Edgar released the doctor's arm, his hand dropped down onto the bed, and made one last comment before he went silent and exhaled.
Sam heard the words perfectly from where he was
standing. "Hmmm... That's an interesting thing to say."
"Edgar?
Can you hear me?" The doctor
shook Edgar several time, but no movement came.
He felt Edgar's neck for a pulse.
Edgar Allan Poe was dead.
Outside, somewhere, a bell tolled five times.
The other two men in the doorway wore dark suits and
hats. Sam thought they looked like
undertakers. One remained in the
doorway; while the other went to the foot of the bed. Both watching and waiting for the doctor.
The men took off their hats. The one at the end of the bed spoke
first. "Edgar Allan Poe is
dead. Such a sad day for literature."
Stunned, Sam walked up next to the doctor and looked
down at Edgar's face.
Sam teared up, wishing that he had paid closer
attention. "Mr. Poe, I really liked
your stories."
The doctor pulled the sheet up over Poe's face, then
turned to leave. He paused to pat his
forehead with a handkerchief, then walked over to the man in the doorway. Sam thought he was going to speak to him, but
instead he walked right through him and out into the hall.
Sam's eyes got wide.
Before he could move or speak, the man in the doorway grabbed him,
holding him tight with one hand over Sam's mouth.
"We've got you now, boy! Don't bother to struggle or yell. No one's coming for you."
The other one pulled a white piece of cloth from his
pocket and tied it over Sam's mouth, then grabbed his wrists and tied them with
rope.
Sam recognized him.
From the great hall of the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum
in New York City. It was Vincent. Now it became clear. He was being watched,
lured here to be kidnapped.
"Well Tinean, the Doctor will be very pleased." With a tight hold on Sam, Tinean was
unprepared for a blow to the shin. Sam
kicked him hard and tried to run. Unable
to untie his hands, Sam staggered down the hall, trying to push the cloth out
of his mouth. Right behind him, Vincent reached
out grabbing Sam, but toppled off to one side.
From his belt, Tinean pulled off a whip. With a single crack, the whip was wrapped
around Sam's ankles. Sam fell to the
floor. Before he could move, Tinean
grabbed him.
"You little bastard." Tinean raised a hand to slap Sam, but Vincent
grabbed his wrist.
"No. I won't allow that. You never strike a child." Vincent stood up to Tinean and pulled Sam
closer, away from Tinean. "The
Doctor's instructions were clear.
Unharmed. We are to bring the boy
back unharmed."
Tinean glared at Vincent, then Sam. Relaxing a little, Tinean composed himself,
recoiled his whip, and straightened his overcoat.
"Very well, but be warned, boy. Do that again and I'll cut you." Tinean pulled out a short machete from the holster
strapped to his leg.
"Behave," said Vincent, staring at Tinean. "Fine. Let's be off. This means we'll have to carry him."
No comments:
Post a Comment