The Void of Mist and Thunder (The 13th Reality #4) by James Dashner Page A
Authors: James Dashner
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saved, but then would’ve floated around in the outskirts of the Nonex for the rest of my life. That place wasn’t fun, let me tell ya.”
Tick’s mom shook her head, looking half sad, half angry. “Jane and Chu appeared at the same time, lying on the same spot you did. The women didn’t know that you were the one who’d opened up a doorway so they could reach them in the first place. Not that they would’ve done anything to return the favor—who knows?—but as soon as those two appeared, the almighty Ladies of Blood and Sorrow were done, totally ignoring our pleas to keep helping us so we could pull you in.”
“Where did they go?” Tick asked. “Jane and Chu.”
Lisa spoke up. “Mistress Jane marched off, her fancy red mask all scrunched up in anger. You’d think she’d have been happy after all that.”
“And Chu?”
Lisa glanced at their mom, who provided the answer. “He had a crazy look in his eyes. He said he finally knew how to ‘finish his plans.’ I think that’s how he put it. Then he disappeared, winked away before the Ladies could stop him. Maybe he had people waiting for his signal to reappear back in the Realities.”
Tick swallowed, realizing with a lump in his throat that he’d been the one who’d provided the opportunity for Reginald Chu—one of the most dangerous men in the Realities, who’d proven he wanted nothing but power at any cost—to come back from a prison he could’ve never escaped alone.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have done that,” Tick whispered.
Chapter 21
Rapping at the Door
Master George lay his head back on the pillow, almost ashamed at how good it felt. He and Rutger had been working tirelessly for hours and hours, searching through all the data and reports from Mothball and Sally. Things were looking grim. Everywhere.
But the worst of it was what they didn’t know. The disastrous results of Jane’s meddling with dark matter had done something to the Realities. Something terrible. A lasting, lingering effect that they didn’t quite understand yet. It had to do with links between the dimensions that weren’t supposed to be there—rifts in the fabric of Reality appearing out of nowhere and killing people. Reports of gray fog and lightning and terrible thunder. George could scarcely hope they’d be able to understand it, much less do anything about it.
But even the greatest minds needed rest. Even his. The lights were off, the bed soft, the pillow even softer. Muffintops—the best cat ever—was snuggled against his chest. If he could just sleep for one solid hour. That would do wonders for his—
Someone started pounding on his door, solid thumps with a squeezed fist, by the sound of it. George yelped, and Muffintops screeched, clawing him as she dug in her claws then jumped onto the ground. George’s heart was practically lodged in his throat. The knocking continued without stopping.
Of course, it could only be Rutger.
“What is it?” George yelled from his bed. “Rutger, stop that incessant pounding! This instant!”
Rutger didn’t stop, and was, in fact, saying some muffled words that George couldn’t hear over the knocking. Sighing, he flipped off his covers and headed for the door, his disappointment at missing a nap overshadowed by dread. As excitable as Rutger was, he wouldn’t be making this much fuss unless something bad had happened.
When George ripped open the door, Rutger almost fell down as his arm swung forward for another rap on the wooden door that was no longer there. He righted himself and looked up at his boss. George’s heart lifted when he saw the huge smile on the little man’s face.
“What is it?” George asked. “Goodness gracious me, you just about gave this old bear a heart attack!”
Rutger was breathing heavily, and he fought to control it. After starting and stopping several times, he finally got the words out, “Master Atticus is back! Tick is back! I’ve spotted him in the Thirteenth Reality,
Tick’s mom shook her head, looking half sad, half angry. “Jane and Chu appeared at the same time, lying on the same spot you did. The women didn’t know that you were the one who’d opened up a doorway so they could reach them in the first place. Not that they would’ve done anything to return the favor—who knows?—but as soon as those two appeared, the almighty Ladies of Blood and Sorrow were done, totally ignoring our pleas to keep helping us so we could pull you in.”
“Where did they go?” Tick asked. “Jane and Chu.”
Lisa spoke up. “Mistress Jane marched off, her fancy red mask all scrunched up in anger. You’d think she’d have been happy after all that.”
“And Chu?”
Lisa glanced at their mom, who provided the answer. “He had a crazy look in his eyes. He said he finally knew how to ‘finish his plans.’ I think that’s how he put it. Then he disappeared, winked away before the Ladies could stop him. Maybe he had people waiting for his signal to reappear back in the Realities.”
Tick swallowed, realizing with a lump in his throat that he’d been the one who’d provided the opportunity for Reginald Chu—one of the most dangerous men in the Realities, who’d proven he wanted nothing but power at any cost—to come back from a prison he could’ve never escaped alone.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have done that,” Tick whispered.
Chapter 21
Rapping at the Door
Master George lay his head back on the pillow, almost ashamed at how good it felt. He and Rutger had been working tirelessly for hours and hours, searching through all the data and reports from Mothball and Sally. Things were looking grim. Everywhere.
But the worst of it was what they didn’t know. The disastrous results of Jane’s meddling with dark matter had done something to the Realities. Something terrible. A lasting, lingering effect that they didn’t quite understand yet. It had to do with links between the dimensions that weren’t supposed to be there—rifts in the fabric of Reality appearing out of nowhere and killing people. Reports of gray fog and lightning and terrible thunder. George could scarcely hope they’d be able to understand it, much less do anything about it.
But even the greatest minds needed rest. Even his. The lights were off, the bed soft, the pillow even softer. Muffintops—the best cat ever—was snuggled against his chest. If he could just sleep for one solid hour. That would do wonders for his—
Someone started pounding on his door, solid thumps with a squeezed fist, by the sound of it. George yelped, and Muffintops screeched, clawing him as she dug in her claws then jumped onto the ground. George’s heart was practically lodged in his throat. The knocking continued without stopping.
Of course, it could only be Rutger.
“What is it?” George yelled from his bed. “Rutger, stop that incessant pounding! This instant!”
Rutger didn’t stop, and was, in fact, saying some muffled words that George couldn’t hear over the knocking. Sighing, he flipped off his covers and headed for the door, his disappointment at missing a nap overshadowed by dread. As excitable as Rutger was, he wouldn’t be making this much fuss unless something bad had happened.
When George ripped open the door, Rutger almost fell down as his arm swung forward for another rap on the wooden door that was no longer there. He righted himself and looked up at his boss. George’s heart lifted when he saw the huge smile on the little man’s face.
“What is it?” George asked. “Goodness gracious me, you just about gave this old bear a heart attack!”
Rutger was breathing heavily, and he fought to control it. After starting and stopping several times, he finally got the words out, “Master Atticus is back! Tick is back! I’ve spotted him in the Thirteenth Reality,
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