Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Capricious Shadows (Orville Wellington Mouse Book 3)

by Tom Hoffman

  In preparation for his nocturnal vigil, Orville placed a large sheet of wood on the grass in the backyard. He set his hat in the center, resting several heavy stones on the brim to keep it stationary.

  At exactly midnight Orville took his first measurement. It was pitch black out, but one side of the hat was glowing in bright sunlight, the hat casting a long shadow across the sheet of wood.

  “Creekers! Where is that light coming from?” Orville looked all around but could not find the source. He checked his pocket watch, marking the time and the location of the purple feather’s shadow. One quarter hour later he made a second mark. The length and direction of the shadow had changed slightly.

  By the time Sophia arrived the next day Orville could hardly keep his eyes open.

  “How’s the experiment going?”

  “So hard to stay awake. The shadow from the hat keeps changing. It’s like there’s another sun shining on it, but a sun I can’t see.”

  Sophia said nothing. She stepped over to the board and studied the marks indicating the movement of the feather’s shadow.

  “Interesting. Good job. Get some sleep, I’ll take over.”

  “What do you think it means? Why is it scary?”

  “We’ll need to talk to Madam Molly. Once I know for sure I’ll tell you everything.”

  Orville gave Sophia his watch and trudged back to the house. “So tired.”

  Sophia called out, “Hey, Orville, how come you’re so lethargic?”

  “Unnh.” Orville disappeared into the house.

  Sophia’s experiment ended precisely twenty-one hours, four minutes and thirteen seconds after it began. The tip of the feather’s shadow had returned to the same spot it had been at midnight. She studied the markings on the board, tracing the shadow path with her paw.

  “It’s true, just what I was afraid of. Madam Molly might be the only mouse alive who can save our world from total annihilation.”

  Chapter 7

  Handsome Mortimer

  The next morning Orville awoke to the sound of Sophia’s voice coming from downstairs. He threw on his clothes, darted down the stairs and into the kitchen. Sophia was seated at the table with Orville’s mum and papa. Proto was wearing his brightly flowered apron, setting bowls of steaming oatmeal on the table.

  “You’re just in time for breakfast. I have prepared some delicious oatmeal with brown sugar, cinnamon, and a smidgeon of blue pindragon feathers from my garden. Let me know how you like it. It’s a new recipe I’m trying out.”

  Orville had no idea what blue pindragon feathers were and didn’t want to ask. “Sounds tasty, thanks.”

  “I was just telling your mum and papa about us blinking up to my school so I can give you a tour. It’s time you saw it, I’ve been going there for over a year.”

  Orville nodded. “It sounds fun. Maybe I can meet some of your teachers.”

  “I have to talk to Madam Molly about a project I’m working on, so you’ll meet her. We should leave soon. Sometimes it’s a little challenging to find her.”

  “I hope she’s not as hard to find as Ollo the Rock Mouse was when we were solving the puzzle of the shattered Abacus.”

  Sophia gave him a curious smile.

  With breakfast finished and the dishes done, Orville and Sophia stepped into the living room. Sophia took Orville’s paw in hers and called out, “We’ll be back before dinner.” The two best friends disappeared in a flash of blue light.

  Before Orville realized what was happening he was perched on the top of a nine thousand foot tall mountain peak, a bitterly cold wind howling past him. He was about to tell Sophia how cold he was when they blinked again. This time they were standing next to a thundering river, great swells of foaming white rapids roaring and pounding through a field of massive gray boulders. A gargantuan snow bear stood scant yards from him, occupied with a wriggling silver fish it had snatched from the raging river. A split second later they left the snow bear behind, arriving in a brilliant flash of blue light behind a tall brick building at the Symocan Institute for Mechanistic Studies.

  “Here we are! It only takes three jumps to get here. I use the mountain peak and the river as stops, since we can’t be in thought cloud form for more than two seconds. Master Marloh told me about them. Did you see the size of that snow bear? Wasn’t he amazing? I’ve seen him once before, but not that close.”

  “He was enormous. I’m glad he was eating that fish instead of chomping on me.”

  Sophia snickered. “Let’s look for Madam Molly. She might be in the Stellar Observatory, but probably not. We should check, just in case.”

