The Turnarounders and the Arbuckle Rescue

by Heneghan, Lou

  ‘Hey!’ he exclaimed, nearly dropping the cup in astonishment. ‘The rain’s stopped in mid-air!’

  ‘Time Stop,’ said Ambrose again. ‘I say, are your ears alright? I could have sworn I’d said that already.’

  Ralf grinned. He was so happy to see Ambrose he didn’t mind his tone. He had about a hundred questions rattling around inside his head but Ambrose beat him to it.

  ‘That’s going to be a real shiner,’ he said pointing to Ralf’s swollen eye. ‘The run?’

  Ralf’s eyes widened in surprise but Ambrose just smiled at him. ‘Well done,’ he said. ‘So very well done.’

  Ralf shrugged. ‘It was just a race.’

  ‘Tsk tsk,’ Ambrose admonished, shaking his head. ‘It was so much more than that. You won. Despite everything they threw at you, you won. More importantly, though, you claimed the win for Village and School. It won’t heal all the wounds but it’s made a real difference.’

  ‘It’s about the only difference I have managed to make,’ Ralf muttered.

  ‘Nonsense! You’ve remembered who you are. All the Turnarounders played their part today but you were the one directing things. I think you’ve realised by now that it’s you who must take charge in the coming weeks. It’s down to you to hold the line.’

  Ralf’s head throbbed at that and he rubbed his eye. He didn’t know what to say.

  ‘Drink your tea,’ Ambrose directed. ‘You look peaky.’

  Ralf took a sip. It was different from before, sappy and bitter and he couldn’t help but shudder.

  ‘I’ll have you know that the people of this proud nation have been drinking nettle tea for generations,’ Ambrose sniffed, noticing. ‘And anyway, you used to like it.’

  ‘Modern tea’s better,’ said Ralf. ‘You should try it.’

  ‘You said that about hedgehog,’ said Ambrose grumpily. ‘I had wind all through the Dark Ages.’

  Ambrose handed him one of the sandwiches. ‘Eat that. You need the energy.’

  Ralf took a tentative bite and was relieved to find it contained only cheese. He munched gratefully and studied the man in front of him. He appeared older than before. There were deep lines round Ambrose’s eyes, a deeper furrowed frown line and his cheeks looked sunken.

  ‘Are you all right?’ Ralf asked. ‘Seriously. You don’t look so good.’

  ‘I’ve been pretty busy these last months.’ Ambrose looked grave. ‘Time is so tremendously complicated, Wolf. Lines running parallel, criss-crossing and winding round each other. It’s like a vastly complex spiralling web or a ball of –’

  ‘Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff?’ Ralf suggested. His face reddened. He couldn’t believe he’d just said that!

  ‘Well you’ve been paying attention in physics, at least,’ said Ambrose with a smile. ‘And while you’ve been studying, I’ve been plugging up Falls and tracking escapees from all sorts of different Timelines.’

  ‘The stream must re-join the river,’ said Ralf faintly.

  ‘That’s right. But each job takes something out of me, and the bigger the job the more exhausting it is. These last few weeks have been horrendous. Frankly, I’m shattered.’

  ‘The galleon?’ Ralf asked.

  ‘A variety of sailing vessels, actually,’ sighed Ambrose. ‘Getting them back was a nightmare.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘You try it!’ Ambrose exclaimed. ‘Balancing on a rowing boat in six foot waves with an hour glass in one hand and a scythe in the other – all the while attempting to explain to two hundred panicking Spaniards that you’re not the devil coming to take them to hell but someone trying to help them!’

  ‘But why were they so panicked?’

  Ambrose gave Ralf a look. ‘One minute they were part of a one hundred and sixty strong fleet of galleons; the next they’re on their own except for a thirty-foot fishing boat, complete with petrol motor. It’s a miracle I managed to keep them away from any naval vessels or submarines!’

  Ralf fought a sudden urge to snigger. Ambrose saw.

  ‘It’s not a laughing matter! Can you imagine what might have happened if the RAF had been patrolling? How do you think your average sixteenth century Spaniard would have coped with a Spitfire?’

  Ralf laughed outright.

  Ambrose smiled, in spite of himself. ‘Yes, well, I suppose it is a little bit funny. But so many enormous Falls in such a short period most definitely are not. And it took quite a lot of energy to get Erik home just now.’

