Doorways (A Book of Vampires, Werewolves & Black Magic) (The Doorways Trilogy - Book One) (4 page)

Chapter 7

William’s father, Warden Weaver, sat by the fire and stroked Wasp with his enormous hands. The last chinks of daylight had long since faded, and the forest was now in total darkness. If it hadn’t been for the flames dancing in front of them, Zach doubted he would have been able to see anything at all.

William sat beside Zach, and Neanna lay still in the makeshift chair across from him. Her eyes were closed and she rested her head on her hands as if they were pillows. Zach noticed that she had stopped shivering and the only movement she made was the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.

Looking away from the girl, Zach turned to face Warden and said, ‘where am I?’ Although he was desperate to know how Warden knew Fandel, this was
the question he wanted answering the most.

Turning his empty eye so
ckets on Zach, Warden boomed, ‘you’re in Endra.’

‘What’s Endra?’ Zach asked.

‘It’s Earth’s twin world; it’s
reflection
if you like.’

Glancing between W
arden and William, Zach said, ‘apart from the trees and the sky this doesn’t look anything like home.’

‘Endra is Earth’s
reflection
, but not a mirror image. Its
reflection
ripples like a pond that has had a stone thrown into it,’ William said. ‘Therefore there are subtle differences.’

For the first time since pulling
Zach through the door, William looked at him and had trouble believing that he could be Endra’s saviour.

‘
Subtle!
’ Zach said. ‘Back home we don’t have six-legged horses or hoodies tearing about on the backs of dead gorillas and we
definitely
don’t have zombies dropping outta trees and sprouting from the ground!’

Shooting a quick glance at Neanna and seeing that she was still asleep, William turned to face Zach. ‘Be mindful what you say
Zach Black. Those
zombies,
as you like to call them, were once Neanna’s family.’

Rolling his eyes in their sockets, Zach shrugged. ‘Look, I didn’t mean to cause any offence but I’m struggling to play catch-up here.’

‘No offence taken,’ Warden said. ‘We appreciate that you know very little of what’s been going on and we don’t have too much time to tell you. But we’ll explain as much as we can now and the rest you will learn on your journey.’

Although Warden couldn’t see Zach, he could picture him by his subtle smell, which tasted clean and bright – like drinking jars of moonlight. The youthfulness of his voice suggested to Warden that both Zach and his son were about the same age, though William seemed older somehow. Zach smelt and sounded very naive. 

Looking between father and son, Zach asked, ‘what journey?’

‘The journey to save the Queen of Endra of course,’ Warden said, tickling
Wasp beneath his long snout.

‘
The Queen of Endra!?
’ Zach said, jumping to his feet and staring at William. ‘I’m not going on any journey to save some Queen. I’ve got to get back home to my sister. You said that her life was in danger!’

William looked across at his giant father then back at Zach. Through his peculiar spectacles, William saw everything in hues of yellow, orange and red – as if the whole world was on fire. Eying Zach, he could see tendrils
of colour curling about him like flames.

‘Save our Queen and you save your sister – they are one and the same,’ William told Zach.

Closing his eyes and slapping his head with the palms of his hands,

Zach
said, ‘c’mon Zach wake-up! You’ve got to be dreaming! Wake-up!’

‘You’re not asleep
Zach Black,’ a voice said, sounding gentle and soft, like a whisper on the wind.

Opening his eyes, Zach could see that Neanna had woken and was sitting perched on the edge of the stone armchair. She swung her naked feet just above the ground and folded her long slender hands in her lap. Seeing her awake for the first time – and in the flickering glow of the fire – Zach thought she looked beautiful. Neanna no longer looked ashen and frail. By the light of the fire, she looked energised and striking as if the night had bought her to life somehow.

‘I feel as if I’m asleep,’ Zach said.

Then Neanna was standing beside him. Flinching, Zach was startled at her sudden appearance. He hadn’t seen her climb from the rock and walk towards him. Neanna had just appeared. The only movement Zach had seen was a flicker of shadows out the corner of his eye.

