The Time Hunters and the Box of Eternity (The Time Hunters Saga Book 2)

by carl ashmore

  ‘Becks, what’s up?’ Joe asked.

  ‘Nowt.’

  ‘But you jellied out in there?’

  ‘I didn’t’

  ‘Yes, you did. Didn’t she Uncle Percy?’

  ‘You did seem rather peaky, my dear.’

  ‘I’m alright,’ Becky replied with a wave of her hand. ‘I just … well, it’s hot. Anyway,’ she said, eager to change the subject, ‘what are we going to do about finding Pandora’s Box?’

  Uncle Percy shook his head. ‘At the moment, I’m not sure, but I’m certain something will arise. We’ll take a short break, maybe have something to eat, and then interrogate a parrot…’

  For the next few minutes, they said very little to one another. Mister Flint joined them outside, and together, they all stood there in silence, taking in the majestic views.

  ‘Prettier than Moss Side, isn’t it?’ Joe said to Becky.

  ‘Just a bit,’ Becky replied.

  Joe pointed at the mountain opposite and his smile grew. ‘Hey, that cliff looks like Mister Taylor, our science teacher.’

  To Becky’s amusement, she found Joe was right. The cliffside did indeed resemble a human face, with a forehead, eyes, nose, and a long shimmering silver beard in the form of the waterfall. ‘That is actually uncanny,’ she laughed. And then goose pimples stood up on her neck. ‘Oh – my – God,’ she exhaled.

  ‘What?’ Joe replied.

  ‘That’s it,’ Becky said, lifting Mister Flint and kissing him firmly on the beak. ‘Mister Flint, you really are the best.’

  ‘What are you doing?’ Joe asked, bewildered.

  Becky ignored him, returned Mister Flint to the ground, turned to the others and announced in a loud, steady voice, ‘I know where Blackbeard’s treasure is!’

  Uncle Percy looked at her. ‘What’s that, Becky?’

  ‘Remember Israel Hands’ poem,’ Becky said. ‘It said ‘Listen closely to my friend.’ Well, we all thought he was addressing his English friend, ermm -’

  ‘Mallory,’ Uncle Percy prompted her. ‘Edward Mallory.’

  ‘Yeah, him. Anyway, we thought the ‘my friend’ meant Edward Mallory and he’d just missed out the comma. But it doesn’t. He wanted Mallory to actually listen closely to his other friend: Mister Flint.’

  Joe looked confused.

  Becky continued. ‘Think about what Mister Flint’s been saying to us: Old man’s beard … Through the mouth … Into the bowels.’ She pointed at the mountain. ‘The cliffside looks like an old man’s face, the waterfall looks like his beard. We just have to get behind it, into his mouth and head downwards. Don’t you see, Mister Flint’s been telling us all along where the treasure is …’

  - Chapter 29 -

  Teach’s Treasure Trove

  Uncle Percy beamed at her with pride. ‘Clever girl.’ Immediately, he withdrew what Becky recognised as a pair of amnoculars and trained them on the mountainside. ‘Israel Hands, you really were far too intelligent to be a pirate.’ He gave a satisfied nod. ‘Yes, there appears to be a narrow path in the rock that leads up behind the waterfall. Oh, how exciting…’

  Leaving Mister Flint at the hut with a promise to get him later, the group left with renewed vigor, reaching the mountain in no time at all.

  Becky looked up at the waterfall in awe, a cool, welcoming spray speckling her face, when, through the corner of her eye, she saw Uncle Percy turn towards her and Joe.

  ‘Now I’m aware there might be some opposition to this,’ he said. ‘But I’m going to ask you both to stay here and - ’

  Becky had been expecting it. ‘Nope. We’re coming this time.’

  ‘Absolutely,’ Joe agreed. ‘Don’t even try and stop us.’

  ‘ I thought you might say that.’ Uncle Percy sighed. ‘Very well. Now we don’t know what we’re going to find in there, but I think we should all prepare for the worst. Bruce, would you be so kind as to let Becky have one your flintlocks?’

  Becky gasped. She was getting a gun.

  ‘If you’re sure, boss.’ Bruce passed over a flintlock.

  Uncle Percy looked heartbroken as Becky turned the pistol in her fingers.

  Joe, on the other hand, turned green with envy. ‘You are so lucky, Becks. Maybe I should have one?’

  ‘Absolutely not,’ Uncle Percy said firmly. Then he turned to Becky. ‘Please, please be careful with it.’

  ‘I will,’ Becky replied. ‘It’s just … I’ve never fired a gun before.’

