Julius and the Watchmaker by Tim Hehir Read Free Book Online

with his fingertips. The watch remained spinning in midair when the professor removed his hand. Its ticking began to increase in volume. Then the metronomic rhythm gave way to a polyrhythm, which grew in complexity until it sounded like a regiment of military drummers. The professor then reached out and tapped the side of the spinning watch with his fingertip. Sharp rays of blue light shot out in all directions, so bright that they almost turned the night into day.
    Julius, the professor and the creature were enclosed in the dome of light. The creature shaded his eyes. ‘Edreechk edk haach,’ it said.
    â€˜Ka chaar, ka chaar,’ replied the professor. ‘I am telling our friend to be calm,’ he said, in answer to Julius’s puzzled look. The professor beckoned for the creature to come towards him. Through the blue light Julius thought he saw a ghost-like image of another street. He blinked hard and looked again to make sure it wasn’t a trick of the light. He found that if he held his gaze in one spot the image became clearer. It was a street: there were cobblestones and houses on either side, even faint images of other creatures moving to and fro. The creature, too, stared through the light, its grey lips parted in a smile. Its face was bathed in the blue light, and its red eyes gazed longingly down the spectral street.
    â€˜Ajacch dja,’ he said as he pointed ahead of him. Then, to Julius’s amazement, the creature itself began to fade into the blue light, until it too was a part of the spectral street.
    â€˜Wow!’ he said.
    â€˜Wow, indeed,’ said the professor, approaching the spinning watch and tapping it again with his finger. Instantly, the light vanished and darkness enveloped them once more. The polyrhythm began to simplify and in a moment the pocketwatch was ticking normally. The professor clipped it back to his watch-chain and slipped it into his pocket.
    â€˜What in the blue blazes was that?’ said Julius.

CHAPTER 6
    Wednesday 5th July, 1837
3:58 AM
    â€˜That, young man, was what our Tibetan friend would call a hungry ghost . Although they would not describe themselves as such,’ said the professor.
    Julius’s mouth moved, but no words came out.
    â€˜Are you all right, Julius? Quite a shock for a bookish young chap like you, no doubt.’
    Julius stepped back. ‘I’m fine. Thank you, I’m fine,’ he said, clutching Harrison’s diary beneath his jacket.
    â€˜Tell me, has your grandfather located that diary by any chance?’
    â€˜Diary?’
    â€˜Yes. Harrison, the watchmaker. I was making enquiries regarding his diary, if you recall.’
    â€˜Oh, yes. No…he hasn’t found it yet.’
    â€˜Oh, what a pity.’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Odd time of night to be abroad, don’t you think? You’re not delivering books at this hour are you?’ said the professor, looking up at the moon.
    What is he doing here? That’s the question , thought Julius. ‘No, just out for a stroll, that’s all…couldn’t sleep.’
    â€˜I see.’
    â€˜Yes…anyway thanks for your help with the… the…creature. I’ll be off now,’ said Julius and he turned to go.
    â€˜Hold up, Julius,’ called out the professor.
    â€˜I must get home,’ Julius shouted back over his shoulder before colliding with a tall, broad-shouldered man. The impact took the breath from Julius, but the man appeared to be no more affected than he would be had a butterfly rammed him.
    â€˜Steady on there, young fella,’ said the man, in an Irish accent.
    Julius looked up at the beard-stubbled chin and the distinctive curve of a broken nose.
    â€˜Terribly sorry, sir,’ said Julius, dodging him and sprinting towards the nearest side street.
    Once safely in the shadows he stopped and looked back. The professor and the tall man were standing together looking in his direction.