“Oh,” said Stu, looking concerned. “So what happened to his family and where is his Guppy?”
Pon looked at Stu, shook his head, sighed, and said, “His Gopetu brought him here, but how, and what happened I am not sure. His Protector collapsed shortly after arriving. Fortunately, Master Vitchae was here and recognised the symptoms of the slow acting Aroona root poison. The Gopetu is now in the Imperial Palace’s clinic. Master Vitchae and other Tinju are taking care of him, but he has not regained consciousness yet.” Pon pointed to the boy, “although he and his Gopetu speak Thai, they are difficult to understand because it is some kind of English dialect. Maybe you know what it is so we can understand them?”
Stu and Spock shrugged and looked at the back of the boy.
“His name is Siddhartha,” said Pon sounding sullen.
“It’s the Golden Child,” Spock whispered to Stu.
“Don’t be daft, that’s just a movie,” said Stu, although also thought the boy must have special powers because from behind he looked the spitting image of the boy in the film.
“I bet he levitates, turns around, and plays mind games with us, and I bet he has super strength,” said Spock looking alarmed.
“Maybe,” said Stu also looking worried.
Pon, not understanding what his barmy friends were babbling about, took the pair over to the young boy.
The boy, detecting someone’s presence, removed his headphones and span around.
“Hello Siddhartha. These are my friends from England who I told you about,” said Pon smiling down at the boy. “This is Spock and Stu.”
Spock, relieved at not seeing the boy levitate or shoot lightning bolts from his eyes, said, “Hello Siddhartha, I’m Spock, it’s nice to meet you.”
Stu smiled. “And I’m Stu, Siddhartha,” he said although unsure whether the lad understood what he was saying.
Stu, Spock, and Pon saw anguish and confusion in the boy’s eyes as he looked at Spock and Stu and said. “Ay-yup lads, call me Sid.”
Spock and Stu jumped back, and Spock, with his eyes wide and mouth agog said. “You’re a Yorkie? It’s no wonder the Thais’ don’t understand you.”
Sid smiled but his voice quivered as he said. “Aye, born and bred in Sheffield.”
Although heartbroken, Sid felt relieved when he heard Spock and Stu’s northern twang.
Sid looked at Spock and Stu. “Where’s Dave?”
Spock and Stu looked at Pon. “Who’s Dave?”
“His Protector,” said Pon, now realising Sid spoke English and speaking slower, said. “Siddhartha, Dave will be okay, and you are safe so don’t worry.”
The little boy wiped away his tears.
Spock, seeing the boy looking upset, broke the tension and asked, “What does Dave mean, Sid?”
Stu looked at Spock and said. “That’s a dumb question Spock.”
Spock, looking indignant, looked at Stu and furrowed his brow. “Why? According to what Pon told us in that funny language, ‘Siddhartha’ means ‘he who has found meaning,’ and it’s Sid for short. Dave is a ‘Gopetu,’ meaning ‘Protector,’ so Dave must have some meaning and be short for something,” said Spock and chuckled. “Maybe it’s ancient for a kicker of arses.”
“I suppose so,” said Stu sounding wistful. “Maybe Dave is short for divine something... Devine kicker of arses.”
Spock nodded. “Or, divine, Yorkie, kicker of arses,” he said.
Stu furrowed his brow and sounding condescending said. “Don’t be daft Spock; Yorkie’s didn’t exist in Buddha’s day.”
Pon saw Sid smiling while listening to the pair and realised that he had made the perfect choice to look after Sid until he solved this riddle.
“Huh, smartarse,” said Spock ignoring Stu. He looked down at Sid and asked, “So what does Dave mean?”
Sid chuckled and saw the pair looked captivated while waiting for an answer.
He shrugged and said. “I dorn know what it means, but it’s short for David.”
The dopey pair looked at each other, and then at Sid who now looked sullen as tears welled up in his eyes.
“Don’t worry little matey, we’ll look after you.” said Spock feeling upset.
Sid stood and Spock crouched and hugged the tearful lad.
A Thai woman brought in a coke for Sid, along with cans of Singha beer for the lads.