  ‘Erik?’

  ‘The Viking!’ Ambrose retorted, as if this should have been obvious. ‘Yes, fortunately there were only seagulls to witness that one. Nice fella. Not too hot on advertising, though. He named his last discovery ‘Iceland’. Hardly sells the place, does it! Still, he gets better with the next one – though it’ll take more than the name Greenland to make that spot popular, you mark my words.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘Oh, never mind. The point is that getting a Spanish galleon and a Viking longship back to when they should be has knocked me a bit. Hence the frazzled appearance!’

  The description of what Ambrose actually did reminded Ralf of the man’s power and a question occurred to him. ‘So, why can’t you come ashore?’ he asked through his last mouthful of sandwich.

  ‘Because this isn’t the correct Timeline,’ Ambrose said. ‘I’ve had a real job getting here. Sorry it’s taken so long. The Book’s haywire and whatever I had half planned for you has all gone out the window. Call it fate if you like… I don’t know…’ he said scratching his domed head, ‘but you’ve been dragged here because this is where you should be now. On this Timeline, very soon there’ll be a Nexus – a point where all possible futures come together. I can’t get you out now, you understand that, don’t you?’

  Ralf nodded. The thought hadn’t even occurred to him. How things had changed since their first day when they’d believed Ambrose would just materialise somewhere and whisk them back home.

  ‘Even if you could get us out, I don’t think we’d go,’ Ralf said. ‘I don’t know what has to be done and I’m not sure whether we’ll be able to do it when the time comes, but this place…these people are part of our lives now. We have to help them. They’re our people. They’re family, friends. They’re important. We couldn’t leave them alone to face what’s coming without us. It would be worse than cowardice. It would be betrayal. Do you understand? This is our time to make a difference. Maybe the only chance we’ll get.’

  ‘Exactly!’ said Ambrose. He glanced down at the hourglass, which hadn’t discernibly changed. ‘And we’ve got exactly fifty-two minutes before the Time Stop ends, to work out how you must do that.’ He squinted up at Ralf’s white face and smiled. ‘Tell me everything that’s happened since you arrived.’

  It took a long time to tell but Ralf was thorough, ordering things in his mind carefully before relating them as quickly and simply as possible. Ambrose looked grave throughout his tale but gasped with excited pleasure when Ralf told of Gloria’s Spirit Guide and his cryptic message. By the time he had finished talking, Ralf was exhausted and his throat parched. Reluctantly he drank more tea. It wasn’t improved by being cold.

  The wheel-like instrument Ralf had noticed earlier now sat in Ambrose’s lap and he ran his long fingers over it while he thought for what seemed ages. Ralf couldn’t stop himself from eyeing the stationary hourglass in front of him. Finally, Ambrose looked up.

  ‘One of the Hidden has been trying to help you, that much is clear. But as to who he is…’ Ambrose pinched the bridge of his nose in concentration. ‘From what you say, it seems he was making contact with Gloria secretly. The Hidden are going through a period of great change at the moment and it could be that his actions weren’t approved by the Council.’

  ‘They have a Council?’ Ralf asked, but Ambrose waved him quiet.

  ‘As for the poem, that comes straight from Hidden folklore. The legend of the Natus.’

  ‘Natus?’

&nbs
p; ‘The story is that in each timeline there are five Righteous humans. These five are, of course, Echoes and in some or all of their lives they do something or set wheels in motion that will affect the path of the future for good.’

  ‘That’s what we figured, but how do we know which people in the village are Echoes? We’ve narrowed the list down but –’

  ‘Which of them are the Natus?’ Ambrose finished for him. ‘Which of those Echoes’ actions will be world changing? And which are the ones who must see this war ended in this Timeline?’

  ‘End the war? Is it really as important as that?’ Ralf asked.

  Ambrose looked steadily into Ralf’s eyes. ‘I have seen many versions of the future, Wolf. I have witnessed other Timelines in which this war ends differently. Make no mistake, in all of those futures the Nazis winning the war is just the beginning – the beginning of a spiralling descent into blood, horror and the end of all things. The Turnarounders must prevent that happening.’

