The Day Before Tomorrow (21 page)

‘You lads,’ thought Tamar.  Stiles had already achieved a rapport with the dwarfs.  There was an air of camaraderie between them that she was not a part of.  (Porky did not count; he appeared to be in a kind of trance.)  She wondered how he had done it.  The dwarfs seemed to her, to be a surly bad mannered bunch.  Stiles obviously saw them in a different light. 

‘We-ell, it’s dead boring down here,’ said the dwarf called Stinky – or was it Minky?  ‘And it’s full of Grabbits too, little blighters they are.’ 

‘Doesn’t sound too Heavenly,’ conceded Stiles. 

‘That’s because it’s not,’ said Tamar.  ‘It’s just an alternate dimension that they got shoved into to get rid of them, and told it was Heaven to keep them quiet.’

 ‘That’s terrible,’ said Stiles. 

Tamar shrugged.  ‘Happens all the time,’ she said.  ‘Remind me to take you into Chuck’s forest sometime to see the unicorns.  At least they weren’t deleted, like some things were.’ 

Another argument, begun, predictably, by Stroppy, was getting started in the middle of the dwarfs.  ‘I can read the map perfectly well thank you,’ came the irate voice of Florid.  ‘This is the spot, all right, keep digging lads,’ he instructed the dwarfs, who had downed tools to take sides.  

‘Yeah,’ said Stroppy, stirring things up further.  ‘If we’re lucky, we’ll only end up in Tartarus.  Remember the time we ended up in Hades?’

‘Remember the time we ended up in Valhalla?’ said Sid. 

All the dwarfs took on a dreamy expression.  ‘Mmmm.’

‘We ended up staying there six months,’ said Sleazy.

‘Well we thought it
was
Earth.’ said Toerag.  ‘It was full of big stupid drunken humans who were always fighting.’

‘Sounds like Earth to me,’ muttered Tamar. 

‘Beer was good though,’ said Dozy. 

‘Mmmm,’ all the dwarfs sighed in rapturous memory. 

‘We should have just stayed there,’ said Stroppy.  ‘Remember where we ended up after that?’

All the dwarfs shuddered.

‘Yes, okay, okay,’ Florid snapped.  ‘That’s enough of that, see. We are all aware that our quest has not been without incident.  But one more word out of you and you’ll stay behind, look you.’ 

Stroppy muttered something under his breath and went on digging mutinously.  The digging went on in silence except for Tamar’s whistling.  It was a few minutes before Stiles realised what the tune was. “Whistle While You Work.” 

The dwarfs went on digging. 

* * *

Denny was not, in fact, looking for Pandora’s Box anymore.  He had a more interesting investigation on hand.  Made all the more difficult by the fact that he had no clear idea what it was he was looking for, only that he would know it when he found it.  

* * *

They burst out into bright sunlight.  Actually, it was not, in fact, all that bright, it was a grey drizzle, but after the dark of the tunnel, it seemed like neon strobe lighting. 

The dwarfs emerged blinking and looked swiftly around at the dreary landscape. 

‘Well,’ said Stroppy.  ‘Looks like we got it wrong again.’ 

‘No,’ said Tamar.  ‘This is it.’

‘What?’ said Stroppy, surprised into acknowledging Tamar.  ‘Where are the mountains?’

‘Um.’

‘Why isn’t there any grass?’ said Mufti.

‘Trees?’ added Tufty. 

‘I don’t think much of these castles either,’ said Florid.  ‘They all look the same, and they’re too close together, and they don’t defend anything.’ 

‘And why do they all look like stacks of dominoes?’ said Stroppy. 

‘Um, those aren’t castles,’ Tamar advised them.  ‘They’re skyscrapers.  This is a city.’  She turned to Stiles.  ‘What do we think?’ she asked.  ‘New York, Hong Kong?’

‘Could be either,’ 

There was a low droning sound from above and the dwarfs, one and all, hit the deck.’  ‘Aaaaagh!!!’

‘Dragon,’ yelled Florid. 

‘That wasn’t a dragon,’ said Stroppy.

‘Well it wasn’t a bloody bird,’ said Florid. 

‘Bloody big bird, if it was,’ muttered Crusty. 

‘It was a plane,’ said Stiles. 

‘A plain what?’ asked Dozy. 

‘An Aeroplane,’ said Stiles. ‘A kind of large – boat, that flies in the air carrying passengers.’ 

‘Well,’ said Florid recovering his equanimity.  ‘Now I’ve seen about everything I reckon.’

‘I’ve never seen a boat fly,’ said Crusty.

‘I’ve seen a dragon-fly,’ offered Loopy.

‘I’ve seen a house-fly,’ added Dozy. 

‘I’ve seen a greenfly, and I saw a horsefly once,’ murmured Stinky falling into the spirit of things.

‘Have you?’ asked Itchy.  