While Pon sat on an armchair, Sid sat on the sofa between Stu and Spock, held their hands, and said. “I don’t rightly know what ‘appened. I was watching the footie wi’ me Dad, when our dog Whippet started barking and growling at nowt. Me Mam looked worried and while me Dad called Dave; she dragged me upstairs and pulled down the steps to our attic. She told me to keep me gob shut and hide. I did as she teld me and she pushed me up‘t’ steps and I heard loads of banging and crashing and Whippet going crazy. I stayed there fer a while befar me Mam pulled the steps darn and teld me to come down.”
Upset and confused, Sid took a drink of coke, before telling them. “Me Mam took me downstairs. The living room looked like we’d been burgled. Everything wez trashed. Dad sat on the settee looking reet poorly and teld me I had tah go with Dave. Me Mam came in with me school backpack, she looked terrible too, and collapsed on ‘t’ chair with blood all over the place, and no sign of Whippet.” Sid wiped tears from his eyes and said. “I cried, but me Dad said I had to go wey Dave.”
Sid went quiet and stared at his glass of coke while he recalled the events and said. “Dave took me to Manchester airport and we waited hours fer a flight to Thailand.” Sid, unable to hold back the hurt, put his head in his hands and cried.
Spock’s maternal instinct kicked in and he smiled at the lad and offered him a cigarette.
With tears streaming down his little face, Sid looked at Spock smiling with his cigarette packet opened and Stu glowering at him with one eyebrow raised. Sid shook his head and with his voice quivering, said. “No, I don’t smoke, I’m only nine.”
Sid then sniffed back the tears, and trembling, said. “Dave looked reet poorly on t’ plane. He brought me here two days ago and I haven’t seen him since. They put me in these daft clothes, shaved me ‘ead, and stuffed me in a temple with other kids dressed t’ same. It was a long journey, and I thought I wey being kidnapped.” Sid juddered. “I dornt know what’s happening and I’m scared.”
He pointed to Pon and told Spock and Stu. “Pon’s a nice bloke. He brought me here this morning, let me watch telly, and said you were coming to help.”
“We will Sid,” said Stu and smiled.
Sid smiled at Spock and Stu and sounding hopeful said. “Now you two are ‘ere, maybe tonight I’ll get t’ sleep in a proper bed, before I go home tomorrow to see me Mam and Dad.”
Spock and Stu felt compassion for this little confused, scared boy, but unable to find words of comfort, Spock gave him his can of beer. Stu again raised an eyebrow as Sid gulped down the Singha beer and grimaced.
“Would you mind if Sid stayed with you tonight?” Pon asked smiling and looking relieved.
Sid smiled at the pair who now saw relief in the boy’s face.
“Good idea,” said Spock, putting his large arm around Sid’s shoulder, and smiled.
“Yeah, that’ll be okay, but no more beer,” said Stu, with his eyebrow still raised.
“You can sleep in Stu and Dao’s bed, nothing else happened in there.” Spock chuckled.
Stu is about to retort when Sid looked at Spock’s forearm and said, “That looks like a new tattoo, it’s still scabby. What does it say?”
Spock looked at the smiling Sid, and as he fumbled for words, Stu tittered and said, “Get out of that one then, buster.”
While Pon went to investigate further, Spock and Stu stayed with Sid in the lounge trying to take his mind off what had happened. Although they felt awkward, as they knew Sid hadn’t yet realised that his parents were dead, they talked and watched television.
Dao, Moo, Kim and Samnan came in at lunchtime, met Sid, and they
all went to the large dining room and ate with Pon.
They spent the day with Sid either indoors or in the small playground on the lawn Pon had made for Samnan. The two kids had a whale of a time on the slides, rubber tyre swings, and see-saw. So did Samnan and Sid, but felt happy when Moo came and led Spock off the playground by his lug, with Stu following them looking sheepish.
Pon had a small bed brought into Stu and Dao’s bedroom for Sid along with his belongings, and he and Dao went to sleep at 8pm. Stu felt happy because it would give Dao time with Sid who was of similar age to her own son, and it made Sid feel safe.
Moo told Spock she was tired and went to bed early and watched television in their bedroom until she nodded off.
While Sid and the girls slept, Spock and Stu went into the kitchen. The palace staff, knowing from their previous visits, had stocked the fridge with cans of Singha beer.
