Chapter 5
The Picnic at Virgil’s Special Place.
Saturday, picnic day, came around soon enough. The day dawned fine and clear, with no wind to speak of. The picnic was on!
Louie was up and about early and made sure he had a good breakfast to put him in good stead for the day ahead.
Louie put together all the things he might need for the day, including sun block for bees, Wingdolene to keep his wings nice and clean, underwing deodorant, a back scratcher, people repellent, an old compass that always pointed north, a map of the world and a packet of Beehive Matches. Louie felt satisfied that he had everything. Gosh Louie we are only going for a picnic!
Why Louie was bringing all this stuff nobody knows. It might have been that because Louie lived on his own there was no one to tell him that all this stuff was unnecessary!
The previous day Louie had, with the help of a couple of Virgil’s wasps, brought heaps of chocolate cake and red wine up from the village and dropped it off at Virgil’s hangar.
At 8.15 a.m. Louie checked that all was well with Pearl and that the Ten Ants were on their way to Virgil’s hangar.
‘Well that’s it’, said Louie to himself. He had put all his ‘stuff’ in a bracken sort of basket he had made for himself and strapped it under his body.
Louie meticulously checked that all the windows were shut; that he had his front door key, smell phone, clean hanky and he was off.
Louie felt really excited. He paused on his deck and idled his wings momentarily before applying full power and taking off for the great day that lay ahead.
Louie lifted off and circled his little home that he was so fond of to check all was secure then headed full speed up the stream to Virgil’s hangar.
‘Ah this is the life’, said Louie to himself as he sped along just above the stream surface. He had made up a little song that he sung to himself when he was happy. It went a little like this:
‘How wonderful to be,
A bee like me,
To fly so free,
And see all I see’.
‘Bother!!’ – No, this wasn’t part of Louie’s song, Louie had forgotten something. This something shall remain secret for now but stay tuned and all shall be revealed later!
Louie turned around and sped back home to pick up the ‘something’.
When Louie finally arrived at Virgil’s hangar, the Ten Ants were busy putting the last of all their stuff in Virgil’s fibregrass container. Pearl Baker-Moth had put her handbag in and there was just enough room left for Louie’s bracken basket.
‘Hi Louie’, said Pearl.
‘Hi Pearl’, said Louie. ‘Sorry I am a bit late, I forgot something’.
‘Silly bee’, said Pearl affectionately.
By ten to nine Virgil was loaded up. The boarding call had been made for the Ten Ants. As usual Flatul and Deodor were seated in rows nine and ten.
Virgil called everyone around him to brief them on the flight plan. He informed Pearl and Louie that he would lead the way and they were to follow closely behind. Virgil requested that smell phones be kept open on speaker mode so that constant communication could be maintained at all times.
‘When we fly out of here’, said Virgil. ‘We will head upstream to the south. We will fly just above the stream surface so we are clear of the bush canopy overhead. It is important that we stay together’.
Virgil looked around to make sure everybody was paying attention then went on to say. ‘This is the first stage and it will take us about an hour to reach the foot of the hills where we will rest for awhile before moving on’.
Virgil checked if there were any questions – no there weren’t any.
‘Right’, said Virgil. ‘Follow me’.
The large dragonfly with the Ten Ants and all the gear onboard, wings throbbing at idling speed, moved out into the sunshine and lined up ready for take off. Pearl and Louie moved in behind.
Virgil went through his checks. He requested that the Ten Ants remained seated at all times and checked that smell phone communication was open with Louie and Pearl.
‘Ready to go Louie and Pearl?’ Virgil called over the smell phone.
‘It’s all go’, said Louie.
‘Ready’, said Pearl.
Virgil put on full power and yelled in into his smell phone. ‘Lifting off, let’s go!’
Virgil, as usual, a magnificent sight in flight under full power, moved out above the stream and turning south gained speed up the stream towards their destination. Pearl and Louie flew in behind just slightly above Virgil so that they were out of the wash from Virgil’s powerful wings.
Virgil checked again. ‘OK Louie and Pearl?’
Louie and Pearl were fine. This was just so exciting.
Below them the stream changed from calm pool areas to areas of small rapids as they moved upstream.
The stream twisted left and right in lazy turns. The insects banked at speed in lazy exhilarating turns to follow the line of the stream.
