Scar Island(48)

“Ye’ve got to listen to me!”

“We’re in a stone castle,” Sebastian replied, his voice bored. “Built on a stone island. It’s been here for hundreds of years. Islands don’t sink.”

“Yes, they do.”

Everyone turned to Jonathan.

“It’s true. This place is crumbling. The island is getting smaller. There used to be a beach and everything.” He looked around at the silent faces. “It’s true! Think of those stairs leading down into the water from the gate. The whole bottom floor is already under water—that’s what the Hatch is!”

Sebastian blew his breath out through flapping lips.

“Uh-huh. Nice try. Shut up, Jonathan.” He looked back to the kids standing around Patrick. “Take him away. Now.”

The boys stumbled away, dragging Patrick roughly between them. Sebastian paced back and forth while they were gone, his feet splashing in storm-water puddles.

“Listen, man,” Miguel said. “You gotta calm down and—”

“Shut up,” Sebastian snarled with wild eyes. He shook the sword in his hand. “We’re gonna be fine. All of us. As long as you keep your mouth shut, you’ll be fine, too.”

When the boys returned from the coal room, Sebastian turned and cocked an eyebrow at Colin.

“Now. Back to you. And your punishment.”

Colin frantically shook his head. Gerald and Francis were holding him tight on top of the table, but now he was sitting up.

“Pleath don’t cut me, Thebathtian.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes again.

“I was never gonna cut you,” he snorted. Colin’s eyes narrowed doubtfully. “I wasn’t. Jesus. I was just trying to scare you.” Colin’s body visibly relaxed. Until Sebastian continued talking. “Besides, I have something better planned for you.”

The wind was an unending high howl now, as if the whole of the tortured sky was one great furious beast. It screamed through the broken window, bringing rain and chilling salty spray with it. The lightning was so constant that the moments of darkness between were more eerie and surprising than the flashes themselves.

“You two, bring him,” Sebastian said to Roger and Gregory, lifting his chin toward Jonathan. They grabbed him roughly by his elbows. “And you guys bring him,” he added to Francis and Gerald, still holding down Colin. He whispered something into Benny’s ear, who nodded and ran off to the kitchen.

Sebastian stalked off toward the darkened doorway that led into the interior of Slabhenge. He paused at the exit. He gripped the sword in his teeth while he used both hands to light a candle, then looked at the crowd of boys waiting at the tables.

“All of you, follow me. Bring a candle.” He smiled, a dangerous smile full of sharp, white teeth that glistened in the lightning. “It’s time to find out what Colin’s punishment is.”





They all followed Sebastian through the dark, winding tunnels of Slabhenge’s twisting corridors and staircases. It wasn’t clear where they were going, or even if Sebastian had a destination in mind. But whenever Sebastian came to a choice between two halls, he chose the darker and narrower one. Whenever he had to choose between staircases, he chose down.

In a winding, candlelit line they passed through the dip that went by the Hatch. It was only feet away, down that last cramped stairway and around a corner. It was a riot of violent, eerie noises, louder than Jonathan had ever heard it. Bangs and shudders and thirsty slurps and the high, pained squeaking of straining iron. Some boys slowed down on the landing that led down to the Hatch. Most shivered and sped up.

Finally, they came to a dark little windowless room, small and wet and cold at the bottom of a crumbling staircase. It was an especially desolate and forgotten corner of the madhouse island. Rats hurried out as the boys came in with their splashing feet and flickering flames, brushing past their feet, causing some boys to cry out and jump.

All together, the group nearly filled the room. The ceiling was low and dripping green slime. Even here, though, they could hear the storm raging away beyond the thick stone walls that surrounded them. It sounded far, and angry, and above them, like they were belowground.

“Here we are,” Sebastian said with satisfaction. “It’s perfect.”

The last kids in were Benny and James. Benny had a rope over his shoulder and a sack in his hands. James was carrying a wooden chair. Sebastian took the chair and set it in the middle of the little floor. Its legs wobbled on the uneven stone. Colin was thunked down in the chair and tied firmly to it with the rope.

“Make sure it’s good and tight,” Sebastian said. When the knots were all tightened and Sebastian had checked them, he stood back and looked at Colin.

“You wanted to sneak around and steal like a little rat. Fine. Benny came up with the perfect punishment. You get to spend the night with the rats. All by yourself.” Colin was panting, his forehead beaded with sweat. He pulled against the ropes binding him, but there was no give. “The bag, please, Benny,” Sebastian said, holding out his hand. He reached inside and pulled out a handful of something. “We want to make sure the rats know their new roommate is here,” he said, holding his hand up to the light. It was full of crackers and bits of cheese from the kitchen. Looking Colin in the eye, he scattered the food around Colin on the floor. He reached into the sack for another handful and tossed it on the floor leading to the stairs. Pulling out one more handful, he crumbled it together in his hand and sprinkled it onto Colin’s lap.