The Watchmaker's Gift

by Charles Zitta

  Alexios swooped down from the sky and onto the boat to give his young apprentices a shot of encouragement. “Well young squires, it appears we’ve gotten ourselves into quite a mess.”

  “Really, ya think?” Micheal said with a dose of sarcasm.

  “I hate to say it, but I kind of agree with him at the moment,” Charlie added.

  “Yes. Yes, I can see that,” the owl replied. “But now is not the time for opinions.”

  “It’s not the time for philosophies either,” Michael snapped back.

  “Right. So I think it’s wise to listen if you and your brother want to survive this dreaded mess,” the owl said, giving the boys a stern look over the rim of his glasses.

  Neither said a word.

  “Now then, I need the two of you to keep the boat on course and moving forward, no matter what happens. You must reach Dead Man’s Drop. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, but then what?” Charlie asked with a horrified expression. “Do you mean we’re supposed to take this boat over the waterfall and get smashed to bits on the rocks below?”

  “Never mind the rocks for now,” just focus on what you’ve been told and trust me. If you can do that, the rest will take care of itself.”

  “Trust you?” Michael said with a snicker.

  “Well, you could always come up with your own plan.”

  “No-no-no, we’ll do exactly as you say, won’t we Michael?” Charlie demanded of his brother.

  “Of course,” Michael replied against his will.

  “Thank goodness we’ve got that settled,” the owl said.

  “And why’s that, Michael snipped back.

  “Cause, here they come!” The mighty owl took off into the sky like a shooting star, attempting to draw the flying pirates away from the boat. On cue, they immediately changed course in pursuit of the elusive owl. Flying in crazy pretzel-like patterns, Alexios twisted, turned and confused the low-level thinkers. On his last turn, he flew near the boat, practically paused in midair, and said in slow motion, “Keeeeeeep mooooooving foooooorwaaaaaard.” Then, POW—he exploded back to full speed, leaving his ghostly pursuers just out of reach, as he soared skyward.

  No longer had the boys taken their eyes off the brave owl, when a wave of pirates came flying in low towards their boat, their swords and pistols raised high. “We’ve almost got ‘em boys,” one of the crew members called out, as the rowdy pirate crew closed in on the slow moving boat,

  Charlie and Michael began to fret, feeling helpless and vulnerable for the taking. They were convinced no good could come from what was about to take place. With only twenty-five feet before the pirates reached their boat, the boys closed their eyes, covered up, and prepared for the worst. Twenty feet, fifteen, ten—

  Suddenly, the charging pirates were pulled backwards by a large and powerful vacuum-like wind.

  The boys each opened an eye, then the other—squinting to see beyond the struggling ghosts, who were trying as best they could to resist the hurricane force winds pulling them backwards. To Charlie and Michael’s amazement, they saw a white, supersonic blur flying in a circle perpendicular to the top of the water’s surface—creating the powerful wind tunnel, which sucked up the pirate ghosts and shot them out the far side of the tunnel in all directions as disfigured spirits. Eliminating any immediate threat to the boys.

  CLANK, CLINK, CLUNK, CLANK. “What in the—” Michael said as the boys spun around to face the other side of the river.

  “We’re hooked, Michael,” Charlie said.

  The skeletons on the far side of the river had managed to grab hold of the boy’s boat using grappling hooks attached to ropes. They were now holding the small boat against the will of the river’s current. What Charlie and Michael failed to realize was that this allowed the skeleton’s paddle boat to catch up to their boat.

  Within seconds, the boney paddle boat carrying hundreds of skeletons was upon them. Four crew members from the lower deck crouched low, then jumped onto the boy’s boat, as they pulled their swords. All sported bandanas of various colors wrapped around their skulls, weathered shirts, shredded pants, and a gold tooth or two. One had a peg leg, another an eye patch.

  But as intimidating as they were, Michael refused to let it hinder his actions. Without delay, he charged the peg legged skeleton—kicking the wooden peg clean off and into the river. This threw its rightful owner off balance and allowed Charlie to easily push the wobbling skeleton into the water. “One down, three to go,” he said.

