The Dragon in the Theatre Ch 8+9

8

Secrets



Elliott followed his grandfather up the steps of the spiral staircase. He was exhausted by the time they reached the top. He was so tired he had started to yawn, but he clutched the strange object he had found tight. 

‘Waning, are you? Come on, let’s get you something to drink my boy,’ Grandfather said, as he took Elliott down the main staircase to the small room at the back of the theatre that he slept, eat and passed his time in. Elliott sat down slumped over on a small sofa that looked a thousand years old, whilst Grandfather turned on a kettle he had on a stove in the corner of the room. Elliott put the oval rock down on the sofa next to him but kept his arm around it and held it tight.  Elliott looked around him. He had not been in this room for many years. Grandfather had rarely let him come in here anyway, preferring to let Elliott play in the open lobby or on the main stage. The walls were drab white, but there was a single framed poster on the wall for the Theatre’s opening night eleven years ago. It advertised the magical tricks of the great Vlad Zukowski. Grandfather saw Elliott looking at the picture.

‘You don’t remember “The Great Vlad” do you?’

‘No’

Grandfather chuckled as the kettle started to whistle.

‘I’ve already called your father. Again.’

He pottered over the stove.

‘This is becoming a habit. I suppose you thought I wouldn’t notice you sneak in. Unfortunately I’ve woken your father up, it’s only five O’clock, but the suns up so I suppose that almost makes it morning. He’s on his way but as you can imagine he isn’t in a very good mood, although I suspect he is less happy with me than he is with you.’

‘Oh,’ was all Elliott could reply with. He examined his shoes; never letting go of the object he had found that night.

‘You saw the Great Vlad once when you were very small; you could only have been about three or four. It was just before the Theatre was forced to close. Your father brought you, and you sat in the front row and laughed the whole way through.  That was Vlad’s last show at the Theatre. It was just before Poyle closed us down.’

Grandfather made two cups of cocoa then joined Elliott on the sofa. Elliott clasped his hands around the warm cup and inhaled the steam it gave off happily until it cooled enough for him to drink.

‘You’ve no idea what this is do you?’ Grandfather asked the boy, pointing at the rock that sat between them on the sofa.

‘No,’ he replied, ’what is it?’

Grandfather pondered for a second.

‘If I told you I’m not sure you’d believe me.’

He gave Elliott a wry smile, teasing, but Elliott did not react. He just sat cupping his cocoa still staring at his feet. His head dipped slightly, almost as if he was falling asleep.

A knocking downstairs shook him back into the conscious world. Grandfather got up and left Elliott alone while he went to the door. The rock on the sofa shook slightly. Elliott looked at it, surprised.

Then father walked in.

‘Are you ok?’

He seemed to Elliott more concerned than angry, but Elliott could see that it would not take much to push Father’s temper. Elliott knew this was not a time for pretence. He looked his father in the eyes and told him the truth.

‘I could see the doorway dad, in my head. It was here and I knew it. I had to come and find it. It was waiting for me.’

‘I don’t understand Elliott what was waiting for you?’

Elliott pointed at the rock.

‘This.’

Father looked down at the strange object that Elliott was still clutching as if his life depended on it.

‘Come and sit down John,’ Grandfather told him, ‘You need to know some things.’

John’s features betrayed his suspicion, but his world had changed so much that he had no real choice but to surrender to the madness.

‘John, you don’t’ remember how we came to Prosperity do you?’ Grandfather asked.

‘Not really, I only remember know what you told me once you were here.’

‘And what I told you was that we came here by ship from another country. But our ship sank and we were rescued and brought ashore eleven years ago, when Elliott was just a baby, but that only the three of us survived.’

‘That’s right.’

‘And I’m very sorry John, but that was a lie.’

John’s face betrayed his feelings, his eyes nearly closed and looking away from his father. For a second he could almost not believe what he was hearing but at the same time he knew it was true. He could see in his father’s eyes that this was true. But in his heart he knew this was true. He had always known something was wrong, that something was not right. But he felt no anger. He just now wanted to know what was true.

