The Shadow Project

Chapter Forty

In the terrible place that Rory’s world had become, all that separated night from day was whether he could see light under the cell door. When the light was on in the corridor outside, it meant it was day; and he lived in constant terror. When the corridor was in darkness, it meant his captors had gone to sleep. Like vampires, returning to their coffins, giving him a few safe hours to huddle in his bed and cry softly and try to be strong and brave and all the things he wanted to be. But more than anything, he wanted his dad to be here.

He had no idea what time it was or how long he’d been lying there under the sheets, burrowed in tight like a frightened animal. When he heard the cell door open and the footsteps walk across the stone floor towards the bed, every muscle in his body went rigid. A torch-beam scanned the room and he saw its circle of pale light land on the bed, shining through the sheets.

Whoever it was came closer, and he felt icy fingers of panic clench his heart as he thought of the hateful witch-woman who’d done those awful things to him just a few hours before. It was her. He could still feel the touch of the cold blade against his skin. Now she was back for more.

But when he felt someone sit on the edge of the mattress next to him and the warm, gentle hand on his shoulder, he knew it wasn’t her. A joyful thought leapt through him at that moment. His dad was here, come to save him. He threw back the sheet and sat up in bed.

The face he saw, dimly illuminated in the torchlight, wasn’t his father’s. It was the short, ruddy-faced man who’d been bringing him his food.

Rory eyed him uncertainly. ‘What do you want, Ivan?’ he said with all the strength and confidence he could muster. There was still a shake in his voice, and he felt dizzy and sick.

Ivan put his finger to his lips. ‘Shh. They do not know I am here,’ he whispered in that thick accent of his. He flashed the light furtively back at the door, then let it shine back on his face. Rory could see the anger in his eyes.

‘They should not have done that to you. I would not have allowed such a thing to happen. You must understand this, Rory.’ Ivan reached into his pocket, brought something out and offered it to him.

Rory looked at it. It was a chocolate bar. He tore off the wrapper and ate greedily.

Ivan smiled as he watched him. ‘Good,’ he whispered. ‘Eat. Get strong. You will need your energy.’

Rory chewed and swallowed until there was nothing left. Ivan gently took the wrapper from his fingers, stuffed it back in his pocket and handed him a tissue. ‘Wipe your mouth with this. They must not know I brought you chocolate. They would kill me.’

Rory wiped the flecks of chocolate from the corners of his mouth and gave the tissue back to Ivan. ‘Why?’ he asked the man.

‘Listen to me carefully. I am not one of them. I am here to spy on them.’

Rory’s eyes widened and his heart began to thump. ‘Are you a cop?’

‘A special agent,’ Ivan whispered. ‘And I will get you out of here.’

‘When?’

‘Soon. Very soon, I promise you. But you must trust me. Will you trust me, Rory?’ Rory nodded quickly.

‘Thank you. I know it is hard for you, and you are very scared. You are a good, brave boy.’

‘Where’s my dad? Is he here?’

‘Shh. I think someone is coming.’ Ivan turned off the torch, plunging the room into darkness. They both stared in the direction of the cell door. Any second now, Rory imagined the light was going to come on in the corridor and that woman was going to come marching in with the guards and find them together. They’d take Ivan away and kill him, and then he’d be alone again.

But nothing happened. The corridor remained dark and quiet.

Ivan let out a sigh of relief and turned the torch back on, shading its beam with his hand so that his face was half-lit and full of shadows. ‘It is too dangerous for me to be here,’ he whispered. ‘I must go. I just wanted you to know that you have a friend in this place. I will not let them harm you. Everything will be fine. You have my word.’

‘Ivan—’

‘I will be back. Get some rest,’ Ivan whispered. Then he slipped out of the door and Rory heard the soft click of the lock.