Lexington sighed.
‘Look, my head hurts. I can’t seem to think clearly.’
‘Not surprised. You are not made for rough stuff.’
‘Then why did our parents let us come here?’
‘Perhaps they had no choice. Perhaps the bracelets only work for you and your cousins and they knew if you fell into the wrong hands it would be worse.’
‘Maybe, but I am not going back! I’m not!’
She wanted to feel defiant but her insides churned.
‘I just can’t. Those children, it’s...it’s just horrible.’
‘Good, that’s settled. Now where are we stuck with working things out?’
‘I don’t know.’ She plonked her head in her hands. ‘I’ve never had so many facts before. My head hurts but I can’t stop this desire to solve it. It’s what I do. I must know why!’
‘While it hurts when you have your feelings and emotions, it puts me outside you. At those moments, I can see things clearer than you can. There are three things you need to do.’
***
In the costume room the cousins searched all the rows finding nothing that resembled sackcloth.
‘They are here. I know so. Hard to explain. But they are here,’ Melaleuca said.
‘What if they are not hanging up?’ Ari said. ‘What if they are just lying around? I mean they are sacks.’
They foraged, poked and scrambled through every inch they could find, but still turned up nothing.
Dejected and sure her feelings were right, Melaleuca finally said, ‘Let’s go back.’
***
Lexington sat aghast at what her thoughts had just told her.
‘You still think that after all that happened today, playing and pretending is still needed.’
‘Your disgust for the way the children are treated stops you from rising above it. You have seen it yourself. That’s how you discovered what you did about the two giant statues.’
‘Yes, but they were not in pain, or trying to hurt me.’
‘Just listen. The hypothesis, hyper-thesis were a good start. But we need to find the key theory, the linking one, the one that all others fit with.’
‘With everything so far that could take ages.’
‘Not if you chose the right costume.’
Of course, Lexington thought.
‘OUT LOUD PLEASE!!!’
‘Of course, so obvious. Should have seen it. Just got cluttered so quickly. Perhaps it is time for another clearing?’
‘Not needed. Just pretend.’
‘You sound more excited than I do.’
In a sly sounding voice, her inner thoughts said, ‘Put a costume on and then activate me. I’ll show you how much fun it is.’
‘And the last thing?’
‘Somewhere in this land there must be a document, books or records written down somewhere. Find them.’
A small whumping sound, as if soft material hit the floor, came from behind her. Turning, she saw four sackcloth costumes sitting on the floor.
She quickly wrote “That’s why,” and said, ‘Mel? Is that you?’
***
Melaleuca and the boys walked back into the bedroom disappointed.
‘We could not find any,’ Melaleuca said annoyed.
Lexington pointed to the pile of sackcloth clothes on the floor and held up a note.
Melaleuca took it and read it out loud.
“Always trust your heart.”
‘Where’d they come from?’
‘I heard them hit the floor, turned and there they were.’ Lexington shrugged her shoulders. ‘Invisibility again.’
Quixote threw off his sackcloth and donned the new one.
‘No itching.’
‘Let’s test them,’ Ari said. ‘Bend over Quixote.’
Pointing his bottom at him, Quixote asked, ‘Like this?’
‘Yep.’
He smacked his rump hard, though Quixote did not flinch.
‘Hurry up!’
‘He already has,’ Lexington said. ‘Did you feel nothing?’
‘Nothing.’
Ari changed into one of them, and said, ‘Try on me, Qui.’
Quixote slapped him full force on his cheek with an open hand. Apart from the slapping noise, little else happened.
‘‘I think we will be fine,’ Melaleuca said, directing her comments at Lexington. ‘Nothing can hurt us now. Put one on Lex.’
Lexington cast her sackcloth to one side, putting the new one on. Instead of itching, it soothed her skin.
‘Try this,’ Quixote said, booting her hard in her crotch.
She flinched.
Quixote’s jaw dropped.
‘Did I hurt you?’
