done. Brendan wanted to ask her what her problem was and confront her about the webcam but decided he could do without a fight. He wanted to be calm and collected when he went to the Gathering and Delia had a way of setting him on edge.
“Goodbye, Mum. Bye, Dad. Have fun.”
“Bye, son.” Brendan’s mother kissed him on the cheek. His father opened the door and there, on the porch, finger poised to press the doorbell, was Charlie. She was ridiculously underdressed for the cold weather.
“Charlie!” Dad smiled. “Nice to see you! Don’t you have a coat?”
“I’m naturally warm! Good to see you too, Mr. Clair. Mrs. Clair!”
“What are you two up to tonight?” Brendan’s mother asked.
Brendan jumped in. “Movies. Going to the movies.”
“I see,” his mother said, archly. “Well, have a good time and don’t stay out too late.”
And with that, his parents were gone, out the door into the falling snow and the falling darkness.
“They are very sweet,” Charlie said.
“They’re like kids sometimes.” Brendan shook his head, smiling. He watched his parents head down the street arm-in-arm and felt a pang of loss. He had a sudden fear that he might never see them again. He wished he had said something more meaningful than just goodbye. He tried to shake the melancholy mood that fell over him.
The question Pûkh had posed him earlier that day still rankled. Why was he risking his future with his Human parents to be accepted into the Faerie world? But he knew the answer. He couldn’t forget about the Faerie world. It was a part of him now, and he couldn’t unlearn what he had mastered so far. He had to see it through. Maybe what Merddyn said was right. Maybe he did have a responsibility to Humans and Faeries. Maybe by living in both worlds, he could bring the two sides together.
I’m just one person, though. What can one person do to make any difference in the world?
“Are you okay?” Charlie asked, breaking his reverie.
He’d been trying to avoid being alone with Charlie today. He wasn’t sure why. He still felt awkward about their moment in his dad’s studio. Now, with his parents gone and his sister out of the room, there was nowhere else to look.
“Yeah,” Brendan mumbled. “Nervous about the Gathering and the tests and everything.”
Charlie nodded. “Nothing else?”
Brendan looked up into her blue eyes and his stomach flipped a bit. “No. Not really.”
Charlie laughed. “You are such a terrible liar, Brendan. That’s one of the reasons I like you so much. Are you ready to go?”
“I think so. Let me get BLT.” Grateful for an excuse, he ran up the hall and mounted the stairs. Charlie watched him go. As soon as she was alone, her shoulders sagged. A tortured look twisted her face.
Footsteps on the stairs forced her to recover her smile. She expected to see Brendan and was surprised when Delia rounded the corner, dressed to go out, ski jacket in hand. On seeing Charlie, she stopped. For a second Delia’s face held a look of undisguised wariness, but it was immediately replaced with a smile.
“Oh,” Delia said. “Hi!”
“Allo, Delia,” Charlie said. “What are you doing tonight? Party?”
“Yeah,” Delia said, a guarded look in her eyes.
Brendan returned, pulling on his jacket. “Ready to go?” Seeing Delia, he said, “Hey, Dee.” Suddenly, impulsively, he reached out and hugged his sister. Delia stiffened as if he’d zapped her with a Taser gun. Brendan let her go. Delia stared at him blankly and then spun, ducking out the door into the gathering darkness without another word.
“Wow.” Brendan laughed. “I guess that’s one way to get rid of her. Or maybe I have cooties.”
“Cooties?”56 Charlie asked, confused.
“Never mind. Shall we go?”
“All right.”
Brendan insisted that they ride the streetcar and the subway to the waterfront and walk the last block through the frigid air. A light fog had congealed over the lake, casting an eerie, otherworldly glow upon the condo towers and throwing golden haloes around the street lamps. Brendan knew the fog was part of the glamour woven to distract Humans from the Clan Gathering on the island. Though unnatural, it gave the concrete buildings a spectral loveliness and made the coloured Christmas lights strung in the trees shimmer with magic.
“Christmas,” Charlie said as they reached the Harbourfront complex, a cluster of shops, restaurants, and concert venues clumped around the ferry docks and the small boat marina. In winter there was a skating rink. “It’s a Human celebration of the older Faerie Festival of the Solstice. They have adopted many of our customs without knowing any of the truth behind the day.”
“They have their own reasons to celebrate,” Brendan said defensively. “Just because they don’t know about us and our world doesn’t mean their holidays don’t have value on their own.”
“I know. I wasn’t criticizing.”
“Sorry,” Brendan mumbled. He was on edge.
They passed through packs of people looming out of the fog. Humans were enjoying the deep freeze as best they could, bundled up against the cold and sipping from paper cups of hot chocolate and cider. Some carried skates slung over their shoulders or hanging from hockey sticks as they made their way to the open-air rink by the water. Brendan envied their happiness and wondered if he’d ever feel as comfortable in his life as these people did in theirs. Certainly, they had worries, but they knew what they were and who they were. Brendan hoped he might have that kind of simplicity in his life again one day.
