This Midnight

Chapter One: Capturing Candy

The Criss-Cross Man's hands tightened around the top of Candy's arm as he pulled her across the room towards the door. Malingo looked on horrified as his best friend was taken away from him. He struggled towards her, but the two evil looking Stitchlings were holding him too securely. They didn't understand friendship, so they didn't understand why he was shouting. They weren't going to hurt him, so why was he struggling.

Candy fought back her tears. She had tried so hard to avoid Lord Carrion's minions, yet she hadn't been fast enough this time. She couldn't believe that it could all be over now, not after she had come so far. She looked at her friend's face, the friend that had welcomed her with open arms, despite her desperate situation. Was he regretting that decision now? She wished that he would turn his back on her, just so that the Stitchlings would leave him alone. But she knew that it was an empty wish, as she was scared of being alone. Selfishly she wanted him with her, too afraid of what her fate would be.

"Come on Miss, don't make me hurt you now," Houlihan warned with a false care. The smile on his face told Candy that he'd enjoy breaking her arm, if she gave him the chance. "Lord carrion wants to meet you, so you had better stop wriggling and start complying. You're not going to escape this time girl."

His words only enraged her more, and she struggled harder. Continuing to fight, until Houlihan twisted her arm round her back and sent her to the floor screaming.

"Stop that! Leave her alone!" Malingo shouted as Candy screamed, but he could do nothing more than shout. The Stitchlings held him fast, stronger than regular men, never yielding, never growing tired.

Houlihan looked around and grinned at him in triumph.

"Quiet freak! Or I'll chop her arm off!" he jeered with an evil glint in his eye. This was the part of the job that he loved. Holding people in his power, hearing them beg. It was only later, when he delivered them to Prince Carrion, that they wished they'd begged him for death, rather than freedom.

Malingo quietened immediately. He didn't know that Houlihan was bluffing, as far as he knew they were both going to their deaths. Or at least Candy was, they didn't seem to care about him, he just happened to be in the way. But he would rather go with Candy than be left behind. She was his only friend. She hadn't abandoned him when he'd needed help, so he would rather die than leave her.

"Now girl, have you had enough? Or are you going to carry on fighting me?" Houlihan asked of Candy.

Candy stopped moving and licked one of her tears off of her top lip. The Criss-Cross Man was right; she couldn't escape this time. But she wasn't going to make it too easy for him. She looked Houlihan straight in the eye, and said:

"I'd rather die than meet that man!"

Houlihan's teeth gritted as if he was holding himself back.

"Would you rather your friend die instead then? I can't kill you Miss, but I can kill him," he said pointing at Malingo.

Candy froze in terror. She didn't want Malingo to be hurt because of her; she'd do anything to keep him from death; even meeting Lord Carrion and quite probably dieing herself. Houlihan laughed.

"I didn't think so. Take the Geshrat to the ship," he ordered then turned his attention back to Candy. "If you behave like a lady, and greet the Lord of Midnight civilly, not like a screaming animal, your friend will live, I give my word. It will also be in you best interest to speak with respect."

Houlihan felt better after imparting that information, he'd done his bit. If she made Lord Carrion angry now it would be her own fault. But Candy didn't care for his advice.

"Respect?" she spat. "How can I respect a man that has had me captured?"

"You haven't been captured," Houlihan assured her. "But your persistent avoidance of his invitation has resorted to this. No one, not even girls from the hereafter are allowed to disrespect Lord Carrion."

"Says who?" Candy asked angrily.

"Says me! Now get moving or I'll change my mind about your friend."


Christopher Carrion was pacing the deadly herb garden, his boots crunching over dead leaves and bugs that couldn't move fast enough. All he could think of was Candy Quackenbush. He wanted to tell her everything. Everything he had ever done, everything he had ever seen, everything he had ever thought, and hear her forgive him for it.

Ever since he had seen her face, he had seen it behind his closed eyelids every time he shut his eyes to the world.

Candy.

Something about her reminded him of something he had forgotten.

Something about her was powerful.

And something about her belonged to him.

Suddenly he was aware that he was no longer alone in his garden, and turned around accusingly. If someone had chosen to spy on his solitude, they would find their choice badly made.

"My Lord," the manservant ventured, making a quick bow and keeping his distance.

It was no good being shy or frightened in front of Lord Carrion; it only served to make him cruel. It was best just to say what you had to, as fast as you could, before he had a chance to kill you.

