Crik (36 page)

‘You’ll find out,’ said Huckney. The blacksmith held his hand out to Jack.

Taking his hand, Jack said, ‘Thank you.’

Bill also shook Huckney’s hand, while Inara hugged the blacksmith. ‘The Ladies aren’t evil,’ said Huckney, disengaging from Inara. ‘What happened to them when they lived in your village haunts them every moment.’

‘So that excuses them,’ said Bill.

‘They are wrong in wanting to hurt you,’ said Huckney. ‘That’s why I’m helping you. Well my friends, this is goodbye. Look after one another, and get home as quickly as you can.’

‘Come here Black,’ said Bill, calling to the big wolf. Black ran onto the metal palm. Up close, the group could see the wolf’s injuries. Blood as well as rain dampened his side. Holding him close, Bill pressed his face into the wolf’s coarse hair. ‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered.

‘Goodbye Huckney,’ said Jack, as Gashnite lifted them away from the big man. Jack watched Huckney wave, while Gashnite’s fingers rose around him. Herm scampered onto the blacksmith’s shoulder, waving his nut above his head.

Knowing Gashnite was not intending to harm them, put the children at ease. Swaying with the motion instead of fighting against the gorilla helped. Taken back through the valley they all felt calmer. Black lay across Inara, with the boys sitting before her.

‘Did Yang know what Huckney was doing?’ she wondered.

‘How could he,’ said Bill, shifting his glasses. ‘Yang never leaves Yin’s side.’

‘Krimble told us that the Narmacils speak to one another,’ said Inara. ‘Perhaps Jack’s Narmacil spoke to Huckney’s, or at least knew the blacksmith’s intent from afar.’

The dark day only allowed Yang to appear as a weak outline beside Jack. Did his demon communicate with the other demons? Reflecting on the question troubled him. What secrets did the demons talk about amongst themselves?

‘Well Yang did point toward this valley,’ said Bill. ‘See Yin, I knew following Yang was a good idea.’

Jack didn’t answer. He didn’t trust his shadow. Let Bill and Inara think what they liked, as soon as he found Knell he would no longer have to worry what his shadow schemed.

‘There’s trouble ahead,’ Gashnite’s voice boomed from above them.

Rushing forward, Jack looked at the rain swept world to see the head of the valley ablaze with Ghost Walkers’ light. Through that light, ran the Myrms, appearing warped and misshapen in the glow. ‘They’re waiting for us,’ he told the others. Roars of defiance from the head of the valley strengthened his warning. The Myrms no longer looked scared. Cadhla drifted through the rabble, colouring the storm with her red light.

‘There’s no way around them,’ said Gashnite. ‘We’ve got to go through them.’

‘Great,’ said Bill, clinging tighter to Black’s fur.

The roar Gashnite gave dwarfed the sound of the storm. Charging forward, the giant gorilla scattered the Myrms. He turned to where the Hedge Wall stood tall before him.

‘They’re coming up your legs,’ warned Jack, spying the Myrms using their magnets to climb the giant.

A colossal hand lowered, picking off the first Myrm. The roar from the Myrm suddenly cut off as Gashnite closed his hand into a tight fist. Dropping the crushed Myrm the gorilla reached for another.

‘There must be at least ten Myrms climbing up Gashnite,’ Jack told the others. ‘He’s hitting them off, but it’ll only be a matter of time before one reaches us.’

Screams filled the air as Gashnite batted two Myrms off his thigh. Another struck the Giant’s knee with a menacing club, and fell back as the weapon bounced off the bronze to strike its bearer in the face.

‘That’ll teach him,’ cried Jack, watching the Myrm fall.

‘Jack, what’s happening?’ asked Inara, clinging to the wolf just as fiercely as did Bill.

Gashnite was far quicker than Jack expected, but he saw a few of the Myrms had reached the Giant’s midriff, with more jumping onto the gorilla’s legs all the time. ‘Gashnite’s trying his best,’ he called back.

Another roar from Gashnite broke thunderously from above as he threw three more brutes into the Red Wood.

The magnets of the Myrms clanged against Gashnite’s skin. Looking down Jack could see the faces of the nearest attackers. Their small eyes fixed on him as they climbed. The nearest wore a mask of an eagle, its sharp beak appearing even more threatening with the rain sluicing down to its point.

‘Get ready,’ cried Jack.

Black rose and stepped away from Inara and Bill. With the wolf beside him, Jack felt braver.

More screams.

