“No, no, no!” declared Nick, popping one into his mouth. “We can’t put chocolates loose in the stocking – they’d get squashed. Six for me and six for Percy. Put two apples and a satsuma in instead. We can’t have the poor woman getting fat. It’s our duty to see that she’s healthy!” – He unwrapped another mint. The tortoise, disturbed from hibernation, opened his eyes and blinked.
“Come on, Percy!” said Grumbo. “You’re not eating your share! Nick will have them all if you let him. Nanny keeps him on a diet you see.”
“She does too!” said the CFC ruefully. “And chocolate mints aren’t on it! Bran flakes and porridge mostly. Quite right, Grumbo. Take them away Percy!”
A little shyly, Percy picked up six mints and put them in his pocket.
“We’d better hurry, I’m afraid,” said Grumbo, scooping up the tortoise who had begun to amble in the direction of Nick’s paint tin, and dropping him in his pocket. “The time loop runs out soon.”
“Happy Christmas, Percy,” said the CFC, smiling.
“Happy Christmas,” said Percy, “- and thank you for everything! It’s been fantastic!”
Chapter 12 – Going Back
There was quite a crowd waiting by the sledge to wave Percy off when he and Grumbo finally arrived.
“You’ll need these, Percy dear,” said Nanny, handing him a bulky parcel wrapped in Christmas paper. “It’s just your old pyjamas, but I’ve put in a few spare socks in case. -Now mind you look after him,” she added, turning to Grumbo and glaring at him fiercely.
“Yes, Nanny,” replied Grumbo, meekly.
“Thanks, Nanny,” said Percy in embarrassment as the little old lady stood on tiptoe to give him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek.
“I hope we will see you again one day, Percy, and I trust this will be of some educational value to you,” said Miss MacGrammar, very formally, handing him a small extremely neatly wrapped packet. “Peruse it carefully.” Percy could hear Grumbo’s indrawn breath behind him as he took it.
“Thank you Miss MacGrammar!” said Percy, almost as startled as Grumbo. “I’m sure it will be most interesting,” he added politely, trying not to listen to the muffled snort of derision coming from Tingle.
“I thought you might like these,” offered Smithers, producing a large box of assorted toffees. “It’s a sort of thank you. – Father Edmund says I shall be able to climb the purple chimney by the end of the week if I carry on!” he finished proudly.
“They look delicious!” Percy said truthfully.
“I, I, er, felt you might enjoy this,” said Rhodri, giving him a carefully wrapped box. “You can open it later.”
“Thanks Rhodri!”
“And I got you this.” Father Edmund rolled forward in his chair and passed over a small round bundle. “I thought it might remind you of a few things. Open it when you’re home.”
“Thanks! “ said Percy, his arms full, clutching at the pile of presents which were in grave danger of falling.
“Here, Perce, you need a hand,” remarked Tingle, steadying the heap and placing yet another gift on top with his other hand. “One from me- enjoy!”
“Come on, come on!” said Grumbo impatiently. “We can’t stand here all day gossiping! Percy has to get back!”
“Thanks everyone!” said Percy, climbing into the sledge. “It’s been so wonderful I can hardly believe it!” and he bent his head as though he was busy arranging the presents on the seat and bit his lip hard. Grumbo glanced quickly at him and then shook the reins impatiently:
“Come on Rudolph! We haven’t got all day.”
“Cheers, Perce,” shouted Tingle as the sledge swung out into the night. Percy turned to wave, but they were travelling so fast that already the little group had become nothing but a tiny red blur on the horizon.
He tried not to think too much about going back. It wasn’t an enticing prospect. Would they really be back in time for breakfast, and how would he explain all the new clothes and presents to his mother?
“I’d be careful how you open that parcel from Tingle,” remarked Grumbo, breaking in on his thoughts.
“Why, what’s in it?” asked Percy.
“You never know with Tingle,” said Grumbo darkly. “I didn’t like the way he placed it on the top of the pile just before we left.” Percy looked at him: “It was as if he thought it might explode or something,” explained Grumbo.
