Part 2
What Piglet Saw
Mirabelle
It was delivery day.
Mirabelle always liked delivery day. It meant she had a good reason to leave the house. It was always a relief to go outside because she sometimes found the darkness inside the house stifling. The windows stretched from floor to ceiling, but every one of them was covered with heavy drapes, and even the air felt thick and deadened. She’d already taken her stone pendant. It was a small disk looped into a leather band that hung from her neck. She liked to trace the symbols on its surface with her fingers: a sickle moon and a burning sun facing each other, both separated by a sword. According to
Eliza, these were the signs that afforded the wearer protection from sunlight. Enoch made the stone pendants, the lore having been passed down through generations of the Family. Although they preferred not to be about during the day, the pendants were used when family members needed to move around or migrate in the outside world.
Mirabelle was heading towards the front door when she saw the girl.
‘Hello,’ said Jem, looking a little lost and nervous.
‘Hello, Jem,’ said Mirabelle brightly.
Jem gestured around her with a finger. ‘I was just walking . . . I didn’t . . .’
Mirabelle nodded. ‘That’s okay. We can’t expect you to be cooped up in your room all day.’
Both girls looked at each other across the hallway. There was an awkward silence.
‘How’s your brother? How’s Tom?’ asked Mirabelle. ‘Sleeping.’
Mirabelle nodded. ‘Good.’
Mirabelle was pleased to see Jem smile a little at that. It was a shy smile, but a smile all the same.
‘It’s delivery day. Come and meet Freddie,’ said Mirabelle.
‘Yes, come and meet Freddie,’ said Daisy, her transparent head suddenly sliding out from the wall to Jem’s left.
Jem recoiled and shrieked, almost tripping over her own feet in fright.
Daisy stepped out from the wall, became fully corporeal and pouted at Jem.
‘Aw, diddums, aw we afwaid?’
Mirabelle clenched her fists and hissed, ‘Stop that, Daisy. She’s a guest.’
Daisy raised an eyebrow as she looked at Mirabelle.
‘Our guest? She’s no better than an intruder. Intruders shouldn’t be welcomed. They should be punished.’
Mirabelle saw the fear on Jem’s face.
Mirabelle advanced on Daisy. ‘You leave her alone. If you don’t, I’ll throw you in with Piglet.’
Mirabelle felt a warm twinge of pleasure as she saw Daisy’s mouth twitch.
‘You wouldn’t.’
Now it was Mirabelle’s turn to raise an eyebrow.
Daisy pointed at Mirabelle for Jem’s benefit. ‘She can’t sleep. She can’t eat. And this is her only aspect. She can’t even turn into something interesting, or do anything useful like walk through walls. She’s worse than your kind. She’s so boring.’
Jem looked completely confused by all this.
Everything Daisy said was true, but that didn’t make the sting of the words any less harsh to Mirabelle. The rest of the Family each had at least one discernible talent, whether it was turning into a bear like Uncle Bertram, or Odd’s ability to travel wherever he wanted to in the blink of an eye. The others also had at least two aspects to their appearance. Eliza could take human form, while at rest she was a swarm of spiders. Even the twins could change their appearance. Mirabelle had nothing. She’d looked the same ever since she’d emerged from the Ether.
Mirabelle took a deep breath, and was about to say something to Daisy, but was interrupted as a panting Dotty stepped out of the opposite wall.
‘Found you!’ she shouted, pointing at Daisy.
Mirabelle brushed past Daisy and took Jem by the elbow.
‘We’re coming with you,’ Daisy called after her.
‘No, you’re not,’ said Mirabelle. ‘It’s daytime – you should be sleeping. Besides, you don’t have your pendant.’
‘But we wanted to see the visitor,’ she whined. ‘We couldn’t help it. We wanted to see.’
‘We smelled her,’ said Dotty, exchanging a sly grin with Daisy.
Mirabelle flashed them both a warning look and turned away with Jem.
‘How can they do that? How they can they move through walls?’ whispered Jem. She still looked a little shaken.
‘It’s their talent,’ said Mirabelle.
‘A talent?’ she said, looking back warily over her shoulder.
‘Yes, we all . . . well, most everyone in the house has a talent. I’ll explain later. Let me introduce you to Freddie.’
