The Island of Whispers (15 page)

Charlie stood
on the jetty with the sun on his face. He lit a cigarette and
yawned. The sunshine felt good, but his head was still very fuzzy,
and the fumes from last night’s beer were still in his nostrils.
This journey over to the island at the crack of dawn hadn’t done
his hangover any good. Nor was he relishing the prospect of
patrolling under the bridge for the rest of the day.

When he got
back from yesterday’s trip, it was as if the whole town had been in
a party mood in spite of the storm. It was Saturday evening anyway,
so he had gone to the pub and joined the party. He had vague
recollections of relating his story about killing the monster rat
and of no-one seeming to believe him. He didn’t have the evidence
with him, of course: it was still on the boat, wrapped up in a
plastic bag to stop it smelling. And the two whiz-kids weren’t
there to back up the story.

He looked over
to the crest of the island. The Thompson Twins were still fussing
with their toy up there. He wasn’t even sure whether the pair of
them actually believed that the rat had come from Inchgarvie or
whether they thought that he had dangled it in front of them as
some sort of practical joke. Either way, they didn’t appear to be
phased about going back to the island. It was him, not them, who
felt queasy this time; it was him, not them, who hung back at the
jetty, not daring to go any further.

The young men
were descending the slope now. Both of them had big smiles on their
faces. One was carrying the folded sheets of polythene under his
arm. The other was speaking into a walkie-talkie.

‘
All systems are go,’ he was shouting.

Charlie threw
his cigarette-end into the water and stepped down into the boat. As
soon as this day was over and things were back to normal, he
resolved, he would seek out old Proudfoot, the rat-catcher, show
him his monster, hear what an expert had to say.

They were all
awake now, watching the Two-Legs vessel cut through the calm waters
below. The Two-legs intruders were departing in the vessel, leaving
behind their creature at the top of the island. The creature was
shining brightly, glinting in the sunlight, its purpose still a
mystery.

Some of the
youngsters had complained of being thirsty and hungry, and
Bone-Cruncher was still softly mourning the loss of Fat One, but
otherwise they were all resolute, all ready for the next challenge.
Twisted Foot would lead the way. He had chosen the enormous steel
arch to their rear as the safest and most straightforward way to go
up. The arch travelled in a long curve from the giant’s foot on
which they rested until it reached a length of parapet at its top.
Once they reached the parapet, they would crawl through it and into
the belly of the giant.

Twisted Foot
began the climb. Slayer came next. Then the others followed, all
tentatively at first, until they became more confident of their
footing. Long Ears had agreed to take up the rear so that he could
encourage any of the group who faltered on the way. Their progress
was relatively easy, and it wasn’t long before the whole group was
strung out along the lower part of the arch.

A short
screech from behind him brought Twisted Foot to a halt. He
recognised Long Ears’ warning call. When he turned his head, he
could see his companion quivering in panic.

‘
Two-Legs!’ Long Ears was shouting. ‘Two-Legs on the giant!
Coming this way!’

Twisted Foot
strained to hear. It was a few moments before he could make them
out. Their footsteps on the wooden walkway sounded like distant
thunder. It seemed like a whole army of Two-Legs was
approaching.

‘
Return!’ he cried. ‘Return! Quickly!’

They all
scampered back down to the giant’s foot, where they huddled
together again, their hearts pounding.

‘
We’re trapped!’ Small Face wailed.

The youngsters
began to wail, too. And Bone-Cruncher resumed her mourning
cries.

‘
What now, Master?’ Slayer whispered into Twisted Foot’s ear,
but Twisted Foot didn’t have an answer for him.

–
o –

–
Chapter Thirty-Three –

It was eleven
o’clock, and the sun was still shining. A chill breeze was blowing
in from the estuary, but it didn’t seem to bother the mass of
people who thronged the esplanade. Nor was it deterring the many
others who were flocking to the place from every direction. The
loudspeakers were booming out over the noise of the crowd to
announce the first event of the day.