‘So I think you should tell us both the truth then.’

Grandfather looked ashamed, but knew this was his chance too to redeem himself.

‘Yes, and I’ve waited for this for a long time. But I’ve done this for a reason. And believe me once I’ve explained I’m sure you’ll agree It was for the best.’

‘Go on.’

‘This Theatre was built over thirty years ago. When we arrived in Prosperity it was derelict you remember?’ And we brought it back to life. There was a very good reason for that. Two reasons in fact. Where the Theatre is and What the Theatre is. Because we did come to Prosperity from another place but it was not another country, we came from another world. And we arrived through a doorway that appeared in the basement here.’

Father sat looking at him in disbelief. Elliott did not react at all.

‘Once here I was able to build lives for us. Because the theatre had been abandoned, I convinced its owners to sell it to us for a fraction of its value. I restored it so that it could be a working theatre, and that makes it a perfect cover for what was in the basement.’

‘Granddad is that the door I found at the bottom of the staircase?’

Grandfather leapt out of his seat. He was full of excitement once more, as if a hundred years had been suddenly shaved off him..

‘Yes it is, Elliott. But you see it’s more important than that. When we arrived here I closed the portal down. I sealed it, you see I didn’t want anyone following us here, and I didn’t anyone from Prosperity accidentally discovering it. And I don’t have enough power left to re-open the doorway back, which means there is only one explanation.’

‘Will you slow down please,’ John interrupted, ’You’re telling us that there has been a secret doorway to another world under the Theatre all this time and actually that’s where we are all from?’

‘Exactly,’ Grandfather leaped up and down excitedly, ‘you see its not so confusing after all.’ Elliott started laughing.

‘So why has this doorway suddenly appeared again then?’ John asked.

‘Well I think that’s obvious, isn’t it?’

Grandfather and John exchanged an irritated look. Then Grandfather looked over at Elliott.

‘It’s Elliott. He’s brought the portal back to life.’

‘How?’

‘Because he’s like me.’

The rock started to shake again.

‘Oh and there’s the small matter of that.’

They all looked at the rock, which had now stopped moving.

‘What is it?’ Elliott asked.

‘Well I could be wrong, but given that he found it just outside a doorway that has just opened for the first time in a decade then I suspect that is a dragons egg.’

‘A what?’ both Elliott and Father exclaimed at the same time.

‘Dragon Egg,’ Grandfather stated matter of factly, ‘I’m afraid a dragon always arrives when the Energy transfer is about to happen.’

Father stood up sharply. ‘Ok I have heard enough. Elliott get up, I think you’ve finally lost your mind father and I don’t want Elliott to hear any more of this nonsense. Its bad enough he sneaks out of school, but now he sneaks out of home in the middle of the night and when I get here you’re talking about Dragon egg’s and magic doorways and.. ‘

‘But I saw It Dad, its why I came. Last night I dreamed about a creature. It was calling me, and I found it, and then it spoke to me.’

John shouted at his father, angrier than he had ever been, ‘and you even have him believing it all. I’ve had enough. Elliott come on, we’re going.’

‘No Dad, I’m not going.’ Elliott stood defiantly.

‘John Please don’t go. Listen to the boy; he has had so many others cast doubt on him. We at least need trust him. I know he’s telling the truth, because it’s what happened to me.’ 

‘I’ve had enough of this dad, for years I’ve listened to your stories and none of this is real, I’

Suddenly Elliott fell to the floor, letting go of the Dragon egg, which fell to the floor rolling off to one side. Elliott began shaking, convulsing. He had turned pale almost instantly and was sweating. John rushed to help him, scooping him up in his arms.

‘What’s happening? Tell me?’ he cried, looking at his father.

‘I don’t know John, I swear.’

Elliott writhed in his father’s arms, his eyes rolling in their sockets. It only lasted a few seconds, and then he stopped and came to rest.

‘What’s wrong with him?’ John demanded to know from his father.

Grandfather looked terrified.

