Time Hunters and the Spear of Fate, The (9 page)

‘Now can you see why the extra
layers are necessary?’ Uncle Percy said.

Just then, Becky spied movement in
the distance. A large, barrel-chested figure, its sandy-brown woollen fur stark
against the bleached white snow, was lumbering towards them. Suddenly, it
stopped and tilted its head to one side as if studying them closely. She
exhaled loudly. ‘I - it’s a Yeti.’

Uncle Percy looked up. A smile
arched on his face. ‘It certainly is.’ He began to wave in broad strokes.
‘HELLO THERE, GIMBLEDOK,’ he shouted.

Anticipation surged through Becky.
She saw the Yeti drop on all fours and begin to run like an oversize puppy
scampering to its owner.

Joe laughed. ‘Well, Gimbledok must
be excited to see you again.’

Becky smiled. She glanced up at Uncle
Percy, but his expression had suddenly changed from joy to concern.
 ‘What’s the matter?’ she asked hurriedly, her eyes flicking back to the
Yeti. It was then she felt a jolt of terror. Even from this distance, she could
see the Yeti’s teeth were bared; thick globs of drool splashed the ground as
its black eyes locked horrifyingly on them.

‘Back in the car,’ Uncle Percy
yelled. ‘MOVE!’

‘What’s going on?’ Joe asked.

 ‘That’s not Gimbledok …’

Chapter 12

Orff’s Gift

Becky’s legs wouldn’t move quickly
enough. She sprinted to the Cadillac, puffing madly, and threw open the door.
She turned to spur Joe on, but to her horror saw he hadn’t moved at all. ‘Come
on!’ she screamed in desperation.

Uncle Percy was already at the
driver’s door when he heard Becky’s shout. ‘Joe. GET HERE NOW!’

Joe ignored them both. Instead, he
reached coolly into his coat pocket and withdrew a tubular length of metal that
resembled a small bicycle pump.

Becky recognised it at once:
his
Joe-Bow
. Sensing he was about to do something incredibly stupid, she
roared, ‘ARE YOU AN IDIOT?’

Joe squeezed the middle of the tube.
It lengthened into a bow. He pulled free what looked like a pencil, which,
extended into an arrow.

The Yeti powered towards him, its
muscular arms and legs hammering the snow, its powerful head aimed at him like
a train.

Becky had frozen. She knew in
seconds Joe would be torn apart, limb from limb.

Joe took aim; his hand barely
shaking, he fired. The arrow zipped from the bow – straight and true. It
thumped into the Yeti’s shoulder, but it barely noticed, blinded by rage. Joe
went to grab another arrow, but there wasn’t time.

The Yeti was almost upon him.

Becky screamed helplessly.

Then two things happened at the same
time. As the Yeti leapt for the kill, Uncle Percy barrelled into Joe, pitching
him out of harm’s way. At the same time, a second roar echoed all around.
Another Yeti met the first in mid-air, wrapping its arms around its waist and
sending him off course. They landed hard, rolling through the snow in a
ferocious fit of snarls and howls.

‘Gimbledok!’ Uncle Percy breathed
thankfully.

The first Yeti broke free and
rounded on Gimbledok. With a stomach-turning growl, its long, jagged nails
clawed at Gimbledok’s face. Gimbledok ducked and wheeled about. The first Yeti
sprang again, hands angled at Gimbledok’s throat.

Gimbledok dodged the assault,
sending his massive fist into the other Yeti’s chin, connecting with a
revolting
crunch
. The first Yeti howled with pain and fell back.
Recovering quickly, it hurled itself at Gimbledok with increased fury.
Gimbledok sidestepped and grasped his opponent by the shoulders and waist. With
astonishing strength, he heaved the Yeti high and hurled him powerfully to the
ground.

The fight deserted the Yeti’s eyes.
 Clambering to its feet, it roared at full volume, but it was a roar of
submission. The Yeti hung its head, and slowly turned away; casting a furious
glance at Uncle Percy and Joe, it sank on to all fours and scurried away.

Gimbledok’s gaze followed the Yeti
until it vanished on the misty horizon.

Becky’s heart was in her mouth. She
raced over to Joe, who had picked up his Joe-Bow and got to his feet. ‘What’s
the matter with you?’ she yelled, slamming her hands into his chest, pushing him
backwards.

‘Gerrr off,’ Joe replied.

She shoved him again, harder this
time, her face turning purple. ‘You could’ve been torn apart, you pillock!!’

‘But I wasn’t.’

‘Becky’s right, Joe,’ Uncle Percy
said angrily. ‘You could’ve been killed. And the next time you think about
doing something like that, will be the last time you come on a trip with me
again.’ His voice rose in volume. ‘Am I making myself clear?’

