PART 12 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM!!!
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 12.The 12th and final part of an exclusive 12 part Mouse of Commons mini-adventure.Gladstone stood open-mouthed as the sandcastle rose up into the sky. He was amazed that the whole thing held together so well, as if it was made of stone. But it didn't last for long and all of a sudden it began to break up as they flew off above the water; with bits of sand plopping down to the water through the net as the castle disintergrated rapidly.
"Oh Ollie..." murmured Gladstone - unable to do anything where he stood there on the shore. A large blobby shape suddenly tore through the net and plunged down into the sea. "Oh Ollie..." he said again. "Good Gouda... You poor louse!"
"That's not me..." said a voice at his side. "That was the Trifle-fish King falling into the sea back there..."
Gladstone spun around to find Oliver standing at his side followed by a long line of baby trifle-fish. "OLLIE!! HOW DID YOU GET THERE!?" he exclaimed.
"The King put me down in the dungeon..." Ollie explained, pointing over to the remains of the sandcastle. "When the net came down and scooped up the castle it only took the part of the castle above the water line - not the rooms underground..." he beamed. "So effectively all that happened was that I was set free..."
"Well, thank goodness..." Glad sighed. "The Trifle-fish King isn't going to be very keen about being dumped into the sea, though..."
Ollie nodded. "I presume he can swim - but I bet he'll think twice before trying this again..." he continued and then indicated the baby trifle-fish behind him. "It look like we've just become guardians to a whole host of young jellies..." he observed, but was pleased to see that Gladstone looked quite calm about the matter.
"We'll manage... Between us we both have many years experience of being fathers..." Glad reminded him - and indeed, this was true.
"Yeah - I know..." he conceded. "But just you wait until you have to buy them all icecreams and buckets and spades, boss..."
"No problem..." Gladstone assured him as they wandered back to the prom, with their new wards close at their heels. "At least... No problem regarding the ice creams anyway - I'm not so sure about the buckets and spades... I'll happily buy that as many icecreams as they can eat - just don't expect me to set foot on a beach ever again..."
But neither Oliver nor the baby trifle-fish were really listening - for they were all too busy daydreaming of desert.
"Mmmmmmmmm..." sighed Ollie. "Candy sprinkles... Strawberry sauce... Chocolate flakes..."
There was much to be done regarding the future of the trifle-fish - but for now ice cream seemed a top priority..."Come on then..." chuckled the Mouse of Commons. "Let's go and get you lot fed!"
...After all they'd been through that day - Gladstone rather thought they all deserved it!?THE END.THERE WILL BE MORE MOUSE OF COMMONS NEWS BEFORE THE END OF THIS WEEK AND A NEW 12 PART MOUSE OF COMMONS STORY POSTED ON THIS SITE FROM MONDAY 12TH NOVEMBER 2007.MORE SOON!!THIS MOUSE OF COMMONS ADVENTURE WILL BE PUBLISHED AS PART OF THE BOOK "THE MCWHISKERS FILES" IN EARLY 2008.This instalment was originally written in Guernsey on Tuesday 9th October 2007. Story and photo - Copyright Paul Chandler, 2007.Labels: Gladstone McWhiskers, Mouse of Commons, Oliver Louse
PART 11 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE DOOM!!!
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 11.Part 11 of an exclusive 12 part Mouse of Commons mini-adventure.This really wasn't the way that Gladstone had planned for things to go, at all. If his plan had gone as he'd hoped - the mouse would have been quite pleased that the Trifle-fish King had headed back into the castle - but ever since he'd scooped Oliver up in his wobbly jelly tentacles things hadn't looked quite so promising.
"This really isn't the way it was meant to pan out..." he muttered to himself crossly, as he stared down at the baby trifles on the stall before him. The trifles appeared to be practising a new dance routine, which was really quite complex and fascinating - but he didn't linger too long to observe it. It really wasn't the time to be seeking an entertainment fix, no matter how quaint.
Just at that moment there came a noise from above. A noise so loud that it stopped the trifle-fish babies dancing for a moment, until they decided that dancing would be more fun. At first Gladstone thought it might be the sound of one of the planes leaving the nearby airport - but this time it was actually the call of seagulls; led by the furious cormorant; Nate.
