The Dragon's Game

by James Erith

  Without hesitating, Isabella and Sue ran upstairs, and, as Archie and Daisy waited, twiddling their thumbs, Isabella soon appeared and waltzed down the stairs wearing a black leather jacket with silver studs around her cuffs and collar, and tight black leather trousers with silver studs above each pocket.

  Archie burst out laughing. ‘If Daisy looks as if she’s about to fly a first world war bi-plane,’ he said, ‘you, Bells, well, I … wow. It’s like you’re the lead singer in a heavy-metal rock band.’ He examined her again. ‘What have you done to your hair?’

  ‘Sue put it in a plait so it wouldn’t get in the way.’

  Archie nodded. ‘Nice idea, Sue. Isabella boffin, meet Isabella wild-rock-chick.’ He threw her the fingerless leather gloves, which Daisy and Mrs Pye had altered for her. ‘It even matches your gloves.’

  Daisy punched him playfully. ‘What about those knives you used to throw around?’

  ‘He’s not bringing those,’ Isabella said.

  ‘Why not? We’re hardly going in heavily armed. They might come in handy. Better off with, right?’

  This time, it was Archie’s turn to dash up the stairs. He returned with his throwing knives wrapped in a leather holster that he wore around his torso under his hunting jacket.

  ‘Is the fashion show over?’ Daisy said. ‘Can we get going now?’

  Sue and Mr Solomon stood in the doorway of the cottage and embraced each one in turn.

  Sue’s eyes leaked tears as she hugged Isabella. ‘Good luck and please—’

  ‘Yes, yes. Don’t worry, we’ll find him, I promise.’ Isabella said. ‘And Sue, look after Mrs Pye and Solomon, OK.’

  Sue smiled. ‘I meant you, Bells. You come back. Please.’ She dived in for another hug. ‘I know you can do it, Bells. None of this would have happened if you couldn’t. Just concentrate, or whatever it is you guys do, extremely hard.’

  From somewhere inside the fog, a strange holler started to emerge, which, as they listened, turned out to be Mrs Pye tiptoeing around the courtyard, and, by the sounds of it, bumping into things as she went.

  ‘Ere, where’re you lot off to now?’ she said as she joined them, slightly out of breath. She studied the children and tutted. ‘You lot getting stranger by the minute. I daren’t ask what’s going on; all dressed up like television celebration people.’

  ‘We’ve got to go. It’s something we have to do, Mrs P,’ Archie said.

  ‘Have you eaten anything?’ she asked. ‘You look starving, you do.’

  He smiled. ‘We have, and I’m not—’

  ‘And are you warm enough?’

  ‘Yes!’

  ‘How about a bit of starlight apple crumble - for the journey?’

  ’NO! Thank you,’ Archie said, and he reached in and gave her a giant hug.

  ‘Well then, be off with you,’ she said, her voice wavering. ‘And go and do this daft thing. And, while you’re at it, see if you can find my boy and bring him back, right?’

  ‘Mrs Pye,’ Isabella said, in her bossiest voice. ‘You’ve got to stay here and look after everyone, like you always do, perfectly, alright. Mr Solomon and Sue might have to go out, but, if anyone turns up, it’s important you don’t say anything about us. Do you understand? There might be some big men with guns and helmets and radios, but you mustn’t let them know we’re about because it might upset quite a lot of things.’ She leaned in and hugged her. ‘Promise?’

  Mrs Pye burst out crying, her red, piggy eyes streaming with tears. ‘I’ll do whatever you say, my darling littluns. And you promise me you’ll come back safe and sound.’ She pulled herself together. ‘Now, get off before you upset me waters further.’

  11 STONE’S FISHING IDEA

  As the soldiers stuck their oars in the rowlocks, Stone’s boat pitched in the stillness,

  ‘Boat two, Dickinson, Lambert — can you hear me?’

  A voice echoed back through the veil.

  ‘I’ll radio him, sir.’

  ‘Make sure he holds his position,’ Stone demanded. ‘We’ve got to get these boats together again.’

  He turned to the others. ‘Come on, lads. Get that engine working and make sure the propeller is extremely high in the water. If the fish keep coming back, shut off the engines and row, with one oar each. Then we’ll switch over after half an hour taking it in turns. If we don’t hook up with them, and soon, getting stuck out here will mean it’s curtains, for all of us.’

