by W Kangas
“It’s simple logic, Bella. You are small and can fly away while the lizards can hop away at great speeds. Now, let’s look at the other part of the logic. What do all the creatures down here think of first and foremost? I will answer my own question. They think of eating. So, now tell me who is the biggest meal ticket here? Yes, it’s me, the slowest runner.”
“I guess you have a point, Alisia, but running and hiding is not really a plan.”
“Well, why don’t you guys have it run after you, but you will run right where I’m hiding and can push a bunch of rocks on its three ugly heads.”
“That might work, Alisia; see you have good ideas.”
“If we only had a bunch of those half-baked cartoons to back us in our fight.”
The lizards were trying to sympathize with Alisia by rubbing their bodies on her legs, like dogs do when they’re happy to see people, actually making a purring sound.
“We’ll help you; don’t worry,” they kept saying.
“Let’s keep following this little trickle,” said Alisia. “It might lead us to the magic water. But don’t talk out loud or the thing could be on us in seconds. Use hand signs whenever you can, and, as a last resort, whispers in an ear.”
They were still in a very dark part of the cave, and Bella had to tell Alisia which way to go by whispering to her, but their luck soon ran out for easy travel. The trickle of a little stream entered a new cave, and the explorers followed it into a room where the floor was covered by water.
“Can you swim?” asked Alisia in Leaping’s ear, an ear that was a hole in its head.
“We are natural swimmers,” he whispered back.
“We ought to be all right to try to find dry land at the end of this lake or whatever. No splashing now; just go easy.”
They were soon swimming though a cave dark enough to be a grave. Bella kept Alisia going straight as she could see a small island in the distance. Then suddenly there was a striking sound, like two rocks hitting together very hard, with the sound echoing through the cave several times.
The small group continued cautiously and quietly, not making as much noise as a mouse. The cold water brought a chill to Alisia’s body, and she struggled with the slow movement. Another crack went through the cave, putting even the little fairy on edge.
Then there was a gobbling sound of something being eaten. The swim was getting more difficult, as the cold water was making them numb, and the eating sounds made them worry about something in the water having them for dinner.
The island was not far away, and that was an encouraging, small reward. Then the crack came again, and Bella was able to pinpoint from where it was coming. She turned her head and studied the shoreline to her left. She soon focused on a spot with movement in the shadowy light, and the little fairy could make out the monster. It was an awful sight, and she reeled with fright.
“It’s there,” whispered Bella, pointing.
“Can you make me see through your eyes?” whispered Alisia.
“I will try,” said the little fairy, putting her hands on Alisia’s temple. Soon Alisia could see the shadowy light from the fairy’s eyes. She concentrated on the shoreline and then saw movement. She could see the three-headed snake breaking open shellfish on the shore and gobbling the meat on the insides of the shells.
She studied the snake and saw it used the two side heads like hands picking up a rock with one and smashing a clam shell held by the other side head. The middle head was surely the thinker, as its head was a good bit bigger than the two side heads and seemed to direct the work. Then she saw it move with a slight bobbing, up-and-down motion and focused on the lower body. It had a pair of legs on each side of the tail. It was a gruesome creature that ran chill bumps all down her spine.
Then she saw it move close to the ground and slither smoothly like a snake. Suddenly some dust went up Alisia’s nose and she sneezed, with the echo bouncing all through the cave. The monster turned its heads toward the island and looked as if staring right at Alisia. She held herself completely still as the monster studied the island to see if there was any movement.
“Bella, can you throw your voice?” Alisia whispered.
“No, but I could move myself to another location in the blink of an eye and give a call and come back.”
“Do it; it might save us.”
“What should I say?”
“Make a cat sound or some other animal sound, and let’s hope it likes to eat them.”
Bella sped off and was invisible in the shadowy world of the cave. She thought about the animal sounds she could make and chose a pig sound, as many animals love the taste of pork.
In the meantime, the Trident slipped into the water and just before it went under Bella gave out her oink sound.
Bella bounced the oink off the shore not far from the monster, and it turned with speed and dexterity in the water to follow the sound.
“Find the pig; we’s hungry for pig chops,” said the middle head. “It will make a tasty meal for us, my darlings.”
Alisia heard the oink and was relieved when the monster turned to study the sound. She and the lizards began to swim away from the island in a stealthy fashion, keeping just enough of their heads above water to breathe.
They were a good distance from the island when they heard a second oink, with Bella making sure the monster went the other way. It soon pulled itself out of the water and ran on its two back legs much like a dinosaur. It evidently loved pork, as it loped out of the room altogether.
“We’s smelling pork right in front of us, can’t we’s?” said the green middle head.
The blue green side head said, “We’s smells it, and we’s hungry for pork.”
The reddish green head said, “We’s so hungry for pork; we’s wants to hurry.”
The monster took to loping through room after room of the cave trying to scare the pig out of hiding, but alas, there didn’t seem to be a pig anywhere, and the Trident was angry with disappointment.
