“My ears are fine.”
“Listen, Jeep, you’re not hearing me! I’m trying to tell you something new, something important.”
Just then, Lulu hopped over and rubbed her whole self against Jeep’s leg. He lifted her up and took a moment to stroke her fur against his cheek, before she settled into his arms. Once Jeep returned his attention to Grikkl, he caught an odd expression on the wrinkled face.
“I see. You’re able to hear Lulu far better than you can hear me—since hers is the language of affection. No question Lulu says more to you than I can. She speaks directly to your heart.” Then he added with a laugh, “But don’t be surprised to find she speaks to you in other ways as well.”
During Jeep’s stay, Grikkl would spend most of his time working at the table forever piled high with a constantly changing assortment of books and papers. Grikkl ignored everything else going on, so Jeep and Adah were careful not to distract him. Now and then, Grikkl grunted in annoyance or satisfaction as he combed through them. But other than that he hardly made a sound.
Old books and rolled-up parchments were piled in every unused area of the floor. It was tricky to get around without tripping over them. They were written in a language Jeep didn’t recognize. And the notes Grikkl scribbled used those same cryptic characters.
~~~
As his energy returned, Jeep explored the gnomes’ home. The hollowed-rock cavern was compact, yet didn’t feel crowded—even though it lacked windows or a view. Another smaller room where Grikkl and Adah slept was filled to the ceiling with stacked barrels and crates. Both rooms were made cheerful with colorful cushions and blankets that Adah had knitted herself.
Jeep drew a simple map because making maps was second nature to him.
Since she first sang the mermaid’s song for him, Jeep felt emotionally drawn to be with Adah. For her part, she was quick to hug him close in her wide, welcoming arms. But she was so short the hugs were on the low side—unless he was sitting. He never resisted her spur-of-the-moment warmth. I missed hugs for too long. At last I’m wanted again.
Sometimes Adah told him amazing tales of long ago, full of dash and excitement. Jeep couldn’t tell whether she was talking about her own experiences or repeating ancient yarns. Although he assumed her stories about fairies, elves, and unicorns had to be made up, Adah spoke of them as if they were personal friends.
Adah spoke in more detail about what Grikkl said in the Chamber. She ended with, “I want to be sure you’ll be ready.”
That word again. I don’t know what I’m getting ready for. “Ready—for what?”
“You’ll see.”
“That’s not a good enough answer,” he complained. “How in the world am I supposed to get ready when you and Grikkl only talk in riddles?”
“But a riddle’s only perplexing until you figure it out. And you will—I’m sure of it.” She ended with one of her confiding winks that cut off further discussion.
~~~
In the midst of other conversations, Adah dropped in tidbits of binkle advice:
- When you’re not quite sure what to do, just stop and ask yourself, “Do I want a binkle or something else?” Unless you really want a binkle you’ll probably just get whatever.
- Binkles get passed along in all sorts of ways, by a smile or a firm handshake—and especially a hug.
- Children are the very best of all at finding binkles—everywhere they look.
- Don’t feel bad if you forget about them sometimes. Maybe the next time you’ll want the binkle more—enough to stay alert for them.
- Look for the energy zizz any time during the day, especially while other things are going on. It’s mighty easy to tune them out.
- A binkle is a heart giggle. It wipes out the glums.
Jeep listened to her advice but didn’t find it helpful. It’s so perplexing. She acts like what she tells me makes this binkle stuff all clear—when it doesn’t. It’s just more riddles on top of riddles.
Another time, Adah told him, “If you want to find your own powers you must listen from another place—inside. You must learn to trust the still small voice.”
“Who’s voice?”
“Why, the voice of your own wisdom. Everyone has a voice of wisdom—but it takes a special kind of listening.”
Jeep made a disbelieving face. She didn’t argue except to say, “If you’re able to hear my wisdom, you can hear your own as well. They might even sound alike once in a while.”