‘ I’m sorry, I just do not know.’

Elliott could hear their voices, as if they were in the far distance. He felt as though he was falling. The last thing he remembered was his grandfather speaking and then blackness had engulfed him. His chest felt heavy, and the effort to breathe took all his concentration. Somehow though he knew he was not falling. He could feel the pull of whatever energy had been coursing through him at the academy. It felt to him as though he was in fact being carried along by the energy itself. If that was true he thought to himself, then it was fair to assume that there was a destination ahead of him.

He could feel his eyes getting heavy, all his energy had been drained by the nights adventure and no mater how hard he tried all he wanted to do was sleep. The pull of the energy started to feel different to him as his eyes closed. With his eyes open there was only darkness, but with his eyes closed he could almost see the colours of the energy stream that was carrying him. It felt to him as if he were riding a rainbow through the darkness.   

He suddenly felt something clutching him from behind. His neck snapped backwards and he exhaled sharply. His eyes stayed closed but he soon heard a familiar voice and Elliott remembered.

He opened his eyes and looked out to see his father’s old eyes looking down on him.

‘What happened? I felt..’ but he could not finish, almost as if he did not believe it himself.

‘You came over all unwell son,’ John replied, ‘you were unconscious for a few moments.’ John lay him down on the sofa.

‘I don’t feel sick, I feel fine. I’m really tired though. Granddad what do you think happened?’       

Grandfather had been sitting quietly, keeping away giving his own son the space he felt he needed. But now he could help.

‘I’m sorry Elliott I wish I could tell you,’ he replied as he stood and walked over as quickly as his body would allow him, ‘but the truth is I have never seen this before.’

‘What did you feel Elliott? It looked to us as if you were having a sort of seizure.’ John asked.

Elliott was rubbing his eyes and yawning at the same time. ‘It wasn’t horrible dad, I just felt like I was flying somewhere.’

But before Elliott could continue there was a loud noise emanating from downstairs. 

‘That sounds like someone is knocking on the front of house doors Granddad,’ Elliott said still pale. 

‘Who could that possibly be? I never have visitors through the front door,’ Grandfather exclaimed.

‘Never mind that, what about Elliott? John asked.

         ‘I have some ideas, let me see who this is, then we’ll sort the boy out.  Wait here,’ Grandfather told him.

Grandfather picked up his dressing gown and wrapped it around himself, put on his best slippers and walked down the main staircase to the auditorium. He could see that someone was standing outside; in fact there was a number of people. Who could it possibly be he wondered? He unbolted the door, peering through the frosted glass as he did so trying to determine who it was on the other side. Once he was able to open the door the identity of his visitor caused his heart to sink.

It was Poyle.

‘Vladikov Hunter, I am here as a representative of the high council of the city of Prosperity to inspect these premises for structural integrity, for it has come to the attention of the council that these premises could in fact be unsafe.’

Grandfather looked Poyle up and down. Then he slammed the door in his face.

‘I’ve nothing to say to you.’

Poyle stood fast, backed up by his squad of lackeys at the doorway. H leaned forward and shouted through the glass at the old way who was now walking back up the stairs.

‘Hunter you cannot ignore us, we carry the authority of the council. Should you resist I shall return and take this building by force and evict you.’

Grandfather stopped walking, considered this for a second, realised the implications and re-opened the door.

‘What’s your scheme this time Poyle? What do you want?’ He could conceal the disdain in his voice.

‘Want Hunter? Want? What I always want. To protect the people of this town of course.’ Poyle laid on the charm. ‘I’ve received complaints about the safety of this building. Naturally I have to inspect it, and if I find that the building is unsafe then we shall have to tear it down.’

Grandfather’s anger was building deep inside. He didn’t trust Poyle as it was but this was low eve for him.

‘You’d love that wouldn’t you, you shut me down but you couldn’t get your hands on the Theatre. You don’t even know what it is do you? It isn’t what you think you know. You’re wasting you’re time. It isn’t what you think, so if I were you I’d stop wasting you’re time and give up.’

