Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Shattered Abacus (Orville Wellington Mouse Book 2)

by Tom Hoffman

  Sophia sat up straight. “You’re Myrmac the Brave? You’re the one Ollo the Rock Mouse told us about! You sold him the mysterious blue stone.”

  Myrmac glanced over at the King of Ants. “Yes, the infamous blue stone. I remember quite well selling it to Ollo for the tidy sum of thirty-six silvers. A shrewder ant than I would have walked away with two or three times that number of silvers. An interesting stone, to be sure. We’ll return to that topic later, but first I shall relay to you the essence of my grandfather’s prophecy. He was, as the great and noble King of Ants so graciously informed you, edging a little toward the eccentric side. He claimed to possess some form of mysterious inner voice which would tell him things, and it was that inner voice which revealed to him the great prophecy. In short, the voice told him that during the lifetime of his grandson, which of course would be me, a series of events would occur placing our world in the gravest of danger. As ridiculous as it may sound, the chain of events he described would ultimately cause time to stop across our land. All life as we know it would cease to be.”

  Sophia gasped. “That’s what I saw in my dream! Everyone in Muridaan Falls was frozen! Time had stopped. That’s why we’re here. We are here to prevent this catastrophic event from happening.”

  Myrmac nodded. “That was his prophecy. There is more to it than that, however. The prophecy contained two parts. The first half states clearly that The Great Silver Rabbit would rid Tatuid Village of the Shrieking Terror, a beast which was unknown to us at that time. It paid its first visit to our village exactly one year ago.”

  Orville blinked rapidly. “Wait, I’m sorry, did you say… the Shrieking Terror?”

  “Quite so. You may have noticed the monstrous claw marks on the outside of the village stockade? All courtesy of that despicable beast.”

  Proto’s ears perked up. “Precisely what manner of beast is this?”

  Myrmac shrugged. “I’m afraid no one has ever seen its true form and lived. It appears in the darkest of night, filling the air with unearthly shrieks. It attempts to claw its way through the front gate, but on occasion scrabbles over the top into the village. On those particular nights I’m sad to say it devours six or eight of our loyal citizens.”

  “Oh dear, it sounds like an absolutely abysmal beast. Do you have any idea at all where it might live?” Orville could tell Proto was making a valiant effort not to grin with delight over the presence of this horrible creature.

  “Most certainly. Its sinister lair lies only three miles away in an enormous labyrinth of caves and tunnels at the base of Mount Ianua. We’ve sent a few of the village guards into the caves on reconnaissance missions, but unfortunately none of them ever returned.”

  Orville gave a groan. “Caves, why do they always live in caves? I hate caves.”

  Sophia put her paw on Orville’s shoulder. “Remember, we are the ones who sent the Red Mouse to Malgraven Prison. We are the ones who defeated the giant carnivorous centipedes of Periculum. We are the ones who outwitted an Autonomous A6 Warrior Rabbiton in Norrich Bunker.”

  Orville nodded. “I know you’re right, but it’s called the Shrieking Terror and it lives in a big creepy cave at the base of a volcano.”

  “Those are only words, only names. Don’t be scared of words.”

  “Maybe you’re right. It’s the name that scares me most. Well, plus the fact that it devours six or eight giant ants for dinner.”

  Proto stood up and rubbed his silver hands together. “I believe we should pay this pesky fellow with the oversized claws a visit. Orville, if you apply your keen sense of logic to this puzzle you will see we are destined to be victorious. The prophecy clearly states we arrive in the village and rid them of the Shrinking Terror. It does not say we arrive in the village and are devoured the next day by the Shrinking Terror.”

  “It’s called the Shrieking Terror, not the Shrinking Terror.”

  “Even better. Shall we be on our way?”

  Myrmac slapped Proto on the back. “Well said, Great Silver Rabbit. I would highly recommend that you change your name to Proto the Brave. It would suit you well.”

  Proto beamed with delight. “Do you really think so? Would that be too much? Too boastful? Proto the Brave? I do like the sound of it.”

  “They’ve been calling me Myrmac the Brave for years. You get used to it.”