The foremost pursuer wearing an eagle mask pulled itself between Gashnite’s forefinger and thumb. In its hand, the Myrm carried a rusted blade, which it brought up to defend itself from the wolf’s attack. Black bit into the Myrm’s shoulder, wrenching a roar of pain from the monster. While the wolf sank its fangs into the nest of muscle and nerves, the Myrm brought up its weapon, ready to deliver its own wicked bite. Seeing the raised blade, Bill screamed and rushed forward. The weapon was coming down when Bill threw his body against the Myrm’s arm, stopping the sword from reaching the wolf. Tearing out a chunk of flesh, Black tore his mouth free, before shredding the Myrm’s throat in an explosion of gore. The Myrm went limp. Leaving go of the arm, Bill let the Myrm fall back and out of sight.

Braving another look, Jack saw two other attackers almost upon them. Suddenly, the day lit up as two forks of lightning speared down from the dark cloud. Somehow, the lightning missed Gashnite to strike the two Myrms sending their smoking, ruined bodies back to the ground.

‘What just happened?’ asked Bill, squeezing his eyes tight. ‘The world just lit up.’

Another lightning strike hit a pair of Myrms climbing over the Giant’s stomach.

A deep rumble of thunder met Gashnite’s roar, as the giant looked up at the swirling clouds.

Far below, stood a lone figure set far behind the Ghost Walkers. Jack hadn’t noticed Krimble until then, but as another fork of lightning struck, he saw the man from the marsh holding his hands up to the sky.

‘Krimble’s calling down the lightning,’ said Jack.

‘Krimble, are you serious?’ asked Bill.

‘I can see him,’ said Jack, hearing his own incredulity. ‘I don’t know why he’s helping us, but the Myrms are abandoning the fight. They’re fleeing back into the Red Wood.’

‘He doesn’t want us to die,’ said Inara.

‘Why not,’ said Bill.

‘If I die, he’ll die,’ she answered. ‘His only chance of ever getting our Narmacils would die with me. If we live, he still has hope of one day taking our power for himself.’

‘Fat chance of that happening,’ said Bill.

‘A small gamble is better than none,’ said Jack.

After lowering his arms, Krimble watched as Gashnite turn his back on the Wold to face the Hedge Wall. Hoping it would be the last occasion he would see Krimble, Jack looked at the hedge.

Holding the children to his breast, Gashnite reached for the Hedge Wall.

Wet leaves cascade
d
down wherever Gashnite’s metal fingers gripped the Hedge Wall. Already the Ghost Walkers’ screams grew distant as the giant gorilla tirelessly climbed. The storm raged, lashing the iron, bronze, and the silver covering Gashnite with enough rain to break a river’s bank. As Gashnite rose, he held the children close to his breast, shielding them from the elements.

‘I don’t know how you can look,’ Bill told Jack.

The Wold grew smaller all the time. ‘From up here the Red Wood isn’t so threatening,’ said Jack, over the storm. Even the light from those wanting to kill them appeared small, drawing comparison with a candle’s flame, flickering in the wind. Huckney had mentioned Gashnite would climb using his feet as a second pair of hands, and he saw the blacksmith had not exaggerated. Every time the gorilla stretched out with his free hand to grip the hedge, the feet rose to push them higher. Gashnite climbed the hedge as though it was a ladder. Still, Herm’s words haunted him. They would go splat if the gorilla made a mistake.

‘You should step away from the edge,’ repeated Bill for the fourth time. ‘The metal is slick with rain.’

Jack wanted to ignore Bill’s words, to tell his friend to stop worrying, but when he turned his feet slid on the bronze. Breathing hard he clutched a giant forefinger.

‘Yin, be careful,’ cried Bill, rising in alarm.

‘I’m alright,’ said Jack, annoyed; he would not have slipped if he weren’t turning around to answer Bill. Biting his tongue, he stubbornly remained where the rain wet his sandy hair. He wanted to watch the Wold disappear, only then would he accept their escape.

‘Leave him Bill,’ said Inara. ‘If he wants the thrill of looking out as Gashnite carries us into the sky, let him.’

‘And if he falls?’

‘I won’t fall,’ said Jack, still fiercely gripping the metal digit. ‘Don’t worry Bill; I won’t blame you if I do.’

‘You don’t have to be so hostile,’ said Bill, crossing his arms. ‘It’d be a shame if you died after everything we survived.’

The Red Wood spread out beneath the stormy sky. Every structure, from spinneret, to silver and dark ironed tree, looked small, like a miniature map rising from crumpled brown paper. Jack couldn’t help remembering the small forts and tiny men he had left sprawled across his bedroom floor. Imagining the Wold as a toy left him feeling empowered. They had managed the impossible by escaping the Red Wood.

‘I hope Huckney is alright,’ said Bill, immediately bringing Jack’s mood down. ‘They won’t be happy with him for helping us.’

‘He said they can’t do anything to him,’ said Jack. ‘Without him, their precious Red Wood will fall into ruin. You saw how his father’s trees were crumbling away. He’ll be alright.’ He hoped so. After having only met the blacksmith a few times, the man had risked everything to save their lives.