  Stone rubbed his eyes. Their four-hour trip across the water would easily double. While he’d planned to arrive in the early hours, even if they rowed at double speed they wouldn’t be at the farmhouse until ten o’clock, perhaps even later. And by then, who knows who else might have turned up.

  He turned to the crew as an idea popped into his head.

  ‘You lot are a bunch of miserable amateurs. I thought you were our finest. Jenkins, how many hand-grenades have we got?’

  ‘A whole box, sir. They’re here. Each boat has one.’

  ‘Then get one out and let’s blow these slippery bastards out of the water.’

  ‘With respect,’ the soldier replied, nervously, ‘are you serious, sir?’

  ‘Of course, I’m serious,’ Stone roared. ‘Come on!’

  ‘These are powerful explosives, Commissioner. We'll blow ourselves up.’

  ‘It's worth a try,’ Stone said. ‘If we survive, then we might get to the other side.’

  Stone reached into the box, grabbed a grenade and, in one movement, took out the pin.

  Instinctively, the veteran troopers dived to the floor of the boat.

  Moments later they heard a splash.

  They waited.

  With a whoosh, a bellow and an infernal roar, water, fish and debris showered them, the boat lurching one way, then the other.

  They picked themselves up, throwing dead fish back in the water.

  Stone looked at them, a triumphant expression on his face, a large dead salmon sitting on his lap.

  ‘Now, we know what to do,’ he said, calmly. ‘We blow the shit out of them.’ He glanced down. ‘And, look, I’ve even caught your breakfast.’

  12 INTO THE FOG

  After only a couple of paces, the unforgiving fog surrounded them. When they turned back, a wall of white obscured the cottage.

  By the time they reached the boulder with ‘Eden Cottage’ inscribed on it, Old Man Wood, Isabella, Daisy and Archie couldn’t tell which way they had come from, or indeed which way they had to go. And for a journey that would usually take no more than a minute, it felt as if half an hour had passed.

  ‘Listen Arch, stop kicking my heels, or I’m going to belt you,’ Daisy said, as he stumbled into her for the fourth time.

  ‘I’m not doing it on purpose!’ he cried. ‘It’s just that you keep stopping and I can’t see you.’ he replied. ‘And for some reason, you won’t turn on your eyes.’

  ‘Well, I can’t,’ she snapped. ‘I can’t concentrate, other things on my mind.’ She took a couple of deep breaths trying to eradicate the haunting image of Gus and Kemp from her head. ‘Give me a minute will you, I need a little more time to compose myself.’

  ‘Well, in that case, I’m going to keep walking into you, whether you like it or not. At this rate, we’ll never get to the ruin.’

  Isabella stopped and braced herself as everyone crashed into her.

  Collectively, they groaned.

  ‘Let’s hook up,’ Isabella said. ‘I’ll guide you with my hands, but whatever you do, don’t let go. Daisy, are you ready yet?’

  ‘Yeah, think so. Sure. Sorry.’ Her eyes suddenly blazed like headlights on a car.

  ‘At last,’ Archie said. ‘And brighter than before - nice one, sis.’

  Isabella had an idea. ‘Somewhere in Tibet, I think, blind monks, walk for miles with a bell jangling at the front to warn people they’re coming and then line up behind one another with a hand on the shoulders of the person in front. Let’s try it. Means we won’t keep crashing. If anyone t
akes their hand off, remove yours and stop.’

  Daisy led from the front burning the fog out of the way followed by Isabella, a hand on her shoulder, her brow set in concentration as she gently manoeuvred her sister lightly left or right as necessary. Behind her, and with his hand on her shoulder was Archie and taking up the rear was Old Man Wood.

  Moving faster, they passed familiar landmarks; craggy boulders, dips in the track, trees they identified now stripped bare by the rain. As Daisy cleared a path before her, the dense fog soon folded around them like a sheet.

  On and on they went, their rhythm steady, listening, alert to any sound.

  ‘OUCH!’ Old Man Wood suddenly yelled, his cries echoing back at them eerily. He raised his hand to his ear. ‘Something bleeding bit me!’

  They stopped.

  Old Man Wood rubbed his lobe, finding a hard lump. ‘Be on your guard my littler folk,’ he whispered. ‘I reckon an almighty bug or such like has just attacked me. Stick tight now.’

