Reading With Malcolm Novels & Stories

“Anyone who wants to read that sentimental nonsense can do so later, right?” She smiled sweetly, like she’d just offered everyone cake and not insult. Mr. Westwood cleared his throat. “Let’s skip to the main agenda.” Malik didn’t argue. He flipped through the pages silently, eyes narrowing as he scanned the next section. Then he stopped. His face shifted. From calm to confused. From confused to stunned. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. “What is it?” Cynthia asked. “Speak, boy,” Mr. Westwood barked. “We don’t have all day.”

The box that Alastair sent me appeared beside him. "I need you to tell me what you saw when you were with the mothers," Malcolm asked, opening his book. The book looked old, older than anything I had ever seen. The leather looked dry and brittle, the paged torn and the spine of the book overly bent. It smelt of earth and a mix of blood, some human, some animal. "Why?" Drake asked, stepping forward. He didn't trust Malcolm, didn't like that Erik was so welcoming of him. Erik reached up and grabbed Drake's shoulder, giving it a warning squeeze. Malcolm closed the book and turned to Drake.

I heard his sharp inhale when he saw my back. “My God,” he breathed, reverence in his voice. “It’s better than I imagined. The brands came out perfectly. And the salt… look how it glistens.” He completed the circle and crouched again. “Let’s not waste any more time,” he said pleasantly. “Who was the person you helped escape from the tunnel, and where are they right now?” I said nothing. He waited. Ten seconds. Twenty. I let the silence stretch. Malcolm sighed then whispered, low enough for only me to hear, “You know, I really didn’t care whether you answered or not. I was just here to have fun.”

both pedantic and tiresome. One of Malcolm’s pet topics was alien big cats. He kept a scrapbook filled with cuttings that mentioned sightings of large wildcats in remote places. One day he meant to write the definitive book on the subject but, like all of Malcolm’s grand plans, it came to nothing in the end. Sally wondered if she ought to take a photo of the Beast on her phone and send it to Malcolm. She didn’t have his contact details though—she hadn’t spoken with him for years, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to get back in touch. Sally preferred to keep Malcolm and the Beast out of her relationship as much as possible. The Beast, however, had other ideas.

Near dawn, Adrian found him sitting quietly with the old documents spread across the desk. "You look happy." Malcolm seemed surprised by the observation. Then considered it. "Maybe." "That's new." "Yes." Adrian glanced toward the documents. "What did you find?" Malcolm looked out toward the city. For a long moment he said nothing. Then: "I think I finally remembered what all this was for." Neither spoke afterward. The answer felt sufficient. Not complete. Sufficient. Back in Iceland, morning arrived slowly across the cliffs. Charlotte stood outside watching light emerge across the ocean.

He snapped at the teacher, who cowered, shaking her head quickly. Malcolm glowered at her, seething at the incompetence of people he deemed his subordinates before turning away to face the guards. “Keep searching!” he barked, sweeping his arm across a shelf of medical records in anger before they clattered to the floor. “He has to be here somewhere!” He stalked into Beau’s room next, tearing through drawers, flipping the mattress, and ripping open storage compartments until the place looked like a battleground. His fury only grew with every empty hiding place.

And soon he was out to the world. He didn't know how long he slept but he was awake by the soft knocks on the door. Groggily he muttered a COME IN and suddenly realized where he was. "Good Evening Callum . Had a nice sleep? Well Mr. Malcolm is expecting you at the tea. How about I get your clothes ready while you freshen up". Mason informed walking to the closet and Callum jolted up. "Owh. Mr. Malcolm is back". He gulped nervously. Mason turned to Callum with a black formal shirt and slacks with matching shoes.