Read Online Mariah Mundi and the Ghost Diamonds by G.P. Taylor - Free Book Online
Authors: G.P. Taylor
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shuddered and changed colour from blue to purple and then to red. Mariah wondered from which sea these fish had been taken and how they had come to a place like this. At the base of the tank was a hand-painted sign pasted carelessly to the glass: Piscis Humanis – please do not feed .
As Mariah looked closer, he was sure that the fish had the face of a man. Not a completely human face, but similar in many ways. The eyes, nose and mouth looked as if they hadbeen pulled back over the creature’s head, as in a caricature. He tapped his finger twice on the glass – the fish tapped back with the tip of its nose. It then came close to the glass and in the lamplight Mariah could see it clearly for the first time. The creature looked as if it had a human eye. It stared mournfully, and an array of gills fluttered just behind what looked like a small but very human ear.
There was a sudden swirling of the water as the other fish darted frantically back and forth and shone from blue to red. It was as if they were trying to warn Mariah and signal some coming danger. The smallest of the three banged against the glass, its head shining so brightly that it lit Mariah in a red glow. Then, as quickly as they had appeared, they were gone.
It was then that Mariah heard the tap-tap-tap of metal heels against the stone floor. The footsteps echoed through the Pleasure Palace. He was unsure from which direction they came.
‘Who’s there?’ a voice shrieked from the other side of the arcade. ‘I know you’re there – the dog’s got your scent.’
Mariah froze as the words of Titus Salt echoed through the arches under the glass roof. He could hear the growling of the dog from nearby. Looking through the mouldy green tank opposite, Mariah could see the misshaped reflection of old Titus. It shimmered in the gaslight, and made him look ten feet tall with a hunched back and long staff. The dog appeared to be as big as an elephant as the glass reflected its image through the murky water.
Mariah had seen Titus many times before. Even in his great wealth, he was a man of miserly temperament. Never would he buy a new coat, but would rather stand at the door of the Pleasure Palace in his crumpled top hat and fingerless gloves. Titus would collect the pennies and check each one by biting them in his teeth. Then he would hide them in a leather bag he kept around his neck. He was a man of two voices. One was kept for
thrilling the Sunday crowds with tales of his adventures at sea: it would lure the young girls with all his talk of adventure, it was croaked and yet kind, tinged with the rasp of tobacco but always welcoming. The other was harsh and bitter – kept for those who would try and sneak in without forfeit. Then old Titus would shout and snarl as Grub would bark and snap wildly at their heels.
Now, Mariah could hear Grub sniffing at the floor as he searched for his scent. The dog began to growl as it sensed him nearby.
‘Better come out now – before we get ya!’ Titus shouted. There was a hint of hesitation in his voice. It was as if he wasn’t sure who or what he was searching for.
Mariah watched him through the glass of the fish tank. He knew that he could not be seen as the light that shone through was behind Titus Salt. The dog sniffed as it walked along. Mariah stood motionless as he wondered how he would escape. There was a gentle tapping on the glass behind him. He turned and there was the fish. It shone red and then turned to blue before it darted upwards to the top of the tank. Mariah looked up. There above the tanks was a long feeding gantry that could just be seen from the ground. It led the length of the arcade to the gates that led out to the street.
The fish frantically swam up and down as if pointing Mariah to his escape. There, cut into the metal frame of the tank, were six neat footholds. Quickly Mariah climbed from the ground up the side of the tank and onto the gantry. The fish swirled about in the water beneath
As Mariah looked closer, he was sure that the fish had the face of a man. Not a completely human face, but similar in many ways. The eyes, nose and mouth looked as if they hadbeen pulled back over the creature’s head, as in a caricature. He tapped his finger twice on the glass – the fish tapped back with the tip of its nose. It then came close to the glass and in the lamplight Mariah could see it clearly for the first time. The creature looked as if it had a human eye. It stared mournfully, and an array of gills fluttered just behind what looked like a small but very human ear.
There was a sudden swirling of the water as the other fish darted frantically back and forth and shone from blue to red. It was as if they were trying to warn Mariah and signal some coming danger. The smallest of the three banged against the glass, its head shining so brightly that it lit Mariah in a red glow. Then, as quickly as they had appeared, they were gone.
It was then that Mariah heard the tap-tap-tap of metal heels against the stone floor. The footsteps echoed through the Pleasure Palace. He was unsure from which direction they came.
‘Who’s there?’ a voice shrieked from the other side of the arcade. ‘I know you’re there – the dog’s got your scent.’
Mariah froze as the words of Titus Salt echoed through the arches under the glass roof. He could hear the growling of the dog from nearby. Looking through the mouldy green tank opposite, Mariah could see the misshaped reflection of old Titus. It shimmered in the gaslight, and made him look ten feet tall with a hunched back and long staff. The dog appeared to be as big as an elephant as the glass reflected its image through the murky water.
Mariah had seen Titus many times before. Even in his great wealth, he was a man of miserly temperament. Never would he buy a new coat, but would rather stand at the door of the Pleasure Palace in his crumpled top hat and fingerless gloves. Titus would collect the pennies and check each one by biting them in his teeth. Then he would hide them in a leather bag he kept around his neck. He was a man of two voices. One was kept for
thrilling the Sunday crowds with tales of his adventures at sea: it would lure the young girls with all his talk of adventure, it was croaked and yet kind, tinged with the rasp of tobacco but always welcoming. The other was harsh and bitter – kept for those who would try and sneak in without forfeit. Then old Titus would shout and snarl as Grub would bark and snap wildly at their heels.
Now, Mariah could hear Grub sniffing at the floor as he searched for his scent. The dog began to growl as it sensed him nearby.
‘Better come out now – before we get ya!’ Titus shouted. There was a hint of hesitation in his voice. It was as if he wasn’t sure who or what he was searching for.
Mariah watched him through the glass of the fish tank. He knew that he could not be seen as the light that shone through was behind Titus Salt. The dog sniffed as it walked along. Mariah stood motionless as he wondered how he would escape. There was a gentle tapping on the glass behind him. He turned and there was the fish. It shone red and then turned to blue before it darted upwards to the top of the tank. Mariah looked up. There above the tanks was a long feeding gantry that could just be seen from the ground. It led the length of the arcade to the gates that led out to the street.
The fish frantically swam up and down as if pointing Mariah to his escape. There, cut into the metal frame of the tank, were six neat footholds. Quickly Mariah climbed from the ground up the side of the tank and onto the gantry. The fish swirled about in the water beneath
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