…’ Effie’s voice trembled and shook, as if what she was seeing was too awful or incomprehensible to describe.
There was a sudden clap of thunder overhead and Crystal jumped. Every nerve in her body was jangling and her brain was spinning. She moved away from the window.
She hadn’t understood everything, but enough to know that the ‘icicle’ on the table was what was draining her mother’s strength and taking away her memory. And this was why Grint appeared so clever, always one step ahead of the Towners: he used Effie and the ‘icicle’ as a sort of oracle, to see into the future.
A flash of lightning was followed by rain suddenly splintering down around her. Crystal ran towards the green door, but passing the shed she heard an awful moan and stopped. The creature! Perhaps it was scared of the storm? Lonely? Hungry? Forgetting about the danger she was in, she searched her pockets. She found a sweet, half an apple and a bunch of herbs. Kneeling down quickly at the door, she whispered, ‘Hello?’
There was a snuffling and whining in reply from behind the door.
‘Here’s some food,’ she said. ‘I’ve got you some food.’ She didn’t suppose that the creature, whatever it was, could understand, but she sympathized with it being locked up. She put the food close to the bottom of the door, and then, fearing for her fingers, pushed it nearer with a stick.
There was silence, total stillness on the other side, and then the long tongue slipped out and hooked first the apple in, then the rest.
‘Sorry I haven’t more,’ she whispered. ‘Sorry you’re in there, whatever you are. I know what it’s like being a prisoner.’
12
Crystal Reaches the West Gate
The day of the trip arrived.
Crystal stoked Icicle’s silky ears. ‘Goodbye, kitty!’ The kitten mewed sadly, as if he knew what was happening. ‘Sorry, puss,’ she whispered into his black fur. ‘I’ve left a note with Mrs Babbage to feed you. I know she loves you and she’s always wanted a cat. You’ll be happy with her. I wish we could take you, but pets aren’t allowed through the gates and anyway, Icicle, we don’t know what it will be like out there. We may be making a terrible mistake … Best you stay here.’ A shiver rippled through her. Too late for worrying now. ‘Are you ready, Mum?’
Effie was sitting by the window with her half-carved piece of wood on the round table in front of her. ‘I don’t want to go anywhere. I’ve told you, Crystal, I want to stay here.’
‘I know, I know, but … Listen, Mum, look at me. Do you remember what you and Grint talked about last night?’
‘No. I never remember, you know I don’t.’
‘You don’t remember being cold? An icy room? A sculpture made of ice that you looked through?’
Panic flashed across Effie’s face as if she did remember and Crystal squeezed her hand encouragingly. ‘You do? I see you do!’
‘No,’ her mum said. And the spark of light in her eyes vanished. She shrugged. ‘I just want to stay here, Crystal, please.’
Now Crystal was more certain than ever that she was right to get her away from Grint. ‘I know, I know, but the trip will do you good. It will be fun. We’ll have a good day, Mum, I know we will.’
She put her mother’s cloak round her shoulders and urged her to stand up. ‘There we go. Trust me.’ She pushed her gently towards the door. ‘Come on, Mum.’
Just as they were about to leave, a sudden high-pitched, urgent whine filled the room. Crystal stood rock still; the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. It was not a noise that could be ignored.
‘I forgot the sly-ugg.’ She stared at it. She didn’t want to take it. But if she left it here it would go on crying and someone would come. She didn’t want Raek to torture it again either. She quickly scooped it up in the carry-box. Perhaps she could set it free somewhere? Somewhere beyond the Wall?
‘I don’t want to do this, Crystal,’ her mum said as Crystal
There was a sudden clap of thunder overhead and Crystal jumped. Every nerve in her body was jangling and her brain was spinning. She moved away from the window.
She hadn’t understood everything, but enough to know that the ‘icicle’ on the table was what was draining her mother’s strength and taking away her memory. And this was why Grint appeared so clever, always one step ahead of the Towners: he used Effie and the ‘icicle’ as a sort of oracle, to see into the future.
A flash of lightning was followed by rain suddenly splintering down around her. Crystal ran towards the green door, but passing the shed she heard an awful moan and stopped. The creature! Perhaps it was scared of the storm? Lonely? Hungry? Forgetting about the danger she was in, she searched her pockets. She found a sweet, half an apple and a bunch of herbs. Kneeling down quickly at the door, she whispered, ‘Hello?’
There was a snuffling and whining in reply from behind the door.
‘Here’s some food,’ she said. ‘I’ve got you some food.’ She didn’t suppose that the creature, whatever it was, could understand, but she sympathized with it being locked up. She put the food close to the bottom of the door, and then, fearing for her fingers, pushed it nearer with a stick.
There was silence, total stillness on the other side, and then the long tongue slipped out and hooked first the apple in, then the rest.
‘Sorry I haven’t more,’ she whispered. ‘Sorry you’re in there, whatever you are. I know what it’s like being a prisoner.’
12
Crystal Reaches the West Gate
The day of the trip arrived.
Crystal stoked Icicle’s silky ears. ‘Goodbye, kitty!’ The kitten mewed sadly, as if he knew what was happening. ‘Sorry, puss,’ she whispered into his black fur. ‘I’ve left a note with Mrs Babbage to feed you. I know she loves you and she’s always wanted a cat. You’ll be happy with her. I wish we could take you, but pets aren’t allowed through the gates and anyway, Icicle, we don’t know what it will be like out there. We may be making a terrible mistake … Best you stay here.’ A shiver rippled through her. Too late for worrying now. ‘Are you ready, Mum?’
Effie was sitting by the window with her half-carved piece of wood on the round table in front of her. ‘I don’t want to go anywhere. I’ve told you, Crystal, I want to stay here.’
‘I know, I know, but … Listen, Mum, look at me. Do you remember what you and Grint talked about last night?’
‘No. I never remember, you know I don’t.’
‘You don’t remember being cold? An icy room? A sculpture made of ice that you looked through?’
Panic flashed across Effie’s face as if she did remember and Crystal squeezed her hand encouragingly. ‘You do? I see you do!’
‘No,’ her mum said. And the spark of light in her eyes vanished. She shrugged. ‘I just want to stay here, Crystal, please.’
Now Crystal was more certain than ever that she was right to get her away from Grint. ‘I know, I know, but the trip will do you good. It will be fun. We’ll have a good day, Mum, I know we will.’
She put her mother’s cloak round her shoulders and urged her to stand up. ‘There we go. Trust me.’ She pushed her gently towards the door. ‘Come on, Mum.’
Just as they were about to leave, a sudden high-pitched, urgent whine filled the room. Crystal stood rock still; the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. It was not a noise that could be ignored.
‘I forgot the sly-ugg.’ She stared at it. She didn’t want to take it. But if she left it here it would go on crying and someone would come. She didn’t want Raek to torture it again either. She quickly scooped it up in the carry-box. Perhaps she could set it free somewhere? Somewhere beyond the Wall?
‘I don’t want to do this, Crystal,’ her mum said as Crystal
Similar Books