He started to say he didn’t know how. but Adah put her finger on his lips and smiled. “Jeep, I know you can find your own wisdom.... And you’ll find that you like to, too.”
So he held his tongue, not believing he could do what she wanted.
~~~
Jeep’s favorite song that Adah sang was “The Song of Birds.” He couldn’t get her to sing it often enough to suit him since it took him to a wonderful place.
I can’t believe I’m not a bird flying through the air—gliding and swooping and landing. It feels so real! Soaring high above leafy green trees and gardens, or snuggled into my tight-woven nest that’s perched way out on a narrow branch. I even feel the warmth of the sun on my outstretched wings.
While Adah sang that song, scraps of birdsong filled Jeep’s head—joyous chirps, clucks, warbles and thrums. The sensations of a bird’s life were so lifelike to him that Jeep was sure he could think like a bird.
While still in that “birdhead,” Jeep wandered over to Ramses.
“Schz,” Ramses screeched at him.
Jeep tried to repeat the sound, “Schlarg.”
“Schz.”
“Scrag,” said Jeep.
“Schz,” Ramses screeched at him. “Schz, schz.”
“Schhhz” was closer.
“Schz!” Ramses impatiently spit it out again. “Schz...”
Jeep jumped. He shook his head and rubbed his ear. That’s strange!
“Schz,” repeated the bird.
“I heard you! I know what you said!” (“Hello, good looking” in bird talk.) Ramses nodded his whole body in approval—like the forward-and-back motion of a rocking horse.
Jeep felt a thrill of excitement from head to toe. Ohmygosh, it is magic! I can do magic too! I knew it! I knew it! It’s not just something to read about—or that Grikkl and Adah do. It happened to me! I always wanted it to be true—now I know I was right!
~~~
When Jeep realized he was soon to go home, he asked Adah, “Can’t I stay here? I hate to leave you and all your magic. I sure wish my home could be like this.”
“But Jeep, don’t you know that there’s as much magic in your world as there is here? It’s there, honest.”
“You’ve gotta be crazy—I know better.”
“Grikkl and I are sending you back home so you can learn to recognize the magic that exists in your everyday life. Then you can plug into it any time.”
“It’s not there, Adah. I’d have noticed.”
“The trick comes from knowing how to spot it—how to feel its presence, actually. Since the energy of magic is there. If you want to find magic in the making, you’ve got to spot its signs while it’s happening. Once you can sense its presence, you need to keep noticing that feeling so it keeps right on happening.”
Grikkl had been listening and jumped in. “Harrumph, Adah’s right, you know. There’s magic that’s all grand and glorious—but mostly that’s tricks just put on for show. Don’t pay too much attention to that stuff. Real power is tiny—really tiny, so small you can barely feel its itsy-bitsy oomph. But it’s worth your noticing because that kind is real.
Sure, there’s magical energy down here, but there’s plenty of it to be found in your world as well. I don’t expect you to see very much of it yet. It’s there, though. And sooner or later you’ll discover it where you least expect to find it.”
Adah pressed a cluster of yellow flowers picked from her fresh-as-a-garden dress into Jeep’s hand. “These blossoms will remind you that magi
c is real—if you choose to see it.”
She also placed a generous package of faduki cookies in his hands. “You need to eat several of these every day until we see you again. They’ll make you stronger—so you will be able to get back here.”
She hugged him goodbye for an extra-long time, and he wasn’t about to break the contact. Adah whispered in a confiding way, “You do know that what’s special between you and me is binkles, don’t you? If you ever forget that feeling just think about me or Lulu. You’ll get a tiny zizz of it again.”
“I suppose so—but I’d rather be here with you.”
“True, I’d like that, too. But now it’s time for you to discover how to get that feeling with many other people. Anytime, anywhere you find yourself. I know you can, Jeep.”
“I’m not good around people.”