Again, a little while earlier the sight of the gulls would have been just perfect - but not now...His original plan had been to be so rude to Nate that he had stormed off across the beach to fetch his colleagues and to have the sandcastle forcibly removed.
That would have been great; had Ollie not just been taken inside...Now the arrival of the seagulls seemed far from a great idea...As the seagulls drew closer and closer Gladstone realised that time was running out and that he would need to make a quick decision on how to act. Thinking quickly he left the dancing trifle-fish on the stall and hurried to the castle door; only as he'd expected - that door was now locked.
"Mr Trifle-fish!!" he called urgently, trying to call out through a small crack. "MR KING TRIFLE-FISH!!" he continued and then when he didn't received a reply and began to lose his temper he decided to be a little more bold as, to be fair, he didn't actually know the Trifle-fish King's real name. "OI!!" he bellowed. "OI! WOBBLY CHOPS!! LISTEN HERE!! YOU'RE ALL IN DANGER!! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE CASTLE!!"
But he soon ran out of things to say at this point and other than repeating himself, which he did a couple of times, there was nothing much more to add.
Having called out a number of times; all of a sudden the gulls - lead by the cormorant, Nate - swooped down towards the sandcastle and caused Gladstone to duck down to safety. As the birds swooped they dropped down a large net upon the castle - which as they continued to fly scooped up the whole building and dragged it up into the air; only just narrowly missing Gladstone in their wake.
"COME BACK!!" called Gladstone, to no avail. "COME BACK! MY FRIEND'S IN THERE..."
But it rather looked as if he was too late - and that any minute both the castle, the Trifle-fish King and most importantly of all, poor dear Oliver Louse were about to be deposited out at sea to be lost beneath the churning waves forever... TO BE CONTINUED, TOMORROW.What will happen in tomorrow's final episode? Could Ollie and the Trifle-fish King be lost out at sea for ever??This instalment was originally written in Guernsey on Tuesday 9th October 2007. Story and photo - Copyright Paul Chandler, 2007.Labels: Gladstone McWhiskers, Mouse of Commons, Oliver Louse
PART 10 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM!!
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 10.Part 10 of an exclusive 12 part Mouse of Commons mini-adventure.Ollie had nearly jumped out of his shoes when Gladstone had suddenly turned up behind him, whispering in his ear - but eventually he was able to compose himself.
"Where were you, boss?" he hissed. "I was just talking with the baby trifle-fish here and I really don't think that they're very interested in trying to take over the world... Although they are rather good at hypnosis and dancing..."
"So I gather..." nodded Gladstone, who was quite impressed by what he had seen, so far. "I rather like the idea of this little lot being cheerleaders. If there's any chance you could show me one of your routines then I do actually have quite strong contacts in the entertainment industry..." he boasted, but before the trifle-fish had a chance to display their talents any further there came a bellowing roar right in front of them, as a shadow fell across the stall.
"WHAT'S GOING ON!? WHY HAVEN'T YOU SOLD ANY OF MY CHILDREN YET? YOU'RE TOO BUSY NATTERING..."
Gladstone turned to the trifle-fish king and looked apologetic, but didn't say too much. "Terribly sorry... We were just explaining to your children that you were planning on selling them - but that it doesn't mean that you don't love them and that it's just part of your plan to rule the world..."
"You don't want them growing up with issues of self-loathing now, do you!?" Ollie interuptted, recalling something that he'd read recently in Auntie Astrid's agony aunt page.
"Oliver does have a good point there..." Gladstone confirmed, but their wobbly employer didn't look at all interested.
"I DON'T GIVE A HOOT!" snapped the Trifle-fish King. "I'VE TOLD THEM WHAT'S WHAT! THEY HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND MAKE A LIVING! THEY'RE QUITE OLD ENOUGH!! THEY'VE LIVED UNDER MY ROOF FOR THE PAST SEVEN DAYS AND NOW IT'S TIME THEY GAVE SOMETHING BACK!" he smouldered unpleasantly. "THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR DUTY IS - AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOURS IS, MOUSE... NOW, JUST GET ON A SELL THEM!!"
"Listen now... I'll not have you shout at me... I'm the Mouse of Commons and Lord, you know!!"
But the Trifle-fish King didn't seem very interested. "JUST DO IT!! I'LL TAKE YOUR LITTLE FRIEND HERE - JUST TO SEE THAT YOU DO TOO!!" he boomed - and with that he scooped up Ollie and carried the struggling louse back into the castle with him.
