Zac and the Dream Stealers (10 page)

“The kitchen's just ahead,” whispered Tinn over his shoulder. “I can hear them working.”

“Oh, good,” replied Noelle, and she picked something green and slimy from her hair. They'd been covered in falling slop four times on their way up the chute.

A faint glow was visible above them, and they soon reached the top of the chute, which was sunk into the floor of the vast, steam-filled kitchen. In every corner, kitchen hands were working feverishly, preparing all sorts of delicious-looking food.

“The Dream Stealers certainly know how to eat well,” said Tinn, eyeing a wild boar on a spit. There were rows and rows of black stoves, and on each one sat bubbling pots and pans.

“There must be a hundred pots,” said Tinn. “How many Dream Stealers are in this place?”

“Hard to say,” replied Noelle in a whisper. “It changes all the time. Most come and go. You've got a bit of spinach in your beard, by the way.”

Tinn felt around his chin and removed a soggy leaf.

“How do we get through the kitchens without 'em seein' you?” asked Noelle. “I mean, I can do it easy. I've done it a thousand times. But what about you?”

Tinn quickly peeked out of the chute. “What we need,” he said, stroking his beard, “is a diversion.”

“What kind?” asked Noelle. “Look out!”

She tugged him back below floor level in the nick of time.

A pair of worn black boots stomped over to the chute.

Noelle held her breath, and just as well, because the Dream Stealer tipped the contents of his bucket into the chute, dunking Tinn and Noelle in the stickiest, smelliest swill yet.

Tinn spat out a moldy lump of bread. “This is growing tiresome,” he said. “Time to go, I think.”

Once again he reached into his beard, and this time produced a tiny paper package. He unwrapped it. In the crease were dozens of teeny black balls. Noelle thought they looked like miniature peppercorns.

“What are those?”

“These are our diversionary tactic,” said Tinn with a smile. “Have you ever seen fireworks?”

“No.”

“Ah. Well, these were purchased from Pontius Pullerwick, the finest firework-maker in all of Slumber City. Watch this.”

He held the fold of paper up to his mouth and looked Noelle dead in the eye.

“When I say go, we go.”

He took a deep breath and gently blew. The tiny balls scattered through the kitchen, whining like a cloud of mosquitoes. In just a few moments they had dropped into every pot in the room, and the Dream Stealer chefs were unwittingly stirring them in.

“Get ready,” whispered Tinn.

Noelle made herself invisible, preparing to run.

Then it happened.

Fizzing light exploded from every pot in the kitchen in a shower of steaming grub.

It was chaos. The kitchen hands were screaming. Some were covered in food, while others ran around with pails of water in an attempt to extinguish the light show.

“Go!” said Tinn.

He and Noelle scampered from the chute across the kitchen, keeping low and darting from stove to stove until they reached a heavy door on the opposite side of the room. Tinn pointed at the door and it swung open.

Then he froze.

In the doorway stood a guard who'd rushed to see what all the fuss was about. Behind his skull mask, the Dream Stealer's eyes gleamed. But before he could raise the alarm, a huge metal frying pan flew off the wall of the kitchen and landed on his head with a clang. The Dream Stealer crumpled. Tinn leapt over his body and out into the corridor, slamming the door on the bedlam behind.

The air fluttered. Noelle became visible and strolled up to Tinn, swinging the frying pan like a tennis racket.

“No need to thank me,” she said smugly.

“Good work,” he said, grinning.

She skipped with pride behind the old man as he led her out into a hexagonal chamber. Six silver doors stood glinting before them.

“Which one?” said Noelle.

“Let's ask the compass.” He held out the shining device. “Which door will lead us to the goblin passage?” he asked.

The dial whizzed around. When it stopped, it pointed at a door to the left.

“We have our answer,” said Tinn.

“Then let's go,” she said, wondering where it would lead them next.

Tinn paused. “Noelle,” he said, “I must warn you; the next stage won't be an easy one. I cannot guess what we will encounter along the way.”

“Mr. Tinn,” Noelle said, “I've lived in this stink hole for almost my entire life. It's gonna take more than a few goblins to stop me. I'll walk to the center of the world if there's a way out on the other side.”

“I did it! I had another dream,” said Zac, jumping out of bed in his urgency to get dressed.

“I told you, didn't I?” said Tom, impressed both by Zac's talent and the genius of his own idea. “Well? What did you see?”

