First Draft unedited: The Third Floor Bedroom

The Third Floor Bedroom

It all began when someone left the window open. It ended with the abandonment of the Rose Crescent apartment.

*

The bird that The Trinity summoned had been noticed almost immediately. Darwin and Jack had fled back to their apartment. Slamming the large oak door behind them, Dar reached up and drew the locks. Together, they slumped down the wood and collapsed in a heap on the cold flagstone flooring. She curled into his lap and he wrapped around her protectively.

“They know.”

Jack nodded in agreement. “They know.” For the longest time, they simply held each other in silence, Jack stroking patterns into the small of her back while their breathing came down from its agitated state.

Jack drew away, pulling Darwin to her feet. “What do we do now?”

She shrugged as she rose, moving towards the interior door. “I don’t know how long they knew. We’re as safe as we always were, I suppose.”

Together, they entered the apartment and climbed the stairs. Jack moved to put some hot water over the electric stove; tea was something he had returned from Cambridge with one day, and Darwin had developed quite a taste for it. Meanwhile, Darwin settled herself into one of the Seven Chairs that she had acquired. Returning to the room with two steaming mugs, Jack settled himself on the red corduroy sofa; he still refused to sit on those cursed chairs that had nearly cost Darwin her life.

“I suppose the game is up. I can stop pretending to be a Jack and just go back to being Jack, if The Trinity knows about me.”

Darwin looked up, clutching her mug close to her. “They know you’re from Cambridge.”

Swallowing his first mouthful of tea, he nodded. “And they’ll know you smuggled me in.”

Darwin sighed and leant back. Behind her, the crow tapped at the windowpane with his beak. Jack glanced at him.

“What’s he found?”

What he had found with a bird that appeared to reflect him in size sitting on the other side of the windowsill. As the crow bobbed up and down, so did the multicoloured animal on the other side. This angered the crow and he flapped his wings in frustration; in return, the other bird simply raised his beak with an air of superiority. Darwin’s familiar screeched in dissatisfaction and returned to his person for reassurance. The puppy, now outgrowing her name into a large bundle of golden retriever, took his place with her paws on the windowsill. She barked a few times, but this did as much as deter the observations that the creature was making as the crow’s outburst. Jack whistled low, calling her back.

“I think The Trinity have sent it.” Jack agreed with Darwin’s conclusions, moving towards her to touch her shoulder.

“We need to get out of here, my love.”

*

Darwin agreed with the statement initially, but finding where they could go was proving trickier. The Evesham Family had connections across the alternative world, but Darwin felt that the animal may follow them wherever they ended up going.

“There is an option that we haven’t considered.” Jack spoke quietly, holding onto puppy’s ears as he did so. He massaged the tips, talking more to her than to Darwin.

“Hmm?” She was in the middle of a large, leather-bound address book, cross-referencing addresses against physical locations in the alternative world on parchment map that had been unfolded across the bed.

“We could go back to Cambridge.”

The idea hung in the air for a moment, Darwin’s laced eyes staring at him. She rose, the address book falling to the floor with a thud.

“Jack, that’s… that’s perfect.” She proceeded to tell him how, as much as they had tried, The Trinity had been unable to extend their vision into Cambridge. It was a blank place for them and the gaps could only be filled by those travelling through Reality Checkpoint. Or, so The Trinity thought. As far as they knew, Jack’s basement portal was still the only place that was unmonitored.

“Then again, we thought that we were unmonitored too.” Gently, Jack bought them both back to reality with a soft bump.

“Well, we know that’s no longer true. But Cambridge is truly unmonitored. I ought to know. My father was the one employed by The Trinity to try and break the seal that stopped them seeing.”

“He never managed it?”

“Said it was impossible.”

Jack nodded. “Cambridge it is. Let’s pack.”

*

It took them a day to pack and the next morning, the two and three animals set off; despite the crow’s best efforts, he could not shake the multicoloured bird away from them. They walked together, Jack, Darwin and the puppy, while the crow and their visitor flew above, occasionally engaging in mid-air battles that ended with no real victor. They each had a large case with them, planning for a stay in Cambridge. Darwin kept her eye on the bird above them; by now The Trinity would be aware of her plan through their spy and she had to find a way to lure the creature away from their portal. As much as she appreciated Jack offering his world as a sanctuary, she had promised her father that she would never leave the alternative worlds permanently.

