by Glenn Wood
Callum knew he had to stop Lester at all costs. The fate of the world’s goodness hung in the balance. He acted fast, pulling his torch from its pouch, extending the metal rod and swinging it in a wide arc. The rod caught Lester a glancing blow on the temple, and he crumpled to the ground. Callum returned the torch to its bag. He reached behind him, clicked his new armrest into place, aimed it at the robot and fired the grappling hook. The grapple spun towards the rocket and wrapped around the robotic arm, halting its progress.
A tug of war began as Callum activated the winch. The grapple pulled against the arm as it inched the rocket towards the chute. Almost immediately, Callum’s chair rolled forwards, and he slammed on all the Thunderkit’s brakes. The chair locked in place, and the battle intensified. The muscles in Callum’s arms ached as he gripped the chair’s rims to stop it from moving. The winch screamed as the robot tried to pull away. The robot ground to a halt just short of the launch pad, smoke pouring out of its metal joints as it overheated. Its fingers opened, and the rocket dropped onto the bench with a clang. Callum released the brakes and hurtled towards the chute, the winch giving him extra momentum. He grabbed the missile, wrenched it open and took out the flask containing his grandmother’s goodness. Then he slammed the tail of the rocket into the bench, bending its fins and ensuring it would never fly.
A sharp crack from the aquarium glass reminded Callum that he didn’t have time to waste. He retracted the grapple, tucked the flask safely into his lap and raced across the floor of the laboratory, wheels skidding. He blasted through Lester’s room, rocketing over the uneven floor. The going was easier as the quake began to subside. While the building still groaned, no new cracks appeared and masonry had stopped falling from the floors above. Callum wheeled into the training area and immediately caught sight of his friends. They stood on the opposite side of the ditch and looked exhausted but unhurt. Sophie and Jinx saw him at the same time and waved frantically. One single walkway had survived the carnage, and Callum headed for that. Sophie and Jinx began yelling at him, but their words disappeared beneath the thundering of water surging through the drain. As he neared the ditch, Callum triumphantly raised the flask containing Rose’s goodness above his head. Then something smashed against the side of his chair. The impact tipped it over and sent him sprawling to the ground.
Lester stood above him, a new cut on his head weeping blood. His odd-coloured eyes burned with hatred. He kicked Callum’s wheelchair aside. The Thunderkit fell into a large crack in the floor and wedged there. It rested precariously on the jagged concrete ledge. Lester pulled a pistol from his waistband, raised the gun and pointed it at Callum’s chest.
“Give me the golden goodness,” he screeched, his voice breaking with rage.
Callum pulled the flask closer to his body. His voice didn’t waver. “Never.”
Lester’s finger tensed on the trigger, then a resounding boom echoed from the laboratory. Lester turned in time to see a wall of water surging through the doorway. The aquarium had burst. Lester screamed as the water slammed into him like a fist, and he was engulfed in a tidal wave of thousands of writhing fluorescent green blobs. The gun was punched from his hand and it spun across the room, falling into a trench and vanishing from sight. Lester was flung to the ground directly on top of Callum, then the surging mass of water swallowed them both and flushed them into the drainage ditch.
Callum heard Sophie and Jinx yell in horror as he, Lester and the green blobs of goodness disappeared into the swirling waters.
Eighteen
The churning water in the ditch dragged Callum under for the second time in five minutes. The current was strong and fast, and Callum was already feeling fatigued. He clung desperately to the vacuum flask holding Rose’s goodness, but the container made swimming more difficult, and he struggled to get back to the surface. Then, with one final stroke of his powerful arms, Callum broke through and was able to grab a precious gulp of fresh air. He tucked the flask under his shirt to free his arms.
Callum knew it was only luck and his upper-body strength that had kept him alive so far. As he went to draw another breath, he was jerked back under the water. Lester had grabbed his leg and pulled him down. The thin man released Callum’s leg and clawed his way up the boy’s body, trying to rip the flask from under his shirt. Their bodies smashed together as the waterway coursed into a huge cylindrical pipe. Callum felt the pipe against his back and braced against it before thrusting a hand into Lester’s face, pushing as hard as he could. The thin man tumbled away, arms thrashing wildly as he rocketed down a steep section of pipe. Callum pushed for the surface once more and swam fiercely against the current, hoping to put some distance between himself and Lester.
