closed the door of the apartment. ‘It’s not a good idea.’
Crystal turned the key and put it under the stone by the step. Her mum was probably right. And now she would never find the egg-shaped object from Lop Lake. Crystal would never know why Effie had briefly changed, but it was too late. The answer to the puzzle of their past had to be beyond the Wall – and that’s where they were going.
The tour bus was a covered wagon pulled by four very large horses. It was parked in the Square by the clock tower. The other Towners who had tickets for the trip to the mines were chattering and laughing, excited about their outing. Crystal could barely stop herself from shaking. She kept glancing at Grint’s house. If he saw her, would he stop her? Just to be safe, she kept the wagon between her and his house.
Mrs Hopkins, who lived two blocks north of them, was also going. ‘Never thought of you and your mum being interested in this sort of trip,’ she said. ‘To tell you the truth, I don’t think I am either. I mean, it’s a bit like gloating over the misfortunes of others, isn’t it? Seeing the ugly old rockgoyles slaving away and all those folk that have been banished having to live like animals in holes.’
Crystal nodded. ‘Yes. No. I mean, well, we got the tickets for free and—’
‘I know, you feel you have to, don’t you, when everyone else wants to go? I really don’t think Effie will enjoy it. But the scenery’s nice. I went two years ago. Shame about Annie Scott passing on, wasn’t it? Still, with those lumps and bulges and that fever, she was unlikely to recover. Well, I hope you’re right about your mum, dear, she doesn’t look too good to me.’
‘She’s fine,’ Crystal said. ‘She’s looking forward to it. Really.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. Effie was tense and her fingers constantly snatched at her bag as if she were going to open it but couldn’t remember how. Her blue eyes darted backwards and forwards nervously.
‘Crystal, Crystal,’ she muttered.
‘Yes, Mum, what is it?’
‘Something. I don’t know. I can’t think. I wish I could think but my mind, when I try, it’s all cloudy and cold.’
‘Never mind. It’ll be all right soon, I promise.’
‘Something. Something’s wrong.’
‘Shh. Don’t worry.’
Crystal sounded so certain but inside she was as worried as her mother. She had no idea what they would find on the other side of the Wall or how they would escape. She just knew she couldn’t let such a good opportunity slip by.
The driver glanced at their tickets and punched a hole in them. ‘Welcome aboard!’
Crystal’s heart was thudding painfully as she and her mum got to their seats. She put the carry-box on her knees. The sly-ugg was quiet, munching on the stack of loffseed she’d put in with it. Once they were outside the Wall, she’d give it to someone, lose it somehow.
Trips to the mines only ran three times a year. Crystal could hardly believe her luck in getting these tickets at this time. She knew some of the day-trippers were hoping to pick up precious stones or maybe some rare fruit grown outside the Town that the mine chiefs would have for sale. Not her. She just wanted to get out. In thirty minutes, she thought, they would reach the Wall. In thirty-five they would be on the other side. Free. It was all so easy. Why hadn’t she done this before? They might have been free years ago! They were going to find their home. The snow! The mountains! Those things must be out there somewhere. She slipped her little painting out from her bag. Snow. She had that clue to the puzzle of her past – if only she’d managed to find the mysterious egg-object before they’d left too, she was certain that was somehow important.
They passed down grey streets, shells of buildings, collapsed towers and empty blocks. Here and there amongst the bricks and fallen steel and concrete, grass was growing. High up on the windowsills and rooftops
Crystal turned the key and put it under the stone by the step. Her mum was probably right. And now she would never find the egg-shaped object from Lop Lake. Crystal would never know why Effie had briefly changed, but it was too late. The answer to the puzzle of their past had to be beyond the Wall – and that’s where they were going.
The tour bus was a covered wagon pulled by four very large horses. It was parked in the Square by the clock tower. The other Towners who had tickets for the trip to the mines were chattering and laughing, excited about their outing. Crystal could barely stop herself from shaking. She kept glancing at Grint’s house. If he saw her, would he stop her? Just to be safe, she kept the wagon between her and his house.
Mrs Hopkins, who lived two blocks north of them, was also going. ‘Never thought of you and your mum being interested in this sort of trip,’ she said. ‘To tell you the truth, I don’t think I am either. I mean, it’s a bit like gloating over the misfortunes of others, isn’t it? Seeing the ugly old rockgoyles slaving away and all those folk that have been banished having to live like animals in holes.’
Crystal nodded. ‘Yes. No. I mean, well, we got the tickets for free and—’
‘I know, you feel you have to, don’t you, when everyone else wants to go? I really don’t think Effie will enjoy it. But the scenery’s nice. I went two years ago. Shame about Annie Scott passing on, wasn’t it? Still, with those lumps and bulges and that fever, she was unlikely to recover. Well, I hope you’re right about your mum, dear, she doesn’t look too good to me.’
‘She’s fine,’ Crystal said. ‘She’s looking forward to it. Really.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. Effie was tense and her fingers constantly snatched at her bag as if she were going to open it but couldn’t remember how. Her blue eyes darted backwards and forwards nervously.
‘Crystal, Crystal,’ she muttered.
‘Yes, Mum, what is it?’
‘Something. I don’t know. I can’t think. I wish I could think but my mind, when I try, it’s all cloudy and cold.’
‘Never mind. It’ll be all right soon, I promise.’
‘Something. Something’s wrong.’
‘Shh. Don’t worry.’
Crystal sounded so certain but inside she was as worried as her mother. She had no idea what they would find on the other side of the Wall or how they would escape. She just knew she couldn’t let such a good opportunity slip by.
The driver glanced at their tickets and punched a hole in them. ‘Welcome aboard!’
Crystal’s heart was thudding painfully as she and her mum got to their seats. She put the carry-box on her knees. The sly-ugg was quiet, munching on the stack of loffseed she’d put in with it. Once they were outside the Wall, she’d give it to someone, lose it somehow.
Trips to the mines only ran three times a year. Crystal could hardly believe her luck in getting these tickets at this time. She knew some of the day-trippers were hoping to pick up precious stones or maybe some rare fruit grown outside the Town that the mine chiefs would have for sale. Not her. She just wanted to get out. In thirty minutes, she thought, they would reach the Wall. In thirty-five they would be on the other side. Free. It was all so easy. Why hadn’t she done this before? They might have been free years ago! They were going to find their home. The snow! The mountains! Those things must be out there somewhere. She slipped her little painting out from her bag. Snow. She had that clue to the puzzle of her past – if only she’d managed to find the mysterious egg-object before they’d left too, she was certain that was somehow important.
They passed down grey streets, shells of buildings, collapsed towers and empty blocks. Here and there amongst the bricks and fallen steel and concrete, grass was growing. High up on the windowsills and rooftops
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