  “May I ask how you came to be called Myrmac the Brave?”

  “We can discuss the second half of the prophecy after you have vanquished the Shrieking Terror. The very best of luck to you, and we’ll be anxiously awaiting your safe return. Oh, I almost forgot, here’s a little map showing the precise location of the Shrieking Terror’s cave. From this point on it’s all up to you and your two stalwart adventuring companions.”

  Fifteen minutes later the three adventurers were striding down a shadowy jungle trail toward Mount Ianua and the clawed horror known as the Shrieking Terror of Tatuid Village.

  Chapter 14

  The Cave You Fear

  Proto was the first to spot the cave. “Over there, through those vines!”

  Orville peered through the dense jungle thicket to an ominous black opening at the base of the massive volcano. “It looks really dark inside.”

  Sophia crept forward. “Keep your eyes open. Defensive spheres up. We have no idea what sort of creature we’re facing.”

  Orville stopped. “Wait a minute, we should have a plan. If we run into some giant clawed scary monstrosity, what are we going to do? We’re Metaphysical Adventurers and can’t use lethal force, so how are we going to stop it?”

  “We’ll just have to see what happens. Maybe we can blink big chains around it or something.”

  “Blink big chains? That doesn’t sound like a very–”

  “You’re being a nervous ninny again. We’ll think of something once we know what we’re up against. That’s what Metaphysical Adventurers do.”

  “I’m not being a nervous ninny, it just seems reckless to dash into a giant dark cave without a plan.” Orville glared, blinking up a powerful sphere of defense. He hated being a nervous ninny.

  Proto stepped in front of Orville. “I am completely indestructible, so I shall enter the cave first.” Before Orville or Sophia could reply Proto slipped through the dense stand of vine covered trees and disappeared into the inky black interior.

  Orville and Sophia followed Proto into the cave. Orville still had a dark frown on his face. Sophia flicked her paw and a bright glowing sphere floated up to the glistening black tunnel ceiling. “Myrmac the Brave said it was a system of caves, not just one big cave. The tunnels along that far wall must lead to the other caves.”

  Orville pointed to the largest entrance. “We know the creature is large, too large to fit through the three smaller tunnels. We should take the big one.”

  Sophia scanned the cave floor. “You’re right. There’s a trail of scrape marks leading into it.” She sniffed the thick acrid air. “What’s that smell? It burns my nose. It smells like vinegar, or some kind of acid.”

  “It’s probably from the creature, or something it was eating.”

  “Ants produce a venomous form of acid. If it’s snacking on ants that could explain the smell.”

  Orville sent a second brilliant sphere of light into the large tunnel. “Proto didn’t wait for us. He seems to be in an awfully big hurry to meet this Shrieking Terror.”

  The two adventurers crept forward through the jagged rocky passage. Sophia pointed to the glinting ebony tunnel walls. “Be careful around the walls, they’re made of volcanic glass and are razor sharp. Keep your sphere of defense up.”

  “You don’t need to remind–” Orville stopped in his tracks. “Did you hear that?”

  A shiver ran through Sophia. “I heard it. Now we know why they call it the Shrieking Terror. At least we’re heading in the right direction.”

  “Maybe we could shape something to make it sleep. Some kind of sleeping powder or something?”

  “That might wor
k for a while, but what happens when it wakes up? The prophecy says we’re supposed to rid the village of the Shrieking Terror, not stand around and watch it take a nap.”

  “It was just an idea, all right? Maybe Proto will think of something. The prophecy only mentioned the Great Silver Rabbit, not his two brave and stalwart companions.”

  “That’s a good point. That could be why he didn’t wait for us.”

  “This tunnel splits into three more tunnels. If we’re not careful we could get lost in here. Who do you think made all these tunnels? The Anarkkians?”

  Sophia shook her head. “No one made them, they’re natural volcanic formations called lava tubes. We won’t get lost. I’ve been shaping a blue circle on the wall every fifty feet or so.”

  “Good thinking. It looks like the scrape marks on the floor go into the tunnel on the right. Hey, the shrieking stopped.”

