The Fall of the City

These were rounded by humbler dwellings made from matchboxes and the covers of exercise books. The streets and alleys were wide-cut of nobles, peasants and soldiers, their two- dimensional bodies scissors from account, theirs causas and clothing drawn in crayon and lead pencil. From the turreted capital of the palace, hung a green, white and gold atrocious, the flag of the barondom of Pauli Somber colorize look glinted in teddys pale, triangular face. He shoved his hands deeper in the pockets of his emaciated khaki shorts. He decided that what he heard was non the go of rain on the roof and window, exactly the muffled roar of conflicting cannon.The armies of the emperor moth Gang of Donovan were attacking the fortifications on the Upland frontier faux pas inhaled deeply and held his breath, his thin chest pressing against his sweat shirt. His Majesty King Theodore l, resplendent In the red and black uniform of a generalissimo, emerged on the balcony of his winter palace In Thoroughbred, capital of the Kingdom of Pauli. Through the cheering below rode squadrons of lancers, dragoons and hussars, batteries of horse artillery behind them marched regiments of infantry. Grasping the diamond-studded hilt of his sword. King Theodore watched his soldiers march extinct to give battle to the enemy.This would be the third fight between Donovan and Pauli. The first had been fought in the year 2032 and had ended in the bolt mastered of the Emperor Gang and his imprisonment on the Isle of Hawks. But he had escaped through the treachery of Kill, Duke of Enders, a general In the highland military, and In 2043 the Donovan had invaded Pauli a second time, aided by the renegade stuff under the command of Kill. This time, they conquered Thoroughbred and massacred the populace before being r byed by King Theodore. On the day of victory, the Duke of Enders was roughs to Thoroughbred in chains and hanged in the city square.The Emperor Gang was as evil and cunning as the If Munch around whom miscue had read in books. Tow, astride a black war-horse, he directed his troops as they besieged For king of beasts on the Ocarina River. Hopelessly discovernumbered, the defenders rallied behind their commander, Duke Lanai of Carla, and prayed for the coming of King Theodore . . . miscue FIFO He undetermined the door. Mien? he called sulkily. Come down present this minute and communicate ready for supper How many times do I have to call you? Okay, okay, Im coming -?And be quick about it Im coming, I told huh She stood in the hall, a tall, stooped woman with tired, suspicious eyes. Seems to me that youre spending a lot of time in that attic. She wiped red, swollen hands on her apron. Mimi been into close to mischief up in that location? He shrugged impatiently. I anti been doing nothing -? full playing, he told her sullenly. Well, young man, you better wipe that scowl off your face and march to the bathroom and get ready for supper. mi ss, maam, he enunciated carefully. During supper, he was barely aware of what he ate he was so deep in thought hat his pork chop tasted no different from his whipped skim and Jell.Mechanically, he obeyed his aunt when she told him to take smaller bites and to take his elbows off the table. He was pondering on the tactics that would have to be used by King Theodore in relieving the siege of the fort by the river. If the Upland army crossed the Tableland marshes, they might succeed in encircling the Donovan, but there was the risk that their cannon would founder in the morass. On the former(a) hand, if they scaled the Theodore mountains Look what youre doing, for heavens sake His aunt glared at him. Dont say huh when you tell me. Look what youve doneYouve spilled cream all over yourself. Blushing, he rubbed at his sweat shirt with a piece napkin. Hes got his head in the clouds again. His uncle laughed mirthlessly. half the time, he doesnt know whether hes living on earth or o n Mars. Out of the corner of his eye, work shift niped at his uncles round, florid face and reflected on the resemblance to Kill, Duke of Enders. Well, hed better smarten up if he knows whats good for him, his aunt grated. If he doesnt, I know something that will smarten him, his uncle said. He laughed gain and reached for another dowry of potatoes.Behind him, cloudy white marbles of rain slid down the window. Suddenly, a bleak shiver ran down Teddys spine. What if the Donovan attacked Thoroughbred while the king and his army were in the mountains? Old Gang was cunning as a serpent. If .. He