Charlie Bone and the Time Twister Part 8

The three boys sat in gloomy silence for a while, and then, because there didn't seem anything better to do, Charlie brought the black glove out of his pocket. He laid it on the table saying, "I found this in the hall, when Tancred had gone."

"It's not Tanc's Tanc's ," said Lysander. ," said Lysander. "Probably some old thing that's been lying under a closet for years." "Probably some old thing that's been lying under a closet for years."

The glove was made of very soft leather. The fingers were long and narrow and there was an opening at the wrist, with four small leather b.u.t.tons on one side, and four neat holes on the other.

Gabriel frowned at the glove. He stretched out his hand. Charlie found himself crying, "Don't, Gabriel!"

But it was too late. Gabriel had pulled the glove on to his left hand. His face suddenly creased with pain and he let out a terrible moan.

Charlie reached out to pull off the glove, but Gabriel fell forward, his head cras.h.i.+ng onto the table.

"He's fainted," cried Lysander. "What's going on?"

"It's the glove. You know Gabriel's gift. He can feel what happened to the people who wore things before him."

"The owner of that glove must've been hurt pretty badly," said Lysander. He touched Gabriel's head. "He's gone cold."

"Gabriel! Gabriel, wake up!" cried Charlie. He tried to pull the glove off Gabriel's hand but it was stuck fast.

Gabriel turned his head. "My hand! "My hand! Oooo Oooo , my hand," he groaned. , my hand," he groaned.

"Il's the glove," Charlie told him. "I can't get it off you."

" Oooow Oooow !" !" Gabriel sat up and began to tear at the glove with his right hand. "My fingers are broken. Help! Help, someone!" Gabriel sat up and began to tear at the glove with his right hand. "My fingers are broken. Help! Help, someone!"

Charlie tugged the fingers of the glove while Lysander tried to peel it away from Gabriel's wrist. It was no use. Gabriel was now panting heavily. Between small grunts of pain, he said, "She put her fingers on the door and he slammed it."

"Who?" asked Charlie. Charlie. "Who slammed it?" "Who slammed it?"

"A woman, I think. Yes, a woman. She was trying to get out, and she was shaking her head like she wouldn't do what they wanted." Gabriel gave another moan. "But the boy 1 think boy 1 think it was Manfred, he slammed the door and pushed and pushed until he crushed her fingers. it was Manfred, he slammed the door and pushed and pushed until he crushed her fingers. Oooow Oooow . . Oooh Oooh ! Manfred it is but he's smaller. ! Manfred it is but he's smaller. Ooow Ooow !" !" Gabriel's head fell forward again. Gabriel's head fell forward again.

At that moment there was a tap on the door and Olivia looked in. "There you are," she said. "Fidelio sent me to look for you. He couldn't get away because he's in the front row"

"Front row?" said Charlie.

"Don't tell me you all forgot," said Olivia. "There's a concert in the theater tonight. What's wrong with Gabriel?"

"He's not well," said Lysander.

"I can see that, but you'd better get him to the theater quickly if you don't want detention."

"Gabriel, can you walk?" Lysander asked gently Gabriel moaned. "If I have to." "If I have to."

"Come on, then. Charlie, help me!"

Lysander pulled the stricken boy upright, and putting Gabriel's arm around his shoulders, clutched him by the waist. Charlie did the same. He got the arm with the glove on it, and it worried him to see how limp and crushed Gabriel's left hand looked.

"I'd better go ahead and make sure there are three seats in the back for you." Olivia rushed off.

By the time the three boys had staggered into the dark theater, the concert had begun.

"You'll have to manage on your own for a bit," Lysander whispered to Gabriel.

"Uh!" Gabriel grunted. Gabriel grunted.

Olivia had been as good as her word and there were three empty seats waiting for them at the back of the auditorium. Charlie pulled the sleeve of Gabriel's cape over the black glove, and helped Lysander maneuver him into a seat.

Unfortunately Dr. Saltweather Saltweather saw the boys come in late. He frowned at them and shook his head, then turned his attention back to the stage. Dr. Bloor was making a speech about music, and it soon became clear that he was describing the life and work of the other man on the stage: Mr. Albert saw the boys come in late. He frowned at them and shook his head, then turned his attention back to the stage. Dr. Bloor was making a speech about music, and it soon became clear that he was describing the life and work of the other man on the stage: Mr. Albert Tuccini Tuccini . .

Behind Dr. Bloor a man with a deep tan sat at a grand piano. He had brown curly hair and a rather morose expression. His arms were folded across his chest and he occasionally glanced at the red velvet curtains at the back of the stage.

Dr. Bloor came to the end of his speech. The audience clapped enthusiastically Albert Tuccini Tuccini swiveled around to face the piano and his long fingers pounced on the keys. swiveled around to face the piano and his long fingers pounced on the keys.