Zac felt his heart beat as he told Tom about the dream. He described the dingy corridor, the helpless heap on the floor. “It was just a snapshot,” he gasped. “But the one thing I feel for certain is that Granny and maybe the others are in terrible danger.” He glanced at the windup clock on Tom's desk. It was almost midnight. “Time to go,” he said.

Tom, who'd been watching him carefully, folded his arms. “Are you sure about this, Zac?” he said. “You don't have to come, you know. Tilly and I can go. This is our world, our fight.”

“If Granny is in trouble, it's my fight, too,” said Zac. “And she's told me what'll happen to the Waking World if the Dream Stealers win — all that pain and suffering because people can't sleep. I'm not going to stand back and let Julius lead her into a trap. You're fighting for your mum and your family. Well, Granny's all I've got.”

“You don't have a mum?” said Tom.

Zac pulled the traveling cloak he'd bought at Fontooly's more closely around him.

“She died when I was born. I guess my dad didn't fancy looking after me on his own, because he dumped me with
his
mum — Granny Wonder — when I was just a baby. That was eleven years ago, and she's looked after me ever since. That's why I have to come with you. I owe it to Granny. I need to know she'll be all right.”

There was another reason Zac was determined to stay with Tom and Tilly. He felt a connection to this strange, wonderful place, a bond he couldn't quite describe.

“You're right,” Tom said, “you should come along. I was just trying to help.”

“I know,” said Zac. “Thanks. But you're forgetting something else — this plan was my idea. I'm not letting you and Tilly take all the credit!”

Tom grinned. “Hey, it hasn't worked yet,” he said. “And don't forget to bring that . . .” He pointed to the blade on the bed. The sapphires seemed to glow.

“All right,” said Zac, slipping the blade into his cloak, “but I hope I don't have to use it.”

They crept out into the grand corridor, where they distantly heard Granny and the others preparing for their mission. When they reached the entrance to the abandoned passageway, Tom jammed a piece of parchment under one of the doors to keep it open a fraction.

Tilly was already waiting by Aris Tinn's laboratory. Tom told her excitedly about Zac's latest dream and how he thought the Knights were definitely heading into danger. Tilly let out a horrified squeak and unlocked the door at once.

Minutes later, they were examining bottles, jars, and tubes on the shelves of the secret room.

“Look for a bottle of bright red pills and some blue stuff — and stay away from that thing this time,” said Zac, glaring at the trunk of dream orbs.

“Good plan,” said Tilly. “Hang on, I think I've found them already.” She grabbed two small bottles from a shelf and read the little white labels:
“S
ALAMANDER AND
S
NAIL
—
S
UPER FOR
S
HRINKING
and
G
ULLS'
B
EAK AND
G
REMLIN
G
UNGE
—
G
OOD FOR
G
ROWTH.
”

“Those are the ones!” Zac said.

“What are you thinking? We can't swallow them. What if something goes wrong?” shrieked Tilly.

“Look,” said Zac, “I'm not exactly crazy about the idea of swallowing this stuff, either. Tom can turn into a mouse, but it's the only way I can think of for us to tag along with Granny and the others without being seen.”

Tilly thought for a moment, and then made a grab for the bottle of red pills. “All right,” she said.

Zac snatched them away from her. “No way,” he said. “This was my idea. I'll go first. If anything goes wrong, it's going to happen to me.”

He slipped the bottle of electric blue liquid into his pocket, then unscrewed the cap from the second bottle and tipped one of the little red tablets into his hand. Tom and Tilly held their breath.

“Here goes,” said Zac with a shrug. He popped the pill into his mouth and tossed the bottle to Tilly.

The taste was so sour it drew his jaws together and almost made his face turn inside out. After a moment a tingle began in his toes and spread upward until his whole body was prickling.

Then there was a loud
ZING
.

Tom and Tilly looked at each other in amazement.

Zac had disappeared.

“Where is he?” said Tom.

“Sshh,” snapped Tilly, holding up a finger. “Listen.”

They stood in silence.

“I'm here!” said a tiny voice.

Tilly peered down at the floor. “Sweet starlight!” she exclaimed. “I can see him. It worked, it really worked!”

Under the table in front of them, Zac was crouching behind one of the wooden legs. He stood only an inch or two tall, and was waving wildly.

“Well,” Tilly said, “here goes,” and she swallowed one of the pills. There was a second
ZING
and Zac found Tilly standing beside him, looking up at Tom. He seemed to be a hundred feet tall.

