MOUSE OF COMMONS. MOUSE OF LORDS.: PART 7 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE PHANTOM PIE-CRAWL!!!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

PART 7 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE PHANTOM PIE-CRAWL!!!

GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE PHANTOM PIE-CRAWL!!! - PART 7

Part 7 of a 15 part internet-exclusive mini-adventure by Paul Chandler, set in Barcelona.

There was no doubting it; but Ollie was quite shocked at what he saw as he and Claud emerged from the rest rooms at almost exactly the same moment as Charlie vanished out into the night.

"OH!!!" exclaimed Ollie. "They've gone..."

"OHHHH!!!" exclaimed Claud, sounding almost more distraught than Oliver had. "They've gone and I never got my autograph..." he cried, sounding quite choked up about the whole situation.

"Don't worry about the autograph..." Ollie insisted. "I can give you mine and get Gladstone and Charlie's anytime, for you... It's just I can't believe that they would hurry off and leave me after I've just suffered a near fatal graving bathing incident..."

"Looks like one of them ate your pie too, senor..." Claud pointed out, noting Ollie's empty plate.

"GOOD GOUDA!! YOU'RE RIGHT!!! HOW DARE THEY!!" shrieked Oliver, his voice going all high-pitched and whiny as he spoke. "THEY DIDN'T EVEN PAY... I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PAY CHARLIE GRRR'S FOOD BILL AND I DIDN'T EVEN GET A SINGLE CRUMB OF THE FOOD..."

"Other than the gravy..." Claud remined him and the realised that Ollie was looking rather down in the mouth. "Listen - let's worry about the bill later - you should never have fallen in that gravy - we should have provided you with a safe spooning platform and we didn't... You certainly shouldn't have to pay for all that your friend has eaten. Anyway - Senor Grrr is a friend of the restaurant - a shareholder, no less - so payment can be wavered for the time being, I'm sure... We'll just send him the bill - so you needn't worry yourself..." he reassured Oliver generously. "What we really need to do is reunite you with your friends... That should be top priority..."

Of course, neither of them realised that in fact Gladstone was actually still in the restaurant looking for Ollie, but had become lost during his search. He'd missed all the action of Charlie storming out and ended up taking the back stairs which led him down to the cellar.

"OLLIE!?" he called, fearing that his friend might possibly have slipped or even been kidnapped by the strange cat waiter. "OLLIE!?" he cried out again, but there was no reply and as he stepped forward a large cobweb attached itself to his face and he nearly swallowed it in his hurried attempt to remove the offending web. "This is what reminds me of why I don't like going down into cellars..."

Indeed, there were miles and miles of cellars and underground corridors beneath The Houses of Parliament, but at least the spiders down there were polite; he wasn't sure if the spider whose wen he'd just destroyed would be quite so understanding and he wasn't sure that he knew enough Spanish to apologise, at any rate.

Just at that moment there came a noise down in the cellar - a low moaning noise - a moan which was either Oliver or more chillingly sounded as if it might possibly the wail of one of Charlie's legendary ghosts...

WOOOOWOOOOOOOWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! ; boasted the noise and Gladstone felt a shiver run down him from the top of his ears to the tip of his tail.

Whatever it was, out there in the dark, he really didn't like it...

TO BE CONTINUED, TOMORROW.

What is the thing in the cellar?? What has become of Charlie Grrr and will Claud be able to reunite Oliver with him - and if he does - will the pie headed fiend be waiting for them all...

This instalment was originally written in Barcelona on Friday 9th November 2007.

BEHIND THE SCENES OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE PHANTOM PIE-CRAWL

Today I present for your delictation more photos from our afternoon on the beach and around the harbour - taken on my birthday. :) The story only vaguely mentions the beach area - but it's certainly worth a visit. :) More photos tomorrow...