“What have I told you boys about playing those games in front of your sister!” Mary snapped scornfully.
“Well, she needs to learn how to knock. How were we supposed to know that she was just gonna burst in uninvited?” Harry explained.
“I’ll get her settled and into bed and then you two boys can go in and apologise to her,” Mary demanded.
“Yes, Mum,” the boys said and then they continued to play their game.
Grace was sitting on her bedroom floor, sobbing. Womble, as if aware that Grace needed a hug, plonked himself right beside her and leant against her. Pushing the entire weight of his body into her, he rested his head on her shoulder and gave her face a reassuring lick.
“Oh Grace, it’s okay, it’s only a game, nothing to be scared of, darling,” Mary said. She joined them on the floor and wrapped her arms around them both for a group hug.
“I don’t like the scary monsters on the boys’ TV, they eat people,” Grace sobbed.
“I’ll tell you what, how about you have a quick wash, brush your teeth and pop your pyjamas on, then just for tonight I’ll let Womble sleep on your bed for cuddles. How’s that?”
“Yes please, Mum,” Grace sniffed, wiping her tears away with her hands.
“Come on then,” Mary said, holding out her hand. Grace took her mum’s hand and got herself ready for bed.
Mary tucked her in and kissed her goodnight on her forehead. “’Night, ‘night, darling,” Mary said. “Come on, cuddle-lump,” she said patting the quilt, signalling to Womble to jump up beside Grace. Grace snuggled into her pillow and wrapped her arms around the soppy bulldog.
“’Night, Mum, love you,” she said.
“Love you too, darling.”
Mary was making her way out of Grace’s room when the boys came in.
“Sorry we scared you, Grace,” Harry said, giving his little sister a comforting pat on the head.
“Yeah, sorry, squirt, and remember, it’s not real and even if it was, I wouldn’t let ‘em eat ya, anyway,” Dan said blowing her a kiss from the doorway.
“’Night,” Grace said, catching the kiss and placing it on her cheek.
The boys left her room, ensuring that the door was left ajar and that the landing light was left on, knowing that Grace wouldn’t be able to sleep if they didn’t. Despite the fact that Womble was stretched right out across her bed and was snoring very loudly, Grace still managed to drift off into that comfortable, peaceful and serene place that people go to just before they fall into a deep sleep when she heard a car door slam. She knelt up on the bed, pulled the curtains up and over her head and looked out of her window into the close. The close was subtly lit orange by the street lamps and Dan and Harry were walking along the front path with their fancy dress costumes that they had just taken out of their dad’s car.
“Ahh yeah, boy, the ladies are in for a real treat when they see me in this,” Dan boasted as he peeked into his costume bag.
“Wicked,” Harry said, snapping his fingers and laughing as he peered into his bag and then the pair disappeared from Grace’s view as they re-entered the house via the front door.
Grace stayed staring out of the window, mesmerised by the nighttime appearance of Cherry Blossom Close. The paths and the road were now almost clear of snow but the gardens still had a decent covering. The snowman that Christian had built was still partially intact; he had lost a button eye and one side of his face had begun to melt, his head was somehow merging into his body and his satsuma nose lay on the ground in front of him. In the centre of the close was a circle of grass and standing proudly in the centre of that was a cherry blossom tree. Grace looked into the snow that lay below the tree and saw a trail of animal footprints leading up to it.
I wonder what has made those tracks? she thought to herself, just as a beautiful fox appeared, running out from behind the tree across the road and into Elsie’s back garden. “Wow!” Grace whispered. She continued to gaze out across the close, hoping to see some more animals. Grace loved animals. The close was quiet and still, the only movements coming from inside people’s houses, where shadows danced in their windows and multi-coloured Christmas tree lights twinkled magically. All of the houses in the close had the odd light on, except for Number Six. Mr Avery had lived at Number Six for more than fifty years, but sadly he had taken a turn for the worse and fallen ill a few months ago. He was now living in a nursing home. All of the lights were off at Mr Avery’s house, his once-loved garden was now unkempt and overgrown and there was a For Sale board prominently planted in the middle of the front lawn. As Grace stared dreamily at the empty house and thought about poor old Mr Avery, something caught her attention. She closed her eyes tightly, rubbed them hard and then reopened them, focusing on one of the upstairs windows. They were still there, two orange lights… two orange eyes!
