The Last Apprentice: Night Of The Soul-Stealer Part 5

'Will John know where the key is?' Meg asked. 'Probably. Why don't we ask him when he gets back?'

'Yes, Billy, that's a good idea. We'll do that!'

Meg smiled at me through her tears and walked back up the steps. I led her into the kitchen and sat her down in her rocking chair by the fire.

'You sit here and warm yourself, Meg. I'll go and make you another cup of herb tea. You'll need it after being down those cold damp stairs ...'

Meg had already drunk her usual dose for the day and I didn't want to risk making her ill, so I just put a very small amount in her cup and added hot water.

She thanked me and soon gulped it down. By the time the Spook returned she was already asleep.

When I told him what had happened, he shook his head. T don't like the sound of this, lad! From now on her morning dose needs to be three quarters of an inch in the bottom of a cup. I don't want to do it but we've no choice.'

He looked really down in the mouth. I'd rarely seen him look so dejected. But I soon found out that it wasn't just because of Meg.

'I've had some bad news, lad,' he told me, sinking wearily into a chair by the kitchen fire. 'Emily Burns has pa.s.sed away. She's been cold in her grave for over a month.'

I didn't know what to say. Long years had pa.s.sed since he'd been with Emily. Since then Meg had been the woman in his life. Why should he be so sad?

'I'm sorry' I said lamely.

'But not half as sorry as me, lad' the Spook said gruffly. 'She was a good woman, Emily. She had a hard life but always did her best. The world will be a poorer place now that she's gone! When the good die, it sometimes unshackles evil which would otherwise have been kept in check!'

I was going to ask him what he meant by those mysterious words, but at that point Meg started to stir and opened her eyes so we lapsed into silence and he didn't mention Emily again.

At breakfast on the eighth morning after we'd arrived, the Spook pushed back his plate, complimented Meg on her cooking and then turned to me.

'Well, lad, I think it's about time you went to see how the girl's coping. Think you can find your way?'

I nodded, trying not to grin too widely, and within ten minutes I was striding down the clough to emerge onto the hillside with the open sky above. I headed north of Adlington, towards Moor View Farm, where Alice was staying.

When the Spook had decided to travel to his winter house, I'd a.s.sumed that the weather would break soon afterwards, and indeed it had been getting steadily colder. But today things seemed to have changed for the better. Although it was a cold, frosty morning, the sun was s.h.i.+ning, the air was clear and I could see for miles. It was the kind of morning when it feels good to be alive.

Alice must have seen me approaching down the hill because she came out of the farmyard and walked up to meet me. There was a small wood just outside the boundary of the farm and she waited there in the shadow of the trees. She looked really gloomy, so I knew, even before we spoke, that she wasn't happy in her new home.

'It ain't fair, Tom. Old Gregory couldn't have found me a worse place to stay! Ain't much fun staying with the Hursts.'

'Is it really that bad, Alice?' I asked.

'Be better off at Pendle, and that's saying something.'

Pendle was where most of Alice's family of witches lived. She hated it there because they treated her badly.

'Are they cruel to you, Alice?' I asked, becoming alarmed.

Alice shook her head. 'Ain't laid a hand on me yet. But they don't talk to me much either. And it didn't take me long to work out why they're so quiet and unhappy. It's that son of theirs - the one called Morgan, who Old Gregory asked about. Cruel and mean, he is. A really nasty piece of work. What kind of son would hit his own father and shout at his mother till she cries? He don't even call 'em Mam and Dad. 'Old Man' and 'Old Woman' is the best they get from him. Scared of him, they are, and they lied to Old Gregory because Morgan visits a lot. Dread his visits, they do. Nothing to do with me, but I can't stand much more of it. If need be, one way or another, I'll sort him out.'

'Don't do anything yet,' I told her. 'Let me talk to the Spook first.'

'Don't think he'll exactly be rus.h.i.+ng to help. Reckon Old Gregory's done it on purpose. That son of theirs is one of his own kind. Wears a cloak and hood and carries a staff too! Probably asked him to keep an eye on me.'

