by carl ashmore
‘The Gingerbeard?’ Hunchback Henry gasped. ‘Mo Baggely?’
‘The very same,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘He’s joined by Battle-Axe Beattie, and a small but reliable crew from The Soggy Flannel. It wasn’t hard to persuade them to make the trip, to be honest … they all seemed rather taken with the prospect of a share in Blackbeard’s treasure.’ His smile broadened. ‘Anyway, I’m afraid we’re going to have to leave.’ He scanned the crew’s dumbstruck faces, before his gaze finally settled on Blind Hugh. ‘I promise we’ll return with your treasure and, should it still be your wish, I’ll take Jim with me and set him up with a new life. You have my word.’
Blind Hugh nodded glumly ‘And I believe it to be a fine word, sir. I don’t know what kind of magic man you are, Mister Halifax, but I knows deep down yer can give our Jim the kinda life he deserves.’
‘But Mister Livesy –’ Jim pleaded.
‘Please … that be my final word on the matter, Jim,’ Blind Hugh replied firmly. ‘The boys and me be right on this. If ye were us, yeh’d do the same.’
‘Talk it through once more,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘If I take Jim, there really is no going back.’
‘Agreed,’ Blind Hugh said.
‘Very well,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘Anyway, could I ask you all to take three steps back?’
Everyone did, creating a wide circle in the middle of the deck. Then he raised his key fob to his mouth and said, ‘Taxi!’
Just then, Beryl materialized to a chorus of disbelieving gasps. Will Turnip fainted again. Uncle Percy opened her doors.
With Mister Flint chattering merrily in his ear, Joe clambered into the taxi, followed by Becky, Will, Bruce and finally Uncle Percy.
As Becky settled into her seat, something occurred to her. ‘Uncle Percy, we don’t know which one of these islands is Mary Island. We don’t know where to materialise?’
Uncle Percy grinned mischievously. ‘Oh, didn’t I mention it? We’re not time travelling there. We’re taking the scenic route.’
Confused, Becky looked out at the surrounding ocean. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Watch!’ Uncle Percy turned the key and Beryl roared into life.
‘What are you doing?’ Becky asked in a panic.
‘I’d really prefer you didn’t mention this to your mother!’ Uncle Percy said. Then he placed his foot on the accelerator.
Becky didn’t have time to respond as Beryl powered across the deck, Joe’s whoops ringing in her ears, before crashing through the balustrade and plunging headlong into the sea, hitting the water like a battering ram.
Terrified, Becky glanced around, fully expecting seawater to gush in through any gaps. It didn’t happen.
Uncle Percy pressed a purple button on the dashboard and, immediately, dials flipped about, knobs flashed various colours and a device that resembled a pair of binoculars lowered from the roof. He began to hum merrily as he steered Beryl parallel. Soon, they were gliding through the crystal clear water like a bird in flight. It was then Becky knew Beryl wasn’t just a time machine … she was also a submarine.
- Chapter 27 -
Hammer Time
‘A submarine?’ Joe spluttered. ‘Beryl’s a submarine!’
‘She certainly is, Joe,’ Uncle Percy replied with a chuckle. ‘Do you remember I mentioned she may come in useful given the right circumstances. This is one of those instances, don’t you think?’
‘You are such a legend!’ Joe replied.
‘You’re not wrong, kid,’ Bruce said. ‘Perce, you’ve more surprises up your sleeve than Bat Masterson’s got bristles.’
Becky smiled. Now the shock of travelling underwater in a taxi had subsided, she allowed the aquatic spectacle to unfold before her. Huge shoals of angelfish swam in formation, stone crabs scuttled along fat slabs of coral, and a giant manta ray soared above them like a flying carpet. However, what surprised her most were the dozens of shipwrecks lying twisted and broken on the ocean bed, their detritus strewing as far as the eye could see.
For ten minutes they pushed gently on, absorbing every last detail of the strange, colorful world. But then, all of a sudden, the crystal clear waters turned muddy grey.
‘What the –’ Uncle Percy said, perplexed.
Then Becky’s blood turned cold. A fish torso drifted past, its head missing. Then, all at once, fish corpses were everywhere - some large, some small - all of them headless. Her stomach lurched. Through the gloom, she saw a gigantic whale carcass, stripped of flesh, propped against the seabed.