She tried to put Daisy’s earlier words about her lack of any special gifts to the back of her mind as she gently urged Jem towards the main door.
The sun was shining outside, and there was a cream-coloured van parked close to the door. The van had the name ‘Fletcher’s’ painted on it, although the brown lettering had faded in some places. The van belonged to Mr Fletcher, the local butcher. Along with Dr Ellenby, Mr Fletcher and his son were the main points of contact between Mirabelle’s family and the human village.
Uncle Enoch was deep in conversation with Mr Fletcher himself. Fletcher was a bald, bull-necked, barrel-chested man, shorter than Enoch, but no less intimidating. To Mirabelle he looked like a volcano perpetually on the brink of eruption, rubbing his thumbs against his fingers, twitching as though he suspected someone might be making a casual slight against him. He hadn’t always been like this. Mirabelle remembered him before the war. He’d been different then.
Freddie was at the back of the van loading cardboard boxes onto a hand trolley. He was thirteen years old, lean and wiry. He tended to keep his head down and his shoulders hunched, as if always expecting a blow.
‘That’s Freddie,’ said Mirabelle to Jem.
‘Fweddie Weddie,’ said Daisy, suddenly sashaying balletically in front of Mirabelle, waggling her own stone pendant in Mirabelle’s face.
Mirabelle wrinkled her nose. ‘Behave, Daisy.’
She noticed Mr Fletcher suddenly turn to look at Jem, before he and Enoch continued their discussion.
‘They’re talking about me,’ said Jem, fiddling with her cuff again.
Mirabelle thought about lying to her to make her feel better, but decided against it.
‘Yes, they are,’ said Mirabelle, ‘but they’re also talking about the Glamour.’
Jem looked confused.
‘The Glamour is the magical barrier that protects our home from the outside world. Only Dr Ellenby has the key. He gives it to Mr Fletcher every delivery day. That way he can enter. You and Tom came in through a tear in the Glamour’s fabric located right at the spot where Mr Fletcher usually unlocks the way in. Uncle Enoch thinks the magic there has become worn, like the handle of an old door that’s been open and shut over too many years,’ said Mirabelle.
‘Magic?’ said Jem, looking a little stunned.
‘Yes,’ said Mirabelle, realizing the enormity of what this meant for Jem.
‘Magic, I never would have imagined . . . it just seems so . . .’
She was interrupted by Dotty who came over and cupped a hand to Mirabelle’s ear and whispered something.
The three girls looked at Jem’s feet and her tattered brown shoes. Mirabelle felt guilty when she saw the look of embarrassment on Jem’s face.
‘You’re standing on Great-uncle Cornelius.’
It was clear that Jem had no idea what she meant, and for one awful moment Mirabelle worried Jem might think she was making fun of her.
Jem looked down. There was a dark patch on the ground. A blob that looked as if it might have the approximation of a human form if only its lines were a little sharper.
‘He wasn’t wearing his protection,’ said Dotty, displaying her pendant.
‘So he burned,’ said Daisy with a little too much relish.
‘Up he went like dry kindling,’ said Dotty.
‘I heard him screaming,’ said Daisy almost wistfully.
‘It was a long time ago,’ said Mirabelle.
Jem stepped off the silhouette with a look of horror on her face.
‘This is Freddie,’ said Mirabelle brightly, waving a hand in Freddie’s direction as he came towards them with his hand trolley piled high with boxes.
‘This is Jem, Freddie,’ said Mirabelle. ‘She’s staying for a while.’
Freddie seemed briefly surprised by Jem’s presence then gave a quick nod and mumbled ‘Hello.’
Jem nodded in return, and the twins giggled. Mirabelle tried to ignore the twinge of annoyance she felt and instead focused all her energies on Freddie.
‘Would you like some help?’
The boy shrugged. ‘If you like,’ he said quietly.
He pulled the trolley backwards up the steps, and they all followed him into the cool dark of the house.
Dotty and Daisy whirled in and out of the walls, keeping pace with the others. Mirabelle noticed how unsettled Jem was by all of this and she smiled encouragingly at her, while trying to hide her growing irritation at the twins’ interrogation of Freddie.
‘How are you, Freddie?’