  The pair of adventurers strolled across the campus, Sophia pointing out the various buildings to Orville, including a magnificent gray stone building. “All the first year students live here, it’s called Old North. I spend a lot of time in that red brick building, too. That’s where the science labs are and where we build a lot of our experimental mechanical devices. The technology here is primitive, but Mirus said I should learn all the basics of mechanistics first. Once I graduate he’ll teach me more advanced technology, including everything he knows about designing flying machines and everything he knows about the high tech devices stored in the Metaphysical Adventurers headquarters.”

  “Is everyone here as smart as you are?”

  “I don’t know, there’s a lot of smart mice here. Oh, here comes Mortimer Mouse. I’ll introduce you. You’ll like him.”

  Orville looked up to see an extremely handsome mouse approaching, a mouse who was at least six inches taller than Orville, and a mouse who looked remarkably athletic. Mortimer’s face lit up when he saw Sophia.

  “Hi, Sophia! You’re looking more beautiful than ever. What are you doing here? I thought you were back in Muridaan Falls?”

  Orville’s brain was suddenly on fire, his neck burning. “You’re looking more beautiful than ever?? Who was this mouse and why was he talking to Sophia like that? Why didn’t she tell him that was unacceptable behavior? Unless… unless she liked it, unless…” Orville’s stomach twisted into a painful aching knot. “Was Mortimer Mouse more than just–”

  “Orville? This is Mortimer Mouse?”

  Orville looked up. “Hi, Mortimer, I’m Orville. Pretty nice school you have here. Have you been friends with Sophia for very long?”

  Sophia’s eyes narrowed.

  “Oh, not too long. We met in a deep physics class and Sophia helped me with some of the harder calculations. All the students here help each other. That’s how we learn.”

  “Well, nice meeting you. Sophia and I need to be going. We have to talk to Madam Molly.”

  Mortimer nodded. “You might have a hard time finding her. I think she’s off campus for three days, up at her cabin in the mountains. Sophia, do you know where it is? I can show you if you’d like.”

  Orville answered for Sophia. “No need for that, we’ll find it. Shouldn’t be a problem.” He pointedly adjusted his adventurers hat.

  Sophia glowered at Orville. “Mortimer, if you could draw us a little map, that would be wonderful. I’ve heard it’s out of the way and hard to find.”

  “You’re right about that. Madam Molly is an odd one, to be sure, but she could be the smartest scholar at the school. She’s brilliant.” Mortimer set his pack down and pulled out a sheet of paper and a pencil. A few minutes later he handed Sophia a carefully drawn map. “Shouldn’t be too hard to find, especially for a genius like you.” He gave Sophia a wink and patted her on the shoulder.

  Orville’s eyes almost burst into flames.

  Sophia smiled brightly. “See you later, Mortimer. Thanks so much for the map. Good luck on your exam!”

  “I’ll need it. Nice meeting you, Orville. Hope you enjoy your visit to the school.”

  “See you later.” Orville gave a thin smile as he watched Mortimer Mouse walk away.

  Sophia stood with her paws on her hips, glaring at Orville.

  “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
<
br />   “You know perfectly well why I’m looking at you like this. Why were you so rude to Mortimer? He’s a very nice mouse.”

  “Oh, well, maybe because he said you were looking more beautiful than ever and he winked at you and patted you on the shoulder?”

  Sophia stared blankly at Orville. A light of understanding blinked on in her eyes. “Are you jealous? Jealous of Mortimer Mouse?”

  “I’m not jealous, I just don’t think some mice should be calling other mice beautiful and winking at them and patting them on the shoulder.”

  A huge grin spread across Sophia’s face. “You’re jealous. Orville Wellington Mouse is jealous of Mortimer Mouse.”

  “I didn’t say anything about being jealous. I just don’t think–”

  “For your information, Mortimer says that to every girl in the school whenever he sees them. He says it to all of them, Orville. He always says they’re looking more beautiful than ever. He pats everyone on the shoulder. He’s a nice, friendly mouse.”

  “Oh, well, do you… um… like him very much? He’s sort of handsome, if you like that kind of a look. And sort of tall.”

  “Now that you mention it, he really is very tall and handsome, and there’s only one reason why Mortimer isn’t my best friend in the world and the mouse I care more about than any other.”

