Chapter 3. Down the Slide
Ben was speechless.
‘Gurk,’ he croaked.
Tessa recovered more quickly.
‘She’s turned into a baby,’ she cried in amazement. ‘Isn’t she cute!’
‘Cute?’ gasped Ben, ‘cute? I’m going mad. Being chased by Jamie and Sam has turned my brain. This can’t be happening. It’s a dream. I must be going to wake up soon.’
‘It’s not a dream,’ said Tessa indignantly. ‘I’m here too, and it hurts when I pinch myself. I know, I’ve just tried it.’
‘What are we going to do about Mad Molly?’ asked Ben.
‘Perhaps if we put her back in the river she’d change back again,’ suggested Tessa. ‘But it does seem a shame as she is so sweet.’
‘Sweet?’ said Ben incredulously. Molly gazed at him with large trusting blue eyes, one pink thumb in her mouth. ‘Oh well, it’s worth a try,’ said Ben and grabbing the toddler in his arms he lifted her up and deposited her in the river.
There was an indignant howl of rage. Tears poured down Molly’s cheeks as she struggled and kicked in Ben’s arms. It was difficult to determine who was wetter as Ben attempted to immerse her in the cold water.
‘Stop,’ cried Tessa in anguish. ‘You’re upsetting her.’
‘She’s upsetting me,’ panted Ben as he staggered back to the bank and sat down, a wet and tearful Molly in his arms.
‘Well it’s obviously not working,’ said Tessa. ‘It must be something to do with that golden ball. Where is the juggler?’
They looked all around the river but the juggler had disappeared from sight.
‘Let’s follow the path and see where it leads,’ suggested Tessa.
‘What are we going to do with Mad Molly?’ asked Ben.
‘Stop calling her that for a start,’ said Tessa firmly. ‘She’s just a sweet little girl now so we can call her plain Molly.’
‘Come on then, Plain Molly,’ said Ben in resignation and took her by the hand. He was rewarded with a delighted smile.
‘We’d better dress her in something,’ he added hurriedly. ‘I don’t fancy explaining a naked toddler to people.’
‘What about wrapping her in the shawl?’ suggested Tessa. She bent to pick up the shawl then hurriedly dropped it into the river saying, ‘Ooh, yuck, that smells.’
‘She doesn’t smell at all now, thank goodness,’ said Ben. ‘What about my PE shirt, I think it’s here somewhere.’ He rummaged in his schoolbag and found a clean white T-shirt. He pulled it over Molly’s head. The T-shirt came down to her feet and she laughed delightedly. ‘She won’t need more than that. At least it’s summer so she won’t get cold.’
‘She looks like a little angel now,’ said Tessa. ‘You’d better carry her, as she can’t walk very well.’
‘Why do I have to carry her?’ protested Ben.
‘She likes you, can’t you tell?’ replied Tessa. She was right. Molly resisted all attempts of Tessa’s to pick her up, but joyfully held her arms up to Ben who sighed and took her up in his arms.
As they set off the sky darkened and a few drops of rain began to fall. Tessa and Ben were perturbed to see a fine mist building up over the river. Hastily they followed the pathway. The gathering mist quickly covered the far bank and the rain fell harder. Ben started shivering as the rain soaked through his shirt to spread in clammy patches on his back.
‘Hurry up,’ called Tessa who had run on ahead, ‘we’re sure to find some shelter soon.’
Ben groaned. ‘I’m all run out,’ he gasped as he hugged Molly tighter to him and staggered after Tessa.
The mist grew thicker as the rain came down harder. Ben realised suddenly that not only had he lost Tessa but he couldn’t see the path in front of him.
‘Tessa,’ he called.
‘Oh, you’re there, thank goodness,’ came a quavering voice from ahead of him. A cold hand clutched his arm.
‘Which way do we go?’
As they stood there the sound of tubular bells came chiming through the mist.
‘Let’s follow the bells,’ suggested Ben.
As they stumbled along, Tessa saw a large hole in the path in front of them
‘Stop,’ she yelled but it was too late. Ben came blundering into her from behind, and with a cry of dismay they slipped into the hole.
‘Ow,’ shouted Ben as Molly grabbed a handful of his hair.
‘Ouch,’ gasped Tessa as Ben slithered across her legs.
‘Help,’ they both screamed as they slid and tumbled down and around to end with a splat in a puddle. The sound of bells was louder now.
‘What a pair of hooligans,’ said a disapproving voice. ‘That’s no way to look after your little sister.
Tessa and Ben looked up to see a smartly dressed woman standing next to an equally smartly dressed small boy. The small boy was riding a tricycle and ringing the bell attached to the handlebars. He stared at them then stuck out his tongue.
‘I know this is a public park,’ continued the woman, ‘but I would have thought that the Council could control the rough element. Come along Cedric.’ She walked away, high heels tapping on the concrete footpath. Cedric followed with a last contemptuous ‘ting’ of his tricycle bell.
Ben and Tessa looked around in astonishment. They were sitting at the bottom of a slide in the children’s play area of a large park. Molly was happily picking up handfuls of mud and smearing them down the front of Ben’s once white T-shirt.
‘I know where we are’, cried Tessa. ‘This park is just around the corner from my Dad’s shop. I come and play here sometimes.’
‘So do I,’ said Ben. ‘At least I did when I was little,’ he added hastily. ‘But however did we end up here?’
‘I don’t know,’ replied Tessa, ‘but Ben, what’s more to the point, what are we going to do about Molly?’
At the sound of her name, Molly looked up and beamed.
‘Ben, she said proudly. ‘Ben, Ben, Ben.’ She offered him a handful of mud.
Ben stood up. ‘We’ll have to back to Spring Street then go up in that elevator again. Hopefully we can find that juggler and see if he can reverse the process.’
‘I suppose you’re right,’ said Tessa doubtfully but it seems an awful shame. She was such a weird lonely old woman and she is so cute now. It is not as if anyone will miss her.’
‘Well, we’d better get a move on,’ said Ben impatiently. ‘I’ll have to be home by tea time or Mum will go spare.’
‘I’m supposed to be helping Dad in the shop,’ admitted Tessa. ‘I guess you’re right. We’ll try the elevator again.’
‘We don’t want anyone to see Molly or they’ll ask what we’re doing with a baby. Here, see if she’ll fit in my school bag.’
Ben unzipped his bag and stuffed Molly in on top of the books. Molly took great exception to this. Her roars of rage quickly persuaded Ben to take her out again where she sat happily in his arms, smiling through the tears.
‘Ben, Ben, Ben,’ she prattled.
Ben groaned.
‘Right,’ he said. ‘Let’s go as fast as we can and hope we don’t see anyone we know.’
They set off through the park gates and turned down High Street towards the shops.
‘Er, what about Jamie and Sam,’ mentioned Tessa. ‘What will we do if they are still there?’
Ben gulped. How could he have forgotten that Jamie and Sam were out for his blood?
‘We’ll try and talk our way out of it,’ he said bravely, ‘but with a bit of luck they will have gone.’
Luck was indeed with them. When they reached the old office building by the intersection, the lobby was deserted. The elevator stood there with its OUT OF ORDER sign and open door.
Ben and Tessa hurried into the elevator and Tessa pressed the button to close the door. A smell of wet concrete and cabbage enfolded them. Molly gurgled happily as Ben reached out and pressed the first button. Nothing happened.
‘Hit it
harder,’ suggested Tessa.
Ben hit the button harder. Again nothing happened. He put Molly on the floor and hit the button as hard as he could with his fist. There was a sharp crack as the button broke and fell on the floor.