Ark Of Hope: Beyond The Dark Horizon

by Roger David Francis

  “There could be thousands of them at the bottom of the hole,” Cassie whimpered. “They could be waiting for us.”

  “You’re panicking, take a deep breath. It was one rat. It’ll be okay, just follow me.”

  Shaking, Cassie advanced towards the centre of the cave behind Brett, her stomach still fluttering with terror.

  This time there was no ladder, instead a metal slide had been put into place.

  “There’s no way I’m going to fit onto that thing,” Cassie moaned.

  Brett agreed, it was for people much smaller than them, child sized, or midget sized, he shuddered. Getting down on his hands and knees he shone the torch into the hole and looked back at Cassie. “It’s okay,” he said. “The drop is only about four foot, I’ll go first.”

  She grabbed his arm, her eyes wide with alarm, “Are they in there?” she whispered.

  “They?”

  “The rats.”

  Brett shone his torch down again and peered inside. “There’s nothing there, Cas, just a dirt floor, look for yourself.”

  Cassie shook her head. “No, I believe you, Brett.” Her teeth began chattering. “Let’s just get it over with.”

  Worried, because he didn’t want to frighten her any more, Brett didn’t tell her he’d seen a shadow moving in the cave below. If there was someone there waiting for them then he’d deal with it. They’d come too far to go back empty handed now.

  Wedging himself past the slide he manoeuvred himself down the hole until all Cassie could see was his head.

  “My feet are touching the ground,” he told her, “Come on.”

  He helped her down, relieved that the ceiling was much higher once they were standing in the cave. There were a couple of small candles throwing a weak light around the cave and as there wasn’t much power left in his torch, Brett switched it off.

  “It’s empty, thank God for that,” Cassie said with relief, peering around.

  There was a clicking noise behind them and they spun round.

  Six odd little men were standing, their feet apart, their arms raised, aiming sharp little arrows at them.

  “Shit!” Brett breathed. He held up his hands.

  “Choolies,” Cassie whispered. “What do we do?”

  Brett had no idea. The six men were glaring at them, their slanting eyes flashing a piercing silver colour. They stood about three feet tall, their bald heads patterned with strangely drawn black symbols.

  “We know why you’re here,” one of them said in a surprisingly deep voice. “You are searching for the answer, as those before you have dared to do. You desire the Challis of Truth.”

  “No,” Brett said, shaking his head, “We really don’t. We’re just looking for our friends. I can assure you we’ve got no interest in stealing the Challis of Truth.”

  “Liar,” another man spoke and lifted his spear a little higher in the air. Brett could see exactly where he was aiming it and cringed.

  “You have entered our domain now,” the third man said. “This Island belongs to us. Queen Bebo is a fake, fed by the Oogaloo’s to populate the Island.” He made a sound in his throat that could have been amusement but his slanting silver eyes were hard and staring. “We will never allow that to happen, the cucumbers she so voraciously shovels inside her are contaminated.”

  “It’s nothing to do with us,” Cassie said, adding, “Actually we’re on your side, Queen Bebo’s a bit of a nightmare.”

  The Choolie who had last spoken studied Cassie, “You are a wise person,” he murmured. He turned to his companions and they began speaking together in a language Brett couldn’t understand. They pointed and gestured, waving their hands in the air until finally the first one with the deep voice spoke.

  “Do you know the question?” He asked Brett.

  Brett groaned inwardly. Here we go again, he thought. He said, “What colour is grass?” He looked innocently at them and shrugged his shoulders.

  They glanced at each other and with an imperceptible nod of his head the first man stepped forward. “We can tell you are ignorant so have decided you may view the Challis of Truth but then you must leave. We have no interest in helping you find your friends. What happens to you after you leave here is of no concern to us, do you understand?”

  “Charming,” Cassie muttered.

  Brett nudged her and winked. “That’s very kind of you,” he said.

  “I hope we haven’t got to crawl through another bloody hole,” she moaned.

  The six Choolies had lowered their spears and were walking off to the side. The first one indicated that Brett and Cassie should follow them.