Grace dived back into her bed, pulling the duvet up to her eyes. “They’re just a reflection of the street lamps, or a reflection of the Christmas lights,” she said to herself over and over again, now holding onto Womble in a vice-like grip. Not wanting to look out of the window again in case the eyes were still there, Grace stayed snuggled in her warm and comfy bed where she felt safe and secure, especially with Womble there to comfort her. It wasn’t too long before she had really convinced herself that they weren’t eyes at all and she soon drifted back off into the serene place that people go to just before falling into a deep and peaceful sleep.
*Liberty Realm*
Chapter 25
Sheer Fear
The first cave had been empty, with no sign of Takoda and now the bitter coldness of night and the emptiness of the second cave was devastating and disheartening for the Halfses. They had rested a short while inside the second cave, using Fire Fairy pods for light and warmth and then, having found the strength and determination to press on, they attached the Fire Fairy pods to their helmets and began the climb up to the upper falls. Francis had once again flown on ahead, searching the mountains for caves. Hindered by the darkness, he had to stop frequently, hover and exhale fire, thus causing the snowy mountainside to briefly blush in a golden glow and therefore allowing him fleeting moments of clear vision. By the time he had located the next cave, the others were approximately halfway up the section of mountainside that lay adjacent to Sheer Fear.
Francis easily located the climbing group, the Fire Fairy pods attached to their helmets illuminating their position. They were on a ledge preparing for the next section of the climb. Francis landed close by, his huge toes and talons clinging onto the snow covered mountainside, but the rock face were he’d landed was unstable and as he grappled to secure a foothold, some of the rocks loosened and tumbled into the darkness below. His huge body slid a few feet down the mountain, he grappled frantically at the rocks once more and eventually he managed to perch himself on the mountainside securely. Aaron rolled his eyes in disgust. “Thank God we didn’t risk hitching a ride up the mountain on that. I’ve seen rhinos land with more grace,” he said.
Francis didn’t bother to dignify Aaron with a response and instead he turned to address Zavier.
“Zavier I’m afraid it’s bad news. I have located another cave, but it’s on the other side of the falls. You will either have to climb back down, cross the frozen lake and then re-climb the other side, or you could climb to the very top of the falls, cross over and descend down the other side to get to the cave, but either way, you will be crossing very dangerous terrain and it’s going to take a long time.”
“Francis, do you think you could fly back to the cave, try and find Takoda and then meet with us at the bottom of the falls?”
“I’m afraid not, Zavier. The cave is small and lies nestled within a steep section of the mountain that is not accessible to me, not at this size, anyway. I wish I could help but, as you’ve just seen, my new frame isn’t really suited to these mountaineering expeditions.”
“He’s right,” said Aurora. “I know the area of mountain that he is talking about.
It isn’t very easy to get to, even for myself and it will take us hours to reach from here. We would be foolish to attempt to get there tonight. I think we should find shelter, rest and continue at sunrise.”
“Out of the question, I’m afraid,” Zavier said, shaking his head in dismay. “We must get there tonight. I’m not sure how we will do it yet, but we must find a way.”
“Francis, where, in comparison to where we are now, is this cave on the opposite side of the falls?” April asked.
“I think that it is more or less parallel to where we are now,” Francis replied.
“Well, there’s your answer then,” April beamed. “We don’t go around the falls, we go across them.”
“Are you out of your mind?” the usually quiet Hazel gasped. “You’ve heard the elders’ stories regarding Sheer Fear, have you not?”
“Of course I have, Hazel, but let’s face it, those old fogies wouldn’t have been as skilled at climbing as I am, would they? I mean, no one is as skilled at climbing as I am. I stand a much better chance of making it across to the other side than they did.”
