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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

MR TALLaiting for us e stepped through the doorway, standing beside a fire much like the one we’d left behind, close to the vans and tents of the Cirque Du Freak, but separated from the campsite by a row of trees His small mouth was stretched into a smile as he stepped forward to shake our hands "Hello, Darren Hello, Harkat I’hted about your safe return"

"Hello, Hibernius," Harkat greeted the Cirque owner - it was the first time he’d ever called him that

"Ah!" Mr Tall beamed "Your mission was a success - as Kurda, you always called ain - old friend," Harkat said His voice hadn’t changed, but he somehow sounded different

As we sat around the fire, I asked where our other friends were Mr Tall told us- it was late and everyone was tired after that night’s performance

"I’ve known for the last week that you were due to return - if you ed to make it back alive - but I wasn’t sure of the exact date I’ve been hts I could wake the others, but it would be better to wait and announce your return in the reed to let our friends slu Mr Tall about our adventures in thedoorhich cruh) Mr Tall was fascinated and listened in rapt silence, asking virtually no questions We only hts - and save the majority of the tale for e had more listeners - but once we started, we couldn’t stop, and over the nextfew hours we told him all that had happened The only time he interrupted e mentioned Evanna - he stopped us there and asked a lot of questions about her

There was a long silence at the end, as the three of us stared into the dying eht about our battles and narrow escapes, the fate of the deranged Spits Abrareat revelation and Kurda’s unenviable choice

"Will Mr Tiny really kill Kurda?" I asked after a while

Mr Tall nodded sadly "A soul can divide but it cannot share two bodies But Kurda ht choice - Harkat will remember most of what Kurda experienced while alive, and in that way Kurda will live on Had Kurda chosen life, all of Harkat’s memories would have been lost to the world This way they both win"

"A cheery thought to end on," Harkat said, s He yawned and stared up at the moon "How much time has passed since - ere away?"

"Time has been the same for us as for you," Mr Tall said "Some three months have slipped by It is summer now"

"Any news about the War of the Scars?" I asked

"None," Mr Tall said shortly

"I hope Debbie and Alice reached Va my months away, I’d only rarely stopped to wonder as happening back home Noas anxious to catch up on all that I had missed

"I wouldn’t troublethe questions in ht now The War of the Scars will find you again when destiny decrees For the ti, relax and enjoy this calm between the storms"

Mr Tall stood and smiled at us "I’ll leave you now Get as much sleep as you need - I’ll see that you are not disturbed" As he turned to leave, he paused and glanced back at Harkat "It would be wise to wear your er safe"

"Oh!" Harkat gasped "I forgot!" Digging out a h it afew times to make sure there weren’t any rips, then lowered it so that he could speak clearly "Thanks"

"Don’t mention it," the tall man chuckled

"Mr Tall," I said quietly, as he turned to leave again "Do you knohere ere? Was that world a different planet, the past, an alternate reality?"

The Cirque owner said nothing and didn’t look back - just shook his head and hurried on towards the cahed "But he won’t tell"

Harkat grunted "Did you bring anything - back with you?" he asked