  They walked through a good sized opening, Brett only had to dip his head slightly, and found themselves in another cave, this one much larger.

  There was brown water dripping from the stone walls and at first it appeared as empty as the one they’d just left and then Brett spotted something. He switched on his torch and shone it onto a small wooden plinth in the corner of the cave. On top of the plinth was a glass vase.

  It looks ordinary, Cassie thought, disappointed. She hadn’t been sure what to expect, certainly something sparkling with jewels and made of gold but the vase in front of her was like something she would put wild flowers in, picked from the garden, something you might buy from a pound shop. She glanced behind her but the six men seemed to have disappeared and they were alone.

  “Is that it?” She asked Brett. “The Challis of Truth they keep going on about?” Cassie shook her head in disbelief.

  “I don’t know,” Brett replied. “I suppose they could be having us on but they didn’t seem much like joker’s to me.” He walked over to it and studied it. Simple, plain glass, not even etched with a pattern, he picked it up.

  Instantly the cave lit up with rainbow coloured lights that drifted over the walls and across the floor. The glass vase became a myriad of colours constantly changing, one moment it was azure, the next a red and orange swirling mass.

  “Wow,” Cassie stared in wonder. “That’s something else.”

  “Yes.” Brett placed the Challis of Truth back down on the plinth and stood back. Instantly the colours disappeared and once again it was just a simple glass vase.

  “Brett, we have to take it back with us, give it to Queen Bebo. Why have you put it down?”

  “You heard what the Choolies said, Cas. Those spears they’re carrying might be small but if they hit the right spot they could kill us. You don’t think they’re just going to let us walk off with it, do you?”

  “But they’ve gone,” Cassie pointed out.

  Brett shook his head, “you don’t really believe that, they’re more likely to be hiding, watching us.” He paused. “Maybe they’re waiting for us to ask the question.”

  “Why though?”

  Brett shrugged his shoulders. “I have no idea but it’s obviously important to them.”

  “What did it feel like when you were holding it?” Cassie asked curiously.

  Brett shook his head, “It throbbed in my hand,” he said. “My arms are tingling; I’m not sure what to do, Cassie.” He looked frightened.

  “Well, we can’t leave it here.”

  A harsh voice broke into the room. “Move away from the Challis of Truth, now!”

  Cassie spun round but there was no one there. “Brett, shine your torch around,” she yelled.

  The cave was empty.

  “Why are you shouting Cas?” Brett asked.

  “Didn’t you hear it?”

  “Hear what?”

  “The voice, it was telling us to leave the Challis alone?”

  “I didn’t hear anything.” Brett picked the Challis of Truth up again and walked over to the open door.

  The voice roared through the cave again, “Put it back now or face the consequences.”

  Cassie glanced at Brett, it was obvious he hadn’t heard the voice again, she tugged his arm. “I don’t think we should take it,” she whimpered. The cave once more lit up with rainbow co
lours but he ignored it. Cas watched him. His eyes seemed to be looking inwards as if he was focusing on what he had to do. “You’re wrong Cas, we have to. Stay close to me,” he muttered, and Cas trembled as she followed him out of the door.

  Chapter 20

  “What do you mean? Of course we can get her out.”

  Binkle shook his head. “Can’t, can’t, can’t. The hole’s too small for her fat body to squeeze through.”

  “My girlfriend’s not fat.” Robbie sniffed, Jade’s beautiful.”

  “Big then, she’s big. Too big.”

  “So you get me the key to the door.”

  “Just like that? Are you mad? Yes, I know where the key is.”

  “Off you go then,” Robbie tried to shoo the goblin away.

  “Not so fast,” Binkle closed his small hands into fists. “I need a pardon from the Queen, how am I going to get that if I steal her key? And what happens to me when you recue your big girlfriend?”

  “You get to go home.”

  The goblin crumpled to the floor. “I don’t have a home.” He moaned.

  “Of course you do. I bet you’ve got a girlfriend too.” Robbie chuckled.