“April, it is far too dangerous. I cannot and will not let you take such a risk,” Zavier said sternly.
“Zavier, I appreciate your concern but I know that I can do this. You know that I can do this! What choice do we have? I want to do this for Liberty. I would rather die trying than not try at all! Please let me. I can cross while you all make your way back to the cabin and then I WILL return to you there and I WILL bring Takoda with me,” April pleaded tearfully.
“April, I admire your bravery and yes, you’re right, what choice do we have? Either I let you cross and risk losing you, or we wait until the morning and the delay may mean that we risk losing Liberty. I cannot decide when the stakes are so high, so you must decide for yourself,” Zavier said and then he placed his hands on April’s cheeks, wiped her tears away with his thumbs and gently kissed her forehead.
April closed her eyes, inhaled deeply through her nose, then exhaled deeply through her mouth, blowing all of her anxiety away. She composed herself and turned to the others. “Okay, so which one of you is going to grab my ice axes out of my back pack for me?” she asked, smiling and nodding cheekily, indicating that she was indeed going for it, she was going to attempt to cross the dreaded Sheer Fear.
Zavier attempted to tie a safety rope around April’s waist.
“Nice thought, Zavier, but I’m gonna have to free-climb this one, the rope isn’t long enough to reach to the other side,” she said, looking out across the vast mass of frozen, descending water.
Zavier frowned and unwillingly removed the rope from April’s waist, then he moved away from her. Hazel moved toward April, stood in front of her and frowned.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked, in a concerned, mumsy kind of way as she tucked April’s long white and black streaked hair into her helmet and behind her ears.
“I’m sure! Now, stop worrying and make sure you tell Jaz to have some nice hot food prepared for me when I return.”
As April jabbed her ice axes and crampons into the frozen falls and began her crossing, Zavier could not help but think of the 1,500 foot sheer drop below her and he gulped involuntarily, unable to contain his nerves.
“Francis, stay close to her for me and, God forbid, if she falls, I’m counting on you to catch her,” Zavier said.
Francis took flight and monitored April’s crossing from a safe distance. The others were in no rush to leave April and head to the cabin. Instead, they watched for a while, unable to move, rooted to the spot with fear and concern for their loved one. Then once again they heard the stabbing of ice axes and the jabbing of crampons into the thick wall of ice.
“What on earth are you doing?” Hazel shrieked.
“Well, you didn’t seriously think that I was going to let her cross alone, did you?” Aaron replied as he, too, began to make his way across the deadly falls.
Hazel held her head in her hands and dropped to the ground sobbing, as the fear of either losing Aaron, April or both of them was too much for her to take. Zavier knelt down beside her and placed his arm around her shoulders to comfort her, but he did not have any words of reassurance that he could offer, for he, too, was worried that neither of them would make it across in one piece.
Aaron swung his ice axe above his head, stabbing it into the wall of ice. As he did so, there was a snapping sound and a large crack appeared. He barely had a chance to realise what was happening, before his heavy weight pulled out the loosened chunks of ice in which his axes were still embedded and he was immediately sent plummeting down the face of the falls. Francis reacted swiftly. Soaring towards Aaron, he managed to grab hold of one of his ankles, saving him just seconds before he would have impacted with the frozen lake below. The little door on the side of the Fire Fairy pod that was attached to Aaron’s helmet creaked open and the tiny little Fire Fairies freed themselves, flying off into the dark night sky and back to safety. Aaron was in shock, speechless for a change, dangling from Francis’s talons, his huge body swinging around uncontrollably like a floppy rag doll. Having saved Aaron, Francis was now concerned for April’s safety and soared at high speed back up the face of the frozen waterfall to check on her, while Aaron, now on the worst roller-coaster ride of his life, had begun to turn a sickly shade of green. The rest of the group looked on in horror, not quite able to take in what was going on as it had all happened so fast. Francis hovered close by April, watching her like a hawk until she had safely reached the other side of Sheer Fear and then he flew back to the others, to inform them that she had indeed made it across safely. And all the while, a very green Aaron was still swinging furiously from his talons, like a rag doll that was being held by its leg and swung around by a petulant child.
