Secret Places and Hidden Things

Chapter Eleven

The next day dawned with another new arrival. Jack was in the library when he walked in. He was an enormously muscular boy with a cheerful, bouncing sort of walk that made a lot more noise than was necessary. His pants were loose and baggy, with far too many pockets, but his shirt was very tight. This was understandable, as it seemed unlikely a shirt existed that might fit him properly. As he walked, he hunched his shoulders and bowed his head. This was likely a practiced maneuver, due to his size, but it made him look shy.

Jack was, by now, used to new people arriving unexpectedly, but he was caught off guard when the boy clapped him on the shoulder and sat down on the edge of the chair next to him, leaning forward.

"Hiya, Jack Jack. What're you up to today?"

Jack just stared. "Who are you?" he managed to ask after a moment.

The boy leaned back, his chin dropping as his eyebrows went up, then a slow crooked smile crept across his face, one of his eyes crinkling.

"Haha, you're puttin' me on again. I almost believed you this time." He laughed and leaned back into the chair—which protested with loud creaks. "So, for some reason I can't find the solarium. I thought I might be there at one point, but it was just a little room full of pots. Maybe I can get Michael to lead us there. He's always good at finding it for some reason." His voice was soft and woody, like an old cello.

Jack didn't know what to say. He was saved by Marelle, who had slunk up behind them on quiet feet. "Is this another one of Daerk's friends?" she asked delicately, a vague, almost-smile playing about her lips.

"Ahh, Marelle. How're you today?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Do we know each other?"

The boy gave her a long look. "I can't believe you'd play this game, too."

He looked from one of them to the other, his eyebrows creeping upward again.

Just then Michael came in—probably from the dining room—smelling like some kind of spice. The large boy's face went dreamy.

"Is that...rhubarb pie?"

He floated to his feet in one fluid motion—astonishing considering his mass—and drifted towards the door as his toes dragged behind him. Michael shut the door softly before he could reach it and stood in the way. "Is that you, Elliot? You're even bigger than I remember."

The boy shook his head as if he was coming out of a trance and put his arms out to see what was in his way. His whole face lit up. "Hey, little guy! I didn't get bigger, everything else got smaller."

Michael furrowed his brow, examining Elliot up and down. "You're right," he said with interest, "but that's so strange. I must be on your perspective now."

"So, today really is my first day, then?" Elliot asked.

Michael nodded. Jack and Marelle stared at them blankly.

"Ah, you should see the two of you," Elliot chuckled. "I'm gonna remember this the next time you guys try pulling one over on me."

Just then Daerk walked in the same door Michael had come through. He stopped abruptly.

"Daerk! How've you been?" Elliot asked wrapping him in a crushing hug and sweeping his feet off the floor. Daerk looked mildly terrified. When Elliot set him down his limbs splayed out a crushed spider.

"So, you want to help me find the solarium?" Elliot asked, turning to Michael.

"You can't find it? It's basically your second bedroom..."

"Well it must be far away then," Elliot said, "Or it's changed somehow."

"It can't be that far," Michael said, walking out into a hallway.

Their conversation was cut off as the door clicked shut. Daerk stared at the door for a moment, then looked at Marelle and Jack. "Who was that large person?" he asked, his eyes wide.

Jack started giggling uncontrollably. Marelle saved him from having to answer.

"Michael called him Elliot. He seemed to know who we are."

Understanding swept over Daerk's face, and he walked to where they were sitting, taking the chair nearest the window.

"You know who he is, then?" Jack asked, having swallowed his laughter.

"Hmm, yes. He's been here many times," Daerk said, "but he's never looked quite like that." Daerk looked back at the door.

"What was he like before?" Marelle asked.

"Well, he did change a bit every now and then," Daerk said. "Never quite so dramatically, though..."

"How did he know who we are?" Jack asked.

"Ahh, now that's an interesting phenomenon," Daerk said, his eyes moving to Jack. "Elliot doesn't follow time the way we do. At least that's what it seems like. He just kind of bounces around." Daerk bounced his hands in front of him like he was playing a piano.

"So, we've already met him, then?" Marelle asked narrowing her eyes. "I don't remember him."

"I suppose in his mind that's what it seems like," Daerk said, nodding. "It's more like he's already met you in the future. I've never been able to figure out if he does the thing properly and takes his whole body with, or if he just hops around mentally." Daerk looked at the door again.

"But, I don't understand," Jack said. "He goes through time?"

"Essetially," Daerk responded. "One day he can't remember something that happened the day before. The next day, he can predict the future. It can be quite disorienting."

Marrel stood up quickly and jogged over to the door, pulling it open with excessive force so it bounced off the book case beside it. The hallway had disappeared. Now it was a room with a single piano at the center and five doors at the back.

"Ugh, fine!" she yelled, walking through and slamming the door behind her.

Daerk looked at Jack, his eyebrows raised. Jack just shrugged.