Ark Of Hope: Beyond The Dark Horizon

by Roger David Francis

  Cassie was weeping, great gulping sighs of misery and disbelief and Jade stood frozen unable to comprehend what she was seeing.

  After what seemed like forever but was probably no more than a couple of minutes everything stopped. The insects disappeared in a cloudy mass over the trees and Robbie lay gasping and retching. One final tiny red insect crawled from up his nostril and escaped into the air and Robbie fell forward, his hands feebly slapping the ground.

  Brett helped him to his feet.

  “What’s happening to me?” Robbie stared at Brett miserably. “I feel terrible like I’ve gone ten rounds with a giant spider.” He shuddered and scratched at his arm. “I’m itching,” he moaned.

  Brett could see small thin welts carved across Robbie’s skin, on his arms and his neck and a couple of scratches on his cheeks. His eyes, though bleak, seemed to have returned to their normal brown colour.

  “You’ll be okay,” Jade assured him throwing Brett a worried glance.

  The yellow beam from the torch Brett was holding began to flicker and then went out altogether.

  “Damn,” Brett shook it but the battery had well and truly died. “Anyone else got a torch or maybe a lighter?”

  Cassie laughed softly. “I knew I shouldn’t have packed up smoking last year, where are you matches when I need you?”

  “Aren’t we supposed to be making our way back to the beach?” Robbie muttered. “I mean, it’s not difficult, is it? We just follow this path.”

  “Quiet!” Brett’s voice was sharp; he lowered it to a whisper. “Can you hear that?”

  “It sounds like horses hooves.” Jade said, surprised. Accompanying the clopping noise was the rattling sound of large wheels.

  “It’s the ponies and carriage we saw outside the Queen’s house,” Cassie whispered. “I think we should hide.”

  They crouched together behind a large leafy oak tree and a few minutes later the carriage came into view. It took up the whole width of the path and Jade gasped. To her astonishment instead of the two white ponies pulling it, Toffin and Dink were harnessed around their waists and tied by two heavy leather straps to the front of it, trudging along pulling the carriage over the rough ground. Jade realised they were wearing strange round boots fitted with metal shoes that were making the clip clopping noise.

  “Jesus,” Brett breathed.

  The carriage rattled to a stop.

  Expecting Queen Bebo to step out Jade was appalled when the carriage door opened and Gary Wurner crawled out and slithered onto the path. He curled up into a ball and began whimpering.

  Cassie squeezed Robbie’s hand. “What’s wrong with him?”

  “I’m not sure.” But watching the waiter clutching himself between the legs Robbie thought he knew.

  Toffin and Dink were as still as statues as if they were waiting to be told what to do next.

  “Go,” Gary Wurner croaked, waving his hand feebly in the air.

  Strangely the two robots began running backwards, the carriage wheels groaning as it reversed along the path and disappeared from sight.

  Gary Wurner sat up and to Brett’s dismay he saw that he was grinning. He was waving a thin length of cord in front of him. Cassie leaned forward and a few leaves rustled.

  “I know you’re there,” Gary called out. “I can smell you, Sir. I’ve bought a homemade noose to finish the job; you’re not getting away from me this time.” He groaned, his face creasing with pain, “I had to take a taxi because you nearly crippled me. You won’t find your friends, you know, they’ve left without you.” He grimaced. “I’d forgotten what it was like to be hurt, that’s something I don’t miss in Hell.” He rocked from side to side and then suddenly shouted, “Come out, come out, wherever you are, Sir, this can only end one way.”

  “He thinks I’m by myself,” Robbie hissed. “I’ll go to him and you stay put, I can lead him away.”

  Jade clutched his arm frantically. “No, for God’s sake, Robbie, he’ll kill you, we have to stay together.”

  “Are you talking to yourself?” Gary laughed. “Wondering where they are? Maybe they’ve gone back to the ship.” His voice held a sudden note of panic.

  “He’s frightened,” Jade whispered. She watched as Gary Wurner stood up.

  “Not long now, Sir,” the waiter grunted and then raised his voice to a high pitched whine, “why did you have to interfere? It was all going so well. I’m almost out of time; I only have forty minutes left. Come with me; persuade them to get off the Princess May; that way you get to live and they get to die. It’s the way it has to be.”