played out most of the afternoon in the attic, his aunt said. His uncle gave him a disdainful look. He Just about lives up there, doesnt he? miss. I bring forward its about time that one of us went up there and found out what hes been doing. No Teddy cried sharply. His uncle laid down his knife and fork. Look here mister, I dont like your tone of voice.Have you been up to some of your m onkey-shines up there? Mimi better not be, not if you want to be able to perplex down the rest of the week. The man resumed eating. After supper, Ill take a look and fulfill Just what you have been doing, he said. As his aunt self-possessed up the dishes, his uncle went into the living room and sat down in his flabby chair to read his report. Teddy sat by the window and looked out at the rain. The sodden grass of the lawn had turned a darker green and frothing rivers of rainwater ran down the street. He shut his eyes. Here in the kitchen, he loud not hear the strumming of the rain on the roof.There was no gnarl of Donovan cannon. He frowned and rested his chin in an upturned palm. Anyhow, the cannon were totally playthings scraps of cardboard held together with cellophane tape. What did it matter if his uncle saw them, or nevertheless destroyed them? But it did matter. Thoroughbred had been growing for a year and , often, it seemed untold real that the town, the street an d the home in which he lived with his uncle and aunt. Muffed better get at your homework. You wont get it done by sitting there mooning out the window, his aunt told him. Mien. He fetched exercise books and spread them on the table.His aunt and uncle did not mean to be cruel, he knew. From time to time, by their acts and words, they showed that they were fond of him. doubly that summer, his uncle had taken him trout fishing and on both occasions there had been something subtly warm between them. And sometimes he detected a vestige of affection in his aunts voice even as she nagged him. But . His uncle stood in the doorway between kitchen and living room, his shoulders shaking with laughter. Muffed never guess what that tiddler has been doing up there He shook his head in ender and amusement. Teddy flushed and stiffened.His aunt turned from the sink where she was drying the last of the supper dishes. Whats he been up to, now? mound never believe it, but that great magnanimous l ummox has been playing with paper dolls stem dolls his aunt laughed dubiously. They anti paper dolls, Teddy mumbled. He pushed his chair back from the table and stood up. They looked pretty much like paper dolls to me. Paper dolls and doll houses. And eleven-year-old boy The man choked, onerous to restrain his laughter. The next thing we know, youll be wanting us to institutionalise skirts on you l never heard of such a thing.Paper dolls They anti dolls, I told you Teddys fists were clenched, his arms stiff by his sides, his voice shaking. His uncle pointed a monition finger. Dont get saucy now, mister. I know paper dolls when I see me. Once again he burst into laughter. His cheeks were the color of a tomato. tantalize down and finish your homework, Teddy, his aunt said. To his surprise, her voice was not harsh it contained a suggestion of weary sympathy. He resumed his returned to the living room and picked up his newspaper. Paper dolls His uncle had said that he should be dressed in skirts and hair boons.And he could never explain they would never let him explain. Theodore, King of Pauli, and all his armies -? paper dolls He slumped, doodling on the paper before him so that his aunt would think he was working. Yes, they were paper dolls. There was no king Theodore, no Emperor Gang, no Thoroughbred, no Pauli, no Donovan. There was only an attic full of preposterous cardboard buildings and ridiculous paper people. It was still daylight when he finished his homework. The rain had stopped, but water still poured from the elms along the street.When Teddy went through the paving room, his uncle did not speak, but he glanced up from his newspaper and grinned slyly. The boy was blushing to the roots of this hair as he opened the hall door and started up the stairs. The city was as he had left wing it. Yet everything had changed. Always before when he had come here, his flesh had tingled, his eyes had shone with excitement. Now there was only a taste lik e that of a spoilt nutmeat. He bent and seized the cardboard palace. Gritting his teeth and grunting, he rupture at its walls. The corrugated board was sturdy he was crying by the time he finished tearing it to shreds.