‘What the hell’s happened here?’ Joe asked.
‘I’m not sure,’ Uncle Percy said, ‘but judging by our luck one can only surmise we’re approaching Mary Island.’
Then - BAM - something struck the time machine from behind.
‘What’s that?’ Becky spluttered, her head twisting round.
No one answered. Just as Uncle Percy regained control of the car, it happened again.
This time, Joe was thrown headfirst into Bruce, nearly squashing Mister Flint, whose wings flapped as he screeched in panic. Joe didn’t have time to pick himself up when two more collisions came from beneath.
‘What going on?’ Becky cried. Then she stiffened with horror. From nowhere, the outline of a huge creature hurtled towards them.
The shark’s conical head smashed into Beryl’s windscreen, its jaws snapping wildly, before snaking left, revealing a wide, ragged hole in its underbelly where its abdomen should have been.
‘Impossible!’ Uncle Percy mouthed.
Then Joe remembered Bruce’s story. ‘ZOMBIE SHARKS!’ he yelled.
And, from nowhere, zombie sharks surged from the shadows - bloodstained teeth bared, their black, frenzied eyes fixed on the taxi with deadly intent. Great Whites, Tigers, Hammerheads, some barely more than skeletons, slammed into the time machine again and again, in a relentless maelstrom of fury.
Becky was petrified. Just one crack in the window and they were dead: the sharks would strip their bones in seconds flat. Distraught, she looked to Will, but even he looked helpless.
‘Can you zap us out of here?’ Joe shouted above the noise of the assault.
‘The Capicium Inflexor doesn’t work underwater, Joe,’ Uncle Percy yelled back, struggling to keep control of the wheel.
‘Does Beryl have any weapons?’ Becky yelled.
‘‘Fraid not. But next time I promise I’ll make sure we’re armed like a tank.’
Joe snorted. ‘Next time make a time machine out of a tank!’
‘Suggestion noted, Joe,’ Uncle Percy muttered.
Then, through the onslaught, Becky spied something that made her heart leap. ‘Over there,’ she yelled, pointing. ‘Land!’
‘Oh, thank goodness.’ Uncle Percy forced the steering wheel left. ‘C’mon Beryl, my dear. You can do it!’
Pushed to her limits and shuddering violently, Beryl battled the weight of a dozens or so sharks and inched into the shallows. Thick beams of sunlight sliced the water, making it considerably brighter, as a land mass blurred before them. And then a few seconds later, a miracle happened.
‘The sharks,’ Becky said. ‘They’re leaving.’
And she was right. One by one, the sharks were reacting to the sunlight, turning away and slinking back into the depths. Then Beryl’s tyres touched soft sand, and they were suddenly travelling at speed. Within moments, they powered out of the water onto a wide, sandy beach, coming to a halt beneath a palm tree.
The taxi fell silent.
With a relieved sigh, Uncle Percy turned to the others and said, ‘What with a storm, a sea-serpent and zombie sharks, I think it’s rather nice to be back on terra firma, don’t you?’
Everyone was too dazed to respond. Everyone, that was, except Mister Flint. ‘FLINTY RUM …BWAAWKK … FLINTY RUM,’ he squawked, nudging Joe’s leg.
‘I think someone’s thirsty,’ Uncle Percy said.
‘THROUGH THE MOUTH!’ Mister Flint screeched.
Joe pulled a bottle of
rum and a cup from beneath his seat. Filling the cup, he watched as Mister Flint drained it. ‘INTO THE BOWELS …’
Swaying slightly, Mister Flint stared out of the window, head bobbing. ‘FLINTY HOME… FLINTY HOME…’ he squawked.
And then it struck them. They had arrived at Mary Island.
An excited shiver shot up Becky’s spine. She opened the door and watched Mister Flint hop onto the cool sand, clicking his beak joyfully. Slowly, she followed him out and looked around. Mary Island seemed larger than the other Macaco Islands, with thick jungle on all sides and a mountain range that dominated the eastern side of the island, the peaks of which glowed like rubies in the low sun.
Uncle Percy spent the next few minutes ensuring Beryl was still in working order. ‘She may not look quite as pretty as she did, but other than that she’s fine,’ he said to a visibly relieved Becky and Joe. Then he bent down and kissed Beryl’s roof. ‘Thank you, my dear. You really saved our bacon...’
