|
a new classic by Edward Summer |
hat're
we going to do?" Teddy whispered to Dunkey. "We can't tell Tony's
mother that we're down here in the basement."
"I don't know," Dunkey answered. He looked over the edge of the crate and wondered whether he would fall on his tail again if he tried to get down.
A rolling, basso croaking sound echoed across the basement.
"Follow my voice," said the frog in deep, watery tones..
Teddy turned his head and got to his feet very carefully. The bear walked around the edge of the crate and discovered another crate right next to it. The second one was slightly lower, so it was like going down stairs.
"C'mon, Dunkey." Teddy crawled over the edge, dropped to the next crate, then dropped over the edge of that and onto the floor. Reluctantly, Dunkey followed. Dunkey was surprised to find that he was able to get down this time without bending or twisting anything.
The frog croaked again. Dunkey and Teddy waddled toward the coal bin, for that was where the sounds seemed to come from. Teddy ambled around the corner of a wooden wall, and there was the frog! It was sitting calmly on a large lump of coal near the top of the pile.
"The children…?" asked the frog.
"They went to the airport," Teddy said as he struggled up the coal. The black lumps shifted out from under him as soon as he got his footing.
"You must get the amulet back!" the frog commanded.
"Back here? How?" Teddy was finally at the top of the coal pile, but Dunkey was still having problems getting up it.
"Go after them," said the frog.
"I think it is a long way to the airport." Teddy sat down. Dunkey trotted over, collapsed his hind legs and sat down next to Teddy.
"There's no other way." The frog blinked his eyes.
"Why didn't you say something when the kids were here?" Teddy looked puzzled.
"I have hidden from men and animals for many centuries. A loud noise is
a signal to run, no matter what creature makes it. The hunting birds are
the worst, because they swoop down with no sound at all. I must always
be alert to the threat of death, for every living thing is food for some
other living thing." ![I must always be alert to the threat of death, for every living thing is food (c)1999 E. Summer, All Rights reserved [41KB]](http://www.users.interport.net/~anadarko/ch16FrogPond.gif)
There was a loud spattering sound, and the frog immediately became silent. Driving rain was hitting a small window high up near the corner of the basement walls. A tiny patch of ominously cloudly sky was visible through the window.
Then came a deep rumbling sound. The coal pile shifted, sending Teddy a few inches down the side. The whole house shook for an instant and the crack in the basement floor began to open even wider.
Yellow light and acrid smoke flickered from the crack as the Sniffler crawled up onto the basement floor. A smaller, rounder face appeared from the smoke behind him. A small, fanged demon emerged and stood next to the Sniffler. The black, scaly creature barely reached the Sniffler's shoulders. Soon, it was joined by a second demon and a third. The rumble of the earth tremor had hardly died away before a small battalion of demons was arrayed along the floor. Though each was uglier than the next, they all wore something of a uniform, a belt or buckle or strap or sword, that identified them as members of the same army.
Sniffler growled menacingly and the demons formed a rank and cleared the path next to the crack. Into the path stepped Reon. His sharp scales scraped against the crack as he lifted himself onto the basement floor.
Reon peered at the tiny window. He turned to the Sniffler. "When it is completely dark," he said with flames curling from his lips and nostrils, "then we begin."
Teddy felt his stuffing tighten around his heart. Dunkey's front legs shook. The frog blinked rapidly.
"Ihave a plan," the frog rumbled in a low whisper. "Come near." Teddy and Dunkey leaned in as close to the frog's mouth as they could. As he spoke, the frog never took his eyes off Reon.
"Do you understand?" the frog asked when he had finished whispering.
"Pretty risky!" said Dunkey.
"What else can we do?" asked Teddy. Dunkey had no answer.
"Remember," said the frog. "wait until they see me."
"Good luck!" Teddy whispered. The frog blinked his thanks.
The frog leapt gracefully down from the coal pile. Then around a pile of boxes. With a third jump he landed in the middle of the basement floor.
The frog puffed up his throat as fully as he could. Then he released the air in one deep explosive sound. "Reon!"
Reon stopped fondling the Sniffler. He turned slowly, puzzled to find the one who knew his name. As his fiery eyes slowly focused on the frog, the flames grew sharper, hissing like a propane torch. Reon clenched his clawed hands and tried to gaze into the frog's darting eyes.
"You are a man who perseveres," Reon said at last, "Or can I call you a 'man,' brother Teefr?"
The frog croaked defiantly. Sniffler dropped low on his haunches, bared his teeth and growled darkly.