‘It’s fortunate Huckney had that Talent, isn’t it,’ said Inara. ‘Without it, he’d only be a blacksmith; easily replaced.’

‘I think he was the one the Ghost Walkers wanted all along,’ said Bill. ‘Perhaps they needed his father only until Huckney grew into his Talent. It’s a good thing he’s so useful, or Cadhla would kill him for sure.’

Remaining quiet, Jack continued to watch the storm. Let them believe having a demon living inside them was a good idea. If Huckney could not create life from metal then the Myrms would not have kidnapped him or his father. When he reached Knell, they didn’t have to follow him. Yet, Yang had helped them escape. Without his shadow, they would still be in the glade, or hanging from the Hanging Tree. Reflecting on Yang’s actions, he looked down on the faint outline moving across the giant palm. Had the demon saved him and his friends? Or, had it only acted out of self-preservation? He hadn’t forgotten how his shadow had attacked him. No, the demon was using him, as it had used him his entire life. Only, the demon had the chance to enter Krimble. It didn’t need him to live. Doubts nagged at him as Gashnite entered the clouds.

Rain gave way to a thick mist, obscuring everything. Jack couldn’t see his friends, and the giant fingers rising over him were only dark smudges in a sea of white. He heard Bill cough, and Black whine. The wolf likes this as much as he did, and he would prefer almost anything to this white purgatory. Tortured working joints squealed in protest as Gashnite carried them through the clouds.

What would they see beyond the clouds? Jack began to wonder whether he would ever find out, when the mist began to dissipate around them. First he noted Black’s bulk, and then as the mist continued to thin the slender forms of his friends.

‘We’re higher than the clouds.’

Recognising the note of fear in Bill’s voice, Jack ruminated on how high they had come? Tilting back his head, he looked through the giant fingers that framed the sky. The wall still towered over them. Did it have an end? Something of flesh and blood would have tired by now; yet, Gashnite’s metal limbs carried them inexorably higher.

‘At least the rain has stopped,’ said Inara. ‘Gashnite, shielded us from most of the downpour, but I’m still dripping.’

Standing at the edge of the hand Jack had caught most of the rain. Water trickled from his damp hair down his spine. With no storm clouds the sun once more appeared, and with it so did Yang. Immediately, Jack’s shadow rushed to ruffle Black’s fur.

Inara laughed. ‘He hasn’t played with Black for a long time.’

‘Careful of his injuries Yang,’ said Bill, looking with concern at Black’s wounds.

‘I don’t think the wounds are that serious,’ said Inara. She smoothed away Black’s hair to inspect a long gash running along the wolf’s ribcage. ‘The cuts aren’t deep. He’ll be tender for awhile. Give him a day or two and he’ll be back to fighting strength.’

‘I don’t want him fighting anymore,’ said Bill. ‘What if I lose him, like I lost Silver?’

‘Is he strong enough to carry you Inara?’ asked Jack. ‘We won’t be climbing forever.’ At least he hoped they wouldn’t.

Inara nodded. ‘If I’m careful, he’ll be alright.’

‘Good,’ said Jack, having no idea how far Gashnite would carry them once they crossed over the Hedge Wall. He guessed, when they were safe, the giant gorilla would return to the Wold. Perhaps the returning giant will be enough to keep Huckney safe. When Gashnite left them, they would need Black to again carry Inara.

The group grew quiet as they rose ever higher. Each looked upward, willing an end to the climb.

‘I wonder what lies ahead of us. Up there.’ Bill pointed up the steep side of the Hedge Wall.

The same question riveted Jack, to such an extent that he found it impossible to tear his eyes away from the Hedge Wall, and to where, eventually, Gashnite must take them. The Wold’s barrier didn’t seem to have an end. As far as he could see, the wall continued uniformly upward, neither bulging outward, nor sinking away from the sheer side of the wall. It is perfect, he thought, glancing down at the storm clouds that had dwindled to a fine layer of white mist.

An occasional bough broke through the layer of roping vines, and nests of dagger length thorns, which gave the Hedge Wall its other name, Thorn Hedge. Gashnite used the extended branches to pull himself up, leaving the wood scored by the gorilla’s rough treatment. One branch, bereft of its bark, came close enough for Jack to note that Huckney’s remark that the wood lining the Hedge Wall was stronger than any metal was not just a flight of fantasy.

Standing up, Bill asked, ‘How long have we been climbing?’

‘At least an hour, maybe two,’ said Inara. ‘It’s hard to tell.’

‘We left the storm behind about an hour ago,’ said Jack. ‘The sun has moved that much.’

‘What suddenly made you such an expert?’

