Emma and the Minotaur (13 page)

Emma smiled, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

It was later that afternoon when Emma woke up and found herself tucked into her bed. She was still wearing all her clothes from the day before.

She sat up groggily and took a look around for a moment, trying to decide whether she had dreamt it all. There was so much to think about but one of the first things that came to mind was Lucy Leroux. Her parents had disappeared.

Emma had been so rude to Lucy that she decided the first thing she would do was to find her and apologize. Her stomach rumbled and she decided that visiting Lucy would be the second thing she would do.

She found her flute on her nightstand, took it, and tucked it under her mattress.

On her way to the kitchen to fix herself something to eat, she stopped by her father’s office. He was all smiles and he agreed that she should go apologize to Lucy as soon as she had something to eat.

Emma made herself a sandwich and poured a glass of orange juice. She ate in the living room while she looked out the window. The clock on the wall showed that it was three o’clock. Will wouldn’t be home from school for another half hour.

Emma finished her sandwich and went into the bathroom for a shower. After she changed into clean clothes, she and her father got into the car and drove off.

Lucy Leroux’s neighbourhood wasn’t too far from the University of Saint Martin. It was a neighbourhood of big houses and giant driveways with two door garages.

When they pulled into Lucy’s house they saw that it was a big thing full of windows that stared out at them. There were two cars in the driveway and both of them seemed fancy and expensive to Emma.

“I’ll wait here,” said Mr Wilkins. “I think it will be better that way so you girls can really talk.”

“Okay, Dad.”

Emma exited the car and went to the front door, not sure of what she was going to say. Lucy’s lawn was large and green and littered with flower beds. It was all very pretty and looked as though it took a lot of work to maintain.

She rang the doorbell and hoped that Lucy was home. It was the middle of the afternoon, after all, and so it was possible that she was in class.

The door opened and Lucy looked down at Emma with surprise. Her eyes were red and her clothes were wrinkled. She wiped her face with a sleeve and made an attempt at a smile.

“Hey,” Lucy said.

“Hi, Lucy. Can I talk to you?”

The older girl looked past Emma at the car in the driveway and waved. She then stepped aside so that Emma could enter. They went inside and sat down in an expansive living room full of old-looking furniture. It was all very clean and polished except for one couch that faced a giant television. On that couch, there was a pile of blankets and a box of tissues.

“Sorry,” Lucy said. “I kind of slept here.”

“It’s okay,” Emma said. As she spoke, a striped cat entered the room and walked along its periphery, casting a glance at her now and then. “I wanted to say I’m sorry. I was very rude. I didn’t know what had happened. I’m sorry. You’re always so nice to me. I’m sorry, okay?”

“Yeah, don’t worry, Emma,” Lucy said. “It’s so weird, though, isn’t it? They just vanished like that. I mean, I talked to my mom and dad that day and then they were just gone when I came back. I don’t know what’s happening in this town.”

Emma didn’t know how much she could say to Lucy about what she had learned. It was probable that the girl would think she was crazy if she told her everything. She felt as though she had to say something but didn’t know what. All she could think of were general words of comfort that everyone said when there was a loss or a tragedy. Somehow, those words always sounded empty to Emma but she could think of nothing else.

She opened her mouth to speak when the striped cat landed on her lap. He looked at her face and then strode off to sit on one of the armrests.

“Hello,” Emma said to the cat.

“That’s Sprinkles,” Lucy said and turned to him. “Hey, kitty. What a good cat you are.”

“Hello, Mr Sprinkles,” Emma said and reached out to pet him.

“Don’t you dare put a hand on me, foolish girl,” Sprinkles said and Emma withdrew her arm.

“I’m sorry,” Emma said to the cat.

“It’s okay,” said Lucy. “You don’t have to apologize anymore, okay? Don’t worry about it.”

“You didn’t hear that?” Emma said.

“Hear what?”

“Nothing, I’m just imagining things, I guess,” she said.

“Her sobbing has been worse than ever since the others went away,” Sprinkles said. “That’s what’s wrong with the way humans cling to one another…”

Emma tried to ignore the cat as he rambled on but he just kept on talking right over Lucy. The girl appeared to be saying something about her parents while the cat was going on about the reliance of young humans on old humans. Related topics, Emma supposed, but it was difficult to listen to both of them.

“Please stop,” she said to Sprinkles. Lucy stopped talking but the cat continued: “…eighteen years or more. It’s no surprise they can’t find their own way after all that time.” He jumped off the couch and went to the window. He jumped onto the ledge, still rambling.

“I’m… I’m sorry,” Lucy said, confused. There were tears welling up in her eyes.

“No, I didn’t mean you!” Emma said. “Sorry, I was… I’m sorry. I always end up being so rude to you. It’s bad luck, I swear, and I don’t mean it. I like you, Lucy.”

“You do?”

“Of course,” she said. “I’m just the worst. I never know what to do or say.”

Lucy wiped at her face again with her sleeve and said nothing. She tried to smile but it was a weak little smile. Emma berated herself silently.

“Look at her arm,” Sprinkles said. He was back from the window.

“Huh?” Emma said.

“Look at her arm, foolish girl,” the cat said, and then he strolled out of the room.

Emma decided to listen to Sprinkles, even if he was only a cat.

She stood up and walked over to Lucy’s couch and sat beside her on top of the blankets. She put an arm around the older girl and Lucy looked to her and smiled. Encouraged, Emma took her hand and squeezed it. In response, Lucy put her own arm around her.

Gently, Emma pulled Lucy’s arm and turned it over and saw that her sleeve was stained.

“Lucy…” she said and rolled the sleeve slowly, revealing fresh cuts next to older scars. Lucy seemed ashamed. She took her arm back and rolled her sleeve down and looked away.

