Little Orphan Anvil: The Complete Trilogy by Joseph Beekman (good beach reads .txt) 📗

lit by the only source of light in the mansionto be used: candlelight.

“Yes, sir, this is the right place to be indeed!”She opened a bedroom door and moved over to adresser to light the room’s candle.

“Well now…how is it you have come to be all theway out into this land? Or are you from this area andhave lost your folks?” she said, sitting down in a wickerchair. “Sit, please!”

Sonny moved over to a small cot and placed hisknapsack on it. Sitting down on the edge of the cot, helooked up into her eyes and nervously replied: “Notfrom here—no. I—I don’t really know where my folksare, but I think they may have been taken by the swampbug some time back and…well—never returned…”

The old lady began to rock the wicker chair, herlong-nailed hands folding over the chair’s arm rests.She kept her eyes fixed into his own, with a look thatkept Sonny spooked.

“Well, go on with yer story!” she rasped. “Ihaven’t got all night, and you need to rest.”

Sonny shifted his gaze down at his feet and thewooden floorboards. I sure hope you are hurrying up,Kelsey! he thought to himself. I don’t know how long Ican keep up a good enough story with her—or howlong she’ll stay here?

*******

Moving a little too fast up the winding stairwell,Kelsey tripped and fell into the door leading to the topfloor. The door rattled loudly. Her heart stopped for abrief second. She checked her pouch for the glass jarand its condition. Seeing that it was not harmed, shequickly rose to her feet and grasped the door knob tostop the rattle of the door.

After a moment of silence, she opened it, revealing the hallway leading to the witch-lady’s livingquarters.

*******

“What in the darkest of shadows!” the old ladyshouted alarmingly as she bolted out of the chair.

Sonny froze, also hearing the rattle sheresponded to as it echoed through the mansion.

“You stay right there!” she exclaimed. “I’ll beright back. And don’t you need worry yourself…it’sprobably just that old barn cat scampering around!”

She ran off towards the source of the sound,slamming the door shut behind her.

Now what has happened! Sonny thoughtfearfully.

*******

Kelsey dashed down the hall. Rounding a corner,she slammed into the hands of the witch-lady. Herheart leapt as she shrieked in terror.

“Well, well…what have we here?” the lady saidhauntingly. “Another lost soul as well? Or some kindof devilry sent from afar to disrupt my patience, onceagain?” She clenched Kelsey’s left arm tightly andmoved back down the hall, pulling her along.

Arriving at the stairwell, the lady saw the opendoorway. Shaking her head, she started draggingKelsey down the stairs.

With only a second to spare, Kelsey reached intoher pouch with her free arm and grabbed the glass jar.She placed it in the darkness of the hallway’s corner,next to the door.

“You are not one of mine, are you?” the witchlady said, pulling Kelsey downward, her body bumpingon each step.

“Answer me, child!” she crowed.

Kelsey kept quiet and pretended she was one ofthe lifeless orphans; but at the same time, knowing itwas probably a bit too late for that.

“Not going to speak? Well then, I’ll see ifkeeping you in the cellar for a spell might do your stilltongue some good!” The lady released Kelsey’s arm,letting her drop to the ground before the cellar doorway.

Seeing the chair placed against the door, the ladykicked it aside and opened the door. The orphan boywas standing there; his mouth opened and eyes stillfocused inward.

“Get this one inside there and tie her hands toone of those chairs!” the lady voiced to the boy.

The boy slowly moved forward and lifted Kelseyup; he pulled her into the room. The lady shut the doorand then fled back up the stairwell.

*******

The bedroom door banged open and the witchlady stormed in with a look of fury upon her alreadycreepy face. Sonny slid back across the cot in fear.

“Now—you will tell me who you really are andwhat that other one and you are up too!” she screamedat Sonny.

Oh, Kelsey! What has she done to you!

Sonnyscreamed to himself.

*******

Back in the old barn, Will finished rotating acouple of new fixtures he had bolted into the robotdroid. Satisfied with the added features, he gave therobot a pat on its dome-top and then moved to the topof the barn.

Looking out across the orchards and the wavering fog, Will could make out the soft glow of candlelight in a couple of windows on the top floor of themansion.

“Come on guys, you can do it!” he said aloud ashe crossed his fingers for good luck.

*******

In the darkness of the cellar, Kelsey sat in a chair,her hands tied behind the back of it. She could hear thequiet shuffles of the orphan boy’s feet as he movedabout. Thinking of Sonny and what the lady had instore for him, she closed her eyes and prayed.

Then, like a lightning bolt from the heavens, theimage of her tiny bell came into her mind’s eye. Sheknew there could be hope in ringing the bell that wasstill attached to her finger.

With careful ease she began motioning herfingers back and forth. The bell binged lightly. As shecontinued to do this, she suddenly felt the warm andgentle presence of another pair of hands upon hers.

Mother! she realized.

The rope ties on her hands unwound and she lether hands fall freely back to her sides. Stepping up offthe chair, she motioned her hands outward in the darkbehind her and all around. Suddenly her hands touchedupon the spirit presence of what she knew to be hermother.

Grasping her mother’s hands, she was thenguided safely away from the danger of the orphan boyand out the door. The light from the stairwell candlewas just about burned out, but left enough light to seeby.

Looking around, she hoped to see her mother.Instead, she felt a soft kiss upon her cheek and then sawthe flutter of the candle’s flame.

Mother! You came here for me! I love you!

With hurried steps, Kelsey moved back up thestairwell; tears were running down her cheeks.Crushing the crystal was now more important thanever! she thought.

*******

Inside the room the