“ Doesn’t matter. You can do it—and more besides.” She raised her hand to block his objections. “I sense your worry. You’ve hit a rough patch because your mother’s ill. But you have enough power to handle whatever difficulties come along. More than enough. You’ll see that binkles can help you deal with problems back home.”
Jeep pulled away and could only wince inside. She doesn’t understand. I just can’t... But words did not come to explain his sorrow. “If you say so.” Jeep shrugged and made a face. I’d like it to be true—but... I just feel so helpless.
~~~
Lulu stuck to jeep like Velcro. She wanted nothing beyond nestling in his lap as he stroked her ears. One day, he thought he almost heard a wee, tinny voice. “Pay attention, Jeep.”
“Huh? Who’s that?” He swung his head around really fast, but he didn’t see anyone.
“I said, pay attention,” the voice repeated with more force. Once more, Jeep looked around. Nobody was there—again.
“Cut it out! It’s me—Lulu,” said the same squeaky voice.
Jeep was so startled he leaped up so fast he dropped her. “Lulu...? You can talk?” It’s got to be my imagination. I don’t know how to understand her. He stared at her lips to see if they moved.
“Sure, silly. Of course, you’re hearing me.”
“This is a trick, and not a very good one.”
“No tricks.”
“It’s the magic of this place, right? It makes you seem to be talking.”
“No, it’s you!”
“How could it be me? I never heard you before.”
“That’s true. The faduki does it. Eating it started to change your ears. Gnomes naturally understand what animals say, but the faduki lets you understand us, too.”
“You’re telling me I can hear other animals besides you?”
“Most of them—if you try. You’ll get better once you practice.”
“Great! Not just you?”
Cerberus stretched and yawned before he drawled, “It’s no big deal, you know. Us animals can always talk to each other. I’d say you’ve been kind of slow to catch on.”
Jeep could understand the dog’s words as well. Can’t decide whether or not I’ve been insulted. But heck, I really don’t care. He was speechless in either language—just holding Lulu all the closer.
~~~
“Grikkl, I don’t want to go back. I like it here with you and Adah. Chris is gonna be really mad. Except for MeToo, nobody cares whether I’m home.”
Grikkl made a ridiculous silly face at the frowning boy that brought forth a giggle. But Grikkl wouldn’t budge. “There’s no other choice. It’s time to test your wings.”
“I don’t want to go,” insisted Jeep.
“While almost everyone can and does binkle sometimes, they don’t know they can. And they don’t do it on purpose. You do—that by itself counts as a big deal.” Grikkl wagged his finger at Jeep and grinned as he added, “Besides, you’re able to do even more.”
“Yeah? Like what?”
“That’s what you’ll discover. You have to find binkles all by yourself out there in your world. We’ve talked about this, remember? The zizz.”
“I get it. But that doesn’t mean that I agree.”
“Even though you can return here, ‘here’ is hard to describe. It won’t show on any map. This place is protected to keep it hidden from negative energy. Back home you must find ways to supply your binkle energy. Unless you can maintain enough, you will not be able to get back to us. Is that clear?”
Grikkl’s stern manner sent an icy chill through Jeep’s body. “I have to come back—I have to! Tell me what to do.”
“You must wait at least ten days. Even longer if you’re short of binkle power. Is that clear?”
Jeep nodded. Ten days, but no more. I’ll find a way.
“Here’s your ticket.” Grikkl helped Jeep attach his rabbit medallion to a leather cord and fastened it around the boy’s neck.
“I placed another strong return spell on it. When you’re ready to come back, hold this gold piece against your chest with both hands and think intensely about Lulu That activates the love-bond spell. You two are linked together with heart energy, so you’ll be carried back here through forces I can’t explain to you yet.
“One last thing you need to know. The intense binkle energy around here creates a curious distortion. Time and space don’t act the same way you’re used to. When you get home, you’ll find almost no time has passed since you arrived. I doubt anyone will even notice you were gone.”
“That would be great—if it works,” said an unconvinced Jeep.
