MOUSE OF COMMONS. MOUSE OF LORDS.: PART 11 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE LOST CITY OF BEARCELONA...

Monday, December 17, 2007

PART 11 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE LOST CITY OF BEARCELONA...

GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE LOST CITY OF BEARCELONA... - PART 11

The 11th part of our new internet-exclusive mini-adventure by Paul Chandler, set in Spain and the Islands, which is a sequel to GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE PHANTOM PIE-CRAWL.

Majorca, Late Autumn.

It wasn't so much that the snow was getting deeper as they dragged Augustus's trailer on up the hill; but that it was by now almost totally dark and that inbetween shouting at Ollie to brush the snow off his father's head Charlie seemed more interested in eating the remains of his paella.

"You know what, Ollie - I had no idea that it snowed in Majorca, although my father tells me that it does from time to time; however I wouldn't be surprised if he hasn't just used some of his magic to make the weather worsen; partly to stop the competition - and partly because he always was a bit of a sucker for traditional Christmas card scenes..."

"The competition!?" exclaimed Ollie in some confusion. "What competition are we talking about?"

"Oh come on - I'm sure I must have told you! They're right behind us - that's why we really had to ger a bit of a move on back in Soller..."

"But who? Gladstone and Claud, do you mean - I thought you said that they were safe back in Palma..."

"Well them, yes..." Charlie agreed, nearly overturning the whole van as he took a particularly tight corner at too great a speed. "But those two don't really count as the competition... It's that bear from back in Barcelona who's the biggest danger, now..." he explained, although Ollie was obviously still quite unsure of who he meant. "You know - the one who was digging for the map under the pie factory... He used to work for my father - but then when dad became incapacitated he went rogue - but without father's help he couldn't make head not tail of the map..."

"But now he's back in action things have changed!?" Ollie suggested warily and Charlie nodded with a smile on his face.

"I'm sure he's convinced that he's searching for the lost city in my father's name - but dear papa has no interest in anyone else assisting him now that he has me on board..." he chuckled. "Bless; it's one layer of treachery on top of another at the moment; it really is..."

To be honest Ollie wasn't sure what he meant and had given up trying to removed the snow from Augustus's head and come back to sit next to Charlie. "I don't understand - what do you mean? Your father using you like he has; hardly counts as treachery! You made a pact with him, didn't you? Sorry - but you got all you deserved..."

Charlie gave the louse a rather disparaging look. "I don't mean what he's done to me, Oliver Louse - I mean what I'm about to do to him..."

Ollie wasn't sure what he meant, but was certain that it wasn't good news. "What Charlie?" he enquired dubiously. "What have you go planned, exactly!?"

"Well, we don't need him anymore... Augustus thought he was using me to physically get him to the entrance portal at Valdemossa - but all along I was usuing him! Now I know all I need to know i can press eject..."

Ollie stared at the bear and was shocked at what he saw; not the usual friendly Charlie that he had come to know over the years; nor was it the one that he'd seen possessed by Augustus somewhile earlier. This Charlie had the look of a bear full of genuine anger - of bitterness for all the years that his father had haunted his family; resentment for things done, which Ollie knew precious little about.

"You're going to abandon Augustus out here on the mountains? Just jettison him without further thought?"

Charlie looked quite hurt. "Oh, I beg to disagree - I've been thinking about doing this for hours now - I've thought of nothing else - I've just had to hide it from dear papa's prying mind..."

"But surely you won't just leave out in the snow..."

"Oh, come on now, Ollie..." Charlie insisted grumpily. "None of you have approved of me hanging around him from the start; but I've got all I need from our renewed contact now; thank you very much... I've also got myself a helmet that will protect me from his invasive thoughts, too..." he added and placed what appeared to be a bucket with eye and mouth holes carved into it rather poorly. "I made it myself on the boat on the way over using just an old toothbrush and a pomegranite..." he beamed proudly.

"But Charlie..."

"No buts Ollie... He's holding us back - it hard enough driving up these hills in this weather, let alone having him hold us back. Without his weight to slow us down we'll make it to Valdemossa by sunrise..."

Ollie was about to protest once again, but it did no good, at all...

"Au revoir, dear papa..." exclaimed the bear melodramatically; stabbing a button on the dashboard and Ollie turned to watch in dismay as the trailer suddenly disconnected from the van and with a roar of rage from Augustus the little trolley sped away from them back down the hill.

"Now that's what I CALL a fond farewell..." chuckled Charlie as Oliver watched Augustus's trailer disappear amongst the snowy whiteness behind them.

Very soon they had turned a corner and the little white van continued on its way...

Next episode Gladstone and Claud have to face up to Kob and Augustus makes an unexpected come-back...

TUNE IN AGAIN, TOMORROW FOR PART 12 OF THIS ADVENTURE...

This instalment of GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE LOST CITY OF BEARCELONA was originally written in Majorca and London from Sunday 2nd - Monday 3rd December 2007.

BEHIND THE SCENES OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE LOST CITY OF BEARCELONA...

This week's photos are of the town of Valdemossa where the last part of this story is set. The photos were taken on the 1st December 2007 on a very sunny saturday indeed.