The Time Traveller and the Tiger

by Tania Unsworth

  They sat down on their beds a little awkwardly, facing each other.

  ‘So now what?’ John said. ‘We need to make a plan.’

  Elsie liked how he said ‘we’.

  ‘There must be a way to open those cages,’ she said. ‘I thought the locks were electric, but I didn’t see any wiring. There wasn’t even a light switch.’

  John was silent for a moment, thinking.

  ‘Radio waves!’ he exclaimed.

  ‘What about them?’

  ‘My father told me, during the war, they had a device that used radio waves to guide missiles and tanks at the enemy from a safe distance. Maybe Sowerby’s got something similar to open the locks.’

  ‘Like a remote for the door of the garage…’

  ‘A what?’

  ‘Never mind,’ Elsie said.

  ‘Did you see any kind of antenna?’

  ‘Yes, I did, come to think of it,’ Elsie said. It had looked like an old-fashioned TV aerial, sticking up from the roof of the building.

  ‘That’s it, then! We’ve got to search for some kind of device that uses radio waves. Probably looks a bit like a radio itself.’

  Elsie pulled the walkie-talkie from the waistband of her jeans.

  ‘Mandeep has the other one. It’s so we can tell him when we find out how to get the cages unlocked. Only I’m not sure it’s working…’

  ‘You’re doing it wrong,’ John said, trying to grab the walkie-talkie. ‘Have you even switched it on?’

  ‘Yes, I have!’ Elsie said, fiddling with the buttons.

  ‘You’re not supposed to turn that dial.’

  ‘Why? What does it do?’

  ‘How should I know?’ John said. ‘You’re meant to press there when you want to talk. On the side…’

  ‘I knew that,’ Elsie said, holding down the button. ‘Hello?’ she whispered. ‘Are you there?’

  ‘You’re meant to say, “hello, over,”’ John said, finally managing to get hold of the walkie-talkie. ‘Hello, over. Come in, Mandeep, over.’

  He didn’t need to be so self-important, Elsie thought. She was the one who’d found the walkie-talkies, after all.

  ‘This is John speaking, over.’

  The walkie-talkie crackled, and she heard Mandeep, his voice sounding as if it came from a great way off.

  ‘Can you hear… am in… to unlock them?’

  ‘Keep the button pushed down when you’re talking,’ John said. ‘Over.’

  ‘Over what?’ Mandeep said.

  ‘Forget it,’ John said, heaving a sigh of exasperation. ‘Look, stay where you are in the cave. We’ll let you know when we find anything.’

  ‘You must hurry,’ Mandeep said. There was a burst of static. ‘Good luck.’

  ‘Good luck to you too,’ John said. ‘Over and out.’

  ‘I hope it wasn’t a mistake for him to leave the outhouse,’ John told Elsie.

  ‘They’ll just think he went home, won’t they?’

  ‘Probably. But if Sowerby suspects anything, he’s bound to put a guard on that building,’ John said. ‘I reckon he’d have done it already if he had more people working for him. He must be paying the staff a lot to keep their mouths shut and do his dirty work.’

  ‘Do you think Mr Agarwal knows about the tigers?’ Elsie wondered.

  ‘Must do.’

  Elsie thought of the cook’s face as he’d fed the monkeys that morning. Maybe he did know what was going on. But she couldn’t believe he felt happy about it.

  Although Elsie had told John about the building in the clearing, and the tigers, and how Mandeep had found a place to hide, there was something she’d left out of her account. It was too difficult to explain, and since John didn’t believe she was from the future, there wasn’t much point trying.

  It had happened when she and Mandeep were on their way back, before they’d discovered the shrine.

  ‘Mandeep,’ Elsie had said quickly, before she could change her mind, ‘do you know about a plant called “the flower that catches time”?’

  She’d been wanting to ask him this question ever since she’d met him, although it had never felt like the right moment. It still didn’t, but Elsie wasn’t sure if she’d get another chance.

  Mandeep glanced at her in surprise. ‘Where did you hear of it?’

  ‘I… read about it. In a book.’

  He was silent, and Elsie plunged on. ‘It said in the book that it has some sort of… I don’t know, some sort of power. Or people believe that, anyway.’

