Free Tales From The Wyrd Museum 1: The Woven Path by Robin Jarvis Page A

great guy—a little funny lookin’ but swell all the same.’
    Neil stared at the animated creature angrily. ‘Shut up!’ he demanded.
    ‘Cute kid though,’ Ted continued. Was that half-pint your brother or what? Let's hope he don't end up like your pa—or you, even. Poor little runt, don't stand much of a chance, do he?’
    ‘Why am I listening to you?’ Neil cried, stepping back from the cabinet. ‘I don't need this right now. You just leave me and my family alone. You were right, Father Christmas doesn't exist and I'm too old to play with teddy bears, so you can forget it. I don't know what I'm doing here. You want to get out? You do it without my help. I've had enough of you already.’
    Ted leapt to his feet in alarm. 'What you doin’?’ he called as Neil hurried to the door. ‘Don't run out on me, kid! Hey, I thought we had a deal, you were gonna let me out! Don't go! Don't go! I got me a big mouth, I'm sorry. Stop, will ya?’
    Sternly, Neil glanced over his shoulder at the glass case. ‘If you're as smart as you think you are, then you don't need me!’
    ‘Kid!’ Ted yelled. ‘You come back here! Dammit! Let me out! Let me out! You gotta do this—it's all worked out!’
    With the bear's curses ringing in his ears as he stormed from The Separate Collection, Neil swore to himself that he would never enter that room again.
    ‘Aw kid!’ Ted whimpered, sliding miserably amongst the newspapers. ‘Ya shouldn'ta done that.’
    Dejected and heaving melancholy sighs, the bear tugged at the ribbon around his neck and blew a forlorn raspberry. What could he do now?
    Then, very slowly, a dangerous glint flickered in the glass eyes and a soft, roguish snigger gently shook his shoulders. ‘Didn't leave me no choice did he?’ Ted chuckled to himself.

Chapter 6 Upon The Moonlit Stair

    Neil spent the rest of that day in the apartment with Josh but was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to take much notice of what his brother was doing. Only later did he discover that the little boy had mischievously scrawled on every football poster he could reach. Fortunately for him, Neil was too busy thinking about Ted to be annoyed and this unexpected, yet welcome, lack of concern spurred Josh on to greater crimes.
    Brimming with malicious delight, he took several of his father's books from the shelf and scribbled indelible expanses of black crayon inside them. When Mr Chapman finished work, he was surprised at first that Neil hadn't started making tea—then he noticed what Josh had done.
    ‘Neil!’ he yelled, snatching his favourite book on steam trains from Josh and staring at the defaced treasure in horror. “What on earth do you think you were doing? Couldn't you see what he was up to? Blood and sand, lad—it's ruined! Why didn't you stop him? Do you know how much this was? I can't afford to get another one.’
    Brian Chapman stomped about the poky living room, waving his gangly arms in the air and pointing accusingly at his eldest son. Meanwhile, Josh slunk into the bedroom and waited for the storm to pass.
    ‘How could you let him?’ Mr Chapman continued to rant. ‘I thought I could rely on you. I don't understand it, you're supposed to be responsible, for God's sake!’
    Up till then, Neil had borne the censure in silence. Now he glared at his father and shouted back at him so fiercely that the man was astonished.
    ‘Stop it!’ the boy roared. ‘Why are you blaming me? Josh was the one who did it—you never yell at him though, do you? No, if anything goes wrong it's my fault! You're always relying on me! Why can't you do something for a change? Other fathers do! No wonder Mum ran out. She said she couldn't stand you any more—I wish she'd taken me with her. I'm sick to death of it, too. I don't want to be relied on. Why can't people find someone else? I've had enough!’
    Angrily, Neil stormed from the apartment, only to find himself inside the museum and, with an irritated grunt, realised that this