Mort - passing through a wall

Mort felt Death’s hand tighten on his shoulder, not in an unfriendly fashion. He turned away reluctantly, following Death and the king.

They walked out through the wall. He was halfway after them before he realized that walking through walls was impossible.

The suicidal logic of this nearly killed him. He felt the chill of the stone around his limbs before a voice in his ear said:

LOOK AT IT THIS WAY. THE WALL CAN’T BE THERE. OTHERWISE YOU WOULDN’T BE WALKING THROUGH IT. WOULD YOU, BOY?

“Mort,” said Mort.

WHAT?

“My name is Mort. Or Mortimer,” said Mort angrily, pushing forward. The chill fell behind him.

THERE. THAT WASN’T SO HARD, WAS IT?

Mort looked up and down the length of the corridor, and slapped the wall experimentally. He must have walked through it, but it felt solid enough now. Little specks of mica glittered at him.

“How do you do that stuff?” he said. “How do I do it? Is it magic?”

MAGIC IS THE ONE THING IT ISN’T, BOY. WHEN YOU CAN DO IT BY YOURSELF, THERE WILL BE NOTHING MORE THAT I CAN TEACH YOU.

***

Mort p39