Thief of Time

The narrow stairs led up onto a large, bare landing. Boxes were stacked here and there.

“The attics,” said Susan. “Hold on… What's that sign for?”

“‘Keep left’,” Lobsang read. “Well, if they have to move heavy items around—”

“Look at the sign, will you?” said Susan. “Don't see what you expect to see, see what's in front of you!”

Lobsang looked.

“What a stupid sign,” he said.

“Hmm. Interesting, certainly,” said Susan. “Which way do you think we should go? I don't think it'll take them too long to decide to follow us.”

“We're so close! Any passage might do!” said Lobsang.

“Any passage it is, then.”

Susan headed for a narrow gap between packing cases. Lobsang followed.

“What do you mean, decide?” he said, as they entered the gloom.

“The sign on the stairs said there was no admittance.”

“You mean they'll disobey it?” He stopped.

“Eventually. But they'll have a terrible feeling that they ought not to. They obey rules. They are the rules, in a way.”

“But you can't obey the Keep Left/Right sign, no matter what you do… oh, I see…”

“Isn't learning fun? Oh, and here's another one.”

DO NOT FEED THE ELEPHANT.

“Now that,” said Susan, “is good. You can't obey it…”

“…because there's no elephant,” said Lobsang. “I think I'm getting the hang of this…”

“It's an Auditor trap,” said Susan, peering at a packing case.

“Here's another good one,” said Lobsang.

IGNORE THIS SIGN.

By order

“Nice touch,” Susan agreed, “but I'm wondering… who put up the signs?”

There were voices, someone behind them. They were low, but then one was suddenly raised.

“ –says Left but points Right! It has no sense!”

“The fault is yours! We disobeyed the first sign! Woe to them that stray onto the pathway of irregularity!”

“Don't you give me that, you organic thing! I raise my voice at you, you—”

There was a soft sound, a choking noise, and a scream that dopplered into nothing.

“Are they fighting one another?” said Lobsang.

“We can only hope so. Let's move,” said Susan. They crept on, weaving through the maze of spaces between the crates, and past a sign saying:

DUCK

“Ah… now we're getting metaphysical,” said Susan.

“Why duck?” said Lobsang.

“Why indeed?”

Somewhere amongst the cases a voice reached the end of its tether.

“What organic damn elephant? Where is the elephant?”

“There is no elephant!”

“How can there be a sign, then?”

“It is a—”

…And once again the little choke, and the vanishing scream. And then… running footsteps.

Susan and Lobsang backed into the shadows, and then Susan said, “What have I put my foot in?”

She reached down and picked up the soft, sticky mess. And as she rose, she saw the Auditor come round the corner.

It was wild-eyed and frantic. It focused on the pair of them with difficulty, as if trying to remember who and what they were. But it was holding a sword, and holding it correctly.

A figure rose up behind it. One hand grabbed it by the hair and jerked its head back. The other was thrust over its open mouth.

The Auditor struggled for a moment, and then went rigid.

And then disintegrated, tiny particles spinning away and disappearing into nothing.

For a moment the last few handfuls tried to form, in the air, the shape of a small cowled figure. Then it, too, was dragged apart, with a faint scream that was heard via the hairs on the back of the neck.

Susan glared at the figure in front of her.

“You're a… you can't be a… what are you?” she demanded.

The figure was silent. This might have been because thick cloth covered its nose and mouth. Heavy gloves encased its hands, too. And this was odd, because most of the rest of it was wearing a sequinned evening gown. And a mink stole. And a knapsack. And a huge picture hat with enough feathers to make three rare species totally extinct.

The figure rummaged in the knapsack, and then thrust out a piece of dark brown paper, as if proffering holy writ. Lobsang took it with care.

“It says here ‘Higgs & Meakins Luxury Assortment’,” he said. “Caramel Crunch, Hazelnut Surprise… They're chocolates?”

Susan opened her hand and looked at the crushed Strawberry Whirl she had picked up. She gave the figure a careful look.

“How did you know that would work?” she said.

“Please! You have nothing to fear from me,” said the muffled voice through the bandages. “I'm down to the ones with the nuts in now, and they don't melt very quickly.”

“Sorry?” said Lobsang. “You just killed an Auditor with a chocolate?”

“My last Orange Creme, yes. We are exposed here. Come with me.”

“An Auditor…” Susan breathed. “You're an Auditor too. Aren't you? Why should I trust you?”

“There isn't anyone else.”