  Robbie shrugged Jade’s hand away and stood up. He walked onto the path. “And you get to have your revenge, yeah, I know, you told me. In fact, you told me several times. Forty minutes you say? Well, a lot can happen in forty minutes.”

  They stood facing each other.

  Brett watched horrified. What was Robbie doing? Was he still under the influence of drugs? It was suicidal.

  “You can’t kill us, can you?” Robbie was saying to Gary Wurner. “You’re not allowed. Every time you try something blocks you, so you’ve only really got one option left to you. Walk away, get on with your hellish business and leave us alone.”

  “I can’t do that, Sir.”

  “Yes you can. My friends aren’t on the ship, they’re having supper with Queen Bebo, I’m on my way to the house now to join them.”

  For the first time the waiter looked unsure. Robbie pressed the point. “Go and check the ship if you don’t believe me.”

  “You’d better not be lying to me, Sir,” Gary said.

  For a few seconds they stared at each other and then the waiter vanished. It happened faster than Robbie could blink and he stood there swaying, his legs suddenly feeling like they were about to cave in on him.

  Jade ran over to him and grabbed his arm. “You could have been killed,” she sobbed.

  “I’m okay. I don’t think he’ll be back, when he realises we’re still on the Island he might finally leave us in peace.” He hesitated. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I can’t believe I thought he was my friend, I’ve been an idiot.”

  “Not your fault,” Brett told him, “the bastard was feeding you drugs.” He shook his head. “You took a risk,” he grunted.

  Robbie shook his head. “Forget it; we need to get to the beach.”

  The blackness around them was so thick Brett couldn’t even make out Robbie’s features, but his voice had trembled and Brett thought his friend was finally coming out of the drugged state he’d been in. Facing off to Gary Wurner had been either brave or foolish, he couldn’t decide which. Either way, Brett decided he still needed to keep an eye on him, he could still be unpredictable. “So which way then,” he asked, “left or right?”

  “I think I remember touching this piece of gnarled wood and I was facing forward so I say we go left,” Cassie’s voice didn’t hold out much hope. “I don’t want to go first though,” she added.

  Brett sidled past her. He called back, “Jade, take the rear, I think we should keep Robbie in between us.”

  “I’m not a kid,” Robbie grumbled. “Is anyone hungry? My stomach’s rumbling.”

  “Shut up, Robbie,” Jade said sharply. She couldn’t ever remember being more frightened watching him standing up to Gary Wurner. She was proud of him but she couldn’t get the image of him bent over, covered in millions of insects, and watching in horror as they streamed out of his mouth.

  How could she ever kiss him again with that image in her head? The thought made her shudder. She loved him but what sort of a future could they have together with that between them? Sadly she thought their days of being boyfriend and girlfriend were definitely numbered. They’d been going out together for just under a year and had been considering moving into a flat together. Now she wasn’t so sure.

  She looked at him, at his soft sweet brown eyes and felt an almost overwhelming sense of love rush through her. None of this was his fault, he was still her Robbie but
every time she remembered the way he’d belched up all those awful little red insects, her stomach turned over. And now he was talking about food!

  She wanted the old Robbie back; the sweet young man who’d bought her a silver necklace for her birthday and a huge bunch of red roses on Valentine’s Day and who’d be horrified if he knew what she was thinking. Jade shook her head and fondled the necklace around her neck. She knew she was being harsh; Robbie wasn’t to blame for what had happened to him, maybe she just needed time to get the images out of her head.

  Their progress was slow, hampered by the darkness. They were holding onto each other’s waists as if they were doing the Conga except they weren’t dancing they were shuffling, taking small careful steps. Brett stopped suddenly.

  “Can you hear that?”

  Jade felt a frisson of excitement. “The sea. I can hear the waves on the shore, we’re nearly there.”

  “What about the giant Spickler?” Cassie said.

  “It’s just a little girl’s imagination, Cas,” Brett told her.

  “But Hope’s not just a little girl, is she?” Cassie answered.