The closer she got the more beautiful Neanna became. Her impish face was pale like cream, and she had a splash of pink freckles across her cheeks. These gave a tender glow to her complexion. Neanna’s eyes were the lightest shade of blue Zach had ever seen and they appeared almost translucent. Her hair was thick and so black it appeared to have streaks of blue weaved through it.

Zach was speechless. He didn’t know if this was due to her striking looks or her sudden materialization beside him. Neanna looked
Zach up and down.

So this is who I risked my life for
, she pondered, feeling disappointed. Neanna had been expecting a warrior, a hero – not some awkward-looking teenager who seemed uncomfortable in his very own skin.

‘Don’t be alarmed,’ Neanna said, brushing his arm with her fingertips.

‘I’m not…’ Zach began but was cut short by Williams’s father.

‘We know this is a lot for you to absorb,’ he said in an understanding voice. ‘But believe us when we tell you that the only way of saving your sister is by helping us save our Queen. If we manage to save the both of them, we stop our two worlds
overlapping
.’

‘But why is this happening?’ Zach asked, glancing between the three of them.

‘As our two worlds are reflections of each other,’ Neanna started to explain, ‘so are our people. Not all of us, just some of us. Not actual reflections –
shadowy
reflections of each other. Some see it as a gift, some as a curse and others don’t even know they have a
reflection
.’

‘Their proper title is
replicas
,’ William continued, ‘but they are better known as the
reflections
.’

‘Have you ever heard people say that they have just seen someone’s double?’ Warden asked Zach.

‘I guess so,’ Zach nodded, a deep furrow of concentration etched across his brow.

‘Well they have,’ Warden continued. ‘They have seen that person’s
reflection
, who has stepped through a doorway into your world.’

‘It can happen the other way too,’ William interjected. ‘Reflections from Earth can slip through
their
doorway into Endra.’ And he made a zigzagging motion with his hand as if to illustrate them passing through.

‘You said that not everyone has a
reflection
,’ Zach said, ‘do I have a
reflection
in Endra?’

Again Neanna eyed him as he stood in the light of the fire dressed in his long black coat, leather boots and
crossbow holsters.
Could he really be the one we’ve been waiting for?

‘No,’ she replied.

Hearing this, Zach wasn’t sure whether to feel disappointed or relieved.

‘How can you be so sure?’

‘If you had a
reflection
in Endra you wouldn’t be dressed like that, unless that’s how you carry yourself in your world?’ Neanna asked.

‘Of course not,’ Zach sighed, ‘but what has the way I’m dressed got to do with anything?’

Inching closer to the fire on his haunches, William stoked it again with a stick. Glancing up at Zach, with the glow of the flames dancing in his saucer-shaped eyes, William said, ‘if you had a
reflection,
you would have come through as plain old Zach. But seeing as you’ve come through dressed like that, suggests you’re just the one – a
loner
. Your clothes tell us that if you had been born into our world, you would have been a peacekeeper.’

‘What’s a peacekeeper?’ Zach asked, looking down at himself and straightening the holsters hanging about his narrow waist.

‘In your world they are known as police officers,’ William informed him.

‘What you’re telling me is, I’ve stepped into another world to become a
copper
?’ Zach said, sounding almost disappointed.

‘It’s not something to be taken lightly!’ Warden thundered. ‘Only those with the purest of hearts and the most accurate of shots were chosen by our Queen to be peacekeepers! All but a few have lost their lives. So mind your tongue!’

Sensing Warden’s admiration for these
peacekeepers
, Zach said, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend anyone. The peacekeepers that still are still alive...where are they now?’

Hearing the boy’s apology, Warden could smell that he had a pure heart, one that had yet to be corrupted.

He might well become the peacekeeper he has to
, Warden thought to himself.

‘The peacekeepers that remain were scattered,’ Warden told him. ‘But some say that they have now regrouped in the town of
Tux. It’s just rumours, but that’s what I’ve heard.’

