Charlie Bone and the Time Twister

"You're on," said Tancred.

  As the three older boys crossed the road, Tancred's hair stood up in stiff tufts and a cold breeze blew into Charlie's face.

  Raindrops began to spatter the pavement.

  "Good old Tancred," said Fidelio. "Let's get home before the storm gets going."

  Charlie agreed to let everyone know when Henry was safe and then, as thunder rumbled in the distance, Emma and Olivia headed off to Ingledew's Books. Fidelio hurried away through a sea of umbrellas, and Charlie, Benjamin, and his dog rushed back to Filbert Street.

  "I'll come over after tea," Benjamin called as Charlie leaped up the steps to number nine.

  "See you!" Charlie let himself in and ran straight up to his uncle's room.

  Paton was waiting for him. "Did it all go according to plan?" he asked.

  “Almost," said Charlie. "But I had to leave Henry in the tunnel. Dr. Bloor was in the café, and the aunts were everywhere. Even Grandma Bone was watching us."

  "Calm down, Charlie," said his uncle. "They'll have to give up soon. There's a old storm brewing out there, and my sisters hate getting wet. Mr. Onimous will take care of Henry. All we've got to do is wait."

  "But for how long?"

  "We should be safe by ten o'clock," said Paton. "I'll phone the Pets' Café to make sure all is well, and then we'll pop along and collect our Henry It's going to be quite a night, Charlie."

  Uncle Paton's dark eyes shone with confidence, so why did Charlie feel so uneasy?

  "We shouldn't have left him in the tunnel," he murmured.

  CHAPTER 18

  THE TIME TWISTER

  Henry had fallen asleep. A crack of thunder woke him up and he scrambled to his feet. Charlie had warned him that there would be a storm, but he didn't expect it to sound like this. Another boom echoed down the tunnel, and something scurried through the dark behind him. One of the cats pounced. There was a squeal and the crunch of bones.

  This was worse than being in the pit. Henry thought of the room where a red sun sent bright rays across the floor. It was a cheerful place and he longed to be there again.

  "Why shouldn't I?" he said to himself. "They'll come and find me when it's time."

  He set off toward the comfort of the bright room. Immediately as he moved away from the café door, the cats leaped around him meowing loudly. They seemed disturbed to find him walking in the wrong direction.

  "I'm not going far," Henry told the cats. "Just to the sun room."

  They followed him down the dark tunnels and into the room. When he spread his cape on the red sun and lay down, they relaxed and sat close to him, washing themselves vigorously.

  Light from the hole in the domed roof began to fade. Soon the sky was inky black. The storm raged on, and lightning lit the patterned walls with sudden fierce flashes.

  Undisturbed by thunder or lightning, the three cats curled up and went to sleep.

  Who knows what made Henry do what he did next? Perhaps it was the sound that came from the round window? Some might have thought it was the wind, or raindrops falling through the branches. Henry thought he heard someone sobbing. It reminded him of James. He could never hear that sound without wanting to do something about it.

  The cats slept on as Henry tiptoed to the round window and climbed out. He had only taken a few steps through the woods when there was a deep snarl behind him.

  Henry ran. He tore around the glade where the dark pit gaped beside the rock. He mounted the wooded bank beyond the rock, while the beast stalked him through the trees, grunting hungrily.

  Henry searched desperately for a way out of the glade. His fingers tore at dry rock, walls of ivy and branches of thorn. All at once, a flash of lightning showed him a stone archway and he leaped through it. He found himself in a dark, damp passage where the ground was covered in thick, slippery moss. Stumbling blindly up a steep incline, Henry made his way toward the streaks of lightning that lit the far end of the passage.

  The grunts and snarls of the beast echoed behind him as he crawled through a network of planks and then fell onto the stones of a large courtyard. Without looking back, Henry got to his feet and rushed through the huge arch that led into the garden.

  As he tore across the wet grass the noise of the storm intensified. A howling wind swept rain across the garden in torrents and, by the time Henry reached the academy he was soaked to the skin.

  The garden door was unlocked and Henry thankfully leaped inside, slamming the door behind him. At the top of the stairs, on the other side of the hall, Billy Raven stood staring at him. The white-haired boy didn't say a word, he just watched impassively as Henry rushed for the nearest door: the door into the west wing. He didn't have long to hide. Billy wouldn't waste any time. In a few minutes the Bloors would know their prisoner had escaped and they would be searching the building.

