Chapter Twelve
As they had reached the valley of smiles, Babsy leapt off Jacks back and fell into Slinks arm. He rested his head against the brown coat that had been worn for too long and his feathers rustled up in the wind. The green grass that they had seen changed into yellow seeds of hay being strung up by local farmers. These farmers appeared to be too busy to notice what Daniel, Slinks and the Blind man was doing. Although the trees were green their wooden stumps were scratched with names ‘lieu Evan and Neil’ with a heart that made Daniel laugh. He trampled along a small cobbled path that went, passing many healthy trees filled with pink and white blossom, red poppies which fluttered against the light wind and plenty of goats who were eating hay in an iron trough. It seemed as if everyone living in the valley was too busy to meet, greet and help each other. "Quack," Babsy yawned. Slinks eyes rolled round and then he squinted at the large stony cave with three ripples of pebbles along it.
"Woof, Woof,"
"Jack's found the bus station," the blind man spoke, before Slinks could venture into the dark entrance of the cave he let Babsy onto the grainy floor, he placed his left hand around the blind man’s wrist and carefully guided him away from the poppies.
"In here, where are you going," He asked pulling him in. The Blind man swirled round and with his available left hand he touched the rim of the cave.
"Thank you," he smiled.
Off course the light was on to keep the cave lit in the daytime as there were no windows. The orange signs spelt in odd letters created the tone of vandals, but the other signs that lay on the cave walls were engraved deep into the limestone walls. Each sign was about eight inches tall and five inches wide, wide enough for people to queue. The queue started from the first letter of the sentence to the last full stop. Over the other side were iron girders that held the cave up, each of them had been bolted and screwed into the top of the stalactites, glistened the other hanging lanterns. Below them was a small platform with an iron railing, this prevented the buses from riding into the locals who were in the cue.
The further along the cave they went, the brighter and dusty the road looked. There was hardly a bus in at all and then as they came to the end of the engraved signs, a loud rumble of thunder shook the lanterns.
"Frith, Firth, Frityed," Slinks spoke aloud.
"That’s the one we need," the Blind man said. There was no one in the queue for this bus ride which made Daniel feel more at ease. His pale white face slowly turned back to colour and the dogs tail began to wag again. The Blindmans' face had aged and Daniel winked at the long curvy Beard.
"Have we seen each other, no, I must not have seen your beard," Daniel shook his head.
"I go up the mountain every day," the Blind man replied.
"Give him a rest, his dog helped us to find the bus station," Slinks protested. He leaned against the engraved rocks that formed as a bench and sighed.
"I'm sorry," Daniel whispered. The Blind man did not reply, he arched his back against the sign and nodded at the other locals who were waiting for Llaniduricabe.
More people began to arrive into the cave and they headed towards the same queue that Daniel and Slinks were sitting at.
"Is this to Frityed," a young lady with a toddler sleeping in a blue pram asked them. Daniel nodded his head as to say yes and another lot of people came up to him. Before they could ask him the question he nodded his head in approval and they went behind the lady and her son. Again another lot of locals came and asked Daniel the same question but this time they were footballers. They looked like they were ready to start a match.
"It is raining again, on the last match against Firth, we nearly scored and then the thunder moved the ball off the line," the eldest member moaned.
"Raining,” the Blind man sighed in Relief. Daniel pointed towards the back of the queue and the noise of their football boots echoed across the station. The rumble of thunder shook the stalactites apart from the ceiling and large rain drops landed onto the dusty road. It poured like a river falling down the hill and then more crystal stalactites fell onto the road. A puddle slowly formed along the centre of the road and the platform they were waiting on began to wobble.
"We're going to sink, and drown oh, Daniel, let’s get out of the cave," Slinks panicked. Daniel stood next to the edge of the platform and looked down.
