Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors (21 page)

THE CAPTIVES' STORY

On Saturday morning, Paton Yewbeam sat in his car outside the city hospital. It was a dark thundery day but this had nothing to do with Tancred Torsson, who was at that very moment watching a soccer game with his friend Lysander.

Paton wore his dark glasses as usual, but an article in his newspaper caused him to jump so violently that the glasses slid down his nose and fell into his lap. Paton was reading about a place he'd known as a child, a place he had come to remember with horror.

This is what he read:

Celebrations were held in the village of yorwynde yesterday. on Tuesday morning, headmaster Tantalus Wright and postman
Vincent
Ebony walked into their homes after an absence of three weeks. they told us that they had been held captive in Yewbeam castle, a place renowned for its troubled past.

The two men had lived in a state of semiconsciousness, unable to move or speak. both confessed to having felt as though their minds were being used. they experienced strange dreams in which they were surrounded by children in colored capes.

"Ye gods!" Paton brought the newspaper closer to his face.

Mr. Wright said that they seemed to have been held in a state of suspended animation and, therefore, did not suffer from the lack of food or water. he also said that footsteps could be heard above them. once or twice, a voice called out, and sometimes there had been a tuneful humming. he was convinced there had been a third prisoner in the building.

On Tuesday morning, Mr. Ebony and Mr. Wright had been inexplicably released. "it just came over us," said Mr. Ebony. "we could move, we could talk. we got to the door, and then we were out. I
don't know if the other guy got out, though."

Police have since made a thorough search of the castle, but no one has been found.

Paton lowered the paper. "Ye gods!" he said again.

* * *

Inside the hospital, Charlie, Billy Fidelio, Emma, and Olivia were making their way to the ward where Gabriel was recovering.

"Five children?" said the nurse on duty "No. That's too many Three at the most."

"We'll wait outside, shall we, Liv?" said Emma.

"Course," said Olivia. "I'm not sure I want to see a load of sick boys, anyway." She looked almost her old self in an orange velvet skirt, silver top, and hair discreetly highlighted in pink.

"Come on, then," Charlie said to the two hoys.

Gabriel was sitting up, but he looked thin and peaked. He gave a weak but delighted smile when he saw his friends. The three boys approached the bed. Fidelio was the most relaxed. "How are you doing?" he said, grasping Gabriel's white hand.

Charlie just grinned. Hospitals made him nervous. They were too clean, too tidy and too quiet.

Billy was having trouble with his pockets. The moment he'd been released from Bloor's Academy on Friday, he'd insisted on getting Rembrandt from the Pets' Café. Charlie had told him to keep the rat well-hidden or they'd find him in Grandma Bone's soup. So Billy had a rat in one pocket and a gerbil in the other.

The gerbil was Mrs. Silk's idea. She thought it would help Gabriel's recovery. "He'd just love to know what his gerbil says," she told Billy.

Billy shuffled close to Gabriel's bed and put the gerbil on the oh-so-white sheet.

"Rita!" Gabriel exclaimed, lifting the gerbil to his cheek. "I love you, Rita!"

Rita gave several loud squeaks.

"Tell me what she's saying, Billy," begged Gabriel.

Billy was in a quandary Rita seemed to be swearing. Among other things, she was saying, "Where am I? Who got me into this mess?"

"She says she loves you, too," said Billy

"Oh, Rita, you're the best gerbil in the world!" cried Gabriel.

There was a sudden scream from the boy in the next bed. "Nurse! He's got a rat! There's a rat in here!"

"WHAT?" said a very stern voice.

Billy grabbed Rita, and the three boys ran out of the ward, while shouts of "Rat!" "That's disgusting!" "Where? I want to see!" followed them out into the corridor.

But louder than all the shouts was the sound of Gabriel's laughter.