Free Fallen by James Somers Page B

dressed as he was wont to be, did not
regard the large bird until the fowl creature descended, its
plumage expanding to form a dark tattered cape, its small legs
stretching until they became quite human.
    “You are twenty seconds late,” the cloaked
man said, holding a brilliantly crafted gold pocket watch. He
snapped it shut, punctuating his irritation with the raven.
    The dark beak had peeled back to reveal the
head of a man wearing a bowler hat like a black knob upon his head.
“My apologies, my lord Black,” Mr. Sinister said, bowing at the
waist.
    Mr. Black stiffened knowingly. “What has
happened?”
    “One of the dolls was spotted today and
nearly destroyed,” Sinister said reluctantly. He did not wish to
report bad news to his master. Mr. Black’s temper was a beast not
to be trifled with, as many unfortunates had come to
understand.
    “Spotted by whom? One of Oliver’s lackeys?”
Mr. Black replied.
    “By a young boy who has become entangled
with one of my own,” Sinister reported. “I’ve been told that he has
the Sight.”
    “What’s the problem then? Kill the boy,” Mr.
Black ordered. “The doll should have regenerated already. It seems
a simple matter.”
    Mr. Sinister did not reply. Mr. Black waited
for a moment, considering again the report his servant had brought.
“You said the boy nearly destroyed the doll?”
    Sinister had been hoping he wouldn’t have to
point out the obvious problem. “Yes, my lord.”
    “Are you certain the boy is not a plant sent
by Oliver? He’s an old fool, but a crafty one.”
    “I cannot be sure. However, the boy appears
to have no knowledge. His efforts against the doll were
reactionary. He fainted straightaway.”
    Mr. Black grinned slightly beneath the brim
of his top hat. “Still, he must possess some measure of power to
attack the doll to such a degree. How was it done?”
    “As I mentioned, my lord, the boy was
frightened and reacted instinctively. He shattered the nearby
windows on the street and incinerated the doll when it reacted to
his discovery.”
    Mr. Black turned. “Incinerated? No average
gift.”
    “I thought you would find it intriguing, my
lord,” Sinister said.
    “Bring him to my estate tomorrow evening,”
Mr. Black said. “I’ll send a carriage.”
    “Yes, my lord.”
    “And do bring Tom as well, Sinister,” Mr.
Black said. “I’m sure he must be the boy who became entangled with this one. I’m certain if you left him behind
he would only wander onto my estate snooping anyway. I would hate
to be forced to destroy him before his usefulness has been
expired.”
    Mr. Sinister cringed slightly. “Yes, my
lord.”
    He stepped away from his master and off of
the parapet, plummeting toward the chilly waters of the Thames
below. His cape billowed in the wind, becoming a broad pair of
wings as the rest of Sinister’s human form was again absorbed by
that of a raven in flight. Mr. Black remained upon the unfinished
parapet as rigid as a gargoyle, looking out over the city he had
claimed long ago for his own.
     
     
     
    I woke to cool water splashing my face. I
reacted as most would by shooting out of unconsciousness as fast as
possible, spluttering and spitting. Tom stood before me holding the
wash pale, now empty, with a wicked grin upon his face.
    “Have a nice nap?” he asked innocently.
    My last memory of the evil man-sized doll,
came to me, forcing me to scramble from the table top where I had
been lying.
    “Where is it?” I asked, spitting the last
remnants of that morning’s used wash water in the process.
    Tom lowered the bucket, placing his other
hand on his hip. “Where’s what?”
    “That thing…the bag of stuffing that tried
to kill me on the street today!” I said, managing to stir myself
nearly back into the state of panic I had been in when I passed out
on the street.
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about,”
Tom said.
    I looked at him incredulously. “Don’t lie
about it,” I demanded. “I