“We’s going to eats whatever we’s finds next,” said the smarter middle head to the others.
As the monster made it most of the way out of the cave, it saw two huge spiders dart into the next vault trying to get clear of the Trident.
The Trident followed the spiders right into their vault with the spiders being stunned by the arrogance of the beast. It stood high on its hind legs, measuring the number of spiders in its heat sensors and the dim light. The monster was so close to the ceiling as it sniffed the two humans tied with spider thread. “We’s likes to have this meal hanging here,” said the green middle head. “We’s trade you your lives for these fat, high-walking, pig animals.”
The chief spider was scared for his troop of spiders and was ready to trade, when he thought of the alien dance the strange human had taught him. He was about to call for the dance when the Trident said, “Run for your lives, if there is no trade, and we will only eat five of you apiece.”
This was surely an alien, and it would be good for the future if the dance worked, so the chief surely wanted to try it. After the human left, they had practiced the dance over and over many times, trying to get it right. The chief found it more effective when they used spider squeaks that were mostly on the very high side of everyday sounds that could be heard.
They were soon in their circles, shaking their front right hands in unison. They spun around and clapped their hands, which could just be heard. Then they quickly moved one quarter turn right, as the Trident was zeroing in on three likely victims.
They then shook their left hind legs and spun around, clapping their hands once more. The move to the left baffled the monster again, but then the spiders darted two steps forward, a move the chief put into the dance as a show of strength that would make an alien think twice about attacking a full troop of spiders.
He next had the spiders putting their butts in and shaking them all about. And then to confuse the monster, once more the troop went one quarter turn left, leaving the chief abo
ut to call three steps forward and bite, but the monster guessed it was in trouble just in time and jumped out of the circle and back into the inner vaults.
The spider chief was so thankful for the alien dance, he kept calling commands as they danced for hours afterwards.
Alisia and her party swam, with Bella riding on the top of Alisia’s head, and soon they were about to touch shore and leave this room behind. They were happy for it, but they didn’t know this next room was the monster’s new lair. It had to make sure the magical stream would not be started again. It had its warmth next to its neck in the glowing stones in pouches.
The brave explorers went into the magic vault, noticing the stream was dark and not at all wondrous. “I see something that could help us,” said Bella. “There is a cave up high with a treacherous climb that could stop the monster and a small opening too small for the nasty thing. We might talk there and come up with a plan.”
Alisia said, “Take us there, Bella, and maybe we can rest our weary muscles.”
Alisia walked on the banks of the stream, as she wished she could end the terrible plight of the town above. She didn’t yet know the whole earth was in a turmoil. She was not at all confident, knowing the monster was far too powerful.
They had moved several hundred yards, when Alisia was about to make a step and a voice called to her, “Please, watch where you walk.”
She pulled back her foot and said, “Who are you?”
“I am the Mad Hatter, and I have caused this terrible happening by being selfish and vengeful. I wanted to punish the people above in the town for not greeting me and offering me a prime villa. I feel it is far too late to save Happilyeverafter, now that the monster is free to do as it pleases. I have very little strength left and must choose my words now to help you in any way, if it is at all possible. But first I need to know who are you and what are you doing down here?”
“I am a granddaughter of Alice. Peter Pan fetched me to try to fix the magical stream. No one above has any energy, and the fairy that helps me is quickly running out of energy herself. I feel I have very little time to try to make things right.”
“You are a granddaughter of Alice?”
“I am; but I’m not sure I have courage like her.”
“You are here, aren’t you? So, you must have the courage. I will help you in any way I can. I’m a terrible person for having shut down the stream.”
The Mad Hatter paused, then continued. “The monster looks like three humans standing together, and when they move they seem to glide along. Inside their costume is a terrible, three-headed snake that wants us for food and nothing else. I will tell you, the stream is alive or it was, but I hope you can revive it.
“First, you need to unblock the dam we built, and then get the crystals the creature wears around its necks in pouches. When you get the crystals, place them back in the magical stream where each belong. If you could do this, the stream might come back to life. You will know when this happens by the glow inside this cave.
“My mind wants to help, but there’s not much ambition in my body. If something comes about where I can help, I will try to call you. Don’t worry; I will be right here on the bank, as the monster said I wasn’t worth eating. Good luck to you, young lady; I will be watching and hoping for your success.”
“If I can start the magical stream, do you think you will recover?”
“If it starts to glow again, I might recover. Who knows?”
“I will try to save you all, but I’ll probably end up as food,” said the young girl.
Alisia went back to following Bella’s voice as she gave directions on which way to go. “Soon we will be climbing the treacherous path,” said the little fairy, happy to be helping. “I’m sure it will stop the monster, and we can rest, but I wouldn’t rest for long because the magical stream might be getting close to death.”
“We have so little time and no way to fight the monster. It feels somewhat hopeless, but we must go on in case, by some miracle, we can defeat the Trident,” said Alisia.
