Chapter 26- Just Hanging Around Again
It was only when Bryony’s head stopped spinning, and her stomach had more or less found its way back to the right place, that she dared open her eyes.
She was shrouded in a haze of bitter tasting smoke. Above she could see a jagged line of light, but below there was nothing but darkness. Her bare feet hung in empty space, whilst her hands clasped a lump of rock that protruded from a sheer cliff wall.
It took a while for Bryony to recall what had happened. She had fallen into the crack with Edwin, but then his ankles had slipped from her grip.
So what had become of her stepbrother? Bryony peered around, but couldn’t see anything through the smoke. She tried calling out, but her voice was just a feeble croak.
Bryony stifled a sob. Poor Edwin. She had tried to save him, but in the end he had chosen to keep hold of the Key, rather than to accept her offer of help. In a way she didn’t blame him. They never would have gotten into this mess in the first place if it weren’t for her…
“Bryony!”
Bryony looked up as her name came echoing through the chasm. Above her, glowing in the dim light, she saw a head. A silly ginger head.
“Bryony!” shouted the head. “Can you hear me?”
Blinking a mixture of dust and tears from her eyes, Bryony wondered if she was seeing things. She tried calling out again, but still couldn’t manage any more than a husky whisper. So she took a deep breath, swallowed, and then tried again. “I’m here, Edwin!”
There was a pause, and then the ginger head started shouting. “I’ve found her! Lower me down some more.”
The ginger head came bobbing closer, and Bryony exhaled a relieved sigh when she saw Edwin’s face materialise through the haze. “Edwin, you’re alive!”
“That web strand saved me,” explained Edwin, hovering over Bryony. “It stuck to the side of the crack, and I was able to climb to the top.”
“And you’ve got the Key?” Bryony assumed Edwin was using magic to hover in the air like that.
Edwin shook his head. “It fell down the crack. But let’s not worry about that now. We need to get you out of here.” He stretched out an arm, but couldn’t quite reach Bryony. “A bit lower,” he called over his shoulder.
Bryony saw something wrapped around Edwin’s waist. At first she thought it was a rope, but then realised it was too thick and scaly. It looked more like a tail. A rat’s tail.
Behind Edwin, Bryony saw a chain of rats stretching up the wall of the chasm. Each rat had another rat clutched in its tail. The last rat, the one holding Edwin, was smaller than the rest, and wore a gold chain round its neck.
“You heard the lad,” squealed Pipsqueak. “Lower us down another whisker’s length.”
The call was repeated by each rat in the chain. Moments later, there was a rumbling noise, and small chunks of rock came tumbling down the chasm.
“The rock is unstable,” said Pipsqueak. “We need to do this quick before there’s another tremor.” But even as he spoke, more rumbling sounded. Edwin lunged at Bryony, hooking his fingers around her right arm as the chasm started to shake.
Bryony ducked, pressing her cheek against the rock wall to evade a flurry of falling rock fragments. The sound of clattering rocks echoed from below, and then there was another noise. Not a clatter, but a clang. A metallic clang.
Bryony peered into the darkness below. And there, lying on a narrow ledge just below her, something glinted. Something large and metal.
“I’ve found the Key!” Bryony’s excited shriek resonated through the chasm. “It’s just down there. Edwin, look!”
Edwin craned his neck, his features erupting into a grin as he spied the Key on the ledge below. “It might have recharged by now. Can you reach it?”
Bryony stretched down her left arm, but the Key was just out of reach.
More rumbles sounded, and the chasm shook again.
“We’re leaving,” shrieked Pipsqueak. “I’m not risking the life of my gang for some stupid Key.”
“Give us five seconds,” pleaded Edwin. “Come on, Bryony!”
“I’m trying,” groaned Bryony, still stretching her arm.
“Then try harder.”
“Why don’t you try?” Bryony’s head jerked round to face Edwin, and he saw tears streaming from her eyes. “You’re the real Principle Guardian. I thought you were supposed to be saving everybody.”
Edwin struggled to think of a response, and was still trying to think of something when the chasm shook again.
This tremor was the hardest yet. Cracks appeared in the cliff wall, and Edwin felt Bryony’s arm slipping from his grasp.
“Leave it,” he said.
Bryony glanced up to face Edwin again, her tear filled eyes meeting his gaze. Edwin shook his head, and found that he was crying too. “Forget the Key,” he whispered. “Let it go, Bryony.”
Bryony hesitated. It was as if time stood still whilst she and Edwin looked at each other. And then there was a loud crack, and the rock to which Bryony clung began to shear away from the cliff wall. Bryony reached up and grabbed Edwin’s hand, just as the rock crumbled into the chasm. There was another clang, and she saw the Key knocked into the abyss by the falling debris.