  Binkle stood up and threw his tiny shoulders back. “What do you think?” he said, “that I’m less than a man because I’m vertically challenged?” He beat his fists on his chest. “Of course I have a girlfriend, her name is Pilly, rhymes with silly, and she’s waiting for me. I’ll go and get your key and then we shall part ways.” He turned to go. “Wait, wait, wait, I won’t be long.”

  Robbie lay down and put his face up to the rat hole, he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Jade? Can you hear me?”

  “I’m here.” A hand came out of the hole and he took it and squeezed it. “Robbie, are you going to be able to get me out of here?”

  “Of course, any minute now Binkle will come back with the key to the door. Don’t worry. Are you on your own in there, it smells awful.”

  “Dead animals, don’t ask.” Robbie heard her gasp. “Oh God, Robbie, someone’s unlocking the door.” She snatched her hand away and he heard her scamper across the room. He bit his lip, he had to keep quiet, blowing his cover now would be the worst thing he could do.

  Cassie stayed as close to Brett as she could as they made their way out of the second cave towards the tunnel. Every now and then the Challis would light up and throw beautiful colours across the walls of the cave; it helped them to see where they were going. Brett’s torch had all but given up.

  Halfway along the tunnel, panting, Cassie said, “I wonder why the Choolies aren’t following us.”

  “They’re probably waiting for us at the end of the tunnel.”

  “Oh, God, Brett, don’t say that.” She coughed and heaved. “How much longer,” she whined.

  “Nearly there.” Brett’s hands were sweating and he was terrified he was going to let the vase slip from his hands. He could hardly believe what he was doing. His mind had gone blank and he couldn’t even remember picking the Challis of Truth up, he’d simply let his instincts take over. Now he was wondering what sort of danger he’d put himself and Cassie in.

  He wriggled out and pulled Cassie up. The Challis wobbled precariously for a moment and Cassie m0aned. “Please don’t drop the damn thing, not now,” she whimpered.

  “We’re nearly there,” Brett said, “I can see the rope ladder.”

  Cassie thought it was too quiet, too easy. Her stomach was flipping over, rolling in fear as she waited for Brett to get to the top of the ladder.

  She began climbing up as Brett cleared the last rung of the ladder. He knelt down to help her up. Their fingers touched and then Cassie felt someone grab her ankles. She screamed and her hand scrabbled to hold onto Brett but she was being pulled back down. The rope ladder was burning her skin as she struggled to hold on. And then Brett’s two hands were pulling her up and she landed in a heap on top of him.

  “Christ,” Brett panted, “what happened then?”

  “Someone was trying to drag me back down.” She gulped, “Little hands, the Choolies, I think.” She stood up and watched as Brett carefully put the Challis down and stood up next to her.

  “It’s too easy, Cas, you know that, don’t you?” he said. “I think they want us to take the Challis of Truth to the Queen; they’ve got their own agenda. They believe every time someone asks the wrong question the Challis loses a little more of its power. They’re hoping one day it will run out altogether because they’re frightened of what the answer will mean for them.”

  Cassie stared at him in amazement. “You can’t possibly know that, Brett.”

  “I know. I can’t believe I’m saying it, but it feels right. Maybe,” he looked thoughtful, “I got the information from holding the Challis.” He blinked and smiled, “Come on, let’s get this Challis thing to the Queen and find Robbie and Jade.”

  Cassie looked around. “So where is it, Brett?”

  His face dropped. “It was right next to me. You saw me put it down, it can’t have disappeared.” He shone his torch all around but it wasn’t there. “Jesus, we’ve done all that for nothing,” he moaned.

  “Is this what you’re looking for?”

  Cassie gasped and spun round. In front of her was a tiny man sitting on top of the Challis.

  “My name’s Binkle. If you tell the Queen I helped you get the Challis then she’ll pardon me. I can take you to your friends too, what do you say?”

  “I say it’s too good to be true, how do I know I can trust you?”

