Back on the Plain of Three Pillars Gabby said, “Phew that was close.”
Billy agreed, “Down to the wire I’d say,” he said.
“Well, I’d say,” Barret said, “that was an adventure we needn’t have had.”
“Ah but,” Barry said, “you certainly couldn’t deny the excitement of it though, could you?”
“Yeah,” was their unanimous cry.
“Oh, and by the way Billy,” Barret started, “dumb clowns?”
“Clowns are dumb,” Billy snapped to his own defence, “And what of it anyway, you don’t like spiders.”
There was another unanimous round of agreement.
“How’s your hand Barry?” Billy asked with that burning guilt one gets when they have just seriously smashed a rock into someone else’s knuckles and inflicted a tremendous amount of pain.
“It’s seen better,” Barry answered. The back of his hand was bruised yellow and a little bloodied, but aside from that it was still quite useful.
Cetra and Gabby continued to cradle the Shpeggs, they were very glad to see Rod safely returned to them.
“Shall we take these inside then go and find Grandpa Bilson?” Cetra asked and began to walk ahead in anticipation of an affirmative response. The answer came in the nature of them all following her across the yard.
At that very same moment, whence our team was crossing the damp yard and making their way back to the big house, it just so happened that Bilson was re-entering the workshop with a cold meat sandwich in one hand and a glass of milk in the other. Upon glancing over the bench where he had been working all night so far he became mildly perplexed. At once he wondered whether or not he had started out with five remote controls, presently there were only four, and it dawned on him that maybe he was beginning to lose his mind, or least of all it was slowing down some. He was getting on after all; no doubt it was going to rear its ugly head to some extent eventually. Regardless, whatever his mental capacity and its future existence therefore beheld, his immediate task was now only moments away from completion; a tweak here, a turn there, a hum of an old romantic tune, and vuala.... magic!
All that needed to be done now was for Bilson to close the window and mop up the wet footprints on the floor.
That done, and one of the calibrated remote controls tucked snugly away in his top pocket, he left the workshop and travelled once again to the kitchen where he discovered there a group of orange goo stained anthropoids having made themselves comfortably seated around the central island bench.
“Shpeggs!” he declared rambunctiously and clapped his hands together, “Anyone for soup?”
The looks he received were incredulous.
“Is the old guy serious?” Barret said quietly.
“Unfortunately yes,” Barry answered just as quietly.
“Have you ever tried it yourself?” Barret asked.
“Not on your life!” Barry said and then simulated puking.
Bilson came around and patted his grandson on the shoulders, “You shouldn’t have gone to all that trouble,” he whistled.
“I didn’t, grandpa,” Barry said, “They’re for a customer.”
“Of course they are,” Bilson said in a low voice and grinned over the top of Barry’s head. “Although, I wouldn’t mind being surprised with one sometime,” he added.
“I don’t think so grandpa.”
Bilson winked at his guests and tapped the outer material of his top pocket.
“I guess it can’t be any different than eating a swallow’s nest,” Billy said off hand.
“How so, young man?” Rod asked freely from his regained position atop Cetra’s shoulder.
“Yes Billy,” Cetra agreed, “What is a swallow that you can eat its nest?”
“It’s a bird.”
“How can you eat a bird’s nest?” Gabby cringed.
“They make like a jelly from the bird’s spit which holds the nest together,” Billy informed them, “They use the jelly in soups and desserts and things.”
Enough said about that....
Bilson grinned and again tapped his top pocket to declare the successful completion of the immediate task at hand.
Indeed now that time had come, the final goal had been reached, and Billy’s adventure must come to a close. To depart from such good friendships was sorrowful, and to have lost Briar’s before journeys end was heartbreaking; but England beckoned, and his mother’s voice still carried on the wind, calling him home for supper.
When they reached the outskirts of the Elevator everyone stopped; even the runner bean made its way over to them and stood silently aloof.
Bilson cleared his throat and then pulled from his top pocket the newly calibrated remote control. “You have to enter on your own this time Billy,” he said.
Billy looked at Bilson, smiled at him, and then turned to his friends.
“Kids my age only dream of being part of an adventure like this,” he said to them with a crackly voice, “That’s why we read books. But how lucky am I.... to have gone on one with all of you.”
“Very lucky indeed young chap,” Rod quipped, “But it is we who are forever grateful and indebted to you. It is you who have pulled together this band of wanderers and given us direction. It is all to your credit Billy, you are the finest young fellow I have ever had the privilege of meeting.”
Rod began to applaud and everyone soon followed. Gabby was the first to throw herself into Billy’s arms; she held him tight and whispered in his ear how she would miss him though she had only known him that day.
Cetra did the same, and Billy responded equally.
“I am not going to say goodbye Billy,” she said to him and shined her big eyes, “because I have a feeling you will be back some day. But I will miss you while you are gone.”
Billy smiled and hugged her again, “You’ll always be my first love,” he whispered confidently.
“I know,” she said.
“Oh my goodness.... Bring in the soppy brigade to mop up all the sop will you,” Barret chided with an impatient Irish grunt.
When he broke from Cetra, Billy extended a hand to Barret and said another goodbye. Their previous encounter had been heartfelt enough, and Billy respected the fact that Barret had a hard time displaying any further emotion than anger, especially when it came to parading it before a crowd. Of course, Barret’s response in this instance was honourable.
“Take care Billy,” he said, “Maybe one day, when I’ve learned all I need to know about this gig, I’ll come and visit you. I’m sure that if we can send you home we can fix it to do just the opposite.”
“One thing at a time tiger,” Bilson said, “We’ve bigger whales to poach first up. Don’t know what you’re doing yet, but you’re doing it anyway.”
“I believe, old man,” Rod said, “that is what you would call keen-to-go.”
So with goodbyes out of the way there was just one thing left to do which would bring Billy’s adventure to a close.
“Young Billy, off you go now, don’t make England wait,” Bilson said with his finger poised over the remote control’s keypad, “I have calibrated the remote in such a way that you should drop near enough if not exactly onto the original site of the Elevator; given there’s anything left of it that is.”
“Otherwise...?” Billy said.
“Well.... otherwise, you could wind up anywhere, I assume wherever the highest concentration of H.M.E is located,”
“May I pose a question?” Rod asked, “If the magnetic energy is no longer contained, then you cannot really refer to it as harnessed, correct?”
“Hmmm....” Bilson hummed, “A very good point you make. Maybe we should call it R.M.E.... Random Magnetic Energy, what do you think?”
“Lovely!” Billy interrupted as he stepped onto the Elevator and made his way to the middle, “Let’s crack on shall we.”
When Billy was in place, and Bilson was hovering above ignition, Barret heard scuffling from behind the opposite pillar, like a sound of turf be
ing kicked at.
When Bilson lowered his finger from its poised position over the remote control and pressed the buttons eight and five, Barret looked on as Billy turned away from them to face that same pillar.
In what could only be described as a rather confusing moment that followed, out from behind the pillar a shadowy figure emerged and darted into the circle, it latched hard onto Billy, pushing him backwards.... where together they stumbled.... and disappeared simultaneously.
All were stunned to silence for about two seconds.
“What the...?” cried Barry.
Nobody answered.... not immediately.
Then Barret gasped and said, “Was that...?”
CHAPTER FIFTY