He gained a few seconds respite then plummeted down the pipe like a holiday-maker in a water slide. Callum floated on his back, grabbing a much-needed break. For the first time he was aware of the pulsating green blobs of goodness bobbing along beside him. Several of them glided gently beneath him, they pushed against his body, buoying him up as they rode the tunnels to freedom. The presence of the blobs calmed Callum, and for a moment he felt as though they were somehow communicating with him, helping him to float as if thanking him for their release. He smiled, knowing the thought was ridiculous, but enjoying it all the same.
All of a sudden the drain opened into a cavern and the water began to boil as the flow increased. Through splashes of water Callum saw something that sent a shudder through his body. Lester was directly ahead. He had managed to grab hold of a feeder pipe and had locked his arm around it. He waited patiently for the current to deliver Callum to him, a look of utter malice on his face. Callum barely had time to react before Lester was on him. The man used his free hand to grasp a handful of Callum’s hair and pushed the boy under the water. His face twisted with effort as he held the boy down. Callum struggled, but his flailing arms were unable to break Lester’s grip. The man was too securely anchored to the pipe. A heaving tightness enveloped Callum’s chest as his lungs cried out for oxygen. His heart pounded in his ears. His vision swirled. He was within seconds of blacking out and then salvation arrived in the form of the smallest and most unexpected of saviours.
Above Callum’s drowning body a family of rats, which had been caught in the flood, washed into Lester. The panicked, scurrying rodents scratched at his face and neck in desperation to get out of the water. The youngest one, a female baby no bigger than a cocktail sausage, sank her razor-sharp teeth into Lester’s earlobe. The man screamed in pain and thrashed at his face, releasing the pipe and the boy at the same time. With Lester’s grip broken, Callum rocketed to the surface. He sucked in a huge lungful of air, then was washed helplessly out the end of the watercourse and launched into the open, about ten metres above a remote inlet. Lester followed seconds later, and he, Callum and the thousands of green blobs cascaded along a fountain of water then plunged into the depths of Shark Bay.
Almost immediately, sleek grey fins broke the surface from deep within the cove and glided towards them. Callum was transfixed by the size and speed of the ominous shapes peeling through the water. One fin in particular caught his eye. It was huge, about the size of the sails of a yacht, its edges jagged and scarred – and it was coming straight at him. Callum felt strangely calm. He floated where he had landed, treading water by making slow waving motions with his arms. His body was buoyed further by a group of goodness blobs that had appeared beneath him. It was a pleasant sensation, and Callum relaxed. He knew he couldn’t beat the sharks to shore, so he lay back and enjoyed the morning sun on his face. Callum was oddly at peace as the deadly creatures bore down on him.
Lester’s reaction was the complete opposite. He had landed further out in the bay, and as soon as he saw the sharks, he screamed in fear and struck out towards Callum and the shore.
Callum leaned his head to one side and watched dispassionately as the huge fin closed in on him. The shark glided through the water, no emotion in its black eyes. It opened its jaws, anticipa
ting the kill. Callum took the flask containing his grandmother’s goodness from under his shirt and clasped it to his chest. He closed his eyes and waited to be taken.
Then a weird sensation travelled the length of his body. He felt as if he was being lifted from the water. He opened his eyes and looked around, puzzled. Callum was astounded to see that he had been raised from the ocean. A pulsing mass of green surrounded him as hundreds of freed blobs of goodness banded together beneath him like a living island. As more and more blobs joined the group, Callum was gently hoisted aloft. The huge shark dived at the last moment, passing beneath the expanding mass of blobs. The throbbing energy of the green creatures had a strange effect on the sharks, and they backed off, circling in frustration. Then, as one, the living island of goodness began moving Callum towards the shore.