  Thinking quickly, the older brother reached out with his right hand, grabbed hold of the Femur bone from one of the remaining three skeletons, and tugged with all his might—pulling it clean off. With great ferocity, Charlie took a mighty swing—smashing his aggressor into countless pieces, which flew into the water.

  Inspired by Charlie’s actions, Michael dodged an oncoming sword, and charged his attacker—making a clean wrap around the skeleton’s legs, he lifted up and dropped the helpless sack of bones into the water. “Wow, they’re really lite,” Michael said with enthusiasm.

  “Yeah,” CRACK, Charlie connected with the fourth skeleton—“I can tell. One swing and they fall to pieces.”

  “Ha-ha. That’s a good one—”

  Before Michael could finish his sentence, six more skeletons jumped aboard, and again the brotherly duo—now brimming with confidence, made quick work of the aggressors. Three times, four times, then five—the boney attackers boarded and were quickly defeated by the boys. As a sixth group readied to board the small boat, Charlie said to his brother, “We need to figure something out. At this pace I don’t think we’re going to last for too much longer.”

  “Cut the ropes,” a voice called from above. It was Alexios—still flying in crazy patterns, as the ghostly pirates continued their pursuit.

  “Right,” Michael said. “Charlie, when they jump on board, smack one of the skeletons in their sword arm.”

  “Good idea, Michael.” As the first skeleton jumped aboard, Charlie swung and made solid contact with his forearm—knocking it clean off, which allowed the sword to drop free. Michael seized the sharp weapon, and with four quick strikes, cut their boat free—sending them towards Dead Man’s Drop.

  As they pulled away, the skeleton boat tried to keep up. Several skeletons attempted to dive onto the smaller boat, missing and splashing into the water. The gap between the boats grew larger, as the sound of crushing water against the jagged rocks of Dead Man’s Drop grew closer.

  “We’re almost there, Michael.”

  “Almost where, Charlie?” We don’t even know what we’re supposed to be looking for, or doing, once we get to the waterfall. How can you be so calm right now.”

  “Simple. We have to trust the words of the owl,” Charlie replied.

  “Really, that’s it?”

  “Yes, Michael. That’s it.”

  “What about the skeletons, the pirates, and whatever else we’ve seen in this crazy place?”

  “Trust the owls words and keep moving forward, that’s it, Michael. Period”

  “Well I think that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  “Sometimes you have to put your faith in others, Michael.”

  “Whatever,” Michael said sarcastically. Though inside, he knew his brother was right.

  As their boat approached the falls, steadily gathering speed, even Charlie began to doubt the words of Alexios. Does he really want us to stay in the boat?, he thought to himself. Unexpectedly, and in dramatic fashion, the answer revealed itself.

  Above a moonlit hillside just off in the distance, a small fleet of flying pirate ships with cannons blazing appeared in the sky. They were chasing the mighty, white owl, who landed next to Charlie and said, “Hurry boys, they’re coming.”

  “Who is ‘they’,” Michael questioned.

  “All of them. I tried to keep them distracted as best I could, but once they got word that you still had the watch and were attempting to escape back to the real world, the
y quickly lost interest in me and gathered all the ghosts of Pirates Cove to come after you.”

  “So now what?” Charlie asked.

  “Get to the waterfall, no matter what,” the owl said. “And hold on tight.”

  “You mean you want us to go over the waterfall with the boat?” Michael said. “Are you crazy!”

  “Yes, I guess I am,” Alexios replied. “I’ll try and draw their fire as best I can, while the two of you make way for the waterfall.”

  “But—”

  “No time for questions, Charlie. Just stay on course.” The owl took to the air towards the fleet of flying pirate ships—dodging cannon and gun fire along the way. As he grew smaller in the distance, he hollered, “Trust meeeeee.”

