Read Online Perfectly Reflected by S. C. Ransom - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: S. C. Ransom
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little sister, I’m afraid, but I do have a big brother. He’s not too bad as big brothers go, just a bit of a pain sometimes.” Olivia was still beaming as I talked, and she would clearly have been happy to sit and listen all day, but I had other plans. When her questions slowed down a little I grabbed my chance. “So, you think of what gossip you can tell me while Callum and I run up to the top of the dome. I don’t think we’ll be that long, and then you can come back to my house. Deal?”
Olivia nodded, a beautiful smile lighting up her young face. “OK, it’s a deal. You won’t be too long, will you?”
“I’m sure we won’t be – I don’t think the Golden Gallery is shut today.” I tried to squeeze her hand but I couldn’t feel her at all. “Wait here, and we’ll be back soon.”
I got up from the seat and glanced across the void towards the door up to the next gallery. As I scanned along the various figures I was going to have to manoeuvre past, my eye was caught by woman in a cassock. She was staring at me intently, and I wondered if I was about to get told off for appearing to use my mobile inside the cathedral. But suddenly, as soon as she saw that I had seen her, she looked away. Even from that distance she seemed pretty old, and in the cassock she looked weirdly like one of the Dirges.
I knew that I didn’t want to have to squeeze past her to getto the doorway, even if she had stopped looking at me, so I quickly turned and went around the other way. I heaved a quick sigh of relief as I made it through the door and tackled the tight spiral staircase up to the Stone Gallery. Callum joined me as I made it out into the light.
“Hey, we’re in luck! It looks like the top gallery will be shut after all. The maintenance signs went up about twenty minutes ago.” He beamed at me.
“Really? That’s excellent. Do you want to let Olivia know she’ll have to wait a bit longer for us?”
“OK. You go ahead. Bet I still beat you, though!”
“That’s hardly a fair bet,” I said, smiling. Time alone with Callum on the Golden Gallery – my absolutely favourite thing! I practically skipped over the maintenance barrier and into the dark recesses of the inner dome. The old iron staircase creaked and groaned in the silence as I worked my way up, and I was concentrating hard on my breathing when I became aware of a misty cloaked figure on the landing above me. It was only about twenty steps down from the little room with the viewing panel, so I was expecting Callum to be rather more solid.
“Hi,” I gasped, catching my breath. “That’s cheating. You’re supposed to let me compose myself before I get to the top, not ambush me here. Now you can see how unfit I really am.”
He stepped towards me with his arm outstretched, amulet glinting in the dim light. His face was obscured by his heavy hood. “Is everything OK, Callum?” I asked, extending my wrist. It wasn’t like him to wear his hood up around me.
The tingle in my wrist was accompanied by a sudden hideous roaring noise and, as I jumped in surprise, the figure in front of me pushed back his hood with his free hand. I realisedwith shock that he was making the noise; he was bellowing at me without seeming to take any sort of breath. My head was beginning to pound. With his mouth open wide, he leaned even closer to me, his shoulder-length, greasy-looking black hair brushing my face. The volume went up yet another notch.
“Who on earth are you?” I cried, but my voice was drowned out by the shouting in my head. I tried to move my amulet away but he was too quick; every time I moved he seemed to be able to anticipate it and keep his amulet with mine. How could one person make such a noise? I couldn’t think straight, I just kept trying to back away. All too soon I realised that I was at the edge of the top step. Below me the dizzying drop disappeared into the gloom. I couldn’t go backwards, and he was blocking my way forwards. I
Olivia nodded, a beautiful smile lighting up her young face. “OK, it’s a deal. You won’t be too long, will you?”
“I’m sure we won’t be – I don’t think the Golden Gallery is shut today.” I tried to squeeze her hand but I couldn’t feel her at all. “Wait here, and we’ll be back soon.”
I got up from the seat and glanced across the void towards the door up to the next gallery. As I scanned along the various figures I was going to have to manoeuvre past, my eye was caught by woman in a cassock. She was staring at me intently, and I wondered if I was about to get told off for appearing to use my mobile inside the cathedral. But suddenly, as soon as she saw that I had seen her, she looked away. Even from that distance she seemed pretty old, and in the cassock she looked weirdly like one of the Dirges.
I knew that I didn’t want to have to squeeze past her to getto the doorway, even if she had stopped looking at me, so I quickly turned and went around the other way. I heaved a quick sigh of relief as I made it through the door and tackled the tight spiral staircase up to the Stone Gallery. Callum joined me as I made it out into the light.
“Hey, we’re in luck! It looks like the top gallery will be shut after all. The maintenance signs went up about twenty minutes ago.” He beamed at me.
“Really? That’s excellent. Do you want to let Olivia know she’ll have to wait a bit longer for us?”
“OK. You go ahead. Bet I still beat you, though!”
“That’s hardly a fair bet,” I said, smiling. Time alone with Callum on the Golden Gallery – my absolutely favourite thing! I practically skipped over the maintenance barrier and into the dark recesses of the inner dome. The old iron staircase creaked and groaned in the silence as I worked my way up, and I was concentrating hard on my breathing when I became aware of a misty cloaked figure on the landing above me. It was only about twenty steps down from the little room with the viewing panel, so I was expecting Callum to be rather more solid.
“Hi,” I gasped, catching my breath. “That’s cheating. You’re supposed to let me compose myself before I get to the top, not ambush me here. Now you can see how unfit I really am.”
He stepped towards me with his arm outstretched, amulet glinting in the dim light. His face was obscured by his heavy hood. “Is everything OK, Callum?” I asked, extending my wrist. It wasn’t like him to wear his hood up around me.
The tingle in my wrist was accompanied by a sudden hideous roaring noise and, as I jumped in surprise, the figure in front of me pushed back his hood with his free hand. I realisedwith shock that he was making the noise; he was bellowing at me without seeming to take any sort of breath. My head was beginning to pound. With his mouth open wide, he leaned even closer to me, his shoulder-length, greasy-looking black hair brushing my face. The volume went up yet another notch.
“Who on earth are you?” I cried, but my voice was drowned out by the shouting in my head. I tried to move my amulet away but he was too quick; every time I moved he seemed to be able to anticipate it and keep his amulet with mine. How could one person make such a noise? I couldn’t think straight, I just kept trying to back away. All too soon I realised that I was at the edge of the top step. Below me the dizzying drop disappeared into the gloom. I couldn’t go backwards, and he was blocking my way forwards. I
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