Callum looked back to see if he could spot Lester. The man was just behind the island, swimming desperately for it. Every time he got close, a cluster of blobs would break loose from the main group and force him away, driving him back into the bay and closer to the jaws of the waiting sharks. Lester beat at the blobs with his fists, but they simply bobbed under the blows then reappeared to push against him once more.
Unable to defeat the blobs of goodness, Lester faced the sharks. The desperate man pulled something from around his waist – it was Sophie’s tool belt. Suddenly, the ocean directly in front of Lester exploded in a flash of light and a massive column of water burst into the air. A low crump echoed across the bay and a thick black carpet of smoke rolled across the water like an approaching storm, completely obscuring everything in its path. Callum knew instantly what had happened – Lester had set off Sophie’s concussion ball and smoke bomb.
When the smoke finally dissipated, about half an hour later, Callum could see nothing. Lester and the sharks were gone and the ocean was flat and still.
The island of goodness gently deposited Callum’s exhausted body on the sand at the mouth of the bay. Then it slowly split apart and the blobs began to make their way across the fields to the waterways that would carry them back to the city. From there the mysterious creatures would find their way back to their owners, homing in on individual brainwave patterns that were stored deep in the blobs memories. In the dark of the night, the blobs would ooze into their owners’ bedrooms, slip into their beds and squeeze smoothly back through their ear canals into their brains. Before long most of the inhabitants of the city would have had their stolen goodness completely restored.
As Callum watched the final fluorescent blob melt into the distance, he couldn’t help wondering if they had banded together to save him, or if they had just been attracted to the golden glow in the flask he clutched to his chest. He would never really know.
Callum placed the flask on the sand next to his body and dropped his head back onto the sand, exhaustion catching up with him. He raised his hand, looked at his watch and groaned. It was six-thirty in the morning. He had an hour and a half to get back to his gran’s house before the welfare people showed up. Even with his wheelchair it was unlikely. Without it, it was impossible. A feeling of despair washed over him. Everything he’d been through would be for nothing if he couldn’t restore Rose’s goodness. Life away from her was unthinkable. Callum turned his thoughts to Sophie and Jinx; he prayed his friends had made it out of the warehouse uninjured. When he considered their incredible bravery, he felt inspired. Even though his situation was hopeless, he couldn’t just give up. He picked up the flask, gritted his teeth and began dragging his body up the beach.
Nineteen
Callum had almost made it to the road when he heard the roar of an approaching engine. Seconds later a bright yellow forklift crested a sand dune and sped towards him. Callum laughed with relief as he saw Sophie in the driver’s seat. Jinx stood on the forks holding the Thunderkit beside him. He and Sophie had retrieved it from the crack it had fallen into just before the flood. It was battered but still functional.
His friends waved excitedly as they saw him, and Sophie slid the forklift to a stop nearby. Sophie and Jinx raced over as Callum pulled himself into a sitting position. He received a hug from Sophie (which embarrassed both of them) and a pat on the back from Jinx.
After Callum told them what happened, he nodded towards the forklift. “Worked out how to drive it, I see,” he said to Sophie.
Sophie smiled. “Yeah, I also added a few extras from the car parts store to pep it up a bit. Including a GPS, which showed us the way to Shark Bay.”
“Pep it up a bit,” exclaimed Jinx. “The thing’s faster than a Formula One car now; it’s frightening.”
“I’d expect nothing less from Soph.” Callum checked his watch. It was seven o’clock. “Will it get us back home in time?”
Sophie sucked air in between her teeth. “It’ll be tight.”
“We’d better get going then,” said Callum with a determined nod.
Sophie wheeled the Thunderkit closer to Callum then she and Jinx stood back, waiting for him to climb aboard. Callum extended his hand. “What are you two standing around for? Help me into the chair.”
Sophie and Jinx exchanged a look and beamed. They grabbed Callum under his shoulders and lifted him easily into the chair. “Just don’t make a habit of it,” he said with a mock grumble. “Now come on. Let’s move.”