  BOOM-BOOM-BOOM, POW, POW-POW-POW, SPLASH, SPLASH-SPLASH. The boys tiny boat was in range of both cannon and gun fire from the ships above. The canons and pistols continued to fire from the flying vessels, as the watch-hungry pirates closed in on the boys. Some of the pirate crew left their ships and soared high into the sky, while others jumped overboard and began flying low, just above, and below, the water’s surface. All were headed directly towards Charlie and Michael with one thing in mind, to get the watch at all costs.

  “Hello there mateys, care if I join ya,” an overweight pirate with a striped shirt said, as he popped up through the bottom of the boat between the boys.

  Another came down from the sky, landing right behind Michael. He put a pistol to the boy’s head.

  And then a third popped up through the bottom of the boat, right behind Charlie.

  “How about ya give us that there watch in your pocket,” the pirate behind Charlie said in a soft gravely voice.

  “Watch? What watch?” Charlie said.

  “Don’t be playing those games with me boy. I know it’s in your pocket.”

  “And how would you know that, if you can’t see it?”

  “Cause me little friend here told me.”

  To Charlie’s surprise, he turned and saw a mouse with a tattered head band and a tiny patch over one eye, perched atop the pirate’s shoulder. Excited to see such a thing, the young boy kept calm and played along—knowing the waterfall grew nearer with each passing second. “Since when can mice talk?”

  “Yeah, he can’t talk,” Michael added, pointing at the mouse.

  “Well this one here can, right fella?”

  “You’re bloody right, mate,” the mouse replied in an unusually low-pitched voice for such a tiny creature.

  “Alright, so he can talk, but that doesn’t mean anything,” Charlie replied. “He still hasn’t seen the watch.”

  “Why of course I have,” the mouse confidently replied.

  “Oh yeah, I never felt you in my pocket, Charlie said.

  “I’d reckon you’d have a hard time feeling something as little as him snooping ‘round your pockets, boy,” the lead pirate with the mouse said.

  “Alright then,” Charlie said to the mouse, “what does the watch look like?”

  “Hold on there, little guy,” the pirate said while petting the mouse. “We ain’t got time for all this nonsense, boy. Now hand over the watch or my friend over their is gonna pull the trigger on that pistol he’s holding to your brother’s—”

  SWOOOOOSH!

  Before the pirate had time to finish his words, the mighty owl swept in and snatched the mouse off his shoulder—carrying the helpless rodent high into the sky.

  “Bring him back you filthy owl!” the pirate yelled to Alexios, who was now several hundred feet away.

  “Not until the three of you leave my friend’s boat,” the owl yelled back.

  “We’re not going nowheres until we get that watch,” the pirate replied.

  “Well, then I guess you wont be getting your little friend back,” the owl proclaimed.

  “Ohhhhhhhhh! Shoot that bloody owl while I grab the watch!” the angry pirate said to his mates.

  The other two pirates opened fire on the flying owl above, as the third pirate lunged for Charlie’s pants,—tugging on the pocket which held the watch.

  “No!” Charlie yelled, “get your stinking hands off it.”

  “Let him go or you’ll never see your mouse friend again,” Alexios said. He zoomed down and knocked the pirate’s hat crooked—obstructing his vision and setting off a chain reaction. Out of frustration and a lack of vision, the pirate behind Charlie tried to stand up and lost his balance. As he did, he accidentally shot the pirate behind Michael—who, as he was falling out of the boat, shot the pirate in the middle of the boat. He too, fell overboard.

  Before the three ghostly pirates could recover and climb back aboard, the boat reached the rough waters of Dead Man’s Drop and began rocking from side to side—making it difficult for the boys to maintain a grip on the seat railings.

  With only fifty feet to go, Alexios flew in and hovered erratically next to Charlie, continuing to flap his wings. “There’s one last thing I need to tell you. Well, two actually.”

  “What’s that,?” Charlie said.

  “Tonight, after you get back to your parents, make sure to watch the left side of the castle during the fireworks show using the magic looking glass.”

  “OK, and what’s the other thing?” Charlie yelled, as the noise of the waterfall intensified.

  “Hold on tight,” the owl yelled back.

  “What?” Charlie yelled.