Worrying that he wouldn’t live up to the hype of the peacekeepers; Zach
glanced at William and said, ‘you saw me on that stagecoach. I’d wouldn’t say I was a crack-shot would you?’

William didn’t answer. He no longer seemed to be interested in the conversation and had moved to the edge of the clearing, where he was sniffing the air.

‘You will learn to master the tools of your trade with time,’ Neanna said, her voice soft and kind.

‘What about you? Do you all have r
eflections
in my world or are you
loners
too?’ Zach asked.

‘To that question we do not know the answer,’ Warden said, sniffing at the air and holding
Wasp in his lap.

‘How come
?’

‘We have yet to pass through the doorways and travel into your world,’ Neanna answered for the giant. ‘Only when we pass into your world will we know.’

‘So you reckon my sister Anna’s
reflection
is the Queen of your world?’

Nodding, Neanna looked at him with her pale eyes. She was surprised at how little Zach knew about his family.

‘Wow, that’s random,’ Zach sighed. ‘So how is this Queen of yours dying?’

‘Throat stole her heart,’ Neanna replied, then shot a glance over her shoulder at William.

Standing rigid – as if carved from stone – William continued to sniff at the air.

‘Who’s Throat?’ Zach asked.

Looking back at him, Neanna’s eyes had turned dark and dead-looking.

‘Your u
ncle Fandel’s
reflection!
’ she said, vanishing in a flutter of shadows.

Blinking in wonder, Zach watched as Neanna reappeared next to William on the other side of the clearing. Then something came screaming from the darkness towards them.

Chapter 8

For someone so large, Warden shot to his feet with surprising grace. Wasp skittered from his keepers lap, buzzing with excitement on the forest floor.

The beast entered the clearing in an explosion of broken b
ranches and leaves, as if fired from a cannon. This was followed by an ear-splitting bang.

‘That was the doorway closing!’ William barked.

‘The doorway?’ Zach asked, confused.

‘Get back!’ Neanna warned him, flittering away in a spray of shadows to avoid the reach of the screaming beast.

Zach looked up at the huge white monster that now reared up on its back legs in the centre of the clearing. Without thinking Zach reached for the crossbows. His fingers twitched as he fumbled to release them from their holsters.

Warden circled the outer rim of the clearing led by his guide. He had towered over all of them with his great height but now, as he stood before this creature, Warden looked small and insignificant. Warden sniffed the air and could smell the animal’s anger and fear. He couldn’t see the creature but he knew it was colossal because its scent was strong and almost suffocating. Since
losing his eyes, Warden’s sense of smell and hearing had become sharper. These senses let him
‘see’
things now.

The white
fur-covered beast pounded its chest with two gigantic claws and roared with such ferocity that Zach feared his eardrums would burst. The creature had a long muzzle that, when opened, revealed a gum-full of teeth standing in jagged rows like slithers of ice. Its eyes were jet-black, and a series of razor-sharp horns ran vertical from the bridge of its snout, over its vast skull and protruded from its back. It looked as if the beast had swallowed a dozen rhinoceroses, which were now trying to break free.

‘What is it?’ Zach asked, trying to release his
crossbows. Not daring to take his eyes off the creature for one moment.

‘It’s a lunar bear!’ Neanna replied, appearing beside him. ‘In your world it would be better known as a polar bear, but here they’re different…’

‘Completely different!’ William howled, ducking and rolling like a fur-ball beneath one of the lunar bears mighty claws.

‘How did it get here?’ Zach asked Neanna.

‘Just like you did!’ she said, but this time her voice came from the opposite side of the clearing. Zach looked round to see her standing just behind the bear. He glanced through the creature’s giant legs and yelled:

‘What? Through a doorway?’

Before Neanna had a chance to answer, she was gone again in a flutter of black shadows. Neanna knew that if they were to stand any chance of defeating this monster, she would have to find a way of drawing its attention so the others could make their attack.

‘With the veil between our two worlds being eroded by Throat,’ William shouted, ‘more and more doorways are appearing at random. Sometimes it’s not just people that come through them!’