  “I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.”

  Orville followed the trail of drag marks into the next lava tube. He flicked his wrist and his glowing orb darted forward, illuminating a long curving cylindrical tunnel.

  Fifteen minutes later the tunnel split again. Sophia examined the rocky floor for tracks. “The marks go into both tunnels.”

  Orville thought for a moment. “Both tunnels could lead to the same cave.”

  “We must be getting close. Dim the orbs so we don’t startle whatever this thing is.”

  Orville’s glowing orb rapidly faded to a small point of light. “I’m worried about Proto. I know he’s indestructible, but he could have fallen into a crevasse or something. I wish he’d waited for us.”

  Sophia stopped short, holding up one paw. “Listen!”

  “It’s shrieking again. I’m starting to feel a little sick. Do you think this dank cave air could be affecting me?”

  “I don’t think it’s the air. I think it’s you imagining getting clawed to pieces by the Shrieking Terror. Look on the bright side, you haven’t fainted.”

  “Me faint? If my middle name wasn’t Wellington, I would be Orville the Br–” Sophia held up her paw motioning for silence.

  She whispered, “The shrieking stopped, but the smell is getting much worse.”

  Orville curled his nose. “Eeew! That’s bad. A certain Shrieking Terror needs to take a long soapy bath. Whew!”

  “Okay, stay right behind me.” Sophia blinked off her glowing orb and crept forward, cautiously feeling her way along the tunnel wall. Orville put his paw on her shoulder, following behind her. The putrid smell from the Shrieking Terror was dreadful and growing worse with each step they took.

  Sophia felt the tunnel wall end and sent a thought cloud to Orville. “We’re in the creature’s cave. Don’t make a sound.”

  Orville padded silently forward. The beast’s cavernous lair was enormous, at least two or three hundred feet across and a hundred feet tall. Orville spotted a dim light coming from behind a large boulder sitting in the center of the cave. He pointed toward the enormous rock and inched forward, sending Sophia a thought cloud. “We can sneak around that big rock. We need to find out what that light is.”

  Sophia nodded, silently waving him forward. Step by cautious step Orville crept across the cave floor, finally reaching the massive round boulder. He drew close to it and began to feel his way around to the other side. He stopped, his voice low and raspy. “Bad, very bad.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Orville took Sophia’s paw and touched it to the rock. Much to Sophia’s dismay, rather than pressing against volcanic glass, her paw was pressing against a wall of coarse matted hair. They were not sneaking around a huge boulder, they were sneaking around the Shrieking Terror.

  A great shrill voice echoed through the cave. “For goodness sake, stop creeping about and poking at me and come around here where I can see you. Your silver friend and I have been having a perfectly pleasant conversation, so let’s not spoil it with all your creeping and poking.”

  Orville managed to choke out a reply. “S-s-sorry, Shrieking Terror.”

  The creature gave a moan of exasperation. “What is wrong with those ants? Why would they call me that? Proto, I want you to be brutally honest. Does my singing sound like shrieking to you?”

  Orville and Sophia made their way around the Shrieking Terror. Proto was sitting on the floor, his ear lights illuminating what appeared to be the creature’s long tapered tail.

  Orville whispered to Sophia, “What is it? Is that its tail?”

  “Oh, great heavens, what ever happened to manners? Is that its tail? How rude can one small mouse be?”

  Proto rose to his feet. “I apologize profusely for my two young companions. I am afraid they have never previously set eyes on such a magnificent specimen as yourself, failing to recognize the regal profile of a great and noble giant anteater. Please do forgive their behavior, I assure you there was no malicious intent on their part.”

  “I suppose so. Very well. Hello, mice, I am a giant anteater. I eat ants. Now, Proto, back to my question, in all honesty, could my singing possibly be misconstrued as shrieking?”

  Proto thought for a moment. “I suppose to the untrained ear, to one who is unfamiliar with the delicate nuances and wide tonal variations of classical discordant anteater symphonics, it could resemble shrieking. It is of course simply the ants’ glaring lack of musical sensitivities and melodic understanding which would result in such a grievous error of judgment.”

