Chapter 2: Desperate Elinor
It had been weeks since Orpheus had vanished into thin air, like he never existed, like the wind blew him away along with all the nasty memories of him being here. Elinor was lonely, even with Darius around. However much Darius tried to comfort her Elinor just grew more and more desperate to be in the Inkworld, with Mo, Resa and Meggie. Her books didn't even give her comfort, they just brought back memories, sad or happy, of days when Mo, Resa and Meggie were there, The memories that lasted barely a year. They brought back memories of the little glass men living in the attic, the brownies living in her huge trees and the fairies, finding Meggie sitting in the library and seeing Mo working in his shop with Resa curled up next to him. Faded Memories…
Sugar had long gone, a good thing he didn't get all of Elinor's money, or she'd be dead broke, In fact, he got quite a small amount. What a cheapskate Orpheus. Elinor had thought. That no-good-for-nothing bastard. Although Elinor didn't feel any pity on how little Orpheus was paying Sugar. After how Sugar had been treating them. She still had the paper but what good was the paper Orpheus left behind? Darius had explained too many times how, if he read them there, they might end up in the Inkworld deaf, blind maybe even mute like Resa had been when Darius had read her into Capricorn's church. But the need to be in the Inkworld banished the fears of Elinor, she didn't care at all how she would end up there. She cared not a single bit.
It was late in the night when Elinor got out of her room. Whether Darius liked it or not, he was going to read the 2 of them into the Inkworld. Elinor didn't care if it took him the entire night to get it correct, even the entire day! As long as she would once again be reunited with her beloved family.
Elinor crept through the hallway, the magic the night once had was gone. The magic of fairy dust falling from trees, fairies chasing each other around Elinor's large garden, the dancing of the glass men pounding their feet –which sounded like tiny tiptoes- on the floor when they got restless. The loud snoring noises of the Brownies which mingled with the fairies, putting up arguments, trying to wake the brownies. The small sounds that could be heard from Mo's workshop, as he worked, and the way she'd find Meggie in her library when she couldn't sleep, Resa beside her. All gone. The night was silent, as if it had been shut down, and all the remained was darkness, dark and cold as Capricorn's heart. She felt tears coming down on her eyes. Heavens above Elinor! She told herself. Do you really have to cry? She walked faster now, like a little child afraid of the dark.
She finally got to Darius' room. Was he asleep already? 'It won't matter, I'll just wake him up'. thought Elinor. And if he's too tired to read, well then, that's no excuse. I'll just bring him to the kitchen and make him some coffee. That'll wake him. You're a genius Elinor, for the first time in weeks she managed a small grin. Then she knocked on the door. No answer came from inside, not even the slightest hint of movement was inside the room. A horrible thought came into her head, she saw Basta's knife, and Basta swinging it around like a child with a new toy, as she had so often seen in her dreams. He's asleep Elinor told herself, Just asleep, you're always so quick to think the worst. Curse it, He's Asleep Elinor! She didn't try knocking again, she just tried opening it. Locked.
Heavens above, Now I have to go down and get the key. Cursing quietly, Elinor walked back downstairs, this walk seemed longer, because fear mingled with the darkness. Suppose something had happened to Darius? Suppose…Suppose…Look at yourself Elinor! Stop thinking like this! You're behaving like a child! But…Darius never locks his door! Aghhh!!! Elinor felt like her head would explode any second now.
Elinor finally got the key, she walked very rapidly this time. Like she was being chased by Basta, Flatnose and their dogs once again. Then she was finally in front of the door. She felt like turning back, then she cursed herself. You're thinking like a child Elinor. It's just a door! Heavens above, you're staring at it as if some monster will emerge from it any second now. She smacked her head, like all the fear would be smacked away too, but it wasn't. Her hands shook as she turned they key in the lock then finally she hesitantly creaked the door open. She looked into the room, and her face went pale.