NO ORDINARY ROOM (17 page)

Jamie told his dad that they could continue the history lesson later and headed for his computer room.

Kevin was in the hallway when he heard the anguished cry from Jamie.  It wasn’t what he had expected; in fact it was just the opposite.  Kevin shrugged his shoulders and he Debbie went to investigate why Jamie had cried out, ‘Where’s my computer?’

Kevin and Debbie had joined Jamie in his room and they had been surprised by Jamie’s reaction before Kevin replied, ‘Your old computer is probably in the dump by now.’

‘No!’ Jamie screamed.

 ‘We thought you’d like your new computer, Jamie,’ Debbie said and was clearly disappointed by Jamie’s reaction.

    Jamie looked at the ordinary looking PC that occupied the spot where the Stanley Machine had been when he left for school.

‘I do like it; Mum, but I didn’t need a new computer.  My old computer was……’Jamie paused, not wanting to say too much about it and explained. ‘There’s lots of my data on it, like my school projects and other things that I wanted to keep.  That’s why I’m upset.’

 ‘I threw the computer in a skip at the farm and the skip is being picked up this afternoon, but there might just be a chance it’s still there and not been taken to the dump yet.’

‘Do you think so?’ asked a hopeful Jamie who was thinking that at least he had no need to worry that Mr Runsfeld had seen Uncle Stanley’s special computer.

‘We might not be too late.  Come on, let’s go and see if we can rescue it,’ Kevin said and hurried down the stairs followed by Jamie.

 When the car engine failed to start at the third attempt Jamie was sharing his mum’s annoyance with the old car.

‘Come on, Betsy, stop messing about.  You will start this time,’ Kevin ordered.

The engine burst into life and sent out a black cloud of smoke that was worse than usual and hadn’t been seen since it had been serviced.

Rufus was trimming his front hedge and coughed with the effects of the smoke that billowed into his garden as the car pulled away.  He shook his head and muttered something about he may just as well live in Birmingham.

On the way to the Rosser farm Kevin explained that Mr Rosser had upgraded the office computer and offered him the old one, which wasn’t that old, because he knew that Jamie was interested in computers.  Kevin and his mum had thought he would be pleased.

‘I already told you and mum that I am pleased, Dad, but as I said I’ve got some important stuff on the old machine and I would like to keep it as a backup machine.  Why didn’t you just leave it where it was?’

‘I was going to, but I thought it would clutter the place up, especially that big display and then someone in the office mentioned that you are not just supposed to just dump them anywhere.  Apparently it’s something to do with them containing toxic material.  So I thought it would be less complicated if I let the skip hiring people take care of it.  Anyway, I’m sorry if you end up losing your school work.’

They were within half a mile of the farm when Kevin spotted the skip wagon ahead.  He slapped the dashboard and shouted out, ‘Looks like we’re in luck, kidda.’

The anxiety left Jamie’s face as he realised that all was not lost.  He didn’t like lying to his dad about his school work being on the computer when the real reason was all about his communication with Daniel being lost and not being able to play the awesome games.  If he told his dad about some stuff connected with Uncle Stanley’s computer like Soupinpota, Koolebron  and the real reason for having a yucca plant in his special room he would likely end up with another appointment to see Professor Morris.

 Kevin had slowed down once he had seen the skip. There was no point in risking an accident now that they would arrive at the farm before the skip was loaded, or at least that’s what he had thought.

‘I don’t believe it,’ Kevin cried out when he saw the farmhand signalling for him to stop.  There was a herd of cows crossing the road further ahead and the skip wagon was nowhere to be seen.

 Kevin took one look at the anxious Jamie, glanced in his mirror and slammed on the brakes and put the car into reverse.

‘In the words of the SAS, Never say die.’

Jamie was rocked back in his seat before he had a chance to tell his dad that the SAS motto was, He Who Dares Wins.  He was wondering what his dad was up to, but it soon became clear when he changed gear again and headed the car though a gap in the hedge and into a large field.

‘Hang on tight, Jamie, we’re going to take the real scenic route to the farm.’

