Free Time Trapped by Richard Ungar Page B

That was yesterday’s news. Uncle is already on to his next obsession—all things Scottish. Not that saying the blessing in Scottish Gaelic would be any easier, mind you. That said, Raoul was right. Uncle is definitely after him.
    Raoul looks up at the ceiling for a moment.
    â€œI’ve forgotten,” he says, finally.
    Uncle’s eyes flash.
    â€œSay again?”
    â€œI . . . I have forgotten, Uncle, the words for the blessing.”
    There is a heavy silence around the table.
    Uncle’s face is unreadable.
    Then he says, “It appears that lately, you have forgotten quite a number of things, Raoul. Perhaps you need to go to a quiet place where you will have time to regain your memory.”
    Raoul’s face drains of all color.
    Uncle picks up a saltshaker and drops it to the floor.
    â€œOh, how clumsy of me. Raoul, will you be so kind as to pick it up?”
    Raoul blinks rapidly. The fear on his face is plain.
    Slowly, he bends down to pick up the shaker. Before he can reach it, Uncle kicks it under the table.
    â€œGo ahead, fetch it,” he says, as if talking to a dog.
    As Raoul begins to crawl under the table, Uncle grabs his arm and twists his wrist up. Three quick taps, and Raoul is gone. Just like that.
    I’m in shock. I can’t believe it. I look around at the others. Except for Frank, they are all staring at their plates. My eyes meet Frank’s for a moment, and he smiles. I want to slug him.
    Uncle smooths a crease in the tablecloth. “Now, then. Caleb, will you say the blessing, please?”
    My hands begin to tremble. I haven’t spoken Mandarin in at least five months. But that isn’t going to catch me any sympathy from Uncle. All I can see in my head is Raoul’s terrified expression. Where did Uncle send him? The Barrens. It had to be. Even if I dared, I wouldn’t know where to start looking for him, because when Uncle banishes people to the Barrens it’s never the same year that he sends them to. Plus, according to Abbie, ever since my escape from the Barrens, Uncle’s tightened up security so that not even Phoebe knows the year. But Raoul still has his wrist patch. He can get himself out of there . . . can’t he? And then I remember Frank saying that the new patches can be remotely disabled. I shudder. Raoul’s not going to be able to escape.
    â€œCaleb?” Uncle repeats.
    My face is getting hot. I can’t do this. I’m drawing a blank. I glance quickly at Abbie. There’s compassion in her eyes. Why didn’t Uncle pick her instead of me? She’s much better at Mandarin than I am.
    â€œ
Zhù n
i
sheng rì kuài lè,
” I blurt out.
    I can almost feel the silence.
    After a moment, Uncle smiles. “That was not very good, Caleb. In fact, you just wished me a happy birthday. But I will accept your effort. Very well, everyone, let’s eat. I’m famished.”
    I try to calm my breathing, but this thing with Raoul has got me really rattled. I’m definitely next on Uncle’s hit list. I try to count up all the wrong answers I gave him today, but my mind is jumbled. If it wasn’t as many as Raoul, it must have been close. Plus, Uncle still has it in for me from before. So why hasn’t he punished me?
    My hands shake as I lift the fork to my mouth. I eat the tasteless food in silence.
    After he’s done, Uncle dabs his mouth with his napkin and clears his throat.
    â€œWelcome, everyone, to the year 1978 and to the cruise ship
Bonnie Prince Charlie.
We are presently cruising on the Sound of Sleat in the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland.”
    He pauses, looks out over the room and recites,
    â€œIn the highlands, in the country places,
    Where the old plain men have rosy faces,
    And the young fair maidens
    Quiet eyes;
    Where essential silence cheers and blesses,
    And for ever in the hill-recesses
    Her more lovely music
    Broods and