The Music Box: Chapter Forty-Seven

“Are you sure you can’t come with me?”

Oscar shook his head sadly, just managing to catch his hat as it fell off his head.

“I’m sorry Miss Emily, but I really shouldn’t be here at all. If I don’t get back now, I won’t have time to say goodbye to everybody.”

“Goodbye? But where are you going?”

Oscar bit his lip and stayed very quiet, suddenly finding the back of his hands very interesting.

“I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Oscar, tell me what’s going on.”

Oscar looked up at Emily, then looked around behind him as though he expected somebody must be there, listening. Although the room was empty, he dropped his voice and leant in.

“Don’t let Bernard know I’m telling you this, he wouldn’t approve,” he whispered.

“I promise,” Emily assured.

“Well, as you would know by now, we live inside that music box.”

“Yes, but...”

“Well surely you’ve worked out by now what you have to do?”

“I have to get home. Get Crouch away from my family.”

“Yes, but that’s not quite all. You need to stop him once and for all.”

“And how will I do that?”

“You must destroy the music box.”

Emily was horrified. How could she even consider destroying that world, so rich, so wonderful - so full of enchantment?

“But Minerva never...”

“She told me to tell you once we were back. She though if she told you while you were in there, there was a risk you would make a big deal about it.”

“But it is a big deal!”

Emily couldn’t believe what she was hearing. There had to be another way.

“There’s no point thinking that way, there’s simply no other way,” Oscar said firmly.

“If you don’t stop Crouch now, who knows what more harm he might be capable of? We always knew he was a dark horse, but what he has done to you completely crosses all the lines. We need to find a way to get him back in the box, then you have to destroy it so he cannot destroy any more innocent lives.”

Emily’s lip trembled. She realised Crouch’s stern face wasn’t used to showing emotion, so it must have looked quite strange. She was tempted to push Oscar on the issue, but saw that he wasn’t about to budge. There was nothing to be done about it for now anyway, there were too many other things to consider. What was she going to do next to get home and protect her family? There had to be a way to get her mother to realise that the Emily who was with them was not what she seemed. But how?

“Miss Emily, if you will excuse me, I really best be off.” Oscar was avoiding looking at her. She didn’t blame him – she was beginning to wonder how long she could stand being in this body. It was giving her the creeps.

“Okay Oscar. Thanks for everything. And tell Bernard thank you too.”

“You take care too Miss Emily – it was a true pleasure.”

Oscar turned around and walked towards the wall. Emily saw Bernard open his eyes and give her a wink.

“Look after yourself Emily.”

“I will Bernard, thank you.” She watched as they stepped through the wall as though it wasn’t even there. Then there was quiet.