She had been a lucky child. Growing up at her fathers’ side, the privilege that had come with his position within society had been reflected in her upbringing. She was known as a charming child, the unfortunately story of her mother’s suicide rarely mentioned in her presence, although as an adult she knew the story well. Her father’s wealth had allowed her to have a good education and while The Trinity still worked for the people’s interest she had regularly visited Cambridge. It was a fascinating place for her, noting the differences between her world and this one easily. Lord Eversham had noted the girl’s growing interest in the alternative worlds and once old enough, had sat her down and explained to her how fragile each reality was, and that she should treasure the one she had rather than to try and spread her wings into others. The fifteen year old girl had nodded solemnly, and even after The Trinity turned their policies and life had become harder in Cam; after her fathers assassination once he had revolted from the ways of The Trinity; after her fortune had been lost and she had given up the large estate and staff base that she had grown up with, she had not abandoned the reality she had grown up with. She was not about to do so now either.

As they reached the courtyard that Jack had first seen covered in snow, Darwin dropped her back and whistled her familiar to her. Landing neatly on her outstretched hand, she pulled him close to her face and conducted a private, whispered conversation with him. Ending with a nod, she placed a soft kiss on the top of his head and he ruffled his feathers affectionately, clicking his beak a few times. He took flight and circled around the multicoloured bird a few times before bombing at his from above. Up and down, around and across, the crow continued his attack. After the first few strikes, the spy bird could take no more and turned to retaliate. The crow flew off like a rocket, drawing the bird back across the direction they came from.

Darwin took Jack by the hand. “Come on! Run!”

He submitted easily, but questioned her along the way.

“What’s happened to the crow?”

“He’s serving a duty. He’s bound to me as the puppy is bound to you by the laws of Familiarity. He has to serve my wishes. He’s going to lure the bird away from us, away from the portal.” She panted as she ran, the door now in sight.

“He’s not coming with us?”

“Not until I know that bird has gone. We’re going to Cambridge without him.”

As she spoke the last words, she threw her weight onto the door and together, they clattered through it, sprawling across the hard floor in Jack’s Cambridge basement.

*

“What’s that noise?”  Jack froze. The voice was familiar, a Cambridge familiar, and he hissed at Darwin.

“The bookcase, go! Pull some books off!” The puppy had began to climb the stairs to investigate this strange new voice, and Jack called her back softly. “It’s only me! There was… there was no one home when I got in, we’re just looking for some books!”

A face appeared at the door into the main house. The boy looked like Jack, but with long hair that curled onto his shoulders and bright brown eyes, where Jack’s were blue. “Hey dude. Didn’t know you were home. Looking sharp.”

Jack chuckled and the puppy barked once, her tail wagging furiously as the attempted to become part of the conversation.

“Hey! You got a dog!” The younger boy bounded down the stairs, flopping onto the penultimate step and lavishing the dog with the attention she was craving. “What’s her name? Mum is gunna go bananas.”

“She’s called puppy, but I feel like she’s outgrowing that!”

The boys laughed together, and Darwin stepped out from the bookcase with a cough.

“Oh, Danny! This is Darwin!” Jack reached a hand out to her, and she came to join him at her side. She extended a gloved hand to shake Danny’s own.

“Darwin, eh? Like the explorer?” Dar glanced at Jack, unsure; The alternative studies of evolution had come much sooner, by different anthropologists, and fed upwards to Darwin in Jack’s world. Jack nodded mildly, and Darwin turned back to smile at Danny.

“Yes! Exactly! Except I’m less worldly, I suppose.” She giggled, and Jack pulled her closer.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that so much.”

Danny glanced between them. “So, you two are shacking up or whatever?”

Jack glanced at Dar, who looked puzzled by the terminology. He smiled at her, and then back at Danny.

“Aye. I guess this is my girlfriend.” It was the first time he had used the term to address Darwin, and she flushed pink but raised no objection.

“Just wait till mum hears.”

*

Meeting Jack and Danny’s mum had been an experience for Darwin. In Cam, the only female influence she had was from the female nursemaids that her father had hired to mother her, and although they were kind and sweet and played with her, Darwin had never bonded with them. In turn, it was clear that Jack and Daniel both had a strong bond with their mother.

“So, you’re the one who has taken my son away from me, Darwin?” she had joked when she and Darwin were introduced. She was a small woman with a fine hourglass figure that bore the skirt and shirt she wore well. Brown hair, the same rich hazelnut colour as her sons’ fell straight down her back, held with a black ribbon at the base of her neck. Her eyes were the same brown as Daniels, Jack having inherited his absent fathers blue colouring. Darwin smiled politely.

“Indeed I have, Ms Marshall.” The woman laughed together, starting the bonds of what could become a beautiful friendship.

They sat together to eat a divine roast chicken that had been bought especially for the occasion; with Darwin not being much of a chef, Jack had missed the home comforts of a well cooked meal.

“I must teach you to cook, Darwin.”

His mother glanced across the table as this woman who had come crashing into her world, albeit she was unaware of how literally Darwin had crashed into her world. “You can’t cook?”

Darwin shook her head. “No ma’am. Certainly not at this level.” She motioned across the table at the buffet.