“Well it hasn’t done yet,” said Percy, glancing at the packet with new unease. His father might get rather angry if he bought a bomb home, he thought with foreboding. Not that he’d ever done it before, but he sensed somehow that bombs in the bedroom might be one of the many things his father didn’t approve of. “Perhaps we’d better open it now,” he suggested anxiously. “It might be safer than waiting.” Grumbo brightened.
Cautiously, Percy picked up the parcel. It wasn’t very heavy. “Do you think we ought, though?” he asked, hesitating. “Maybe I should wait for Christmas day?”
“Nonsense,” stated Grumbo robustly. “Tingle wouldn’t wait if it was him,” he added confidently. He watched as Percy removed the silver cord and began carefully to pull back the paper to reveal a bright red cube underneath..
Suddenly the top of the cube exploded open like a jack in the box! Percy jumped backwards. A giant spider sat slowly revolving on the top with a small envelope attached to each of its eight legs. Percy leaned forward again and read the nearest envelope. ‘Red Hand Soap – put this white soap in the bathroom and everyone will come out red-handed!’ it said.
Grumbo peered at the next envelope: “ Inflatable Wobble Ball – never flies true!” he read.
“This one’s a ‘Disappearing 5 pence trick’” , said Percy, grinning.
“There’s one of those rope tricks where the knots magically dissolve too,” added Grumbo, eagerly. “I’ve always wanted one of those!”
“I’m going to put it away until Christmas,” said Percy. “You see. You were wrong about Tingle. It’s a great present.” He put a hand on the spider and began to push it back into the box. A huge jet of icy cold water shot out of its mouth and hit Grumbo right in the face. Percy collapsed into helpless laughter.
“I told you he wasn’t to be trusted!” shouted Grumbo, shaking water off his beard. Then he too began to laugh. “You’re right, “ he said, “it’s a great present. Typical Tingle!”
Percy was quiet for a while after he re-packed the spider. He was thinking about the differences between home and the FC Training School. ‘ I’ll remember it,’ he thought to himself. ‘ I’ll remember it all, always. Whatever happens, it’ll always be there, and one day…one day, maybe, I’ll be able to go back.’
“You never know what’s around the corner,” remarked Grumbo kindly, as the chimney of Percy’s house loomed up through the snow. “Oh, yes,” he added, rummaging in his copious pockets. “I nearly forgot. This is for you. I haven’t wrapped it up, I’m afraid. It kept walking across the table when I tried to tie the ribbon, but I thought it would probably be quite happy in your bedroom for now, and they don’t eat much, just a bit of grass and dandelions and stuff, so your parents don’t need to know. Happy Christmas!”He handed Percy the sleepy tortoise.
“Thanks, Grumbo!” Percy said appreciatively, stroking the tortoise who had popped his head out. “Thanks for everything!
“These are from me,” said Rudolph’s voice, and he bent his head and dropped a small bag from one antler. “Just grass and dandelions indeed! What kind of a Christmas dinner is that for a tortoise?” A brussel sprout rolled out of the bag.
“Thanks, Rudolph! That’s really kind!”
“See you again Percy,” and Rudolph winked one eye as Percy climbed onto the roof.
“Don’t forget what the CFC said!” called Grumbo, and with that the sleigh whirled upwards and Percy’s last sight was of Grumbo clutching on desperately as Rudolph did a series of spectacular loops thro
ugh the night, finally zooming vertically upwards until Percy could see them no longer.
Home Again
Chapter 13 – Percy Alone
Percy peered anxiously at his bedside clock. It was ten minutes past four and all was quiet and dark, apart from the heavy snorting grunting sound coming through the wall, which was the usual noise of his father sleeping. He placed the gifts carefully inside his wardrobe, closed the door gently, put the tortoise into an old box, climbed into bed and fell asleep.
It seemed hardly a moment before he woke again. It was daylight. He could hear his father downstairs, shouting, and his mother protesting: “But we can’t leave him!”
Leave who, he wondered, sleepily? Then his brain alerted as he heard his own name. He scrambled out of bed and put his ear to the floor.
“He’ll be perfectly alright on his own for a few days. You’ve written to Lucy. She’ll see to him. Don’t fuss so, woman!”
“But I didn’t think we’d be going so soon! Not today!” protested his mother.