Stu and Spock took two cans over to the table where they sat and discussed the day’s events.
“None of this makes sense,” said Stu. “Why now, and why has there been nothing on television about the murders if it is happening worldwide?”
Spock shrugged, and the pair spent the next few hours deliberating and trying to figure out what they could do about the situation. With the beer stocks almost gone, Spock became philosophical and said. “I can’t get my head around this religion nonsense.” He took a slurp of Singha beer and continued. “They all believe in one god, but according to all the bibles, he told them something different. According to the Muzzies, when they die, they get seven virgins to meet them. Well, that doesn’t make any sense; what do the virgins think about that, don’t women have a say?”
Stu, although listening, thought about his novel and how the hero, the one-toothed vampire, would overcome his nemesis, the dreaded Angel of Guppy.
Spock looked at Stu, slurped the last dreg from the can, and said. “As for our lot, the Christians’; that bloke Moses reckoned God spoke to him and told him to kill his son, and then a goat... Why?” Spock slurred. “Don’t goats have a say?”
Stu shrugged, so Spock continued. “If all these religious idiots spent as much time caring for the planet instead of what they thought created it, the world would be a far better place.”
He squashed his can and threw it at the full waste bin. It bounced off the other cans and landed on the floor.
Spock stood and said. “I think if there is a God, he should make an appearance and put the records straight.”
He looked at Stu and grinned. “What do you think matey, guest appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show... God live, with his mate Buddha.” Spock chuckled.
“I don’t think Buddha taught us what happened when you die mate. I think he only taught people how to live properly,” said Stu, putting in his two-penneth before Plato Harris went to get his toga.
Spock went over, picked up the can, and put it in the waste bin, which again fell out. He shrugged and then went to the fridge, took out the last two cans, tutted, and handed one to Stu.
Spock took a long gulp, belched and said. “That’s a load of old bollox; we know how to live properly.” He took another gulp, belched again, smiled, and raised his can. “Cheers matey, this is the life.”
The following morning, the two wise philosophers, looking worse for wear, went into the kitchen where an angry Moo pointed to the stack of empty Singha cans in and around the bin. Sid, now dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, chuckled as Moo bollocked a hung over Spock and Stu.
Pon and Kim interrupted their bollocking when they came into the kitchen with Samnan.
While Moo and Kim cooked Thai food for her, Dao, Pon, Kim, and Samnan, Dao rustled up three full English breakfasts for Spock, Stu, and Sid.
They finished breakfast and with Moo still glaring at Spock; he, Stu, Pon, and Sid went into the living room where Pon took something from a bag and handed it to Sid.
Sid’s face lit up. “Wow, a Gameboy, thanks Pon,” he said, turned it on, and went to sit on an armchair.
Spock had a quick shufty in Pon’s bag but looked disappointed after seeing no more Gameboys.
Noticing Sid engrossed with the Gameboy, they sat around a coffee table.
“So what’s happening?” whispered Stu.
Pon sounded anxious when he leant forward and said.
“This could be far more serious than I first thought. I don’t know how widespread it is yet, but there are several hundred of the Buddha’s descendants in Thailand. They all know that if something were to happen to a descendant or a Gopetu, they would contact their Sanctuary, but none have contacted the Tinju. They know I am here, and they also know the location of the Wat in Salaburi.”
Stu rubbed his chin. “Hmm, maybe it’s just a coincidence.” He leant over and whispered. “Perhaps Sid’s family were burgled and killed for their valuables, Sheffield is a rough place.”
Pon looked sullen, shook his head, and said. “No, there are too many coincidences.” He looked at Sid playing and then at Spock and Stu. “I will show you what I mean later and then you will understand.”
Stu looked puzzled. “So who do you think killed them? And why now?”
Pon’s telephone ringing interrupted him from answering Stu’s question. He looked at the number and answered.
Sid, hearing Pons phone ringing, stopped playing his Gameboy and looked at the three. Spock and Stu smiled at him while Pon finished his conversation. Then he looked at Sid and said. “Great news Sid. Dave’s awake.”
Sid put down his Gameboy. “Can we go t’ see him?” he asked sounding relieved and excited as he walked over to the three.
Pon nodded.