  “Trust, trust, trust, that’s all everyone goes on about. Of course you can. I’m helping your friends, Robbie and Jade to escape.”

  Brett exchanged a look with Cassie, she nodded. “We don’t have a lot of choice, do we?” she said.

  Binkle climbed off the Challis and held his arms up to Brett. “You carry me, she can take the Challis.”

  Shrugging, Brett lifted Binkle up on his shoulder and very carefully Cassie clutched the Challis in both hands.

  “Through that door there,” Binkle pointed.

  Brett stopped. “So where are our friends?”

  “Friends, friends, friends, that’s all you giants ever go on about. Okay, not that door, the other one.” He pointed at a different door and Brett opened it.

  The first thing he saw was Robbie lying on his stomach with his arm stretched though a hole in the wall.

  “Bloody hell, Robbie, what’s going on?”

  Robbie scrambled to his feet. “Jade’s being held prisoner in the next room,” he panted and then his face cleared as he saw the goblin on Brett’s shoulder, “Binkle, have you got the key?”

  “No, no, no, nearly. Queen Bebo will give you the key when she gets her hands on the Challis of Truth.”

  Robbie shook his head in frustration, “How are we supposed to find it?”

  Cassie held up the vase, “We already have.”

  “You’re kidding. I could buy that on a car boot for twenty pence.”

  “Not this one,” Brett told him. “Come on, I think a royal welcome is awaiting us.”

  Jade stared at the two strange figures that entered the room. They looked like miniature warriors, both carrying wooden spears which appeared to be aimed at her. She stood with her back pressed up against the wall, her heart thumping with fear. They were making gobbling sounds to each other but they weren’t looking at her, they only seemed interested in the dead animals.

  One of them moved forward and jabbed his spear into the rump of what had once been a sheep. Jade felt a lurch of sickness as the sheep rolled slightly leaving a slimy trail of blood. She heaved and put her hand to her mouth but one of the warriors had heard her. He pointed and Jade cringed back as they advanced on her.

  He looked her up and down, his head on one side. When he spoke his voice was surprisingly deep. “”You are here for the Challis of Truth?” he asked.

  Jade shook her head.

  “Do not pretend. You are part of the thieving gang who
have taken it.” He paused and turned to the other creature. “We will come back for her; first we must secure food for the feast later.” He turned back to Jade. “You cannot take the Challis of Truth away from the Island. Return it now and we will let you live.”

  “I haven’t got it, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jade told him. Her heart was banging uncomfortably; even though she was much bigger than they were she was afraid of them. They had hard pinched faces with terrifying silver slanted eyes. Jade stared at the points of their spears trying not to imagine how awful it would feel to be stabbed by them. Their expressions were nasty and she cringed inside wishing they would go away.

  The other man spoke. “Another liar,” he snarled. His silver eyes flashed with menace. “Your friends have stolen it, we only left them for a few minutes. You are a very cunning species. We were assured you wouldn’t steal it and now it has gone.”

  Jade stared into his eyes and a sense that he was lying, manipulating her turned her stomach into a twisted knot. It suddenly occurred to her that they were playing their own game and that for some reason they’d allowed her friends to take the Challis of Truth, but why?

  The first man spoke and Jade shuddered, the bastard had read her mind. “Because the questions will be wrong and the Island will once again remain safe in our possession.” He paused and waved his hand in the air. “Already the Island is becoming unstable, by allowing your friends to take the Challis to the stupid Queen then we can stop our home from disappearing.”

  “How does that work, then?” Jade asked.

  “Queen Bebo always gets it wrong,” the second man answered with satisfaction. “She depletes the power with her useless questions, renders the Challis harmless until the next time. Others before you have made the same mistake, it worked then and it will work now.” He lowered his voice to almost a whisper. “It has to.”

  He turned to the other man, “Leave her here, I’ve said too much already, we’ll deal with her later, for now the sheep is more to our taste.”

  The first warrior nodded and together they began pulling the carcass out of the room, puffing and muttering. The door slammed shut and Jade slumped onto the floor.