Chapter 10
The Danger Zone
(Part 2)
It didn’t take us long to get the door open. It wasn’t locked, it was just stiff.
The door squeaked and squealed as it slid side ways like a Japanese door.
More smoke from inside the train steamed out as we strained to open the door.
“Ugh! Ugh! Man!” Emma coughed as the smoke drifted out. “I’m beginning to think Benny Bear was right about the roast turkey thing.”
“Are you sure it’s smoke?” Sarmoo pondered. “It doesn’t smell like it and there’s no source.”
“What else could it be?” I stated.
“Well, something else. Something with no odour. Something…we’ve got to find out where this is coming from. Then we’ll find out.” Sarmoo explained.
“Right. Mr Maxi!” I called out down the platform.
“We has found nothing yet. Whatever is making the smokey-smoke is stopping Devashree and Dasharath from finding it out.”
“That means it must be intelligent.” Said Emma. “I’m sure a fire wouldn’t block out Dev and Dash’s power. It’s got to be caused by that spirit. It’s here, I know it!”
“All we’ve got to do is find it. Once we find it, we find Nadallia and Anastasia. Don’t forget, the spirit knows how to bring them back.” I remained.
“But one thing that still bothers me.” Emma began. “Is how are we gonna convince the spirit to bring them back? It obviously want’s us all dead. So why on earth would it wanna bring us back to life?”
“I don’t know.” I sighed. “We’ll just have to hope my premonition was right.”
“And if that spirit wants us dead and it’s definitely here, then why doesn’t it show itself?”
“I wish I knew that too. Just because I had visitation from Anastasia’s spirit, it doesn’t make me a psychic.”
“I know. I know.”
“Hey, Emma!” Sarmoo called from inside the train. “I think you should have a look at this.”
Emma and myself hurried into the dark train and into the thicker smoke.
“What’s up, Sarmoo?”
“There’s no controls, Emma.”
“What?”
I, myself, gazed through the thick black cloud towards where the engine controls should be. But there was just an empty iron board.
“How are we supposed to drive the train?” I worried.
“I’ll check the engine.” Emma marched through the walk way that lead to the engine room.
She gazed around at the boiler, the stock of coal, the barred windows, bare piping all around the room.
“Err, guys. I’m not sure how to work this thing.” Emma called to us.
“What do you mean?” I walked into the engine room myself. “You managed to get the other train to work.”
“But this train is too old. It doesn’t work like the other one.”
“Then maybe there’s someone in the city that knows how this train works.” I suggested.
“I doubt that.” Sarmoo stepped forward. “Everyone in this city is too hi-tech. Emma’s right, this train’s too old. It might not even work.”
All my hopes were beginning to fade away like the light of a Jack-O’-Lantern burning out after Halloween.
I missed my town so much.
I wondered how everyone was coping without me. The Mayor goes into full blown panic if I go missing for a few hours, never mind a few weeks.
When we found this train I thought we’d be home in no time. But now it seems that our only way of getting home is a broken old train that no-one knows how to work or how to fix.
Oh, well, I suppose I’d better tell you what else was going on.
Well, Katie was standing by with Benjamin, as you know, while Benny Bear was having a break from babysitting.
“All I need now is a deckchair, some sunshine, and a nice book to complete the peace.” Benny Bear spoke as he lain on the floor trying to have a nap.
“Oh, Benny Bear, you sound as if you don’t like Benjamin.” Said Katie.
“Oh, I do. I certainly do. But he does get quite a hand full at times.”
“Wike a hand full of sweeties.” Said Benjamin.
“What?” Katie was confused by Benjamin’s words.
“No, Benjamin.” Benny Bear began to explain. “A ‘hand full’ meaning that you don’t always listen to me and you’re a lot to manage sometimes.”
“Oh. So no sweeties, then?” Benjamin looked a little disappointed.
“What do you mean by ‘sweeties’, micro dude?” Katie wondered.
“I mean sweeties.” Benjamin replied.
“Candy, Katie.” Said Benny Bear. “Benjamin is British. In Britain, they call candy sweets or sweeties.”
“Oh.” Katie understood.
“Yep.” Benny Bear confirmed. “And not if you too don’t mind I’m going to have a little snooze.”