Poyle if he heard any of these words paid no attention to them. He simply handed Grandfather a small booklet.

‘You see the men behind me. They will return in five days, either this building must meet every single point of inspection in the current safety code, or I will be forced to seize it and evict you. I hope that’s understood.’

Just then John walked down the stairs with Elliott. He caught sight of Poyle. John’s grip on his son tightened.

‘The boy looks unwell,’ Poyle commented, ’I do hope it’s nothing serious.’

John lunged forwards leaving Elliott sitting on the steps. Grandfather blocked John’s way preventing him from getting to Poyle.

‘You should control your family Hunter, if there not careful one of them could get hurt.’

Poyle turned around and walked away followed by his men. Grandfather watched as he walked away then closed and locked the door behind him.

‘He wants the theatre John, I don’t know why, but he wants the Theatre’

‘Why would he want the Theatre?’

‘I cant imagine why, other than he thinks there is something in here that’s valuable. He must wonder how I survive in here alone, never leaving for all these years.’

‘What exactly did he tell you?’

‘He’s coming back in five days with his Inspectors to see if the building meets some code. He gave me this?’

John took the booklet and glanced at it, but he already knew what it was.

‘It’s the building regulations issued by the city council. Dad the theatre wont’ meet any of these conditions, and you wont be able to do the work needed in five days. What can we do?’

‘First priority is Elliott. Besides protecting him is protecting the Theatre and vice versa. If we don’t save the Theatre we wont be able to protect his doorways.’

‘You keep talking about this doorway. What do you mean?’

‘Why don’t I show you?’ Grandfather looked at Elliott sitting on the steps, ‘He seems to have perked up. When do you think lad, should we show your Dad the staircase?’

Elliott sat alert, his eyes having regained their colour.

‘Yeah,’ he grinned, ’I think ‘It’s time Granddad’

‘Listen to him John, he’s only been down there twice,’ Grandfather laughed.

But John was not quite so enthused. He looked at Elliott and was still concerned. He flicked through the booklet from Poyle and saw problems, and could not understand why his father was not reacting to them.

‘Dad, what are we going to do about Poyle?’

‘Later, first come and see the staircase, it’s on the second floor, is that right Elliott?’

‘Yes Granddad, Follow me.’ Elliott jumped to his feet and walked up the stairs and didn’t look back. John and Grandfather glanced at one another, shrugged and followed him. The boy, who just a few minutes ago were sick, was now running up the stairs. They all reached the second floor and Elliott stood in front of the white door that led to the spiral staircase.

‘Well my word,’ Grandfather exclaimed, ’I’ve never seen that before.’

‘What do you mean,’ John asked.

‘Well obviously I’ve been to this part of the Theatre thousands of times. This door simply has not been here before. At least I’ve never seen it.’

‘It wasn’t here Granddad,’ Elliott answered, ‘I think I made it appear.’ Grandfather smiled at him, then at John and nodded his head.

‘Yes you did boy, yes you did. Shall we go in? You first Elliott of course.’

Elliott Pushed open the door letting light into the room once more. Grandfather and John saw the Bookcases and the spiral staircase in the centre of the room and everything else for the first time.

‘My word Elliott, This is wonderful,’ Grandfather could barely contain his joy, ‘Its nothing at all like mine.’

‘Dad you keep saying that. What is yours like then?’

‘Why it’s the curtain on the stage of course? Doorways that open and let you see into other worlds, what else could they be? ’

Father and son gave one another a look, and John understood. It was the first time that he had understood but also the first time that he had felt slightly alone. There was something here that his father and son shared, and that he understood in that moment that he did not. But he also knew that it was somehow not his purpose, and that he was here for something else. But it helped him understand his father a ltle more.

‘That was always where you said you were happiest,’ John understood more about his Father in that moment that he thought he ever had before, ‘Up on the stage performing before the audience. I cannot say I’m surprised’

‘The doorway takes the form that you choose. I unconsciously chose a stage, it would seem that Elliott has chosen a library, but a very special one. Shall we go down the staircase?’

