The Frost Child by Eoin McNamee Page B
Authors: Eoin McNamee
Tags: Fiction, General, Fantasy fiction, Children's Books, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Action & Adventure - General, Fantasy & Magic, Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction, Ages 9-12 Fiction, Science Fiction; Fantasy; & Magic, Social Issues, Philosophy, Children: Grades 4-6, Adventure and Adventurers, Friendship, Adventure stories, Fairy Tales; Folklore & Mythology, Social Issues - Friendship, Adventure fiction, Metaphysics, Space and Time
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all noise ceased.
"This is the darkest part of our history," she said. "We have fought the Harsh many times and each time defeated them. But now a mighty fleet is thrown against us, and we all know in our hearts what that means."
Cati held one hand out in front of her.
"We hold the fate of the world in the palm of our hands. We dare not contemplate defeat, though defeat stares us in the face. We must fight with courage. And if courage fails us, then duty must sustain us. We must fight and if need be die for the world, without anyone knowing what we have done. That is the duty of the Resisters. We stand alone."
"Not alone," a clear voice said. Rosie had climbed onto the battlements. "Not while Rosie is here. Hadima stands with the Workhouse!"
There was a great roar from the Resisters, a wave of cheering that rose from the trenches and redoubts along the river and spread to every window and rooftop of the old building. Far below, Contessa turned to Rutgar.
"With courage like that, perhaps we can hold out."
120
"I'm afraid it might take more than courage," Rutgar said heavily, "but we'll do what we can."
On the battlements Cati felt a familiar deadly chill, one that swept over her in the presence of the Harsh.
"They are coming," she said, almost to herself, then out loud: "To war, Resisters. The enemy is on us!"
121
Chapter 12
The skies darkened. With a howling such as none of them had ever heard before, the ice came. Afterward they described it to each other as sleet, but it was more like frozen knives than sleet, and when it hit, it exploded into white powdery crystals that found their way into every crevice of their clothing. The corridors of the Workhouse were filled with the white powder, and Resisters walked blindly in it, unable to call out to each other in the tumult and howling. Some lost their heads and would have run wildly into the white blast, but their comrades restrained them.
Dr. Diamond went among them with his face wrapped in cloth, wearing goggles.
"It isn't the attack!" he shouted. "Keep your heads down. It will be over soon. I can see into the mist with these goggles."
As he finished his sentence, the white hail stopped.
122
The Resisters looked at each other. They were half deafened by the noise and covered in the powdery snow, which hung in the air like fog. The Workhouse slowly emerged like a ghost building.
"What is this?" Cati asked, moving her hand through the freezing powder that swirled in the air.
"It's the cold that built up around the Harsh ships as they sailed through time. When they passed through into our time, the cold reacted with the moisture in the air," Dr. Diamond said.
"Never mind that," Samual snapped. "Where are they now?"
"Not far away," Dr. Diamond said, "not far away."
The lookouts on the battlements saw the ships first, as the icy powder settled on the ground. But it wasn't long before everyone could see them and stood in awe and fear. The Harsh ships had alighted on the ice beyond the shoreline at the harbor. A forest of masts towered above the town, reaching to the horizon, rank upon rank of cold, white warships, their gun ports open and pointing toward the Workhouse. And above them all, on the lead ship, flew the pure white standard of the Harsh.
"How many of them are there?" Rutgar breathed.
"Not as many as you think," Dr. Diamond said, "and I suspect that the crews are small. But still, what a sight!"
Rosie looked up at the Workhouse, the black banner fluttering defiantly above the strong stone walls. But how
123
could they last against the might of the Harsh? On the battlements she could see small figures moving about-- she recognized Dr. Diamond and several other men, struggling with a large object concealed under a tarpaulin. But she didn't have time to think about what they were doing. There was a sudden report from the ships, then another and another. A great whistling sound filled the air, and an ice missile struck the Workhouse wall with a
"This is the darkest part of our history," she said. "We have fought the Harsh many times and each time defeated them. But now a mighty fleet is thrown against us, and we all know in our hearts what that means."
Cati held one hand out in front of her.
"We hold the fate of the world in the palm of our hands. We dare not contemplate defeat, though defeat stares us in the face. We must fight with courage. And if courage fails us, then duty must sustain us. We must fight and if need be die for the world, without anyone knowing what we have done. That is the duty of the Resisters. We stand alone."
"Not alone," a clear voice said. Rosie had climbed onto the battlements. "Not while Rosie is here. Hadima stands with the Workhouse!"
There was a great roar from the Resisters, a wave of cheering that rose from the trenches and redoubts along the river and spread to every window and rooftop of the old building. Far below, Contessa turned to Rutgar.
"With courage like that, perhaps we can hold out."
120
"I'm afraid it might take more than courage," Rutgar said heavily, "but we'll do what we can."
On the battlements Cati felt a familiar deadly chill, one that swept over her in the presence of the Harsh.
"They are coming," she said, almost to herself, then out loud: "To war, Resisters. The enemy is on us!"
121
Chapter 12
The skies darkened. With a howling such as none of them had ever heard before, the ice came. Afterward they described it to each other as sleet, but it was more like frozen knives than sleet, and when it hit, it exploded into white powdery crystals that found their way into every crevice of their clothing. The corridors of the Workhouse were filled with the white powder, and Resisters walked blindly in it, unable to call out to each other in the tumult and howling. Some lost their heads and would have run wildly into the white blast, but their comrades restrained them.
Dr. Diamond went among them with his face wrapped in cloth, wearing goggles.
"It isn't the attack!" he shouted. "Keep your heads down. It will be over soon. I can see into the mist with these goggles."
As he finished his sentence, the white hail stopped.
122
The Resisters looked at each other. They were half deafened by the noise and covered in the powdery snow, which hung in the air like fog. The Workhouse slowly emerged like a ghost building.
"What is this?" Cati asked, moving her hand through the freezing powder that swirled in the air.
"It's the cold that built up around the Harsh ships as they sailed through time. When they passed through into our time, the cold reacted with the moisture in the air," Dr. Diamond said.
"Never mind that," Samual snapped. "Where are they now?"
"Not far away," Dr. Diamond said, "not far away."
The lookouts on the battlements saw the ships first, as the icy powder settled on the ground. But it wasn't long before everyone could see them and stood in awe and fear. The Harsh ships had alighted on the ice beyond the shoreline at the harbor. A forest of masts towered above the town, reaching to the horizon, rank upon rank of cold, white warships, their gun ports open and pointing toward the Workhouse. And above them all, on the lead ship, flew the pure white standard of the Harsh.
"How many of them are there?" Rutgar breathed.
"Not as many as you think," Dr. Diamond said, "and I suspect that the crews are small. But still, what a sight!"
Rosie looked up at the Workhouse, the black banner fluttering defiantly above the strong stone walls. But how
123
could they last against the might of the Harsh? On the battlements she could see small figures moving about-- she recognized Dr. Diamond and several other men, struggling with a large object concealed under a tarpaulin. But she didn't have time to think about what they were doing. There was a sudden report from the ships, then another and another. A great whistling sound filled the air, and an ice missile struck the Workhouse wall with a
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