‘I’ve even seen an elephant – fly,’ said Crusty wearily.  ‘But I think I’ve seen about everything, when I see a boat fly,’ 

 There was a groan.  Florid stalked over menacingly to Crusty.  How – many – times – have – I – told – you?’ he said, punctuating each and every word with a smack on the head.  ‘No – Disney – references – Ok-ay?’

Crusty rubbed his scalp.  ‘Okay, okay, I’m sorry – it was just a joke.  Jeez.’

‘These guys have never seen a city, but they know about Walt Disney?’ said Stiles. 

Tamar shrugged. ‘What you gonna do?  That guy just gets everywhere.’ 

‘Apparently.’

‘Anyway, they did just come from Hell.’

The dwarfs were now having another conference.  Tamar and Stiles heard snatches of the conversation.  ‘… Thought I’d have a stroke,’ said Mufti. 

And, ‘Not what I expected at all,’ said Loopy. 

‘It’s not how I remembered it,’ said Droopy morosely.  ‘But then, (sigh) I suppose things never are, when you get to my age.’

‘I suppose it could have been a mistake,’ said Florid. 

‘… Wasn’t my idea anyway,’ said Stroppy. 

‘… Perhaps we should …’ 

‘I think …’ 

‘Good idea …’ 

‘What do we think?’ 

‘So we’re all agreed then?’ 

The dwarfs broke formation and Florid came up to Tamar and Stiles and gave a nervous little bow.   ‘Ahem,’ he began.  ‘Ahem, well, we er, yes well, the thing is, the thing actually, well the actual thing is …’

‘You’re not staying,’ supplied Stiles to the embarrassed dwarf.  ‘I can’t say I blame you.’ 

‘Going back to Valhalla, are you?’ said Tamar shrewdly.  

‘Well, we thought we might, er, yes, as a matter of fact, how did you …?’

‘Lucky guess.’

‘Ah.  Well, thank you for all your help and everything.’ 

‘Don’t mention it,’ said Stiles.  ‘I’m sure you’re doing the right thing.’ 

The dwarf saluted and turned to go, he turned back briefly to Stiles.  ‘You wouldn’t like to come with us would you?’ he asked. 

‘More than you know,’ said Stiles.  ‘But I really can’t, thank you all the same.’

‘Ah well,’ said Florid amiably, ‘just thought I’d ask.’  

~ Chapter Twenty Six ~

I
t was dawn again. Traditionally the time when light dawns on a quest – as well as over the tops of all the buildings and trees and things.  Actually, dawn is traditionally the time when everyone is still asleep, even the terminally suspicious who have waited up all night with a hammer under their pillow in case of burglars. 

However this may be, Denny had waited up all night (for inspiration – not burglars) and all the dawn had brought him was the desire for a strong cup of coffee and someone to hit – hard.  At least the Apocalypse had not happened yet.  (Tamar and Stiles had arrived back a few hours ago and told them about the opening of the box.)  He was sure he would have noticed if it had.

In fact, everything seemed to have just – stopped.  Hecaté had gone to wherever it was goddesses go when they’re not around.  Stiles and Tamar were sleeping, as was Cindy and Jamie was still in a coma. 

He played the Athame in his hand absently, spinning it over and around his fingers – which, even with an ordinary knife, is a good way to lose a thumb, but Denny knew that the Athame would not hurt him.  He knew that he should get some sleep, but, hah! You get enough sleep when you’re dead, right? Which, on current showing, would not be long now. He wondered why Tamar did not seem more worried. 

‘Because I have a plan, of course,’ she put her arms around him from behind.  

‘Oh, yes?’ said Denny sceptically.  ‘You’re going to find the box before he does – did – whatever.’

‘That’s right.’

‘How?’

Tamar did not even hesitate.  ‘Oh, it’ll come to me, I expect,’ she said airily. 

Denny grinned suddenly. You had to hand it to her really; she could make a house of cards out of thin air, and convince you that it was actually an ivory tower.  

‘Yes,’ he said, unaccountably relieved.  ‘I expect it will, at that.’

‘What about him?’ she asked, indicating Jamie lying across an armchair. 

‘What about him?’

‘Well …’

‘Look, I don’t know, okay? We’ll just have to – play it by ear I suppose.’

Tamar looked dubious.  ‘I don’t like vampires,’ she said stubbornly. 

‘Nobody does, but he’s sort of – different, you know.’  Denny did not dare talk to Tamar about destiny, especially when she was in this mood.  

‘A vampire with a soul?’ she said.  ‘Sounds like destiny to me,’ she added sourly.  And Denny was glad that he had not been the one to bring it up.

‘Yes,’ he agreed.  ‘And there’s something else I should probably tell you.  It’s just a feeling, but … well, I’m sure I’m right.  Well, almost sure.’

* * *

Jamie opened an eye to make sure that they had left the room, then, in a disbelieving stupor, he stumbled over to the mirror over the fireplace and stared. 