Lexington felt her crotch. ‘I am fine. Physically not hurt, but there is more than one way to hurt someone. You just took me by surprise.’ Calmed, an obvious thought struck her. ‘These are not from the attic. Why do they work?’
Quixote pulled his out from his body, inspecting it. ‘I think it has been used before.’ He pulled a small tooth out of it and extracted threads of hair from it.
Lexington recoiled.
‘Ewww!’
The door burst open and Aunty Gertrude, smirking from ear to ear, strode into the room with a haughty demeanour. Not looking at them and with her head jabbed high, she said, ‘Thought you could sneak in eh! Not so proud and smart mouthed now are we?’
She heard silence, mistaking it for humility.
‘Now that’s better. Little bratty children whose mouths are shut.’ She lowered her eyes, and saw them trying hard not to laugh.
‘WHAT! WHAT? Laughter, and what is this?’ She grabbed Quixote. ‘No marks, no whip stains, or anything.’
Forgetting her lady status, she dropped to her knees, clutching at their bodies searching for injuries.
‘I don’t believe it,’ Aunty Gertrude yelled as she got back to her feet. ‘You were roped. He was hit in the face. But nothing. What is going on?’
Quixote calmed himself and approached her with a serene face; his eyes filled with mirth. ‘Thanks for sending us to school. It was fun. Can we go again tomorrow?’
‘You little shit.’
She slapped him hard across the face.
Unflinching, he grinned at her.
‘Thanks, can I have another?’
Incensed beyond words, she thrust her hands around his throat, squeezing with all her might. Quixote continued to smile back at her.
Seeing suspicion and fear on Aunty Gertrude’s face at Quixote’s invulnerability, Melaleuca started crying, like one of the scared children she had seen, and threw herself at her Aunt.
‘Please, stop. You will kill him. Leave him alone.’
Aunty Gertrude relaxed her grip. ‘Foul girl.’ She spat at Melaleuca. ‘Be the best thing for all of you.’
Lexington pulled her hair back.
‘I should choose my words more carefully. You lied to us to get us to go to the Vahn. But I tell you this, I may not look much but after today I know quite a bit more about strength.’
A boney finger jabbed at her.
‘Mark these words. Today will be considered a picnic when I tell them to let loose on you.’
‘And if we should fail,’ Lexington said, ‘what of your honour?’
Like a harpoon, her words sunk into Aunty Gertrude. She tried to speak but enraged, she choked on her words.
‘You see Aunty, the Head Discipliner said your honour was at stake. And we were told that, you, being in charge of history, had decided to bring in outsiders. Now I know little of what really goes on here, but I do know that is not how we came to be here. That means you want others to know another story about us, which of course, we could keep to, if we were treated right. I would hate to see your honour dis-honoured.’
Aunty Gertrude gawped, gob-smacked at Lexington’s poisonous words, a slight look of realisation and terror on her face. Even the others looked surprised at how barbed Lexington’s words were.
Aunty Gertrude slapped Lexington’s face hard in frustration. Lexington shifted her head to one side, but then without flinching, shifted it back.
‘I think we understand each other.’
Aunty Gertrude lashed out.
‘The adults always win. Always! It may seem you have the upper hand, but you are only four children, and we are hordes of hardened people. We have withstood fire and the ravages of time, and still we stand.’
They looked back at her unimpressed.
‘Disgusting children,’ Aunty Gertrude yelled and with a flurry of her dress, swished about and stormed out of their room ranting.
‘In my day...we shall...Stricter, tougher...will talk...have become slack...’ Her voice trailed off down the corridor. ‘Little brats. I told you they would be trouble!!’ she shrieked high-pitched at someone.
‘Impressive logic Lex,’ Ari said.
With an obvious feeling of being chuffed Lexington addressed her cousins though pointed her gaze at Quixote.
‘See, logic. Logic and analysing helped me work out that little fact.’
Feet shuffled to the door and a small polite knock rapped on it. ‘May I enter? Did not want to disturb you, perhaps...ah...’ Uncle Bear-Nard pushed the door opened.