“I’ll teach you, worry not.” Ms Marshall had a warm tone to her voice that reminded Darwin of the gentle, soothing lilts of Jack’s own voice.

“Mum,” That same tone interjected. “We need a place to stay. Our flat is..” He hesistated; he hadn’t got this far into the lie yet and was only discovering it now. Darwin came to his rescue.

“Our flat is flooded.” She picked up. “The upstairs neighbours have a burst pipe, and it’s ruined our kitchen.” Darwin paused. “Typical!”

His mother looked concerned. “You have insurance?” It was a term that Darwin was unaware of, and panic flashed across her face. It was Jack’s turn to rescue her.

“Yes, mum. They’re sorting it all out. But we can’t be there at the moment.”

His mother nodded. “I’ll make the spare room up.”

*

Curled up in bed, Jack and Darwin spoke long into the night about the things that Darwin had heard about that evening but had confused her; they had started on the topic of contents insurance, and moved onto the internet, electricity, phone lines, automotive cars, mobile phones and all the other pieces of technology that Cambridge residents took for granted, but separated their world from the majic-ruled kingdom of the alternative world. With the puppy settled at the foot of their bed and his arms around her, Darwin’s thoughts turned back to the crow she had left behind.

“We’ve never been apart. He’s always come to Cambridge with me.”

Jack smiled. “Do you remember the day we met?” Darwin’s eyes met his.

“Sure, why?”

“He tried to take me out; under the stairs. I’m pretty sure he can take on some painted sparrow.”

It was Darwin’s turn to smile now. “Sure, that’s true. I just hope he stays somewhere close. I hate being apart from him.”

Jack tried to imagine a life without puppy now. They had become bonded together, and with the guidance of the majic in Cam, they were building a strong relationship that went beyond that of master and pet; she was becoming part of his soul, and reflected his thoughts and feelings clearly now.

“I understand what you mean.”

*

Over the following days, Darwin and Jack fell into Cambridge life. Darwin began to appreciate the fine food that Ms Marshall produced for them both, and found herself enjoying the constant babble of having a family around her. However, never far from her thoughts was the plan to head home for her, and she had bought with her the maps of the alternative world and her address book. At every available opportunity, Darwin was found in the basement cross referencing them both together to find ideal locations to hide from The Trinity and still remain in her home world. Jack had pressed her gently about the reach that The Trinity had and Darwin had to admit that she probably didn’t know. Cam sat on the edge of the Fennish and as a result, it was a reasonably secular city. After long, diverse conversations on the subject, Darwin and Jack had agreed that the most probable way that The Trinity had discovered Jack’s true identity was during the investigation in the Basilica; when the priest had touched her wrist. Jack hadn’t known it at the time, but the priest had spent some time running through Darwin’s thoughts, feelings and memories. She had no control over this, but it would become clear from it that Jack was a fugitive and that information had been passed back to The Trinity. Clearly, Eiffel was not a safe place to hide. It ruled out the rest of France too, they were all too closely linked with the clergy in France and work spreads easily across the country.

Jack pointed at various areas of the map, and it prompted different discussions; America could be a good choice, movement between states was good and communication poor. Whereas in Jack’s world, states were ruled by Democrats or Republicans and they shared the burner of governing the country together, in Darwin’s world they were ruled as totally autonomous nations. Darwin assured Jack that the powers in America were attempting to persuade Jack’s America to go the same way. Australia was also a good idea, but simply too far to cover. Aeroplanes didn’t work in the same way in Darwin’s world, the atmosphere coursing with majic and preventing flight.

“Like Bermuda?” Jack questioned.

Darwin’s laugh was high and light. “Bermuda? It’s a point where our worlds touch. Those planes that disappeared ended up in our world, and we leaked back information that it was magnets causing the disruption.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe you guys are still falling for that.”

Suitable chastised, Jack didn’t push the issue further.

Eventually they agreed on one area. Italy had become segregated from the rest of Europe, cutting itself free to protect its wealth and currency in a crisis that pre-dated the Euro-crisis in Jack’s world. Its government had turned its back on any allegiances and was now totally autonomous. Darwin searched her address book.

“I have a cousin in Acqua.”

Jack looked up. “Acqua? Like water?”

Together, they located Acqua on Darwin’s map, and cross-referenced its location on an atlas that Jack owned. He smiled.

“It’s Venice!”

*

Within a few days, the plans were in place. Darwin had returned to Cam through Reality Checkpoint briefly to make plans with her cousin for their arrival, and jack worked in Cambridge to ensure that their lie was maintained. Eventually, the way was upon them for Darwin and Jack to leave Cambridge once again. Ms Marshall enveloped them both in a wide, teary-eyed, emotional embrace.

“Now, you two don’t be strangers anymore, do you hear me?” Darwin shook her head and took the older ladies hands together.

