Petronella & the Trogot

by Cheryl Bentley

  “But we don’t want to get into your boat. We saw how you treated those poor creatures. And what about those heads bobbing up and down in the lake?” Petronella asked.

  “Oh, you do not need to waste your pity on them. They are souls not human beings. When they were alive, they were evil. They will never leave Trogot Caves. All of them are prisoners here for ever. We guards of Trogot Caves have orders from The Trogot to make their stay as uncomfortable as possible. But you needn’t worry. This rule does not apply to you two. You are still alive and as passing guests you will not be harmed. Unless...” The Ferryman thought for a bit. “Unless, of course, the prisoners get you. We guards do what we can, but these evil souls are clever. So you must be careful. Now please get into the boat, I have work to do. I spend all my time ferrying new arrivals.”

  They obeyed; sat down in the boat. Both ready to be taken to the other side.

  “So, do all the evil souls end up here? Do they all get ferried across, then spend eternity digging?” Petronella asked.

  “No, they would not all fit here. Eternal digging is only for those who have not committed serious crimes in general. As you go down Trogot Caves you will see how other crimes have their own eternal punishment. Now please leave my boat. Go to the end of this tunnel and, as I said before, you will find a spiral stairwell down to the lower level. There will be another guard there to help you on your journey.”

  As the two of them got out of the boat they could see another crowd of shadows ready to be ferried across the lake.

  4 The Greyhound Man

  When they were half way down the dimly-lit spiral stairwell, they heard a low rumbling sound. Like the sound made by a monster’s empty stomach. The rumbling got louder and louder until it turned into one exploding blast. Everything around them started to shake. They hurried down the rest of the steps, taking them two by two. They reached the bottom just in time before the stairwell tumbled and fell. By now, everything around them was shaking fiercely. Other explosions were coming from a long way off. Petronella was jolted forwards and Percy was tossed into the air. Petronella reached out for him and managed to fling her arms around him and draw him to her, breaking his fall. Rubble shot off the walls onto the ground. Cracks appeared in the three towering stone pillars; they broke and crumbled down. Shattered glass from somewhere up above rained down on them in jagged shards. Petronella and Percy held on tight to each other, both jerked backwards and forwards. Petronella managed to reach for The Black Box given to her by The Hooded Horseman. The Black Box slowly opened and a light shone from it. Suddenly it was all over. Everything was still again. The whole cave was as quiet as a cemetery.

  They got up slowly and walked around, the glass crunching under their feet as they went. They came acroos a door. Big, wide, in solid oak. Percy looked up at Petronella, then tried the door handle. It creaked as he pulled it down firmly. Petronella helped him push the heavy door open.

  The bright light inside made them squint. Opening their eyes a crack, they saw right in front of them two large greyhounds. Though sitting down, they were taller than Percy. Petronella screamed again. She reached for The Black Box...

  “There’s no need for that,” a large man said, entering the cave through another door. He waved his hand around to The Greyhounds. They stretched out and lay down making a whimpering sound. “That was an earthquake. One of the many we get down here. I’m sorry; but I have no power over these things.”

  “How did you know about The Black Box?” Petronella asked.

  “All the guards down here in Trogot Caves know you are The Chosen One, Petronella. We also know that Percy is a Strincas and that you treat him as if he were your own son.”

  “What else do you know about us?” she asked.

  “We know that The Strincas who were beheaded by Lord Fortesque’s soldiers have now gone back to living above ground. Since you two started your journey in Trogot Caves, more of them have risen and gone back to the exact places where they once lived in Fort Willow. A lot of today’s villagers have left. But the good people are staying and have even helped The Strincas.”

  “What else do you know about me?” she asked.

  “You have a cat called Maalox. He dug up the head and torso of The Hooded Horseman and brought them to your cottage. The head is in the coal scuttle and the torso in the snail bunker. He also dug up other bones. The men of Fort Willow found the rest. Nearly all The Strincas who were buried there are out now. I cannot tell you anymore, we have other things to see to.”