  They huddled closer together, keeping silent. Now and then, Daisy turned sharply to avoid puddles or rocks, or fallen branches and, when necessary, informed them of upcoming obstacles and holes in the ground.

  As they wound their way ever closer to the ruin on the edge of the Yorkshire Moors, every footstep was magnified in the watery void. Every breath they took reverberated inside their heads.

  13 A SHOCKING REVEAL

  Old Man Wood groaned. ‘Now then, Daisy, do you mind if we take a break. Feeling apple-tired; all come over.’

  They paused by a rock which Old Man Wood lent into, yawning.

  ‘This fog,’ Isabella said quietly, ‘I suppose it’s not all bad. I mean, at least the serpent won’t be able to look into our eyes, will he?’

  ‘What do you mean “look into our eyes”?’ Archie whispered. ‘Like hypnosis?’

  ‘Bells dreamt of being hypnotised by a serpent,’ Daisy remarked casually. ‘It suffocates us before pulling us apart, limb from limb. Then, it rips out our eyes and sucks our bodies dry.’

  ‘Thank you for that, Daisy.’ Isabella said flatly. ‘I’m freaked enough just being here…’

  A foul, cackling, evil, hyena-like bark filled the air, and several animal noises echoed back. Shivers ran down their bodies.

  ‘Crickeymoses!’ Isabella said. ‘Was that it?’

  ‘Sounds like our friend is on the move,’ Daisy whispered. ‘It's the same as we heard earlier. Still a little way off, I think.’ But Daisy couldn’t figure out from where a low, chattering noise was coming. ‘Do you hear that?’ she whispered. ‘Listen.’

  The noise increased, especially when Daisy moved nearer to Isabella.

  ‘Hang on!’ She sidled next to Isabella’s head. ‘It’s your teeth, Bells.’

  ‘Very funny,’ Isabella said. ‘I’m just cold.’

  ‘She’s terrified, more like,’ Archie said, almost gleefully.

  ‘Of course, I bloody am,’ she shivered. ‘I have some idea what this thing can do. It’s lethal.’ Then she added, ‘aren’t you?’

  ‘Nah,’ he replied. ‘For some reason, I’m feeling incredibly calm and happy. Odd, isn’t it.’ Archie draped an arm around her. ‘Don’t worry, sis, if we play our cards right, everything will be just fine.’

  They continued until at last they reached the outer boulders of the ruin passing several well-known, bulkier stones and the skeletal frame of a doorway.

  ‘By the way, anyone got any idea what we’re looking for?’ Daisy whispered. ‘A hole, a gate … a trapdoor?’

  The strange bark rang out.

  ‘OW!’ Daisy cried, as she thrust her fingers in her ears losing her concentration. Her eye-lights extinguished.

  Isabella swore.

  All of a sudden, they were stranded, as blind as bats in the thick foggy soup.

  They felt their way to a larger rock and cowered down. Immediately, stampeding noises, hooves thudding on the harder stony ground came directly at them and then moved swiftly away.

  ‘Cattle? Sounds like a lot of them,’ Archie said, quietly. ‘It’s like something is chasing them.’

  Blinded by the fog, it was impossible to tell.

  ‘Curl up in a ball - all of you - don’t move a muscle,’ Old Man Wood whispered, ‘No sudden movements. Something strange out there - I can feel it in my bones.’

  Now the sounds grew as though more animals joined the stampede. Then, a flapping noise, like the giant beating of wings whomped and flip-flapped over their heads, turbulence stirring the fog, the odour of rotting flesh momentarily drifting over them. Just as they were about to stand up, the giant wingspan whooshed over them, faster this time, a sense of urgency about it, long claws brushing the rock above them.

  ‘It flies!’ Isabella squeaked. ‘It’s a…’

  ‘It’s a massive dragon,’ Daisy said, coolly turning her head skywards. ‘I’ve always wanted to see a dragon.’

  ‘Me too,’ Archie whispered. ‘At least it won’t be a surprise later.’

  Daisy flinched, looking up.

  ‘What is it, Daisy?’

  ‘A noise,’ she said. ‘A sound that reminds me of those lightning bolts.’

  Above them, the dragon released a huge stream of fire which ripped into the cloud, melting it, illuminating the area like daylight. Then it roared.