Hidden in the shadows of the coal bin, Dunkey watched the confrontation, transfixed, until Teddy tapped him on the shoulder.
"C'mon," Teddy whispered, pulling Dunkey toward the coal chute that led up to the driveway outside. Dunkey followed him. Teddy placed his cotton forepaws on the slippery metal surface of the chute and began to climb. "This is as bad as walking on ice," Teddy whispered. Dunkey put his forelegs up onto the chute, but was still listening to the conversation out on the floor.
"Have you come to share our triumph and revenge?" Reon said.
"I have come to stop you," said the frog.
"How? With an army of tadpoles?"
"There are many kinds of armies. More, perhaps, than you have dreamt of."
"None that can stop mine." Reon paused, panting flames. The pain in his lungs and throat mounted with the tension he felt. "Every shadow in this land will be black with my troops. With the amulet to restore us, we will be immortal and invincible. Will you join me, Prince Teefr? You may live in a crystal bowl by my throne."
The Sniffler had been creeping closer to the frog, his jaws dripping hungrily, but the frog made no move or reply to Reon's question.
"No?" Reon asked. He looked down at Sniffler. "Enjoy him, my pet. He is old. I only hope he is still tender."
"To stop me, brother Reon," spoke the frog, "you must first catch me!" In one magnificent leap, the frog disappeared into a shadow beneath the basement stairs. Sniffler darted toward the spot where the frog had been, but his reflexes were too dull and too slow.
"Stop him!" Reon hissed. A gaggle of the infantry demons ran toward the stairs making piercing, rat-like shouts.
The unexpected commotion startled Teddy. His rear paw slipped on the coal chute, and he plunged downward, sliding right into Dunkey's surprised face. Dunkey toppled backwards and sent a shower of loose coal rattling down the pile.
Reon's sharp ears caught the sound. He turned toward the coal bin and gestured with his clawed hand. Two stocky demons, Snick and Snack, ran to do his bidding.
"Oh, no!" Dunkey cried when he saw the demons coming in his direction. "Get on, Teddy! Get on!"
"On what?" Teddy said, picking himself up from the coal.
"On me, of course!"
"Are you crazy? What for?"
"San Juan Hill, Teddy! San Juan Hill!"
"Teddy's eyes lit with sudden understanding. He grabbed Dunkey's ears and began to pull himself up onto Dunkey's back.
"Not so hard on the ears!" Dunkey said.
"Sorry. Anyway, I'm on."
"There! Over there!" Snick shouted.
"Hold on!" Dunkey braced himself and took a running start. He was halfway up the coal chute when his feet lost traction. He slid back, stiff-legged, onto the coal pile.
Snack and Snick and several other demons were scrambling up the bottom of the pile, but Dunkey's weight had started a mini-avalanche. The coal cascaded down and buried the demons. Behind them, however, reinforcements were approaching.
"Hurry!" Teddy urged. "You can do it, I know you can!"
Dunkey lowered his head. His ears flopped in front of his eyes. I think I can, Dunkey thought, tossing his head back. He shook his haunches, tensed his legs, and bounded off at the most enthusiastic gallop he had ever mustered.
Far above them, the door of the coal chute was barely ajar. "I can make it," Dunkey said aloud. His foreleg hit the metal chute. Then his second leg. Then the third, but the third slipped, and he lost traction. But the fourth leg came down just in time to steady Dunkey's wrinkled gray body. All at once, the four feet held and Dunkey's momentum and energy carried them up, up gallop after bounding gallop!
Fifteen inches! Two yards! Another few slippery feet! A little farther! Nearly the top! Now! Now! Through the narrow opening of the coal bin door! Out! Out! Out onto the driveway!
"Hooray!" Teddy shouted. He took one hand off Dunkey's mane and nearly fell off. Quickly he grabbed on again. "Hooray!" he shouted, but less enthusiastically this time.
The rain had almost stopped. Now, there were only sprinkles from the dark sky.
Dunkey raced down the driveway, across the sidewalk, and out into the street. "Which way, Teddy? Which way do I go?" Dunkey asked.
Teddy's mind raced through memories of driving from the airport to the house. Fortunately, Fred had held him up to the car window for the whole trip so he had some idea of where to go. Then he had an inspiration. "Downhill! The airport must be downhill! Turn right!"
Dunkey turned right and galloped off down the middle of the street in a zigzag path to avoid puddles.
In the center of the basement floor, Reon was furious. "You!" he screamed to three demon guards, "And Sniffler! Stop them!"