Above them, spears of sunlight shone through the bush canopy and penetrated the waters of the stream. Other creatures of the insect world waved to the trio as they sped past.
About twenty minutes into the journey, Virgil announced. ‘We are coming shortly to a point where the stream divides; we will be turning west and heading towards the hills. From here on we climb a bit and there are quite a few small water falls, stay close’.
Sure enough, the stream divided and they turned west. There was quite a straight part of the stream ahead. The insects could see a series of many small waterfalls cascading over stepped levels of the stream.
The stream now bubbled and was alive. The insects were passing large boulders on either side. Tall rain forest trees and ferns had replaced the bush and scrub of the lowland.
With boulders extending some distance either side of the stream, the insects were now flying out in the open in the warm sunlight.
The insects continued climbing until nearly the first hour had passed. The hills were close in front of them now.
Virgil announced. ‘Shortly we will be coming to a large waterfall. There is a large pool at the base of the fall and to the left an extensive flat rock area where we will be landing to have a rest. Just follow me in’.
Sure enough, there they were cascading down in front of them, huge falls that Pearl, Louie and the Ten Ants had never seen the like of before. The falls extended so high above the insects it was hard to determine where the top was.
The falls cascaded in a rainbow mist with quite a roar into a deep green pool at the base. To the left was the large flat rock area that Virgil had described. Louie and Pearl followed Virgil in and landed safely.
For a moment nobody spoke. The three insects felt so insignificant standing close to such huge falls.
Louie broke the silence with a ‘WOW!’
Pearl’s eyes were big and wide open in awe at the sight.
Louie and Pearl moved close to Virgil so they could speak and be heard above the roar of the falls.
‘Magnificent isn’t it!’ said Virgil.
After a short period of being mesmerised by the sight, Virgil went on to say, shouting above the noise. ‘We will stop here for half an hour for refreshments and a rest. I will explain the next phase when we have rested’.
Louie opened Virgil’s container and took out some morning tea. The Ten Ants rushed down to the water’s edge and lined up looking into the deep pool, chattering amongst themselves with squeals of delight.
Louie and Pearl put their feet up and leaned against a rock. Virgil lifted his feet and rested comfortably on the container strapped beneath him.
Chocolate cake was handed around together with some tea Pearl Baker-Moth had brought in a Thermoth. As if by magic the Ten Ants arrived back from the pool edge at the mention of chocolate cake!
The sun was warm and the insects relaxed in a slight breeze mixed with the odd bit of misty spray from the downdraft created by the waterfall.
While they were all together and relaxing, Virgil explained that the area they were in was originally volcanic. ‘The cliffs are full of vent holes’, said Virgil. ‘In fact the falls come out of a large one of these holes, which is more of a cave, in the cliff face’.
Virgil went on to say. ‘The next stage is for us to fly to the top of the falls and into the cave where the stream comes out. Inside the cliff we will follow the stream a short distance before we branch off into a tunnel that will take us on to our final destination. About half way to our final destination we come out into a chamber where something very special will happen. We need to be in this chamber at 11.00 a.m.’.
Louie uttered another ‘WOW!’ and the Ten Ants just couldn’t believe what a wonderful adventure it was that was unfolding. The Ten Ants now sat very quietly while they listened to what Virgil had to say. Pearl sighed with pleasure while she sat in the warm sun and said to Virgil. ‘It just gets better and better!’
‘Just out of curiosity Virgil’, said Pearl. ‘How will we see when we are flying in the tunnel?’
Virgil smiled in a non committing sort of way and said. ‘A surprise!’
It was getting on to 10.30 a.m. now and Virgil said. ‘Right, Ten Ants, aboard now please and gear back in the container; we will leave in five minutes’.
Virgil checked smell phone communication once more and requested that smell phones be on at all times.
‘After takeoff’, said Virgil. ‘Follow me closely. For safety we will fly away from the falls so that we are not caught in the downdraft and spray’.
Virgil took off again with Pearl and Louie close behind.
In wide circles away from the falls, the trio climbed for about 5 minutes then turned back to where the falls emerged from the cliff face. Sure enough, as Virgil had said, the stream emerged from a large hole, or rather a cave, before cascading down the face of the cliff. The view from the top of the falls down to the green pool far below, where they had morning tea, was incredibly beautiful. The effect of the falls dropping away below gave the insects a feeling of constantly rising. The falls were so big and the insects were so small.