Percy got dressed. It was nearly time for school anyway.
Downstairs his mother was sobbing over a bowl of cornflakes and his father was hauling two suitcases out to the car.
“Oh Percy! My little boy! My baby!” Percy submitted unwillingly to a vast sloppy embrace and decided that the soot on his sheets was unlikely to be noticed.
“Percy, you’re going to be on your own for a short time,” announced his father bluntly, coming back inside. “Your mother and I have to go away.”
“But Auntie Lucy will come soon, darling. You will be alright, won’t you?”
“Of course I will,” said Percy, detaching himself and pouring the milk. “Where are you going?”
“Scotland,” announced his father firmly. “Your Great Uncle Gordon is seriously ill in the Outer Hebrides.”
“Oh,” said Percy, looking round for the bread and trying to remember who Great Uncle Gordon was, and wondering what bit of the body the Outer Hebrides was and if it hurt much. It was probably the medical name for one of the bits his mother insisted he shouldn’t ever mention, he decided.
“I expect Auntie Lucy will take you to stay with her,” added his mother, blowing her nose loudly on a pink tissue and looking at him sadly.
“Get in the car, Maria, and stop wasting time snivelling. Percy, if anyone should call for me if necessary you may give them the address in the book by the phone. Your Aunt should arrive tomorrow.” With that Mr Proudworthy hustled his sobbing wife outside and slammed the door shut. Percy finished his toast and wondered about Aunt Lucy. He hoped she wasn’t the aunt with cross eyes and the red drippy nose as he didn’t think she would be much fun, but he couldn’t remember any others. Then he looked at the clock and realised he was already late for school. Gloom descended on him. Then he brightened. It was still Friday, the last day of term! No-one would bother if he didn’t turn up and best of all, his father would never know!
Percy stuck his breakfast dishes in the sink and went upstairs. He took his presents out of the wardrobe and lined them up on the bed and looked at them. Then he lifted them up in turn and shook them gently and tried to guess what was inside. A snuffling noise from inside the old box in the wardrobe reminded him that the tortoise was still in there. He lifted it out carefully and put it on the floor.
“And about time too!” it remarked. “Don’t I get any breakfast in this place?”
“You can talk!” gasped Percy.
“Nothing remarkable in that,” said the tortoise. “So can you, and you’re just a human. Now, about this breakfast, I prefer dandelions for starters or a little hawkweed if you’ve got it and just a touch of red fescue for afters.”
“Er, I’m not sure,” said Percy. “Er, Perhaps if I take you outside you can see if there’s anything you fancy. It’s a bit cold though.”
“Always the same, always the same,” muttered the tortoise. “ Go out in the snow and get your own breakfast – I might get chilblains or hypothermia -no one cares!”
“Oh, er, I’ve got some sprouts Rudolph gave me,” said Percy hastily, “-and I think there’s some carrots and lettuce in the fridge?”
“I suppose that’ll do for now,” said the tortoise, gloomily.
*****
Percy had quite a good day. He had a long chat to the tortoise who turned out to be called Wesley, uncovered some dandelions beneath the snow for him and made him a comfy bed in the box with some old papers. After several leaves, a bit of lettuce and part of one of his mother’s pot plants, Wesley became almost cheerful. The pot plant looked a bit ragged, but Percy hoped it might grow back before his mother got home. He made beans and oven chips for his dinner and Wesley went to sleep on the bits of pink newspaper. It was just a bit scary going to bed in the house on his own that night, but at least things were getting a bit more exciting in his life, thought Percy as he snuggled down.
In the morning it was cold. The central heating had stopped working. Percy stayed in bed for a while and then got dressed as quickly as possible without bothering about things like washing or changing his socks. He had just given Wesley a brussel sprout and made some toast to warm himself up when there was a tremendous thundering on the door. “Police – open up!” called a voice.
Percy, alarmed, wondered what he had done and if they had found out about him not going to school the day before.
“Oh,” said the burly policeman looking down as Percy anxiously opened the door. “Is your dad in, son?”
“No, but it was the last day of term,” said Percy. The policeman looked puzzled.
“Can we come in,” he said. Percy held the door open. Five large policemen marched in.
“Mum about?” enquired the first policeman.