“I’ll gor get me ‘at,” said Sid and rushed to the bedroom to get his baseball hat. Not wanting Dave to see they had shaved his head, as he would have extracted the urine (taken the piss)
Spock and Stu smiled.
“Well, at least that is one bit of good news for the poor kid,” said Stu. “Hopefully, Dave can take his mind off what happened to his family.”
Pon nodded and sounding wistful said. “Yes, and perhaps he can give us some answers.”
— Chapter Four —
Dave, although feeling exhausted and confused, sat up in bed when Pon, Stu, Spock, and Sid came in.
Stu and Spock noticed Dave looked to be around their age.
“Ay-up our kid,” said Dave smiling at Sid.
Sid, weeping with relief, rushed over, and getting on the bed, hugged him.
Dave felt Sid’s little body trembling as he clung on to him.
Spock, Stu, and Pon went over to Dave.
“He doesn’t look like a Yorkie,” Spock whispered.
“No mate, I don’t think Asian Yorkies wore flat caps and wellies,” Stu replied and chuckled.
Pon smiled at Dave. “Hello Dave, how are you feeling?”
Dave, still holding Sid, smiled at the three, and sounded weak, said. “I still feel groggy, but better than I did. Thanks for looking after Sid, Pon.”
Dave then looked at Spock and Stu giggling after hearing him reply in Thai but with a Yorkshire accent.
“Dave, these are my English friends, Stu and Spock,” said Pon.
Dave nodded and said, “Ay-up lads, nice to meet you, where are you from?”
“Cleethorpes,” said Stu smirking.
Dave chuckled. “Eeh, bloody Meggies...I’m reet glad you’re here,” he said, although after reading Spock’s tattoo, he furrowed his brow and looked at the pair.
Vitchae came in the room, wai-ed the party and went over with a glass of mud-coloured liquid, which he told Dave to drink.
Dave thanked Vitchae and grimaced as he drank the potion, and said, “I don’t know how to thank you all.”
He looked at Pon, “I want to tell you what happened,” he said in English and looked at the tearful Sid, “but now is not the time.”
Pon nodded his agreement as Vitchae said something to Dave, and Pon translated for Spock and Stu, who sniggered.
“He should
be used to that being a Comfort,” said Stu smirking.
Dave looked at the tittering Meggies and while he spoke to Sid, Pon asked. “What does Meggies mean?”
“That’s what the Comforts call people from Cleethorpes,” said Spock smirking.
“So, what does Comfort mean?” Pon asked looking confused.
Stu explained. “When people from Yorkshire come to Cleethorpes for holidays, they always say we’ve Come-for-t-day, so we call them Comforts...get it? Comfort - day.”
Pon smiled and nodded, although not understanding his dopey friend.
Sid then got off Dave’s bed looking upset.
“It’s okay Sid you can stay with me, but you need to wait outside until Vitchae’s finished, and then he will bring you back in here,” said Dave slurring his words as the potent narcotic properties of the healing medicine took effect, and Vitchae took Sid outside.
Dave, feeling drowsy, beckoned Pon closer, and whispered something in his ear. Pon looked surprised and then frowned.
Several minutes later, Vitchae came back into the room with a tube attached to a bottle of the same mud-coloured solution.
Dave looked drowsy as he tried to speak to the three but he kept nodding off.
“That’ll wake the bugger up,” said Stu and chortled before seeing Pon’s bemused expression.
“What’s up mate?” he asked, “you look like you’ve seen a ghost... What did Dave say?”
Pon trusted Stu and Spock like brothers, so knew what he was about to tell them would go no farther.
Vitchae, about to stick the tube up Dave’s jaxy, stopped when he saw the worried expression on Pon’s face.
Pon looked afraid and with a quake in his voice told Vitchae in Thai and then Spock and Stu in English. “Dave confirmed my suspicions. He told me that Demons attacked the family.”
Vitchae gasped and looked shocked. Both he and Pon now knew who attacked the descendants, but it seemed unbelievable after so many centuries.
Stu and Spock, unable to understand, just thought it was a Yorkie rambling on with a tube about to be stuck up his arse, and they looked at one another.
Pon, seeing the lads looking confused, said. “When we finished here, we can go to my study and I will explain.”
Protector--The Final Adventure Page 3
