The Monsters of Rookhaven, стр. 23
‘And the people in the village, have they always known about your existence?’
Mirabelle nodded. ‘Yes, the agreement was made with their ancestors and extends to the world beyond the village. Meanwhile, we stay here, and they stay in the village, keeping our home a secret. Members of the Family can choose to wander into the outside world, but they can’t reveal their true selves or do harm to any humans. Any of the Family who wish to can return here whenever they want, like Odd coming and going. Uncle Enoch calls this place “a pocket out of time”. It’s contained both within and without your world because of magic that has been worked by those who came before. If you have the key, you can gain access.’ She made a face. ‘Or if the magic starts to wear thin and age, which is how you managed to get in.’
Jem considered all of this. There was so much to take in, but the idea of people appearing from globes of lights fascinated her most of all, even after everything else she’d seen.
‘But don’t you have parents?’ she asked at last.
Mirabelle shook her head. ‘We have each other.’
‘But . . .’ Jem trailed off. It just seemed so strange to her, the idea of emerging from some mysterious otherworld, and not having parents.
‘What about you?’ asked Mirabelle. ‘Do you have parents?’
A cold dagger between the shoulder blades would have been kinder, but Jem tried not to show her pain. She shook her head. It took an effort for her to finally speak.
‘My dad died in the war, and Mum . . . my mum died afterwards.’
Jem turned her face away and felt the telltale prickling of tears at the corner of her eyes.
‘I’m sorry,’ said Mirabelle.
Jem waved a hand at Mirabelle as if there were nothing to be concerned about and tried to smile.
She could sense the hesitation in Mirabelle’s voice when she asked her next question.
‘What’s it like? Losing someone, I mean. It’s just that we don’t age or die like you do, and . . .’
There was a long pause. A sudden great stillness. Even the flowers seemed to be listening.
‘It hurts,’ said Jem, trying to focus on the flowers, who now seemed to be looking at her sympathetically.
‘Where?’ asked Mirabelle.
Jem looked at her. Mirabelle seemed genuinely at a loss. Her brow furrowed as if she were trying to translate a strange new language.
‘Here,’ said Jem, laying a palm against her own chest. She thought about it for a moment. ‘Everywhere,’ she said, clenching her hands.
A soft silence descended again, eventually broken by a solitary word from Mirabelle.
‘Sorry.’
Jem looked at her and nodded.
‘I didn’t mean to upset you,’ said Mirabelle.
‘You didn’t,’ said Jem.
Mirabelle looked grateful.
They turned to look at the flowers. Their meal finished, they now curled their petals inwards and lowered their heads to sleep.
The garden was quiet. The two girls sat in silence, both of them feeling suddenly at home in the cavernous blue night that surrounded them.
When Jem got back into the bedroom she shared with Tom, she found him on the floor scrabbling under the bed. He pulled himself out from under it, looking slightly exasperated.
‘Nothing,’ he said. ‘There’s absolutely nothing here!’
‘What are you doing? You should be in bed.’
Tom stood up and dusted himself down. He took a candlestick off the blanket. ‘I did find this. What do you think it’s worth?’
He held it out towards her, and Jem frowned and pushed it aside. ‘Get back into bed.’
He rolled his eyes and smiled, but the smile vanished as he was suddenly racked by a bout of coughing. Jem stepped towards him, but he raised a hand to stay her, and coughed a little more into his forearm.
‘It’s all right. I’m a lot better.’
‘Did you eat?’
‘The big fellow brought me some dinner. He really likes to talk, doesn’t he? Mainly about food. I reckon he’s loaded. His clothes are a bit worn, but they were worth something once. I’ll bet he’s one of those who has all his dosh in a suitcase under his bed.’
Tom went towards the table where some food was still laid out. He crammed bread into his mouth and talked with his mouth full.
‘Where have you been all day?’
‘Mirabelle was showing me around.’
‘Did you see those flowers and that bear again? I wonder what this place is exactly. It’s like some elaborate parlour trick.’
Jem shook her head. ‘It’s no parlour trick. And there are other things, unusual things.’
‘More unusual than man-eating flowers?’
Jem didn’t know what to say. It was hard to put into words exactly what she’d seen. She fully expected to be laughed at.
‘It’s a big house,’ she said. ‘There’s a lot to explain. Maybe later when I’ve had time to think.’
Tom froze mid-swallow, his eyes wide. ‘Did you see anything valuable?’
Jem shook her head angrily. ‘No, Tom. Not this time. We’re guests.’
Tom advanced towards her. ‘Go on, Jem. Tell me.’
‘You’re not stealing anything,’ said Jem, standing her ground. She didn’t like the look in Tom’s eyes. That wild light with which she was all too familiar, the slightly crazed almost hungry look. Beneath this there was always the desperation, and the hurt. That hurt came bubbling right up to the surface now.
‘Have you seen this place?’ he said, gesturing around him. ‘It’s huge. No one who has nothing has a house like this. They’re hiding something. Whatever they have they’re hiding it. I bet they’ve got more stuff than the stinking Allisons!’
His face was contorted and ugly when he said that name. The Allisons were a rich local family who had employed their mum as a secretary