  “Just as I thought. The brilliance of my highly evolved euphonic prowess soars far above their pedestrian harmonic paradigms.”

  Proto took a seat in front of the anteater, a look of deep concern on his face. “How is your stomach feeling now?”

  “Still quite dreadful, I’m afraid. Some days I can barely make it out of the cave to look for ants. Once I eat a few of them I feel a little better, but then the pain worsens soon after.”

  Proto nodded. “In your world, were the ants as big as the ones here?”

  “Oh, good heavens no. They were very tiny and quite delectable. I could eat thousands of them and never feel the slightest twinge of discomfort. The ants here are so grotesquely large, so crunchy and dreadfully hard to digest.”

  “Have you tried altering your diet?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, eating a more balanced diet. You know, fruits and vegetables and that sort of thing. It’s most certainly your current vast intake of chitinous exoskeleton which is causing you so much gastrointestinal distress. I believe a rather severe alteration of your diet is in order.”

  “That’s preposterous. I’m an anteater. Ant. Eater. I eat ants. Well, I do on occasion eat a piece of rotten fruit or two. Quite tasty, I will admit.”

  “There you go, an excellent start. Until you are able to return to your own world I would highly recommend maintaining a strict diet of fruits and vegetables. The surrounding jungle holds an abundance of both. I’m quite certain these dreadful stomach pains and digestive issues will fade away to nothing within a few days of starting this new diet.”

  “Perhaps you’re onto something. I have noticed the pain does subside somewhat when I eat a bit of rotten fruit. You know what? I’ll do it. I shall eat nothing but fresh fruits and vegetables.”

  Sophia and Orville were deeply impressed by Proto’s diplomatic skill and his adept handling of the giant anteater. Orville sent a puffy blue thought cloud to Sophia. “Proto’s amazing! He rid the village of the Shrieking Terror just by talking to it!”

  Sophia returned a cloud. “You mean the Giant Singing Anteater?”

  Proto rose to his feet. “It’s been lovely talking with you, and I’m certain you’ll be right as rain in a few short days. Oh, I nearly forgot, you never did tell me how you found your way into this world.”

  “Quite a remarkable event, but the technological aspects are well outside my limited scientific acumen. I was climbing the side of a rather steep rocky incline, digging through the snow searching for a tasty, minty variety of red mo
untain ant when I chanced upon a large round shimmering blue disk. Very peculiar. It resembled a vertical wall of rippling water. Of course I was intrigued, and poked my nose into the water, which as it turned out was not water at all. When I stepped through the disk there was a flash of light and there I was, standing in the middle of this very cave.”

  “Remarkable. Perhaps we shall discover a means for your safe return home. I will keep my eyes open. You know, it’s terribly embarrassing, but I don’t know your real name, and I certainly don’t wish to refer to you as the Shrieking Terror. What should I call you?”

  The great anteater studied Proto’s expression, then said, “I am quite moved by your most considerate behavior. I am known among friends as Arthur Anteater, and that is what you may call me from this day on.”

  “Well, Arthur, it has been a pleasure meeting you, and if we discover a doorway leading back to your world we will certainly let you know.”

  Proto turned to Orville and Sophia. “Before we leave, would you be willing to shape our friend Arthur a large platter of tasty fruits and vegetables? It would be a lovely gesture of our newfound friendship.”

  Twenty minutes later the three adventurers bid their farewells, leaving Arthur the Singing Anteater snacking on an enormous dish of fresh fruits and vegetables.

  As they headed down the tunnel the anteater called out, “Thank you, Proto! These bananas are delightful, quite similar in taste and texture to fresh ant brains!”

  “Ant brains! Gakk! Blekkk!” Orville made a gagging sound and pretended to throw up on Sophia.

  Sophia gave him her most withering glare. “There really is something very, very wrong with you.”

  Chapter 15

  The Fine Print

  The triumphant return of the three adventurers resulted in the largest, longest, and loudest celebration in the history of Tatuid Village. In the span of one day The Great Silver Rabbit had become a hero of mythic proportions.