The whole house was roused by the terrible wail that he let out.  Tamar reached him first, naturally, closely followed by Denny.  They stopped short when they saw him gazing at a reflection that, by the very nature of things, did not contain his face.  He turned slowly when he saw them in the mirror behind the nothing that should have been him.  His face was white and horrified. 

He pointed back at the mirror. ‘Where am I?’ he croaked. 

Tamar wrung her hands helplessly. 

Jamie did not wait for an answer.  ‘You can see me.’  It was not a question.  ‘I thought it was a nightmare,’ he gabbled desperately.  ‘Even when I heard you talking, I thought … Oh God, what’s happened to me?’

‘Jamie…’ Tamar began. 

‘And I was …’ he trailed off miserably. 

‘Get Hecaté,’ suggested Denny, in a tone of voice that made it clear that this was anything but a suggestion. 

Tamar vanished. 

Cindy, who had been watching from the doorway, moved tentatively toward him.  Jamie backed away, shrieking hysterically.  ‘No, No, don’t.  Don’t come near me.  I don’t want … mustn’t
…’

Cindy stopped awkwardly, her face a mask of pity. 

‘What’s going on?’  Stiles had appeared from upstairs.  ‘Oh!’

Jamie turned.  ‘You!’ he rasped.  ‘Is it true?  Is it?  Is it?’

Stiles looked at Denny, completely bewildered.  Wha…?

‘We don’t know yet,’ said Denny.  He indicated Stiles.  He doesn’t know anything about it.’

‘About what?’ said Stiles. 

Denny ignored him.  ‘So you heard everything?’ he said to Jamie.  ‘I’m sorry.  We should have been more careful.  I should have been more careful.  You shouldn’t have had to find out like that.’

‘Find out what?’ said Stiles. 

‘Dear,’ came the soft voice of Hecaté from behind him.  ‘I think I should deal with this.’

Tamar took Cindy gently by the elbow and led her from the room.  Denny followed them.  ‘We should leave them alone,’ said Tamar.  ‘They have a lot to talk about.’ 

‘Without us?’ asked Cindy. 

‘Yes,’ Denny told her firmly.  ‘This is … family business?’ he glanced at Tamar for confirmation.  She gave a small nod.

* * *

Stiles was having difficulty understanding what Hecaté was telling him. ‘He’s our son?’ he asked incredulously.  ‘But we don’t have a son … do we?’

‘Evidently we will have,’ said Hecaté calmly. 

Stiles was an intelligent man; he would get there eventually. She just had to be patient.

‘But he’s a grown man.’

‘Yes,’

‘How…?  I don’t…’

‘Jack!’ said Hecaté sharply.  ‘Now is perhaps not the time for this.’  She glanced at Jamie meaningfully.  ‘Believe me, this is our son, and he needs our help.’

Stiles looked at Jamie who was looking bewilderedly from one to the other of them. He was jerked back to, for want of a better word, reality.  ‘Right, yes, you’re right.’

‘He’s right, though, isn’t he?’ said Jamie suddenly. ‘It’s not possible, is it? I heard them talking before.  They said you must’ve sent me back in time to grow up in the past.’  His brow wrinkled.  ‘Or you will, anyway, when I’m born.  Why would you do that though?’

‘Only because, I now know, though meeting you here, that I
did
do it, or rather, that I will.  Perhaps the reason for it will become clear, in time.’  Hecaté told him despairingly.

‘You didn’t want me,’ said Jamie sullenly. 

Hecaté suppressed a sob.  ‘No!’ she said vehemently. 

‘You didn’t have to,’ he persisted.  ‘If you hadn’t, this wouldn’t have happened to me.’  He glared at Stiles.  ‘Was it you, was it your idea?’

‘I doubt it,’ said Stiles.  ‘I always wanted a son.’

‘You could not have escaped your destiny in any case,’ Hecaté told him.   ‘None of us can.  But we will help you as much as we can now.’

Jamie subsided.  ‘It’s too late to change it now, I suppose,’ he said. 

Stiles and Hecaté looked at each other.  Both of them were aware of the elastic nature of time, and the fact that, it was not too late. Technically, it had not happened yet.  If they decided right now to keep their son whenever he was born, it would change the present immediately. 

Hecaté shook her head. ‘No. We do not yet know all the reasons why this has happened,’ she told Stiles silently.  ‘How do we know that we might not make things worse?’

Stiles found it hard to imagine what could be worse than being presented with a grown up son, whose existence he had not even known about and who clearly hated him, and with good reason, he had to admit.  And who was, to top it all off, a vampire.  What could be worse than that?  To have missed out on his son’s whole life, and then to have let him down so badly at the last.  It was unbearable.  He could see that Hecaté felt the same way and yet she could think this way.  What else could he do, but back her up?’