by Jem I Kelley
There was a chicken coop in the corner, left open to allow the creatures their afternoon wander.
Grandfather Eavis sat on the bench wrapped in a heavy cardigan, fat arms folded, dozing. Most people could manage a pleasant doze on a bench on a balmy summer’s day; Grandfather Eavis was one of the few Aden thought could manage the same on a cold day like this. Granddad Todd was inspecting a cabbage he’d harvested to feed the chickens.
“Must be an ice caterpillar in it somewhere,” he said, his white hair uncharacteristically combed. “Damned If I can see it. But, that’s what it’ll be. Don’t know how the chicks know. One caterpillar and they just won’t touch the stuff.”
Grandfather Eavis opened bleary eyes. He was about to respond when he noticed the friends; his old face lit and the wrinkles seemed to fade.
“Drop yer cabbage, Todd, Aden and Bliss are here. You can feed the chicks later.”
Granddad Todd whirled. He dropped the cabbage, causing the chickens to squawk and flap.
“What do you want?” asked Aden. His voice sounded sullen. He didn’t mean it too; but, the events of yesterday and today left him sure there was one third of a chunk of disappointment left to come. Things happened in threes, didn’t they?
Grandfather Eavis nodded to the other granddad.
“C’mon then get it out.”
“Don’t rush me.”
Granddad Todd pulled a Disc-Artefact from his jumper pocket.
“Thought you’d better have it,” he said, to the friends; but, as Bliss held out a hand, the wiry granddad breezed past and eased onto the bench alongside the corpulent grandfather.
Bliss scowled, but joined his granddads. Aden squeezed into the last bit of space on the bench.
Granddad Todd turned the thing over in his hands.
“Real shame about it being a dud, don’t you think?”
He cocked an eye at the two children.
“It was never meant to be,” said Bliss, evidently still trying to put a brave face on the matter in front of her granddads.
“What sort of world would you have liked to have gone to?”
Bliss shrugged.
“It doesn’t matter now.”
“I just wondered. Adventurine weren’t it? You said yesterday, Adventurine?”
“Yeah, I suppose.”
Granddad Todd said: “Already two artefacts go to Adventurine. Bit wet there too.”
“Does it matter now?”
“No, suppose not. Sorry. Anyway, take the artefact.”
He handed it to Bliss, who turned the thing in her hands.
“If the artefact hadn’t been a dud, you realise, you wouldn’t have ever got to use the thing? Your mum and dad would have had it under lock and key quicker than you could blink. You’re far from twenty one yet, you know. They’d have a right. Stop you running the risk of getting killed on some foolhardy adventure.”
It seemed at this point, to Aden, Bliss’d had enough of putting on brave faces.
“Is that supposed to make us feel better? Telling us even if it did work, we wouldn’t have got to use it?”
Granddad Todd shook his head.
“No. It’s our way of trying to explain to you our actions yesterday. By the way, careful you don’t turn the button so the dots match until we say so. Don’t want you shooting off yet.”
“I really don’t think there’s much chance of that,” said Bliss.
“No?” Asked Granddad Todd, a twinkle in his eyes.
Bliss stopped turning the artefact in her hands and stared at it intently as she realised what her granddad had just said.
Aden stared too. The artefact was a dud; its button was pushed yesterday, in front of his eyes; unless, unless... this artefact was a different one. He couldn’t tell. They all seemed the same unless you looked close. But.. Bliss and he had only brought one Disc back from the police-station, how could there be another Disc to the dud they had seen yesterday?
“Remember, I told you about those Disc-Artefacts I tested when I was younger?” said Grandfather Eavis. “Well, I kept one as a souvenir.”
Oh, my God, thought Aden.
“A… are you s…saying,” began Bliss as she continued to stare at the Disc-Artefact in her hand.
“Couldn’t show you the tested dud artefact when you were kids, because then I’d have had to have told you about how I’d got it: the gambling and all.”
Bliss interrupted her grandfather.
“Which artefact is this one I’m holding?
“That’s your artefact.”
Very slowly Bliss said: “Is this the same Disc-Artefact as the artefact you showed us all when we were gathered in the living room yesterday?”
Grandfather Eavis smiled.
“Yesterday, I might have got the artefacts a bit mixed up; might have told an untruth or two as well. I blame my age.”
Bliss swung round to look at Aden. Aden saw excitement and fear in her eyes.
They both looked down at the Disc-Artefact.
“It worked, didn’t it?” said Aden. “You tested this one and it worked?”
The granddad’s smiles were wide.
“It’s a big responsibility. You’d better not let us down.”
Bliss’s voice quivered.
“W…we won’t.”
“Twist the button.”
Bliss placed her hand over the button. Aden could she was shaking. He was too.
Bliss twisted the button and the dots lined up.
“What world does it go too?”
“It’s a …” Grandfather Eavis collapsed into a fit of coughing which lasted ten seconds or more. He recovered and said: “Find out for yourself.”
“P…put your finger on the disc, Aden.”
Aden came over to Bliss’s side of the bench and did so.
“You’ll feel dizzy to start with,” said Granddad Todd.
“Stand up, Bliss,” said Grandfather Eavis. “Don't press the thing sitting on the bench next to us old 'uns. That bench won't be there when you reach the other side, you'll fall hard on yer back-sides.”
The two friends walked along the roof a few paces, and Aden braced himself for the jump. Excitement raced though him.
Grandfather Eavis said: “Perhaps you want to wait until this evening? It’ll be your dinner in half an hour. You’ll have to come back soon as the thing's recharged. Remember, can’t let your parents know it works, if you don't want them to confiscate it.”
“I ain’t waiting until later this evening,” said Bliss.
She pressed the Disc-Artefact’s button...
… and so ends Part 1 of Azabar's Icicle.
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Click here to access the 2nd and final instalment of the tale:
Azabar's Icicle Part 2 – The Sorcerer of Wands.