"BOSSSSS!!! HELP!!!!" cried Ollie - but the Mouse of Commons seemed frozen, unsure of what to do or say.
This really wasn't how Gladstone had imagined his plan would go at all... TO BE CONTINUED, TOMORROW.What will happen next? Next time matters get even worse down on the beach...This instalment was originally written in Guernsey on Tuesday 9th October 2007. Story and photo - Copyright Paul Chandler, 2007.Labels: Gladstone McWhiskers, Mouse of Commons, Oliver Louse
PART 9 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM!!!
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 9.Part 9 of an exclusive 12 part Mouse of Commons mini-adventure.Meanwhile, back outside the castle, Ollie simply couldn't believe what he was seeing. The jellies who sat there before him appeared to be about to do a dance.
"THREE! FOUR! FIVE! GET FUNKY!!" squeaked one of them and then suddenly they begun to strut across the table like strangely wobbly disco dancers or cheerleaders for peculiar jellied football team.
"THROW SHAPES!!!" called out another of the jellies as they pirouetted around the table to some unheard of tune inside their heads.
Ollie stood open-mouthed, until they finished and then bowed. "GOOD GOUDA!!" exclaimed the louse as they completed their act and then bowed finally. "Goodness!! That's extraordinary!! How clever are you?" he exclaimed and quietly applauded, but was careful not to draw attention to himself or to alert the Trifle-fish King. "What's going on here, guys!?" he whispered. "Your father wants to use you to take over the world..."
"We can hypnotise people..." chorused the baby trifle-fish, much to Ollie's surprise - but as he stared as the babies they did seem to hold his attention with a certain hypnotic allure with just a casual wink of their trifle-fish eyes.
"Thank you... Thank you... Very clever of you..." Ollie interuptted, keen not to be hypnotised by the baby trifles. "I'm not sure you really want to help rule the world, now do you? Surely that would be a very boring thing to do... So much admin - so many birthday cards to have to send to all the people you ruled over..."
The trifle-fish babies did a little dance, as if using the time to consider how best to reply and then after a few moments they cried out. "WE WANT TO BE CHEERLEADERS AT THE NATIONAL JELLY JUMPING CHAMPIONSHIP..."
Ollie smiled and was about to say something, but suddenly Gladstone was at his side. "Cheerleaders, ey!?" he replied, nodding and looking fascinated by such a suggestion. "Cheerleaders..." he mused. "Hmm. Well, you know what my dear friends - if you're really good and you help us deal with your father's dreadful plan - then maybe being that can be arranged..."
There was a pause for a moment and the trifle-fish babies looked extremely excited. "YES!" they squeaked. "YES! YES! YES!"
Gladstone smiled. "Excellent..." he chuckled. "Then cheerleaders you shall be..."TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.What will happen next? Next time The Trifle-fish King gets mad...This instalment was originally written in Guernsey on Tuesday 9th October 2007. Story and photo - Copyright Paul Chandler, 2007.Labels: Gladstone McWhiskers, Mouse of Commons, Oliver Louse
PART 8 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM!!!
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 8.Part 8 of an exclusive 12 part Mouse of Commons mini-adventure.Meanwhile, whilst Ollie was noticing strange things about the baby trifle-fish, Gladstone had come face to face with a rather large sea gull or cormorant who appeared to be dressed as some kind of traffic warden, or the like.
"Hey!!" cried the bird, whose name - according to the badge on his jacket, read: Nate. "HEY!!" he repeated. "You can't park that castle there..." he insisted. "You're going to have to move it somewhere else... We've a party of sea horses coming along in a minute in a clam shell bus and they're going to be parking here...
Gladstone sighed. "I'm really sorry..." he apologised. "But this isn't actually my castle - I only work here..."
"Oh..." the cormorant called Nate looked a little taken aback and unsure of what to say next. "Oh - well, you're going to have to get hold of your boss and tell him to move it then, aren't you!?"
Somehow, Gladstone didn't think that Trifle-fish King would take too well to that, but he was beginning to have an idea. "It's not going to happen..." Gladstone declared boldly. "My boss isn't going to want to move this place - he intends to be here until Christmas..."
Nate didn't look pleased to hear this, at all. "I'll only give you one more chance!" he snapped, waving his bill around furiously so that Gladstone had to duck to ensure that he wasn't nipped by it.
