The Dark Portal Page 16

  Marks began to appear on the walls. At first they were meaningless scrawls, but soon she could make out pictures in the torchlight: crude paintings telling of battle and bloodshed.

  They entered a great room. Jake let go of her and bowed before something she could not see.

  ‘Oh Lords and Lady,’ he said reverently. He turned on Audrey savagely. ‘Kneel!’ he roared. She dropped to her knees, and Jake fell silent for a moment.

  ‘Oh yes,’ he sighed, ‘there are still those amongst us – just a few, who remember. My old dad was one – sot though he was. He told me, like his dad told him before.’

  Audrey raised questioning eyes to him.

  Jake flourished the torch and strode to the far wall of the room.

  There were three altars, covered in the mouldering remains of some old offerings. Above them, painted in the primitive rat manner, were three figures.

  Jake went to the first. It was a crouching rat with no head. At its feet were many heads.

  ‘Before His Highness came, all those years ago,’ Jake said, with the wide eyes of a fanatic, ‘there were the three gods! They were not living gods like Him but gods in the true sense. The three gods of the rats – now forgotten by all save a few dedicated ones like meself. We come here from time to time and do what worship we can. Until He goes it won’t be safe, see. Oh I does all He asks and show humility but that’s just to save me neck.’

  ‘Who is that?’ asked Audrey. ‘Why hasn’t he got a head?’

  ‘That’s Bauchan – the artful one. He wears whatever head he likes – master of disguise he is. A great liar.’ Jake moved to the second altar.

  The picture above it was of a female rat with a tooth necklace and a third eye daubed on her forehead. Tassels hung from her ears.

  ‘This is Mabb – the sleep visitor. She comes in dreams and urges us to war: a dark one she is. Revels in slaughter.’ Jake laughed madly.

  Jake went to the last altar. Audrey gasped when the torch revealed the painting. This was surely the most evil thing she had ever seen: it was a rat with great horns protruding from his forehead and a mass of red hair curled like a mane about him. The tail of this figure was forked and at his feet lay a mass of bloody skeletons.

  ‘Lord Hobb,’ breathed Jake. ‘War-bringer.’ He turned to Audrey. ‘These are the true gods of the rats – fighting and slaughter’s what we want. Not diggin’ in poxy mines.’

  ‘Who makes you do that?’

  ‘His High and Stinkin’ Mightiness that’s who. Oh those two pairs of eyes He has blazing at everyone. Red and yellow – He ain’t our proper lord. It’s just that everyone’s scared of Him. Well, how long for, eh? A lot of the lads are grumbling against His dirty work. We ain’t workers – we want blood on our knives.’

  Audrey backed away. She had to get out of this terrible place.

  Jake placed the torch on Lord Hobb’s altar and advanced towards her, an evil gleam in his eye. Suddenly a voice spoke behind her.

  ‘So this is it!’ Fletch spat on the floor. ‘You dirty heathen, Jake.’

  ‘Get out!’ Jake ordered furiously.

  ‘Nowt doin’,’ said Fletch. ‘His Mighty Holiness – Lord of All – sent you on this job Jake, but me,’ he paused reflectively, ‘He sent to keep an eye on you! Oh yes, He knows all about this crummy dump – just wanted to make sure it were you who led the others. All dead by now by the way – gone to serve Him on the Other Side.’

  Jake looked at him stormily. His face was like thunder and sweat broke out on his snout.

  ‘Look at all this dross,’ sneered Fletch. ‘What a piffling load of old tat!’

  With a wild yell, Jake lunged at the rat, teeth bared.

  Fletch was ready and dodged aside neatly, then flung himself on top of Jake.

  They growled and bit each other. Fur came out in lumps and claws scored out trails of blood.

  Audrey jumped away from them. Gradually she eased herself out of the temple, keeping her eyes on the bitter rat fight and wondering who would win.

  Fletch gripped Jake by the throat, clearing a space for his teeth to bite out his windpipe, but Jake writhed and thrashed about and knocked him away with his tail. Fletch scampered to the altar of Lord Hobb and picked up the flaming torch, then waved it threateningly before the one-eyed rat.

  ‘I’ll put out the other one,’ he taunted. ‘Old Blind Jake you’ll be, eatin’ dung and kicked around. I’m gonna get Morgan’s job.’

  They circled each other warily then Jake sprang.