"It’s flooding," Daniel spoke aloud. Everyone in the station ignored his remark. Even the Blind man took no notice of him. Daniel and Slinks stepped back against the wall and clung on tight to the rocks. The cave wobbled again and the last two stalactites in the roof fell into the road. The small puddle of water rose along the cave and out of the entrance and then it, began to rise.
"Reminder, Reminder, cookoo, cookoo," an electronic voice spoke from the iron girders across the road. Daniel leapt forward.
"The cave entrance has been closed due to the valley bursting its banks, please stay calm, the buses will arrive in a minute," The voice spoke aloud. Daniel stepped backwards towards the Blind man and leaned against the letter F. Everyone apart from him and Slinks were smiling.
"We didn't see any river," Daniel quivered. The Blind man let the dog rub its face against his arm and then the platform began to rise. It jerked, wobbled and jerked until it was tall enough to become a small bar where the remaining waters that seemed to be coming from the ceiling poured into the road below. A minute had gone as Slinks was keeping an eye on his watch. The thunder rumbled again and the rain began to come down on them.
"We are going to," before Slinks said anything else, twelve grey and red buses floated past them like a steam train and they quickly lined up into the correct bays. The bus had no wheels at all; above the tall windows at each side were three paddles that were meant for canoes. The driver in his seat turned the price list upside down and pushed the door open.
"All aboard, bus leaves in five minuets," the driver spoke to Slinks.
"Wow," Slinks finished the sentence and the other locals at the bus stops began to board the buses.
Slinks stepped onto the metal ramp and walked up to the bus conductor who was speaking to the driver. As he tumbled for change the conductor turned round and handed him a green ticket, he punched it five times and ushered him to the middle of the bus where there was one paddle. The bus conductor allowed the Blind man and his dog to sit near Slinks but as Daniel charged on the bus, the conductor pushed him back.
"I'm with Slinks and the Blind man, look, it’s only a baby swan," Daniel protested as he stroked Babsy.
"Swans can swim to firth," the conductor rudely answered him. Daniel pulled a sour face and winked at the driver who was writing a list of names down on a white pad.
"I am from animal protection, you see this baby cygnet has lost it sense of direction, look at its bad wing," Daniel quickly ruffled Babsy right Wing with his arm and passed the cygnet to the conductor. “You cannot expect it to swim with one bad wing. It won't survive without his mother," Daniel lied. The conductor wiped his tears onto his tissue and handed Babsy back to Daniel. He punched a hole in the green ticket and pointed towards Slinks. Daniel sat down facing Slinks, the Blind man and his dog.
"How did you manage to lie, I usually say things like that," Slinks whispered. Daniel pretended to cuddle the cygnet as if it were in pain. The lady pushed her pram on and leaned against the soft green headboard that turned into a seat.
"Hope he gets better," each of the footballers spoke passing Daniel.
Five minutes were up and the electronic voice began to echo
"All buses departing are not to return until Saturday, please find another bus stop," and the other two conductors stepped off the bus. They slammed the door
shut and walked away from the railings.
"The paddles need to be used, please put the gloves on and start rowing backwards," the bus conductor ordered the passengers who were sitting next to the paddles to use them.
Slinks put the orange glove on, he squeezed the blue belt that held his hand onto the paddle, lifted the row from the hook it rested on and began to row backwards. The bus' horn began to alert the others that it was reversing; Slinks closed his eyes and rowed. He opened them and he began to move his arms backwards without hesitating.
"Ok, Forwards," the conductor instructed. Slinks pushed his shoulders up slowly pulling a face he let go of the row and it banged onto the metal floor.
"Pick it up," the conductor shouted. Slinks lifted the paddle back up, he slid it into the groove that took it back into the water and with both hands clenched against the top he pushed it forward. The paddle swished violently and the bus wobbled towards it right.
"Woof," Jack barked.
"Quack," Babsy flapped his wings in fear. He straddled around the dogs back and hopped onto the old man’s walking stick that lay titled against his arm.
"Throw the star," a voice appeared into Babsy ears.