Edwin also saw the Key disappear, but he was more worried about getting Bryony to safety. Suddenly more rocks rained down, but Bryony clambered up to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
“We’re done here,” shrieked Pipsqueak to his gang. “Get us up!”
The tremors continued as the rat chain hauled their load up the chasm, but Edwin and Bryony reached the top unscathed.
And there they lay side-by-side; too tired and drained of emotion to notice that the tremors had ceased. And that they had their arms around each other; at least until Stubby pointed it out.
Bryony and Edwin immediately drew apart. “We weren’t hugging,” said Edwin, shuddering at the thought.
“We were just a bit cold,” added Bryony, who found the notion equally disturbing.
“Oh.” Stubby sounded disappointed. “For one moment I thought you might have come to your senses and put an end to your foolish feud. Not that it would matter, now you’ve lost the Key.”
Bryony and Edwin turned to face each other. It was Bryony who spoke first.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “That was my fault.”
Edwin shook his head. “You tried your best, but it was just out of reach.”
“I don’t mean that.” Bryony ran a hand through her hair, and winced as she felt how grimy and tangled it was. “I mean it’s my fault we got into this mess in the first place. If I hadn’t kept the Key to myself…”
“Yeah,” said Edwin. “But I was the one who told Inglenook to help Moll. I was the one who released the Terrible Fang.”
Bryony shook her head. “You didn’t know she’d turn out to be some horrible monster. You were just being kind.”
If Edwin didn’t know Bryony better, he might have thought she was saying something nice about him. It was a strange and uncomfortable feeling, and he dismissed her comment with an embarrassed snort. “Anyone else would have done the same.”
“Not me,” said Bryony, studying a dried cut on her knee. “I’m selfish. I left you and Stubby in the clutches of the Ratello Mob whilst I went to get the Key for myself.”
Edwin nodded. “But I took Mr Cuddles from you, and that’s when everything started going wrong.”
“I’m not bothered about Mr Cuddles.” In truth, Bryony had all but forgotten all about her most precious possession. “It was just a stupid toy.”
“No he wasn’t,” said Edwin. “He was important to you. But I didn’t care about that. All I wanted was to get the Key for myself. I thought I was more worthy than you. But I wasn’t. I’m sorry.”
Bryony raised her head and looked Edwin in the eye. “I’m sorry, too.”
“And so am I,” muttered Stubby. “I’m sorry I came here in the first place. I should have stayed at home and l
et you ruin your own lives. I warned Inglenook about entrusting you with the Wychetts Key, but old wooden brains wouldn’t listen.”
“I guess I owe him an apology,” reflected Bryony.
Edwin nodded. “We both do.”
“But you can’t,” said Stubby. “You’ve lost the Key and will never speak to him again. Which means we’ll be stuck on this island for the rest of our lives.”
Edwin was about to apologise again, when he saw a large metal face rising into view behind Stubby’s head. He rubbed his eyes and blinked. But the face was still there.
Bryony saw it too. “Hey look,” she breathed, rising shakily to her feet. “It’s Inglenook!”
Edwin blinked again as he saw the Key rising from the chasm. And then he saw the silver strands, and realised it was the spiders; the Sisterhood had recovered the Key and were lifting it out of the crack with their webs.
“Heave,” ordered Wincella, waving her forelegs like an orchestra conductor. “Heave, my sisters.”
The spiders dragged the Key from the crack, and laid it on the ground.
“Well done,” cheered Edwin, nodding appreciatively. Bryony applauded.
Wincella accepted their praise with a courteous bob. “Now the Sisterhood has honoured our side of the bargain. Will you honour yours, little grub?”
Before Edwin could reply, a furious Pipsqueak stepped in front of him. “We had a deal with the girl, remember?”
“That may be so,” observed Wincella. “But you did not find the Key. We did.”
“And you don’t have any Guardians,” countered Pipsqueak, as his rats formed a circle around Edwin and Bryony. “We do!”
“Here we go again,” groaned Bryony, fearful of another stand off.
“Boss!” Baby Face Bob shouted from across the Pit. “I found him!”
Pipsqueak wheeled away from Wincella, and scurried off to where Baby Face Bob crouched beside a pile of fallen rocks. Other rats followed, chittering with concern. It was only then Bryony realised Dagger Tooth was missing.
She broke away from Edwin and ran to Pipsqueak’s side. Behind the fallen rocks, lying sprawled on the ground, was Dagger Tooth. His eyes were closed, and it didn’t look like he was breathing.
“I saw what happened,” said Bryony, putting a hand to her mouth. “He was thrown against the wall when the Terrible Fang broke free.”
Pipsqueak leaned forwards and placed a paw on Dagger Tooth’s shoulder. Then the old rat’s whiskers twitched, and Dagger Tooth opened his eyes.