They started the descent, passing the paintings and the carvings and the sculptures, to the cave paintings and finally to the darkness.

‘Don’t worry Dad, there is light at the bottom.’

‘Okay son,’ John laughed, realising that his son was now looking after him. It took a while but they kept on and eventually reached the bottom of the staircase.

‘Well my my, this day does bring some very strange surprises!’ Grandfather could not contain his excitement he ran around the room looking at each door in turn checking it for its texture and size and shape examining its every detail. He turned and looked at Elliott and John, standing still at the bottom of the staircase.

‘Oh my boy, my wonderful boy, you really have no idea what you have here do you? This room is a convergence point, a place where many possible opportunities cross, many different words. This is a doorway to other dimensions and other universes.’

‘Granddad, you’re saying we can travel to other worlds aren’t you?’

‘Yes I am Elliott, that’s what this place does, every doorway leads somewhere else, to another place. The main stage was my doorway and was the doorway we came through, but then I had it sealed to keep us safe from what we came here to escape. The fact that we are here now means that you have the same power I once had. And we have to do anything we can to protect it.’

‘How do we do that dad, we have five days.’

‘Don’t worry John, I have a few ideas.’











































9

Stories, old and forgotten



‘What I’m really interested in is where all these books came from.’ Grandfather had already started heading back up the stairs to the room where the spiral staircase was.

‘What do you mean?’ John asked. Grandfather stopped on the stairs turned and looked back at his son.

‘When we arrived here all we had was the clothes we arrived in and the gold I had acquired in my former life, that’s all I could risk bringing with me. We arrived in this building and no one other than the three of us has stepped foot in it for over a decade. I don’t leave, and Poyle banned books at around the same time as he forced us to close the Theatre.’ John nodded in recognition.

‘So how did they get there?’

‘Precisely. And more importantly, where are they from, this world or from one of the others?’

‘Others?’ John asked, ‘How many exactly have you been too?’

‘I think you’ll be surprised when you discover how many you’ve been too.’ A look of sadness feel upon his face and Grandfathers head bowed in shame. ‘I really am very sorry you know. I have lied to you for such long time, but always, and I know this is no excuse, for the best of reasons.’

John could see the remorse in his fathers eyes and knew that whilst he may not be able to forget what he had done this was certainly the time to forgive. He thought of Elliott and what had happened to him over the sat few days. It was his job to look after his son, and right now that was al that mattered.

‘I know dad, come on lets see what we can learn from the new Prosperity Library.’

Elliott climbed up into his father’s arms and they walked up the staircase soon catching up with Grandfather. In no time they were standing in the staircase room perusing the shelves of props and costumes. Grandfather began looking at the spines of the books and it did not take him long to realise what the stories were.

‘I almost don’t believe it. Elliott, when you first came in here, did you look at the stories on the shelves?’

‘Yes, But did you see the carvings on the walls. I knew what they were. You know what they are don’t you Granddad?’

Grandfather laughed, ‘Yes, I do.’

‘Share the secret both of you,’ John asked, grinning. He knew he was going to be a little behind the pair of them from now on.

‘These are all the stories Grandfather told me when I was little, before I went to the Academy,’ Elliott replied, ‘All these stories came from my head.’

John sat down. The enormity dawned on him.

‘You created this room and the staircase didn’t you Elliott, You didn’t see it appear in a dream. I think your dream told you it was finished and waiting for you,’ Father asked.

‘I think you’re right John,’ Grandfather replied. Elliott smiled clearly very proud of himself. Grandfather sat down in the corner by himself whilst John and Elliott looked at the books and sifted through the contents of the various boxes of costumes and props that were in the room. Soon they were playing happily whilst Grandfather watched and few a few moments they forgot their troubles and all seemed well. While John and Elliott played, Grandfather remained distant as if sadness had descended upon him.

‘Dad, come and join in,’ John called to him.

‘No Son, you two carry on, it’s just that I have some thoughts that I need to deal with.’