Virgil flew to a level above the cave where the stream emerged to avoid any downdrafts caused by the falls. Easing back on the power, Virgil glided into the cave mouth with Pearl and Louie close behind. The Ten Ants were silent, completely dumbstruck by the beauty of the surroundings.
Once in the cave they were out of the sunlight and the noise of the falls subsided. The cave was quite large and dark.
Virgil spoke. ‘We will circle here in the cave for a short time so we can adjust our eyes to the light, then I will take you into the tunnel at the back of the cave’.
The insects circled for awhile then Virgil announced. ‘Right follow me’.
At the back of the cave the stream appeared to just come out of the ground. Of course as mentioned in the beginning, this was where the water containing Mellennium appeared from deep within the hill and gave the insects the ability to live many many times longer than normal.
Just above where the water appeared was a hole in the rock, about the width of three dragon flies. Virgil flew in, Louie and Pearl followed, a little apprehensively. Ahead was a long straight tunnel. It was a horizontal vent hole from volcanic activity many years before that had been widened and smoothed by water. It was magic; yes the walls of the tunnel were lit by glow worms! Little fluorescent lights as far as the eye could see.
Further on the tunnel widened and contracted in places as the insects sped on through. The glow worms provided all the light they needed to navigate their way ahead.
Virgil’s voice broke the silence. ‘Just wonderful isn’t it!’
Pearl and Louie agreed, they had never seen anything like it before.
Virgil continued. ‘Shortly we will come out into a large chamber where as I mentioned earlier, something very special happens. We will stop and land again then wait for awhile’.
Sure enough, as Virgil had promised they all came out of the tunnel into a huge chamber deep inside the hill. In the middle was a crystal clear pool surrounded mainly by rock. Virgil flew a wide circle inside the chamber then descended low over the pool and landed on a small sandy ‘beach’ at one end. Around the walls of the chamber there were some glow worms but the main light source was an opening high up where daylight entered.
It was about five to eleven. Virgil explained that they would have to sit for a few moments and wait. He asked the Ten Ants to stay aboard as they would be moving on shortly. It was comfortable sitting on the soft sand. It was absolutely quiet, not a sound could be heard. Louie and Pearl wondered what it was they were going to see and sat in silence taking in their surroundings as did the Ten Ants.
Then at 11.00 a.m., as Virgil had promised a magnificent event occurred. A blinding shaft of light suddenly appeared from the opening in the ceiling of the chamber. The sun had moved into position overhead so that a golden shaft of light penetrated and shone directly into the depths of the pool. It was as though the chamber was on fire. There were grotesque shadows up the walls that moved slowly as the shaft of intense light moved with the sun.
Louie and Pearl gasped and stood up in response to the magnificence of it all. They just couldn’t thank Virgil enough for bringing them to such a beautiful place.
‘I will never ever forget this Virgil’, said Pearl.
‘Me neither’, said Louie.
Then as fast as the shaft of light had appeared it disappeared. Louie and Pearl sat down on the sand again. The three sat a little longer to get used to the now subdued light and gather their thoughts.
Virgil broke the silence and went on to explain what they would be doing next. ‘We are about twenty minutes away from our final destination. Next we fly up towards the opening at the top of the chamber. Then we fly into another tunnel that takes us further west again’.
Virgil prepared himself for flight then went on to comment. ‘I have flown out through the opening at the top, there is a fantastic view looking back towards where we all live, we might have a look on the way back’.
Virgil took off from the little sandy beach where they had been sitting and rose in wide spiralling loops up and around the walls of the chamber. Louie and Pearl followed and marvelled at the sheer size of the cavity within the hill. Near the top Virgil flew into another tunnel. The tunnel was again lit with myriads of glow worms. This tunnel was larger than the first in places; in fact it was really a series of small chambers connected by tunnels. Some of the chambers had stalagmites and stalactites. Some had water running through them with small waterfalls coming down the sides. In parts Virgil slowed to a near hover where the tunnel ceiling was very low.
The insects flew on for about another quarter of an hour. What an amazing feeling it was to fly for such a distance inside a hill.
Louie noticed it first and said. ‘What’s that smell?’