  ‘My grandfather thought so,’ Mandeep said. ‘But he was old and very sick.’

  ‘What did he say about it?’

  ‘He was lost, a long way from home when he saw the flower. Five years ago, he said.’ Mandeep’s voice was soft with sadness. ‘Then he said it had been when he was a young man. So, you see, he was all muddled up.’

  ‘What happened when he saw it?’

  ‘It was the most beautiful flower he had ever seen, he told me, with a fragrance like no other. After he found it, all the broken things in our lives were mended, and our family’s troubles were put right. That was when I knew his fever must be very high.’

  ‘Why?’

  Mandeep smiled. ‘Our family has never had troubles. We are healthy and happy, my parents have good jobs and many friends. We are fortunate.’

  Elsie caught her breath. Mandeep’s grandfather had gone back in time. He must have done. He’d changed his family’s past somehow and turned the luck of all their years to come. She was probably the only person in the world who knew the truth.

  ‘Did he say anything else?’ she asked, trying to keep the eagerness out of her voice. ‘Like, how the flower actually worked its power, how long it lasted, that kind of thing?’

  ‘No. But he had a seed. He gave it to me just before he died.’

  So that’s how you got it! Elsie almost said.

  Mandeep patted the side of his body. ‘It is in my secret pocket, along with other treasures.’

  ‘You keep it in your jacket?’ Elsie stumbled, suddenly uncertain of her feet.

  He’d show it to her if she asked, she thought. He’d hand it over without question. She could wander a little way off and drop it, as if by accident. Somewhere in the undergrowth, where he wouldn’t have a chance of finding it again. It would be easy. And then –

  Then Mandeep would never give the seed to John as a parting gift when John left India. And John would never plant it, nor keep it for years until it reached its time to bloom.

  It would not be waiting on that far future morning, when she’d wake at dawn to find the greenhouse door ajar. Instead, nothing but ferns and trailing jasmine, misty in the light of another, perfectly ordinary day.

  All she had to do was take the seed from Mandeep and she would be back, having breakfast with Great-Uncle John. Eating bacon. Safe.

  She wouldn’t vanish from this place. She would simply never have been here.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Mandeep said, stopping and giving her a puzzled look.

  But then –

  Then John would shoot the tiger. And neither he or Mandeep would meet Mr Gordon, or go to the lodge, or discover what Sowerby kept in the building with the metal roof. The hunt would happen just as it always did.

  ‘What is the matter?’ Mandeep said. ‘Are you feeling ill?’

  Elsie closed her eyes and saw the tigers, padding out one by one, dazed in the sunlight. The hunters ready for them. Marjorie’s red lips parted in anticipation, Mr Gordon’s glasses aglitter, Nottle’s belly heaving with excitement…

  She drew a ragged breath.

  ‘I’m fine,’ she told Mandeep, trying to smile. ‘Nothing’s the matter.’

  His face cleared. ‘We must hurry.’

  Elsie nodded, and they kept walking, although she found herself dragging her feet. She couldn’t help thinking that she might have just lost her one chance of getting home. It was hard to look on the bright side of that.

  Then it came to
her. True, it was more of a glimmer than a bright side, yet it was enough to lift her step a little. Mandeep’s grandfather had travelled to the past, like her. But he’d done more than that.

  He had also managed to come back again.

  It was one thing to decide to search the lodge, quite another to actually do it. Neither Elsie nor John had a clear idea of exactly what it was they were looking for, which meant it could be anywhere. In addition, the lodge was full of people. The guests were still in the common room. Elsie could hear voices and snatches of laughter each time the servants opened the common room door to deliver yet another tray of food and drinks.

  ‘Won’t they ever stop jawing?’ John said. ‘Don’t they have anything better to do?’

  Elsie and John sat in the bedroom, waiting. It was almost three o’clock before they heard a commotion in the hallway. The guests had finally emerged.

  ‘Do me some good to get a little exercise,’ they heard Nottle say.

  ‘Is it far, Mr Sowerby?’ Marjorie said, her voice rising above the general hubbub. ‘Poor Charles has a dicky leg…’

  ‘Kept me out of the war, you know. Fearful shame. Ha! Ha! Ha!’