"That's no good..." sighed Gladstone. "It's not going anywhere - so you'll simply have to go and get some sort of big truck and tow us away!! You're going to have to call for reinforcements. There's going to be trouble if you try anything with my boss..." Gladstone teased. "I wouldn't if I were you - you'll be picking for a fight - that's all I'll say..."
Nate frowned, stomped his claw and snapped his beak one final time. "SO BE IT!!" he said and stomped off across the beach.
Gladstone stood and watched him fly off across the sands - and then he smiled...TO BE CONTINUED ON FRIDAY.What will happen next? Next time we return to Oliver, to see exactly what curious sight he witnessed...This instalment was originally written in Guernsey on Tuesday 9th October 2007. Story and photo - Copyright Paul Chandler, 2007.Labels: Gladstone McWhiskers, Mouse of Commons, Oliver Louse
PART 7 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM!!!
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 7.Part 7 of an exclusive 12 part Mouse of Commons mini-adventure.Sometime had passed since the Trifle-fish King had involved them in his dastardly masterplan to rule the world. As Ollie helped set up a little stall outside the Trifle-fish Castle, the next morning, he could barely even look at his boss, for he felt so cross with him.
"I can't BELIEVE you just said yes, boss!!" he exclaimed, as Gladstone came passed carrying boxes that were almost bigger than he was.
To be honest, the mouse just looked a little sad; however it was true - that when the Trifle-fish King has told them that he needed them to complete his invasion plans Gladstone had simply said, "Yes... Okay then..."
"Why DID you say yes?!" Ollie persisted crossly.
Gladstone was carefully unpacking box after box of baby trifles onto the stall infront of him. "Would you honestly have said no with that great big jellified oaf sitting there in front of you!?" he hissed. "REALLY?! At least we got out of the castle this way - even if he is watching us like a hawk..."
Indeed, he was - the Trifle-fish King was sat in a rather small deckchair (for his size) and was staring at them both intently, as if expecting them to do something bad. "Boss - the Trifle-fish King is out of his mind... He wants us to sell his children to people on the beach so that they can take over the world!!!"
"Yes..." Gladstone nodded. "Yes... I know that, Ollie... But we simply have to go along with his plan..."
"But HOW, boss!?" Ollie enquired desparately, only to discover that Gladstone was already hurrying back into the castle to fetch more boxes.
"KEEP UNPACKING THE BOXES, LOUSE..." boomed the Trifle-fish King from his chair, waving his jelly tentacles about as he gorged himself on a large mug of custard.
"Okay!! Okay!!" replied Ollie crossly. "Yes... Yes... I'm working! I'm working!!"
"MAKE SURE YOU ARE, LOUSE - LET THERE BE NO DELAY!!"
The Trifle-fish King turned away and continued reading his newspaper; THE JELLY GAZETTE and Oliver, meanwhile, simply sighed and turned back to open the first box - where Gladstone had left it on the table.
As he opened the first box, he stared at the baby trifles inside and suddenly gasped - what he saw there inside, he simply couldn't believe...
"OH MY..." he gasped. "THAT'S AMAZING!!!"TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW.What will happen next? Next time Gladstone encounters opposition...This instalment was originally written in Guernsey on Tuesday 9th October 2007. Story and photo - Copyright Paul Chandler, 2007.Labels: Gladstone McWhiskers, Mouse of Commons, Oliver Louse
PART 6 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM!!!
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 6.Part 6 of an exclusive 12 part Mouse of Commons mini-adventure.Ollie couldn't stand it any longer. To be honest, he looked furious and as if he was about to slap the trifle-fish king around his wobbly face. Not that he'd have been able to reach as the trifle-fish king was much taller than Oliver and he couldn't have reached to biff him one without getting a smaller set of steps out first.
Before Ollie could say anything, however - Gladstone quickly placed a paw over his mouth to stop Ollie from speaking. "As I said - whatever you need us to do, just say..." he repeated, not wishing to anger the trifle.
"Follow me..." wobbled the trifle-fish king and led Ollie and Gladstone to the far end of the candle-lit chamber.
Ollie shot Gladstone a worried look, but neither of them said anything as they approached what appeared to be a giant fridge.