  With his head down he charged and butted Fletch in the stomach. The torch fell from his claws as he was rammed against the altar of Bauchan. The flames sent their shadows high on to the ceiling in grotesque wrestling shapes.

  With his head Jake had Fletch pinned against the stone altar and the wind was knocked out of him. As the rat struggled for breath Jake snatched up the torch and plunged it deep into his enemy.

  Audrey turned and fled up the passage. Jake’s triumphant voice came to her.

  ‘You’ll breathe no more, Fletchy lad. I haven’t got time to “bloody bones” yer for Hobb so this one’s for Bauchan!’

  He snapped Fletch’s head off, and blood spilled all over the altar.

  Audrey scrabbled as fast as she could up the steep passage. Loose stones rattled down as she raced upwards. At the entrance she pushed aside the wet moss and breathed deeply, her heart fluttering. She was quite sure that all rats were stark raving mad.

  ‘Jake been ’avin some fun with yer, sweetmeat?’

  The harsh voice startled Audrey completely and she yelped. She had been oblivious to everything except escaping that evil temple. Now she turned to find Leering Macky goggling at her.

  ‘Is Fletchy down there an’ all?’

  Audrey shook her head dumbly. She wondered how Macky would react to the news. ‘Fletch is dead,’ she managed at last. ‘Jake killed him . . .’

  Macky nodded. ‘Thought that would ’appen. Well, won my bet with Pete – knew Jake’d come out on top.’ He looked past her to the entrance behind the moss. ‘Finishin’ him off down there, is he?’ He licked his lips then fixed his eyes on Audrey. ‘We’re bored back there; proper cheesed off we are. That grey give us the slip – blast him.’

  Audrey sighed with relief. Piccadilly was safe.

  ‘Bah, you lot always stick together – come on.’ He grabbed her arm and pulled her down the tunnel.

  The fire was burning low now. The three old rats had finished off the last flask. One of them was fast asleep, but the other two were giggling stupidly. Vinegar Pete crouched near the fire staring sulkily into its glowing depths.

  Macky and Audrey joined them. He kicked the old rats out of the way.

  ‘Little miss sweetmeat’ ere’s gonna do some entertainin’, he laughed, pushing Audrey in front of the fire.

  ‘Gis a song!’ demanded Pete.

  ‘Oh I couldn’t,’ said Audrey.

  ‘We’re not askin’ you,’ rumbled Macky.

  Audrey knew now that look in the rat’s eye. Hastily she tried to think of all the songs she knew. Her mind was blank. She could remember nothing. Audrey clasped her paws to her chest and desperately searched her memory. She recalled Master Oldnose rapping the walls loudly to wake the lazy young mice. When he had taught her, there was a song she had learned and was fond of. He had written it himself. It was a sad mouse lament, telling of two young mice who were promised to each other from childhood by their families. The boy mouse loved the girl dearly but she could not return his love and one day ran off with a handsome stranger.

  Audrey began. Hesitant and timid, she closed her eyes to see the words more clearly. Her confidence grew and her small voice rose high and beautiful in that grim place.

  The two old rats ceased their foolish mirth and listened, and their sleeping comrade had pleasant dreams for once in his sordid life. Leering Macky rocked back on his haunches and Vinegar Pete nearly lost his sourness.

  The song continued and the rats began to tap
the floor in time. Audrey carried on – the more she sang the happier she felt. She imagined herself back in the Skirtings in better days, when her father was there to take her troubles away.

  Macky began to tap faster and Pete followed him. The beat quickened.

  Audrey tried to keep up with them. The soft enchantment the spell had worked on her was broken now. Her eyes were wide open as she struggled to race the words out.

  The rats began to clap. They smashed their claws together clumsily. A tear welled up in Audrey’s eye as she continued to sing in vain.

  Macky grinned and sprang to his feet. He took hold of Audrey’s paws and whirled her around. At first she thought he was going to hurl her into the sewer water, but then she realised with a shock that the ugly beast was dancing with her. He moved in time to the clapping of the others with great, heavy lumbering steps. Audrey had to be very nimble to avoid his big feet crushing hers. Macky’s tail swayed awkwardly behind him as he hopped about.

  ‘Gis a turn,’ called Vinegar Pete eagerly.

  ‘Sorry Petey – but it’s me next,’ said a voice in the darkness.

  Macky stopped dancing.

  Audrey’s heart missed a beat as she looked. One-Eyed Jake stepped into the ring of firelight. With Fletch’s blood splashed all over his body he looked like a lurid creature of nightmare. He smiled and his mouth was red and wet, then he grabbed Audrey’s paws. His claws were sticky with blood, and Audrey cried out at the feel of them. She shook like a new leaf.

