Blue Fire and Ice (9 page)

‘Good girl,’ said Crimson, scratching Calamity behind the ears. Calamity gave a little bark and then jumped back on the cart to her seat, looking very pleased with herself.

Calamity was the fire station puppy. She didn’t exactly belong to Crimson. She belonged to the fire station. It was her place in the world. Looking at her pointed snout, her bright eyes and perky ears, you’d be forgiven for thinking she was the sort of terrier for which they are famous in a place called Staffordshire. But, if you asked anyone what kind of dog Calamity was, they’d look at you strangely and answer, ‘Puppy, of course.’ Which was perfectly true. Calamity was a puppy and had always been a puppy. If you were to ask Calamity the same question, she would give exactly the same answer. It would sound like a little bark, but if you were a Muddle, you’d know what she was saying. All the animals understand the Muddles. All the Muddles, on the other hand, don’t exactly understand the animals. They just know what they’re saying.

A large thud made both Crimson and Calamity look round sharply, just in time to see Grunge slide down the pole. He had his arms wrapped tight around the pole and was carrying a small case in one hand. As his feet touched the floor, he bent and picked up a rucksack at the foot of the pole.

‘I remembered to hold on this time,’ he grinned. He placed the rucksack near the other things on the floor.

‘No guitar?’ asked Crimson.

‘I didn’t think there’d be enough room. I brought this instead.’ He held up the case. ‘My flute.’ He nodded to the gear on the floor. ‘Well, shall we pack this on the cart?’

Crimson nodded. ‘I think I’ve got everything. Calamity remembered her dinner bowl.’ Calamity gave a little bark. ‘I’ve put a special box on the cart for all our things.’ Just behind the tank, the cart had a large metal box for all the fire equipment. Next to it, Crimson had attached a slightly smaller metal box for their food and clothing. ‘Let’s get it packed.’

Crimson and Grunge started putting everything on the floor into the boxes on the cart. Soon, everything was stowed away in its place. Grunge picked up his flute. ‘I’ll keep hold of this myself,’ he said.

‘That’s a good idea. And Calamity can look after her bowl.’ Crimson hesitated a minute, gave Grunge an embarrassed smile and said softly, ‘It was very good of you to volunteer, Grunge.’ She hesitated again and blushed. ‘I’m glad you’re coming with me.’

Grunge gave Crimson an awkward grin. His blush matched Crimson’s. ‘I’m glad too, Crimson.’ They glanced shyly at each other. Neither spoke. Calamity cocked her head again and barked.

‘I think she’s impatient to get going,’ said Grunge, smiling. ‘Where are the Beadles?’

‘They’re picking up Reach. There’s not enough room on the cart for the three’ – Calamity gave another little bark – ‘four of us, so she’ll go in the Beadles’ bus.’

After the vote, Grunge had immediately volunteered to go with Crimson, which made Crimson feel very happy. As soon as Grunge had volunteered, Sky had also volunteered, which didn’t make Crimson feel so happy. Crimson was annoyed with herself for feeling that way because she actually liked Sky very much.

It was Bright, Home’s nurse, who restored Crimson’s happiness.

‘Sky,’ said Bright, ‘I don’t like to spoil your plans and it’s very generous of you to offer, but don’t you think that perhaps Reach should go instead? If Crimson does have to fight a fire, she’s going to need someone very strong to help Grunge work the pump on the fire cart. I think Crimson had best take Reach with her. There’s no stronger Muddle than Reach.’

Sky was crestfallen. Her smile disappeared. ‘I suppose you’re right, Bright, but I’d so like to go.’ An idea came to her. ‘Maybe Reach isn’t available? Maybe Reach is too busy to go?’

‘We’ll find out,’ said Wave. He turned towards the crowd and called, ‘Hey, Reach! Where are you?’

The crowd parted and Reach appeared in front of the Beadles.

‘B-B-But … she’s a – a –’ stammered Brian.

‘A bit young?’ finished a Muddle for him.

‘A bit thin?’ said an equally helpful Muddle.

‘A bit pink?’ said a slightly less helpful Muddle.

‘… a – a – a … ballerina!’ Brian finally finished.

Brian was quite right. Reach was a ballerina. Although she was only just in her teens, she was already tall, graceful and elegant. When she walked it seemed that her feet never touched the ground. Her feet moved like languid butterflies, flitting lightly above the earth. She would have been an extraordinary ballerina, except for a slight problem: she suffered from the most acute dizziness. She only had to turn her head too quickly and she swooned. A pirouette was definitely out of the question and she had once passed out trying to stand on the tips of her toes.

