Cyrus LongBones Box Set

said, “Work harder, not smarter, orthe Sea Zombie will get you.”
He and Niels chuckled at the familiar joke.
“Smartass, eh?” Llysa said,“He wasn’t at school today. The little rat was playing hooky all day in the forest.”
She whispered the last part as if someone might hear.
“I didn’t,” Cyrus lied, “I was coming home fromschool, I swear.”
“Liar!”
His stepmother grabbed the plate of steamingvegetables and heaved it into his face.
“Mom, no!” Niels shouted.
The cauliflower and broccoli seared Cyrus’ chin andneck. He fell out of his chair trying to brush the burning vegetables off andbroke a cup.
“Now look what you’ve done,” Llysagrowled, “Go to your room and get out of my sight.”
Cyrus sat on the floor, covered in soggy greens. Hestared up at his stepmother and half-brother. Niels looked as shocked and scaredas Cyrus felt.
“Get to your room, now!” Llysarepeated, “And don’t worry about cutting school tomorrow, cause tomorrow you’regoing to work with your brother.”
“No,” Cyrus gasped.
But he knew it was useless to argue. He picked himselfup off the floor and retreated to his bedroom, alone, hungry and afraid.
 
***
 
AT AROUND NINE O’CLOCK, Cyrusheard a knock.
“You awake?” asked the large, square silhouetteopening the bedroom door.
“Niels? Everything okay?” Cyrus asked.
“Shhh, Mom’s sleeping.”
Niels walked over to the bedside and handed him a plateof meat and a glass of milk.
“I thought I’d bring you some dinner. Tomorrow you’regoing to need your strength.”
“Thanks,” Cyrus said, stabbing at the steak.
Niels reached out and touched Cyrus’ cheek. He lookedat his blackened eye and frowned.
“I know Mom’s hard on you,” he said, “but it’s toughfor her with Dad gone. I don’t think she’d be so angry and bitter if…”
“If Dad hadn’t found me on the doorstep?” Cyrusfinished.
“If Dad hadn’t died,” Niels said.
Cyrus nodded, unsure of what else to say.
“Tomorrow will be good, you’ll see,” Niels said,smiling, “We’ll get lots of work done. It’ll be fun.”
Then he said goodnight and retired to his own bedroom for the evening.
 
***
 
SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT, ashuddering jolt shook Cyrus awake. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he peeredaround the darkened bedroom. Everything seemed just as he had left it. Hethought maybe the sensation had been part of a strange dream. Then he noticedthe glass of milk on his bedside table sloshing about.Earthquake, Cyrus thought. Eventhough he had heard of them, he had never actually felt one on the islandbefore.

Chapter 4


THE KEY
THE NEXT MORNING, after acold breakfast of porridge and dry toast, Cyrus and Niels packed a lunch andheaded out into the chill, moonlit morning. The scent of hay and damp soil permeatedthe farm. The brothers crossed a field of brown and purple mork wheat and walked towards an ivy-entangledtower. The tower rose fifteen feet above theirheads and looked like a large barrel on stilts. At the base of the structure, Nielsturned its rusted valve.
“Soil here just isn’t what it used to be,” he said, wiping, wet rustfilings off his meaty palm.
Water began to spring out of the earth, quenching the stunted crop.
Behind the tower, like the bones of an ancient giant, slouched the burnt-down family barn. Cyrus stopped andstared. The barn looked so cold and alone in its grave.
“Come on,” Niels said, “Dad was a good man, a hard worker, no matterwhat Mom says.”
He took Cyrus by the shoulder and led him around to the tool shed.
“I’ve tried telling Mom we don’t need all these locks around the house,”Niels said, pulling out a ring of keys, “but she’s afraid blood-sucking klappen are going to break into the house in the middle ofthe night and run off with all our souls. She believes all those stories aboutfire-breathing dragons and giant wolves.”
Llysa’skeys, Cyrus thought. Niels unlocked the shed and began toload a wheelbarrow with the equipment they would need for the day’s work. This was Cyrus’ chance. His heart began to quicken.He could feel the veins in his neck swell. He entered the shed and started tolook through buckets of nails and around shovels, picks and sledgehammers. Hisnose grew itchy with dust and rust. Cobwebsclung to his ankles and sleeves. He would have to grab at least three steelpegs to get the perfect fit.
“Don’t worry about that stuff, Cyrus, I got what we need.”
Cyrus grew hot. He ignored his brother and continued to rummage throughthe cold, grimy tools.
“Cyrus?”
“Wait, I dropped something,” Cyrus said, still searching.
“What?” Niels asked, his square framemoving closer.
Cyrus prayed to the Angels as he picked through the last tin can hecould find.
“Clothespins,” he whispered, through clenched teeth.
Niels put a meaty hand on his shoulder.
“Nothing, I guess,” Cyrus answered, unable to think fast enough, “justthought I dropped something.”
He choked down his disappointment and reluctantly followed his brotherout of the shed empty-handed. I need those pins, he thought, I needto get away from this place. Niels began to turn the key in the lock. Cyrussearched his mind for some ploy or excuse.How long would he have to wait for another opportunity like this? The lockclicked shut.
“No, wait,” he blurted, his voice cracking.
He moved to the door, nudged his brother aside and unbolted the lock.
“Cyrus, what are you doing?”
He ignored Niels and began to search the shed, tossing aside buckets andbins and spilling nails and bolts.
“Thank the Angels,” he whispered, as finally,he found what he was looking for in an old coffee tin.
He rubbed a thin coat of oil off the three pins and placed them in hispocket. Then he walked out of the shed.
“I’m not coming with you,” Cyrus said, refusing to look his brother inthe eye, “There’s something I have to do.”
“What are you talking about?” Niels asked.
“You have to cover for me. You have to tell Mom I was with you.”
“Cyrus, don’t be stupid. You’re coming to work.”
“I’m not. Not today,” Cyrus said, looking at the ground.
“And what if Mom finds out?”
“She won’t. Not as long as you cover for me.”
“Angels, Cyrus,” Niels cursed, “You can’t continue to go messing aroundwith that forest, and never mind village law or the curse. Something evil waitspast that wall. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
Cyrus looked up. Evil? What was he saying? Niels looked away.
“It was a long