Emma took hold of her hand again and stood up. “Where is your bathroom? We should clean that.”

Lucy nodded and led her to a bathroom that was almost as big as Emma’s bedroom.

Emma made Lucy take off her shirt and then she washed her cuts under the tap. Sprinkles came into the bathroom, sat on the toilet lid, and watched the proceedings.

When Emma had cleaned the cuts, she asked her where they kept the bandages and Lucy took a handful from a cabinet on the wall. Emma bandaged Lucy’s forearm and then gave it a light pat.

“There,” she said. “All better.”

“Thank you, Emma,” Lucy said. “Are you sure you’re eleven?”

“Pretty sure,” Emma said. “We don’t have a mom so we’ve had to do everything for ourselves.”

“What happened to her?”

“She died when I was a baby. I can’t even remember her.”

“I’m sorry,” Lucy said and she put her hand on Emma’s shoulder. After a moment, she left to go put on a clean shirt.

Sprinkles jumped up on the sink.

“Maybe you’re not so foolish after all, foolish girl,” he said.

“Can you understand me?” Emma said.

Sprinkles didn’t respond. He jumped off the sink and left.

During the drive home, Emma explained to her father what had happened at Lucy’s house, including the part about her injuries. She had decided that her on-going policy of secrecy had proved to be a massive failure.

“Can she come live with us?” Emma said.

Mr Wilkins raised his eyebrows. “What?”

“She’s in really bad shape, Dad. We could take care of her.”

“I’m her teacher, Emma,” he said. “That would be incredibly inappropriate.”

Emma spent the rest of the short drive deep in thought until they turned into Lockhart Road and the forest came into view. Somewhere in there was a monster who was taking prisoners and he had Jake’s father and now, probably, Lucy’s parents.

“Tell you what,” Mr Wilkins said. “We’ll keep a good eye on her. She can come over anytime, have dinner with us every night if she wants to, but she’ll have to go home at the end of the day.”

“Okay, Dad.”

They arrived at their house and Mr Wilkins stopped Emma before she could get out of the car.

“Here, I got you this,” he said as he removed a box from the glove compartment. Emma opened it to reveal a small gray watch with a cartoon mouse on it. The mouse was giving a thumbs up.

“Thank you,” she said. “It’s my favourite colour. Never had a watch before.”

“I know, and it’s about time you did.”

They went inside the house and found Will waiting for them.

“Ems,” he said. “I guess you’re some sort of superhero now or something?”

Emma laughed and punched him in the shoulder. She smiled up at him and then hugged him tightly.

10

Mr Jingles

It was Thursday morning and Emma returned to school. She passed Mr Clarence, the principal, on her way into the school building. She put her head down and hoped that he wouldn’t notice her. She had missed detention.

She made it to her classroom without incident and sat down at her desk. Miss Robins wasn’t there yet. Emma wished there was some way that she could avoid her too. This school year had so far been an awful mess and she couldn’t wait until it was over. At least her marks were good.

Jake came in a few moments later and he rushed over to her.

“So what happened?” he said.

“Lots!” Emma said. “There’s lots to tell. I’ll tell you at recess, okay?”

“Mr Milligan, please sit down,” said a familiar voice.

Emma looked up and saw that Mr Clarence had entered the classroom. He was standing beside Miss Robins’ desk. The teacher was nowhere to be seen.

Jake rushed to his seat.

“Since there were a couple of absentees yesterday,” Mr Clarence said. “Some of you may not know that Miss Robins is unable to teach at this time so I’ll be taking over her teaching duties for at least today.”

Emma and Jake exchanged a glance. She wondered if Miss Robins was another disappearance or if she was just sick.

As the morning’s lessons went on, Emma started to think that she could get used to Mr Clarence as a teacher. There was something about the way he spoke and conducted himself that was both authoritative and engaging. She couldn’t put her finger on it but she thought that maybe it was because his manner was like that of a grandparent, or maybe a grandparent’s grandparent.

When it was time for recess, Mr Clarence asked Emma to stay behind. Jake looked back at her from the doorway as he was leaving the room and she shrugged and mouthed the words “lunch time.” The boy nodded and walked out of the room, leaving her alone with the principal.

“It won’t be too long now,” he said. “Have a seat, Emma.” He motioned to one of the desks in the front row and Emma sat down. She wasn’t sure what it was that he was talking about.

“Rebecca Robins has disappeared with the rest of them, you see,” he continued. “It won’t be long now. Not long at all.”

“Sir?”

Mr Clarence smiled a kindly smile. “The storm is coming, Emma. Very soon. I give it no more than a week. Time is running out for us all.”

Emma looked out the window but she didn’t think that he was talking about a literal storm. Outside, it was sunny.

“I suspect they will decide to close the school soon. Temporarily, of course. And who knows what the reaction will be like out there.” He swept his arm in the direction of the windows.

Emma didn’t know what to say.

“I’m just a rambling old man,” Mr Clarence said and he sighed. “Anyhow, I’ll get to my point. You are very far ahead in your lessons, correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I think, then, that you should take the next few days off to make time for your… extracurriculars. I know you’re very busy with certain projects. Musical ones, I’m sure.”

“Yes, sir,” Emma said again. She was baffled.

“Time is running out, Emma, and these projects of yours are very important. Not much time now. You must hurry.”

“I will, Mr Clarence,” Emma said. She had no idea what was happening but she wasn’t going to argue with the principal.

He smiled.

“Well,” he said. “Now that that’s done with, let’s see what you got there.” He approached the desk and took her hand. “Now that’s a funny little watch, don’t you think?”

“Yes, Mr Clarence,” she said.