‘Reach,’ said Wave, ‘you heard what the Muddles are here for, didn’t you?’

Reach nodded.

‘Good. And that Crimson and Grunge will go to Beadledom to help?’

Reach nodded again.

‘Would you be willing to go with Crimson and Grunge to help?’

Reach hung her head, too nervous to look at anything except her pink ballet shoes. She cupped her hands and kept twisting her fingers around each other.

‘I’m sure you could find someone else who would be more use than I am, Wave. I’m not much good at anything and I’m sure I’ll just be in the way.’ Reach spoke very softly.

Crimson stood in front of her and lifted the young ballerina’s head until she could look right into her eyes.

‘Nonsense, Reach!’ she said. ‘Whatever gave you that idea? You’re the best ballerina Muddlemarsh’s ever had and one day you’ll learn to dance and show us all how good you are. Besides, there’s no Muddle, grown or growing, who is as strong as you are, and no Muddle more trustworthy. I would love to have you come, Reach.’

‘Really?’ said Reach. For Reach to hear the Muddle she most admired in all the Land say that to her, made her feel every good. ‘I’ll come then, Crimson, and I’ll try not to let you down.’

Brian groaned silently.

The Beadles had been anxious to get back to Beadleburg. They had agreed to leave as soon as Crimson and the others had packed. Now Crimson felt rather excited about going. She was proud of being Muddlemarsh’s fire officer. She had studied and drilled every day so she would be a good one. Yet it would be her first time against a real fire and she hoped she wouldn’t let everyone down.

Grunge’s voice pushed the thought from her mind.

‘I think we’re ready,’ he said. ‘The others should be here in a minute.’

Crimson took stock of the fire cart. The boxes had been neatly packed and locked. The ladders hung on their hooks on the side of the cart. The hoses were coiled safely next to the tank. Everything was ready. Except …

‘I think we’re missing one thing, Grunge,’ she said.

Grunge’s eyes narrowed and stared at the cart. He wasn’t a fire officer but it seemed to him that they had packed everything they could possibly pack. He gave Crimson a quizzical look, unable to think of what they had forgotten.

Crimson smiled. ‘Calamity,’ she said, ‘get Sparkle!’

Grunge laughed and gave Crimson a sheepish grin.

Calamity bounded from her seat and ran outside. Crimson and Grunge heard two short, sharp barks and a couple of minutes later Sparkle walked calmly into the firehouse, Calamity following behind proudly. Sparkle walked to the shafts, turned round and backed neatly between them.

Crimson was just adjusting the traces when they heard the bus arrive. She made the last adjustment and patted Sparkle’s neck.

‘OK, Sparkle. You can wait outside now,’ Crimson said affectionately. Sparkle gave a shake of her head and pulled the cart outside, Calamity sitting comfortably alone on the seat.

Crimson took a last look around to make sure she hadn’t missed anything they would need. Satisfied, she looked at Grunge.

‘Ready?’ she asked.

‘If you are, Crimson,’ he said.

Crimson drew a deep breath. She so hoped she was.

*

Reach liked Home’s little orange bus, but she had to admit that it wasn’t as spotless as the one she was riding in now. The Beadles’ bus was polished and shiny, inside and out. She sat by the window in the front seat, next to Brian. Glancing out the back window, she saw Home’s fire cart grow smaller as it fell behind. Even a horse as willing as Sparkle couldn’t keep up with a bus.

A stream flashed by. ‘I didn’t even notice going over the bridge!’ she exclaimed in surprise. ‘It’s such a comfortable bus.’

Megan smiled her thanks and thought it a good time to ask the question she and Brian had been asking themselves. ‘Reach, why did Grunge speak against letting Crimson and the fire cart come to help us? I know he volunteered to come, but I don’t understand why he spoke against it and then voted for helping.’

Reach’s forehead creased in a frown. ‘But he didn’t speak against helping.’

‘He took great pains to point out that Muddlemarsh might be in danger if it was left unprotected,’ Brian said. ‘I was worried that he would persuade the others not to help.’

Reach’s laugh was pretty and musical, like crystal wind chimes in a breeze.

‘He wasn’t speaking against it, Brian,’ she explained. ‘It is also the duty of anyone who will stand and say to speak of the worst thing they can think of. Grunge did that. But he was the first of us to throw his yellow stick.’

Megan nodded. ‘Thank you, Reach. It’s good that Grunge wanted to help.’ She steered the bus easily around a sharp bend. ‘It’s good that you all wanted to help. Now, tell me about Crimson.’

‘Crimson? What do you want to know? For a start, she’s my … my … friend. She’s always very kind to me. She … teaches me things.’

