[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
see anything. Whatever it was, it was mostly obscured behind the trees. But something was out there. In the forest. It was gray. It looked like wood, old and weathered and faded from exposure to the elements. And it was gigantic. From his van- tage point Billy couldn t see where it began and where it ended. At first he thought it must be a piece of the Truck lying in the forest, but then it moved again. Sàat was when Billy realized it couldn t possibly be wood. Sàe thing twitched, the way a large animal s skin will sometimes twitch to shake off the flies. From it came a low huffing, snorting sound, and a blast of stale air wafted into the closet. Sour air, with a strong smell of decay. Sàe woodmen continued to chant. Moving very slowly and carefully, Krandall turned. His eyes darted about as he searched the closet for the hammer and chisel he had dropped. He found them in the corner and reached over, picking them up one at a time so that they wouldn t clink to- gether. Billy, frozen in place like a statue, watched him. Some dis- tant part of his mind realized that he was literally frozen with fear he couldn t have moved if he d wanted to. Krandall placed the sharp end of the chisel against the frame of the opening where the fathom joint connected the closet to the lighthouse. Outside there was another sound, like an old, creaky door opening very slowly. Sàe sound came from high above. With the hand holding the hammer, Krandall gently pushed Billy back, away from the opening. Holding his breath Billy slid back until he was pressed against the opposite wall. Krandall raised the hammer. Paused for a moment. And then brought it down hard against the chisel. Sàe loud CLANG of steel against steel shattered the silence and Billy watched as the opening began to warp. It took on an odd, tilted shape. 311 Brad Gallagher Sàere was more movement outside the trees shook and another heavy THUMP! Sàe lighthouse bounced and swayed. Krandall s arm swung up and down rapidly, and the wood around the opening began to tear loose and splinter. He moved the chisel around the opening as he went, prying the wood from the top and bottom and on both sides. A sudden frenzied multitude of sounds burst from the jungle outside: howling and groaning, screeching and jabbering, twitter- ing and moaning. And what sounded like hundreds of doors and drawers slamming repeatedly, over and over. Krandall kept hammering away, ripping large shards of wood away from the joint where the closet was connected to the light- house. And suddenly there came a cracking sound from some- where both close and far away, a deep cracking behind the walls and under the floor and over the ceiling and SLAMMM! Sàe opening slammed shut with a force that shook the entire closet. Somehow, right before Billy s eyes, the hole was gone, leav- ing nothing but a wooden wall just like all the others. Sàe Truck was gone, the forest was gone, and whatever was in that forest, it was gone too. Krandall stood up and tossed the tools into the toolbox. Sàat should do it, he announced, brushing his hands together. Inside the closet the ringing in Billy s ears was the only sound he heard. 312 56 What was that sound? Sophie cried. Oh, no! said Uncle Gary, standing up. Sophie stared at him. Sàe look on his face terrified her. Tears began spilling down his cheeks, and she watched as the last re- maining shred of strength and resolve left him. What was that? she repeated, grabbing his arm. He glanced quickly down at her, his eyes red and hopeless, then looked away. It was the joinery to the Truck. It s been closed up. Sàe con- nection is lost. Sophie s mouth fell open, and her own tears came rising up to her eyes in a wave of grief that seemed destined to drown her. Maggie and Chris stood back by her parents in shock and ex- hausted disbelief. Maggie s hands covered her mouth as Chris sat down heavily on the floor. Sàen the closet door opened. Hi, guys, said Billy, looking dazed, exhausted, and a little pale, but unhurt. Sàe tears cascading down Sophie s cheeks changed magically in mid-fall from those of despair to sheer joy. She leaped at her brother and threw her arms around him, laughing and sobbing at the same time. 57 We don t know whether to reward you or punish you, Mom said, smiling wanly from her hospital bed. So I guess the two cancel each other out. She smiled at Henry, resting comfortably in the bed next to hers, in the joint room they d been admitted to. You can punish us if you want, said Billy. He adjusted his chair so that it sat exactly between the two beds his parents, mirac- ulously it seemed, lay in. We don t care. We just want you to come home. Don t be silly. We re not going to punish you. Mom looked at them and sighed. Uncle Gary told us everything, but we re still trying to sort it all out. You have to admit, it s pretty far-fetched. We ll show you, said Billy. As soon as you get out of the hospital we can show you the Bigy Bigy Buglu Drawer. I said it was far-fetched, Mom corrected him gently, but I didn t say we doubt you. At this point we don t know what to believe. Yeah, said Billy with a glance at his sister. I know what you mean. Escape from Zobadak Listen, kids, Dad said. We don t want you going back in there. Do you understand? Sàey both nodded. Even if your Uncle Gary does need you, he emphasized, you stay out of that drawer. When we get out of the hospital, we ll figure out what to do about all of this. When are you coming home? Sophie asked. Sàe doctor is still running a few tests, Dad said, looking pale and exhausted. It was smoke inhalation that made us pass [ Pobierz caÅ‚ość w formacie PDF ] |