Thief of Time - Ride Out

WHAT A CURIOUS PERSON, said Death. AH, SUSAN. THANK YOU FOR COMING. OUR SEARCH NARROWS.

'Our search?'

YOUR SEARCH, IN FACT .

'It's just mine now, is it?'

I HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO ATTEND TO.

'More important than the end of the world?'

IT IS THE END OF THE WORLD. THE RULES SAY THAT THE HORSEMEN SHALL RIDE OUT .

'That old legend? But you don't have to do that!'

IT IS ONE OF MY FUNCTIONS. I HAVE TO OBEY THE RULES.

'Why? They're breaking the rules!’

BENDING THEM. THEY HAVE FOUND A LOOPHOLE. I DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF IMAGINATION.

It was like Jason and the Battle for the Stationery Cupboard, Susan told herself. You soon learned that 'No one is to open the door of the Stationery Cupboard' was a prohibition that a seven year-old simply would not understand. You had to think, and rephrase it in more immediate terms, like, 'No one, Jason, no matter what, no, not even if they thought they heard someone shouting for help, no one - are you paying attention, Jason? - is to open the door of the Stationery Cupboard, or accidentally fall on the door
handle so that it opens, or threaten to steal Richenda's teddy bear unless she opens the door of the Stationery Cupboard, or be standing nearby when a mysterious wind comes out of nowhere and blows the door open all by itself, honestly, it really did, or in any way open, cause to open, ask anyone else to
open, jump up and down on the loose floorboard to open or in any other way seek to obtain entry to the Stationery Cupboard, Jason!'

'A loophole,' said Susan.

YES.

'Well, why can't you find one too?'

I AM THE GRIM REAPER. I DO NOT THINK PEOPLE WISH ME TO GET... CREATIVE. THEY WOULD WISH ME TO DO THE TASK ASSIGNED TO ME AT THIS TIME, BY CUSTOM AND PRACTICE.

'And that's just... riding out?'

YES.

'Where to?'

EVERYWHERE, I THINK. IN THE MEANTIME, YOU WILL NEED THIS.

***

The Thief of Time - p186-187