  ‘But how?’ Ralf cried. ‘How do we find out which ones are the Natus?’ he asked. ‘And when we do, what then?’

  ‘Use your power. You are Turnarounders. You’ve been equipped with everything that you need to fulfil your destiny. You have Skills defined by nature and preternatural Gifts you can utilise when the time comes.’

  ‘And that’s in May, right?’ Ralf asked. ‘We think – well, Seth worked out – it will be at the end of May.’

  Ambrose nodded. ‘The Natus ‘Must be kept safe till Hawthorn’s gone’,’ he said, tapping the small hawthorn leaf carved into his wheel. ‘At that time, the Natus will be in mortal peril. In order for Time to get back on track and for the Allies to win the war, they must survive.’

  ‘But, if something happens to one of the other Natus before then –’

  ‘If they should lose their nerve, their ability to accomplish their allotted role...’ Ambrose didn’t need to finish his sentence. His grave face said it all. Ralf knew what would happen. Each of the five Natus was like a tiny cog that fitted into the workings of time. Each cog must do its part or the whole clock would eventually wind down and stop ticking.

  ‘Is someone trying to frighten the Natus then? To stop them doing what they should do? Is that what all the weird stuff happening in the village has been about?’

  ‘Whether it’s been by accident or design remains to be seen, Wolf,’ said Ambrose. ‘The point is that the grizzly events in King’s Hadow over the past few months have, as you’ve witnessed, caused leakages in the flow of Time. Whoever has been orchestrating them has let loose powers beyond their understanding. The Fear has stirred the Monster.’

  ‘But Seth says the Shadow King is just a legend!’ Ralf protested, hoping for once that his friend was right.

  Ambrose looked up from the circular device he’d been examining. ‘I told you before, Wolf. All legends have a kernel of truth.’

  ‘ “At a time of War and Fear, the walls of the prison will be broken and the monster will return to seek its revenge’’, ’ gasped Ralf. ‘It’s real? It’s going to happen now?’

  A shadow flickered across Ambrose’s eyes and he paused, choosing his words carefully. ‘People create stories to explain things they don’t understand, Wolf. The legends of the fey, of fairies and wood nymphs, were born of brief glimpses of the Hidden, magnified and distorted over time. The Shadow King legend is just the same. A long time ago, something terrible happened here.’

  He reached forward to lay a hand on Ralf’s shoulder. When he spoke next he sounded sad and weary and, for the first time, his eyes showed all of his millions of years. ‘You have the memories of it if you search deep enough,’ he said gently.

  Ralf frowned, trying to remember but nothing would come. Ambrose patted his shoulder and spoke again, more briskly now. ‘The important thing is that people of King’s Hadow believe the legend. Whether someone is deliberately endeavouring to fulfil the prophecy remains to be seen. Maybe it began as an accident? Or perhaps there are a number of factors here working together? Whichever is the case, the conditions for death, destruction and the end of all things have been created. That’s why you were dragged back here.’

  Ralf gave a half smile. ‘Alfie’ll be relieved. All this time he’s been thinking it was his fault.’

  ‘It was an extreme method of getting a new hat!’ Ambrose chuckled. ‘After all my dire warnings, he wasn’t quite as cautious as I hoped he’d be. But no, Alfie can relax on that score. I knew that something was off kilter back in the tent that day but I had no idea the situation was as grave as it is.’ He frowned again and turned the dial in the middle of the circular contraption in his lap.

  ‘No, you’d have been pulled back here sooner or later. To this place. This Time.’ His blue eyes, Ralf noticed looked quite cold. ‘This is the battleground. Right here. And soon.’

  ‘So what do we have to do?’ Ralf asked.

  ‘You have to identify the final Natus and ensure they do what they’re supposed to do.’

  ‘But Ambrose, it’s impossible!’ Ralf cried. ‘These Echoes don’t know how important they are.’

  Ambrose saw the hopeless expression on Ralf’s face and gave a wan smile. ‘I know and that’s where Fate comes in to play. I cannot interfere and all you can do is try. Try, as you did before, to keep the universe unfolding as it should.’

  The responsibility crashed onto Ralf’s young shoulders like an avalanche. It seemed a ridiculously tall order for five kids.

  ‘Yeah, right,’ he laughed. ‘And what do you want us to do after breakfast?’