  “We would like to go home. Can you tell us how we can get out of here?”

  “You have already been told by The Ferryman that you need to go all the way to the bottom of Trogot Caves before you can go up and then leave altogether.”

  “How long shall it taketh?” Percy asked.

  “That, I cannot say,” answered The Greyhound Man.

  “Are we the only visiting guests here?” Petronella asked.

  “Indeed you are. You are the only ones visiting Trogot Caves right now, but others have been on the journey before you. Now I’d like to offer you some food. You will need energy to proceed on your travels.”

  He clapped his hands and two female shadows appeared, as thin as paper dolls. They bowed their heads. “Go get the meal that has been prepared for our guests. Quick and be smart about it,” he ordered. Turning to Petronella and Percy, he said: “Please take your places at my table. You are my guests.”

  In no time at all, the table was set and the food served.

  “Who are the servants?” Petronella asked.

  “Oh, two troublemakers. They were servants at Lord Fortesque’s castle. Of course, they helped soldiers catch Strincas peasants who were then tortured and killed. There are quite a few of these other women back in the kitchen. I say, each adult needs to stand up against the wicked instead of helping them. Now all these women spies will be here for ever. Cooking, and serving food, but never eating. Eternal hunger is their punishment.”

  “But cannat they eateth whilst ye nat be looking?” Percy asked.

  “Impossible,” he said. “The tops of their stomachs have been tied up with strong metal bands.”

  5 The Human Wolves

  It was time for Petronella and Percy to restart their journey through Trogot Caves.

  “You will now enter a narrow winding pitch black tunnel. Through that door over there,” said The Greyhound Man, pointing to a third door in the cave. “I will give you a lantern each to light the way. The path is uneven, paved with wood chippings under which beetles breed. I am afraid that the light of the lanterns will make them creep out of the chippings. Wind is pumped into this tunnel from both ends. The wind will be behind you in the first half of the tunnel, and against you in the second half. You will see that the shadows living in there are blown in all directions. At times, they are slammed against the walls and ceiling.”

  “What have they done to deserve this?” said Petronella.

  “They were the liars, the false people of the world. They spun and wove stories, and now they themselves will be spun and woven for ever,” said The Greyhound Man.

  “Oh, what terrible punishment that be. How can anyone putteth up with that?” said Percy.

  The Greyhound Man did not answer.

  The tunnel was exactly as the man had described it. Petronella and Percy wound their way through the darkness. The rays of light from the lantern shone on some shadows. These were white, unlike the diggers and the servants who were black. But the beetles crawling around busily were certainly black. As black as can be.

  Suddenly, one of the shadows wrapped itself around Percy’s legs, pinning him to the spot where he stood. Other shadows were whizzing round him. This made Percy drop his lantern and all the oil spilled out. The burning oil made the wood chippings catch fire. The whole tunnel was alight and, as the flames got higher, Percy couldn’t see Petronella anymore through the blaze and thick smoke. Petronella could hear him coughing, spluttering and trying to draw in a
ir. Sparks were flying everywhere. The scorching heat was more than the boy could stand. By now, Percy was surrounded by hot smoke. A shadow gripped his throat.

  “Hold on, Percy!” she shouted, “Don’t give up.”

  Petronella got out The Black Box and, as it opened up, the fire died down, the smoke cleared up, and the shadows backed off. They were safe. She hugged Percy saying “Don’t worry, my dear. We’ll be out of here soon.” This was the second time she had used The Black Box.

  They still had a lantern and trudged on until they came to an open space. Another cave. This time there were metal bars running from the ground up to the ceiling, all the way round the sides of the cave. They could just about see two figures coming towards them - a woman and a man. Then, all of a sudden, lights came on. It was an amazing sight. It was as clear as daylight. The shock made Petronella drop the lantern, while Percy stood there with eyes and mouth wide open. Petronella fainted.

