by Susan Pease
The creatures watched in awe as the King yelled at the pair, he was angry and the two elves were shaking in their boots.
‘I should throw you in our dungeon and never let you out but I have decided that you have to fix up this mess all by yourselves. And if the Mac creatures eat you for their dinner, then I will be rid of you for once and for all! Then again, that may not be a good idea, you may get us into more mess than I can possibly fix up. I better put right this mess myself; after all, I am the all-knowing King. I just have to work out what to do.’
Sweat was running down the King’s face, which was flushed and scarlet as he wiped his head with a silk cloth. The door opened and a beautiful lady elf walked in with a tray. On the tray were a goblet and some tablets on a silver dish.
‘Take these my dear heart; don’t let the two juvenile elves get the better of you. You know that you must watch your blood pressure.’
Eiki smiled, she felt sorry for the King as it was frustrating for him to have to deal with the pair. Eiki could remember when she was trying to teach the creatures to travel. She would get so vexed that she wanted to strangle them. The King took the tablets and then calmed right down.
‘Let me see, we now have a problem of reversing the spell before the creatures find out. That’s if they haven’t already as they are very good at finding out stuff.’
He reached up towards the top of the library shelf and brought down an old dusty book. The book was large, red and had beautiful Scottish thistles all over the side of the cover. The lock was grand; it was gold and in the shape of hands with entwined fingers. The King sat down puffing; he started to chant a spell.
‘Book of old spells, ancient and bold, open before me the King of Dark Elves, an answer I seek to a spell that has been charmed, it must be lifted for peace is at stake. The spell antidote has to be used before it’s too late.’
The book wasn’t happy at being disturbed and it moaned. A puff of smoke lifted to the ceiling and the hands cracked as they separated and stretched. The King was grateful that the book of spells had let him into its secrets and he put on his silver glasses.
‘Let me see, I think the spell is on page one hundred and thirty-six.’
Skimming through the pages, the book coughed as the dust flew everywhere. Unexpectedly, a bright light sprang from the book and projected against the wall was the answer to the King’s quandary. The creatures cowed in fright except for Eiki who was fascinated and boldly walked forward to get a better view.
‘Lord of lords and flight of the dragons, release our victim. The spell that has been charmed is to be dismantled, and the spell book must be closed so it can be used no more.’
Straight away Eiki was released and gave an enormous sigh of relief! The book yawned and entwined its fingers, pulling the covers together. The King was satisfied that everything had gone well.
‘I think my dear the victim will now be free of the bubble. Let’s hope they never find out it was the Dark Elves that inflicted the pain.’
The creatures had witnessed what the King had done and most felt sorry for him. In fact, their warrior hearts had melted when it occurred to them that the elves were just like them. Just because they look different and live in a different place didn’t make them bad – just different.
Eiki smiled, she felt that the creatures had learnt a very important lesson and it was time they all went home. The travelling spell was activated; they lifted up and were off. When they arrived home they decided that it would be a good time to have a party! Eiki was free and they had not only travelled they had learnt a valuable lesson. In future they would try to get along with the Dark Elves; maybe the two towns could help each other and live in harmony. War was not the answer; it only caused heartache and distress. Still, the blighters better not steal from them again. If that happened, all compassion would fly out the window, as that would be the Mac creatures’ way.
Eiki was unaware that soon she would be home back with her precious mother. This would be the last time she would be with her new Scottish friends. In Australia, the plans had been made for the “time” to be reversed and the return of Eiki to Australia was well on its way.
CHAPTER NINE
The Bunyip’s Footprint
The Time Distributors had been notified and the Bunyip was satisfied that permission would be granted. The party decided to prepare Jo for her journey back to the past. The Time Distributors would probably only allow her to go back to the beginning, which was the school classroom before Eiki tried to travel them to the village. Jo wondered if Eiki would be back under her seat in the class. Then reality hit, Jo was saddened at the knowledge that she wouldn’t see her Scottish friends again. She wondered if she would remember anything that had happened. Would she ask Eiki to travel her back to the village if so, everything would start again? That’s how she got into trouble in the first place. She would have to remember everything and stop the disaster from taking place. It had been an adventure of a lifetime and a great story for a school essay. But if it started again Jo would have a hissy fit. Aunt Pepper listened to Jo’s predicament and felt sad for her.
‘I would love to travel back with you and help but the Time Distributors will only allow you. And remember, I wasn’t in the classroom when it all happened. It has to be as it was at the time of the mishap. It’s a shame really as I would love to be young again, even if it was for two minutes.’
Everybody looked at her as if she had lost her mind. A group of young creatures started giggling at the thought of a “young Pepi”.
‘I’m just joking, goodness me can’t an old Aunt Pepper have a dream or two? Where is your sense of humour? Just trying to lighten up a challenging situation.’
She suggested that Jo took time to write everything down that had happened to her. Head it in capital letters, DANGER, DO NOT ASK EIKI TO TRAVEL YOU BOTH TO THE VILLAGE, MOST IMPORTANT. Jo wondered if she would change back just as she was, school uniform and all. Aunt Pepper explained that she would be just as she was before the travelling spell took over. Jo would be in her uniform with no Scottish clothes and Eiki would be back in Australia probably under her desk ready to get up to mischief.
