Flight of the Shaman

"That'll do lad, don't worry about Manky, he'd have been pleased with himself. Try the next move. Whip it all forwards."

  Davey moved quickly towards the mirror following the path of Topac across hills and valleys, the sun made a complete revolution through the sky, night passed before it returned to the exact same spot. He carried on then suddenly drew back.

  "Is that it lad, won't go no further?"

  "No it's not that, I'm thinking it's not such a good idea to do this Uncle Paddy." He removed the helmet.

  Paddy looked at him curiously, "Why's that, what's up lad?"

  "I don't really know, it's like we're cheating, seeing something we shouldn't be seeing."

  "Feelin's is important in a game. Hold it right there. Never go against yer instincts lad.

  "It's more than just a feeling Uncle Paddy. I mean what if we can do something to help Chacuti then find that we've already seen something happen which we could have changed. If we've seen it happen then it can't be changed, can it? because it's already happened."

  "Flamin' heck lad, yer doin' me head in. The worry is that I know what yer sayin'! Let's have a think on this for a minute, there must be some way of checkin' this out." He sat chewing his lip.

  Davey went to say something but Paddy held up his hand, "Hold on lad, I've got it, just listen to this. Right. We go back to the old man in the mirror. If we can alter the stuff which we've already seen then we can stay with him and keep nattering away to 'im and tell him we're here and that we want to 'elp."

  "Brilliant Uncle Paddy! But if we can't do that...?"

  "Then we know that we can't change what we've already seen."

  The old man was crawling from the chamber of the snake.

  "That's it lad, well done. Right back just a touch more..."

  "Who are you?" asked the old man exactly as he had the first time. When Davey tried to say something different than tell the old man his name the images in the mirror shook and sparkled, light and colour shimmered in their place.

  "Well there's our answer Davey lad."

  "What's stopped us talking to him again Uncle Paddy?"

  "It's like chess lad. Who made up the rules? Nobody knows, but the rules are there and can't be broken. How come a knight has to go round jumping and side-steppin'? Nobody knows but it does."

  Davey was still not quite satisfied, "Well how come we're playing this game, what if we just tipped over the board."

  "Well that Davey lad is called resigning, what would that mean for the little princess stuck down in Carnatic?" then added. "It's up to you lad, like I says, it's your game."

  "Maybe what I said I saw down there wasn't as real as I thought it was, maybe none of this is real."

  "That's yer decision lad, I've told yer where I stand, 'Dead or alive it don't make no difference'."

  "I'll have to go back there and speak with her Uncle Paddy, I need to know more."

  "I reckon it'd be a good move in any case lad, the more we find out how to play this game the better. As me old girl says, 'Everything 'appens for a reason'. Think about it lad, how come it were your old feller that brought back that helmet, how come it's you that's seen the girl! It all fits too well, there's things goin' on here which'd confuse Albert flippin' Einstein. These things can't be figured out on a piece of paper (he waved his own notes around scornfully) what we're talking is life and death, flesh and blood, hearts and flippin' souls. Ruddy Hell I'll be readin' the flippin' sermon the way I'm goin' on!"

  They both laughed. As on the previous evening once started they were off, they ended up holding their sides in agony and Paddy appeared to be heading towards another coughing fit.

  "Pack it in you two!" screeched Mrs Murtagh. "Paddy! I won't tell you again! He's got work in the mornin'!"

  Paddy gasped, "She's right lad, come on yer'd better get yer 'ead down, you'll never get up. 'ang on what time is it now?" He took his pocket watch from the dressing table, half-past flippin' three, blimey lad yer've only got two hours kip if yer lucky."

  "I'm not tired Uncle Paddy, I reckon it's the helmet, it gives you energy not takes it away."

  Paddy's eyebrow's lifted in surprise, "Well what yer wanna do?"

  "I'll go back to that Carnatic house tomorrow after work. One way or the other we'll know for sure what's going on then."

  "Right yer are lad, do us a favour and turn that flamin' lamp out."

  "I didn't say I didn't want to do anymore now though," said Davey in a disappointed tone.

  "GREAT!" exclaimed Paddy, "Let's get on with it."

  "What move should we make?" asked Davey, "Should I go back to Topac?"

  "'e's still yer man!"