Charlie in the Underworld

by Charlie Small

  ‘Ouch!’ I yelled, giving it a mighty kick in frustration. ‘Jakeman, come back!’ But the machine carried on. As it disappeared from sight, the walls started collapsing in on the tunnel behind it. There was no way I could follow it now – there was an almost solid wall of rock between me and the mole.

  I couldn’t believe it – Jakeman had gone, and I realized I had forgotten to ask him the one BIG question he held the answer to. I still don’t know how to get home!

  Now what?

  Jakeman’s Envelope

  The freed Trogs and the townsfolk danced in delight at their victory.

  Tom, Eliza and Ma came over to me; they could see I was upset at losing Jakeman again.

  ‘Never mind, we’ll help you find him,’ said Tom, handing back my rucksack. ‘But what did he mean about an envelope?’

  I pulled the envelope from my pocket and tore it open. ‘He told me to open it if we got separated,’ I said. Inside was a map, entitled How to find your way to Jakeman’s Factory, and underneath he had scrawled:

  I think I might be able to get you home, so make your way to my factory and I will meet you there. Be careful – it’s a long and dangerous journey. Good luck and see you soon.

  From your pal,

  William Jakeman, Inventor

  This is the actual map he gave me:

  As you can see, it’s not a very detailed map! Sure, it shows where his factory is, and he has given me a compass direction. Apart from that, it’s mainly blank and marked Unknown and probably very dangerous. How was I supposed to find my way across that? What’s more, it was utterly useless to me if I couldn’t find my way out of the Underworld.

  Jakeman, you big blithering banana!

  What Next?

  The whole mine was in an uproar of delight as the celebrations continued! Everyone was hugging and kissing and congratulating each other, and the King led a rousing ‘Three Cheers’ for Eliza, Ma, Tom and me. The Troglodytes were slapping each other on the back and grunting in joy. Everyone was happy. Everyone except me!

  I was still stuck in the Underworld and had no way of getting home. Then, as I stared down at the big metal cylinder at my feet, which had fallen from the back of the mole, I had a flash of inspiration! It might work, I thought. Yes, it might just work! If only I can find the tubes that first led me into the Underworld.

  ‘Does anyone know where the tubes are?’ I yelled above the din. ‘The tubes that lead up above the rocks?’

  ‘Shhh!’ ordered the King. ‘Let Charlie speak.’

  I repeated my question … but no one had heard of the tubes. So, that was it, I was done for! Then a lone voice came from a group of freed Trog slaves. It was Gripmere.

  ‘Man-cha,’ he grunted, turning to Eliza. ‘Man-cha, man-cha’, he chanted, forming simple signs with his big meaty hands.

  ‘Gripmere knows where they are,’ she said. ‘Craik made some of the Trogs dig ’em.’

  ‘Oh, brilliant! Can he show me?’ I cried.

  ‘Of course he can. But how are you going to climb up them?’

  ‘If my idea works, I won’t have to climb,’ I said. ‘But there are a couple of things I’ll need first.’

  Time To Go

  Everyone crowded around me. ‘What do you need, Charlie?’ they asked. ‘What can we do to help?’

  ‘Well, for my plan to work, I need three leather belts, a cushion and a large tablecloth,’ I said.

  ‘That’s no problem. I’ll get them right away,’ said Ma. ‘It’s the least I can do after all you’ve done for us. Meet you at the castle gates in fifteen minutes.’ And off she waddled at top speed.

  I picked up the cylinder from the mole and had a closer look at it. Yes, I’d been right. At one end were printed the words COMPRESSED AIR; at the other end was a release valve with a flick switch. That should do the trick, I thought.

  ‘Right, let’s get going,’ I said, and the whole crowd followed me out of the mine to the castle gates. I was sad to say goodbye to these friendly folk – especially Tom and Eliza and Ma. They had been really good to me. But I couldn’t stay underground for the rest of my days. I had to get home.

  Before long, Ma was hurrying across the square towards us.

  ‘Thanks, Ma,’ I said as I tied the corners of the tablecloth together and folded it neatly under my T-shirt.

  ‘You’re welcome,’ said Ma. ‘Now, wherever you go and whatever you do, take care. Here’s some sandwiches. It’s not much, and the bread’s a bit mushy and damp, but it’ll fill your tummy.’

  I gave her a great big hug, and she handed me the package.

  ‘Right,’ I gulped. ‘I’m ready.’

  ‘Can we go with Charlie, to see him off?’ asked Tom and Eliza.

  ‘Of course you can,’ said Ma and the King together. ‘Just be careful.’