‘This is a very important travel Jo, it means that when you come back your mother will be alive and everything we have all experienced while you were gone didn’t happen. Time change is a bad thing but in this case it is a better outcome for the future. We still don’t know what went wrong when Eiki tried to travel you back into the village. Something peculiar happened and we must investigate the cause so it will not happen again. I personally feel it’s because the earth’s energy is being disturbed with human greed and anger. Not to mention the blatant lack of concern for the planet’s health.’
Then Jo asked an intelligent question. If everything went back to the way it was before the travelling, how come a letter that she would write in this time would be with her in the past time? The Bunyip explained that if he blew on the note it would have “time change” and stay in Jo’s hand. It would time travel with her and not disappear. It was of course, Bunyip magic. The next day, two Time Distributors entered the village, the wind blew and the clouds turned grey as they approached. They were old, grey-haired, bent over and creepy with bright red noses and wooden staffs in each of their hands. They wore purple capes with large hoods covering their beady eyes and shuffled along slowly, taking their time, after all, time was what they had heaps of. You could say they were all about time and not too pleased with the situation at all, it was to them a huge waste of their precious time. The Bunyip saw that Jo was frightened; anybody would have been after seeing these menacing creatures. So he decided to do what he liked to do the best, he told her a joke.
‘Jo, think of this while you are travelling, it may calm you down. What can’t walk, but run?’
Jo smiled; she was nervous but grateful that the Bunyip had tried to cheer her up. Aunt Pepper gave Jo a cuddle; it was as if she was still uneasy at what could happen. The Bunyip started his walk, pr
essing his huge flat feet into the ground. There were ten steps in a row, perfectly laid before Jo. The Time Distributors were a serious pair and it was evident that the whole situation didn’t please them. They stared at Jo and then gave orders to everyone in an unpleasant manner. Aunt Pepper was a little annoyed but accepted that the Time Distributors had to be listened to.
‘They could at least be nice about it all, we all get that they are the bosses of time but for heaven’s sake be a little polite, no need for rudeness,’ said Pepper tetchily.
The Bunyip thought it was amusing that Pepi was getting her knickers in a knot. He had never seen her so annoyed. Jo was instructed to stand at the front of the first step, her nerves showed as she shook with fear.
‘The most important thing to do is clear your mind of everything. We, the Time Distributors, are in charge of time and it’s our job to make sure time runs smoothly. We don’t need anybody else changing things or messing up, do you understand?’
Jo thought for a moment, if she had to clear her mind, she couldn’t work out the Bunyip’s joke when she was travelling. Everybody nodded their heads in agreement and the Time Distributors started to chant their instructions.
‘Jo, every step you make will ring to a tune, you will hear the tones, as you do, visualise the instructions given to you by the sound.’
Jo held her breath and proceeded to walk into the first footprint. The tune rang soft and the footprint vibrated slowly. The second step was more confronting. When Jo stepped into it she felt dizzy and the tune was louder. The third step became bumpy and the tune rang even louder and made her head spin faster. Jo panicked, she felt she would lose her head altogether and her ears were tingling. Her long, red hair began to stick straight up as if she had put her finger in a light socket.
‘Oh my! It’s as if I am being electrocuted but I feel no heat or pain, will I be ok?’
Each step made Jo feel stranger, lighter and dizzier until all of a sudden the last step glowed and a bright light surrounded her – it was a protective white light. She was thrown into a tunnel of rainbow beams, golden confetti and silver clouds. Travelling so fast she wondered if everything would be all right. During her journey, Jo remembered the song her mother used to sing to her when she was quite small. She started humming the tune, the words danced in her confused mind. It was the rainbow song she loved and danced to when she was very small in kinder. Her eyes filled up as she remembered that her mum had died and incredible sadness fell over her. Not a good thing to do as she saw that the lights were starting to dim.
‘Oh gosh, I must clear my mind, I am affecting the spell. The Time Distributors needed me to be clear of any thoughts, sad or happy. I hope I haven’t mucked up everything.’
All the creatures watching the event held their breath, was the spell about to backfire and would Jo end up nowhere and Eiki be lost forever? The lights were dimming, this was not a good thing and the Time Distributors shook their heads. Pepper was alarmed and started to chant to bring up the energy. All the creatures rushed together and hugged, as they were worried as to what would happen to Jo. Then, without warning, she was gone, nowhere to be seen.
The creatures cheered and started to sing and dance. It had worked! Jo had been transported back to the beginning. Now life will be returned to the way it should be. Eiki’s parents sighed with relief and decided a cup of tea would go down beautifully when they got home. They were going to prepare to greet their long-lost daughter. There was no point putting Eiki on the time-out mat when she arrived home, she wouldn’t remember anything so it was better left and forgotten. Although, they did decide to keep a stricter eye on the little Slurp-it-Downs.
