Page 57 of Storm of Bells
‘Wai—what are you doing? Mr Linton, don’t youdare—!’
The rest of his words was lost in the rattlemachinery. I turned one last time to wave at the furious businessmagnate marching towards me—then I jumped, and landed in the nextmetal container. I could do this!
‘Ouff! Argh!’
Crapcrapcrap! I can’t do this! I can’t dothis!
The feeling was like nothing else I’d everfelt before, and like nothing I ever wanted to feel again. It wasas if my stomach was being pulled out of me through mytoenails.
Maybe that won’t last. Please don’t let itlast! I like my breakfast right where it is, inside my stomach,thank you!
Supporting myself against the metal wall ofthe cabin, I watched the masonry of the shaft whizz past at aprodigious pace. Damn that bloody, interfering cheapskate Ambrose!Why couldn’t he just accept me as I was? He wanted me to stay athome? He wanted me safe? Well, I’d venture a guess this wasn’t theway to do it! I had seen it in his eyes. He had never reallyexpected me to get into this hell machine. His many, many officeants? Sure. No problem. I doubt Mr Ambrose lost much sleep overthem. To lose sleep, you would first have to waste time on sleepingin the first place. But me?
I had seen the expression on his face when Ihad gotten on this contraption.
He really does love me.
I felt a tug at my heart.
Or was it my stomach? Oh God! Nnng! Mmm! Novomiting allowed!
The rattle of metal above me became louderand louder. I had to be approaching the top of the shaft. Whichbrought up the question—what exactly happened if one didn’t get offin time and remained in the cabin? Was there some kind of safetymechanism that prevented passengers from being thrown around likegrains of rice in a rattle when the metal box turned upside-downfor its downward journey?
What do you think, Lilly? This is Mr RikkardAmbrose you’re talking about. Does he liberally spend money onsafety mechanisms?
Crap.
Tensing, I moved towards the blurry bricks,waiting for the right moment. To judge by the speed with which thecabin had been moving, I didn’t have much time. Any moment. Anymoment now…
Now!
A flash of light appeared in front of me. Ihurled myself forward and stumbled out of the paternoster justbefore the metal container slid up into the shaft, severing mywindow of opportunity, and nearly my toes along with it.
‘OurFatherwhoartinheaven,hallowedbethyname.Thykingdomcome.Thywillbedoneand, heck, I don’t remember the rest, but thank you, thank you,thank you!’
Panting, I leaned against the nearest wall. Idefinitely understood now how that hellish machine had gotten itsname. The urge to fall down on my knees and thank the Lord I didn’treally believe in for my deliverance was nearly irresistible.
I heard a metallic rattle from behind me,and…were those footsteps? Bloody hell, had Mr Rikkard Ambrose sentanother unfortunate soul up in that thing? Whirling around, Ihurried forward—then froze.
Mr Rikkard Ambrose stepped out of thepaternoster, eyes icy, steps determined and heading straighttowards me. Before I could get out so much as a word, he hadgrabbed me by the scruff of the neck and pulled me towards him,enveloping me in a vice-like hug. His mouth came down on mine,devouring my lips with a fervour that nearly made my kneesbuckle.
‘Never. Again.’ The words were a growl,uttered against my mouth. ‘Do you hear me, Mr Linton? Never. Ever.Again.’
‘What?’ I lifted an eyebrow. ‘Going towork?’
Another growl erupted from his throat, and,pushing me back, he pinned me against the wall.
‘Never again. Do you hear me? Never againwill you use that thing.’
‘You mean that thing that you installed?’
‘It is too dangerous!’
‘You don’t say. What a genius deduction toarrive at.’
‘Did you hear me, Mr Linton? Stay out ofit!’
‘I’m afraid I can’t. I work here, after all.So that means you had better reduce the speed of the thing alittle, wouldn’t you say?’