  ‘Charles was so disappointed…’

  Elsie and John looked at each other, hardly able to believe their luck. From the sound of it, all the guests had decided to leave the lodge at once.

  ‘Come on,’ John said. ‘This is our chance.’

  They found them milling around in the lobby, Marjorie reapplying her lipstick, Charles trying out walking sticks from a selection by the front door.

  ‘Where are you going?’ Elsie asked. Marjorie glanced at her, then looked away.

  ‘We’re off to see an old relic,’ Nottle said.

  ‘Relic?’ Elsie said, her voice faltering with sudden premonition.

  ‘A shrine to the god Vishnu,’ Nottle said. ‘Not far from here apparently, the bearer is going to show us the way.’

  Elsie looked urgently at John. They had to warn Mandeep. But the walkie-talkie was back in their room.

  ‘Stay here,’ John mouthed.

  Elsie nodded. He edged towards the door, doing his best to look casual, then disappeared.

  ‘I ought to change my hat,’ Marjorie was fussing. ‘Charles dear, can you get me the other one from our room?’

  ‘Your topee?’

  ‘No, that’s for tomorrow. The khaki one, with the large brim…’

  ‘Righty ho.’

  Elsie shifted from foot to foot as they waited. Three or four minutes ticked by. If John had managed to get through to Mandeep, she thought, surely he would have been back to tell her by now. He must be still trying.

  ‘Do hurry up, Charles,’ Marjorie called.

  What if there was too much static? Or Mandeep wasn’t near his walkie-talkie? Charles was already returning with Marjorie’s hat. In less than a minute, the guests would be on their way, and then it might be too late.

  ‘I want to go and see the shrine!’ she blurted in panic. ‘Can I come too?’

  Nottle shrugged amiably. ‘Don’t see why not.’

  Perhaps she could get ahead of them, Elsie thought. If she left right now and ran all the way, she’d have plenty of time to reach Mandeep. But the bearer was standing by the door, a watchful look on his face.

  Elsie had no choice. She had to stay with the group.

  They set off at last, moving at a leisurely pace, although Elsie was almost hopping from dread and indecision. The bearer was walking ahead, leading them down the track. Would it look suspicious if she tried to overtake him? Would he guess she had been to the shrine before?

  ‘Whatever is the matter?’ Marjorie said. ‘I do hope you’re not about to be sick again.’

  ‘Ants in her pants,’ Charles said. ‘That happened to me a couple of years ago, you know. Sat down for a breather, next thing I knew the blighters were all over me.’

  Behind them, Gordon lashed idly at the bushes with his cane.

  ‘Right there is the reason you ought to stick to theme parks,’ Nottle told Charles. ‘There aren’t any ants in HappyHappy Land, not a single one.’

  They were almost at the turning to the shrine. Elsie felt sweat breaking out all over her. John had probably managed to get through on the walkie-talkie by now, but she couldn’t be sure. Mandeep might still have no idea they were there, he could be sitting out in plain view…

  ‘I wonder what the shrine looks like,’ she babbled. ‘I can’t wait to see it!’

  ‘You don’t need to shout,’ Marjorie said. ‘I’m not deaf.’

  ‘I bet it’s nice,’ Elsie said, even louder. ‘I’m really, really excited.’

  The bearer had reached the turning. He stopped, gesturing them forward.

  ‘I think we’ve arrived!’ Elsie shrieked, darting ahead of the others. ‘Oh, look at these steps!’

  ‘Have you gone quite mad?’ Marjorie’s voice was tight with irritation.

  ‘BE CAREFUL,’ Elsie bellowed. ‘THEY’RE A BIT SLIPPERY!’

  She reached the top and cast a frantic eye around the glade. It was empty.

  Mandeep had got to the cave in time.

  Elsie sat down by the edge of the pool, overcome by relief.

  ‘So, this is the famous shrine,’ Gordon said.

  The guests stood for a moment or two, taking in the peaceful scene.

  ‘I thought there’d be more to it than that,’ Marjorie said finally. ‘There’s only that old statue.’

  ‘Rather a poor show,’ Charles agreed.

