Ходячий замок
Chapter 6
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Astheywentalongthequayside,severalsailorscalledoutanxiouslyfromthemooredships,wantingtoknowitthenoisemeantstormsorbadluck.
“Notatall,”Sophiecalledback.“It’sallovernow.”
Butitwasnot.Theycamebacktothewizard’shouse,whichwasanordinarycrookedlittlebuildingfromtheoutsidethatSophiewouldnothaverecognizedifMichaelhadnotbeenwithher.Michaelopenedtheshabbylittledoorrathercautiously.Inside,Howlwasstillsittinginthestool.Hesatinanattitudeofutterdespair.Andhewascoveredalloverinthickgreenslime.
Therewerehorrendous,dramatic,violentquantitiesofgreenslime—oodlesofit.ItcoveredHowlcompletely.Itdrapedhisheadandshouldersinstickydollops,heapingonhiskneesandhands,tricklinginglopsdownhislegs,anddrippingoffthestoolinstickystrands.Itwasinoozingpondsandcrawlingpoolsovermostofthefloor.Longfingersofithadcreptintotheheart.Itsmelledvile.
“Saveme!”Calcifercriedinahoarsewhisper.Hewasdowntotwodesperatelyflickeringsmallflames.“Thisstuffisgoingtoputmeout!”
SophieheldupherskirtandmarchedasnearHowlasshecouldget—whichwasnotverynear.“Stopit!”shesaid.“Stopitatonce!Youarebehavingjustlikeababy!”
Howldidnotmoveoranswer.Hisfacestaredfrombehindtheslime,whiteandtragicandwide-eyed.
“Whatshallwedo?Ishedead?”Michaelasked,jitteringbesidethedoor.
Michaelwasaniceboy,Sophiethought,butabithelplessinacrisis.“No,ofcourseheisn’t,”shesaid.