  ‘It’s pretty much just aim and pull the trigger, missy,’ Bruce said. ‘You’ve got ten bullets.’

  Uncle Percy looked miserable. ‘Frankly, if we do come across any trouble I would prefer you drop the gun and hightail it out of there as quick as you possibly can. And that goes for you, too, Joe.’ With that, he unscrewed the sword from his cane and approached the path.

  Taking each stride with care, mindful of the dampness underfoot, Becky trailed Uncle Percy to an altitude of about seventy feet when he disappeared from view. Following close behind, Becky soon found herself in a large, dank cave with oily black walls; shivering from the sudden drop in temperature, she spied a wide hole opposite that fanned into a long, dark tunnel.

  Uncle Percy waited long enough for Joe, Bruce and Will to catch up, before entering the tunnel. Hesitantly, Becky did the same. She wasn’t sure which was louder, the aeroplane-like roar of the waterfall or the pounding of her own heart. Glancing ahead, illuminated by swirls of light from tiny cracks in the walls, she saw the tunnel slope downwards before tapering into blackness.

  ‘The last time we were anywhere like this we met a vegetarian Minotaur,’ Uncle Percy said to Becky, trying to break the tension.

  ‘No,’ Becky replied sharply. ‘I think you met a Hydra with nine heads!’

  Uncle Percy’s body deflated. ‘Ah, yes,’ he replied. ‘I forgot about that one.’

  From then on no one said a word.

  All of a sudden, Becky spied a strange, misty, multi-colored light in the distance. ‘Is that sunlight?’

  ‘I’m not sure,’ Uncle Percy replied, squinting.

  The group pressed on, weapons raised, their footsteps echoing against the dull walls. Closer and closer, they advanced, watching intently as the curious light swelled before them. It appeared to be radiating from not one, but three caves.

  Her pulse racing, Becky approached the first cave. As she did, her eyes widened with astonishment. The cave was crammed to the ceiling with gold: caskets, figurines, boxes, tiaras, bracelets, masks, statues and countless more pieces she couldn’t see.

  ‘Oh my word!’ Uncle Percy whispered.

  ‘Smother me in butter and call me a bagel,’ Bruce said.

  ‘We are sooooo rich!’ Joe gasped.

  ‘It’s not ours, Joe,’ Uncle Percy replied.

  Then, one by one, they moved on to the next cave. This time, they found it bursting with silver: candlesticks, jugs, urns, strongboxes, bowls, cutlery and armour. In a daze, they moved to the final cave, which was jam-packed with jewelry; precious gems of all shapes and sizes cast kaleidoscopic colours on the dark walls.

  ‘Blow my chaps off,’ Bruce breathed. ‘Forget floristry… I’m takin’ up piracy.’

  For what seemed like an age, they all stood there, stock-still, captivated by the immeasurable riches on display. Then they heard a deep, distant moan.

  Becky jumped, startled.

  ‘What was that?’ Joe uttered.

  ‘It’s probably just the wind, Joe,’ Uncle Percy replied, although Becky wasn’t convinced by his tone.

  ‘That didn’t sound like wind,’ Joe replied.

  Becky had to agree. She faced front, her hand curling round the flintlock’s grip. She saw the tunnel curve slightly, hiding the path ahead. His sword raised, Uncle Percy moved forward, trailed by Will who had set an arrow on his bowstring.

  Heart pounding, Becky turned the corner and her eyes nearly popped from her head. They were standing at the edge of a vast sea-cave with walls as black as ta
r. A wide stretch of grey sand merged into seawater, which flowed out through a giant archway to the ocean beyond. A strange silvery mist floated above the water like a shimmering carpet. But the most surprising thing was the three-mast pirate ship anchored in the shallows. She recognized it at once. ‘That’s the ship that was at Devil’s Spear Island, isn’t it?’

  ‘The Winchester Man,’ Uncle Percy said, bewildered. ‘Richard Young’s flagship.’

  As the group moved into the middle of the cave, Becky’s eyes scanned the ship’s deck. It appeared deserted. ‘So where is everyone?’

  Before Uncle Percy had a chance to respond, however, the most terrifying sound penetrated the cave like a deadly gas. It was laughter. Low, foul, humorless laughter. The laughter quickly formed into very slurred, indistinct words. ‘Welcome ter me abode….’

  Terror flooded Becky. Looking over at the far end of the cave, barely visible through the velvety black shadows, she saw an enormous man sat on a golden throne, his disfigured, pale, bearded face illuminated for the briefest of moments. Then her heart plummeted further. Beside him, an enormous golden chest was tipped open on its side, a trail of gold coins leading into the water. The same silvery mist that filled the cave poured out of it like exhaust fumes.

