3. Withdrawal

Will walked up the driveway and slid his key in the lock.
'Hello?!'
No answer. Then he saw a note on the floor, it was from Mary.

Will! Elaine was feeling bored, so we've gone up to Oxford to pay a visit to the Botanic Garden.

Back later! Mary + Elaine (xxx)

*thud*thud*thud*thud*
Moxie (now considerably thinner than before) came tearing down the stairs and crashed into Will's leg.
'Hello there Moxie.'
The tabby rubbed against Kirjava, who meowed in response.
'Don't act like nothing happened Will.'
'Nothing new happened.'
'That's not the point- they know far more than we ever thought.'
Will moaned.
'Not now. Let's have some music and we'll sort this out later.'
They both walked into the living room and Will started flicking through CDs. He picked one out and looked at it in distate. '"Now 39". What was I thinking?'
'Bit of Radiohead? Muse?'
Will replaced the accursed CD and pushed the play button, hoping for the best.

#I am the key to the lock in your house
That keeps your toys in the basement#

Will sank down into the sofa and screwed up his fists into his hair.
'I miss her so much!'

#and either way you turn,
I'll be there,
Open up your skull,
I'll be there…#

'Everything has it's own time.'

#…Climbing up the walls…#

Will got up and switched off the stereo.
'Sooner or later we'll have to move on.'
Will knew, and so did she. But he didn't want to move on. It was like feeling ill, that feeling that something is wrong or missing. And there was only one thing that could cure it.
He picked up a cushion from the sofa and flung it across the room then stomped off up to his room. Kirjava waited a second or so, then followed.

She reached the landing where Will was waiting for her. Will picked up his dæmon and held her close, leaning against the wall with eyes tight shut.
(things will get better) came the voice from her.

Taking strength from her, Will stumbled to his room and flopped down onto his bed.
But as much as he wanted to, he couldn't sleep.
Instead he sat up and looked out of his window. The man across the road was mowing his lawn; the women down the road was taking in shopping from her car, with several yapping kids struggling with heavy items like bottles and boxes of washing detergent.
There was a Mercedes with darkened glass. Truly, they sucked at staying hidden, thought Will. The front left window of the car opened a crack and some binoculars peered out.
Will waved.
He didn't fear them really. He just feared the fact that he didn't know what they'd do next. The police had withdrawn from the case of the man Will killed as if they'd got bored of it.
Mary had dark ideas about this, but Will didn't have a lot to lose- so it didn't really matter.

Will had chosen to tell his mother what had happened bit by bit, so she could take it in. Too much at once and he risked damaging her delicate thoughts. She was distressed at Will's killing of the man, but her reaction wouldn't truly show through until she came to terms with it.
'Speak of the devil' said Kirjava suddenly
A car rounded to corner- Mary's car. Will could see his mum in the passenger seat, but could not see her face.
They went downstairs and put the kettle on. Happy or sad, Will would make a cheery welcome.
'Hullo Will,' said Mary, stepping into the hall. She nodded at Kirjava- who meowed again.
'Hi- I got the kettle on. Have a nice afternoon?'
'You should ask you mother.'
Will looked to her. She seemed much clearer than she had that morning.
'Oh- it was lovely. It's so nice there. There was this little area with a single bench all on it's own. So peaceful.'
Will shut his eyes, and then opened them again. Strength comes to those who need it.
'Kettle's boiled.' Said Mary to break the silence.
Will walked back into the kitchen and poured three cups of tea, and they all sat down. 'Anything interesting happen to you today Will?' said Mary, looking out the front window to where the Mercedes was parked.
'H'mm.'
'Will,' began Elaine, leaning forward, 'I've seen a change in you, and I can see how much you've done for me. I can see this you are going to change a lot. You can say what you like. There's little you can do to surprise me now…'
'H'mm.' he repeated, 'Well, I bumped into that pale haired bloke again.'
'And he chased you?'
'Heh- we gave him a run for his money. He caught us in the end, but we escaped. Listen, the people he comes from, they know everything-'
'Everything?' said Mary,
'Well, not everything, but loads more than I thought. He's spoken to that Father MacPhaile bloke. And I don't know if you saw it, but there's another one of those black cars outside.'
'There's not much we can do about that, we'll have to wait and see what they do. Will, make sure you lock up properly when you go out, and you'd better put the knife in a safe place.'
'OK. I'm going upstairs for a bit…'
Will and Kirjava returned to Will's bedroom and took down a frame from above his bed.
In it was the Subtle Knife, the pieces arranged in their correct positions, but slightly apart.
Well, there were plenty of places to hide it.
Kirjava's idea was the sewing machine, but as Will pointed out, that wasn't going to stay hidden forever.
'What about the attic?' suggested Will, 'That's difficult to get to as well.'
'H'mm, let's take a look.'
They fetched the ladder from the garage and climbed up with a torch. Will clicked the light switch on and off, but the bulb had long gone.
Flashing the torch about, they saw about a third of the floor had boards across it, but the rest was just rafters.
The torch fell on an old lock box with the key in it. He clambered across and opened it. Inside they saw a few old pennies and a shilling, but taped under the lid was a tarnished silver locket.
'Wonder how long that's been there…' said Will, he clicked it open and squinted at the sides in the dim light. 'I don't believe it-'
'That's Mum, and that's got to be dad, look you can see it in his face.'
There was no doubt about it, the man on the right was clearly his father, John Parry.
'Let's get this out of here,'
Will took the knife fragments out of the frame and locked them in the box, then he pushed it under one of the floorboards and climbed down the ladder, taking the key and the locket with him.