  Percy knelt down beside Petronella. He stroked her face, then looked up at one of the beasts and said: “Quick, be quick, please goeth getteth some water!”

  The other beast came back with a small bowl and Percy rubbed Petronella’s face with the cool water. She slowly came to.

  The man and woman she saw in front of her were not exactly humans. They stood up straight on two legs like humans. But instead of hands, they had claws. Instead of human legs, they had two horses hind legs. Instead of human heads they had heads of wolves. Beasts like this did not exist on Earth.

  The She-Wolf spoke first: “You have arrived in the cellars. Behind those bars you can see beasts you have never seen before. They were all human once. But now they are shadows with heads of animals. And, I needn’t tell you, how fierce and dangerous they all are. Dreadful creatures. They can’t get out. If they did, they would kill you, for sure. Each beast has its own separate cage, otherwise they would kill each other.”

  On hearing this the beasts started roaring and roaring. The din was unbearable. Looking around Petronella and Percy saw heads of lions, leopards, tigers and panthers - all on bodies of shadows. The He-Wolf moved over to a switch and flipped it on. Both wolves then swivelled their heads round to the cages and began howling. They howled until the roaring gradually fizzled out.

  It was now The He-Wolf’s turn to speak: “You may have seen that I turned on the gas just now. It always works. It quietens them down after thirty seconds.”

  “You mean to say you gas them,” said Petronella.

  “Yes, we do. It’s only calming gas. Makes them dozy. They get over it soon enough. I don’t think you should stay too long in here. The effect will be over in about five minutes,” he said.

  “How cometh ye be beasts but not be in cages?” Percy asked.

  “The difference between the beasts in cages and us is that we feel deep sadness about the bad things we did in the past. These beasts do not admit their wrongs.”

  “What hath they doneth?” Percy said.

  “They are all guilty of being beastly. In other words, these creatures were bullies when they lived on earth. They used their strength and power to terrorise those weaker than themselves. Forced others with threats if they didn’t do as they were told. And they felt joy when they saw others suffer. Because they behaved like beasts when they were on Earth, they will be beasts for ever down here. Never will they leave their cages. We, too, will be here for ever, but my wife and I are free to roam around this cave because we are sorry. These animals still think they were right to do what they did,” The He-Wolf said.

  “You had better leave now,” said The She-Wolf, “before they start roaring again. I see you both have boots on. Please take these waterproof raincoats and umbrellas as well. You are about to go down to The Chamber of Eternal Rain. You will arrive there after you have gone down five flights of stairs.”

  With the help of The He-Wolf, she opened a large wooden door and let Petronella and Percy out.

  6 The Three-Headed Hog

  Sure enough at the bottom of the stairs there was a great downpour of rain. Petronella had always liked rain, but not as heavy as this. It bucketed down without easing off for a moment. The sound of it was loud too. They reached a steep brink to an enormous pit. The bottom was lined with mud. On this slimy softness, shadows were lying face down grovelling around and gulping in mud through their mouths. While the rain kept coming down on their backs.

  A man dressed in a black shiny waterproof cloak with a hood, came towards them. With him he had a Three-Headed Hog on a lead. It was the most disgusting creature. Kept grunting up all the time.

  “Pe...tro...ne...lla, it’s me,” said the man.

  “I would recognise that voice anywhere,” said Petronella.

  “Doth nat worry, Pe...tro...ne...lla, I shall show ye the way out,” said The Hooded Horseman. “There usually be no guards here. The shadows cannat getteth out, so it be left unguarded most of the time. A guard cannat worketh in this eternal rain. Me thinketh I must needs come down because ye and Percy would hath been terrified here on ye own. You would nat knoweth where to goeth from here.”

  “Thank you,” Petronella and Percy said together.

  “How far be it to the last chamber from here?” Percy asked.

  “Ye hath yet to reach the bottom,” The Hooded Horseman said.

  “What hath these shadows doneth?” Percy asked.