  Orville felt sick. “What’s the reason?”

  “He’s not you. You’re my best friend in the world and the mouse I care about more than any other.”

  Orville felt weak. “Oh, I… um… I’m sorry I was rude. You’re right, I was jealous. I’ve never felt like that before. I don’t like it. It’s awful. It makes my insides hurt.”

  “You never need to feel like that again. I thought you knew how much I love you.”

  “Um… I love you, too.”

  “Good. Now let’s go find Madam Molly. I hate to tell you this, but we have to save the universe from total destruction and I have no idea how we’re going to do it.”

  Chapter 8

  Mysterious Madam Molly

  “The map says it’s a twelve mile hike to Madam Molly’s cabin. Can’t we just blink there?”

  “I’ve never been there before, so I don’t know where to land. I don’t want to blink onto the side of a steep ravine or inside a snow bear cave or something. When we’re in thought cloud form we don’t have time to search around for a safe landing spot.”

  “Good point. Wait, you said there are snow bear caves near her cabin?”

  “Relax, Madam Molly is way older than your mum and she walks from her cabin to the school all the time. She hasn’t been eaten by a snow bear yet.”

  “The map says we head south toward the mountains on Sun Blossom Lane. That sounds safe enough, better than Ferocious Snow Bear Lane.”

  Sophia snorted. Sometimes Orville could be so funny.

  A short walk found the two adventurers strolling along Sun Blossom Lane, a lovely winding dirt road leading toward the mountains. “This is nice, the wild flowers are pretty and smell really good. The spruce trees are a lot taller on this side of the mountains. They must get more rain here.”

  An hour later Orville was panting, trying to catch his breath. “Why do they call this Sun Blossom Lane? They should call it Steepest Hill in the World Lane.”

  Sophia laughed. “Not much farther. We should reach the ravine in about half an hour. Mortimer’s map says there’s a bridge across it.”

  “At least there’s a bridge, that’s good news.”

  The last half mile of Sun Blossom Lane was painfully steep, Sophia and Orville scrambling on all fours up the rugged mountainside. Sophia called out when she reached the top. “The bridge is just ahead.”

  Orville stared silently, a deep frown appearing on his face. “That’s not a bridge, it’s four big ropes with a bunch of narrow wooden boards tied to them. That doesn’t look very safe at all, Sophia. Look at the ravine, it’s a two hundred foot drop to the bottom.”

  “It’s not that bad. Madam Molly crosses it all the time and she’s really old, probably at least sixty.”

  “You also said she’s really eccentric. No normal mouse would cross a wobbly old rope bridge like this one.”

  “Well, I’m going to. It looks like fun.” Sophia adjusted her backpack and stepped out onto the bridge, grasping the ropes on either side of her. She began walking forward, the bridge swaying slightly. “It’s not bad. The view of the ravine is amazing. There’s a little whitewater river way down at the bottom. I don’t see any snow bears, though.”

  Two minutes later Sophia was standing on the other side of the ravine. “Come on, just pretend Mortimer Mouse is watching you.” Sophia gave a cackling laugh.

  That was all it took. Orville adjusted the strap on his hat. “I’m not scared, I was just waiting for you to get across.” Orville stepped out onto the rope bridge. It wasn’t quite as terrifying as he had imagined, even though the bridge was swaying back and forth in the brisk wind. He was careful not to look down, and also shaped a powerful sphere of defense around him, although he wasn’t sure how much it would help if he fell two hundred feet onto the jagged rocks below.

  Three very long minutes later he stood next to Sophia doing his best to look calm and collected. “Nothing to it.”

  Sophia gave him a hug.

  “What was that for?”

  “Because you’re the bravest mouse I know.”

  Orville grinned. “It was a little scary, I guess. Which way to Madam Molly’s?”

  “The map says we follow the left trail until it forks, then veer right, going uphill until we reach the cabin.”

  “I like all the spruce trees. Hey, look through those ones, you can see all the way back to the school.”

  “We’re pretty high up. I can’t believe Madam Molly hikes this trail three or four times a week. I hope I’m that active when I’m her age.”

  “You will be. Let’s go, I’m kind of anxious to meet her, after everything you’ve said about her.”