'Well, he's not a spook, Alice.' 'What else could he be?'

'He's one of the Spook's failed apprentices and they don't get on. Remember the last night at Chipenden when I brought that letter and the Spook got really angry? Didn't get a chance to tell you, but that letter was from Morgan. He's been threatening the Spook. He said my master's got something that belongs to him.'

'Well, he's a nasty piece of work all right,' continued Alice. 'Don't only visit the house. Some nights he walks down the hill and goes to the lake. Watched him last night. He stands right on the edge of the sh.o.r.e and stares at the water. Sometimes his mouth moves like he's talking to someone. His sister drowned in the lake, didn't she? Reckon he's talking to her ghost. Wouldn't be surprised if he drowned her!'

'And he hits his dad?' I asked. That had shocked me more than anything. It made me think of my own dad, and a lump came to my throat at the memory. How could anyone raise a fist to their own dad?

Alice nodded. 'They've rowed twice since I've been here. Big rows. First time, old Mr Hurst tried to push him out of the house and they struggled. Morgan's much younger and stronger and you can guess who came off worst. Second time he dragged his dad upstairs and locked him in his room. The old man started crying. I didn't like that. It made me remember what it was like living with my own family back in Pendle. Maybe if you tell Old Gregory how bad it is, he'll let me come and stay with you.'

'I don't think you'd like it much up on Anglezarke. The cellar's full of pits and he has two live witches down there, and one of them is Meg's sister and she's a feral lamia. Watching her scuttle about her pit is really scary. But I feel most sorry for Meg herself. You were right about her. She does live in the house with the Spook, but he's got her dosed up with a potion so that she can't remember who she is. She spends more than half the year locked in a room downstairs near the cellar. It's really sad to watch. But the Spook hasn't any choice. It's either that or put her in a pit like her sister.'

'It ain't right to keep a witch in a pit. Never did hold with that. But I'd still rather be there with you than here having to see Morgan most days. I feel lonely, Tom. I miss you!'

'I miss you too, Alice, but there's nothing I can do about it at the moment. I will tell the Spook what you've said though, and ask him again. I'll do my best, I promise. Anyway, is Morgan down there now?' I asked, nodding towards the farm.

Alice shook her head. 'Not seen him since yesterday. No doubt he'll be back soon.'

We didn't talk much longer after that because Mrs Hurst, the farmer's wife, came to the back door and started yelling Alice's name, so she had to go.

Alice pulled a face and raised her eyes to heaven.

'I'll come back and see you soon!' I said as she turned to go.

'Do that, Tom. But ask Old Gregory, please!'

I didn't go straight back to the Spook's house though. I climbed right up onto the moor, to where the wind could blow the cobwebs from my mind. My first impression was that the moor-top was pretty flat, and the scenery was nowhere near as good as on the fells above Chipenden. Neither was the view of the countryside below as dramatic.

Still, there were higher hills to the south and east, and beyond Anglezarke, even more moors. There was Winter Hill and Rivington directly south, Smithhills beyond that and, to the east, Turton Moor and Darwen Moor. I knew that because I'd studied the Spook's maps before we left, taking care to fold them properly afterwards. So I already had a good idea of the layout of the area in my head. There was lots to explore and I decided I'd ask the Spook if I could have a day off to do just that before the winter weather really closed in. I thought he'd probably agree because part of a spook's job is to know the geography of the County, in order to get quickly from place to place and find the way when someone sends for help.

I walked further until I saw a small domed hill in the distance, right on top of the moor. It looked artificial and I guessed that it was a barrow, a burial mound for some ancient chieftain. Just as I was about to turn away, a figure appeared on its summit. He carried a staff in his left hand and wore a cloak with its hood pulled forward. It had to be Morgan!

His appearance on the barrow was so sudden that it almost seemed as if he'd materialized out of thin air. However, common sense told me that he'd simply walked up the slope on the far side of the hill.