“Oh. Well, in that case you shouldn’t be disappointed.”
Katie began rummaging in her handbag.
“You’ve got sweeties?” Asked Benjamin, sounding hopeful.
“That’s right.” Said Katie, taking out a bag full of hard candy.
“Boiled sweeties!” Benjamin cried out with glee.
“That’s right.”
Benjamin held out his hand ready for Katie to put one on his palm.
“Please, miss Lady.”
“‘Katie’, sweet heart.” She corrected him as she placed a red hard candy in Benjamin’s hand.
“Thank you, Katie.” Benjamin spoke politely.
“Oh, you are a such a mild mannered little gent. Aren’t you?”
Benjamin popped the candy into his mouth and that certainly kept him quiet for a while.
Meanwhile, in other places, Devashree and Dasharath were still with Mr Maxi.
They sat cross-legged on the floor with their eyes closed. As if they were meditating. Even Mr Maxi was sat in the same position for the sake of it, thought he knew that he couldn’t meditate.
He just sat there quietly, eyes closed and relaxed.
He began pondering about this spirit and the ‘smokey-smoke’, as he put it. He obviously knew that the two were connected. Maybe the smoke was the spirit? Maybe the train has something to do with it? Or perhaps the President when he…
“Mr Maxi!” Dasharath and Devashree both cried.
Mr Maxi was falling to sleep when they cried his name. He nearly fell over.
“Ah!”
“Oh, Mr Maxi, sorry.” Devashree helped pull him back up on to his feet again.
“Mr Maxi.” Dasharath began. “We have an idea where the mist was coming from.”
“Well, well?”
“It’s coming from the Independence Convention Centre.” Devashree concluded.
“What?” Mr Maxi was shocked.
“That’s right.” The twins both said at the same time.
Mr Maxi then had an idea.
“Mrs Anderson!?” He called up the stairs. “Mrs Anderson? I is thinking my children is having something you is wanting you hear.”
His words were all mixed up but Katie knew what he meant.
“What? What’s up.” Katie raced down the steps as fast as she could to say that she can’t run in her heals.
“My children is thinking that whatever’s causing the smokey-smoke is in the ICC.” Mr Maxi explained as Katie came rushing down the steps.
“What!?” I cried, as I over heard the conversation myself.
I raced over to the four of them.
“Yes. It’s definitely coming from there, it might take us sometime to find out who or what is causing it but it’s definitely coming from that sky scraper.”
“Right, then we’d better get over there! Now!” I leaped to my conclusion.
“Wait!” Devashree cried to me. “Let us find the direct cause of the mist first.”
“Yes.” Dasharath added. “Let us find out where in the ICC first.”
“Well, maybe I’d better phone my secretary and inform her of our discovery.” Katie suggested.
“Good idea.” I agreed.
“Hang on, where be that little toddler?” Mr Maxi pointed out.
“Benjamin? Oh, he’s up on the next level. Benny Bear’s keeping an eye on him.” Said Katie.
“Katie, Benjamin doesn’t listen to Benny Bear!” Devashree panicked.
“Oh, man!” Katie began rushing up the stairs. “Benjamin!”
I decided to go with her. If Benjamin had wondered off she’d probably need some help finding him.
#Clip, Clop# Went Katie’s high heals on the concrete stairs.
“Benjamin?” She called out. “Benjamin…oof!”
“Ah!”
Katie almost tripped up over a soft, yellow, fluffy bear lain on the stairs.
“Ah!” Cried a little voice from somewhere in the subway. Benjamin was obviously somewhere else in the area and obviously felt the pain that Benny Bear did.
“Benny Bear?” Katie came over to him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see ya there.”
“Benny Bear, did you see where Benjamin wondered off too?” I asked.
“His missing?” Benny Bear looked around. “Ah! Benjamin!”
“Come on, he’s got to be around here somewhere.” I stated. “Let’s start looking.”
Katie picked Benny Bear up and followed me as I began to search the area.
Meanwhile, Mr Maxi had gone to check on Emma and Sarmoo‘s progress with the train.
“Any luck, children?” He enquired.
“Well, it looks to me that this train runs on coal.” Sarmoo began to explain his theory. “The coal in the fire heats up the water in these pipes and the pressure of the steam is what ultimately causes the engine to run and the train to move. But the train pipes are cracked, it must be due to the temperature down here. The water frosted over and when it warmed up again in the summer the ice expanded and caused the lead to crack.”