  ‘Start yer clappin’ again,’ Jake said to Pete.

  The beat began.

  Jake twirled the mouse about, then he spun her out and in, then they danced round in a ring.

  ‘Faster!’ he yelled.

  Audrey held her head as far back as she could. She could smell the warm blood on him. It matted his fur down in dark, wet patches. She knew he had feasted on Fletch and she felt ill.

  ‘Faster!’ They were spinning at a tremendous speed now. Audrey’s feet barely touched the floor. She whirled round and round, struggling not to be sick. Her head swam, she was uncomfortably dizzy but still Jake went faster.

  He held on tightly to her paws as she lifted into the air, stretched out and nearly flying. If he let go she would be dashed to pieces on the far sewer wall.

  Audrey could not cry out – everything was a mad blur of fire and blood.

  ‘Leave her alone!’

  Suddenly Jake stopped and Audrey rolled into the corner, cracking her elbow on the brickwork.

  Jake whisked round at the voice.

  ‘Keep out of this, trollop,’ he snarled.

  Madame Akkikuyu stepped over the old rats, cuffing them about the head.

  ‘I said leave the mouselet be,’ she said coolly.

  ‘No one stops me, you old witch. Get back to your peddlin’ and fortune-tellin’ – it’s all you’re fit for now.’

  Akkikuyu eyed him soberly. ‘Popular Jake, you not so favourite now. Leave while you can.’

  Jake held up his bloody claws and flicked them before her. ‘I’ll rip out your gizzards, you ditch drab.’ He jumped at her.

  Madame Akkikuyu reached smartly into her bag and threw some dust into his eye. Jake fell back howling, temporarily blinded.

  ‘Come to me mouselet,’ Akkikuyu beckoned to Audrey. ‘See what I return to you?’ She held up two small silver bells, the same ones she had taken from Audrey as payment on their first meeting.

  Audrey ran to the fortune-teller almost gladly, and took the bells.

  ‘Don’t just sit there. Pete – Macky, rip the witch apart.’

  The two rats, who until now had looked on in amazement, edged cautiously forward.

  ‘I think not boys!’ said Madame Akkikuyu as the rats looked on nervously. She delved into her bag once more, and this time brought out a handful of herbs. She cast them into the fire.

  The flames spluttered and crackled. Bright white stars sizzled in the fire and with a whoosh the flames shot up to the ceiling and scorched it black.

  Macky and Pete stared fearfully at the blazing column before them.

  ‘She is a witch,’ Vinegar Pete muttered.

  ‘I have Lord Jupiter’s favour,’ admitted Madame Akkikuyu proudly.

  ‘Look there!’ Macky pointed to the roaring, surging pillar of fire. In its centre two circles formed, and shone out brighter than the surrounding flames.

  ‘Mercy on us!’ Pete cried: The old rats fell on their faces and grovelled in the dirt.

  The eyes of Jupiter were before them.

  ‘Hear me,’ the rich, velvety voice called to them from the flames.

  ‘Akkikuyu will now complete the simple task I set for you. You have failed me, and I am greatly disappointed in you all.’ There was a frightening edge to the voice.

  ‘It weren’t us fault,’ wailed Macky. ‘It was Jake – he made us stop.’

  The fiery eyes became slits. ‘Where is Jake?’ Jupiter asked softly.

  The one-eyed rat came forward. The magic of Akkikuyu had startled him, but his confidence was returning. He wiped the last bit of irritating dust from his eye and swaggered past her. He bowed respectfully.

  ‘Oh Gracious Lord,’ Jake began. ‘I was delayed through their incompetence – the lads here are not the able folk I trusted them to be. They wrong me in the blame – it does not lie with me.’

  Pete and Macky protested.

  ‘Soft,’ soothed Jupiter, ‘I hear what Jake has to say. So Jake my lad, it was not your fault – maybe it was Fletch’s.’

  ‘That’s right – yeah the dirty snotbag. It were him.’

  ‘And where is he now?’

  ‘Oh, I had to stick him, my Lord. He were a baddun – rotten he was.’

  ‘Jake,’ Jupiter interrupted. ‘You forget I know all that goes on in my realm: you worship false idols, not your true master. You, Jake, have betrayed me.’