“No,” said Percy. “They’ve both gone to see Great Uncle Gordon. It was only one day,” he added. “I’ve been the whole of the rest of the term, honestly!” A smile of enlightenment creased the policeman’s face.
“Ah,” he said. “You’ve been playing truant from school have you? - And you thought we’d come to take you away?” There was a burst of laughter from the other four men. “Well I think we can overlook it just this once, but don’t let it happen again! Now, when did your mum and dad go, and do you have an address for Great Uncle Gordon?”
“They went yesterday morning,” said Percy, relieved that he was not to be arrested. He went to the book by the phone. “The address is in here.”
“Lochmaddy, Outer Hebrides,” read the policeman making a kitchen chair creak as he sat down. ”They’ve gone a long way then. When did they say they would be coming back, and who’s looking after you?”
“I don’t know,” said Percy, “but my Aunt Lucy’s supposed to be coming.”
“Ever met your Great Uncle or your Aunt Lucy?” asked the burly policeman.
“No,” said Percy. “I don’t think so.”
“Right,” said the burly policeman, and he lifted his eyebrows and nodded to one of the other men.
“OK boss, I’ll get onto Social Services now,” said the man and disappeared through the door. Percy began to feel alarmed.
“What’s your name son?” asked the first policeman. Percy told him. “OK, Percy. There’s nothing for you to worry about, but we have to search the house. The best thing is for you to go up to your room and stay there for now. Alright?”
“OK,” said Percy miserably, picking up Wesley and carrying him upstairs to his icy bedroom. He wondered what was going to happen to him now. Downstairs there was a lot of banging and noise going on. He could hear two of the men talking:
“Poor kid. Just look at the place! Not a decoration in sight, freezing cold and they’ve jumped ship and left him on his own at Christmas. You wouldn’t treat a dog like that.”
“I wouldn’t fancy Christmas in a kids’ home either myself.”
“Do you reckon they have gone to Scotland?”
“No- It’s just a trick to fool us. T
hey’ll be on a plane to somewhere nice and cosy and far away. I bet Aunt Lucy and Uncle Gordon don’t exist.”
Percy sat by the window and wondered if they would let him keep Wesley in the children’s home and what would happen if he ran away. He felt very unhappy. Then a car pulled up outside and a woman in a red suit got out holding a large briefcase. She had black rimmed glasses and Percy thought she looked bad tempered. She definitely didn’t look as if she was fond of tortoises. He sighed.
“Miss Grimsludge, Social Services,” she announced briskly. “I’m here to collect Percival.”Percy’s heart sank.
“Just bear with us a moment, Miss Grimsludge,” said the large policeman. “Percy’s upstairs, but he’ll need to pack his stuff and we’ll need to check it before it leaves the house I’m afraid. Perhaps if you take a seat you can fill in your paperwork first.”
“There is absolutely no point in wasting time,” declared Miss Grimsludge, crossly. The boy can come straight back with me.”
“Hang on, hang on,” said the policeman. “The kid doesn’t even know he’s going yet! We need to break it to him gently. He thinks his Auntie’s collecting him.”
“A short sharp break, that’s what’s needed in these cases,” announced Miss Grimsludge firmly, lifting her chin. “All this emotional shilly shallying is quite unnecessary!”
Just then there was a squeal of brakes and a loud thud from outside as a small red car backed, with a slightly too enthusiastic flourish, into the space by Miss Grimsludge’s shiny smart silver grey saloon.
Chapter 14 Aunt Lucy
Percy looked out of the window to see what had happened. A short dumpy woman in a blue knitted hat appeared from the red car. She and a furious Miss Grimsludge met face to face at the door.
“My car! My new car!” exclaimed Miss Grimsludge in anguish.
“Only the bumper,” retorted the woman in the blue hat waving cheerfully. “Nothing to worry about. Now where’s Percy?”
“But I only bought it last week! You’ve damaged it! It’ll never be the same!”
“Nonsense,” said the blue-hatted woman. “It still goes, doesn’t it? That’s what a car’s for, you know – just to get you from A to B. I don’t think there’s even a scratch. Now, I need to find Percy.”
The Wrong Night Page 11