“Boss?” Dagger Tooth spoke without moving his head. “Are you OK? Did we beat the monster?”
“We did,” said Pipsqueak, his shrill voice quavering. “I’m fine. We all are. And so are you.”
“No.” Dagger Tooth closed his eyes. “That was my last fight. I’m too old for this game. Too old for this life.”
Pipsqueak shook his head. “Don’t say that. The gang needs you. I need you. I can’t lead the Mob on my own. You said so yourself. I ain’t my father, and I never will be.”
“You don’t have to be.” Dagger Tooth opened his eyes again, just a fraction. “You can be more than your father ever was. Make the decision he was never bold enough to take.”
“What decision?” Pipsqueak leaned closer to his dying comrade.
Dagger Tooth took a long, wheezing breath. “Sometimes it is braver to make peace than it is to make war. Prove you are a real Boss, and lead the Mob into a new age.”
Pipsqueak nodded. “Using the power of the Guardian’s Key?”
“You don’t need that power.” Despite being little more than a whisper, Dagger Tooth’s voice was firm with conviction. “You have all the magic you need right inside you. And you will earn your ironic pseudonym, after all.”
Then Dagger Tooth closed his eyes, and drew his final breath.
Pipsqueak and his rats bowed their heads. Bryony followed suit, unable to stop a tear splashing onto her dirty bare feet. Even Wincella performed a prolonged bob of respect.
“We have both borne losses today,” said the spider after a respectful period of silence. “Our Great Mother has gone, and you have lost your oldest and wisest gang member.”
Pipsqueak stood up, and turned to face Wincella. “There will be no more losses, today or any other day. Dagger Tooth was right. There ain’t no future fighting each other.”
Wincella raised her body expectantly. “Are you proposing peace with the Sisterhood?”
“I am,” said Pipsqueak, after glancing at his assembled gang members. Bryony was relieved to see no sign of disagreement from any of the rats.
Wincella scuttled back to her sisters who were still clustered around the Key, and returned to Pipsqueak after a few seconds of frantic whispering. “As newly elected leader of the Sisterhood, I deliver our reply to your offer.”
There was a pause. Everyone shifted uneasily, none more so than Bryony. She glanced round and saw Edwin and Stubby now standing beside her, and it was obvious from their faces that they shared her nervousness.
Wincella bobbed again. “The Sisterhood accepts your offer of peace.”
Pipsqueak nodded. Cheers and chitters rang through the Pit. A relieved Edwin and Bryony threw their arms around each other.
“That was definitely a hug,” observed Stubby.
Bryony and Edwin drew hurriedly apart as Pipsqueak and Wincella came towards them.
“We are at peace now,” announced Pipsqueak. “There will be no more fighting between our gangs.”
“We’re pleased,” said Bryony. “So now you’ll agree to share the Key’s power?”
Edwin nodded. “We can give you both what you want.”
“You already have,” said Wincella. “Which is why the Sisterhood have no need of your magic.”
“Nor the Ratello Mob,” added Pipsqueak.
Edwin swapped a puzzled look with Bryony. “But don’t either of you want to leave the island?”
“This place is our home,” said Pipsqueak. “Outside, we’d be treated like vermin. Here, at least, we have a chance to build new lives.”
Wincella bobbed in agreement. “Here we may live with honour, and in peace. For you have shown us the way, Guardians of Wychetts.”
“Yeah,” said a grinning Edwin. “I suppose we did.”
“For you,” continued Wincella, “argued and fought against each other, when you could have achieved so much more by working together.”
“Oh.” Edwin’s grin vanished. “I suppose we’ve learned that too, now.”
Bryony nodded, and was about to reply when a loud shriek echoed from above. Looking up, she saw a large white bird with grey wings swooping down towards them.
Everyone scattered, but the seagull slowed its descent and landed sedately. Edwin picked himself up from the ground, and saw a figure astride the seagull: a slender woman in rags, with auburn hair.
“Mum!” Edwin ran towards Jane, who dismounted from the bird and threw her arms around him.
“Oh Edwin! Thank heavens you’re safe!”
Edwin had been wondering where Mum had got to, or whether he’d imagined his earlier sighting of her astride the seagull.
Bryony ran up to Jane and hugged her. “Where’s Bill?” asked Jane, wiping a joyful tear from her sun-tanned cheek. “Have you seen him?”
A shout from across the Pit spared Bryony and Edwin from having to explain. It was Bill, running excitedly towards them. Wincella had sent a messenger back to the nest to order his release.
“So what happened here?” asked Bill, after exchanging hugs with his family.
Edwin and Bryony took turns at attempting an explanation, filling their parents in on any details they wouldn’t have already known (although Edwin decided to leave out the bit about Bill becoming engaged to a giant spider, just in case Jane got the wrong idea). From their puzzled expressions, Edwin suspected neither Bill nor Jane totally understood or believed what they’d heard. And in a way he didn’t blame them.