“You’ve been so kind, Ms Marshall. We will come back and see you again soon. Once we’re done travelling!” She giggled. The women embraced once more and Jack was faced with his mother.

“Look after this one, Jackie. She’s special.” Jack glanced over her shoulder at Darwin; it was barely 6 months since she had first crashed through the door in their basement, yet he already knew exactly how special Darwin was to him. His mother brushed her tears away and thrust a lasagne into their hands (a common parting gift for parents in this world, Jack later explained to Darwin) and they waved their goodbyes out of the house. Jack took Darwin’s hand in his.

“Let’s find a café to lay low in for a few hours.”

*

Once darkness had fallen, Jack and Darwin returned to the sleepy house. The lights were out, indicating that both his mother and Daniel had gone to bed. Quietly, Jack slid the key into the lock, a mechanism that still fascinated Dar. He pressed his finger to her lips and she rang her tongue over the tip playfully; a frown crossed his face and she backed down again. They crept down the stairs together and slid open the door into Cam, pushing it gently shut behind him.

Darwin breathed a sigh of relief and sat against the door inside her natural world. She let out a low, calling whistle that would summon the crow back to her and recognising the command, the puppy came to her side. She chuckled and rang her fingers behind her ears before Jack clicked his fingers and summoned the dog himself.

“It’s sweet of you Puppy, but you can’t tell me anything new.” Darwin dismissed her with kindness. They waited together a while, Darwin’s keen vision seeking her back familiar while jack sought the multi-coloured plumage of the spybird. Darwin reached out and touched his ankle.

“That bird will have given up. He won’t wait forever. They’ll put other things in place.” As she was speaking, she reached an arm out without looking and the familiar black bird landed there. She nuzzled him close and they spent some time just being physically close to each other, preening one another and touching available flesh. Darwin looked up at Jack.

“Come on. They’ve been at the apartment a lot. We need to clear out.”

*

Unusually, the crow rode on the puppy’s back as they walked back into the city of Cam.  Darwin let them into the quiet apartment and they worked quickly through the building to begin to collect their belongings. So far, they had found no trace of The Trinity seeking information about them and they needed to work quickly to avoid this. Once inside Darwin’s world, they had agreed not to mention their plans to move on to Acqua, feeling that their movements here may be carefully monitored.

Kissing Dar on the forehead, Jack made a move to the third floor bedroom. In his initial days in Cam it had been his bedroom, Darwin’s spare room converted into his own personal space. Since their trip to France, however, Jack had been sharing Darwin’s personal space and the room had become spare once more. He pushed the door open and blinked in the moonlight.

“Dar?” Leaning back, he called down the stairs. Her face appeared at the bottom of the spiral.

“Mmm?”

“You left a window open.” He turned back to the room, the beautiful sash window slightly ajar at the bottom letting in a soft breeze.

“I didn’t. I locked everything the moment that bird started appearing. There was no way I was letting that monster in my house.” She spoke with defiance from the doorway before moving across the bedroom to touch the wooden windowframe. Her fingers came up to her face, sniffing the tips softly.

“It stinks of Trinity majic.” The report simply affirmed what Jack already believed; the Trinity had been here.

Darwin had frozen, her eyes looking past him to the wall. He turned around, looking at the spot her eyes locked onto. This time it was his turn to touch something, hand reaching up to place across the wallpaper. All around the room, white birds flew against a blue backdrop. It was paper that had been on the walls since Darwin bought the apartment and probably printed before she was even born. Despite this, at exactly the point where Jack’s fingers connected with the wall, a single bird was missing.

“Where’s it gone, Darwin?” He sounded concerned. In return, her eyes never left the spot.

“Go and get your bag.”

“Dar?”

“Get your bag.”

He took a step back and picked up the holdall that he had been collecting objects in. Darwin reached a hand up and whistled; this time, the puppy came to her without objection from Jack.

“Do you trust me, Jack?”

He nodded but Darwin turned to the puppy. She gazed up at the female.

“Puppy, speak.”

The puppy turned to the wallpaper, a slight puzzlement spread across her face. Despite this, she was not a dog to disobey a command and her voice rang against the hollow room, the bark reverberating around the room.

Suddenly, life burst from the wallpaper. Thousands of tiny birds, scattered by the unexpected noise, took flight and chased around the bedroom. Darwin screamed, and Jack’s senses took over.

“Darwin! Dar! Puppy! Come on!”

They fled quickly, slamming the door to the bedroom behind them and pelting down the stairs hand in hand. Darwin grabbed her own back from the top of the final staircase onto street level and bellowed for the crow in the process. Together, they burst out of the final door and onto Rose Crescent.

“We’re leaving then?”

Darwin leant against the wall, panting hard.

“I believe so, yes.”