"What's in there, sir?" asked Ollie finally, calming down for long enough to be polite and not really liking the eerie silence of the castle any longer. "Is it cream scones and strawberry jam?" he whispered.
The trifle-fish king looked at Ollie suspiciously, as if wondering whether he was making fun; shaking his head as he spoke. "No..." he snapped. "It is not cream scones and strawberry jam - not at all - these are my children..."
"Oh..." whispered Ollie again as he peered into the fridge. "Jelly monsters!?"
"They are NOT jelly monsters..." replied the king crossly. "They're baby trifles - they just haven't grown their chunks yet..."
Gladstone stared away from the bobbly lumps of jelly in the fridge. "So what do you want us to do?" he asked sombrely - but he had predicted exactly what the king would say and sure enough when the trifle-fish spoke he smiled cunningly and confirmed Glad's worst nightmares.
"I want you to help me..." he croaked. "I want you to help me rule the world - with my invasion of baby trifles..."
"You want to rule the world?" Gladstone repeated, just to be sure. "Are you certain? It's a big place, you know... Would you really do it?"
The Trifle-fish king smiled even wider and showed his trifle teeth. "Yes..." he said. "Yes, I would do it... THAT POWER WOULD SET ME UP ABOVE THE GODS!!!!"
"Oh..." said Gladstone, getting the message. "Alright then, whatever..."
It was now that he realised that they were dealing with a jellified megalomaniac!! TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW.What will happen next? Next time the Trifle-fish king puts his plans into action...This instalment was originally written in Guernsey on Monday the 8th and Tuesday 9th October 2007. Story and photo - Copyright Paul Chandler, 2007.Labels: Gladstone McWhiskers, Mouse of Commons, Oliver Louse
PART 5 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM!!!
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 5.Part 5 of an exclusive 12 part Mouse of Commons mini-adventure.It was Gladstone himself who saw what exactly was going on in the darkness of the sandcastle. There before him he saw Ollie and could tell that he was looking very nervous and had reached out for Gladstone's paw for reassurance. However, it wasn't Gladstone was was holding out a paw - infact it wasn't even a claw!!! As far as Gladstone was concerned it looked more like a tentacle and it's owner was a rather ferocious looking jellyfish who also appeared to be wearing a crown.
"Ollie... I really don't think you should..." Gladstone called, but before he could finish, Ollie turned and saw what exactly he was holding hands with.
"Yikes!!" cried Oliver incredulously. "YIKES!! YIKES!!! YIKES!!!!" he continued - pausing to whip his hand back and consider whether he ought to add yet another "YIKES!" for additional effect.
But there wasn't the time.
"DO NOT YIKES SO LOUDLY!!" boomed the jelly fish who wore the crown. "IT MAKES ALL MY JELLY WOBBLE!!"
"Careful, Ollie..." hissed Gladstone, hurrying forward to introduce himself and not wanting to offend this rather foreboding looking pink blancmange shaped fellow and also keen to issue Ollie with a warning. "Careful, Oliver - jelly fish can sting..." he whispered, but the creature appeared to have heard him and didn't look best pleased.
"I can assure you that I DON'T sting!!" he spat crossly. "I'm not that sort of jelly fish - I am a trifle fish - made from custard, raspberry jelly, fresh cream and stale sponge cake - but that is by the by... I bought you both here for a reason and your won't be going anywhere until you've helped me..."
Gladstone frowned. He didn't like being threatened, but on the other hand he didn't like his chances when it came to arguing with the Trifle fish.
"We'd be delighted to help!" he exclaimed, much to Ollie's surprise - face forced into a teeth clenched smile. "You only have to ask, dear sir.." he added.
Gladstone McWhiskers only hoped that he wasn't about to regret his overly kind offer...TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW.What will happen next? Next time Ollie and Gladstone learn what the Trifle Fish King has in mind for them.
This instalment was originally written in Guernsey on Monday the 8th of October 2007. Story - Copyright Paul Chandler, 2007. Fabulous new Mouse of Commons drawing by Bearsoup, 2007. Thank you!!!!!Labels: Gladstone McWhiskers, Mouse of Commons, Oliver Louse
PART 4 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM!!!
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 4.Part 4 of an exclusive 12 part Mouse of Commons mini-adventure."It's a little bit dark in here, isn't it boss?" whispered Ollie nervously, reaching out quickly to grab Gladstone's arm for comfort.