  “These be the gluttons. They taketh more than their fair share of everything when they be on Earth. They shall swallow mud for ever. These greedy eaters bitteth off more than they could cheweth. Now they be neither biting nor chewing, just swallowing. Their greed leadeth them to hoardeth food while others be hungry. They would rather hath let food goeth to waste than giveth it away to the needy.”

  Petronella and Percy felt sorry for them. But they were anxious to go because they couldn’t stand the rain anymore. The middle head of The Three-Headed Hog tried to bite Petronella’s leg. The Hooded Horseman pulled hard at the lead, but the hog tried to bite her with its other head on the right. He pulled at the lead again. Harder this time, until the hog was well clear of both Petronella and Percy.

  “I be so sorry about that. He be fierce, though. That’s why he be here. We letteth him runneth around loose in this cave. He would never jumpeth in the pit because he be too afraid. The shadows cannat climbeth out of the pit. It be too steep. Even if they could, The Three-Headed Hog would gobbleth them up in no time. The hog, on the other hand, liveth in hope that the shadows shall cometh up and he can hath a feast.”

  The three heads kept snapping at Percy.

  “Can ye telleth us the way out of here, please?” said Percy.

  “Yes, follow me. There be a hole in the ground over here. Ye must needs lower yeselves down then jumpeth. It be nat high, but ye shall be out of the rain. I shall cometh down after ye.”

  The Hooded Horseman helped Petronella and Percy down. Then he let the hog loose and quickly jumped down himself, while the hog was heading towards the pit.

  At least it didn’t rain on them down here. Petronella and Percy took their raincoats off. And The Hooded Horseman pulled his deep hood back and took his cape off. Petronella couldn’t believe her eyes. It was the first time she’d seen him properly - a skull and a skeleton, with a shadow inside.

  “Surprised, are you, Pe...tro...ne...lla?” he said.

  “I certainly am. I believed you were all cloak and hood, and nothing else. How did this happen? I thought you were without a body,” she said.

  “I were, but nat anymore.”

  “So, how be that, then?” Percy asked.

  “When ye two goeth down The Trogot that evening, I didst nat leave. I waited for ye and Percy to distance yeselves from the house. First I goeth to the snail bunker and getteth my torso, then I goeth into Charis Cottage and reclaimeth my skull. Maalox helpeth me, of course. He were the one that diggeth up myn bones.”

  “Shall ye getteth ye leg-bones and flesh back?” Percy asked.

  “Only if they diggeth all the skele
ton up out of the fields, as they didst with yours. Me thinketh it be because I be one of the last to be beheaded. Maybe they cutteth me along the waist, too. The legs were probably nat in the same spot as the rest of me. But we liveth and dieth in hope.”

  “We certainly do,” said Petronella, “so let’s hope someone finds the rest of you.”

  7 Lesson

  The Hooded Horseman to Petronella and Percy, who listen in awe.

  “It be strange how we be made. At the centre of us there be our shadow (some folk calleth it a ‘soul’), then our skeleton, and the bones be filleth in with flesh and muscles. The bones, flesh and muscles be the same for everyone. But our shadows be all different. They changeth with our behaviour. The Good hath beautiful shadows, while bad folk’s shadows wither and be ugly and disgusting.”

  8 Maalox

  “Time to be going. You two need to getteth down to the deepest point of Trogot Caves so that you can then starteth ye uphill journey and reacheth the exit where ye shall find Percy’s parents. I be afraid that you must needs goeth down a cliff now.”

  “I shall doth anything to seeth my ma and pa again. How shall we goeth down the cliff?” Percy asked.

  “There be a footpath cutteth into the rock. It be the most dangerous part of Trogot Caves. It used to be safe, but now it falleth down in some spots. The handrail hath broken off. The path be only about three feet wide and it hath chipped away at the edges. So it shall nat be quite as wide in parts. Maybe it be best to getteth down on ye hands and knees and crawleth along it. You must needs looketh neither up nor down. Concentrateth hard on where you be going and looketh straight ahead.”