The Time Hunters and the Box of Eternity (3 page)

Becky watched, her heart thumping. What if it didn
’
t work? What if she
couldn
’
t
be revived? However, before she had time to worry further, her mother stirred
slightly and gave a low moan. Then, with a start, her eyes snapped open and she
snatched at the air, colour returning to her cheeks.

‘
There, there,
Catherine…
’
Uncle Percy said softly.
‘
You
’
re fine now.
’

‘
P
–
Percy?
’
Mrs Mellor gasped.
‘
What happened?
’

‘
You bumped your
head.
 
Here, sit down.
’
Uncle Percy steered her
gently on to the couch and took the glass from Joe.
‘
Drink this. It
’
ll help.
’

Mrs Mellor drained the glass.
‘
I
–
I don
’
t understand!
’

‘
Of course, you don
’
t,
’
Uncle Percy said.
‘
But I
’
ve given you a once
over and you
’
re perfectly fine. There
’
s not even a lump.
’
 

‘
I don
’
t remember a thing.
’

Uncle Percy gave a sympathetic nod.
‘
That
’
s just a spot of amnesia. You
’
ll be right as rain in a few minutes.
’

Mrs Mellor looked confused.
‘
When did I bang my head?
’

Uncle Percy blushed slightly.
‘
Er, during the tornado.
’

Becky had to stop herself from giggling.

‘
T
–
Tornado!
’
Mrs Mellor exclaimed.

Uncle Percy nodded.
‘
I
’
m afraid so. It
’
s done some terrible damage to the tree in your back garden. But no
one was harmed and that
’
s all that matters.
’

‘
That
’
s good.
’
Mrs Mellor sank into
the chair as she processed this strange news.
‘
And why were you so late, Percy? Is everything
all right?
’

‘
Ah, sorry about that.
Yes, I
’
m
fine. I was involved in something of an accident and had to be towed to a
garage. I
’
ve
been there for hours. It was a
mammoth
job, apparently.
’
Uncle Percy winked at
Becky.
‘
Anyway,
my mobile phone was damaged in the accident, so may I use your landline to call
Maria to say we
’
ll be leaving shortly?
’

‘
Of course.
’

Uncle Percy left the room.

Becky joined her mother on the couch.
‘
You sure you
’
ll be okay, Mum?
’

‘
Oh, yes,
’
her mother replied
distractedly, her fingers probing her scalp.
‘
I
’
ve never lost my memory before. What did I bang my head on?
’

Becky hesitated for a moment.
‘
A plant pot.
’

‘
Really?
’
her mother replied.
‘
I must say this whole
thing is very odd.
’

Becky had to agree.

When Uncle Percy returned, Becky knew from his brow-beaten
expression he
’
d been given a serious ear-bashing even before he mumbled,
‘
Maybe I should buy
some flowers on the way home? Maria
’
s not in the most forgiving of moods…
’

Over the next ten minutes, as Uncle Percy patched up his own
injuries, Becky and Joe finished dinner, loaded their suitcases into Bertha and
gathered on the driveway. Rain cracked against gravel and a bitter wind whipped
Becky
’
s
face as she approached her mother, only to see her eyes were dampening.

‘
No crying, Mum,
’
Becky said.
‘
We
’
re only going for a
week.
’

Mrs Mellor gave a loud sniff.
‘
I know. I
’
m just being stupid.
’
She hugged Becky
before turning to Joe.
‘
You take care of each other. And remember, Uncle Percy shouldn
’
t have to tolerate
your squabbling, so please behave.
’

‘
We will, Mum,
’
Joe said.

‘
They always do,
Catherine,
’
Uncle Percy said, giving Mrs Mellor a kiss on the cheek. Then he looked
at Becky and Joe.
‘
Anyway, shall we make tracks? There
’
s a German lady who is rather keen to see the
two of you again, and equally keen to smash my face in with a
Königskuchen pan
.
’

Becky and Joe clambered into the campervan as Mrs Mellor stared anxiously
at Bertha
’
s
exterior.
‘
Are you sure that
’
s fit to drive, Percy?
’

 
‘
Of course,
’
Uncle Percy said,
with a casual flick of his hand. He climbed in and rolled down the window.
‘
Besides, we
’
ll be avoiding any
busy roads.
’
And before Mrs Mellor could say anything else, he had reversed on to
the road.

‘
What she doesn
’
t know -
’
Uncle Percy whispered
to Becky,
‘
- is that shortly we
’
ll be avoiding roads altogether…
’

Becky felt her stomach quiver as she stared at the Victorian terraced
houses ahead, their brightly lit windows veiling the simple, ordinary lives
within. Bowen Hall, on the other hand, was as far from ordinary as you could
get. And as Uncle Percy pulled away, she knew the moment she had longed for had
finally arrived. She was going home.