Faeries, too, mingled among their Human cousins, making their way to the Ward’s Island for the Clan Gathering. They flared like torches among the throngs of Humans in Brendan’s Faerie Sight. The Fair Folk were in good spirits, some of them a bit tipsy as they made their way to the Faerie Terminal. The Faerie Terminal was at the end of a pier at the foot of the quay. Only a small piece of red cloth fluttering on the top of a pole indicated its existence. Faeries walked past the flag and disappeared into a denser fog. Humans who approached the same threshold paused and then walked back the way they had come.
Brendan and Charlie passed the pole and found themselves in a dense crush of Fair Folk huddled together on the pier. Brendan had never seen so many Faeries in one place before. The Swan was always full of Faerie clientele, but this was more like a Faerie convention. They were a diverse crowd, too. Skin colours varied from pale like Brendan’s to brown, golden, or deep red, but there were more unnatural hues as well. Brendan saw several with blue skin, some with green, and one with frosty silver.
Their costume also ran from the traditional kimono to high-fashion couture and everything in between. Brendan felt very plain in his parka, jeans, and hood
ie.
“Is this ’im, then?” A Faerie with a thick Cockney accent sloshed a can of beer as he pointed at Brendan. “The one oo’s got to be Proved?”
“I guess that’s me,” Brendan affirmed. The Faerie smelled quite strongly of the ale he’d been imbibing. He wore a red ball cap back to front and had a glow stick dangling from a string around his neck.
He squinted at Brendan and laughed. “A lot of trouble fer such a runt!” A gust of beery breath wafted into Brendan’s face.
“Leave off, ’Enry!” A female Faerie jabbed the drinker in the ribs with an elbow. “’E don’t need you slobberin’ all over ’im.” Henry’s companion was a robust-looking Faerie in a miniskirt and tube top with a sparkly jacket thrown over her shoulders. Her massive blond bouffant threatened to topple as she teetered on ridiculous stiletto heels. “’E ain’t ’alf cute, neither.”
“Wha’evs,” Henry grunted. “Where is the Ferryman? Opening ceremony’s in ’alf an hour and I could use the toilet.”
“Oo, me too. I definitely gotta take a slash.”
“’Spose we could walk?”
“Across the ice? In these ’eels? Are you daft?”
They wandered away arguing.
A bell rang in the fog and the pier quieted slightly. All the Faeries turned to face the lake. Out of the mist a shadow loomed, eventually resolving into the broad prow of a barge. Brendan was amazed to see that the frozen surface of the lake flowed like water around the vessel. The boat slowed and bumped into the pier with a dull, ominous thud. All the Faeries fell completely silent as a figure strode out from the foggy deck.
The Ferryman was tall and thin. Only his chin was visible beneath the yellow rain hat he wore. The hat’s brim was crusted with rime.57 An oilskin coat and heavy Wellington boots crackled with frost as he moved toward the dockside. He took up his place with one foot on the barge and the other on the pier, a wooden bucket dangling from his bony fist.
“Come aboard!” the low, raspy voice intoned. He raised the bucket.
Faeries surged forward. Charlie and Brendan joined the queue. One by one, the passengers filed onto the barge, dropping some small gold or silver trinket into the bucket as they passed the Ferryman. When Brendan had first ridden on the ferry, he had no money for passage and so had promised to repay the Ferryman with a service performed in the future. He dreaded the day when the cadaverous creature might call in that debt and determined never to be without payment for passage again. His Human grandfather, whom he could barely recall, had left Brendan a coin collection when he died. The coins were mostly silver dollars from the States and Canada. Brendan never left the house without a handful in his pocket.
He dug into his pocket and came up with a silver coin, dropping it into the bucket when his turn came. The Ferryman made no acknowledgment of the payment, merely staring into the space over Brendan’s head as he passed.
Soon everyone was aboard and the Ferryman pushed off from the pier. The barge made its way through the frozen harbour. The Island of the Ward heaved into view. Conversation among the Faeries picked up again, and soon the barge had a party atmosphere in spite of the chilling figure looming at the tiller.
Standing together in the prow, Charlie and Brendan didn’t speak. They watched the dark line of the island become more distinct as the fog thinned. Shimmering lights hung over the island, reminding Brendan of the northern lights he’d seen once on a family camping trip up north in Algonquin Park. He wondered again at the Fair Folk’s ability to hide in plain sight and marvelled at the power of their Wards and glamours.
With an unnatural abruptness, the fog ended and they came out into the open water surrounding the Faerie Terminal on the Ward’s Island. As the barge nestled up to the dock, Brendan stared in awe at the transformation of the shore. Torches lined the paths leading from the dock into the woods. The bare branches of the trees were strung with glowing crystals that flickered as they reflected the torchlight. Lesser Faeries wove in and out of the trees, immune to the bitter cold as they chased one another and called out in merry voices. Food and drink stalls erected along the path offered a bewildering variety of refreshments.