Joe had never heard Uncle Percy talk
to him like that before. ‘I’m sorry, but –’

‘No buts,’ Uncle Percy snapped back.
‘That was reckless. And I could never forgive myself if anything happened to
you.’ His voice faltered. ‘It’s only because I care for you…. deeply.’

Joe’s head dropped. ‘I know. I’m
sorry.’

‘Oh, come here,’ Uncle Percy said,
seizing him in a powerful hug. After a few seconds, he released Joe, whose eyes
were misting over. ‘And, Gimbledok, thank you so much for your timely rescue.’

It was only then it occurred to
Becky they were standing beside a genuine Yeti. Up close, she was surprised to
see Gimbledok had a strangely agreeable face – certainly not human, but not
quite animal either; his wide, jutting forehead sheltered a pair of deep brown
eyes that generated warmth and kindliness. His great oval head was covered with
tawny brown whiskers, and his mouth revealed a twisted grin that shone with
sincerity.

 ‘Perthee Ha’fax,’ Gimbledok
said, his voice gravelly and deep. He leant down and raised Uncle Percy
effortlessly into the air like a child with a doll, hugging him tightly.

‘Hello again, Gimbledok,’ Uncle
Percy wheezed, red-faced.

‘See yu gud,’ Gimbledok replied,
setting Uncle Percy back carefully on the ground.

‘And good to see you, too, my
friend,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘Allow me to introduce my niece and nephew, Becky
and Joe.’

Gimbledok looked at them. ‘Hullo
Bekky, hullo Jow.’

‘H-hey up,’ Joe said, sounding like
he couldn’t comprehend he was actually talking to a Yeti.

‘Hi, Gimbledok,’ Becky replied
nervously. ‘Thanks for helping us with …’ she pointed at the spot where the other
Yeti had been.

‘He nam’d, Visigor. He bad Meh-Teh.
Yu safe w’th Gimbledok.’ He pointed at Uncle Percy. ‘Gimbledok owe Perthee
Ha’fax his life. His life debt is f’rever.’

 ‘If there ever was any kind of
debt, you just repaid it, my friend.’

Gimbledok’s smile grew. ‘Come,
Perthee Ha’fax, Mirala and Orff be happee see yu.’

‘And I’ll be very happy to see
them.’

Gimbledok gave a satisfied snort.
 ‘Then yu will sta’ wih Gimbledok.’

‘I’m afraid we can’t stay,’ Uncle
Percy replied. ‘Sadly, this isn’t a social call. Do you remember the hat you
showed me when I was last here? The one you took from the dead soldier.’

Gimbledok grunted.

‘You said you laid the soldier to
rest in one of your funerary caves. Well, I need to see him.’

Gimbledok’s brow rutted. ‘He dead
meny moons.’

‘I know,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘But
it’s possible he had something with him when he died. Something we need.’

‘Then Gimbledok take yu to him.’

‘Thank you,’ Uncle Percy replied.
‘But I’m not going anywhere until I see that delightful wife and son of yours
again.’

Gimbledok’s massive chest swelled.
‘No moon pass witho’t Orff talk of Perthee Ha’fax. Come … fullow me … owr clans
be as one.’  And Gimbledok lumbered away toward the steep incline of rocks
and boulders that formed the start of the cliff face. He began to climb with
the speed and grace of a dancer.

Uncle Percy looked at a bewildered
Becky and Joe, eyes twinkling. ‘He really is a smashing chap.’

Savage sunlight blinded Becky as she
trailed Uncle Percy and Joe to the mountainside. Looking up, she saw Gimbledok
disappearing into a cave. Taking Uncle Percy’s lead, she pulled herself up onto
the rocks and carefully began her ascent.  Within ten minutes, she had
reached the cave entrance to find Uncle Percy and Joe staring wide-eyed into
the distance. She looked back and was dumbstruck by what she saw. The snow
carpeted the horizon like a white ocean, merging into soft cloud, making it
impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.

‘Welcome to the top of the world,’
Uncle Percy said humbly, before turning and slowly entering the cave.

Wordlessly, Becky and Joe followed
him in.

Inside, Becky saw the cave was large
and empty with frosted glassy walls fifteen foot high. Gimbledok was standing
next to an opening in the opposite wall illuminated orange from the caves
beyond. He stepped through it and gave a great, discordant wail that sounded
like a foghorn, before vanishing into the gap.

‘I believe our arrival has been
announced,’ Uncle Percy said with a smile.

Her pulse racing, Becky stepped
cautiously through to find herself in a wide tunnel lit by burning torches that
crackled and popped, sending rippling shadows onto the ceiling; fashioned into
the walls were dozens more caves, many illuminated by fires from within.

