MOUSE OF COMMONS. MOUSE OF LORDS.: PART 3 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE LOST CITY OF BEARCELONA...

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

PART 3 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE LOST CITY OF BEARCELONA...

GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE LOST CITY OF BEARCELONA... - PART 3

The 3rd 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.

Barcelona, Late Autumn.

Claud looked very pale for a moment and when he tried to speak his purr sounded very weak and nervous and his voice wavered uncertainly. "Maybe we're wrong - maybe he WAS smiling before!? What do you think, Ollie!?" he asked worried, as he, Oliver and Gladstone sat in Charlie's office some while later; watching the silent Augustus Grrr inside the safe, via a monitor screen.

"I dunno, Claud..." Ollie replied weakly. "What about you, boss!?"

"I really can't remember, I'm afraid..." sighed Gladstone and shrugged. "I really can't - he always looked plain mean to me whatever expression he's wearing. Apparently he does occasionally undergo small changes like this and his ear fur keeps growing so it has to be trimmed from time to time. Alena tells me that he still gets belly button fluff, which has to be harvested and which is sold to the shelving imps to make tea. When they come for his belly button fluff I'm told that Augustus sometimes makes a sound like giggling because he's especially ticklish around his midriff and apparently he can still feel it when people are poking him down there..."

"I can't imagine Augustus Grrr giggling about anything, to be honest, boss..." Ollie admitted, having met the bear on a number of occasions. He found it hard to associate him with anything other than evil-doings and maliciousness; there was nothing endearing or cute about the bear.

"Shhh now..." urged Gladstone. "He's going in to the room now... As much as he hated the fact that Charlie was even doing it, as he was being such a stubborn single-minded bear - Gladstone wanted to ensure that he kept an eye on every move the bear made..."

"What's he up to?" enquired Ollie excitedly, for he couldn't make it out as Claud and Gladstone were blocking the screen."

"Umm... He's eating pie..." Glad replied.

"Phew!!" Ollie gave a small sigh of relief. "Everything's pretty much normal so far, then..."

Down in the cell, Charlie looked up from his third cheese and marzipan pie in a row and across at the silent figure of his father. Except that he wasn't quite as silent as he had been before, he appeared to be letting out a growl; a very low rumbling one that got louder and louder with time. As he did so his eyelids began to flicker open and now, all of a sudden, Charlie found himself looking directly into his father's eyes in the first time in over 9 months.

"Hello father..." he smiled, but tried to remain composed over the whole matter and so he started to nibble at another pie - although gradually became aware of a voice in his head.

"Charlie..."

It was his father using his telepathy - and it was quite powerful, at that. Charlie was well aware that Augustus had developed such skills over the years and also that he had been capable of effectively controlling certain people. This latter skill was impossible for him now; but Charlie was shocked to find that his telepathy was still so strong.

"Charlie..." whispered the voice again. "The lost city can be ours... We can go there together... We can share the pies of the lost city... Pies beyond our wildest dreams, Charlie..."

Again, Charlie was still a little taken aback because his father had obviously been reading his mind as soon as he'd entered the cell and appeared to know exactly what his son had come to discuss with him. All the same, Charlie tried to appear composed and rose from the table as he completed his fourth pie and as he approached Augustus he picked up the ancient and dusty map up from the table.

"Maybe..." he said, as he drew up close to the bear, shocked to recall how much younger Augustus looked due to the life-force that he had stolen back in London, before he had become imprisoned and encased in his current manner. "Maybe we can share the lost city and all it's pies..." he continued. "Although you're hardly in a position to enjoy it, right now..." he paused and then tried to sound as kind a son as possible. "Father..." he began. "Do you know where the city is hidden?" he enquired, lifting the map into position so that Augustus could see it. "Look at it..." he requested. "Look at the map - does it mean anything to you - does it make any sense!? Can you see where it directs us to - to find the lost city!?"

As Charlie watched his father's eyes flicker across the parchment he knew immediately that the answer to his questions was undoubtedly, yes...

It all made perfect sense to Augustus Grrr and yes - he knew where the lost city was, alright.

What will happen as Gladstone, Ollie and Claud go in search of the lost city? In tomorrow's episode they take a trip in the right direction.

This instalment of GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE LOST CITY OF BEARCELONA was originally written on a plane heading for Spain on Friday 30th November 2007.

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

Further photos relating to the setting of this story - tomorrow the truth of our location is revealed...