The guards saluted, turned on their spiked heels, and ran into a dark corner. The three returned moments later, each leading a strange creature. Outwardly these creatures resembled horses: They had four legs, a body, and a head like a horse, but there the resemblance stopped. No soft fur covered their flesh, and no flesh covered the pink muscles that wrapped their bare bones. The animals' faces were fanged, grinning skulls with unholy red light blazing in the sockets where eyes should have been. Snake-like tongues hung from their mouths, and their whole bodies twitched, the contractions of every muscle clearly pushed some strange fluid through their transparent veins.
Once again the three guards saluted Reon. Then they leapt upon their demon horses, reared them up and galloped off toward the coal chute, nostrils flaring,
Sniffler gave his master one last, longing look, then turned with a howl and followed the horses.
So sharp were their hooves that the tips bit right into the metal. In a shower of sparks, the demons raced up the chute, through the flapping door and out onto the driveway. Sniffler pushed the door aside, and he followed the other demons to the street.
The sky was dark with thick thunderclouds that shut out the sun. The streets were shiny and wet from the rain, but up here on the low hillsides, the storm had passed completely.
Teddy and Dunkey were well along the road before Sniffler was able to pick up their scent and lead the other demons toward the stuffed animals' trail.
As
Dunkey crested a small knoll, Teddy pointed into the distance. "There!
I can see a plane landing!" From the top of this little hill, a valley
stretched in front of them. A large plane was coasting down to a small
flat spot a few miles below them.
"Which way should I go?" Dunkey asked nervously.
"Cross country, straight ahead. We'll be harder to find. The roads are dangerous, too. Cars and people might see us."
"Going around all those rocks and trees might be dangerous, too."
"I still think it's the best way."
"Whatever you say, you're the navigator - as long as you watch where we're going!" Dunkey bolted off down the hillside, half running, half sliding on the slippery grass. At the bottom, Dunkey ran out onto a wide expanse of stone and gravel that was dotted with tufts of weeds. Beyond him was a large field of wheat-like grass. The grass was tall and golden, thick and swaying in the damp gusts of wind.
Dunkey was about halfway across the gravel when Sniffler and the demon troops reached the top of the hill. An eerie howl that sounded like a cyclone trapped inside a hollow tree echoed from Sniffler's mouth.
"Oh, no!" Teddy turned around. His worst fears were confirmed. "They're catching up! Faster, Dunkey! Faster!"
"Faster! I'm going too fast already. You know, being crushed at the bottom of a toy box doesn't do much for your racing style!"
"Never mind. Hurry up!"
The demons were down the hillside now and starting onto the gravel. They were gaining on their prey every second.
"Oh! If only we can get to that field, they'll never find us!" Teddy moaned. The grass was still a dozen yards ahead.
Sniffler howled again, urging the other demons on.
"We may never find out way out," Dunkey moaned back.
"Do we have any other choice?"
"Nope," Dunkey answered and galloped faster.
Five yards to go. Four. The demons galloped frantically after them. Three yards. Two.
"We're in!" Teddy gasped as the grass closed around them.
"Which way should I go?" Dunkey was befuddled by the long grass stems pressing and tickling his face and eyes. He held his ears out in front of him to keep the stems away.
"Straight ahead," Teddy said. "Straight ahead until we find a clearing!"
"Okay," Dunkey panted, "you've got it." He moved as best he could through the damp, silent grass. Soon the two animals were swallowed up in the field.
At the edge of the gravel, Sniffler stopped to find the scent. The demon horses reared, pawing the ground, waiting feverishly to continue. Sniffler's eyes were weak, but his nose could find any scent. When no rain, Sniffler was thinking, easier to find trail. Where? Where? His nostrils suddenly tingled with the scent of wet cotton. Here! Here! He pushed into the grass. The demon horses followed him, spreading out on either side to make sure that Teddy and Dunkey did not get away.
A damp gust of wind stirred the field. The blades of grass
tossed and sprang back as the breeze fell for a moment. But the wind was
persistent. It changed direction. It wiped out the trail of the two
tiny stuffed animals and of their four pursuers as well. Soon the wind
had smoothed the field so well that a passerby would never have known that
anything out of the ordinary was happening.
(c)1980,1981,1996,1997,2006
Edward Summer, All Rights Reserved, Teefr TM R, All Characters TM, R In
any form whatsoever
Mrs. Seel, Theadore Rosebear,
Dunkey Hotie, Tony Calder, Ginger Stephens, Fred Stephens, Teefr, Reon
are all (TM) (R)
created 4/12/97
revised 4/21/97, 4/16/98,
4/25/99, 10/21/99, 07-05-06