Relieved, knowing that both Aaron and April were safe, Zavier, Hazel and Aurora began their descent back down to the cabin. Francis also headed down the mountainside, looking for a suitable place to drop Aaron. But as he neared the lower falls, he began to feel most peculiar. His heart pounded, juddering vigorously within his chest, his mouth filled with saliva, he felt nauseous, he became disorientated and his vision began to blur. Then, one by one, his scales began to fall away from his body. Like slivers of glass, they sprinkled onto the mountainside. Feathers appeared in their place and Francis suddenly remembered what Ice had said: The enchantment will only last for twenty-four hours and then you will return to your original form!
Francis, now wide-eyed with panicked realisation, had indeed returned back to his owl form. He was still trying desperately to hold onto Aaron’s ankle in a bid to lift him, a desperate bid to prevent Aaron from crashing to the ground below, but, as a small tawny owl, Francis was nowhere near strong enough and he, too, was dragged down to earth by Aaron’s weight. The pair plummeted through the air, spiralling chaotically before hitting the icy cold water of the lower falls pool and disappearing below its dark surface.
A very unhappy-looking Aaron emerged shivering at the edge of the pool first. He placed one hand on a rock at the side of the pool and hauled himself out of the water. In his other hand he held a very cold, wet and bedraggled-looking owl and he took great pleasure in dangling Francis upside down by his foot and shaking him around as if he were a soft toy and saying, “You’re not quite so gobby now, are you, Boogly Eyes?”
“That’s fine. Really, Aaron, there is absolutely no need to thank me at all for saving your life,” Francis said sarcastically, still dangling upside down.
Aaron tutted loudly, rolled his eyes and flung Francis to one side, sending him head first into the thick snow. Francis was buried from his head up to his ankles in snow. He wiggled his feet frantically and attempted to flap his wings to free himself but he was unable to move them against the wall of snow that had formed around his body, cocooning him tightly in an icy chamber.
Aaron stood for a significantly longer period of time than he really should have done, watching Francis’s little feet and talons
wriggling frantically in a bid to free himself from the snow, but although Aaron found this scenario very amusing, the bolshie and somewhat arrogant Halfse actually had a good heart. In fact, he had one of the kindest hearts in all of Liberty but he chose to keep it hidden, keep it safe from harm. No one really got to see this side of Aaron, no one except for Jazmine, that is; she could see his kind heart, feel his kind heart, he didn’t even have to show her, she just knew from the moment that she first laid eyes on him. She saw right through his tough exterior and found a place inside his soft warm heart and that is where she has stayed ever since.
Aaron grasped Francis’s leg and pulled him free from his snow cocoon. “Come on, Boogly Eyes, I suppose I’d better get you back to the cabin and warmed up before you freeze to death,” he grumbled and then, still holding Francis by his leg, he ran off towards the cabin.
Chapter 26
Takoda
April, now completely alone on the east side of Sheer Fear, had located the cave that Francis had seen earlier. It was approximately fifty feet below her, nestled in a crevice between two sheer rock faces. April found a suitable spot to attach a rope ready for her descent down to the cave. She removed the rope from her back pack and attached it firmly, tugging at it again and again to ensure that it was secure enough to hold her weight. She tipped herself backwards and began her descent; quickly zipping down the rope, only using her feet to bounce off of the rocks twice, before landing on a rocky ledge in front of the cave. She unclipped herself from the rope and walked slowly but surely into the darkness, her Fire Fairy pod providing a warm orange glow in the musty-smelling, dark and dank cave.
“Hello,” she called warily into the darkness beyond.
“Hello,” her voice echoed back.
“Hello, is there anyone there? My name is April, I am a Halfse from Maytime Meadow and I come in search of the mountain’s Berthold, Takoda. It is of great importance that I speak with him. Hello.”
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