  Henry began to climb the stairs up to the music room. He had been safe there before. The music teacher was a strange man, but Henry knew he could trust him. The storm was now at its height. The whole tower rocked under deafening thunder, and lightning flashed continuously through every window.

  Henry had almost reached the top of the spiraling stairs when there was a shout from below.

  "He came in here!"

  Two pairs of footsteps could be heard running up the tower steps. Henry leaped forward, missed a step, and tumbled back onto the floor.

  "Hear that? He's up there!" shouted Manfred.

  Henry picked himself up. He began to wonder if there was any point in trying to escape. They would find him in the end. He gazed hopelessly up the narrow stairs, and gave a sigh of despair. The next moment, his arm was touched by a slim, gloved hand.

  Mrs. Bloor was standing beside him. An utterly changed Mrs. Bloor. Gone were her dark clothes. Now she wore a red coat and a brightly patterned scarf. She had a violin case tucked under her arm and in her free hand she carried a small leather bag. Her hair shone and her eyes were sparkling.

  "It's time to go, Henry" she said, uncurling her crippled hand. "Look!"

  Henry saw the Time Twister glowing against her dark glove. He looked away quickly.

  "We'll go together," said Mrs. Bloor. "Take my arm and come this way."

  Without thinking, Henry grasped Mrs. Bloor's left arm as she hurried through the door behind her. It led into one of the long, dark corridors in the west wing.

  Mrs. Bloor began to run. "The time is perfect," she said. "There was a storm, you see, the night they broke my fingers. I can go back, now to the way I was. I can leave before they catch me." She put on a sudden spurt and Henry almost tripped as he tried to keep up with her.

  "Suppose . . ." he said breathlessly. "Suppose you go back to the wrong place."

  "I won't, Henry I've been thinking so hard about where I want to be. I trust this ancient marble. I'll be five minutes ahead of them. This time I'll be through the doors and hailing a taxi before anyone knows I've gone."

  "I don't think I can come with you," Henry panted. "But you must."

  A voice bellowed down the corridor, "Dorothy STOP!"

  "Faster, Henry!" cried Mrs. Bloor.

  Henry felt as though his lungs were being crushed by an elephant. He couldn't keep running. He'd never breathe again.

  "MANFRED, GET THEM!" roared Dr. Bloor.

  As Manfred came bounding after the runaways, a short fat shape ambled across the corridor. There was a loud yell and Manfred tripped over Blessed. He fell headlong onto the floorboards, groaning and swearing.

  "Blasted, wretched, hateful . . ."

  While Manfred cursed the old dog, Mrs. Bloor swerved around a corner and under a low arch. Beyond the arch a flight of stone steps ascended to a narrow window.

  "Bother," Mrs. Bloor panted as she mounted the steps. "I didn't mean to come this way but there's no help for it. Come along, Henry"

  Henry had by now let go of Mrs. Bloor's arm. He was of two minds whether to follow her, but he didn't seem to have a choice.

  "Come on, come on," she urged. br />
  When she reached the top of the steps, Mrs. Bloor unlatched the window and appeared to leap into the air. Henry froze as a bolt of lightning lit the sky. Had his companion fallen to her death, or was she already twisting back through time? He scrambled up the steps and looked out.

  Mrs. Bloor was standing in a wide passage between the roof and a long parapet. From the top of the parapet strange stone beasts looked out over the garden and the dark, faraway trees.

  "Come on, dear," said Mrs. Bloor. "Don't be afraid." She was gazing at the Time Twister, and the glowing glass ball threw dazzling colors out into the night sky.

  Henry couldn't help himself. He stepped toward her. Behind him came the thud of heavy footsteps.

  Without taking her eyes from the Time Twister, Mrs. Bloor hitched the strap of her bag over her shoulder and grabbed a corner of Henry's cape. “A few more seconds," she breathed. "I can feel it, Henry. Soon we'll be gone."

  She ran beside the parapet, tugging Henry with her, and laughing happily Henry wondered what would happen when they reached the end of the roof. But they never got that far. Mrs. Bloor's red coat began to shiver under the fierce white lightning. Her pale hair sparkled and scattered in a burst of starlight.