He stared at his four fresh-faced nieces and nephews. They looked no worse for wear. Behind him Jeeves appeared.
‘So...ah...how are we?’
‘We are all fine,’ Melaleuca said.
‘And...the day...how was it?’
‘Very informative,’ Lexington replied.
‘Oh and the...um...Vahn...how did...was...that found?’
‘When was the last time you went there Uncle?’ Melaleuca asked.
‘I...me...oh...before, before. Long time?’
‘Uncle, the school is brutal,’ Lexington said.
‘You all seem...chipper...fine...though?’
Lexington started to explain. Melaleuca placed her hand on Lexington’s shoulder and then spoke.
‘We are fine Uncle. Thank you for asking. We shall be fine? How was your day?’
Jeeves, who had been standing there the entire time silent, stood there some more and carried on being silent.
‘Good. Yes. Thanks.’ Uncle Bear-Nard appeared to get even more nervous.
Lexington shot another question at him. ‘Can I see your false teeth?’
The question stunned everyone, though Uncle Bear-Nard glibly smiled and muttered something about having to keep them in.
‘Just...came...to...say goodnight...that’s all.’
‘But it is early evening,’ Lexington said.
Melaleuca pulled Lexington back. ‘Good night Uncle.’
They all bid Jeeves and Uncle Bear-Nard good night.
‘Poor Uncle. He really is in a terrible state,’ Ari said.
‘Why couldn’t he answer those questions?’ Lexington asked.
‘I think Aunty Gertrude is making life unbearable for him,’ Ari said. ‘Poor man.’
‘Let’s use the bracelets, put on a costume and go scare her,’ Quixote said.
The idea appealed though they knew the only fun they would have with it was in their minds.
‘Right,’ Melaleuca said, ‘let’s get on with it. Let’s just pick up from where we were before the Vahn? Ari you were sitting on the roof, Quixote you were trying on costumes, and Lex there must be much about today for you to write up on the wall. Let’s have fun, play, pretend. Come on let’s go.’
Lexington looked at Melaleuca with disdain. ‘How can you just ignore today? We have to face the Vahn again tomorrow. Shouldn’t we be thinking about that? How can you just play or pretend? I don’t think we should go back? I don’t think our parents ever meant for us to go there?’
‘We have the costumes. We have little to fear from the Vahn now.’
‘I want to stay here during the day.’
Quixote waded in.
‘I think we should attack the Vahn tomorrow. Look how we did against the guards at the Borstal. Lexington is right.’
‘Quixote!’ Lexington said, exasperated. ‘I meant something else, besides the children did not want to be rescued. Or did you not notice.’ She faced Melaleuca. ‘Mum said to get her if I found the sign. The sign was on the top of the head of the statues. That’s what we should also be doing. Going back for them.’
‘Lex,’ Ari said. ‘Let’s just calm down. I’m sure we, with your help, can work this out.’
‘I suppose you want to attack the Vahn as well?’ Lexington asked Ari. Hurt shone in her eyes.
‘Lex, I think we should play or pretend tonight. Move forward with the costumes, and things will become clear.’
‘I see,’ Lexington calmed herself, though from the pained expression on her gentle face, all the cousins could see she was trying to control it.
‘Make your decision then, Mel. Which is it to be? Attack the Vahn, go back to the Vahn, or let’s go back and find our parents or your idea! Oh and if you are to take counsel from me, I suggest my idea.’
Melaleuca’s natural urge was to restate again they should play and pretend and learn to use the costumes, but in Lexington’s worked-up state she needed to consider her feelings, however tiresome she was becoming. Probing beyond her eyes, Melaleuca saw in an instance where the problem lay. Lexington could not watch anything suffer. Even as a younger child Lexington could not watch animals, insects, birds or even trees, die or be in pain.
The words that her gentleness was her strength came to Melaleuca, yet right now she saw it as a weakness. She pulled her vision back and decided to do what she always did, make a decision.