The procession
could be heard before it was seen, faintly at first and then louder
by the moment as it marched from the town to the esplanade. At its
head, with bagpipes skirling and drums beating, was a pipe band in
full Highland regalia. A short interval behind was a military brass
band, its trumpets and trombones and tubas all blaring
simultaneously. More bands followed: a jazz band, a calypso band,
bands from the local schools; all playing a different, rousing
tune, all fronted by rows of twirling majorettes. Then came the
floats, each one depicting a scene from the hundred years’ history
of the town’s famous bridge. And finally came the street
performers, a whole circus of them. There were stilt-walkers,
fire-eaters, jugglers and acrobats to wow the crowd, and there was
a gang of clowns of all sizes and descriptions to jostle it. The
shouts and whoops from the clowns, and the delighted cries of
children in response, added to the general racket of the place. The
celebrations had begun.

Just when the
footsteps of the Two-Legs army above them had disappeared
completely, just when they thought that it was safe again, they
heard the din coming from the far shore. From where they squatted
under the giant, they had a direct view of the esplanade and the
sea of Two-Legs massed on it. The number of Two-Legs over there was
many, many times the size of their own society. Could there really
be that many of them on the world above? The thought of it, the
sight of it, the sounds of it were frightening, unnerving.

They became
even more unnerved when the Two-Legs creatures suddenly zoomed into
the sky above the waters. There were only six of them, but the
noise that they made was deafening, unbearable. Keeping in
formation, the creatures sped up the way and then down and then up
again, turning in loops through the air. Now they were flying
upside down. Now they were all speeding away in different
directions, each one leaving behind it a long stream of coloured
smoke. Now they were back in formation, streaking up and over the
giant and out of sight completely, their distant roar being quickly
replaced by the thunder of the Two-Legs’ clapping on the
esplanade.

Twisted Foot
had closed his eyes tight in an attempt to shut out the awful
clamour of the creatures, but it had been to no avail. When the
clamour had gone, when he opened his eyes again, it was only to see
that the sky was filled with another set of creatures. These were
larger and quieter. They seemed to drone and hover in the air.
Then, astonishingly, Two-Legs in their scores began to tumble from
the creatures and float down to the waters, their great arms
extended like the wings of the white birds when they landed. He
watched, mesmerised, as the Two-Legs dropped into the sea, where
they were immediately picked up by the numerous Two-Legs vessels
that had appeared there, as if from nowhere. In panic, he looked
around him. There were many more vessels in the waters; they were
coming from every direction, and they were all converging on the
same place.

Twisted Foot
had to shake his muzzle to make sure that he wasn’t dreaming. What
he was seeing, what he was hearing – it was all incredible,
mindboggling. The Two-legs were everywhere: on the giant above
them, on the shore opposite them, flying through the air, dropping
from the sky – and now in the waters around them. They were
surrounded by them. The only place where the Two-Legs were absent
was on the island below. Perhaps that is it, he said to himself.
We’ve tried and failed. We should return to the island now and take
our chances with the Scavengers, who must surely have been the
victors of the battle down there. Their society could be no worse
than the one we left, could it? And we would have their own King
with us to protect us, wouldn’t we?

He looked at
Slayer by his side and then at the rest of the group. They were all
still hypnotised by the sight of the Two-Legs in the air – all,
that is, except for Long Ears at the end of the group. He saw that
his companion was staring at him. He felt that Long Ears was trying
to climb into his thoughts again.

‘
Don’t fail us now, Twisted Foot,’ Long Ears seemed to be
saying. ‘Hold your nerve, comrade.’

Quickly
turning his gaze away from Long Ears, he glanced down at the island
instead. He caught a glimpse of a shape among the rocks close to
the point of the island. It was standing erect on its hindquarters,
immobile, facing the giant, its back to the sun. The shape was only
a silhouette, but a chillingly familiar one.

Twisted Foot
gulped. There was no choice now.

‘
We’ll go up again as soon as darkness comes,’ he announced to
the group suddenly and resolutely. ‘Try to remain calm until then.
And try to keep still and quiet.