Jinx shook his head. “You go. The forklift, will be faster with only two onboard.”
“But we’re a team–”
Jinx cut Callum off. “Yeah, and my job was backup, and I reckon I did that pretty well. Now I’d like to have a rest.”
Sophie gave Jinx a wink. “You were an excellent backup man.”
“Best ever.” Callum wheeled onto the forklift, knowing they didn’t have time to argue. “We’ll come back for you later.”
Jinx sat on the sand and gazed out to sea, smiling to himself. “You’d better.”
Sophie climbed into the cab, gunned the engine and drove back to the road. Callum called to Jinx. “Whatever you do, don’t go for a swim.” Then they roared away.
The forklift pulled up outside Rose’s cottage at seven fifty-four exactly. Callum rolled through the gate and was shocked to see his grandmother fast asleep in a garden chair with the stub of a cigar hanging out of her mouth. The front door of the cottage was wide open and music blared from within the house. Sophie was just behind Callum. “You help your grandmother. I’ll clean up inside,” she yelled as she ran past.
Callum wheeled over to the old lady, careful not to wake her. He took out the flask containing the globe of goodness, unscrewed the lid and placed it on her lap. The globe immediately squeezed out of the tube and climbed to Rose’s ear, liquefied and poured back into her head, where it belonged.
Rose woke with a start and spat out the cigar butt. Callum held his breath waiting for her to speak. The old lady looked at Callum for a few seconds then tutted.
“Goodness me, Callum McCullock. You are in quite a state. It looks like no one cares for you, and we can’t have that.” Rose ran a gentle hand through her grandson’s hair then she blinked, looked at herself and blushed bright red. “And look at me, outside in my night attire. Disgraceful. What on earth is going on?”
Relief flooded through Callum. Rose was back to normal. He gave her a huge hug. “No time to explain now, Gran. The welfare people will be here in about five minutes.”
Rose gasped and rushed Callum inside. After politely greeting Sophie and thanking her for her assistance, Rose instructed the girl to pop outside and delay the interviewer for as long as possible.
The next few minutes were a blur of activity. Faces were washed, teeth vigorously cleaned, clothes changed and housework rattled through. By the time the welfare woman had got past Sophie, the house was spick-and-span, and a freshly scrubbed Callum and Rose met her at the door.
Rose extended a hand to the bemused woman. “So pleased to meet you. Welcome to my home. Do come in and have a cup of tea,” she said with a smile that would have melted ice.
&nb
sp; Callum lay on his bed, forced to have an afternoon nap by his gran, who’d spent most of the day fussing over him. The interview with the welfare officer went exceptionally well and, much to everyone’s relief and joy, Rose was granted permission to continue her guardianship and to apply to adopt Callum.
After the welfare officer left, Callum explained everything and Rose had driven them (very cautiously) to Shark Bay to pick up Jinx. Sophie and Jinx were then cleaned up and taken back home. The school and Jinx’s parents were informed that they had all been struck by a mystery illness and needed the day off to rest. Sophie’s parents were unconvinced by her hasty excuse for sneaking out and she was grounded for a week.
They made a pact that the adventures of the night before would remain a secret between the four of them. There was nothing to be gained by telling anyone. The bad bomb had been destroyed, Lester was missing, presumed eaten, goodness had been restored to the people of the city and everyone was safe. Rose also pointed out that the children were technically guilty of breaking and entering, destroying property and hijacking a forklift, and she doubted the authorities would be as forgiving as she was.
The midday news had a report on the mysterious earthquake that destroyed a city warehouse. Seismic experts were confounded. They’d never seen a quake that was localised to just one building before. The report said no one was killed by the quake but the proprietor of Big Al’s Used Car Parts had been reported missing and several of his employees were injured. The men suffered from a range of wounds including breaks, bruises, contusions and, most curiously, bee stings. Police had sealed off the area and investigations into the incident were classified.
Callum briefly wondered what had happened to Lester. A part of him believed the hideous man had survived and was on the loose, eager to start rebuilding his evil brain-sucking machines.