But what was he doing? I couldn't work it out. It looked like some sort of dance! He was throwing himself about and waving his arms in the air. Then, very suddenly, he gave a roar of rage and hurled his staff to the ground. He was in a fury. But at what?

A moment later and a patch of mist drifted in from the east to hide him, so I walked on. I certainly didn't fancy meeting him face to face. Especially with the mood he was in!

After that I didn't stay too long up on the moors. Anyway, if I returned in reasonable time, the Spook would be more likely to let me go and see Alice again soon. And I wanted to get back and tell him what I had learned.

So after our midday meal I told my master about seeing Morgan up on the moor and all that Alice had said about him.

The Spook scratched his beard and sighed. 'The girl's right. Morgan's a nasty piece of work, that's for sure. He dresses like a spook, and that's what some gullible folk now think he is. But he lacked the discipline to master our trade. He was lazy too and liked to cut corners. It's almost eighteen years since he left me, and since then he's mostly been up to no good. He fancies himself as a mage and takes money from good honest folk who are at their most vulnerable. I tried to stop him falling into bad ways but some people, it seems, just refuse to be helped.'

'A mage?' I asked, not familiar with the word.

'It's another word for a magician or wizard, lad. Someone who practises so-called magic. He does a bit of healing too, but his speciality is necromancy.'

'Necromancy? What's that?' I asked. I'd never heard the Spook use that term before either and I realized I'd have a lot of notes to write up in my book after our chat.

'Think, lad. It comes from the Greek, so you should be able to work out what it means!'

'Well, nekros means 'corpse',' I said, after a bit of careful thinking. 'So I suppose it's something to do with the dead.'

'Good lad! He's a mage who uses the dead to help him and give him power.'

'How?' I asked.

'Well, as you know, ghosts and ghasts are both part of the job. But whereas we give 'em a good talking to and send 'em on their way, he does the opposite. He uses the dead. He uses them as spies. Encourages them to stay trapped on earth - to serve his purposes and help him line his pockets with silver. Sometimes by tricking vulnerable, grieving folk'

'Is he just a fraud, then?' I asked.

'No, he talks to the dead all right. So remember this and remember it well: Morgan is a dangerous man and his meddlings with the dark have given him some very real and dangerous powers which we should fear. He's ruthless too, and would seriously hurt anyone who got in his way. So stay well clear, lad.'

'Why haven't you stopped him before now?' I asked. 'Shouldn't you have sorted him out years ago?'

'It's a long story' said my master. 'Happen I should have, but the time wasn't right then. We'll deal with him soon. Try to steer clear of him till we're ready -and stop telling me how to do my job!'

I hung my head and my master tapped me lightly on the arm. 'Come on, lad, no harm done. Your point's a good one. I'm glad to see you're thinking with your head. And the girl did well to spot him talking to his sister's ghost. That's exactly why I placed her there, to look out for things like that!'

'But that's not fair!' I protested. 'You knew that Alice would have a hard time of it there.'

'I knew it wouldn't be a bed of roses, lad. But the girl has to make up for what she's done in the past and she's more than capable of looking after herself. Still, once we've dealt with Morgan, it'll be a far happier household. But first we've got to find him.'

'Alice says the Hursts lied. Morgan visits the farm a lot.'

'Does he now!'

'She said he isn't there at the moment but he could come back at any time.'

'Well, perhaps that's where we should start our search tomorrow,' the Spook said, looking thoughtful.

When the silence lengthened, I kept my promise to Alice even though I knew it was a waste of time asking.

'Couldn't Alice stay with us again?' I asked. 'She's really having a terrible time. It's cruel to leave her when there's room enough for her here.'

'Why ask a question when you already know the answer?' said the Spook, glaring at me angrily. 'Don't talk soft. If you let your heart rule your head, then the dark will beat you every time. Remember that, lad - it may just save your life one day. And we've enough witches living here already'

So that was the end of that. But we didn't visit the Hursts' farm the following day. Something happened that changed everything.

