Creatures

Chapter Fourteen

The wooden railing caught me right in the ribs. I folded over it and felt all the air whoosh out of my lungs. I thought that hurt until Beth landed on top of me a fraction of a second later. Then I knew what pain was.

We rolled around moaning on the floor of the balcony. I fingered my ribs, they were sore, but nothing seemed broken. When I could open my eyes, I searched the sky for Urdo, but she was gone. I was sure she had seen us, however. We’d been two dark spots crawling around on the glaring white roof. A hawk would have seen us from miles off.

The door rattled, then opened, and a warm dry wind washed over us from inside the mansion. Danny and Thomas poked their heads out. They grinned at us wolfishly.

“This is good,” said Danny, laughing. “This is really good, and I want to say that I appreciate it. I haven’t laughed so hard at a fool since that day Jake turned into a mutated, warty, pink toad during lunch.”

“I’m here to make people happy,” I said with a groan. I struggled up and stood as straight as I was able. There was snow up my back and my ribs were singing in pain.

Danny nodded. “Yes, it was good,” he said, wiping his eyes.

Beth and I glanced at each other. Our clothes were frosted with snow and ice crystals. I reached for the door handle.

Suddenly, his smile was gone. “But not good enough,” he said. His smile had transformed into a sneer.

“You should check the mirror,” I told him.

Danny’s eyes narrowed.

“I think you missed a spot,” I said. “A bit of ketchup in the left eyebrow, I think. You must be a messy eater.”

Beth put a cautionary hand on my shoulder. I thought to myself she was probably right, but things were already torn up between Danny and me.

Danny’s frown turned into a glare.

Thomas barked with new, louder laughter. If anything, he seemed to think my comment was funnier than watching us fall.

“I’m still going to kill you,” Danny said. His mouth opened to show rows of white teeth. Danny elbowed Thomas out of his way as he went back inside. The elbow cut off Thomas’ laughter and turned it into a sudden gasp.

“You didn’t have to-” began Thomas.

“Shut up and get in here,” Danny told him.

I knew right away what he was going to do. Maybe being tortured by my older sister all these years had its benefits.

He was fast, but my foot was faster. I had my shoe wedged in the door before he could slam it shut and lock it. Beth and I worked together to wrench it open.

The fight might have started right then if Mr. Waldheim hadn’t shown up.

“Children,” he said in his stern voice. His voice was always stern. At least, I’d never heard him sound any other way. We all froze and looked up. He was the Dean, and was in charge of discipline at our school. We all felt like little kids again when he showed up. He was all about detention and intimidating lectures and red notes to take home. Everyone took their hands off the door handle and each other.

Beth and I took the opportunity to squeeze through the door into the blissfully warm study. The door shut behind us with a click.

Waldheim ran his eyes over each of us in turn. He paused when he looked at Beth. He gave her a quizzical nod. “The new girl,” he said quietly. “Not a good start, Miss Hatter.”

“Sorry sir,” she said.

“So, does anyone want to tell me what is going on here?” he said, speaking with sudden loudness. “Who will begin explaining why we are tearing up the mansion on the very eve of the Master’s return? Explain your actions!”

Danny eyed me with a sneer, daring me to talk. Daring me to whine about his threats. I knew he would immediately rat on me for the ketchup and climbing the roof.

“Such as, sir?” I asked innocently. It came out sounding more sarcastic than I meant it to.

“Such as why you children were playing on the balcony? Such as why you were all wrestling over the door like sharks in a frenzy over a side of beef when I walked in? Such as why there is such a thick coating of snow on your clothes, Mr. Connor Ryerson?”

I blinked and tried a weak smile. My innocent approach had clearly backfired. He was angry, so angry I thought I saw a hint of yellow in his eyes. His eyes always did that before he lost it and turned into a lizard on you. His nostrils were flaring too. They looked bigger than they should. So did his mouth. That was never a good thing.

“Sorry, sir!” I said.

Beth squeezed my hand. I could tell she was trying not to freak out.

Danny watched me with a quiet smile. Suddenly, Waldheim turned on him and took a step forward. He loomed over Danny. His spine seemed longer than before and it was no longer straight. His head hung down over Danny on its now overly-long neck. That neck looked like a flower stalk and his head looked like a huge blossom that weighed so much it had bent the stalk over. I thought Mr. Waldheim might suddenly open his growing, triangular mouth and snatch off Danny’s startled face.

“And what are you smiling about? Is this all very funny to you, boy?” demanded Waldheim. He was hissing out his “S” sounds now. When he spoke, I could see that his mouth, which had turned lipless now, contained far too much tongue for a human.

“No. Not funny sir,” said Danny. He stood still like a soldier at attention and looked away from the Dean. “I apologize, sir.”

Waldheim paused for a moment. His tongue flicked out. The forked tip of it lightly brushed Danny’s hair with two pink, fleshy tines. Danny winced, but didn’t jump back. Wrenched by the sticky tongue, a few strands stood up from his head as straight and stiffly as Danny himself.

I noticed Beth had her eyes closed. But she hadn’t broken and run.

Waldheim swung back to me. Those eyes were completely yellow now, and the pupils had drawn into black slits. “So,” he said to me, and I felt his odd, warm, moist breath washing over me. “What do you say?”

“I’m sorry as well, sir,” I said quickly. “Won’t happen again.”

He blew more hot breath over my head for a moment. I noticed his hands were scaly, greenish-black and they now terminated in curved, wicked-looking claws.

Finally, he nodded. His hands turned pink again. The claws shrank into fingernails. “Very well. See that it doesn’t.”

His body shortened and thickened and we all relaxed a few notches. Beth even opened her eyes.

“I’m sorry, children,” Waldheim said. “If I seem easily angered, I apologize. We are all anxious, because tonight is a very special night.”

“Sir,” said Beth.

Waldheim eyed her with some surprise. “What is it, Miss Hatter?”

“Will we all meet Vater? What is he like?”

Waldheim had completed his transition back into a human being. His eyes were blue again, and they looked down on her with something approaching kindness.

“Count yourself lucky, girl,” he said, “if you never find out.”

Beth opened her mouth to ask something else, but thought the better of it. I was very relieved that she stopped herself. Normally, no one dared to speak directly about Vater.

“Now off with you,” said Waldheim. “Back downstairs, everyone. First it’s time for lunch, then an afternoon of Hussades. I dare say none of you deserve such a treat. But perhaps you can work out some of your excess energies on the obstacle course. I understand it’s a mean one this time.”