  Only Nottle seemed impressed. ‘Kind of awe-inspiring,’ he said, peering closely at the stone figure. ‘Although it needs a good repair job. Can’t understand why there isn’t a fence around this thing. That way you could charge admission…’ He straightened up. ‘I tell you what, I’m going to have it in my park! A fibreglass replica, only new-looking, with all its fingers and toes.

  ‘We’ll have the pool too,’ he continued in growing excitement. ‘Visitors can throw coins into it… Lord Wishnoo! That’s what we’ll call him. Wish-noo, geddit?’

  ‘Jolly good,’ Charles said. ‘Ha! Ha! Ha!’

  Elsie looked away. It didn’t matter how stupid they were. The longer they stayed talking, the longer John would have to look around the lodge.

  ‘Hello! I’ve just spotted something.’ It was Gordon’s voice. Elsie turned to see what he was pointing at. ‘See that cave?’

  ‘What about it?’ Nottle said.

  ‘It’s just the sort of place a bear might hide her cubs,’ Gordon said. ‘Or a tiger, come to that. I’m going to have a look.’

  ‘Oh, do be careful,’ Marjorie cried, giving him an admiring glance.

  There was nothing Elsie could say or do. Gordon was making his way up the slope to the cave. He arrived and peered cautiously inside.

  ‘Can’t see a damn thing.’

  Elsie clutched her hands. The cave wasn’t deep, Mandeep had bumped into the far wall almost straight away.

  ‘Use your cane!’ Nottle shouted.

  ‘Good idea.’

  ‘Don’t,’ Elsie whispered. ‘Don’t, don’t, don’t.’

  It was no use, Gordon was already reaching inside. She could hear the rattle of his cane against the wall of the cave. He probed further, his face twisted with effort.

  ‘Anything there?’ Marjorie’s voice was shrill.

  Gordon withdrew the cane. ‘Nothing,’ he said with disgust. ‘Clean as a whistle.’

  Elsie let out her breath. Mandeep must have guessed they’d look in the cave.

  He had been too clever for them.

  John was just coming out of the lodge when they arrived back. While the guests went inside to rest in their rooms before dinner, John and Elsie found a corner of the verandah where they could talk.

  ‘Why did you go haring off?’ John demanded. ‘We were meant to be searching the lodge together.’

  ‘I wasn’t sure if you’d got through to Mandeep.’

  ‘Of course I got through! Why would
n’t I?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Elsie admitted. ‘I guess I panicked.’

  John shook his head in a pitying way. ‘It’s just like when you ran away from that pig, although it wasn’t even a pig. It was more like a piglet.’

  ‘It wasn’t my f—’

  Elsie stopped herself. They didn’t have time to get into yet another argument.

  ‘So, did you find anything?’

  John shook his head. ‘I looked everywhere. Well, almost everywhere.’

  He had searched the common room and the lobby, and most of the downstairs, apart from the kitchen, where Mr Agarwal was busy preparing the evening meal.

  ‘I don’t think they’d keep it there, anyway,’ Elsie said. ‘What about the buildings outside the lodge?’

  ‘Mostly servants’ quarters, apart from Mandeep’s outhouse and the generator hut.’

  ‘What about Sowerby’s room?’ It was the obvious place. Elsie was surprised John hadn’t looked there first.

  ‘He was in it the whole time. Didn’t come out once.’

  ‘I bet it’s there,’ Elsie said. ‘We didn’t see it before because of all the other—’

  She broke off. As if he had known they were talking about him, Sowerby suddenly appeared, a newspaper under his arm. He gave them a brief glance, then took a seat at the opposite end of the verandah. Elsie and John stared straight ahead. A bird gave a warbling cry from the depths of the trees. Sowerby shook his paper open and they heard the rustle as he turned the first page.

  John looked at Elsie out of the corner of his eye.

  It’s your turn, he mouthed.

  Elsie shrank lower in her seat. But he was right. It was her turn.

  What about the bearer? she mouthed.

  John made a face. Just be careful.

  The lobby was empty. Elsie scurried across the hall and paused at the foot of the staircase, looking around to make sure the coast was clear, her heart beating so hard it almost made her sick.

  I’m Kelsie Corvette, she told herself as she crept up the stairs. I’m Kelsie Corvette.

  The reason Kelsie Corvette wasn’t afraid of anyone was because she was an expert in marshell arts, especially Juice-itsoo…