“Wow!” said Tilly. “This is unbelievable! Look how big everything is. I'll never make fun of Tom for being a squirt again.”

“I'm just glad our clothes shrunk with us,” said Zac, patting his cloak. “I was a bit worried about that.”

“Hang on!” Tom yelled. “I'm coming.” His voice was so loud and booming Zac and Tilly were almost deafened. In the blink of an eye, Tom turned himself into a mouse.

Tilly fished a timepiece from her coat pocket. “It's almost midnight,” she said. “We have to go, or we'll miss our chance.”

“Jump on my back,” said Tom. “It'll be much quicker . . . Ouch! Careful, you two, you're pulling my fur.”

There were whispered apologies, and Tom scampered into action. They shot out of the laboratory, through the bedroom, past the old library, through the gap in the door, and back into the main corridor.

“You think we're too late?” asked Tom nervously.

“No,” said Tilly. “Listen!”

They heard the voices of Granny and the Knights on their way to the room with the trampoline floor.

“Quick!” yelled Zac. “Follow them through the door!”

Tom darted through behind them, dodging nimbly between their feet. As they walked, the Knights discussed their task.

“So,” said Cornelius, “this pilot, what's his name again?”

“Rigby Sundown,” said Julius. “He's meeting us upriver. Thought it'd be safer than one of the airship stations. You never know who's watching.”

“He'll be there, will he? You're sure?”

“I only gave him half his fee,” said Julius. “If he wants the other half he'll be there.”

Back on the floor, Tom was finding it difficult to navigate the bouncing surface and avoid being crushed beneath the Knights' gigantic feet. After a few close calls, they made it into the small chamber where the bathtub stood waiting.

“Oh, no,” whispered Zac. “How could I have forgotten we'd have to ride in that again?”

“How do we get in?” said Tom, his whiskers twitching. “The sides are far too slippery to scramble up.”

They watched as the three Knights clambered in.

“Look,” said Tilly. “There's a gap underneath. We could squeeze in there.”

She was correct, as usual. The bathtub sat inside a metal frame on wheels, and there was a space between the two. It was only a few inches at most, but it was roomy enough for a mouse.

Tom's stumpy mouse legs helped him scrabble up easily, then he turned and helped Zac to hoist Tilly on board. Just as Tilly landed, there were three thunderous thumps that seemed to shake the whole room.

“We're about to go!” squeaked Tom in a tiny, panicked voice. “Hurry up, Zac, c'mon!”

The cart was already beginning to move. Zac sprinted after it. As it picked up speed, his lungs burned and his muscles ached. He couldn't push his miniature legs any faster.

Held in Tom's teeth, Tilly leaned dangerously out of the bathtub toward him.

“Jump, Zac!” she yelled. “JUMP!”

Zac leapt toward the cart. Tilly's hand caught one wrist.

“Whose idea was this?” he said.

“Hold on!” shouted Tilly over the roar of the wheels on the track. “We're going to swing you up. On three . . .”

Zac felt himself being swung backward and forward, building momentum.

“One!”

She was quite strong for a girl.

“Two!”

“I've changed my mind!” he yelled.

“THREE!”

As Zac landed, the bathtub suddenly burst forward in a breathtaking lurch of speed. They'd made it: well, as far as the front door of The Forty Winks, anyway.

At the front door, they watched as Granny stopped next to a peg where several fur coats were hanging. She took one and slipped it on.

“It's still freezing out there,” whispered Tom. “We'll never be able to walk through the snow quickly enough to keep up.”

“We've got to get into one of those coats,” said Tilly. “Inside a pocket or something.”

“Leave it to me,” said Tom, and he scrambled away.

The longest coat was trailing on the ground, and Tom bounded up to it and began to chew into the lining. In a matter of seconds there was a hole just big enough for him to squeeze through. He climbed in and poked his head back out at them, his whiskers twitching proudly.

“How does he manage to look smug, even as a mouse?” puffed Tilly, leaping gaps in the floorboards as she and Zac ran toward her brother.

As soon as they were all safely inside the coat, they felt it being lifted from the peg and heard Cornelius grumbling about it being itchy.

“Guess this is Grandad's coat, then,” said Tom, grinning.

They felt the swish of the coat as Cornelius put it on, and heard the front door being unlocked. Then the door of The Forty Winks slammed behind them and they were off, peering out at the falling snow, as the Knights of Nod trudged through the city streets.