The Magician's Sons

Chapter 34

The world had been turned upside down for Copernicus. But, surprisingly, life went on. Without Gibbs, Porgy assumed command of their group of toshers, not because he was clever, but because he had a decisive character. They searched the sewers as usual, brought their earnings home as usual, dined and played as usual. The only thing that never did go back to normal was Mordechai's attitude. Even though he was kind, he had lost confidence. There was a worried look in his eyes which Copper wondered about. The man had become paranoid.

"Careful with that matchstick, Porgy!" Mordechai shouted one early morning while the boy lit some candles. "In fact, blow it out instantly. Blow the candles out too, we don't need them!"

"But we can't see the table!" the boy complained.

"That's alright. It will be a little game!" Mordechai replied trying to sound lighthearted as he snuffed the candle in front of him. "We don't mind the darkness anyway, do we lads?"

"No!" the children shouted joyously, and they all had fun trying to find their food in the dark.

After supper, Copernicus and the other children raced upstairs and tucked themselves into bed. Copper felt more secure than he had felt for several days. He had gotten to sit right beside his father at the table, and he had spent a blissful hour with the man learning a simple magic trick he could play with coins.

"Let's have a story before bed, shall we?" Porgy suggested. "I'll tell it, and you chaps listen!"

Copper turned over in bed, not very interested in Porgy's tale. But as his friend began to tell it, Copernicus couldn't help but listen. It was an awful story about the grimmest things. Monsters, ghouls, and danger were all portrayed in exquisite detail. It left Copper restless for an hour after the story had ended. He lay awake, staring widely into the dimly lit room until he couldn't hold his eyes open another instant. Then he dropped off into a dream which went from frightening to horrific. Finally, he started awake from his nightmare. Still half asleep, he crawled out of bed. He didn't know just what he was doing. He only knew that he didn't want to stay in that room any longer suffering with his nightmares.

He stumbled sleepily out of the room. Perhaps he would make his way to Bob's room. Bob would be kind and would comfort him. But long before he reached that distant refuge, he saw light shining from the partly open doorway of Mordechai's chamber.

Groggily, the lad drifted toward the light to seek his father's company. He reached the doorway and paused, wondering if he should knock, speak, or walk right in. In the meantime, words from within entered his ears.

"Anthony, you thoughtless man! Why did you do it?" Ebony whimpered.

"I was angry!" Mordechai responded behind clenched teeth. "I was partly drunk! The boy won four games in a row, and I had gambled our whole living practically! When I heard the lads' ridiculous plan to play snap-dragon, I thought the situation couldn't be more perfect! He went up in flames like a torch. Don't ask me why I did it! I was out of my head! And now I know how fate will treat me. The boy is still alive!"

"Alive!" Mrs. Dross echoed in horror. "Stupid, thoughtless man! Why did you choose fire over—" A footstep outside made Ebony's voice silence.

Nothing Copper had heard had made sense to his sleep-benumbed mind. Words circled through his thoughts: snap-dragon, flames, torch, alive...He had heard it all, but he didn't know what it meant. He only knew that something was troubling his parents, and he was too weary either to move forward or to move away. Suddenly Mordechai's door was jerked open. The child gave a start as he faced his father.