Chapter 4

The Travelling Times

Uncle Percy steered Bertha out of Lyndon Crescent and on to the main
road. Passing a betting shop, a launderette and a Greek takeaway named
Abra-Kebabra
,
they turned down a side street that led to a sprawling park, bordered on all
sides by iron railings.

Becky watched as Uncle Percy pushed a switch on Bertha
’
s dashboard and with a
soft whir, the speedometer flipped over, replaced by a map of the immediate
vicinity; a tiny green and white triangle seemed to be edging away from a
cluster of purple rectangles.
‘
What
’
s that?
’
she asked, intrigued.

‘
It
’
s an Alto-radar,
’
Uncle Percy said,
bringing Bertha to a halt on a deserted stretch of scrubland to the left of the
park gates.

‘
And that
’
s how you know when
other cars are nearby?
’
Joe asked.

‘
Cars, boats,
aeroplanes - any type of vehicle, Joe. We
’
re the green and white triangle … other
vehicles are represented by different shapes and colours. For instance, an
orange circle would signify a wind-propelled boat, whereas a blue rhombus would
symbolise a twin-engine bi-plane. A purple rectangle represents your run of the
mill car, all of which, as you can see are moving away from us. The Alto-radar
can also indicate any human or animal presence in the area. After all, we don
’
t want just anyone
witnessing our little vanishing act, do we?
’

‘
I guess not,
’
Joe agreed.

Uncle Percy watched as the final rectangle left the screen. Then he
typed something on to Bertha
’
s time pad.
‘
Anyhow, I think I
’
d better go and face Maria
’
s music, don
’
t you?
’

Becky
’
s insides churned as the campervan grumbled and shook. At once,
streams of blinding light poured from Bertha
’
s dashboard, reaching every corner of the time
machine. She barely had time to close her eyes when
–
BOOM
.

Even when she knew it was over, Becky couldn
’
t bring herself to
look, partly for fear that Bertha had malfunctioned again. Her concerns
vanished, however, when she heard Joe say,
‘
I
’
d forgotten just how totally awesome that is!
’

For some reason, Becky had expected them to materialise in Uncle
Percy
’
s
laboratory, The Time Room, hearing the bleeps and hums of the workstations, its
tall, brilliant-white walls alive with the soft ticking of countless clocks,
each reading different times from a range of timelines. She was surprised,
therefore, to discover that Uncle Percy had plumped for something else
entirely.

They were on a curved path, opposite the ivy-covered boathouse on
the banks of Bowen Lake. Only when Becky arched right, did she understand why
Uncle Percy had brought them here. In the distance, majestic against the
velvety black sky, like something from a fairytale, stood Bowen Hall. The
breath snagged in her throat.

‘
You know,
’
Uncle Percy said,
‘
it
’
s nice when your
favourite building is also your home.
’
He started the campervan and they drove off.

Before they reached the Hall, however, the front door crashed open
and a short, portly figure raced out. Dressed in a black and white housekeeper
’
s uniform, Maria
resembled a well-fed penguin.
‘
My angels …
’
she squealed.
‘
My angels are here!
’
A moment later, her husband, Jacob, limped into view, his kindly
face revealing a wide, generous smile.

Maria continued her charge, her arms flapping manically. Powering
towards Bertha, she hurled the passenger door open and heaved Joe out with the
force of a mountain gorilla. Then she planted wet kisses over every visible
patch of his face.

Joe knew better than to resist.
‘
Hi, Maria.
’

Maria
’
s eyes widened as Joe stood to his full height.
‘
Look how Master Joe
has grown! I knew it. The first time I saw him, I said he would be strong …
strong as a lion. And I was right. Maria is always right.
’
Then, with equal
vigor, she hauled Becky out of the van.
‘
And Miss Becky...
’
She clasped Becky
’
s face in her stubby
fingers and her eyes moistened.
‘
You grow more beautiful with each moon. She looks like a princess,
doesn
’
t
she, Jacob?
’

‘
She does, indeed,
’
Jacob agreed.

‘
Thanks, Maria,
’
Becky replied,
hugging her.

Then Maria
’
s eyes fell darkly on Uncle Percy, who appeared to be tiptoeing
towards the door.
 