Like every other time, she willed it so, expecting her feelings to pop a decision out.
Nothing turned up, no decision, no feeling.
She willed again, and again nothing turned up.
Slightly panicky, she willed one more time, but nothing came of it.
‘Well?’ Lexington demanded.
Chapter 25 - Deeper into Intrigue
Daquan sat in his new adult den, his desk awash in papers. Maps of the world covered the walls and marks and dates with the words “no,” “possibly,” “clues found here,” and “information,” were scrawled all over them; evidence of years searching for the bracelets.
Someone had them, and whoever that someone was, was using them, he thought. The Marauders had been spotted. They must be using his Bracelets. His Bracelets! His ticket out of here! His way to revenge for the years of humiliation! He needed them and he needed them now! The Kockoroc had been spotted, a sure sign that great change was a foot. Soon all New Wakefield would talk of it; the perfect time for him to go unnoticed, everyone distracted by their imprisoning myths and legends.
‘But not I!’
He smacked the papers on his desk sending them sprawling across the floor. He scratched the hair growing back on his eyebrows, and felt disturbed and edgy, more than normal. Of all the bits of news, the one that irked him the most was the presence of outside children seen behind the Throughnight Cathedral-Mansion. And worse was the news that Matron Gertrude Throughnight had taken outside children and sent them to the Vahn.
Was it possible that she had trained children in secret to use the Bracelets? And with a view to attacking him?
Frustrated, he grabbed a cup, hiffing it in the direction of the door. It smashed to pieces on the edge as a messenger appeared.
The messenger panicked.
‘Ahhh!’
‘WHAT?’
The messenger cowered, unable to speak.
‘Is Quesob back yet? Is that it?’
‘S..s.sir. Master B..B..Bench said he is not back yet.’
‘WHY NOT?’ Daquan screamed not expecting an answer, and then snapped. ‘Assemble the men out back.’
The messenger looked confused.
‘WELL GET ON WITH IT!’
Minutes later Daquan stood in the back of his crumbling Cathedral-Mansion, amongst the weeds and mud, staring at twenty grizzly men.
/> With an eye of disgust Daquan remembered former times when men of stouter heart trod proudly about his place. Now no one of any note would join him. As a recluse and a returned outcast, these were the best men he could muster.
‘Two of you are going on a spy mission for me!’
***
With no decision forth coming, Melaleuca harked back to the notes and the instructions.
‘We are to move forward. We are to follow our hearts. That’s what mum and the notes say.’
She felt panicky about the unexplained loss of her decision-making ability.
Lexington threw her arms up.
‘The notes! We have just been to the Vahn and the only note we get is about the uniforms. Don’t any of you find that strange? Surely they would say something like, well done, don’t panic, be strong. Maybe, whoever it is, thinks we ought not to have gone.’
‘We have gone. It is known we are here. This we have to deal with.’
‘Please listen to me. Don’t go back there. Let’s go and find our parents! I know the note said we were out of danger. But I think all we are doing is heading into danger.’
The word “danger,” ignited a fire inside Melaleuca. She felt the same thrill she had when fighting the guards at the borstal, and felt that same growing power she had tasted when she had looked into Master Saurian’s eyes.
‘And if we are,’ Melaleuca said, ‘then there is more urgency to learn to use the costumes properly.’
‘Girls, we can work this out,’ Ari said.
In a split second, Melaleuca saw herself leading a charge on the Vahn, freeing the students, and liberating the land. Fleeting, the vision left. Like a double-edged sword, a new ability to split asunder people’s feelings and thoughts formed. She pierced through Lexington’s words to her unrealised emotion.
Melaleuca extended her arm and unlike her, stroked Lexington’s hand. ‘You are scared. We all are. You shouldn’t be. Don’t ask me why or how. That’s your job. Mine is to trust. And I do. I so do.’
Lexington did not expect Melaleuca to cool as quickly as she did.
‘Don’t ask me to not ask why. It’s what I do!’
Vahn and the Bold Extraction, The Page 3