Pearl had noticed it too. There was something in the air they had never smelt before. It wasn’t an unpleasant smell but just something the pair didn’t recognise. The Ten Ants were chattering amongst themselves, they had noticed it too but didn’t know what it was either.
Virgil didn’t comment on the smell the others had detected but instead announced. ‘We are just about there team. Prepare for landing’.
The tunnel veered left a little then opened up into a large cave. At the end of the cave in the cave mouth was an oval of bright blue, almost blinding to the insects after flying in the dark of the tunnel.
Virgil announced. ‘Landing on the sandy strip to the left of the pool. Just follow me’.
Pearl and Louie followed Virgil in.
From an insect’s point of view the cave was quite large. To the right was a pool of crystal clear rain water extending to the mouth of the cave.
The blue that could be seen outside the mouth of the cave was in fact the sea. This was what Louie, Pearl and the Ten Ants could smell while flying in. None of them had ever seen the sea before.
The cave was situated high above the sea on a sheer cliff side. The floor of the cave was flat and wide and apart from the extensive rain water pool was mainly soft sand. What an incredible place for a picnic!
The Ten Ants rushed to the edge of the cave mouth then backed off a little when they saw how high they were. Louie warned them to be careful. To the Ten Ants the sea looked like the ripple on the top of a huge blue chocolate biscuit.
Louie and Pearl joined them. It was an amazing sight. It took a bit of time to comprehend the fact that that the insect community where they all lived along the stream was so small in the scheme of things.
Louie, Pearl and the Ten Ants quickly went back to Virgil and thanked him for bringing them all to such a wonderful place.
The Ten Ants after seeing the sea were asking. ‘What is it? How far does it go? Why is it there?’
Virgil didn’t know. All he had done was discover it. He explained he had flown some distance out over it and it seemed to go on forever!
Virgil detached the container and relaxed on the sand. It was good to rest for awhile.
Pearl brought lunch out of the container and they all sat together on the sand by the pool. They talked about the sea, recounted the flight through the tunnels and marvelled at the chamber with the shaft of sunlight.
Towards the back of the cave was a deserted seagull’s nest. None of the insects really knew quite what it was. It did look like a large bird’s nest. The seagull’s nest was a great source of interest to the Ten Ants who clambered all over it later on that afternoon.
Along the walls of the cave were little hollowed out ledges that contained soft sand, an ideal place for a snooze after lunch.
During the afternoon the Ten Ants swam, played and splashed around in the pool. Between swims the Ten Ants moved closer to the mouth of the cave where the sun shone and sunbathed.
Pearl lay down on one of the sandy ledges and snoozed for awhile as did Louie. What a paradise.
Virgil being free of the container launched himself off the edge of the cave mouth and glided around effortlessly in the updrafts off the sea.
The afternoon passed quickly. It was soon approaching four o’clock when it would be time to pack up and leave. Virgil came in from gliding around outside the cave and called everyone together.
‘Well folks’, said Virgil. ‘Sad to say we will have to pack up now and leave if we want to get back before dark’.
Virgil paused a moment then said. ‘Just as a suggestion, we have got plenty of food and supplies, why don’t we stay here for the night and go back in the morning?’
The Ten Ants were all excited by this prospect and pleaded. ‘Yes please could we stay Mr Louie?’
Both Pearl and Louie thought how silly it would be to go back now when everyone was enjoying themselves so much.
‘Brilliant idea Virgil’, said Louie. ‘Let’s do it’.
‘Well that’s settled’, said Virgil. ‘I’m going back for a bit more flying off the cliff, let’s all stop what we are doing at half past five and we will get things ready for the overnight stay’.
The Ten Ants elated at the decision tore off and dived into the pool again. Pearl propped herself up on a sandy bit and read a book she had brought with her called ‘Ideal Gums for Moths’. It was one in a series of books about oral hygiene. Louie did a bit of exploring of the cave on his own.
While Louie was exploring the cave he stopped and looked at the seagull’s nest and wondered what sort of bird could have built a nest so large. While he was pondering the origins of the nest he came up with a really good idea that he would explain to everybody at half past five.
By half past five the sun was lower in the west and shone straight into the cave. Virgil came in and landed on the sandy strip. They all gathered around.
Virgil said. ‘It won’t be that long until it gets completely dark, three hours at the most I reckon, we probably should eat fairly soon’.