‘When you’ve finished snogging the car,’ Joe said. ‘Can you tell us what we do now?’
Uncle Percy looked at Joe. ‘I’m hoping the coins will lead the way.’
Joe shot him a puzzled look.
‘Oh, yes, I haven’t mentioned those to you, have I? Anyway, let’s just say the coins have been rather active of late…’ Uncle Percy reached into his jacket pocket. At once, his face creased. ‘Oh, no!’ He dashed over to Beryl, exploring every inch of her interior, before emerging minutes later looking downhearted and miserable.
‘You’ve lost them, haven’t you?’ Becky said. ‘You’ve lost the coins.’
Uncle Percy gave a feeble smile. ‘I’m afraid at some point I must’ve torn my coat.’ He poked two fingers through a hole in his pocket. ‘The coins have, indeed, err, well… yes, they’ve gone.’ He forced a chuckle. ‘They’ve probably already made it back to Pandora’s Box!’
‘What are you gabbing on about?’ Joe asked. ‘What’s this about the coins?’
‘I’ll tell you later,’ Becky replied, before turning back to Uncle Percy. ‘So how are we going to find Blackbeard’s treasure now?’
Uncle Percy went silent. ‘I have no idea.’ He looked at Will and Bruce. ‘Any thoughts, gentlemen?’ But before either could respond, Mister Flint made a strange grumbling sound and bit Joe’s ankle.
‘Oww,’ Joe cried. ‘Flinty, what did you do that for?’
Mister Flint swiveled round and toddled into the jungle, shrieking, ‘BWARKK … FLINTY GO HOME … FLINTY GO HOME.’
Uncle Percy’s face ignited. ‘That’s it,’ he said. ‘Maybe we don’t need the coins.’ He looked at Becky, who stared back at him blankly. ‘Who’s the only living creature to have seen where Blackbeard and Israel Hands stored their treasure?’ His smile broadened. ‘I never thought I’d ever say this, but … follow that parrot!’
- Chapter 28 -
Mister Flint’s Revelation
Fortunately, tailing a tipsy parrot was just about the easiest thing Becky could imagine. Not only did Mister Flint make a great deal of noise trampling the undergrowth but, every now and again, he would stumble into a tree trunk, give a cantankerous squawk, before carrying on, only to do it again a few minutes later. Recognising it would probably take some time to reach their destination, she decided to hang at the back of the group and study the island. It was then she heard Bruce’s voice.
‘So, missy, is all of this the norm when you visit Uncle P?’
Becky thought for a moment. ‘Well, it’s not always zombie sharks and sea-monsters, but it can be pretty eventful.’
Bruce chortled. ‘Jeez, and here’s me thinkin’ I had a crazy childhood.’
‘What was yours like?’
‘Ah, to be truthful with you, it was as perfect as a smile,’ Bruce replied. ‘How old are you – thirteen? Fourteen?’
‘Thirteen. I’ll be fourteen in March.’
‘Then I was just about your age when I started travelling.’
Becky looked shocked. ‘Time travelling?’
‘Is there any other kind?’
Becky wasn’t sure why, but she’d always assumed she and Joe were the first young people to be time travellers. ‘But how?’
A wistful look crossed Bruce’s face. ‘My pappy introduced me to it. Great man, my pappy …great scientist, too. He died a few years back. Heart attack. Very sudden. Very sad.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Becky said.
‘No matter,’ Bruce replied. ‘He’s gone, but he’s with me every single day if you know what I mean. The thing is, all of us are here by the grace of the big fella upstairs.’ He pointed upward. ‘So you just have to ride this bronco called Life and hold on for as long as you can. That’s what those Black Head boys have done. And that’s how I know your pappy is gonna be just fine.’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘Because I knew him pretty well - the two of us had some pretty wild trips in that pink ice-cream truck of his.’
Becky’s heart flipped. ‘I didn’t know you knew him.’
‘Oh, yeah,’ Bruce replied. ‘And I know he will not let go of this bronco easily, not while he’s got you, your bro and your momma in his head and heart. You’ll be with him every night when he closes his eyes, no matter where he is, no matter what Drake does to him. Your pappy will hold on because of you and yours. I am certain of that, missy…’
Becky went quiet. Her bottom lip trembled.
‘Ah, look at me,’ Bruce said guiltily. ‘I’ve made you as sad as a sinner on Sunday.’