  ‘Pandora’s Box!’ Becky whispered out loud.

  ‘Blackbeard!’ Joe said at the same time.

  Blackbeard leaned forwards, his face touched by a thick shaft of sunlight. Becky’s hand shot to her mouth. The right side of his face had been completely torn off, exposing bone and sinews and blackened teeth. A large chunk of his neck was missing. Dried blood caked his mouth and whiskers. ‘It be agreeable ter have y’all here …’ he rasped chillingly.

  ‘Z - zombie Blackbeard,’ Joe squeaked.

  Becky felt paralysed with fear. But then it occurred to her: Blackbeard was alone. If he were a zombie, at least the kind of normal zombie she’d seen in films, he would be easy to kill.

  Lazily, Blackbeard raised his hand. ‘And ye have nothin’ ter fear from me … I’ve fed on many a brain fer a day now, and me belly is full ... It’s made me strong. It’s made me fast. It’s made me clever … but as fer my newborn … well, yer blood will smell most temptin’ ter them, I be sure … And yer brains will taste sweet …’ His hollow eyes flicked to the shadows. ‘So arise my army of the damned… Protect yer master … and feast fer your first time…’

  Suddenly, the walls came alive. Dozens of pirates emerged from the blackness; twisted, mutilated and misshapen, their long, skeletal arms stretched out before them, groaning so loudly it made the cave walls shudder.

  Uncle Percy turned off-white. ‘Oh, crikey,’ he said, looking round to see they were approaching from all directions. ‘The Winchester Man had a crew of about seventy five …’

  ‘Sweet mother of Bethesda,’ Bruce muttered.

  Becky turned hastily to Joe. ‘Okay then, Zombie Assassin,’ she said shakily. ‘You’re up. What do you suggest we do next?’

  Joe gulped. ‘Shoot brains …’ He raised his Joe-bow. ‘Shoot a lot of brains...’

  - Chapter 30 -

  One for Sorrow

  A line of zombie pirates, their grey faces blurred and ghostlike in the mist, formed a thick, impenetrable barrier, three deep, hiding Blackbeard and Pandora’s Box from sight. More zombies lumbered in from the sides, snarling, drooling, teeth bared.

  Will didn’t hesitate. An instant later, an arrow cut the air, striking a zombie through its eye. Without even seeing it slump to the ground, Will had reloaded and fired again. Another direct hit.

  With Will’s success spurring him on, Joe’s eyes locked firmly on their target. He fired. Another zombie down. Within seconds, both he and Will were sending arrows one after the other, neither of them missing a shot.

  Bruce spun round to face the zombies approaching at their rear. ‘Here, good buddy.’ He threw a flintlock to Uncle Percy, who caught it comfortably. ‘Guns first, swords later…’ He drew his remaining two flintlocks.

  ‘Smashing!’ Uncle Percy said flatly, taking aim. A moment later, a volley of deafening booms rang out as he and Bruce fired at the same time.

  Becky stared at the flintlock in her hand. Hands trembling, she lined a zombie in her sights. Ordinarily, she could never kill a living thing, but this felt different. These things were already dead. Definitely, absolutely, irrefutably dead. Steadying her hand, she pulled the trigger. BANG. The zombie crumpled to the ground.

  Soon, zombies were dropping like flies, as arrow and bullet hit their mark, but the onslaught was far from over. ‘There are too many of them,’ Joe cried. “We’ll be out of ammo soon.’

  Becky glanced ahead, then behind. Joe was right. There were dozens left. In a matter of minutes, they would be torn apart. They needed to act and act fast. ‘What should we do, Uncle Percy?’

  ‘We must close Pandora’s Box,’ Uncle Percy shouted back. ‘I’m sure it’s the mist that’s causing this.’

  Out of arrows, Will cast aside his Joe-bow. ‘Then it shall be done!’ He drew his cutlass, and charged single-handedly at the oncoming horde.

  ‘IS HE INSANE?’ Becky screamed.

  Uncle Percy glanced over at Will, who was slashing, slicing and carving up anything without a pulse. ‘Almost certainly...’ Then, with a click, he ran out of bullets. He glanced at Bruce, who had also just fired his last shot. Together, they drew their swords.

  ‘Time to decapitate zombies, Perce,’ Bruce hollered.

  ‘Terrific!’ Uncle Percy mumbled. He scanned the cave entrance. Bar a spattering of zombies, there was a clear path to the tunnel. ‘Becky, Joe, you must leave. Dodge the remaining zombies and get outside. We’ll meet you back at the hut shortly!’ He gestured to Bruce and together they raced off to join Will.

