Tinker the fix-it ghost boy is Toby's twin brother. The boys were eight on their deathday and the age they remained.
Unlike easy going Toby, Tinker is more high-strung, as anyone might be with undulating tentacles of muscle, bone and blood sprouting from their wrist.
Needless to say, tentacle management could be quite a strain for Tinker and sometimes resulted in losing his temper.
And should he become distracted....
could result in a nasty tangle.
It was always a struggle.
When Tinker was still alive his tentacles were a source of embarrassment and often got him in trouble. People mostly avoided him. The rolling coils were considered hideous and a nuisance, especially as a few of the strands seemed to have a mind of their own, rippling out at townsfolk passing in the street, even wiggling into stranger's coat pockets. More than a few times Tinker had been hauled up before the magistrate for pick pocketing only to be let off with a warning and grunt of disgust after presenting the oddities to the court.
He did his best to keep them tucked under his fur sporran when sent to the village shops but it was futile. A fist full of tentacles was like a bundle of ferrets, only far far feistier.
Heers our song too Miss Annabel.
if you like it plees tell us.
Tinker
(Song 'Not While I'm Around', from Sweeney Todd)
Tinker and Toby went to live in old Uncle Parallax's mouldy mansion before finally ending in up workhouse boys. In a way Tinker was glad to be there, even though Uncle and his fossil of a butler were just as mean as the workhouse officers. At least here he could be useful. There was always something to repair; a broken pipe, shredded carpet or window falling off its hinges, he was never short of a task.
Tinker felt sad and a tad guilty for his twin, poor Toby who would be upstairs trying his best to keep Uncle from snoring so he could have supper that night. Tinker always saved part of his bread for Toby, just in case.
Tinker continued his fix-it skills even in death, repairing not only bits and bobs around the ruins of Ravensbreath Castle, using some of the tamer coils for tools, but also the children themselves who were losing the ghost flesh from their very bones! He would snip off a strand of tentacle with his giant scissors and make the necessary repair to the child's arm, leg or head. Fortunately in that enchanted world the snakelike appendages regrew, like lizard tails.
Tinker was quite instrumental in helping to preserve the children as the years took their toll. But clearly time was against them.
The ghost children were grateful for Tinker, and Molly who had worms and slugs for friends, enjoyed his company just fine. But not surprisingly, Annabel, Ratgirl and Boo were more likely to come around only when they needed him.
Tinker had another talent as well
He was an inventor.
But more about that will have to wait when the rest of Tinker's story is told.
The ghost children's
