Hush

Hush: The cat chamber

After seeing Jack struggling for his life in the noose so high above me with no way to reach him and no way to save him, I watched as he gasped and gaped like a fish out of water as his body slowly gave up its fight against the rope. I watched as his dark face paled in realization that in less than a few seconds, it was over for him. His dark eyes bulged fearfully, finding me just before he went limp with a faraway stare, and there was nothing left for me to do but try to find a way out. My ears twitched as I realized that I had failed at my one reason for existing, that my purpose for being alive was now hanging dead above me. And once more I cursed my little pathetic form, I cursed that even with the old man's magic threads I was still useless to a kid that wasn't out for revenge, but merely seeking comfort from his thoughts. He didn't need a voodoo doll that could maim those around him, he needed a friend, guidance and someone who could calm that bottomless darkness that leaked from him from years of suppressed sadness. I understood that now, too late, much to late. I came out of my thoughts as I approached yet another forked path, always choosing the lighter of the tunnels I took a left and continued forward, wondering exactly where I had been going, or if maybe the tunnels were just walking me in circles and eventually I would find my way back to Jack.

'Are you lost poor bear?' A cracked old voice asked bemused.

I looked around, I had walked myself into a cavernous dead end, only it was lit with candles. In the centre was a hunched figure in a cloak and holding a tall wooden staff, at the top hung a lantern and from the lantern hung by string were two dead sparrows tied by their little legs. A nose poked from the cloak that hid the face of what I presumed was an old woman given her gnarly voice and talon like grip on the staff.

'I am.' I admitted, no longer concerned if I found myself at the hands of evil. I was no longer needed.

'I thought so.' She chuckled, and I watched as her nose pointed up as she turned her head upwards. 'The cats told me.' She sighed wistfully.

'Cats?' I followed her nose's direction up, hanging by their tails in petrification were countless cats, their limbs spread wide as though stretched out like mini bear rugs, some dripped blood from their little jaws, others were headless.

'Aren't they precious?' She purred, and as she said it the sound of cats purring filled the cavern, the hanging cats swayed in sync slowly side to side. 'A good cat always hangs around.' She prodded one with her staff, knocking it out of sync.

'Precious?' I parroted, 'they are dead.' I couldn't keep the disgust from my voice.

The woman behind the cloak lowered her hood and recognition hit me, it was Gypsy.

'If that's how you see things you will never get out.' She replied bitterly. 'Can you not see them moving, can you not hear their happy purrs?'

I couldn't deny it, there was indeed a hum of cat purrs echoing around us, I looked again at the cats hanging. 'But how?' I asked, feeling hope rise in me that maybe Jack was perhaps alive in this strange place.

'Oh, all it takes is a little bit of magic and a strong sense of will power, hehe.' Gypsy cackled. She ran a bony finger along the back of one of the sparrows that hung from the lantern and instantly it fluttered its wings frantically, and chirped in distress. 'And of course, stubbornness.' She looked down at me then and her cold dead eyes met mine. 'I made you Hush, I wasn't wrong in my motives.'

'Jack died,' I said quickly, 'and it was because of me, because I'm too small, I'm too weak.'

'tsk tsk tsk.' She tutted with a shake of her head. 'With that attitude how do you expect to beat the Shadow Master or save the boy?'

'Shadow Master?' I asked.

'Mmmhmmmm,' she hummed long, as though purring, 'he is the one who rules this place.'

'And why are you here if you were in the real world?' I asked sharply as the thought occurred to me.

'Oh,' she poked her finger to the corner of her mouth in thought. 'Well, I'm not here little bear.' She chuckled, 'I am only projecting from the...' She stopped, choosing her next words with a sarcastic tone, 'Real World, as you would like to call it.' She cleared her throat, 'I sensed you were in need of help and so here I am.' She hobbled over to me, and kneeling with a groan that only the old can make when having to bend at their joints, she took one of my paws in her hands and looked them over. 'I see.' She mused. 'Magic threads, what a lovely idea, brother.' She went silent for a moment and hummed. 'Hmm... that child....'

As if on cue of her probing my mind I seen the flicker of the girl at the orphanage, the quiet child.

'She has gave you an invaluable gift Hush, keep it and use it wisely.'

I had no idea what she meant until the memory of Amèlie placing the stone in my hand replayed in my thoughts, as if Gypsy had forced it into my conscious mind.

'She will have a future full of suffering and heartache, yes indeed.' Gypsy murmured, 'though...' A moments pause, a smile. Then suddenly she shook her head and looked again at me. 'But that is another story.' She said sharply. 'Where is the gift Hush?' She looked my form up and down expectantly.

'I,' The vivid memory of being torn apart in the house by things coming out of the wall, I didn't want to say it aloud that the stone was lost. Gypsy caught onto my sudden silence.

'Stupid bear,' she croaked. 'Listen up, that gift was presented to you by a very gifted child, the stone was merely a tool.' She prodded my tummy knocking me back slightly. 'When the time comes you will have the power to use that gift through your own willpower, do you hear?' She seemed almost scolding now, I nodded quickly.

'Good.' She said quieter, a solemn expression replaced her angry haggard features. 'You are all you need to be to save that boy.' She continued, 'just use this,' she tapped my head, 'and always, this.' Her hand went to my chest where just for a moment I felt a pulsing of a heart within me, though I knew it was nothing more than Gypsy using witchcraft on me, for I was nothing more than stuffing, no bones, no blood, no heart.

'How do I save Jack?' I asked her, trying to change the subject.

'Find the puppet that dances to the tune of darkness, and follow the strings to the Master.' Gypsy said unhelpfully. 'And-'

Her next words were cut off by the terrifying roar that erupted from deep within the cave. We stared at one another wide eyed for a moment.

'Oh dear, time to go.' She blew out her lantern and both Gypsy and her hanging cats vanished.

It took me a moment to realize that I was once again alone, as another roar ripped through the tunnel along with what sounded like Jack calling out my name. But that wasn't possible, not if he was dead.