  Becky and Joe glanced at each other. It was clear neither had any intention of going anywhere.

  Suddenly, through the thinning line of zombies, Becky spied Pandora’s Box, the silvery mist pouring out thicker and faster and angrier than before. To her dismay she saw Blackbeard had gone, too. She turned to Joe. ‘Cover me!’

  Joe looked flustered. ‘I’ve only got two arrows, Becks.’

  ‘Here.’ Becky thrust the flintlock into his hand. ‘There are six shots left. Let’s see you play Zombie Assassin for real.’ And with that she sprinted off.

  Becky powered across the sand, blood pumping in her ears. A zombie turned to her, its eyeball hanging sickeningly from an empty socket; snarling, it lunged at her when a bullet pierced its forehead.

  Joe sighed with relief as he lined up his next shot.

  Struggling for breath, Becky pressed on. Another zombie attacked. This time, she barrelled into it, sending it crashing to the ground.

  Uncle Percy saw Becky race past. ‘NO, BECKY!’ he yelled, when suddenly he found his head clamped in a pair of powerful hands. A vile, putrid stench filled his mouth.

  Blackbeard smirked, his discoloured fingers digging deep into Uncle Percy’s face. ‘Yer brains are mine …’ he jeered. Opening his mouth wide, he dragged Uncle Percy closer, his bloodstained teeth edging towards Uncle Percy’s throat.

  *

  Becky didn’t see any of it. She was running at full pelt now, swerving past one zombie, then another. Looking up, she saw a single zombie remained between her and Pandora’s Box. Desperately trying to stay on her feet, she mistimed her run and stumbled slightly. The zombie sensed its opportunity. Arms stretched, its hands curled around her throat, choking the life out of her. She tried desperately to wrench the hands away, but it was too strong. Then – BANG – the fingers went limp and the zombie sank to the ground, a smoking bullet hole in its skull.

  Becky inhaled deeply and, using the last of her strength, leapt on to Pandora’s Box, slamming it shut, before rolling off and landing heavily on the ground, red faced and clawing for air.

  In that instant, everything changed. The mist dissolved; zombies crumbled to dust before their very eyes; the cave brightened as if an endless night had final
ly blossomed into day.

  The last thing to change was Blackbeard, who had frozen with disbelief an inch from Uncle Percy’s neck. Then, like charred paper, he dissolved to nothingness, until there wasn’t a trace left of him.

  Uncle Percy looked around, relieved, speechless, struggling to comprehend all that had happened.

  As Becky got to her feet, she saw Joe speeding towards her.

  ‘Becky!’ Joe seized her in a powerful hug. ‘Are you all right?’

  ‘You said we didn’t do hugs,’ Becky replied with a grin.

  ‘Shut your gob,’ Joe said. ‘That was unbelievable.’

  ‘I couldn’t have done it without the Zombie Assassin.’

  Uncle Percy’s face was still fixed with shock as he approached the two of them. ‘Didn’t I tell you both to go back to the hut?’ he said, before taking Becky and Joe in his arms and squeezing them with all of his might.

  Will walked over, waited a few moments for Uncle Percy to release them, then leaned down and kissed Becky’s forehead. ‘Young miss, we are all forever in your debt.’

  Becky flushed tomato-red. ‘Well, err, cheers, err, thanks, it was, err nothing.’

  Bruce joined them, shaking his head. ‘It was somethin’ all righty. Your pappy would be proud. In fact, it was just the kinda crazy-ass thing he woulda done …’

  Becky was about to tell Bruce how much that meant to her, when she heard a deep, kindly voice. ‘You’re such a brave girl, lassie. Bruce is right. Your old man would be proud.’

  Becky looked over. To her amazement, Reg Muckle appeared from a second tunnel behind Blackbeard’s throne. Dressed in a threadbare shirt and frayed trousers, he looked as if he’d just come straight from serving drinks at The Magpie Inn. She glanced at Uncle Percy, fully expecting him to be delighted, but he wasn’t. In fact, he looked quite the opposite.

  ‘Cat got your tongue, Percy?’ Reg said glumly. ‘Now that’s summat you don’t see every day.’

  ‘I - I don’t understand, Reg.’

  ‘I think you do, Percy. And I am very sorry … more sorry than I can say, but I’ve got no choice.’ Reg looked like every word caused him pain. ‘I’m sorry to all of you. But that’s life … and death, too, as a matter of fact.’