فصل 24

A Night in Terror Tower - Chapter 24

I stepped back, out of his shadow. I raised my hands to my cheeks and stared at him in horrified silence.

“I said it was time for us to go,” he said softly, moving closer.

“Wh-where is Eddie?” I managed to choke out. “Do you know where Eddie is?” A thin-lipped smile crossed his pale face. “Eddie?” He snickered. For some reason, my question seemed to amuse him. “Do not worry about Eddie,” he replied with a sneer.

He took another step forward. His shadow fell over me again.

It made me shiver.

Glancing around, I saw that the two women picking vegetables had disappeared into their cottages. Everyone had disappeared. The road stood empty except for some chickens and a hound dog, asleep on its side in front of the straw pile.

“I—I don’t understand,” I stammered. “Who are you? Why are you chasing us? Where are we?” My frantic questions only made him chuckle. “You know me,” he replied softly.

“No!” I protested. “I don’t know you! What is happening?”

“Your questions cannot delay your fate,” he replied.

I stared hard at him, trying to study his face, searching for answers. But he lowered the brim of the black hat, hiding his eyes from view.

“You’ve made a mistake!” I cried. “You’ve got the wrong girl! I don’t know you! I don’t know anything!” His smile faded. He shook his head. “Come with me now,” he said firmly.

“No!” I shrieked. “Not until you tell me who you are! Not until you tell me where my brother is.” Brushing his heavy cape back, he took another step toward me. His boots sank heavily into the mud as he strode forward.

“I won’t come with you!” I screamed. My hands were still pressed hard against my cheeks. My legs were shaking so much, I nearly sank to the ground.

I glanced around, getting ready to run.

Would my trembling legs carry me?

“Do not think of running away,” he said, as if reading my mind.

“But—but—” I sputtered.

“You will come with me now. It is time,” he said.

He strode forward quickly, raised his gloved hands, and grabbed me by both shoulders.

I had no time to struggle. No time to try to break free.

The ground started to rumble.

I heard a groaning sound. A heavy slapping sound.

Another oxcart bounced around the corner. I saw the driver slap the ox with a long rope.

The cart moved so fast. A blur of groaning animal and grinding wheels.

The black-caped man released his grasp and leaped back as the cart rolled at us.

I saw his black hat fly off. Saw him stumble in the deep rut in the mud at the side of the road. Saw him stagger back off-balance.

It was all the time I needed. I wheeled around and started to run. I bent low as I ran, hiding beside the grunting, straining ox. Then I turned sharply and dived between two small cottages.

I caught a glimpse of the black-caped man as I darted past the cottages. He was bending to pick up his hat. His bald head shone like an egg in the sunlight. He had no hair at all.

I was panting rapidly. My chest ached, and the blood throbbed at my temples.

Keeping low, I ran along the backs of the cottages. The green pasture stretched to my left. Nowhere to hide there.

The cottages grew closer together. I heard crying children. A woman was roasting some kind of blood-red sausage over a fire. She called out to me as I ran past. But I didn’t slow down to reply.

Two scrawny black hounds came yapping after me, snapping at my legs. “Shoo!” I cried. “Shoo! Go home!” Glancing back, I could see the tall, dark figure gliding easily over the grass, his cape sweeping up behind him.

He’s catching up, I realized.

I have to find a hiding place, I told myself. Now!

I ducked between two small shacks—and nearly ran into a large, red-haired woman carrying a baby. The baby was swaddled in a heavy, gray blanket. Startled, the woman squeezed the baby to her chest.

“You’ve got to hide me!” I cried breathlessly.

“Go away from here!” the woman replied. She seemed more frightened than unfriendly.

“Please!” I begged. “He’s chasing me!” I pointed through the space between the cottages.

We could both see the black-caped man running closer.

“Please! Don’t let him catch me!” I pleaded. “Hide me! Hide me!”

The woman had her eyes on the black-caped man. She turned to me and shrugged her broad shoulders. “I cannot,” she said.