"Candy Quackenbush has been apprehended and brought to Midnight. She is now in one of the holding cells awaiting your majesty."

"A holding cell?"

Carrion's voice was dangerous. He hadn't liked what he had heard and the manservant knew why; you didn't go putting ladies in cells, it just wasn't done.

"Apparently there was some disturbance onboard the Wormwood, she was restrained and placed in the cell."

Carrion's hands clenched.

"Out of my way," he ordered striding past. "A disturbance is a very diplomatic way of saying she has been knocked about. I did not order that!" he told Houlihan as he spotted him hovering at the entrance.

Houlihan, hoping for praise was sorely disappointed.

"Bring her to me!" Carrion ordered walking away.


"Get off me!" Candy screamed as she was hauled onto the Wormwood. "No, I don't want to go!" she screamed digging her heels into the decking.

To Candy, the reality of where she was being taken had finally dawned upon her. To Candy, she was sure she was travelling towards her death. The picture on the map, of the dark island of Midnight, surrounded by red mist loomed in her mind. Klepp's Almanac held nothing to prepare her, but myths and warnings.

"Shut up girl, Carrion's orders are not to be argued with!" Houlihan told her, dragging her down into the hold of the ship. He would have let her roam free had she accepted her fate, but she would not stop fighting.

"I don't want to die!" Candy screamed, delirious and frightened. Her hands grasped at anything they could reach, but Houlihan ripped them away.

"Silence!" he demanded.

Candy began to cry loudly. Fear had reduced her to a shuddering wreck and she was behaving like a wild animal. Cornered and convinced that she'd never see the light of day again.

Houlihan had had enough. He raised his hand and hit her heavily across the side of her head. The blow stunned her, bright sparks exploded in front of her eyes, before a wave of tiredness followed. She needed to sleep, and fell down on the deck with a loud bump.

"Candy!" Malingo screeched.

"That's enough from you," Houlihan warned Malingo. "Take the girl and the rat down below."


Candy was huddled in the corner of her cell. She had no idea where they had taken Malingo, and was so stressed that she had lost all concept of time and space. All she knew was that she was trapped. In the darkness Candy's eyes looked here and there without seeing anything. Eventually she heard footsteps outside and the door was opened. Torchlight fell over her tearstained face.

"Girl, the Lord of Midnight will see you now," the guard told her. "You will address him as 'My Lord' or 'Your highness' if you are bidden to speak, otherwise you will hold your tongue. Do you understand?"

"Where is Malingo?" Candy challenged scrabbling to her feet.

"I said, do you understand? You friend is of no importance!" he shouted at her.

Candy shrank further away from him in her cell.

"Get her out of there, and bring her upstairs. The Criss-Cross Man will escort her to the Prince."

Candy was dragged through corridors and upstairs until she saw someone she recognised.

"Where's Malingo?" she asked again.

Houlihan's eyes darkened in anger.

"I have already told you girl, he will be safe as long as you play along. I don't know what he wants with you, but you are nothing to me so don't think yourself important now. Wipe your face, you're about to meet Prince Carrion."

Candy did as he instructed and wiped her tears on her sleeve. She didn't know why she was here, but she was going to play this by ear. She had to be strong to survive this, and she was determined she wouldn't cry again, no matter what they did to her next.

The door opened for them, and Candy was pushed roughly into the dimly lit room. She almost lost her balance, which she suspected was what Houlihan wanted, but she remained upright and looked around in the dark.

Someone much taller than her, and much stronger looking too was standing at the window, looking down on his kingdom. Christopher Carrion's silhouette was just as she had imagined it. She didn't know why, for she had never seen him before, but that was how a prince should be. Frightening, fearsome, domineering.

"My Lord," Houlihan said dropping to his knees.

For some strange reason Candy felt she should do the same thing, but she ignored it. She wasn't about to grovel at the feet of anyone, prince or no.

"Houlihan, welcome home," Carrion said as if he hadn't met him a few minutes ago in the garden. "Is that the girl?"

He said all of this from his place at the window. Candy didn't remember him turning around, but now he was looking at her, she knew because she could feel his eyes, even if she couldn't see them.

"Yes, Candy Quackenbush."

"Very good, very good," Carrion said softly making Candy shudder as if cold. "Take a seat Candy Quackenbush."

Candy looked quickly at Houlihan. This horrid man that had so filled her with fear was now bowing low to the ground, in fear for himself. This worried Candy greatly, and she took a few hurried steps forward and sat down; as quick as she could manage before her legs gave out.