‘Are you well?’
‘We missed you last time.’
‘It’s lovely to see you again.’
Freddie kept looking straight ahead, the gentle rumbling of his cart echoing and bouncing off the walls.
They all made for the larder. Freddie opened the doors with the practised weariness of someone used to doing the same task over and over again. Mirabelle shoved herself into the larder beside him and helped him unload the boxes. Jem followed suit. Dotty and Daisy stayed outside, giggling to one another.
Mirabelle watched Freddie as they worked. He looked so much like his brother James now that he was older. It was something she’d remarked on once and then immediately regretted when she’d seen the look of absolute devastation on Freddie’s face.
She thought about James and his easy manner, how he’d always had time for a chat. He’d been tall and handsome with the brightest blue eyes she’d ever seen, and he and his father used to have such a laugh with each other when they came to drop off deliveries. Freddie would come along too. He was just as quiet and shy in those days, but he’d found it easier to smile and look people in the eye. And from the way he’d looked at James it was clear that Freddie had worshipped his older brother.
Then there came a day when James didn’t turn up and there was only Freddie accompanying his father. Mr Fletcher told her proudly that James had gone off to fight in the war.
Much like the one that had come before, the war never touched them in the house. They got snippets of news from Mr Fletcher, but nothing more. He was bullishly cheerful about their chances. ‘We’ll show them’ was the phrase he used most often. Even Freddie seemed to have a zealous light burning in his eyes, and he carried himself proudly whenever James was mentioned.
Sometimes Mirabelle would stand by one of the high windows at night and look at the white flashes in the distance, over Southampton. She imagined the quiet crump of bombs, and the mournful howl of air-raid sirens, and she wondered why people felt compelled to fight each other. It was something she just couldn’t understand.
Uncle Enoch said it was the humans’ war, and it had nothing to do with them. But that didn’t stop Mirabelle feeling sorry for them and wondering what it was that made them hate each other so.
She was thinking about all of this when Jem dropped one of the boxes. It hit the floor with a popping sound as one of the corners burst open. Jem tried to lift the box, but this only allowed a slab of something wrapped in greaseproof paper to fall out and hit the floor with a smack.
Everybody froze.
Daisy moved first. As quick as a darting serpent, she became transparent and passed right through a horrified Jem. Standing right over the greaseproof bundle, Daisy’s eyes bulged. She reached towards it, but Mirabelle was quicker and snatched the package off the floor.
‘No!’ she said.
Jem was leaning one hand against a shelf in an effort to support herself while she clutched her chest with her other hand. She was panting hard:
‘Did you see what she . . . She went through . . . She . . .’
Mirabelle looked at Freddie, who was frozen in place, fists clenched as he stared at Daisy. Daisy’s pupils were expanding, and her eyes were now almost completely black. She pulled her lips back over her teeth and Mirabelle could already see the points sharpening.
‘No, Daisy,’ she hissed.
Daisy’s eyes went to the package in her hand and it was only then that Mirabelle saw the blood trickling out of the paper and down onto the floor. She shook her head at Daisy.
‘No.’
Dotty was sidling round the larder door, licking her lips and growling. Jem was still panting and wincing, completely oblivious to what was unfolding right in front of her.
‘Get out,’ Mirabelle said to the twins.
Daisy rubbed a hand across her mouth and started to advance towards Mirabelle.
‘OUT! NOW!’ Mirabelle shouted.
The twins stopped moving. Daisy’s face twitched, but she finally relented and she stepped out of the larder, ushering Dotty away with her, all the while keeping her eyes on the package in Mirabelle’s hand.
Mirabelle shoved the wrapped meat back inside the box, then went over to Jem and took her by the arms.
‘Are you all right?’
Jem nodded. She looked extremely pale.
‘She’s not supposed to do that,’ said Mirabelle. ‘Sorry.’
Jem swallowed and stood a little more erect, straightening her cardigan. Freddie kept his distance and remained quiet, giving both girls time to compose themselves before they all headed back towards the front door.
They walked some way down the empty hallway before Daisy popped out of the wall again and fell into step beside them. Mirabelle could see the smirk on her face, and she felt the whisper of air behind her that announced the fact that Dotty had joined them too. She took in a deep breath in an effort to suppress her anger, knowing full well that Daisy would be looking for the first available chink in her armour in an attempt to provoke her.