Even harder to believe was J
ane’s story about her stay on the Isle of Lost Souls. After being left at the top of the island by Stubby, she had been arrested by a squadron of seagulls. They’d taken her back to their nest for interrogation, and she’d managed to convince them that she wasn’t a prisoner and was on the island by accident. The seagulls had launched a search of the island (Jane had been allowed to accompany them, hence her tan and apparent skill at seagull flying), but there had been no sign of Bill, Edwin or Bryony on the surface. It was later, when activity had been reported in the old well, that the squadron had been dispatched to investigate.
And so, after a series of incredible adventures, the family was back together again. But whilst Bryony was delighted, she understood that not everybody shared her sense of joy.
The Ratello Mob stood around Dagger Tooth, heads bowed in respect whilst their leader made a speech about their fallen comrade. Pipsqueak’s voice was firm and calm, and seemed deeper and more mature than before. Bryony knew then that he could be a true leader after all.
The Sisterhood had gathered in a circle, where Wincella made a similar speech about their dearly departed Mother. Edwin listened, and even though he knew the Widow had been responsible for some terrible crimes, he couldn’t help share in the spiders’ grief. He looked at his mother, at Bill and Bryony, and felt thankful that he hadn’t lost any of them. And then he saw Stubby sitting all alone, his black button eyes staring into space.
“I’m sorry,” he said, sitting down next to Stubby. “About Moll.”
Stubby shrugged. “It would never have worked. Even if Moll was as pure as the driven snow, there would have been no possibility of a relationship between us. I’m a house mouse, she was a field mouse, the divide would have been too great.”
“Not if she lived in a field next to your house?” suggested Edwin.
“That isn’t what I meant,” sighed Stubby. “Field mice live outside, in holes and ditches. House mice such as I, on the other paw, are more refined, and spend our days pursuing more sophisticated pastimes.”
“You mean like chewing cereal packets and leaving little black do-dos behind the fridge?”
Stubby tutted at Edwin. “You know nothing of art, boy.”
Whilst Stubby gave Edwin a lecture on the finer aspects of mouse culture, Bryony searched the Pit for Slinker. But there was no sign of him anywhere, and neither the rats nor spiders knew what had become of the weasel. Despite not knowing whether Slinker had ever been totally on her side, Bryony found herself hoping no harm had befallen him. She was still mulling over the fate of Slinker when she heard a shout.
“Look!” Edwin was pointing at the Key, which was now glowing with a soft blue light.
Bryony sprinted towards the Key. Edwin was already on his way, and the two of them collided.
“Sorry,” said Bryony, gesturing to Edwin. “Be my guest.”
“No.” Edwin refused the offer politely. “After you.”
“I insist,” said Bryony. “The Key is yours.”
“No I insist,” said Edwin. “You can use it.”
Bryony gritted her teeth. “Are you going to take the Key or not?”
Stubby rolled his eyes, and sighed. “Words fail me, they really do.”
“May I make a suggestion?” Wincella scuttled between Edwin and Bryony. “Perhaps you could both use the Key together.”
“We could,” agreed Edwin, breaking into a smile. He held out his right hand, and Bryony took it. Then, under the gaze of the assembled rats and spiders, Edwin and Bryony laid their hands on the Key.
Immediately Inglenook’s face came to life. “Greetings young Masters,” said the deep, cheery voice. “I trust you enjoyed your holiday?”
“A laugh a minute,” replied Bryony, suspecting that Inglenook knew very well how their holiday had turned out. “But we’d like to go home now, please.”
“So soon?” queried Inglenook. “By my reckoning you have another day left on the Isle of Lost Souls.”
Another day? Bryony couldn’t believe how quickly time had flown. On the other hand, it felt like they had been on the island for weeks.
“We need a rest,” she explained. “Holidays can be quite tiring, you know. And we’d like you to return us to normal size, please.”
“Of course,” said Inglenook. “And is there anything else I can do for you?”
Bryony turned to the watching Pipsqueak. “Are you sure you don’t want us to set you free?”
“Same for you,” said Edwin, looking at Wincella. “This is your chance to get off this horrible place.”
“We have made our decision,” said the spider. “We were sent here as punishment for our crimes, but this island has become our home.”
“We ain’t going anywhere,” said Pipsqueak. “We’ve a job to do here, to build a life for the Ratello Mob with our new friends the Sisterhood.”
“Great,” said Stubby. “I, on the other hand, would think it a billion years too soon if I ever set a paw on this stinking rock again. So could we please get on with it?”
Edwin nodded at Bryony, and they tightened their hold on the Key.
“Home please,” said Bryony and Edwin together.