This is where Louie came in with what he had thought of earlier in the afternoon when he was inspecting the seagull’s nest.
‘I’ve got a really good idea’, said Louie dying to tell everybody.
‘That nest or whatever it might be is an excellent supply of fire wood. I have brought some matches with me, let’s make a fire near the entrance to the cave and we can all sit around it and have tea!’
Well this was just the icing on the cake. Everybody cheered. What a clever thoughtful bee! Not only would this keep them all warm but it would provide light for them into the night. Pearl gave Louie a big hug and Louie’s yellow stripes went pink with pleasure.
‘Fantastic Louie’, said Virgil.
Louie and the Ten Ants brought the ‘firewood’ to the front of the cave. Pearl busied herself getting a meal ready with the food they had left and placed it on a smooth piece of raised rock to act as a table.
Because of the huge effort Virgil had made during the day to bring in the Ten Ants and all the goodies, Virgil was ordered to find a nice sandy spot and to sit and rest, which he did.
Just after six, Louie lit the fire; the Ten Ants danced and jumped around with excitement. The soft smell of the wafting smoke added to the ambiance of the moment. The fire was soon a mass of flames radiating a welcome heat over the insects who had moved in close to get the benefit of the warmth.
Louie told Pearl, who had been doing the meal preparations, to stop and come and sit in front of the fire. Louie passed around the red wine. The Ten Ants didn’t like red wine that much and instead had some of Louie’s fermented nectar with honey that Louie had thought to bring for them.
The red wine and nectar made everyone feel very pleasant.
The sun by now was just above the horizon. The sky was flooded with an orange red in the west and graduated to an inky blue straight above the cave entrance. Within an instant the sun was gone and soon beyond the glow of the fire, stars could be seen in the now black sky.
It was after tea when Louie stood up and said, ‘I have a special little announcement to make’.
Louie went over to the container and brought back with him the ‘something’ he had forgotten after leaving home earlier in the day. It was a small parcel, carefully wrapped in rose petals. Louie turned to Pearl and said, ‘Pearl this is for you as a token of thanks from all of us for what you did to save us from Al Spider. Without you Pearl none of this wonderful experience today would have been possible’.
‘Oh Louie’, said Pearl. ‘You wonderful bee and thanks to all of you for the parts you played in the terrible two days we all went through. I just couldn’t have done it without the help of everyone here’.
Pearl stood up and a tear fell from her big eyes and went plop on the sand.
Pearl carefully undid the parcel.
Louie as we remember had gained a badge in woodcraft when he was a Bee Scout in his younger days. What he had done was to carve a beautiful Moth Figurine out of rosewood and then he had polished it to a fine gloss with beeswax.
There was a small plaque at the base on which Louie had inscribed:
Pearl Baker-Moth.
The greatest Moth that has ever lived
Pearl broke down and cried. Virgil, Louie and the Ten Ants spontaneously broke into song and sang ‘For she’s a jolly good fellow’.
‘Thank you, thank you, thank you, all of you said Pearl. ‘You are the greatest friends I could ever wish for’.
‘A Toast’, said Louie. ‘Please raise your glasses, To Pearl Baker- Moth’.
‘To Pearl Baker-Moth’. The response echoed around the cave and made it even more special.
The red wine and nectar flowed, they all rejoiced in the splendour of the evening.
Later on when the fire had died to a pile of glowing embers with a few dancing flames, they all gathered around in a circle and Virgil told them ghost stories.
Eventually tiredness overtook the insects and it was time to end the most perfect day.
Pearl and Louie retired to the soft sandy ledges they
had found. Virgil made a hollow in the sand near the fire. The Ten Ants had pulled up a pile of soft seagull feathers to sleep on, close to the fire. Soon everyone was sound asleep.
The fire died, all was quiet apart from a gentle snuffling snore from one Louie the bee!
In the morning they all had a chocolate cake breakfast before making their way home. Chocolate cake was about all that was left but nobody objected to this!
On the way back Virgil took them out the top of the chamber where they had stopped on the way in. From here they all glided back lazily down the hillside, over the tops of the trees, down to the stream far below and flew on home again.
It certainly had been two days that would never be forgotten by the intrepid team, led by Pearl Baker-Moth who had beaten Al Spider and the Valley Barn Gang.