Kevin’s quick thinking meant that they were just pulling up behind the skip wagon when it passed through the farmyard gate.  The rough ride across the fields couldn’t have done Betsy’s suspension any good, but at least they had made it in time.  Within a few minutes Kevin had rescued the computer and its associated bits from the skip and a date with the crusher.  Some of it was covered in old vegetation and the case was scratched.  Jamie just had to hope that it wasn’t damaged inside.

* * *

Later that night, Jamie fibbed again when he reported that he had recovered the data which was much to the relief of his dad.  The really good news was that Uncle Stanley’s computer hadn’t suffered any ill effects and Jamie was able to make contact with Daniel.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

 Kevin handed the key to Rufus, ‘Thanks, Rufus, for looking after the moggy again  and let’s hope the burglars don’t pay us another visit while we are away, otherwise Steaderton might end up on that Crime Watch programme on the telly.  We’ll be back on Sunday night and don’t you go watering my veg patch with weed killer.’

    Rufus ignored the remark and said that he hoped that they had no problems with the car, but he had his doubts minutes later when he heard the rough sound from the engine as the car trundled off.

‘Will we get there this time, Daddy?’ 

‘Of course we’ll get there, Princess,’ declared Kevin with his usual confidence. ‘Won’t we, Mother?’

There was no reply from a pensive looking Debbie.

‘I said we’ll get there this time, won’t we?’ Kevin repeated.

‘Of course we will,’ Debbie replied, trying to sound convincing.

‘Can we stop at the same beach near where the car broke down, Dad?  Its ace swimming in the sea there,’ Jamie asked, recalling the day a few weeks earlier.

‘I told you last night that Pamela from the office at work recommended some place called Crowley’s Door.  Apparently it doesn’t get crowded and it’s even better than the other place.’

When there was a lull in the conversation, Kevin turned on his rock and roll music and raised the volume.  Jamie and Leanne moaned, but they soon had their heads buried in their magazines.  Despite the loudness of the music Debbie’s mouth dropped open, but her gently snoring was masked by the music.

* * *

Kevin was about to change the radio station when he spotted the sign pointing to Crowley’s Door that was the turn off recommended to him by Pamela, but he was soon regretting it as the road became narrower and narrower.  He flinched as he waited for the car to scrape against the hedges either side of the road and was on the point of stopping when he looked ahead and saw that the road seemed to narrow even further.  Kevin turned his head to speak to Jamie, who still had his head buried in a computer magazine, but decided not to and then Kevin sighed with relief when he suddenly entered the open ground and saw the sea ahead.  He definitely wouldn’t be going back the same way if he had a choice and he would be having words with Pamela.  Perhaps it was her little joke because he had just driven through what must have been an optical illusion and it had frightened the life out of him.  For a moment he had felt that the car was about to be crushed.

Kevin’s shout of, ‘Shake a leg,’ was greeted by yawns from Debbie and Leanne.

Debbie was first to respond with, ‘Look at the view.’

‘Wow,’ was Jamie’s response.  Leanne was less than excited when she asked, ‘Have we got anything to eat, Mum?’

‘What are you like, Leanne,’ Debbie answered. ‘Of course we’ve got something to eat, but you’d best wait until after you’ve had a swim.’

Kevin was surprised that there no other cars were parked where he pulled up which probably meant that they would have the beach to themselves.  They unpacked the car and Kevin and Jamie were carrying most of the contents of the boot when they headed towards the sign that read ‘Steps to the Beach’.

     The family started the trek down the manmade steps, pausing to take in the magnificent sight of the ‘door’ and the beach below.

‘Look at the colour of the water,’ Kevin enthused.  ‘I’ve never seen water so blue and clear.’ and then joked, ‘Not even at Blackpool.  I would have loved my mum and dad to have seen this.’

Debbie was equally impressed as she watched the white surf roll onto the sand and it prompted her to say, ‘I always thought those postcards that showed bluely green water had been touched up, but now I’ve seen this, perhaps they were for real.’

Jamie chuckled, ‘It’s only the sea, Mum.  You and dad will be writing poems about it next.’

When they reached the beach Kevin trudged ahead and settled on a spot that was in the middle of the cove.

Kevin and Debbie laid out the large beach towels and Kevin was soon stripped off and sat on one of them watching Jamie and Leanne throwing pebbles across the surface of the relatively calm water.