Grikkl grinned mysteriously and winked. “I’m sending you back to your own bed on the very same night you arrived. All will be well. As you step back into the life you already know, remember—you’re not the same as you were before. Many things you’re used to will feel strange now.”
The last words were Grikkl’s, but Jeep’s last thoughts were about Lulu. She rubbed against him as she beamed loving devotion...
~~~
And that’s apparently what Jeep dreamed about. For the next thing he remembered, he woke up with a contented smile—and in his own bed.
His fingers reached up to stroke the worn metal of the medallion hanging from his neck. Oh yes, it happened! And he knew he hadn’t just dreamed the whole thing.
MeToo jumped all over him as he stirred. His energetic affection made Jeep glad to be back. “Oh, MeToo—I sure missed you. How’d you find your way home?” In reply, the dog just wagged his tail from his neck on back and slobbered all over Jeep’s hands.
Jeep turned on the TV news and discovered he hadn’t lost any days after all. (Grikkl was right!) He dressed for school, just like any other day. Chris didn’t notice anything was out of the ordinary.
As Jeep ate his cereal, the already-patched leg of his kitchen chair broke off. He barely saved himself from falling to the floor. “Well, things are just the same around here,” he mumbled with annoyance. Then he packed a lunch, gathered up his books and headed off to school.
Chapter 7—
ASK NOT FOR WHOM THE BULLY WAITS
Jeep hurried to catch up with Louise and Anna, classmates who lived down the block. The sisters looked enough alike to be twins—blue eyes, brown pigtails, and pale skin splashed with freckles. Their thoughts were so in tune that either could finish her sister’s sentences. A year older, Louise looked after Anna, who got upset easily.
The sisters were the only people Jeep knew who loved reading even more than he did. So their conversation was sprinkled with talk about books they liked.
“Hey, Jeep, where you been?” Anna called.
How could she know? Caught by surprise, Jeep told a boldface lie. “What do you mean? I didn’t gone anywhere.” This better not make my nose grow.
“Oh yes, you did! Didn’t he, Louise?”
Louise looked him in the eye. “So what’s going on? Why’d you try to trick us?”
“Trick you? Why would I do that?” he asked innocently.
“That’s what we want to know. Now ’fess up.”
“Are you guys saying you missed me?”
Maybe someone cared I was away after all.
“Sure did!” said both girls with a single voice.
Zizz... I felt that! Just a little one, but I know what it means! “Really? You really missed me?”
“Cut that out, Jeep! Of course, we missed you! What’s this nonsense about?”
“Where were you, and why’d you try to trick us?” Louise added.
“Well, I was away..., but I wasn’t really.” No, that wasn’t it. Jeep started again, “Well, I was gone, but it didn’t take any time.” There’s no way to explain what really happened—at least so it’s believable. Heck, I can hardly believe it myself. And I was there.
Both girls scrunched their faces in puzzlement. “Come again? That doesn’t make any sense,” said Louise.
“Look, I want to tell you, but it’s kind of complicated. Way complicated... Can’t we talk about it after school?”
“After school, then. And you better cut out this game you’re playing,” Anna insisted.
Jeep nodded. “O.K., after school then.”
If they can tell I was gone then maybe the time warp doesn’t work on them. So it probably won’t hurt to tell them a little. I want to tell someone. Zizz...
~~~
Jeep’s school day went along without anything being quite the way it usually was for him. He knew he was different somehow, although he couldn’t exactly put it in words. Not exactly himself, but nobody seemed to notice. The teachers and other students treated him the same as always—which meant they ignored them.
On the inside, Jeep didn’t feel like he was the person everybody saw anymore. He felt like he was wearing a disguise—disguised as himself. And no one saw through it.
Jeep treated every word or gesture toward him as if it conveyed secret meanings. A glance from a classmate (that he wouldn’t have noticed before) would set him wondering. Are they trying to tell me something? Should I let on?
The Binkle and the Catawampus Compass (Binkles and Magic) Page 6