Gabriel was a pianist himself and he listened intently to the complicated chords that Albert Tuccini Tuccini rung out of the piano. Gradually his hard breathing eased, he forgot the pain in his fingers and managed to enjoy the music. rung out of the piano. Gradually his hard breathing eased, he forgot the pain in his fingers and managed to enjoy the music.

The pianist's second piece seemed familiar to Charlie. But he couldn't remember where he had heard it before. A memory was buried at the back of his mind. Far, far back. Far, far back. Could it have been the music his father played? He began to nod off. And then he was asleep and dreaming. He dreamed of a room Grandma Bone had described to him. Could it have been the music his father played? He began to nod off. And then he was asleep and dreaming. He dreamed of a room Grandma Bone had described to him. A white room, with pale curtains at the long windows. A white room, with pale curtains at the long windows. A room empty of everything except Lyell, his father, and a grand piano. But he couldn't see his father's face. He didn't even know what he looked like. Grandma Bone had hidden or destroyed every photo of her only son. A room empty of everything except Lyell, his father, and a grand piano. But he couldn't see his father's face. He didn't even know what he looked like. Grandma Bone had hidden or destroyed every photo of her only son.

"Charlie, wake up!" Gabriel was nudging his arm.

Charlie opened his eyes. The lights were on in the auditorium and children were moving up the aisles toward the exit doors. The stage was empty "How long have you been asleep?" asked Gabriel. Gabriel.

"Don't know," Charlie murmured. "Most of the time, 1 think." "Most of the time, 1 think." He dragged himself out of his seat. He dragged himself out of his seat.

Lysander left the theater with them, but then he had to get to his own dormitory "Are you going to be OK?" he asked Gabriel before he parted from them on the landing.

"I'll live," said Gabriel, grinning.

"We'll have another try at getting that glove off," said Charlie, who was feeling more awake.

In the dormitory Charlie told Fidelio what had happened and they spent several minutes trying to tug the glove off Gabriel's hand. It was impossible, Gabriel went to the bathroom and tried soap and water but the glove clung even tighter. He came back and sat on the edge of his bed. "Poor woman," he murmured. "She must have broken all her fingers."

"Do you know who she was?" asked Charlie.

"Is," said Gabriel. "She's still here. I've seen her. It's the dark lady from the tower. I used to think she was a ghost, but she isn't. She's just sort of useless and alone."

Billy Raven had crept up behind them. He stared at the black glove on Gabriel's hand. "What's that?" he asked.

"What does it look like?" said Fidelio.

"A glove. Why are you wearing one glove, Gabriel?' Why are you wearing one glove, Gabriel?'

Gabriel sighed. "Because I can't get it off that's why"

Billy frowned. He didn't ask any more questions, but wandered back to his bed with a thoughtful expression.

Charlie and Fidelio made one more attempt to pry the glove off Gabriel's hand, but the water had made it cling like a second skin.

"It's no use, guys," sighed sighed Gabriel. "I'll just have to sleep with it on. Maybe it'll come off when it's dried out." He yawned. "I'm so Gabriel. "I'll just have to sleep with it on. Maybe it'll come off when it's dried out." He yawned. "I'm so tired, tired, nothing will keep me awake tonight." nothing will keep me awake tonight."

Gabriel was right. He fell asleep almost as soon as he got into bed. But while he slept his dreams became nightmares, and he moaned with pain as he tossed and turned in his bed.

Gabriel made so much noise Charlie couldn't sleep a wink. The other boys woke up, too. Damian. Smerk Smerk threw his pillow at the moaning boy but it didn't wake him. He was buried deep in his troubled sleep. threw his pillow at the moaning boy but it didn't wake him. He was buried deep in his troubled sleep.

The next night, Charlie and Fidelio tried, once again, to pull off the clinging black glove, but now it had shrunk. It wouldn't even peel away at the wrist. Gabriel's hand hung uselessly at his side. He couldn't even feel his fingers, he said.

They didn't know what to do. Telling Matron was out of the question. Charlie had an idea. After lights out he leaned close to Gabriel's bed and whispered, "I know someone who can help."

"Who?"

"Someone who lives behind the kitchens. We'll have to wait till after midnight, though." We'll have to wait till after midnight, though."

"Wake me up when it's time to go," said Gabriel.

"OK.".

Charlie had promised Cook that he wouldn't tell anyone where Henry was hiding. But that wasn't quite the same as taking someone to her secret room. Be sides, this was an emergency "YOU CAN'T GO BACK!".

At five minutes past midnight, Billy Raven Left the dormitory Charlie wondered if he could get Gabriel down to Cook's room and back before Billy returned.

"Gabriel," he whispered, shaking Gabriel's shoulder. "Wake up! It's time to go!"

Gabriel dragged himself out of bed and fumbled with his pajamas. "Ready!" he murmured.