Daisy being Daisy, though, was willing to fight a battle on all available fronts, which was why she targeted Jem next.
‘It’s a courtesy shown by the people from the village,’ she said, grinning at Jem.
‘What is?’ asked Jem.
‘The meat. The boxes of meat. I know you’re thinking with rationing still going on, why are they having all that meat delivered? We could probably get it by other means with the help of Odd, but the more senior members of the Family prefer to stick with this so-called sacred agreement cos it’s gone back generations. The people of the village of Rookhaven have given us meat for a very, very long time, and because of that we’ve agreed to leave them alone.’
‘Daisy!’ Mirabelle growled.
Daisy ignored her. ‘Like I said, it’s a courtesy. Some might say a necessity, in case we might be tempted to look elsewhere for food. We can only really enjoy raw meat, you see.’ Daisy’s smirk returned, and now her eyes were hard and bright as she looked at Freddie. ‘Freddie’s just continuing the family tradition by helping his father with his deliveries. Isn’t that right, Freddie?’
Freddie kept his head lowered as he pushed his trolley. They’d reached the main hallway now and Freddie picked up his pace as the door came closer.
Daisy ran ahead of him and stood against the closed door, blocking his escape.
Mirabelle could feel her head starting to spin as rage wormed its way through every nerve ending.
‘Freddie’s very good for bringing us deliveries,’ said Daisy.
Jem looked lost as she glanced from Daisy to Freddie. Freddie stared at the floor, his knuckles whitening, biting his lower lip.
‘You’re nearly as good as your brother, James,’ said Daisy.
Freddie flin
ched as if he’d just been punched, his tightened shoulders finally sagged, and he looked as if his legs might go out from under him. The fury Mirabelle felt was cold and tingling.
‘He was very good too,’ said Dotty in her whispery awefilled voice.
‘We miss him. Do you miss him, Freddie?’
‘You do miss him, don’t you?’ said Dotty. ‘Of course you do. He was very nice, always polite and smiling. Such a pity he had to go away and fight in the war . . .’
‘You leave him alone!’
Even Mirabelle was shocked by the source of the voice. She turned to see Jem standing ramrod straight, her face white with anger.
Daisy tilted her head. ‘What did you say?’
‘I said, leave him alone.’
Jem was shaking. Her transformation was dramatic enough to make even Mirabelle forget her own fury for a moment.
Daisy moved away from the door and took a step towards Jem. ‘You can’t talk to me like that.’
‘I just did,’ said Jem, refusing to move.
Mirabelle smiled at this response. Even Freddie was fascinated now.
No one said anything. Mirabelle felt as if a thundercloud were rolling in from the horizon, announcing a storm.
Daisy narrowed her eyes and licked a corner of her mouth, eyeing Jem like a predatory tiger.
‘Do you feel sorry for him because you’re just like him in some way? Is that it? I mean you look sad and pathetic, like you’ve lost something too. Or should I say . . . someone.’
Jem lowered her eyes and took a step back. Mirabelle felt her heart sink.
Daisy stepped closer to Jem.
‘Was it your father? Is that who you lost?’ Daisy pouted. ‘Aw poor widduh diddums, did you wooze yo daddy in the waw?’
Jem refused to look at her, and she wiped her eye with the cuff of her cardigan.
‘So small and mortal and weak. I feel sorry for you, little girl,’ said Daisy. ‘And now look at you, snivelling like a—’
The slap Mirabelle delivered to Daisy’s face echoed through the hall. Mirabelle didn’t know whether she was more surprised or Daisy. Daisy blinked and put a hand to her cheek. Black dots danced in front of Mirabelle’s eyes. She wanted to do it again and she raised her hand, not even sure about what she was doing. Daisy became almost completely transparent. She laughed in Mirabelle’s face. A horrid angry laugh. Mirabelle couldn’t help herself and she swung a fist, but it passed right through her. Daisy circled her and laughed again. She called her names, called Freddie a cry baby, called the humans pathetic. Mirabelle didn’t hear most of it. She was still too angry, and the world was flaring around her.
The Monsters of Rookhaven Page 5