  Sophia hiked up the rocky mountain path. “Oh, one thing I didn’t mention, don’t make eye contact with her. It makes her really uncomfortable. Just look at her shoulder or something.”

  “Huh? Why?”

  “I don’t know, it’s just what everyone does. Nobody looks directly into her eyes. I guess it makes her really nervous. She’s probably shy or something.”

  “I can understand that. I was really shy when I was a mouseling. It was hard for me to look mice in the eye.”

  “I’ve never been shy.”

  “I’m so surprised to hear that, I never would have guessed.”

  Sophia rolled her eyes. “Hurry up, ninny, we have a world to save.”

  “You keep saying that, but you won’t tell me what we’re saving it from.”

  “Here’s the fork in the trail. Veer right.”

  “Creekers, the path goes almost straight up. How are we supposed to get up there?”

  “See that big ledge up there?”

  “I see it.”

  Sophia flicked her wrist and vanished in a flash of blue light. A split second later she was standing on the ledge waving down at Orville.

  Three blinks later Orville spotted the cabin. “That’s it? It’s not much of a cabin. I thought it would be a lot bigger than that.”

  Sophia eyed the little log cabin. It was only fifteen feet wide and ten feet deep, nestled up against the side of the mountain, surrounded by a lush garden filled with colorful wildflowers and pink rose bushes. “It’s beautiful, but you’re right, the cabin is a lot smaller than I’d expected.” Sophia stepped down the narrow pathway leading to the front door of the cabin. She nudged Orville. “Remember, no eye contact.”

  Sophia rapped gently on the door, calling out, “Madam Molly? It’s Sophia Mouse, I need your help with a project I’m working on.”

  There was no answer.

  “Maybe she’s not here.”

  Sophia knocked again. “Madam Molly?”

  A moment later the door
swung open, a spry old mouse looking at them with surprise.

  “Sophia? What on earth are you doing here? I thought you were back in Muridaan Falls. Who’s your handsome young friend?”

  “This is Orville, he’s my best friend. I have a question, and you’re the only one I know who can answer it.”

  “Gollywogs, it must be quite a question to bring you all the way up here. If it’s about romance, you’ve come to the right old mouse.” Madam Molly gave a great boisterous laugh, slapping Orville on the shoulder.

  Orville laughed but didn’t make eye contact. He was confused. Madam Molly didn’t seem shy at all, quite the opposite in fact.

  “Just joshing you, I’m the last mouse to be dishing out romantic advice. Both of you come inside, and tell me about this mysterious question you have.”

  The two adventurers followed Madam Molly into a cluttered and cozy cabin. She motioned for them to sit on a small stuffed couch.

  Sophia slid her pack off and pulled out a rolled up sheet of paper. She spread it out on the small table in front of Madam Molly.

  Madam Molly gazed at it, her eyes bright. “Shadows, you’re here to ask me about shadows.”

  “That’s exactly right. This chart shows the length and movement of a shadow from an eight inch tall object for one full day.”

  Madam Molly nodded, eyeing the chart. “And you want to know what planet it is.”

  “Exactly.”

  Orville glanced over at Sophia. What was she talking about? What planet?

  Madam Molly paced back and forth across the cabin floor, one paw rubbing her furry chin. She glanced at Orville several times, then at Sophia. Finally she picked up a small wooden stool, setting it down in front of them. She sat down facing the two mice.

  Orville was being careful not to make eye contact.

  “You’re not telling me everything, that much I do know. Orville, I want you to look directly into my eyes.”

  “What? Um… Sophia said I…”

  “It doesn’t matter what Sophia said, look into my eyes.”

  Orville looked hesitantly into Madam Molly’s eyes. He’d never seen eyes that green before. And they had small gold flecks in them, flecks that were swirling like a lazy whirlpool. The flecks were mesmerizing and Orville was lost, his thoughts whirling around like autumn leaves in a wind storm. He was remembering something that happened when he was a mouseling. He’d wandered out of the yard and lost his way, ending up in the center of Muridaan Falls. It was Ebenezer Mouse who had found him walking through town and brought him back home. He remembered how kind and funny Ebenezer had been, telling Orville not to worry, that he was safe. He’d forgotten that day, forgotten how different Ebenezer was back then. Madam Molly looked away and Orville was suddenly back in the cabin.