The Death of Yorik Mortwell by Stephen Messer

Author:Stephen Messer
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780375899287
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2011-09-26T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

A summer breeze swirled through the courtyard. Yorik waited, crouched on the balls of his feet. Nearby, Hatch paced relentlessly, sniffing the wind.

This was the sixth night that Yorik had waited below Thomas’s balcony, arriving after sunset and waiting until dawn. He found that being dead gave him patience enough to do this night after night, while Hatch stood guard.

The hound stopped pacing. He growled into the shadows.

Yorik tensed. From around a corner of the courtyard, toward the front of the Manor, electric torch beams sliced through the darkness, and voices argued.

Yorik relaxed. Whatever it was, it was the business of the living. He turned his attention back to the flagstones.

A ghost lay there, where moments ago there had been nothing.

Thomas opened his eyes.

“Welcome back,” said Yorik, not quite able to keep the anger out of his voice.

Thomas attempted to sit up. His hands waved helplessly over the flagstones. “Wh—” he said thickly.

Yorik eyed the struggling boy. “It’s not so bad. Just one broken neck, that’s all. I broke that and more when I fell. Anyway, the Princess will fix you.”

“B—” croaked Thomas. His head was stuck pointing sideways.

Yorik considered. Then he reached out, grasped Thomas’s head in both hands, and gave it a tremendous crank. Now Thomas’s head was facing forward, though still tilted at an angle, making him look as though he were thinking about the answer to a question.

“Not perfect,” said Yorik. “But at least you won’t have to walk crabwise.”

Thomas floundered into a sitting position and bugged his eyes at Yorik. He swiveled to look at the courtyard, saw Hatch, and made a bleating noise.

“Wuff,” said Hatch. His ember eyes flared. Warm brimstone scent wafted over the boys.

“N—!” said Thomas.

“Listen,” said Yorik. “What’s happened is that you died.” He proceeded to explain as insects buzzed and chirped, a bat flew overhead, and Hatch patrolled the courtyard. He told Thomas about the Princess and Erde and the topiaries, and everything else that had happened since the day the Dark Ones had convinced Thomas to throw those rocks.

Thomas interrupted regularly, making thick, strangled noises. He quieted only when Yorik spoke of his encounter with Dark Doris.

Yorik finished solemnly. “And things have gotten worse since then. I’ve been leaving the glade every night, haunting the whole Estate, trying to find a way to stop the Dark Ones.”

“Y—” said Thomas, then faltered. His gaze fell to the flagstones.

Yorik paused, looking at the other boy, remembering the rocks and the elm. At last he spoke. “I’ve forgiven you, Thomas. There was more to the story than I knew. I’m only here to take you to safety. The Princess said that once you’ve been possessed by the Dark Ones, you are forever vulnerable to their touch. We’ll speak more later, once I’ve gotten you back to her for repair.”

“G—” began Thomas, but Hatch interrupted. The hound went stiff and made an earth-rumbling growl, startling both boys.

“What is it?” asked Yorik.

Without another sound, Hatch raced away, his green glow shining.

“Come on,” said Yorik grimly.

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