John stopped playing with Elliott and walked over to his father. Elliott continued playing with a costume he had discovered. ‘What is it?’

‘Its nothing really, I’m just a little overwhelmed. I’ve waited for this for a long time and a sometimes wondered if it would ever happen. Then today when I saw the egg..’

‘Wait a second Dad, Egg?’

‘Yes John, downstairs there is a Dragon Egg.’

‘Well what does that mean? Do we need to do anything?

John’s tone had changed and Grandfather sensed it.

‘Don’t worry son, that’s not what has me worried. The Dragon egg is a good thing. It’s here to protect Elliott.’

‘Protect him? What does he need protecting from?’

‘John why do you think Poyle had the Theatre shut down?’

‘I’ve never thought about it.’

‘It’s something he does not understand. When we first arrived here, Poyle was just an assistant in the city-planning department. The town was new and we were welcomed, as were many others. And a Theatre was the perfect place to conceal what this building really sat on top of. We are sitting on a point of convergence. Many worlds have the ability to join together at one point and this is the point that this world connects with all those others. That’s how we came to be here, where we came through. And when I discovered the Theatre sat on top of the convergence point it became the perfect disguise both for myself and for the convergence.

‘But why did you need to disguise it?’

‘On this world no-one knows who I am or indeed who any of us are, but on other worlds we would be considered fugitives and outlaws.’

‘We would be what?’ But Grandfather did not notice the concern in John’s voice.

‘Poyle even now is trying to get his hands on something he thinks is in the Theatre. Now why is that?’

‘He overheard Elliott talking to me the other morning. Elliott was telling me about the room you had that was full of treasure.’

‘There you go. For Elliott a room full of treasure is a room full of stories and things that his imagination can play with. But For Poyle, Treasure is something very different. He has no concept of what treasure is to a young boy. When he had the Theatre closed down it was because too many people were coming to the Theatre. It was as simple as that. He wasn’t able to control them and we sent them away feeling good, or even worse we dared them to challenge what the council were telling them. And that’s when he found a way to close us down.’

‘And you think he thinks there’s a real treasure in the Theatre.’

‘Or worse. He knows the truth.’

‘Dad, I’m not sure I know the truth.’

‘You know the only truth that is important, that we have to look after that boy. Speaking of which we really should check on that Dragon egg.’

They undressed Elliott, who had got himself into most of the contents of a box of theatrical costumes, and went back to Grandfathers room. The Egg was stirring, rocking from side to side although it was nestled between two cushions.

‘How are you sure this is a Dragon’s egg Dad?’

‘Because I’ve seen one before. When I was his age, just before my thirteenth birthday. And it looked exactly like this. Of course that was over a thousand years ago. Things may have changed since then.’

At that exact moment Elliott winced in pain again. He doubled over. John raced to his side, and at the same time a crack appeared in the egg.

‘What’s happening Dad, is this normal?’

‘This didn’t happen to me - I don’t know what’s happening to him, son.’ There was panic in his voice.

Elliott writhed in pain, tears streamed from his eyes. ‘Dad, the voices are so strong. I can hear them all,’ Elliott cried to his father.

The Egg broke apart, straight down the centre. The creature inside burst from the shell and stretched out its limbs. Its neck was twisted and it swung its head sideways, free for the first time. Its toes pointed out as it arched its back and the Dragons wings opened out from the shell to their full size. Its neck elongated and it lifted its head up and stared at Elliott straight away. The animal paid no attention to the two adults its eyes focused only on the excited boy who was sitting with his mouth wide open and his eyes full of wonder looking at the ice blue creature that had just emerged from the shell he had found in a room that had been created from his imagination. The creature itself had a face that Elliott instantly fell in love with, a mouth that did not quite close and let its teeth show through, and eyes that looked as though they had already lived a thousand years. Elliott looked into the Dragon’s eyes and it looked back and all the boy could think of was his Grandfather, but he didn’t understand why. Elliott swore the Dragon was smiling at him.  It knew why it was here.