“My giddy aunt.” Said Mr Maxi. “You’re a clever one, isn’t you?”
“Sarmoo’s ability gives him his intelligence and his resourceful knowledge. He can also speak in any language.” Emma explained.
“Keep it up, little fella.” Said Mr Maxi. “I has never had the chance to go to school. So you are very lucky.”
“I’ve never been to school either.” Said Sarmoo.
“What? Why?”
“My family are too poor. We live in Kenya, the poorest country on Earth.”
“Oh, you poor little sardine.”
“It doesn’t matter, thought. Things could change when I go home.”
“Good for you. It’s a shame I’ll never be given the chance to change.” Mr Maxi began to explain. “The President never helps me or my poor friends. He’s a selfish, rotten, grumpy so-and-so. But mind you, he didn’t use to be so grumpy.”
“How is that, sir?”
“Well, he disappeared on the twenty third. And he was found again the day after down here by me and my friends.”
“The President was found down here!?” Emma over heard and was shocked at such a thing.
“Oh yes. And before he went missing, he didn’t use to grump so much. In fact, he used to fund the schools. And he was in the middle of repairing the subway. And even though he’s always be hating children, he never once said anything nasty to them or even shouted. He’s always being having an attitude, but nothing like this.” Mr Maxi explained.
“And you say that all this happened after he disappeared?” Emma enquired.
“Oh yes. And come to think of it, the smokey-smoke appeared not long after that. That very night, even.”
Emma began to think of a theory to all our problems…
Meanwhile…(Where I was)…
“Benjamin!” I called out.
“Oh, I do wish he’d listen to me.” Said Benny Bear.
“I must say, Jack, you’re quite a leader. I’ll bet your city loves you.” Katie complimented me.
“Well, it’s not a city. I’m an the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town.”
“A town? I’d like to see. I myself have never been outside of this city. But you’ve lead your friends everywhere.”
“Well, I’m only the leader of Halloween. Emma’s the leader of the children.” I began to explain. “Oh, but she’s been a little upset recently. She’s a little hard on herself. And it’s not just the lost of Nadallia and Anastasia, but she told me the story of her past last night.”
“Oh, I thought she seeded a little down. Can I know what happened?”
“Well, don’t tell her I told you this, but she used to live in a city just like this. And there was a war. And the city was reduced to ruins.”
“Oh.” Katie sighed with sorrow.
“And she had a troubled child hood. Her mother passed away when she was six and her father neglected her.”
“Oh. I must say, I myself had a hard time when I first came to this city.” Katie began to tell the story of her past. “Oddly enough, I can’t remember my childhood. But I remember finding it hard to get a job and being turned down so many times, but I finally managed to enter politics. I was welcomed ‘cause of my personality. So, I know that Emma will be fine. I was.”
“You say that you can’t remember your childhood?”
“No, I woke up in my apartment and…well, I guess I can’t remember much of that either. Oh, but I do remember one thing.”
Katie opened her bag and began rummaging for something.
“Let’s see…Oh, here it is.” Katie took out an silver item from the bag. “I always keep this on me. It’s my lucky charm. I woke up with it in my hand when I first came here.”
Katie passed me the silver chain with silver lettering on it.
The lettering was I, L, and Y. ‘Ily’
“Peculiar.” I studied the silver ornament.
“I assume there was more to the word.” Said Katie. “If you look closely at the ‘I’ it’s been snapped off from a larger word.”
As I studied the silver lettering, it began to remind me of something.
“I guess it was a name. Like Lily or some thing.” Katie began suggesting names. “Lily, Tily, Bily…”
“‘Emily’?” I suggested.
“Yeah, something like that.”
I began to take all this in…
…And I suddenly began to suspect something.
“Katie, what did you say your maiden name was?…”
“JACK!” Called a voice from down stairs.
“Emma?”
“JACK! KATIE! You’ve got to get down here.”
We both raced down to Emma and the others.
“What is it?” I cried as I reached the bottom of the stairs.
“We know where the mist is coming from.” Emma cried. “I’d say ‘You’re not going to believe it’. But you probably will…”