  Daisy plugged her ears. ‘It’s coming around,’ she squealed, as they huddled tight under the stone. The beast circled and, with another ear-splitting sound, the mix between a bark and a trumpet, it ejected another long burst of flame, continuing until the area around them had no fog remaining.

  Then the creature simply vanished.

  Isabella stood up smartly, her face like snow.

  ‘Bells?’ Archie cried. ‘What the—’

  Without hesitating or looking back, Isabella turned and sprinted into the fog.

  14 SOLOMON AND SUE MAKE A PLAN

  ‘Well, quite frankly, I’ve never seen anything like it,’ Solomon exclaimed as he rushed around packing a rucksack. ‘I knew something was up - from the books in the library mainly and from the stained-glass window, but in all honesty, that hologram show was quite remarkable.’

  Sue smiled. ‘Crazy isn’t it? I mean, who would believe that the de Lowes were chosen to save everyone, and just because they live with Old Man Wood. Doesn’t seem particularly fair to them. In fact, it’s not especially fair on the planet, is it?’

  She filled a couple of water bottles and gave him one. ‘What’s the plan?’

  ‘My dear,’ Solomon began rubbing his head. ‘I suggest we head out into the fog and do whatever we can to mislead anyone who happens to be sniffing around. I’ll try and set up the transistor radio to confuse them, but otherwise, I think we might just have to make it up as we go.’

  ‘What if they catch us?’

  Solomon slipped his glasses up his nose. ‘I suggest we do whatever we can to feign our innocence in the whole matter. For example, if they ask what we’re doing out in the fog, tell them we heard noises and came to investigate. If they don’t believe us, tell them you got lost. They’re hardly going to argue with that because I imagine, out there, we will almost certainly have no idea where we’re heading. How does that sound?’

  ‘Simple plans are often the best,’ she replied. ‘And if we get separated?’

  ‘I suggest you go on your own. We’ve both got food and water for a day or so, and I can’t believe this fog will hang around permanently. You may as well head towards the ruin, that’s the likeliest spot these events are going to develop. And besides, according to Daisy, that was the last known position of Gus. You may wish to see if you can find him.’

  She knew Solomon didn’t mean to hurt her feelings by mentioning Gus. But all the same, it took considerable effort to fight off tears.

  ‘Are you ready?’ she said, donning her coat.

  ‘Yes, indeed. I’ll quickly radio HQ and give them an update. I’ll let them know that we’ve been looking through the pictures - but with no joy, th
us far.’ He smiled at her thinly. ‘That can’t really rouse Stone’s suspicions - if he’s there.’

  A short while later, holding a rucksack each, which they’d discovered in the boot room, they ducked through the soupy fog towards Mrs Pye’s apartment.

  ‘Sue,’ Solomon whispered, ‘there’s a camera that looks like one of those small, pill-like round batteries nestled on a frame around a portrait picture of the family. Understand? So, make sure you’re seen - it’ll have the effect of making sure they know we’re doing what we said we would be doing. A nice touch.’

  Soon, Sue trundled slowly down the staircase to Solomon.

  ‘Everything alright, dear girl?’

  ‘Mrs Pye’s very upset,’ she said. ‘She sits there silently, rocking backwards and forwards as if she’s trapped in a kind of meditational enchantment. Probably shock.’

  ‘Oh dear,’ Solomon said. ‘I hope she’ll be alright.’

  ‘It’s as if she knows that the people she loves most in the world are about to be taken away from her for evermore.’

  Solomon draped a friendly arm around her. ‘Dear Mrs Pye has had an awfully rum time of it, hasn’t she? The thing is,’ he continued, staring into the fog, ‘If they don’t come back, then I suppose she’s right. But then it’s the same with all of us, I suppose. Come on. Let’s see what we can do to help, however futile our distraction-methods prove to be.’

  They stepped out of the courtyard in the general direction of the track.

  ‘I don’t know about you, but this is ridiculous,’ she said. ‘I cannot see a thing.’

  ‘Great deeds have often been forged from such endeavours,’ he replied. ‘I’m afraid we may get a little bashed as we go. Be prepared for a rough ride.’

  Sue felt comforted by his words, knowing that the headmaster found their going as tricky, and, quite possibly, as fool-hardy as she did.

  15 ISABELLA RUNS