"Ollie..." Gladstone snapped, trying not to sound too cross, but failing. "Ollie - will you please take your hands off me - that's my tail you're holding - not my arm... I'll never forgive you if you stretch my precious tail or end up pulling it off! It's only stuck on with blu-tac, you know..."
"Is it REALLY!?" exclaimed Ollie, sounding shocked - but Gladstone chuckled.
"No Ollie... It's firmly fixed, as ever..." he assured his friend. "However, if you tug it like that again, the situation might change... I need my tail to attach flags to in moments of retreat, surrender or celebration - sometimes for advertising purposes..." he added. "I've been known to rent my tail out to worthy causes before now!"
Ollie wasn't having any of it, but decided to simply ignore Gladstone's supreme silliness. "Sorry boss..." he apologised - letting go of Gladstone's tail. "I really didn't expect it to be so dark in here - you don't have a torch with you or some matches? The Ministry fire-flies are all on strike - so I know you wouldn't have any of those spare - I certainly don't..."
"Neither do I!" exclaimed Glad. "And I don't have matches - a torch - or even a miners helmet either... The only thing I do have is your bucket and spade and the crusts of the sandwiches you didn't eat at lunch time that you wanted me to feed to the seagulls..."
"Yes... Yes... Alright - well don't get over-excited boss, I was only asking!" murmured Ollie, finding that slowly he was beginning to get used to the darkness of the castle. He was beginning to make out shapes and could now see a little further down the dark passageway. "Let's head up this way, boss..." he suggested, hurrying on. "I think I can see candlelight... Maybe someone will put the kettle on for us..."
"If they can see the kettle!!" Gladstone called out, but Ollie was already off down the shadowy corridor.
Ollie hadn't really caught what Gladstone had said, having not waited for his view on the matter. But as he neared the light he suddenly became very nervous indeed. Something wasn't right - he felt an uneasy shiver run down his spine and heard an eerie squelching noise very close by.
"I don't like the sound of that, do you, boss!?" he whispered and reached out to grab Gladstone's paw once more.
But this time it wasn't his furry tail that Ollie found, nor his arm - but something wet and slimey - something that growled at him and smelt of dead sardines and rotten fruit...
"Oh my..." croaked Ollie.
He didn't like this one little bit...TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.What will happen next? Next time Ollie and Gladstone meet the owner of the sinister sandcastle of doom.This instalment was originally written in Guernsey on Monday the 8th of October 2007. Story and Photograph - Copyright Paul Chandler, 2007.Labels: Gladstone McWhiskers, Mouse of Commons, Oliver Louse
PART 3 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM!!!
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 3.Part 3 of an exclusive 12 part Mouse of Commons mini-adventure."Hey..." exclaimed Ollie uncertainly. "Hey boss - where did that giant sandcastle suddenly come from? It wasn't there earlier, was it?"
"I don't think so..." agreed Glad, trying to recall whether it had or hadn't been - for what with all the business with the ice cream chasing him (or so he'd thought); followed by having to eat said ice-cream until he was full to bursting - he'd rather lost track of what had been going on.
"We should go and take a look..." whispered Ollie, quite in awe of the fantastic castle. "Maybe they'll invite us in for tea and cakes..." he suggested, eyes widening excitedly.
Gladstone shook his head disapprovingly. "Oliver Louse - you're almost as bad as that darn bear, Charlie Grrr..." he snapped. "You're always thinking of you tummy!"
But that said, he had to admit that he did like the idea of stopping off for a cup of tea and maybe a jam scone with cream, or something.
"Let's go..." Ollie insisted and so they did just that.
It didn't take very long to cross the sands towards the castle, in fact the castle almost seemed to be floating towards them. Gladstone didn't even have time to suggest that Ollie tried to ring the door bell, for he simply shoved open the large castle gate and hurried on inside...
"Ollie... Will you WAIT, please..." he called as he hurried on after his louse companion, but Ollie didn't appear to have heard him.
Seconds later - as the Mouse of Commons followed after him - the castle door slammed behind them - trapping them both inside...TO BE CONTINUED.
What will happen next? Next time Ollie and Gladstone explore the dark, damp sandcastle of doom.This instalment was originally written in Guernsey on Monday the 8th of October 2007. Story and Photograph - Copyright Paul Chandler, 2007.Labels: Gladstone McWhiskers, Mouse of Commons, Oliver Louse
PART 2 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM!!!