  "Henry," came a soft, disembodied voice. "There was something I meant to tell Charlie. I know where his father . . . but now it's too late . . . he'll never . . . oh, Henry we're going!"

  But Henry didn't want to go out there, to another world he didn't know He'd only just got used to this one. Slipping out of his cape, he flung himself behind one of the massive chimneys that rose above the roof. From the chimney's deep shadow he watched Mrs. Bloor twist into a bolt of rainbow colors — and disappear. There was a gentle floating laugh — and then nothing.

  The wind died and the thunder rolled away but in a last brilliant shaft of lightning, Henry saw Manfred Bloor standing by the parapet. He was looking up into the sky and calling out. It was a faint strangled cry and Henry could have been mistaken, but it sounded very like the word "Mommy!"

  "Has she gone, then?" Dr. Bloor shouted from the window.

  "They've both gone," said Manfred, blowing his nose. He picked up Henry's blue cape. "The boy left this behind. I dare say he won't be needing it where he's gone."

  "Wherever that is," muttered Dr. Bloor.

  "Great-grandpa will be disappointed," said Manfred as he walked away from Henry's hiding place. "He wanted to have a bit more fun with the little beast."

  Henry shuddered. What sort of fun? he wondered.

  Manfred stepped through the window and closed it with a bang.

  A wan moon peeped through the rolling clouds. Henry moved out from the shadows and looked down into the garden. He had no idea how he was going to get away without being seen. The Bloors were bound to catch him before he reached the ruin. And even if he got that far, the beast would be waiting for him.

  He ran to the window and found that it was locked. Cold and hungry Henry thought of the Pets' Café and the cakes Mrs. Onimous had promised him.

  "It just wasn't to be," he sighed.

  He had almost decided to risk breaking the window when something swept through the air above him. A huge bird landed on the parapet, its great wings glistening with raindrops. Henry had never seen such a gigantic bird. Its beak had a cruel curve and each of its massive talons was like a shining scimitar. And yet Henry wasn't afraid. He sensed something friendly about the great creature, something almost kindly.

  As he approached the bird it bent its head. Henry put his arms around the long feathered neck and closed his eyes.

  * * *

  At seven o'clock Benjamin went to see Charlie.

  "I want to know what's happening about Henry," said Benjamin.

  "I'm going to get Uncle Paton to ring Mr. Onimous soon," Charlie said. "It's horrible just waiting and waiting and not knowing what's going on."

  Benjamin and Runner Bean followed Charlie up to his room. Grandma Bone hadn't come home and this was worrying Charlie. Was she still waiting outside the Pets' Café? Would she be lurking there when Uncle Paton drove around to collect Henry? And what of the Yewbeam aunts? Was Henry still safe in the tunnel? That was another worrying question.

  After a while Charlie couldn't stand it any longer. He went to his uncle's room and knocked on the door. "It's me," said Charlie. "Uncle Paton, do you think you could call Mr. Onimous? I'm worried about Henry."

  "Very well," sighed Paton. "If I can find my phone."

  At that moment the front door slammed and someone marched across the hall. Charlie recognized Grandma Bone's footsteps and ran back to his room.

  A few minutes later Uncle Paton's troubled face looked around Charlie's door.

  "I found the phone," said Paton. "I called Mr. Onimous. Henry's gone!"

  "What!" Charlie stared at his uncle in horror. "But how? Did Mr. Onimous look?"

  "He told me he went right to the end of the tunnel and out into the ruin. There was no sign of Henry The poor little man is very distressed."

  "Henry went into the room with the sun," Charlie murmured. "He'd feel safe there. But why didn't he come back?"

  "We'll have to wait," said Paton. "That's all we can do. Wait and hope. My father will be waiting, too."

  “You mean . . ." Charlie suddenly realized what Paton meant.

  "Yes, I've told him about Henry. That's where I was hoping to take him, to live with his brother by the sea."

  Waiting and hoping is a hard thing to do when you've already been waiting and hoping for almost as long as you can bear it. Terrible images kept springing into Charlie's mind. Henry being chased through the ruin, captured, eaten alive.

  Benjamin stayed as long as he could, but after another half hour he told Charlie he'd have to go home or his mom would start to worry.

  "OK," Charlie said gloomily.