  “Hold on tight,” Alexios repeated even louder. “That means you too young squire,” he yelled at Michael. The mighty owl took off over the mist of the waterfall, as he yelled, “I’ll see you again my friends!”

  The boys replied in unison, “OK Alexioooooooooooooooooooooo!”

  Their boat took a header over the falls, diving towards the jagged rocks below. It began to pick up speed, traveling faster and faster, their surroundings grew darker by the second. Everything went pitch black. The wind increased in intensity, as the crashing sounds of water on rock grew louder. The speed at which they were falling was almost unbearable. The boys held onto the railings with all their might.

  THUNK-KAPLOOOSHHH!

  The boat made contact with calm water and leveled out into a peaceful floating pace, as Barbosa’s ship slowly came into view on the left. They were back on the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Their parents, in the boat just ahead.

  The boys were exhausted from battling ghostly pirates and skeletons, and their bellies were full from a hearty dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern—making it difficult to fend off the sleepiness that had taken over their worn out bodies. As the sun sank low in the sky, everyone in the Magic Kingdom began to gather around the hub and Main Street in preparation for the Wishes fireworks show, including Charlie and his family.

  “Dad, it looks like there’s a good spot over there by Sleepy Hollow Treats. Not too many people,” Charlie said, trying to establish a good vantage point on the left side of the castle as Alexios had advised.

  “That looks perfect. It’ll keep us away from the crowds. OK with you, dear?”

  “Sure, fine with me,” his wife replied.

  Just a short while later the skies had darkened and the fireworks were in full bloom, lighting up the sky in spectacular fashion. Three members of the Zastawits family stood and admired the show, while the fourth, unbeknownst to the the others, was watching through a looking glass. A magic looking glass.

  Charlie carefully positioned the magical device so he could clearly see the left side of the castle, while not being noticed by his parents. Pushing the button, the glass began to spin rapidly, as it lit up green. A full minute passed without a trace, and then, illuminated words—cast down from the fireworks above, began to appear on the west wall of the castle. One word followed another, disappearing as the next appeared—each in position as if you were reading a book. When the looking glass had completed the message, Charlie quietly snuck it back into his pocket.

  Shortly after the fireworks show, everyone agreed a relaxing ride on the Tomorrowland Transit Authorit
y would be a perfect way to end the night. Charlie requested he and Michael ride in a separate car on the TTA so everyone could spread out. His parents happily agreed. This allowed Charlie to replay the message captured with the magic looking glass and type it into his phone. It read; 9:45 Breakfast. Epcot. Sunshine Seasons. Emergency meeting. Frank.

  Chapter Seven

  Charlie woke the next morning—day two of their vacation, with an exuberant amount of adrenaline flowing through his body—fueled by thoughts of what Frank would have to say in just a few short hours. Only on rare occasions did he wake before his brother. An emergency breakfast meeting with Frank was such an occasion. No matter what their friend had to tell them, Charlie needed to know as soon as possible. He needed to move forward—to face and conquer any fears, doubts, hesitations or potential dangers that may lay ahead for him and his younger brother.

  “Michael, rise and shine. We gotta get going. Dad’s already out taking a walk and Mom’s in the shower. Epcot opens at nine—which is only about an hour away.”

  “I’m awake,” Michael grumbled from underneath his blanket—still tired from the day before.

  “Then why don’t you get up?” Charlie replied. “I’m already clean, so that means you’re next once Mom gets out of the shower.”

  “It’s not that big of deal. I’ll still be ready before Mom.”

  “You could at least get your clothes out.”

  “I already know what I’m going to wear.”

  “Really? I don’t see anything.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Charlie.” That was the last thing Michael said before going into silent mode. Something he did quite often when he didn’t want to be bothered. Especially by his pesky brother.

  Charlie had seen it many times before and knew better than to push the issue. So instead, he accepted it and quietly went out on the balcony to enjoy the sunrise, as he waited for his mother to come out of the bathroom. If anyone could get his brother moving without a fight, she could. Her secret weapon, baby talk. Michael had very little, if any, tolerance for such child-like nonsense—which she knew, and used to her full advantage.