‘
And you? What have you
to be saying for yourself?
’

Uncle Percy smiled feebly.
‘
Sorry I
’
m late.
’

Maria
’
s face grew scarlet. A noodle-like vein popped up on her neck.
‘
Late? Late, is what he
says! You are not late … you have been missing! Jacob has been worried sick.
’
She gestured at
Jacob, who looked like he was about to contradict her but thought better of it.
‘
Poor man!
Look at him. You have taken years off his life.
’

Uncle Percy looked guilty.
‘
I
’
m really sorry, Jacob.
’

Jacob gave an indifferent shrug.
‘
There is nothing to be -
’

‘
Bah! There is much to
be sorry for!
’
Maria interrupted.

Uncle Percy raised his hands in a gesture of peace.
‘
Maria, I
’
m sorry you were
worried, but like I told you on the phone, the stampede was just an unfortunate
accident.
’

‘
An accident that would
never have been if you were not there at all.
’
Maria
’
s voice cracked.
‘
You should live for the now and not for what
has passed. She has -
’

Unexpectedly, it was Jacob
’
s stern voice that cut her down.
‘
That is enough, Maria.
This is not your business!
’

Becky grew alarmed. She
’
d never heard Jacob raise his voice before.

‘
It is my business,
Jacob,
’
Maria insisted.
‘
I love him. I want him safe. I want him here, for me to look after
until I am in the ground. If he is angry with me then … pah! That is better
than losing him.
’
And with that, she turned and dashed into the Hall in a fit of
wails and tears.

Jacob stared miserably at Uncle Percy.
‘
I apologise for my
wife. Her intentions are good.
’

‘
I know they are,
’
Uncle Percy replied
miserably.

Jacob gave a half-smile and followed his wife into the Hall.

Becky was lost for words.
‘
What
’
s going on?
’

‘
That is a very long
story,
’
Uncle Percy said.
‘
And is certainly not one for tonight.
’

Becky was about to press the matter, when a soft voice floated on
the air.
‘
And
what is the cause of this disorder?
’
She spun round to see Will approaching them.

‘
Will!
’
Joe cried happily,
racing over and shaking his hand.

‘
How be you, young sir?
’
Will asked.

‘
I
’
m ace,
’
Joe replied.
‘
How are you?
’

‘
I am better for seeing
you again.
’

Becky looked at them together and felt an unexpected pang of envy. A
unique bond had formed between them, one she could never share. Teacher and
student. Before she had time to dwell on this, however, Will had embraced
her.
  

‘
Miss Becky,
’
Will said.
‘
It does me good to see
you.
’

Becky smiled back.
‘
Great to see you, too.
’

Will
’
s gaze shifted onto Bertha for a moment before finding Uncle Percy.
‘
One can surmise you
’
ve had an eventful
day, my friend.
’

‘
That
’
s one way of putting
it.
’

Will
’
s eyes narrowed.
‘
Should I know more?
’

‘
Not really,
’
Uncle Percy replied.
He looked at Becky and Joe.
‘
Anyway, let
’
s get the two of you settled into your rooms.
’

After unpacking the campervan, they climbed the Hall
’
s front steps. All the
while, Becky couldn
’
t take her eyes off Uncle Percy, who looked strangely distant; his
hazel eyes, usually so full of life, appeared dull and troubled.
 
She knew something was wrong. However, the
second she stepped into the Entrance Hall, all thoughts of this fleetingly
vanished as, with a high-pitched yelp, a bundle of sandy-coloured fur sped
across the floor and zigzagged excitedly between her feet, trailed by the
identical but considerably larger outline of his mother.

‘
Sabian!
’
Becky beamed,
scooping up the Sabre-tooth tiger cub and pressing his head against hers. She
felt a delicious shiver as his whiskers tickled her nose. It was then she saw
the morning room door stood ajar. Maria was sitting on a chair, her body
shuddering as she wept into Jacob
’
s shoulder.

Uncle Percy had noticed, too.
‘
If you
’
ll excuse me, I believe I must have a little
chat with Maria. Will, would you be so kind as to show Becky and Joe to their
rooms?
’
He
took a heavy breath and entered the morning room, closing the door behind him.

After a few uncomfortable seconds, Becky said,
‘
What
’
s going on, Will?
’

‘
I believe Maria is
upset because of your uncle
’
s disappearance today. She has lost many in her life, family and
friends. I believe she feared she would lose him, too. After all, he is her
family now.
’

Becky nodded sympathetically.
‘
I can see that, but what did she mean about not
living in the past?
’

Will
’
s expression darkened.
‘
I did not hear that. And if I did, it would not be for me to
comment.
’
He picked up her suitcase.
‘
Come … let us settle you to your chambers. These events will be all
but forgotten in a short while.
’