Part 45 (1/2)
There was a rumble like an avalanche, a long way off. The dormant Banjo had awakened, causing tremors on his lower slopes. His enormous hands, which had been resting on his knees, started to bunch.
”What's dis?” he said.
Teatime stopped and, for a moment, looked puzzled.
”What's this what?”
”You said no more Hogfather,” said Banjo. He stood up, like a mountain range rising gently in the squeeze between colliding continents. His hands still stayed in the vicinity of his knees.
Teatime stared at him and then glanced at Medium Dave.
”He does know know what we've been doing, does he?” he said. ”You did what we've been doing, does he?” he said. ”You did tell tell him?” him?”
Medium Dave shrugged.
”Dere's got to be a Hogfather,” said Banjo. ”Dere's always a Hogfather.”
Susan looked down. Gray blotches were speeding across the white marble. She was standing in a pool of gray. So was Banjo. And around Teatime the dots bounced and recoiled like wasps around a pot of jam.
Looking for something, she thought.
”You don't believe in the Hogfather, do you?” said Teatime. ”A big boy like you?”
”Yeah,” said Banjo. ”So what's dis 'no more Hogfather'?”
Teatime pointed at Susan.
”She did it,” he said. ”She killed him.” did it,” he said. ”She killed him.”
The sheer playground effrontery of it shocked Susan.
”No I didn't,” she said. ”He-”
”Did!”
”Didn't!”
”Did!”
Banjo's big bald head turned toward her.
”What's dis about the Hogfather?” he said.
”I don't think he's dead,” said Susan. ”But Teatime has has made him very ill-” made him very ill-”
”Who cares?” said Teatime, dancing away. ”When this is over, Banjo, you'll have as many presents as you want. Trust me!”
”Dere's got to be a Hogfather,” Banjo rumbled. ”Else dere's no Hogswatch.”
”It's just another solar festival,” said Teatime. ”It-”
Medium Dave stood up. He had his hand on his sword.
”We're going, Teatime,” he said. ”Me and Banjo are going. I don't like any of this. I don't mind robbing, I don't mind thieving, but this this isn't isn't honest honest. Banjo? You come with me right now!”
”What's dis about no more Hogfather?” said Banjo.
Teatime pointed to Susan.
”You grab her, Banjo. It's all her fault!”
Banjo lumbered a few steps in Susan's direction, and then stopped.
”Our mam said no hittin' girls,” he rumbled. ”No pullin' dere hair...”
Teatime rolled his one good eye. Around his feet the grayness seemed to be boiling in the stone, following his feet as they moved. And it was around Banjo, too.
Searching, Susan thought. It's looking for a way in.
”I think I know you, Teatime,” she said, as sweetly as she could for Banjo's sake. ”You're the mad kid they're all scared of, right?”
”Banjo?” snapped Teatime. ”I said grab her-”
”Our mam said-”
”The giggling excitable one even the bullies never touched because if they did he went insane and kicked and bit,” said Susan. ”The kid who didn't know the difference between chucking a stone at a cat and setting it on fire.”
To her delight he glared at her.
”Shut up,” he said.
”I bet bet no one wanted to no one wanted to play play with you,” said Susan. ”Not the kid with no friends. Kids know about a mind like yours even if they don't know the right words for it-” with you,” said Susan. ”Not the kid with no friends. Kids know about a mind like yours even if they don't know the right words for it-”
”I said said shut up! shut up! Get Get her, Banjo!” her, Banjo!”
That was it. She could hear it in Teatime's voice. There was a touch of vibrato that hadn't been there before.
”The kind of little boy,” she said, watching his face, ”who looks up dolls' dresses...”
”I didn't didn't!”
Banjo looked worried.
”Our mam said-”
”Oh, to blazes with your mam!” snapped Teatime.
There was a whisper of steel as Medium Dave drew his sword.
”What'd you say about our mam?” he whispered.