‘You asked, I told you,’ said Jack. ‘If you don’t believe me, why don’t you ask Yang? He seems to have all the answers.’

‘He led us to Huckney,’ said Inara. ‘Without him, we’d…’

‘We’d be dead,’ interrupted Jack. ‘I know. He showed us where to go. But you forget, Huckney was the one who rescued us, not my shadow.’

‘Yin, Yang knew where Huckney was. He took us to him.’

‘Or did he expect to find the Red Sisters?’ said Jack. ‘They were there too. Or are you so in love with my demon, that you overlooked that fact?’

‘You’re not being reasonable,’ said Inara. ‘While we ran, Yang fought off the Myrms. If he wanted the Red Sisters to capture us, then why did he help?’

‘That’s right, my fantastic shadow turned into a big cat with claws and large teeth,’ said Jack. ‘Did you know he tried to use those teeth to bite me? If the lightning flash lasted more than a second, my demon would’ve killed me before Cadhla had a chance.’

‘You probably offended him,’ said Inara.

‘How could I upset him?’ 

‘Of course you upset Yang. You have spent the last few weeks lost, going from one danger to the next, just to purge him, as though he was a virulent disease. If I were Yang I’d do more than just try to bite you,’ said Inara.

‘So you think it’s alright for my shadow to attack me, is that it.’ He rushed over to her.

‘Calm down Yin,’ said Bill, standing up.

‘No Bill, if Jack wants to hit me, let him.’

‘I’m not going to hit you,’ said Jack, stepping back. ‘I would never hurt you, or Bill. I just wish you could see what I know.’

‘You’re one view has blinded you to any other possibility,’ said Inara. ‘You saw the Narmacil jump into Bill, and you immediately thought that it was evil. Only ask yourself this. In all the time you’ve lived with Yang, has he ever hurt you? Has your shadow ever harmed your mother, or tried to get others to hurt you?’

‘He was always getting me into trouble,’ said Jack. All his life he had battled with people blaming him for something Yang had done.

‘Getting you into scrapes; isn’t the same as harming you Jack.’

‘If we didn’t have demons, inside us, we wouldn’t be here in the first place. I’d be playing in my room, while a book would have Bill enthralled. Inara,’ he said, ‘you wouldn’t have left home.’

‘Krimble hurt me; the Narmacils had nothing to do with it.’

‘They gave him the power to hurt you,’ said Jack. ‘And who’s to say that the demons inside Krimble didn’t alter him. Without them, he would just be a lonely old man living in the marsh. He’s the only one who can hear them, understand what they are saying. Did they whisper to him? Can you be sure, they didn’t want him to do what he has done? We can’t hear what they are saying.’

‘No Jack, I won’t believe that.’

‘You may not want to believe it, but you can’t disprove it either,’ said Jack, walking back to the edge of the hand. He shook his head. Did his shadow mean them harm? A question he couldn’t answer, perhaps Knell would tell him.

‘We’re almost at the top,’ Gashnite’s voice bellowed out.

Shielding his eyes, Jack saw an innocuous dark line marking the top of the hedge. After such a monumental effort to scale to the summit, he felt slighted. Flags, flapping in the wind, or some celestial blown trumpet, to herald their coming, wouldn’t have gone amiss. Excitement quickly overcame his initial disappointment. Once they reached the dark line, their ascent, and their escape from the Wold, would be complete.

Gashnite gave a grunt as he threw the elbow of his leading arm over the lip of the Hedge Wall, before pulling himself over. Having travelled through the Blackthorn Tunnel, the immense width of the summit came as no surprise.

‘Well done, Gashnite,’ said Jack. He smiled up at the giant, who blew out his copper and bronze cheeks in response.

‘I thought I was tall,’ said Gashnite. ‘That hedge was much higher than I expected.’

‘Are you tired?’ asked Inara. ‘Would you like to rest, before continuing?’

The gorilla shook his head. ‘I don’t tire. The height of the Hedge Wall came as a surprise, that’s all.’ To demonstrate his continued strength, Gashnite rose to his full height and took two purposeful strides forward.

‘Look Yin,’ cried Bill, rushing to stand between two of Gashnite’s fingers. ‘I can see the marsh from up here.’

‘Are you sure,’ said Jack, rushing to his side.

The Wold sat within the encircling reach of the Hedge Wall. Storm clouds covered the corroded jungle, making it appear as though they stood on the lip of a gigantic cauldron. Lightning flickered like glow-worms within the churning depths, casting phantasmagorical shapes within the soup. Beyond the encompassing arms of the Thorn Hedge Jack spotted sunlight skating on grey water. His excitement bubbled as he caught sight of the marsh. ‘You’re right, I can see it,’ he exclaimed. Straining his eyes, he tried in vain to discern more detail, but his vision was not that keen.