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 2.Part 2 of an exclusive 12 part Mouse of Commons mini-adventure.As Gladstone stood transfixed in fear at the sight of the creature - the ice cream wobbled ever closer towards Gladstone and the Mouse was about to turn and run (if he could manage to break the trance that seemed to have come over him). He knew that if he stayed where he was then the ice cream monster would swallow him up and a grand and illustrious career would be over before it's natural time.
Suddenly - as the ice cream got closer, however - he had second thoughts - he noticed something that he had failed to see before...
"Ollie..." he called, addressed the udulating dairy monstrosity. "Ollie - is that you over there behind the ice cream?!"
"Yes, boss..." replied the rampant dessert. "I did try and call out to you, but the ice cream seemed to distort my voice..." he explained.
Gladstone gave a sigh of relief and hurried over to help his friend, fearful that the ice cream might rapidly begin to melt and wash them both away if the didn't hurry up and eat it.
That said, it didn't take them very long to polish off the giant creamy lump of ice cream and none was wasted. Finally, once they had finished, they both lay in the sand with their feet in the air, almost unable to move.
"You know what, boss..." sighed Ollie. "We're going to have to move soon, because the sea's coming in..."
Gladstone looked up from contemplating his belly button and cast an eye to the shore. "Don't be silly, Ollie..." he chided his companion. "The tide is going OUT! We can stay here until the sun goes down, if we want to..."
Ollie was feeling a little embarrassed, to be honest, for it getting it so wrong. But then he noticed something that Gladstone hadn't seen yet...
Where the sea had been some few minutes before there now stood a large and spooky castle - a castle made almost entirely out of shells and sand...TO BE CONTINUED
What will happen next? Next episode Oliver and Gladstone investigate the sand castle of doom...This instalment was originally written in Guernsey on Monday the 8th of October 2007. Story and Photograph - Copyright Paul Chandler, 2007.Labels: Gladstone McWhiskers, Mouse of Commons, Oliver Louse
PART 1 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM!!!
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 1This is an exclusive 12 part Gladstone McWhiskers story that I wrote recently, whilst on holiday in Guernsey. It was specifically written for my niece, hence it might seem a little more "junior" than the other Mouse stories and also explains the short length of each chapter. However, that said, I thought it would make a good inclusion for the website.It was a sunny day and Gladstone McWhiskers; the Mouse of Commons and Lords was on holiday. It was very nearly autumn now - but the weather was warm and the sky was extremely blue. In fact it was warmer than it had been during August.
"Ollie!!" called Gladstone, casting a worried eye across the sandy beach before him. "Ollie? Where are you?"
Ollie was Gladstone's best friend and also his assistant - but he wasn't a mouse; he was a wood louse which is a rather scaly, but pretty interesting looking insect with quite a number of small scurrying legs. The last time that Glad had seen Ollie, he was wearing his bathing costume and a rather tight looking rubber ring around his waist. He had also been carrying a rather brightly coloured yellow plastic duck, which he'd nick-named George. George had been almost as large as Oliver himself.
Right about now, however, there was no sign of Ollie, at all.
"OLIVER!!!" called Gladstone - but the beach was empty.
The afternoon was drawing in and a lot of the holiday makers, who had been there earlier, had now left.
A plane flew over head and Gladstone watched it passing, for a minute - but then all of a sudden the mouse heard a noise.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!! BOOOOOOOOOOOOS!!"
There before him, coming over a sand bank was a giant glob of what appeared to be a mountain of undulating ice cream.
"It's some sort of sea monster - dairy dessert mutant mixture!!" he mused - not quite certain how to put what he saw into words.
All the same - there was very little time to decide what to do - the blobby mound was getting close and closer - and it was coming right towards Gladstone!!
TO BE CONTINUED.What will happen next time on the beach? Find out tomorrow - same time - same place!!This instalment was originally written in Guernsey on Monday the 8th of October 2007. Thanks to Gareth Bellis for the use of the photograph. Story - Copyright Paul Chandler, 2007. Photograph - Copyright Gareth Bellis, 2007.Labels: Gladstone McWhiskers, Mouse of Commons, Oliver Louse
GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE SANDCASTLE OF DOOM - PART 12.