  As Benjamin turned to go, Runner Bean rushed to the window and barked.

  "Shhhhh!" said Benjamin.

  The big dog barked again. He stood on his hind legs and pawed the curtains.

  "Shut up, Runner," said Benjamin. "Grandma Bone'll catch us."

  Runner Bean looked at his master and whined mournfully.

  "We don't go out through the window" Benjamin said impatiently "Come on, Runner, this way."

  "Ben!" Charlie jumped up. "I think there's something out there." He went to the window and drew back the curtains.

  There was a large chestnut tree outside Charlie's window Sitting on a wide branch was Henry Yewbeam. He waved at Charlie and mouthed the word, "Hello!"

  Charlie dashed downstairs and out of the front door. He waited anxiously while Henry swung from a branch and dropped to the ground, then the two boys ran into the house.

  "Upstairs," Charlie whispered as he closed the front door.

  Henry quickly mounted the stairs, but before he reached the top, Grandma Bone came out of the living room.

  "Who's that boy?" she demanded.

  "Benjamin." Charlie was halfway up the staircase.

  "Oh?" she looked suspicious. "I hope that dog's not in your room."

  "Of course not, Grandma."

  Charlie followed Henry up to the landing, while Grandma Bone walked across to the kitchen.

  "In here," said Charlie, quickly drawing Henry into his bedroom. "This is Benjamin."

  "Hello! I'm Henry." While Charlie closed the door Henry shook Benjamin's hand and then the paw that Runner Bean was eagerly holding up to him. "I'm very pleased to meet you both," he said. "Please don't be alarmed."

  Benjamin realized he was staring at Henry with his mouth open. "I'm Benjamin," he said. "You look quite normal."

  "He is normal," said Charlie. "He's just . . ."

  "Out of time," said Henry. He sat on the bed and announced, "I'm free. I'm safe. The Bloors think I've gone back, so they won't be looking for me."

  "I don't understand," said Charlie. "How did you get here?"

  "It's a long story" said Henry and he began to describe his extraordinary ad
venture.

  "You say a bird rescued you!" Benjamin exclaimed. "It must have been Emma!" said Charlie.

  Benjamin and Henry looked baffled, so Charlie explained.

  "I'd like to thank all your friends," said Henry "the ones who helped me."

  Charlie told him there wouldn't be time to meet his friends. "Tonight Uncle Paton's taking us to a place where you'll be safe," he said. "We have to go before Grandma Bone finds out that you're in the house."

  "Where will I go?" Henry looked worried.

  "You're going home. To the house by the sea. And I'm coming with you. Just for the day It'll be the very first time I've seen my great-grandpa."

  Henry frowned. And who's he?"

  "He's your brother, James."

  "James?" cried Henry "Little Jamie? He's still alive?"

  If it hadn't been for Runner Bean, Henry might never have seen his brother again. With a low rumbling growl the dog stared at the door. Charlie pushed a startled Henry under the bed, and the door opened.

  Grandma Bone stood on the threshold, glaring at Runner Bean. "You're a liar, Charlie Bone," she said coldly "You did have a dog in here. Get it out. Now!" She looked around the room, her long nose wrinkling like a pug's. "Who else are you hiding? What's been going on?"

  "Nothing, Mrs. Bone," said Benjamin. "My dog's scared of storms so 1 brought him over here to take his mind off it."

  "Storm's gone!" bellowed Grandma Bone. "Hadn't you noticed? Now go home."

  "Yes, Mrs. Bone." Benjamin shuffled meekly past the tall woman in the doorway Runner Bean bared his teeth and directed one of his best growls at Grandma Bone's skinny ankles.

  "Aaaah!" she shrieked, backing out of the door. "Get him away from me."

  When Benjamin and his dog were safely out of the house, Grandma Bone looked in on Charlie and told him to get ready for bed.

  "Yes, Grandma." He closed the door and ran to the window. Benjamin had just reached the other side of the road when Charlie looked out.

  "Ben!" he called. "Pass on the news, will you? Tell the others what happened?"

  Grandma Bone gave up wondering about all the creaking and whispering that went on in the house that night. As far as she was concerned, Henry Yewbeam had disappeared into the past — or the future — so whatever was going on was all childish nonsense and she couldn't be bothered with it. She drank a stiff whiskey and went to sleep.