‘No,’ Becky replied at once. ‘You haven’t at all. I appreciate what you said, I do. I just hope you’re right.’
‘I am, missy,’ Bruce said sincerely. ‘I am.’
‘Thank you. I’ll be honest with you, Bruce, you don’t sound like a scientist at all.’
‘A scientist? Me?’ Bruce chortled. ‘Sweet Mary, no … my pappy had all the brains, I just got the looks.’ He smiled sadly. ‘Nah, you’d think he’d be disappointed havin’ a dunderhead like me for a son, but if he was, he never once showed it.’
‘I thought all time travellers were scientists.’
‘Nope. They used to be in the forties and fifties but we’re all second or third generation travellers now.’
‘But you converted that flintlock into an automatic weapon?’
‘Ah, I just had the idea for it,’ Bruce replied. ‘I got someone else to put it together.’
‘So what do you do then?’
‘I own a few shops in Tucson. I ain’t ever gonna be Donald Trump, but they keep the coyotes from my door.’
‘Really?’ Becky said, surprised. ‘What kind of shops?’
‘Flower shops.’
Becky nearly choked. ‘You’re a florist?’
‘I certainly am,’ Bruce replied proudly. ‘Best job in the world.’ He took a long, satisfying breath as if inhaling the most beautiful frangrance. ‘I love the smell of Saguaro Blossom in the morning…’
‘That’s great,’ Becky said sincerely. ‘I thought you’d be – well, I don’t really know what I thought.’
‘Yeah, I know I don’t seem the florist type, but isn’t it true that the most interestin’ people are the ones that surprise you? Take your uncle … he might come across all Professor Nerdwhup, but when it comes to fightin’ for his loved ones he’s got more spunk than a skunk’s got stink…’
Becky smiled. She knew Bruce was right.
The two of them continued talking as the group hiked deeper into the island. The sounds of the forest had reached deafening levels. Brightly coloured birds sang above, insects whirred below, and dozens of monkeys leapt gracefully from tree to tree, tracking their every move and chattering wildly to each other.
The longer the journey continued, however, the more Becky began to doubt Mister Flint had any idea where he was actually going. She was about to raise this with Uncle Percy when she heard Mister Flint screech, ‘FLINTY SHACK … FLINTY SHACK!’
The group emerged onto a rocky outcrop
overlooking a wide valley. In the distance, Becky could see a waterfall that tumbled from a sheer rock face, feeding a river below. Then she turned and gasped. To her left was a large pine house with a decked veranda, furnished with two throne-like chairs. She watched as Mister Flint hopped eagerly through the front door, which stood slightly ajar, and disappeared from sight.
‘So this is where Blackbeard lived?’ Joe said, looking around. ‘It doesn’t look like somewhere he’d leave a massive pile of treasure.’
‘It certainly doesn’t,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘But there’s no harm in taking a look.’ He followed Mister Flint through the front door, trailed by everyone else.
Inside, Becky was surprised to find it surprisingly cozy and not at all the kind of place to be inhabited by pirates, particularly not one as allegedly ferocious as Blackbeard. Silks in every colour hung from the walls, huge red and gold velvet cushions covered the floor. She moved slowly through the living room, before turning into what she assumed was the kitchen. It was then she noticed something quite curious. Two long, thick leather straps, ragged at both ends as if cut by something sharp, lay on the floor beside a giant wooden table. Simultaneously, an odd, sickly-sweet smell she found vaguely familiar filled her nostrils. For some reason, she had an overwhelming urge to flee, to get out of there as quickly as she could. Telling herself she was being stupid, she noticed the panelling on the far wall had been damaged beyond repair; smashed glass and broken pottery spattered the floor.
‘I wonder what’s happened here?’ Uncle Percy said curiously.
‘Dunno,’ Joe replied. ‘Maybe some monkeys broke in and had a party.’
Uncle Percy chuckled, until he noticed Becky’s expression. ‘Are you all right, Becky?’
Becky opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it at once. ‘I’m fine,’ she replied unconvincingly. ‘I need some air.’ And with that she paced from the room, her head reeling. By the time she had made it outside, she was panting heavily, her shirt damp with sweat. Taking deep breaths, she began to relax when Joe appeared, followed by Uncle Percy, Will and Bruce.