Seeing Zach was having trouble with the only weapons that were available to them, William clawed the crossbows from their holsters and thrust them into Zach’s quivering hands.

‘Now how about showing us what a good
peacekeeper
you are,’ William grinned, his eyes lighting up like two smoking coals. Then he was off again, bounding like a giant dog towards the lunar bear which was twisting and turning, grappling at something that had attached itself to its back.

Zach bought the
crossbows up to take aim as the creature wheeled round in the centre of the clearing. And now Zach could see what it was that the creature was trying to shake off. Neanna was climbing up the lunar bears back. Placing one hand over the other, as if she were climbing a giant stepladder, she reached up and took hold of the ivory looking horns.

To distract it, Warden rushed forward, letting go of the tether that connected him to
Wasp. Blind, Warden flung himself into the air taking hold of one of the lunar bear’s powerful arms. The smell from the creature was so overpowering, Warden guessed if he still had eyes they would now be watering in streams.

Thrashing its arms about, the bear roared. Warden hung on with his claw-like hands, tossing this way and that like a paper kite.

‘What ya waiting for Zach Black?’ William shouted, ‘shoot!’ Howling like a wolf, he sunk his crooked teeth into one of the beast’s legs.

The bear wailed and its eyes swivelled in their sockets. William tightened his jaws. Steadying his hands, Zach fought to take aim at the lunar b
ear. But with the bear lurching left and right, Zach’s friends kept appearing in his line of fire.

‘Hurry!’ Neanna yelled, clambering across the beast’s colossal skull.

‘I can’t get a clear shot!’ Zach roared above the bedlam of the lunar bear’s
screams.

‘What
, it’s not big enough for ya?’ William barked.

‘Very
freaking funny,’ Zach hissed, closing one eye and aiming both crossbows at the bear.

Taking hold of one of its horns, Neanna dangled over the front of the bear’s massive face, yanking on its long whiskers. The creature roared again and Zach wobbled under the blast of breath that rushed from between its jaws.

‘Almost…almost there!’ Zach whispered, steadying his outstretched arms and squeezing down on the triggers.

Staggering again, the lunar bear lurched around as Warden fought to hang onto its arm.

‘Hurry up Zach Black! I can’t hold on much longer!’ Warden barked.

William clung to the lunar bear’s leg by his jaws as Neanna continued to yank on its whiskers.
Sparks flew up into the night like fireflies as the bear stumbled over the campfire. Then came two loud bangs in quick procession.

For a fraction of a second,
Zach wasn’t sure if it had been the sound of two more doorways closing or the crossbows firing in his fists. Opening his eyes, he saw two wispy streams like cigar smoke coiling up from the ends of the crossbows.

Wailing, the lunar bear staggered forward. Looking up into its face, Zach could see two large wounds in the creature’s chest. Its white fur now spattered crimson with blood.

Numb, Zach looked up at the creature as it began to topple towards him, like a tree that had just been felled. Everything seemed to slow, as if time had stopped. The bear swayed, and then came crashing down on top of him.

Just as the lunar bear’s hot foul breath caressed his cheek like a kiss; Neanna was sweeping
Zach away in her arms. The creature’s head thudded into the ground, and its skull made a sickening-crack as it hit the forest floor. Its huge head came to rest inches from where Zach was now standing with Neanna.

Holding the smoking
crossbows, Zach looked down into the lunar bear’s eyes. The beast released a deep, rasping sigh, like a tube train rattling from a tunnel. Then fell still. William and Warden, led by Wasp joined Zach by the bear. For what seemed like forever, the four of them stood without speaking.

‘I’ve never killed an animal before,’ Zach said, breaking the silence.

‘It would’ve killed us all if you hadn’t,’ Neanna said.

‘We were all in danger,’ Warden boomed. ‘You did well.’

‘And besides,’ William said, ‘you’ve just caught us supper!’

Holstering his
crossbows, Zach headed back towards the fire.