‘
The danger will soon be over,’ he added, although not very
convincingly.

He was aware
of everything that had been going on up here. In addition to the
reports that he had received regularly from Torn Coat, he had
caught snippets of information from the Protectors at the sacred
tunnel. He knew that the Two-Legs had gone from the island, leaving
their creature uncovered. He knew about the gangs of Two-Legs
crossing the giant, and about the great army of them on the far
shore and the noise that they were making. He had been told about
the creatures flying through the air – the sounds of them could be
heard even in the Protectors’ lair – and about the many vessels
that were gathering in the waters. And he had just been told about
the Two-Legs dropping from the sky like white birds. He wanted to
see the last spectacle for himself. So for the second time that day
he had ventured out on the world above.

Long Snout was
at a loss. He had no idea why this evil kept occurring. From those
tales of the past which he and the other elders often related in
the Common lair, he knew that the society had faced many dangers
and many tests. But surely never so many all at the one time! The
constant intrusions by the Two-Legs here on the outside world, the
glowing giant, the slaves’ revolt, the decimation of the Inner
Circle, the massacre of the Watchers, the flight of the traitors.
And now all of this activity by the Two-Legs. It was never ending.
But he must hold steady. He must take action to preserve the
society ...

He realised
suddenly that he was staring across at the traitors, his eyes
boring into them. Still there, he snarled, and looking small and
lost and frightened. He was glad. Their time would come soon
enough. But first there were the slaves to deal with. He would tell
Torn Coat to return to One Eye as soon as it was dark. Torn Coat
would convey his order to the Chief Hunter to begin the assault
immediately. Once the Hunters charged, he himself would lead the
counterattack by the Protectors.

–
o –

–
Chapter Thirty-Four –

When night
fell, the party on the esplanade was still going strong. The number
of visitors had increased steadily throughout the day, and many
more were still arriving, swelling the already jam-packed crowd.
They were all there to see the main event, the finale of the
celebrations. Most of them had wrapped up well, so they didn’t seem
to notice the icy breeze that was now sweeping in from the estuary.
The clear, starry sky above the esplanade was dominated by a large,
bright, almost white moon. Looming over the scene, the silvery
reflection of its immense structure shimmering in the black water
of the estuary, the old bridge looked ghostly in the moonlight.
Down to the left of the bridge, in front of the esplanade, the
twinkling lights from a multiplicity of craft of all sizes seemed
to dance on the water. On board one of those craft was the radio
announcer who would shortly begin his broadcast not only to the
waiting throng on the esplanade, but also to the many thousands of
people who had gathered elsewhere along the shores of the Forth on
this cold night. Also on board were the dignitaries who would set
off the fireworks display by remote control and who would
subsequently inaugurate the floodlighting of the bridge by the same
means.

‘
Good evening, ladies, gentlemen and children!’ the announcer’s
voice boomed out from the loudspeakers. ‘Welcome all to the Firth
of Forth! And welcome to the climax of many months of events to
mark the hundredth anniversary of the opening of the graceful, the
majestic, the world famous Forth Railway Bridge!’

As if those
words had triggered the release of their pent-up excitement, a
great roar of whoops and claps and cheers erupted from the
multitude of spectators along both banks of the river.

He was so very
relieved that they were moving at long last. They were already
exhausted from their ordeal, as well as hungry and thirsty. Had
they remained still any longer, some of them, especially the young
ones, might have begun to succumb to the biting cold, perishing
where they squatted. Apart from the fact that it was dark now, it
seemed to be the right time to move. They hadn’t heard any
footsteps above them for a long time. Nor had any creatures rushed
through the giant all day. As far as he knew, it was quiet and safe
up there. Although still noisy, the army of Two-Legs on the far
shore didn’t seem to pose a threat. There were also still many
Two-Legs vessels in the waters below, but for some reason they were
all keeping a good distance from the giant. Yes, he was sure that
it was a good time to go.