‘Pamela wasn’t exaggerating about the seclusion, Debs. You could do a bit of nature sunbathing here.  You know, clothes free.’

Debbie was busy rearranging her bikini when she replied that she would if Kevin would, but knew that she was on safe ground. 

‘Mrs Tranter, what would the children think?’

‘Chicken,’ laughed Debbie, feeling more relaxed than she had been since she had seen the strange appearance of the American who was lodging next door.  Although she doubted if she would ever look at a cucumber or tomato quite the same way ever again.

Jamie and Leanne were really excited when they joined their parents. ‘It’s really brill out there, Dad.  There are stacks of fish and it’s really shallow.  It’s even safe enough for our Leanne.’

Leanne pulled tongues at her brother who had picked up a towel to cover himself while he put on his swimming trunks.  Jamie just laughed when Leanne claimed that she was a better swimmer than him.  Jamie pulled the towel away, hitched up his trunks and announced that he was going over to the ‘door’.

‘You be careful,’ Kevin shouted as he watched Jamie sprinting away.

 Jamie was gobsmacked when he stepped inside the ‘door’ and saw the colourful rocks which were even more spectacular  than those he’d seen on holiday in Spain last year,  especially those on the ceiling of the ‘door’.  He paddled in the shallow water and watched the brightly coloured fish dart away, but some returned and tickled his feet and it amused him.  The smile left his face when he thought he heard someone whisper, ‘Jamie.’

‘Is that you, Dad,’ Jamie called out as he looked around, but he couldn’t see anywhere that his dad could hide.          A gentle breeze was blowing and Jamie decided he must have mistaken the sound of the wind inside the enclosure for someone whispering his name, but when he started to leave the enclosure he heard his name again and this time it was clearer and louder.  He gave a nervous smile and said, ‘Spooky’ and then looked up and saw that the ceiling of the  archway seemed lower than when he’d first stood underneath it.  He figured it must be some odd illusion caused by the reflection from the water, but he soon realised that the arch really
was lower and slowly descending like a lift and he was in danger of being crushed by it.  He tripped on a small rock beneath the water as he scrambled towards the exit of the ‘door’.  By the time he had dived to safety the arch had reached the water that Jamie had been standing in just moments ago.  Even though he was clear, he frantically scrambled further away from the nightmare scene and sat on the beach.  He looked towards his mum and dad, wondering if they had seen what had happened, but they were both facing the sun.

Jamie was frightened and confused and his thoughts turned to Professor Morris when he saw that the archway was now back to its normal height.  He shook his head to rid his mind of what he had just experienced and then stood up and made his way towards his sister.

Leanne was doing a doggie paddle in the shallow water when Jamie reached her and picked up the large beach ball that was bobbing about near his sister and then challenged her to a race.

  ‘OK,’ Leanne said and then added, ‘but you’ll have to give me a start because you’re older than me and you’re a boy.’

Jamie laughed, ‘I’ll give you four seconds start.  We’ll swim around where the ball lands and the first one back to the shallow water is the winner.  When the ball lands I’ll count to three and that’s when you start.’

Jamie threw the ball out to sea and smiled after he had watched his sister swim away.  He deliberately extended the count to seven before he started to swim after her and Leanne rounded the ball just before him, but he still held back as they swam towards the beach.

‘What the ...!’ Kevin cried out as he sprang to his feet and raced towards the water leaving a startled Debbie behind him, but she was soon following him, screaming louder than Kevin’s shouts as he gestured for his children to get out of the water.  When they turned around and looked out to sea he realised that he might have panicked them, but he had to do something.  He didn’t count how many sharks were in pursuit of them, but it must have been close to ten. Jamie and Leanne’s shouts were in unison until Leanne’s turned to gasping and spluttering when she started taking in water and although she was thrashing her arms at great speed she was only moving forward very slowly.  Jamie started pushing his sister forward while providing a shield between her and the closest shark.  Kevin was now close enough to the children to see the teeth of the nearest sharks who had separated into two groups.  Debbie was a non swimmer, but she followed Kevin into the water, screaming for help even though there was no one nearby.  The sharks suddenly disappeared from the surface of the water, but Leanne was still screaming as her dad carried her from the water.