Dead Water Zone - Kenneth Oppel [32]
“There was a falling out between the brothers,” he began carefully, “and the younger one left Rat Castle. You can’t understand the pull of the dead water, even the weakest of it. Once people drank, it was almost impossible for them to stop.”
“Like Mom,” said Monica quietly.
“She fought against it, your mother, but she couldn’t stop.”
“You know what happened to her, don’t you?”
“Waterdrinkers, like your mother, were aware of what went on in Rat Castle. They needed the stronger water. David Sturm would use them to test his new potions. It was unholy what he did to them.”
Paul winced in revulsion. The expression on Monica’s face made his heart contract.
“You knew all along!” she whispered. “She might still be there!”
“Now listen,” said Decks kindly but firmly, “these are terrible things to hear, I know. I watched your mother fighting against the water, and when she disappeared, I went to Rat Castle myself. You must believe me when I tell you she wasn’t there, Monica. There was no one there.” A sigh escaped his lips, misting in the night air. “The dead water wasn’t meant to be drunk. The final experiments must have killed anyone who was left.”
“Whenever I asked you about Rat Castle,” she said evenly, fighting emotion, “you always warned me away. Why? What would I have found?”
“I was afraid for you,” replied Decks. “I was afraid you’d feel the lure of the water, too. Your mother said it was like a sound, a song in her head. That’s how powerful it was, don’t you see? I didn’t want the same thing to happen to you.”
“You never saw her dead?” Monica asked, insistent.
“No.”
“Then you can’t be sure, can you? Maybe they were hiding.”
“I can’t believe that,” Decks muttered, more to himself than anyone else. “David was already half dead when I last saw him—”
Paul stared at him, stunned. “You’re the younger brother.”
Decks looked back in silence.
Monica was shaking her head in disbelief. “No, it’s not true. I remember you when I was little. You lived in the houseboat. You weren’t a Waterdrinker. Mom said you tried—”
“But it didn’t take with me. I couldn’t share what they had. So maybe there was jealousy in me. But I left Rat Castle over twelve years ago, not long after David began his experiments. I went back from time to time, to plead with him to stop. Each time, there were fewer people and he was more mad and wizened. The last time I saw him—a few months before your mother disappeared—I knew he couldn’t last much longer.” Decks hesitated but then continued in a forceful voice. “And it’s right that he died. It’s right that the experiments are over, because the water’s evil.” He raised his finger at Paul. “And if this brother of yours is doing the same work, he may end up dead long before Cityweb finds him.”
“Can you show me the way inside?”
“You want to save him, do you?” said Decks softly. “But ask yourself this: does he want to be saved? I tried with David. Once he’s taken the water in abundance, you won’t be able to stop him.”
“Yes I will.” What did Decks know about it? He didn’t know Sam, didn’t know either of them, their whole history together. Sam wanted him here: he’d telephoned; he’d haunted Paul through Watertown! At night on the pier, he’d come to watch Paul through the stilt-house window. How could Decks possibly understand?
“Try to understand what I’m going to say,” Decks said. “I think it would be best if we let him be.”
“Let him kill himself?” asked Paul incredulously.
“He’s made his choice.”
“Say we did leave him,” said Paul as calmly as possible. “Cityweb will find him eventually. And if it’s something they really want to cover up, they won’t kill just Sam; they’ll kill everyone who knows about the dead water. All of us, everyone who has the water in them. I’m not asking anyone to go with me. Just show me the way inside!”
“I’m going, too,” said Monica.
“She won’t be there,” Armitage sneered. “Haven’t you been listening to Decks? She’s dead.”
“I want to see this place for myself!” Her eyes were bright and hard.
“Is that all you can think about? Don’t you see what’s