  “So what is she, a ghost?”

  “Why would you say that as if it was impossible after what’s happened to us?” Cassie sounded genuinely surprised.

  “It could all be a trick,” Brett muttered.

  “Yeah,” Robbie sounded buoyant. “Brett’s right, it’s all been a trick. We need to get back on the ship and go home now. That professor Bunting is going to get a piece of my mind. The day out he promised us has turned into shit and it’s just as much your fault, Brett.”

  “You’re not well, Rob,” Cassie said gently.

  Robbie shrugged her hand away. “We’ll have a lovely day out on the professor’s boat,” he mimicked Brett, “Just go along with his theory that the earth is flat, we don’t want to upset the silly old coot while we’re eating his food and lounging on his boat.” He laughed spitefully. “Well d0ne Brett, ‘cause Mr mad as a hatter Bunting couldn’t even keep his piddling little boat afloat, could he?”

  “It wasn’t his fault there was a storm,” Brett spoke reasonably but he could hear the underlying anger in Robbie’s voice and was worried he was going to kick off. His behaviour had become volatile again, whatever drugs had gotten into his friend’s system were obviously still there working their black magic. The sooner they got off this Island the better. He felt his foot slip onto soft sand.

  “We’ve made it,” He said.

  Chapter 16

  “Oh, God,” Jade breathed. “The Princess May is still there.” She knew she shouldn’t have been surprised. According to the waiter the ship wasn’t due to sink for another thirty minutes but she still felt a shock of fear seeing it there.

  She stared in dismay at it. It was listing slightly to one side and she could see people standing on the deck holding onto the rail looking down at them. There was a part of her that wanted to shout to them, tell them to get off, take their chances on Sandy Island but she knew she couldn’t. Everyone knew about the butterfly effect and she couldn’t begin to imagine the untold harm she might do if she encouraged even one person to change their fate.

  Gary Wurner had been terrified they’d mess up his plan and in a weird sort of way she understood his panic, why he believed he needed to kill them, even in Hell, she supposed, there were universal laws regarding destiny.

  “We can’t go aboard,” Brett said. “You heard what that mad waiter said. He’ll be waiting for us.”

  “I don’t ever want to step foot on that ship again,” Cassie told him. “Hope told us to wait here, but for what?” She scanned the ocean, “There’s no-one coming to save us, I don’t understand.” A tear fell from her eye and she brushed it away fiercely. “Maybe we could get a signal from here.” She said hopefully.

  She dug into her pocket and pulled out her phone, holding it up. “Nothing,” she moaned, tapping on the numbers randomly. The phone bleeped suddenly and she gave a small squeal. “It’s working!” She put the phone to her ear, “Hello? Please can anyone hear me?”

  The other three watched in amazement as Cassie’s face lit up, she was nodding. “Yes, I’m here, who is this?”

  And the phone dropped from her fingers onto the sand.

  Someone laughed behind them. “You didn’t think it would be that easy to leave, did you?”

  Turning, Brett gasped. Gary Wurner stood, his feet apart, grinning at them. “Well, well, so you changed your minds after all and thought you’d slip back onto the ship.” He stared at Robbie. “You lied to me, Sir,” he said, his face creased in a frown. “Tried to make me believe you were on your way back to Queen Bebo’s house to meet up with your friends and all the time you were planning on boarding the ship. Shame on you.”

  Brett said, “That’s not what we’re doing.”

  Gary turned his eyes on him, “I’m surprised at you Sir, you really should have known better.” He shook his head sadly, “everyone thinks they know better than Gary Wurner, oh well, you’ll learn.”

  “Get lost, creep,” Brett snarled.

  “What’s the waiter doing here?” Robbie looked puzzled.

  Gary Wurner’s eyebrows shot up. “Why, the young lady called me, Sir, on her phone.”

  Cassie felt her cheeks grow red. “I did no such thing,” she spluttered.

  “Who else did you think was going to pick up your call, the coastguard?” He gave a short laugh. “I’m afraid not, they’re never around when you need them. Now,” he looked thoughtful, “what am I going to do with you?”