The little party started up the treacherous path, doing everything to keep from going over the side. There were loose stones everywhere on the ledge that could make them slip, but the path itself was nothing but an outcrop of hard, jagged rocks.
“I think it’s going to be harder to get down than climbing up,” said Alisia, feeling with her foot for firm ground.
They were all delighted when they made it to the cave, for rest was on the menu and would help them, even though they had nothing to eat. The lizards went first and made it inside with ease.
“It’s nice inside here for a stone cave,” they called back.
Of course, Bella could fly right inside but Alisia had to turn her body just so to get enough room and to avoid the sharp rocks at the entrance.
They settled together in a space with a flat floor and soon there was deep breathing. In the meantime, the Trident made it back to its new lair and seemed to notice something new in the air as each tongue from each head sampled the air.
“We’s smelling something tasty,” said the middle head. “What do you’s think it might be?”
The reddish green head said, “It must be one of those high-walking pigs or me’s thinking some lizard meat.”
“Either one would be nice for dinner and make up for losing the low-walking pig. We’s not happy with the spiders and must clean them gone soon. They’s not good for our kingdom. They’s must die and feed. Let’s us’s follow the scent now and take the prize.”
The Trident’s tongues were working as it seemed to follow a path along the shore of the stream. “We’s had the high-walking pig before, you’s remember?”
“I me do, and it was so tasty. We’s should have taken them from the spiders before they started their war dance.”
“We’s will make them pay for that dance.”
“The scent goes away from the stream here. It went up right here. Can we’s follow?”
“We’s can’t climb this now as before we’s tried.”
“We’s will wait for the high-walking pig in secret, then feed. How will we’s eat it this time?”
“Raw and fresh as we’s can,” said the reddish green head.
“Tasty,” said the blue green head.
“Still quivering,” said the middle head.
The Trident went to a place behind the sheer walkway to wait for something to stir, but Alisia was exhausted and settled in for eight hours of sleep. The lizards and Bella stayed put to let the human rest.
“We’s must be mistaken,” said the middle head when it got tired of waiting for the interlopers to come down the walk.
“We’s need some shellfish,” said the middle head. “We’s must go.”
Back at Happilyeverafter, snow lay on the ground at least six inches deep, but all was as well as possible with the profound cold coming down the mountain.
“Girls” said Star, “let’s go get the professor again and see what the world news has to say now. Maybe things will be getting back to normal.”
They went to see him as he now resided in the coffee shop sleeping on chair cushions and snoring restfully by himself with a pot of coffee no longer on the fire. Charming shook the professor and when his eyes opened asked him if there was anything to eat in the café.
“There were some good leftover scones in the oven but probably cold and hard now.”
Fashion went right to the oven and picked one out and almost broke her teeth biting it. She threw it at the professor who covered his face.
“I really didn’t cause this catastrophe. I admit that some of what I did could have helped it along a tiny bit, but I didn’t call for this.”
“We want to look at the world new again, Professor,” said Star.
“Okay, I hope we can get a signal in this snowstorm,” said the professor getting to his feet.
He first turned on the monitor and noticed there still was power in the battery. He then went to finetuning frequencies from a sat
ellite and then input the signal into his computer. The hodgepodge of equipment soon had a picture on the monitor.
“The greatest minds on the planet are completely baffled by this onslaught of cold weather,” said the newscaster. “Production of vital supplies has many in the governments of the world worried. Grocery stores in the US have almost clean shelves. Here is a man that we interviewed.”
The camera showed a haggard man.
“Sir, you seemed to have found something left on the shelves. What is it in those cans?”
“It says tripe. I’ve never had any, but I’m getting ready to cook some. I also have these bags of dried beans, and it was music to my ears when the clerk asked if I wanted them.”
The man smiled as he held up the beans. Then he went on.
“The stores found out early they didn’t need credit card purchases to make it through these bad times. The banks are open, so we can still get cash. But if people don’t have cash, they are going to be out of luck. What I mean by that is that most stores are now having warehouse sales, where customers go in the back room and pick out what they want, but the price is going to be three times what they used to pay. A lot of people like the method because they can still get what they want.”
“Well then, why didn’t you get something tastier?” asked the interviewer.
“Well, I’m a little short of money right now, and who knows, maybe I’ll like tripe.”
“How are you going to cook those lungs?” asked the interviewer
“No, I said tripe, not lungs. My power went out last night, and I am sure glad we have a woodstove. I don’t have many kitchen chairs left but I’m keeping warm and making soup. I have several neighbors who aren’t as fortunate and some have taken to living in my kitchen next to the stove. I guess I’m going to cook them a big pot of tripe stew. I luckily have some carrots and potatoes left from my garden, along with these dried beans.”
“What will you do when the warehouses run out of food or your bank account hits zero?” asked the interviewer.
“If this cold lasts very long, we’ll be cooking up our old leather shoes, I guess.”