Chapter 7.

Straight after breakfast a big, burly farmer's lad hammered on the back door with both fists, as if his very life depended on it.

'What are you trying to do, you big lummox?' cried the Spook, opening the door wide. 'Break the blooming thing?'

The lad stopped banging at the door and his face turned a bright red. T asked for you down in the village,' he said, pointing back towards Adlington. 'A carpenter came out of his yard and pointed the way up here. He told me to knock hard at the back door.'

'Aye, but he said knock, not thump it back into a tree,' said the Spook angrily. 'Anyway what's your business with me?'

'Dad sent me. He said to come right away. It's a bad business. A man's dead.'

'Who's your dad?' asked the Spook.

'Henry Luddock. We're at Stone Farm near Owshaw Clough.'

'I've met your dad and I've worked for him before. Are you William, by any chance?' 'That's right...'

'Well, William, the last time I visited Stone Farm, you were just a tiny babe in arms. Now, I can see you're upset, so come inside and take the weight off your feet. Then take a deep breath, calm yourself and start right at the beginning. I want all the details, so leave nothing out,' ordered the Spook.

As we walked through the kitchen to reach the parlour, I saw no sign at all of Meg. When she wasn't working it was usual for her to sit in her rocking chair, warming her hands at the kitchen fire. I wondered if she was keeping out the way now we had visitors - something she should have done when the groceries were delivered by Shanks.

Once in the parlour, William began his tale of events that had begun badly and then got a whole lot worse. It seemed that a boggart, probably the one my master and I heard pa.s.sing along the ley line nights before, had settled itself at Stone Farm, starting its mischief by making a few noises during the night. It had rattled the pots and pans in the kitchen, banged on the front door and thumped the walls a few times. That was enough for me to identify it right away from the notes I had made about boggarts.

It was a hall-knocker, so I'd already guessed what was coming next in William's story. The next morning it had started throwing stones. At first they were just small pebbles which it pinged against the windows, rolled down the slates or dropped down the chimney. Then the stones got bigger. Much bigger.

The Spook had taught me that hall-knockers sometimes developed into stone-chuckers. These were bad-tempered boggarts and very dangerous to deal with. The dead man was a shepherd employed by Henry Luddock. His body was found on the lower slope of the moor.

'He'd been brained,' William told us. 'The stone that did it was bigger than his head.'

'Can you be sure it wasn't an accident?' the Spook asked. 'He might just have tripped up, fallen and bashed himself.'

'We're sure all right: he was lying on his back and the stone was on top of him. Then, while we were bringing the body down, other stones started falling around us. It was terrible. I thought I was going to die. So will you come and help? Please. My dad's going mad with worry. There's work to be done but it's not safe to go outdoors.'

'Aye, go back and tell your dad I'm on my way. As for the work, milk the cows and do only what's necessary. The sheep can take care of themselves, at least until the snows come, so stay off the hillside.'

When William had left, the Spook turned to me and shook his head gravely. 'It's a bad business, lad,' he said. 'Stone-chuckers cause mischief but rarely kill, so this one's a rogue that could well do the same again. I've sorted out one or two like this before and usually ended up with at least a bad headache for my trouble. It's different to dealing with a ripper, but sometimes it can be just as dangerous. Spooks have been killed by stone-chuckers.'

I'd dealt with a ripper in the autumn. The Spook had been ill and I'd had to do it without him, helped by a rigger and his mate. It had been pretty scary because rippers kill their prey. This was scary too, but in a different way. There wasn't much you could do to defend yourself against boulders falling from the sky!

'Well, someone has to do it!' I said with a smile, putting a brave face on it.

The Spook nodded gravely. 'They certainly do, lad, so let's get on with it.'

There was something that had to be done before we left. The Spook led me back into the parlour and told me to take down the brown bottle labelled 'herb tea'.

'Make Meg up another drink, lad,' said the Spook.

'Only this time make it stronger. Pour out a good couple of inches. That'll do the trick because we should be back within the week.'