  Then, with a hearty farewell to the King, the Queen and Ma Baldwin, my two friends and I followed Gripmere across the square and through the narrow streets of Subterranea. With Gripmere now carrying the heavy cylinder, we skirted the shore of the Wide Subterrestrial Sea until we came to a high cliff. Here a concealed entrance led us into a narrow, jaggedy tunnel.

  It took ages to get there, turning this way, then that, but eventually I saw in front of me the tube down which I had first entered the Underworld.

  Rocket Man!

  Much to the amusement of Tom and Eliza, I tied the cushion on top of my head with one of the belts. I then moved my rucksack so that it hung on my front and tied a length of string from my explorer’s kit to the nozzle on the cylinder. With the other belts – and Gripmere’s help – I strapped the cylinder, nozzle down, on my back.

  ‘Right, this is it!’ I said, giving Eliza a hug and slapping Tom on the back. ‘Man-cha,’ I said to Gripmere.

  ‘Man-cha, Char-cha,’ he replied.

  ‘Good luck, mate,’ said Tom as I stepped under the end of the tube, which protruded down from the tunnel’s roof.

  With a final wave and a cheery ‘Cheerio!’ I yanked the piece of string. The nozzle flicked open, and an explosive jet of air blasted out of the cylinder. Whoosh! I took off like a rocket!

  I shot straight up the tube at a hundred kilometres an hour.

  ‘Yee-hah!’ I cried. This was better than riding a bucking bronco! Then CRASH! I reached the top of the tube, knocking the domed lid up into the air. Thank goodness I’d thought of strapping a cushion to my head, or I’d have been knocked senseless!

  The sudden sunlight dazzled me. I flew into the air in a high, wide arc, and up through the clouds. I could see the desert sands pass below as a yellow blur. Then the landscape turned snowy-white as I rocketed over a mountain range. I began to slow, and then drop back towards the ground.

  Quickly, I undid the belts around my waist and the cylinder dropped away. As I plummeted earthwards, I unstrapped the cushion on my head and restrapped it around my bottom. Taking the large tablecloth from under my T-shirt, I held the knot and let the rest billow up into a dome above my head like a parachute.

  I drifted slowly to the ground, which was now covered with bright green swamp trees, and landed with a bump on my cushioned bottom.

  Unexplored Regions!

  I have no idea where I am now, but I think I must be slap-bang in the middle of the wild and unexplored blank bit on Jakeman’s map!

  I appear to be sitting on a small, grassy island in the middle of a vast and stinking swamp. There are hundreds of islands dotted about the sickly green bog; mangrove trees litter the landscape, and the air is full of strange birds and insects that look as if they might have a very nasty sting!

  The map says the factory is in the northwest, but I’m not sure where I am in relation to it. I will just have to make a guess, follow my compass … and keep my fingers crossed! Of course, I’ve got a bit of island-hopping ahead of me before I’m out of this stinking swamp.

  First I want to phone my mum. It’s ages since I’ve spoken to her. I’ve charged my mobile with the wind-up charger, and I’ve got a s
ignal at last!

  ‘Mum!’ I said when I heard her voice answer.

  ‘Charlie? Is that you? Is everything all right?’

  ‘Yes, Mum. I’m safe … I’ve been trapped miles underground in a weird city of mud people and Troglodytes!’

  ‘Sounds wonderful, dear,’ she replied. ‘But don’t you think you should get home now? You’ve missed your dinner. Just a minute – who’s that knocking at the door? I’ll have a peep round the curtains. Ooh! I don’t know him – some strange chap in a long black coat. Look, I’d better go and see what he wants. Bye, Charlie.’

  ‘No, Mum!’ I called, suddenly very worried. A man in a long black coat: surely that couldn’t be …

  ‘Mum?’ I cried again, but she had already hung up. Right, that’s it! I’ve got to get home pronto! But how? I won’t know how to get home until I meet up with Jakeman again.

  I need to get out of this gloopy swamp and try to make my way to his factory. I hope he made it safely out of the Underworld.

  Hold on, what’s that noise? The swamp has started glooping and bubbling. Oh no, something’s breaking through the thick, slimy surface. Yikes! What is it?

  A large pointed ear, dripping with gunge; then a sulphurous yellow eye, followed by a wide, warty nose. Now a mouth, open in a loud roar that gurgles like a pot of boiling treacle. A clawed and hairy hand is emerging from the mire and reaching straight towards me. Jeepers creepers! It’s some sort of slime monster. Help! Someone, please …

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  This is where Charlie’s fifth journal ends. If you know where he is, don’t forget to tell us at

  www.charliesmall.co.uk