Charlie grabbed his arm and led him out of the dormitory Only Only then did he turn on Cook's flashlight. Its soft light illuminated every tiny detail of the long corridor. then did he turn on Cook's flashlight. Its soft light illuminated every tiny detail of the long corridor.

"Wow;" said Gabriel. "That's impressive."

"Follow me," Charlie whispered.

He began to jog, as quietly as he could, while behind him Gabriel floundered and tripped in his badly fitting slippers.

By the time Charlie had found his way to Cook's closet entrance, Gabriel looked exhausted. The fingers on his left hand had begun to throb again, and the pain made him ache all over.

Charlie didn't like to burst in on Cook unannounced, so he knocked politely on the closet door.

There was a shuffling noise behind the door and then it was opened, just a crack.

"Shoot me," said Cook, peering out at Charlie. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry Cook," said Charlie. "But . . ."

Behind him, Gabriel gave a low moan.

Cook opened the door a little wider. She was wearing her red bathrobe. "s.h.i.+vering cats," she said. "Who on earth is this?"

"Gabriel Silk," Charlie told her. "He's had a sort of accident with a glove."

" Tch Tch ! ! Tch Tch ! ! You'd better come in." You'd better come in."

Charlie led his friend through the closet and Gabriel looked around Cook's secret room in amazement. "What a lovely place," he said.

Cook made him sit down and examined his gloved hand, while Charlie told her how he'd found the glove, and how poor Gabriel had an unfortunate talent for experiencing other people's feelings, when he wore their clothes.

" Hm Hm ," muttered Cook. "That's Dorothy's glove." ," muttered Cook. "That's Dorothy's glove."

"Dorothy's?" said Charlie.

"It's the dark lady's," said Gabriel. "She haunts the music tower. I've seen her. She had her fingers broken in a door."

Cook nodded. "That's what you call her, do you? the the dark lady Well, I'll have you know that the dark lady is Mrs. Bloor." dark lady Well, I'll have you know that the dark lady is Mrs. Bloor."

"What? Manfred's mother?" said Charlie. "I thought she was - well, dead."

"So do most people," said Cook. "Poor thing. "Poor thing. She lives a terrible half-life. When Manfred crushed her fingers, she gave up. She lives a terrible half-life. When Manfred crushed her fingers, she gave up. Faded away so to speak. Faded away so to speak. She comes down to my little room, now and again, and we talk. But she's a sad, sad creature." She comes down to my little room, now and again, and we talk. But she's a sad, sad creature."

"Too right she is," said Gabriel. "This glove makes me feel so miserable I could do myself in."

"Now then, we'll have none of that talk," Cook said sternly "We'll have that glove off you in no time. Mind you, the only person who can do it is the owner of the glove."

"Why's that?" asked Charlie.

"It's just the way it is. Musician's hands are very special. There's a lot of feeling in that glove, and I can see that it's really made itself at home on your skin, Gabriel."

"I'd rather not lose any skin, if you don't mind," said Gabriel. "I'm a bit squeamish."

"Endowed children were a lot more stoical in my day," Cook remarked as she ambled across the room. "I'll fetch Dorothy." She opened the door of a small corner closet and the boys caught sight of a narrow stairway before Cook squeezed herself into the closet and closed the door.

They heard the soft tap of footsteps behind the wall, and then over their heads. For a plump person Cook was surprisingly light-footed.

"What a place," Gabriel murmured, gazing around at the bright pictures and gleaming antique furniture. "You'd never guess that all this was right under that gloomy old building."

"Never," agreed Charlie. "Mind you, I think part of it must be under the city You You can see the sky through that window." He nodded at the small window in the ceiling. can see the sky through that window." He nodded at the small window in the ceiling.

Gabriel turned to look at the skylight. "So what's up there?" he said.

Charlie shrugged. "Who knows? Someone's garden. Someone's garden. A road." A road." He was wondering what had happened to Henry Had Cook sent him back through time? Had he run away? He was wondering what had happened to Henry Had Cook sent him back through time? Had he run away?

Soft footfalls overhead told them that Cook was returning with someone who walked with a peculiar shuffling sound.

A few moments later, the door to the closet opened, and Cook came in, followed by a small woman in a long, shapeless, black dress. A dark shawl covered her head so her face could hardly be seen; she walked with her head bent as though she were searching the ground.

"Now Dorothy you sit here, dear!" Cook pushed a chair close to Gabriel's. "This is Gabriel, and he seems to have gotten himself stuck into your glove."

Dorothy looked at Gabriel's limp hand, and then she stared at Charlie. Her shawl fell to her shoulders, revealing long gray hair and a pale face with two gray eyes in deep dark sockets." And who is this?" she asked in a tiny voice.

"I'm Charlie Bone," said Charlie. "Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Bloor." "Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Bloor."

"Oh?" said the faint little voice. "So you're Charlie. I know ... I knew . . ."