  “Nothing,” Brett growled. “Leave us alone. I told you, we’ve no intention of getting on the damn ship.”

  “Oh, I’m afraid it’s a bit late for that, Sir; that decision has been taken out of your hands. In less than thirty minutes the ship will sink and I’m afraid you’ll be on it.” He tittered. “You’ll have to take your chances where you end up, like I did.” He shook his head, his eyes merry. “I’ve finally worked it out. I’ve been worrying for nothing. It’s okay for you to die on the ship with the rest of the miscreants because none of you deserve to go to heaven, you’re sneaky and mean and you tried to kill me, so I think I’m safe in assuming you’ll be joining me in Hell. I might even get rewarded; four tarnished souls should make Lucifer very happy indeed.”

  Robbie shouted, “Who’s that behind you?”

  Gary Wurner spun round and Brett dived on top of him sending him crashing down onto the sand. Robbie landed next to him and forced the waiter’s arms above his head.

  “Hold him down,” Brett panted. “We need something to tie the bastard up with.”

  “Will this do?” Cassie picked up a length of cord lying in the sand and handed it to him. She caught Jade’s look of surprise and shrugged her shoulders, “don’t ask me,” She said, “It was just there.”

  “It’s mine,” the waiter yelped, “give it back to me.”

  “With pleasure,” Brett grunted and began twisting the cord around Gary Wurner’s wrists.

  The waiter began laughing uncontrollably. “I don’t think so,” he spluttered.

  “Oh, Christ!”

  Jade stared in disbelief. Gary Wurner had disappeared. Brett and Robbie appeared for a few seconds to be grappling with thin air, the cord waving in the air. Robbie’s fists were pummelling the sand. They stood up.

  “He’ll be back,” Brett said. “We can’t hang around here.”

  “How did he do that?” Robbie asked in amazement.

  Brett frowned. “He’s a ghost, Robbie, haven’t you worked that out yet?”

  Robbie laughed. “Get away with you. You’re winding me up, this is the flat earth theory all over again, isn’t it?” He peered down, “Do you think he’s sunk under the sand?”

  Cassie screamed. The people on the deck of the Princess May were shouting and pointing and Brett stared across the beach hardly able to believe what was heading towards them.

  It was huge, at least twenty foot tall and almost as wi
de. Shaped like a man, it appeared to be made of sand but it was striding along, its huge feet stamping the sand up.

  “You’ve got to be kidding,” Robbie’s grin stretched wide across his face and he began to laugh.

  “The giant Spickler!” Jade could barely get the words out, her heart was pounding so hard.

  Robbie’s laughter held a note of hysteria.

  “Run!” Brett yelled, heading back into the forest.

  The monster was so close now they could feel the vibrations under their feet, the sand parting as if it was making way for it.

  Brett grabbed Cassie’s hand and pushed her forward, Robbie and Jade were right behind them. They ran into the forest and finally stopped to get their breath back.

  “It’s okay,” Brett wheezed, holding onto the trunk of a tree. “I don’t think that thing can get off the sand.” He was holding his head down, “Is everyone okay?”

  “Oh, God, Brett,” Cassie’s voice held a note of terror. “Jade’s missing.”

  The sand was too soft and Jade, panicking, tripped over, her face hitting the soft ground, her breath whooshing out of her throat.

  Robbie, who for some reason seemed to think this was a joke, had run on ahead keeping up with Brett and Cassie

  She could see the images of her three friends in front of her but they were wavering through a gritty veil of bright yellow sand. She tried to blink but the grains had got into her eyes and she felt them watering.

  Beneath her the ground trembled as the giant Spickler advanced, and try as hard as she could Jade couldn’t get enough leverage to stand up. She was going to be crushed to death and she closed her eyes and put her arms up to cover her head in an attempt to protect herself. She tried not to imagine the sand packing like a hard ball of cement in her mouth blocking her windpipe and her nostrils clogging up so she couldn’t breathe.

  She could feel herself being dragged along. Please, she thought, let it be Brett or Robbie rescuing me. Her body bounced across the soft ground, bruising over the hard ridges and Jade pressed her lips together to stop her mouth filling up with sand.