As soon as the Ferryman secured the barge, the new arrivals disembarked, many rushing to the vendors to purchase drinks or food. The rest made their way up the path. Hanging in the air with no visible means of support was a glowing sign that read
FAERGROUND
An arrow pointed up the path in the direction of the Community Centre.
Brendan could hear music wafting from the centre of the island. In spite of his trepidation at the upcoming tests, he felt uplifted by the strains of the pipes, harps, and fiddles and the sound of voices raised in song.
Realizing he was standing on the barge alone save for Charlie, he shook himself and made for the dock.
As soon as their feet hit the wooden planks, the Ferryman pushed off. Brendan watched the barge drift into the mist. He wondered if the Ferryman was the same one he’d been forced to make the bargain with on the night of the Quest. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than the figure raised a bony finger and pointed straight at him.
“You are remembered,” the deep voice intoned. Having delivered this message, the Ferryman and the boat were swallowed in the fog.
“What was that about?” Charlie asked, mystified.
“Long story,” Brendan muttered. “Let’s go,” he said, wishing to avoid further explanation.
They headed up the path past the food stalls, following the throngs on their way to the Gathering.
55 The Matador is a decrepit old building with a red brick facade in Toronto’s West End. It has seen countless after-hours parties and is a favourite of Faeries and Humans alike because of its rich history and character. A fixture of the honky-tonk scene in Toronto, it was opened by Ann Dunn, a mother of five who needed a little extra cash. A tall Faerie in a Stetson hat has adult beverages on hand for the right price. Fortunately, the city is trying to close it down and replace it with a twenty-space parking lot. Thank goodness someone can still see the value of a good parking lot.
56 Cooties, like mumps or measles, is usually a childhood affliction that renders a person undesirable to other Human Beings. In adults it can be much more serious, leading to paralysis or even death.
57 Not rhyme, as in a word that sounds the same as another word, but rime, as in a crust of frozen sea water that clings to ships’ rigging in cold weather. Granted, the water was not sea water but lake water, but I like the word rime and I’m going to use it anyway. If you don’t like it, call the word police.
FAERGROUND
As soon as Brendan left the house, they’d gone into action. Delia had followed Brendan and Charlie at a safe distance. She called the others, conferencing in all three boys and telling them where Brendan was heading. She informed them when the targets had boarded the streetcar. Harold was waiting across the street from the subway station. Upon seeing Brendan and Charlie alight from the streetcar and enter the station, Harold informed Dmitri, who was waiting down on the platform. They had guessed right. Chester had said they were going to the island and that seemed to be what was happening.
In the subway the cell reception died, so they had to trust Dmitri to get on the same train without being seen and call them when Brendan got off at his destination. Dmitri wasn’t good at lying and was nervous about spying on his friend, but he convinced himself that he was doing this for Brendan. He hung back behind the newspaper kiosk and waited for Brendan and Charlie to pass. They wove their way among the holiday shoppers that clogged the station until they were halfway down the platform. Dmitri had little trouble following them in the noisy crowd without being seen.
When the train arrived, he hopped on the car next to theirs and sat down between a woman and an off-duty transit driver. Dmitri watched Brendan and Charlie through the glass door between the cars. Station after station slid past, but they didn’t budge. The pair looked serious. Sitting side by side on a bench, they didn’t spea
k.
As they headed south, Dmitri’s conscience started to bother him again. No matter how he tried to convince himself that he was following Brendan for his own good, he knew deep down that he was driven by relentless curiosity about the day he had lost. Whenever he thought about those missing hours, he was consumed with a longing he’d never experienced before. Inexplicably, he was certain that he had seen and done things that he needed to know about. It was as if he’d woken from a dream just at the moment when he was about to figure out what he was supposed to do, get the reward, truly understand the point of everything.
The screech of the train wheels as they rounded a corner jarred him from his reverie. The train was approaching the bottom of the U that made up the Yonge-University line, pulling into Union Station. Dmitri was sure Brendan would get off the train there. He was probably headed for the waterfront and from there to Ward’s Island. Dmitri would call Delia and Harold and tell them to head to the harbour, where Chester was on duty. They had no idea how Brendan and Charlie planned to get to the island with the lake frozen and the ferries not running. They’d just have to wait and see.
So here they were. Dmitri and Chester had followed Brendan and Charlie along the quay to the point where they’d suddenly disappeared. The fog was too thick to see them and the wharf ended.
“Where did they go?” Dmitri demanded in confusion. “They were right there ahead of us and then they were gone.”
“Tell me,” Chester said softly. “What do you see exactly?”
Dmitri frowned. “I see the boardwalk. It ends at that pole there with the red ribbon on it. Then the fog. Why? What do you see?”
Chester didn’t answer. He just chewed his lip, nervously. “Let’s wait for the others.”
Delia and Harold joined them a few minutes later, having shared a cab from College Street. When they heard that Brendan had given Chester and Dmitri the slip, they couldn’t believe it.
“He did it again,” Harold said in amazement.