‘She seems like a very capable Muddle.’ Megan glanced at Brian and smiled. ‘Even Brian said she seemed … different.’

‘Humph,’ went Brian and crossed his arms on his chest.

‘Crimson can do anything. She can fix anything. Crimson is …’ Reach searched for the right word to describe her friend. Nothing seemed quite right. ‘She’s Crimson, that’s all.’

‘And not much like a Muddle,’ Brian mumbled to himself.

‘Well, I’m sure she’ll prove to be a great help to us. We’re lucky to have her near us,’ Megan said. Her voice sounded to Reach just a little … odd. Reach felt that there was something she should understand but it wouldn’t quite come to her.

She remained silent for a moment, then asked Brian, ‘Is there any clue to who is doing this? Is it a Beadle?’

‘A Beadle would never do such a thing!’ he said, shocked.

‘Brian, we would never have imagined such a thing as the blue fire was possible. But blue fire exists. Who knows what else is possible?’ The possibility that it might be a Beadle made Megan feel cold and sad.

‘It couldn’t …’ Brian started to say, but found he couldn’t finish. Not a Beadle, he thought. Never a Beadle …

‘If it isn’t a Beadle, then it must be someone from Muddlemarsh or Myrmidia.’

Reach knew that Muddles like Crimson and Grunge were much smarter than she but she wished she could figure out the mystery.

‘And if it isn’t, then who? There isn’t anyone else.’ It was a deep mystery to Reach. She stared out of the window, seeing the rich forests, the lush valleys and the distant mountains. ‘The Land,’ she said softly.

Brian heard her whisper and a shudder ran through his body. Megan heard it too, and gave Reach a hard look in the rear-view mirror. For the rest of the journey they said little, each lost in their own thoughts.

‘They’ve seen us, Brian. They’re coming to meet us.’

Brian felt a sense of relief at the sight of the gathering crowd of Beadles waiting for them as they drove up Beadleburg’s main street. The sight of their friends made Brian and Megan feel cheerier. Megan stopped the bus outside the council office.

‘Whoosh!’ went the door of the bus. The crowd chattered excitedly as they watched Megan step down. They craned their necks, eager to see what help their envoy had brought from Home. Brian appeared at the door. Holding onto his hand for dear life as she carefully walked down the steps of the bus was … a young ballerina.

The crowd went silent.

Reach stood nervously at the side of the bus, aware that every Beadle was staring at her.

‘Oh, Megan,’ she whispered. ‘They’re disappointed!’

Megan rested her hand on Reach’s arm. ‘Give them time.’

‘Well, she certainly is pretty,’ a Beadle remarked to his neighbour. ‘For a Muddle.’

‘Face of an angel!’ exclaimed another. ‘Ouch!’ he added. He gave his wife an innocent look.

‘But what use is she?’ asked another, just as the chattering stopped, so that everyone heard.

Megan’s eyes fixed on a Beadle in the crowd. ‘Wilf, where are your manners? You’ll make our guest feel unwelcome!’

‘Manners? Unwelcome? What’s going on here?’ Bligh’s voice boomed. The High Councillor stood at the front of the crowd. He stared at Reach. His right eyebrow shot up. He fixed his eye on Brian. The eyebrow came down again.

‘I see you have had some success, Brian.’ Brian thought he sounded just a little sarcastic.

‘This is Reach.’ Brian tried to sound very formal. ‘Reach, this is Bligh, Beadleburg’s High Councillor.’

‘Pleased to meet you, Reach,’ said Bligh, hiding all trace of disappointment.

‘Reach is one of the volunteers who came with Crimson, Home’s fire officer,’ broke in Brian hastily.

‘Oh?’ said Bligh, brightening. ‘And where is this Crimson?’

‘She and the other volunteer are bringing Home’s fire cart. It’s slower than our bus. It needs a horse, you see,’ explained Brian.

‘They’re pulling it? They don’t have a horse?’

‘No! No!’ Brian was getting very flustered by now. ‘They have a horse. The horse is pulling it. What I mean is, it has no motor!’

Bligh’s busy eyebrows shot up again. ‘Horses usually don’t, Brian.’ He turned to Reach. Now that he knew there was a real fire officer on the way, Bligh felt much more hospitable.

‘Would you like to take coffee with me while we wait for the others? It’s imported, you know.’

‘Thank you, I’d like that very much,’ said Reach.

‘Brian!’ commanded Bligh. ‘We are going to Brew’s. When the fire officer – Crimson?’ Reach nodded. ‘Crimson – and the other volunteer arrive, please be so good as to bring them to me there.’