The Book of Doom - By Barry Hutchison Page 0,63
true.”
Murmur stood up. Angelo almost became one with the wall behind him. “Search your feelings,” urged the demon. “You know it to be true.”
Angelo blinked. “That’s from Star Wars. You nicked that from Star Wars.”
Embarrassment darted across Murmur’s face. “What? Um. Yes, well—”
“The Empire Strikes Back. The bit at the end.”
“Yes, well, I wasn’t sure how to break it to you. It’s big news, let’s face it. I thought I’d better do some research first.”
Angelo stared in disbelief. “And you thought Darth Vader was a good role model to follow? Darth Vader? What’s next? Chopping my hand off with a light sabre?”
“I haven’t got a light sabre,” Murmur said, shaking his head. He smiled at the thought. “Although, wouldn’t that be brilliant?”
“It would be brilliant,” Angelo conceded. “But can we get back to the point? You’re not my father.”
“Search your feelings, Angelo,” said Murmur. “Oh, wait, I’ve done that bit, haven’t I?”
“Yes.”
Murmur nodded. “Right. Sorry, I’m not making a very good...”
He sat back down on the bed and words began to tumble out of him. “We were in Limbo. You know, on one of them team-building weekends? Archery, abseiling, goat sacrifice. The usual. I was sent to the Junk Room – that’s where they keep all the equipment.”
The demon’s voice trailed off into a wistful smile. “And that’s where I met Laila. That’s where I met your mother.” He gave himself a shake, snapping himself back to the present. “Turned out Heaven was having its own team-building thing, and she’d been sent to the Junk Room too. I was picking up some chainsaws; she was bringing back a canoe.”
“A canoe?”
“Yes. Don’t know why. No water in Limbo, but it didn’t occur to me to ask. I was too busy staring. She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. We started to talk, really hit it off, despite everything. We arranged to meet again later that night. One thing led to another and, well, I’m sure you can figure out what happened next.”
Angelo’s brow furrowed. “What happened next?”
Murmur’s cheeks reddened. “You know.”
“No, I don’t,” said Angelo blankly. “What happened next?”
The demon twitched nervously. “We, uh, well, we... had a baby.”
Angelo drew in a sharp breath. “Me.”
“You.”
“No, that’s not...” Angelo began, but he ran out of steam there. He stared at the demon. “Are you telling the truth?” he asked. “Are you really my dad?”
Murmur nodded. “’Fraid so,” he said.
“No, but that means...” Angelo felt his stomach twist as the realisation hit him. “No, but that means I’m half... half...”
“Demon.”
“That means I’m half demon!”
Murmur nodded again. “You are.”
“But, but I don’t want to be a demon,” said Angelo. His jaw tightened as he fought against tears. “Demons are evil.”
“Mostly,” the demon conceded. “But you’re only half demon. You don’t have to be evil. You can be anything you like.”
They looked at each other in silence for a long time. It was Angelo who eventually broke it.
“So what now?” he asked.
Murmur shrugged. “Wrestling?”
“Wrestling?”
“That’s a suitable father-son activity, isn’t it? Or fishing? You can catch some big ones in the Styx. Unless they catch you first. Or we could build a tree house? I don’t know. I’ve never done this before. You’re the only son I’ve got.”
A low creak made the room vibrate. Murmur’s eyes went wide. “No, no, no,” he said. “Not yet. Not already.”
“What is it?”
“They’ve found us.”
“Who’s found us?”
“Them. Haures and the others. I wasn’t supposed to be here. I wasn’t supposed to tell you any of this, but, well... I had to see you,” he swallowed, “son. I had to see you just once.”
The creak became a rumble. Half a dozen of Angelo’s books vibrated off his shelves. “What’s happening?” Angelo asked.
Murmur’s voice was a whisper. “They’re coming. Shout for your friend.”
“What?”
“Your friend. Shout for him. You’re safer together than apart.”
Murmur gestured towards the wall. The door was suddenly back where it had always been. Angelo reached for the handle, but a sharp cry from Murmur stopped him.
“No! Don’t go out there, you’ll get lost. Call for your friend.” He grabbed Angelo by the upper arms. There was fear flickering behind the flames in the demon’s eyes. “You hear me, son? Call your friend. I know I’ve got no right to say this, but you have to trust me. Call your friend. Now!”
Angelo hesitated, then he turned to the door, opened his mouth and shouted Zac’s name as loudly as he could.
Zac turned towards the kitchen door. “What was that?”
In the chair, Phillip shook his head. “Nothing. Ignore it.