Pepper and Waldo decided that a glass of brandy would be the tonic for the day. They needed something stronger to calm their nerves and settle them down. After all, they were grown-ups and only grown-ups can drink alcohol, just a little sometimes.
‘You know Pepper, I think a seafood platter, tossed salad and champagne for dinner is in order. And some strawberry cheesecake for dessert, the stress has made me hungry! Sending Jo back to the beginning was an enormous event! We should have a quiet celebration, just the two of us at home,’ said Waldo gently.
‘That would be wonderful but we need to include our friend the Bunyip, he is the saviour in all of this.’
‘Of course Pepper, without him nothing would be possible; he is the hero of the bush.’ Pepper laughed, it was wonderful to think that the time change due to the mishap had not beaten them and whatever had happened now, was fixed. They just had to find out why things had gone wrong and make sure it never happened again. Waldo had other plans and decided to hit the history books after dinner. He thought that he might be able to bring back the creature that had been lost a long time ago. He was now on a new mission to save the planet from time trouble. Pepper shook her head at the thought of a new mission he would throw himself into; there was always some cause he wanted to fight.
While celebrations were in full swing in the future, Jo was arriving back into the past. It had been a wild ride and all at once things seemed to disappear from her mind. In fact, she couldn’t think at all; her mind had gone totally blank. For a moment she couldn’t even remember who she was and what she had been doing. Gradually, Jo’s travel started to slow down and the wind whistled past her face and her ears popped as she began her descent.
‘I am Joanne Elizabeth Parker and I live at 23 Hawthorn Street Corkuparipple Creek. Wow – that was a hoot whatever it was!’
There was no memory of the mishaps and definitely no memory of the return journey. Surprisingly she landed quite gently and found herself next to her school desk. Melissa was starting to get out of her chair and approached Jo. She was looking pleased with herself, and Jo was feeling quite disturbed by her mental blank at the essay exam. That sort of thing had never happened before and Jo hoped it would never happen again.
That must be what they call writer’s block, thought Jo.
‘Think I’ve nailed it Jo, just couldn’t stop writing. It’s funny because I came into class with no idea and ended up with heaps.’
That would be right, she was writing so fast it’s probably going to be a bestselling novel. Hang on what does she mean heaps of ideas. I gave her the only idea, just typical, thought Jo grumpily.
‘Let’s get some fresh air and some food, I’m starving’, said Melissa. ‘You can tell me about the apron and the green bottle now. Is it some kind of herbal tonic or drink that your kooky Aunt Pepper has made?’
A funny feeling came across Jo; it was as if she had experienced it all before, déjà vu. Melissa looked at the puzzled face of her friend.
‘What’s wrong with you, you’re looking a little pale.’
Jo suspiciously looked under her chair then stared back at Melissa.
‘I think, I think, I guess that I don’t know what I think. Let’s get something to eat.’
‘Hey Melissa, I have a joke for you, it’s just come to me.’
‘Jo are you alright, you want to tell me a joke now?’
‘Well, yes, it’s a corker! Do you want to hear it?’
‘I suppose if it’s quick, I need food.’
‘Okay, what can’t walk, but can run?’
‘Haven’t a clue.’
‘A river is the answer, it’s good isn’t it? ’
‘Where did you hear that?’
‘No idea.’
And with that they both walked outside into the fresh air and headed for the tuck shop. Jo turned around and stared at the classroom door, something was missing, something she was supposed to do, but what? Melissa grabbed her hand pulling her into the tuck shop queue. Jo put her hand into her pocket and found a piece of folded paper.
Funny, I don’t remember putting a note in my pocket.
She never pulled it out, just left it there for another time. Melissa continued to push Jo towards the food queue; she was starving.
‘Mum has given me two dollars for a treat today! Come on, I’ll shou
t you a paddle pop.’ Jo smiled; she pulled herself together and said, ‘Make it a chocolate one please.’
SCOTTISH GLOSSARY
ALL = AW
AND = AN
BE = CA
BEAUTIFUL = BONNIE
BE QUIET, SHUT UP = WHEESHT
BOILED = BILE
BOY = LADDIE
BUNGLE = FOUTER
BUSY = THRANG
CAREFUL = CANNY
DARK ELVES = (GAELIC) = DAOI-SITH
DO = DAE
DO NOT = DINNA
EXCELLENT = GRAND
EYES = ENN
FATHER = FAITHER
FOOL = GOWK
FOR = FUR
FRIENDS = FREINS
FROM = FRAE
GIRL = LASS
GOOD = GUID
GAVE OR GO = GAE
HAVE = HAE
HER = HIR
HOME = HAME
I = AH
I AM = (GAELIC) = IS MISE
IDIOT = EEJIT
ILL-TEMPERED = CRABBIT
KNOW = KEN
MARY = MAIRI
MORE = MAIR
MORNING = MORN
MOTHER = MITHER
MUST = MAUN
MY = MA
NO = NA
NOT = NAE
NOTHING = NUETHIN
NOW = NOU
NUISANCE = SCUNNER
OF = O
ONE = ANE
OTHER = ITHER
OUR = OOR
POTATOES = TATTIES
