Soul Music - Time

Death caught up with the rat near the Brass Bridge. No-one had disturbed Albert. Since he was in the gutter, he'd become nearly as invisible as Coffin Henry. Death rolled his sleeve up. His hand moved through the fabric of Albert's coat as if it was mist.

DAFT OLD FOOL ALWAYS TOOK IT WITH HIM, he muttered. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT HE THOUGHT I'D DO WITH IT . . .

The hand came out, cupping a fragment of curved glass. A pinch of sand glittered on it.

THIRTY-FOUR SECONDS, said Death. He handed the glass to the rat. FIND SOMETHING TO PUT THIS IN. AND DON'T DROP IT.

He stood up and surveyed the world. There was the glong-glong-glong noise of an empty beer bottle bouncing on the stones as the Death of Rats trotted back out of the Mended Drum.

Thirty-four seconds of sand orbited slightly erratically inside it. Death hauled his servant to his feet. No time was passing for Albert. His eyes were glazed, his bodyclock idled. He hung from his master's arm like a cheap suit. Death snatched the bottle from the rat and tilted it gently. A bit of life began to flow.

WHERE IS MY GRANDDAUGHTER? he said. YOU HAVE TO TELL ME. OTHERWISE I CAN'T KNOW.

Albert's eyes clicked open. 'She's trying to save the boy, Master!' he said. 'She doesn't know the meaning of the word Duty-' Death tipped the bottle back. Albert froze in midsentence.

BUT WE DO, DON'T WE? said Death bitterly. YOU AND ME.

***

Soul Music - p231-232