Just then, Becky heard movement -
shuffling, mumbling, grunting, snorting - as male and female Yetis of all sizes
emerged from their caves; some were elderly with stooped shoulders, their
silvery whiskers more disheveled than their younger counterparts, who stood taller,
their powerful chests jutting out like sentries.

Gimbledok scanned them all.
‘Meh-Teh’s … our fren’, Perthee Ha’fax, has ret’n’d.’

The Yetis banged their giant feet
repeatedly on the ground in a thunderous gesture of delight.

Uncle Percy extended his arms.
‘Thank you, my friends. I’m only here for the briefest of times but it’s
wonderful to see you all again.’

All of a sudden, a high-pitched yelp
echoed from the furthest cave. A small figure, covered head to toe in velvety
brown fur, sprang into the passageway and raced towards them. With a powerful
leap it soared into Uncle Percy’s open arms.

‘Ah, hello again, Orff,’ Uncle Percy
said cheerfully.

‘Perchee Hal’fax.’ The tiny Yeti’s
blue eyes gleamed with joy. ‘Orff glad tu see you.’

Becky looked at Orff and her heart
missed a beat. He looked like a large chimpanzee with a wide oblong mouth,
disproportionately large shaggy feet, and a tuft of orange hair that sprouted
from the crown of his head like a carrot.

‘Thank you, Orff,’ Uncle Percy
replied. ‘And I’m delighted to see you, too.’

Orff leapt to the ground, landing
with a soft
whump
.

‘Orff, this is my niece and nephew,
Becky and Joe,’ Uncle Percy said, pointing in turn.

The instant Orff spied Becky his
eyes enlarged to the size of cheese plates. The smile fell from his face,
supplanted by a look of awe. He took a single, nervy step towards her and
inclined his head. It seemed to take him some time before he could find any
words. ‘Orff thinks Beeky the most beaut’ful th’ng he eva seen.’

Joe looked like he was about to
giggle until Becky cast him a fierce glare that silenced him at once.

‘Err, thanks, Orff,’ Becky replied
awkwardly. Then, without warning, the tiny Yeti launched himself at her waist,
giving her the biggest hug he could.

Stuck for words, Becky patted his
spine. Not wishing to appear rude, she allowed Orff to squeeze her for an age,
until, somewhat thankfully, she heard his father’s voice.

‘Orff, r’lease!’ Gimbledok said with
a firm grunt.

Orff let go at once.

Gimbledok looked at Becky. ‘Orff,
lyke yu!’

‘I like him,’ Becky nodded.

Gimbledok smiled. ‘Orff is gud son,
will be great Meh-Teh … now f’llow me….’ Leading them down the passageway, he
stopped at the furthermost cave, where a female Yeti was standing, smiling. Somewhat
shorter than Gimbledok, she was covered in a tawny-brown pelt, with warm,
coffee coloured eyes, high cheekbones and a rounded, fleshy face that resembled
a large coconut.

‘Hullo aga’n, Perchey Hal’faxx,’ she
said.

Uncle Percy bowed. ‘Hello, Mirala. It’s
lovely to see you again.’

Mirala’s smile grew; she waved her
giant hand, gesturing for them to enter. ‘Coom, pleese.’

Inside the cave, Becky had the
surprise of her life. A roaring fire cast a blushing glow across the hundreds
of objects, of all shapes and sizes, scattered within. Straight away, she
recalled what Uncle Percy had said when he had first mentioned the Yeti
community:
‘… they love collecting things. Some things I found dated back
hundreds, if not thousands of years…’
She looked all around and knew he was
right: armour, books, helmets, jewellery, ornaments, pottery, weapons, ancient
maps, and countless other items peppered every bit of floor and wall space.

The cave was like a museum.

Speechless, her eyes fell on a white
cloth cap hanging beside the fire, the flames from which accentuated the metal
badge on its crown:
the skull and cross bones
. A sinister chill swept
through her. She looked over at Joe. It was evident from his expression he had
seen it, too.

Werner von Hammbelburg’s SS cap.

Just then, Becky heard the frantic
patter of footsteps from behind. She looked round to see Orff dash though a
small fissure into a second cave, returning moments later clutching something
in his right hand. Smiling, Orff scampered over to her, dipped his head and
held out a trembling hand.

Looking down, Becky saw a
spectacular knife, its gleaming steel blade inlaid with gold and precious
stones. The dagger had a jade hilt and a pommel in the shape of a horse’s head.

‘Mee want Beeky ‘ave thees,’ Orff
said gently.

Becky was at a loss for words. She
didn’t know what the knife represented but could tell it was immensely
valuable. ‘I can’t, Orff. It’s too much.’

‘Pleese,’ Orff insisted. ‘Forr yu…
Umgala!
’