  Jake fell on his knees. ‘No, oh Dark Magnificence – it was Fletch not me what went down in that poxy temple. I followed him – that’s why I stuck him. I did it for you. I knew you wouldn’t like what he was doin’ – honest.’

  The fire ran red and Jupiter roared. ‘Enough Jake! I have done with you – I see and hear all. I have sentenced you.’ The eyes looked quickly at the five other gaping rats. ‘Get you to the mines and work there till you die.’ The rats fled, falling over each other in their haste to be gone.

  Jake swallowed. He was frightened now. He had underestimated Jupiter’s powers. Silently he waited for his fate.

  Jupiter began laughing softly and Jake shivered at the sound.

  ‘Oh Jake, what have I in store for you?’ he chuckled wickedly.

  ‘Am I to serve you on the other side of your altar?’

  ‘What would I do with a rebel like you, Jake? No I have something far more amusing planned. You’re something of an old soldier aren’t you Jake – and you know what they say don’t you?’

  ‘My Lord?’

  ‘Old soldiers never die Jake, they simply fade away.’ Jupiter laughed again. ‘Goodbye.’

  A spark from the fire flew out and landed on the end of Jake’s tail. He howled and stamped on it but it would not be extinguished. The spark took hold and burned into his tail. A bright yellow ring slowly spread around it and began to creep up towards him.

  Jake blew and stamped but his tail smouldered stubbornly on. Horrified he saw that where the bright sizzling ring had been only ash remained.

  The ash that once was the end of his tail dropped as grey dust on the floor, and still the burning ring advanced.

  ‘Soon it will reach your body Jake – then at last your head. Ha ha ha.’

  Audrey hid behind Madame Akkikuyu. She buried her face in her paws but the acrid smell of singed fur found her nose.

  Bit by bit Jake’s tail was consumed. He turned pleadingly to Madame Akkikuyu.

  ‘Help me. You must do something,’ he begged her.

  Akkikuyu stood back. ‘I gave you a chance to leave, Jakey boy – you pay now for
the game you have played.’

  ‘No, no!’ he screamed. The smoking ring was near his body now, his tail a mound of grey ash on the ground.

  ‘I’ll put it out!’ he yelled wildly. ‘I’ll get away from you and jump into the water.’ Jake ran from them and dashed round the corner, away from the fiery eyes.

  Audrey peered out between her paws. She hoped Jake would be able to put it out in time.

  A sudden last scream echoed in the tunnel and was abruptly cut off. Jake had not made it.

  Audrey had no time to feel sorry for him. Jupiter spoke to Madame Akkikuyu.

  ‘Have you the girl mouse there?’

  ‘Yes, she is here. Come out mouselet!’ She ushered Audrey before her.

  The mouse stared terrified at those eyes that burned in the fire. Nothing could save her now.

  ‘Where is she, Akkikuyu?’ asked Jupiter irritably.

  ‘But Lord, the mouselet stands in front of you.’

  ‘You lie.’ The eyes searched for Audrey but were unable to focus on her.

  ‘I not tell lie – she is here.’

  ‘Shadows gather about her: I cannot pierce them. She must be shielded by some protective spell.’

  Akkikuyu smacked Audrey on the back of her head. ‘Stop funny business and let the High One see you.’

  Audrey was bewildered: she knew of no spell.

  ‘Mousey not so simple as look says,’ said Akkikuyu.

  ‘Wherever you are!’ Jupiter snarled and Audrey knew he was addressing her although he could not see her. ‘Know that there are no powers to match mine – I have waited long and grown mighty.’ The eyes flashed, still hunting for her. But the shadows that had clouded over Audrey were too thick.

  ‘Akkikuyu, bring the mouse directly to me. This is but an extension of myself. Before my true person, whatever crude charms she has woven about herself shall be broken and her impudence suitably rewarded.’

  ‘I obey Lord.’ Akkikuyu bowed. ‘I no make error in delivery.’

  ‘Make haste.’ The eyes closed and the fire died suddenly.

  Madame Akkikuyu looked at Audrey. ‘What magic you have?’ she asked.

  Audrey shook her head. ‘None, really, I don’t understand what happened.’

  ‘Hmm,’ considered Akkikuyu. ‘Well, my mouselet, there is nothing that can protect you from Jupiter. Rat god will have you: so sad for one so young.’ She kicked the glowing embers off the ledge into the water below. ‘You come with me now,’ she said to Audrey. ‘Oh mousey mouse, what awaits you?’