  ‘You can do it!’ Ambrose urged, shaking Ralf encouragingly. ‘I have every faith in all of you!

  ‘But we’re running blind!’ Ralf cried. ‘We don’t know who to help or how to help them!’

  Ambrose nodded sympathetically. ‘Ordinarily The Book would direct us but now it’s worse than useless. There is something I might try, though,’ he was encouraged when he saw the look on Ralf’s face. ‘I’ve been working on automatic for the last couple of millennia but I can still run on manual!’ He patted the wheel in his lap as if it were a small animal. ‘I can use the Ankah! Once you’ve learned, you never forget. It’s like riding a bike.’

  Ralf had absolutely no idea what the man was talking about but sensed that this was not the time for questions and kept quiet. Ambrose closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

  ‘Listen to what I say now,’ he instructed. He opened his eyes again and focused all his attention on the wheel he was holding. This then, must be the Ankah, Ralf thought. What was it? What did it do? Ambrose’s fingers roamed the surface of the wheel and Ralf saw now the central section was moveable, an intricately carved dial. Ambrose turned it and studied the minute shapes around the wheel’s edge. The man seemed to go into a kind of trance and when he spoke next his voice was hoarse.

  ‘Mother Nature is the key. Her delicate balance has been disturbed and she fights against it. Watch the animals, the birds and creatures of the sea, they tell of what is to come. So, too, do those close to the Veil. Listen to those that remain unheard. They too have their story and there is often truth in madness.

  ‘There will come a time of despair but you must carry on when all seems lost. And there will come a time when the circle is broken, when Five becomes Four. You must not be disheartened, but continue to the end of your journey, though the path has forked.

  ‘Take courage. The Hidden are watching, although they may not aid you openly, they are a light in the darkness. There are allies where you least expect them.

  ‘Your Powers give you strength. Your weapons provided. Use them well.’ Ambrose’s eyes refocused and his voice took on its normal tone. ‘Not bad, eh?’ he said, pleased with himself. ‘First time since the Romans were here and I think I got some good stuff!’ Ralf looked at him helplessly and Ambrose frowned.

  ‘That eye really does look shocking,’ he said. ‘How many times have you hit your head now? Three?’

  Ralf nodded.

  ‘Ha!’ Am
brose slapped his thigh in obvious delight. ‘Well, keep ‘em peeled, eh?’ he winked. ‘The colours will change but use what you’ve been given.’

  Ralf looked at him in total confusion. ‘What?’

  But Ambrose was distracted by a soft pattering sound from behind him and Ralf realised that the sand in the hourglass was now moving rapidly from top to bottom. He watched Ambrose thrust the Ankah in to a fold of his voluminous cloak and clapped his hands.

  ‘But what does all of that mean?’ Ralf asked desperately.

  ‘Look and you will see,’ Ambrose said matter-of-factly but then he frowned suddenly. ‘You have discovered your Skills, I suppose?’

  ‘Yes, but –’

  ‘Then practise them!’ urged Ambrose, hauling Ralf to his feet. ‘Hone your abilities! They are ancient, precious Gifts and the most important weapons you will have in the coming struggle. Refine them until they are second nature, but do not be seen!’ He glanced at the hourglass and the water that surrounded them, placed a hand on Ralf’s shoulder and looked at him appraisingly. ‘You can still swim?’

  Ralf nodded.

  ‘Good! Now, out of the boat!’

  ‘What?’

  Ambrose pointed to the almost empty hourglass. ‘Time’s up!’ he yelled and bundled Ralf over the side.

  Suddenly, Ralf was underwater, buffeted by the tide. He hadn’t had chance to take a breath and for a moment he panicked. Then his feet met shingle and he burst into the air, a human waterfall.

  The rowing boat and Ambrose were gone.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  True Colours

  Ralf woke feeling like death on a dish. He stumbled down to the kitchen to find Hilda already in her Sunday hat.

  ‘Six inches of rain over night,’ she said, struggling to pull on her galoshes. ‘But my guess is that’s the last of it. Spring’s been a long time coming but I think it’s finally here.’

  ‘What time is it?’ he asked groggily,

  ‘Just after eight,’ said Hilda, looking up. ‘Oh my good Lord! Your eye!’