"What,” the old man coughed. He lifted Babsy off his walking stick, making sure that the top of the arch was clean he pushed Babsy into his large coat pocket. Babsy flicked his small neck in furry and there in front of him lay three white stars. These stars leaned against the loose copper coins the man had put into his pocket and a small green gem shaped as a semi circle reflected his brown beak into the chrome bars. Babsy looked up at the old man who was surveying his movements through the reflective bars; he looked down at Jack and smiled.
"Quack,Quack," Babsy quietly spoke. Jacks ears pointed up, his face still underneath his front paws began to move to the sides of his long body and he shuddered as the paddle bashed against the bus.
"Woof, Woof," Jack barked. As the old man glared at him, he quickly pulled his two paws over his eyes.
"It's ok," the man patted Jacks' back. Jack abruptly jumped up like he had been startled and he started to bark.
"Quack, "Babsy ordered him. He whimpered as he jumped down, again he covered his face and as the bus toppled to the left, he jumped up and slid across the aisle. The old man pulled the lead in and Jack came walking back towards him. Babsy knew that the old man’s eyes were attracted to his best mate, Jack. He waded over to the gem, using his beak. He picked it off the stars and tossed it over his head. Not knowing where it landed he felt the old man’s hand rummage around his feet, he pecked the chubby finger and the hand went out.
"Woof," Jack barked. In one sweep Babsy lifted the stars into his mouth, he closed his beak and within a small fraction of a second, he waddled next to the opening of the pocket, dropping them he used his right foot to kick them towards Slinks hands. Babsy lost his balance and he fell back onto the green gem that lay deep into the pocket.
"Thank you Babsy, The boating bus which floats along the stream will flow steadily and quicker to reach our Jezzabell," the voice spoke. He sat down onto the cold gem and gazed at the two lads. Slinks paddle slid up and down his hands, He had no control over the one paddle which seemed to row back and forth.
"Quack,” Babsy leapt out of the pocket and fluttered on to Daniel’s Knee.
"When they leave, fly fast away from them, collect the white shells from her helpers but" the voice paused as the old man who acted like he couldn't see, sat down to stroke Jack. "Do not meet Krome,"she whispered.
"Why? What will he do?"
"Find Jezzabell at the Frithy firth grounds, maybe the Triancircle," her voice became course.
The stars were beginning to fall onto Slinks knees and a faint image of the blue butterfly flew across the aisle, it pushed the stars away from him and aimed a tiny white stone at the window. The stone smashed through the window and she flirted out before the lads could see what she had done.
Each star spun round after each other and as they hit the paddle Slinks arms began to move around allot quicker and his pulzled face faded into a smile. The bus stood still letting the last wave splashed over the bus.
"I can move it," Slinks yelped. Babsy shed a tear; he shook his head and hid his head into his wing.
"Frithy firth will be here in a hundred and eight minutes, two seconds and one mili waters,” Daniel sighed.
“How long? My arms can’t row for that long?,” Slinks mumbled.
“You can row, it will go quickly,” the Blind man laughed.
Jack waged his tail in excitement; he sat up and whined at the old blind man. The old man passed a white chewy to his mouth and he sat back down to eat in delight.
Daniel unfolded his arms, he scratched the back of his neck as the tiny flies wandered around the open window and he closed it shut.
"Have we got time to rescue her, I mean what happens if she is," Daniel spoke directly to the old man.
"She will be alright; we have got plenty of time. You have to think about rescuing her. The seagull’s are mean things, they enticed the swans to fight trespassers. The rabbits hop in and out and their teeth get sharper, but the message is to reach out for her when she falls. Her growing wings will not be there to save her," He gave his wise words to Daniel.
“I will save her, she reminds me of Kate. I can always hold my arms out, if you can help Babsy to grow bigger, I can ride on him, he can fly, “Daniel answered the wise mans thoughts.
*****
Chapter Thirteen
The Key and the Broken Wing Page 20
