discoveredinalj | Discovered in a Box of Baubles - Day 4

Bloody sheep!

Not a bullet or a bomb or the African bush in the eerie still between dusk and dawn.
Death was coming now, borne on hooves of slow moving sheep..

He wrenched the wheel hard and they were sliding, out of control and impossibly fast. The Capri hit the guardrail first, the narrow North Pennines road leaving no room and no options. He was rewarded with the sight of the sheep watching him, the sheep watching Doyle, the damned sheep watching his lovely Capri go up on two wheels and arc across the icy road.

Time slowed, long enough to hear the squeal of abused rubber and steel, to feel the harsh, cracking force of his chest slamming into the steering wheel, to hear Ray screaming his name.

Sheep.
Bodie lifted his eyes across the cabin and smiled.

The Capri tipped onto its top and crashed through the guardrail, end-over-top down the side of the mountain before finally coming to an abrupt stop in the snow-filled valley below.

White and empty and quiet.

(continues in the comments)

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From:

jinkyo.livejournal.com

Tomten hoisted his bag onto his shoulder and led the way down Sugarplum Lane. Despite his size, the small man walked quickly, and Bodie and Doyle, shoulder to shoulder behind him, had to put in a bit of effort to keep up. The air was brisk and cool. The street was clear but heavy blankets of snow adorned every roof eave and window sill they passed. It was hard to gauge the time. It was dark out and Mrs. Tomten had dinner in the oven. Early evening, perhaps? Bodie guessed though it had been dark when he looked out the kitchen window, now almost two hours earlier.

Guided them along the side streets, past shops with elaborate window displays of cakes and sweets, fur coats, and model train displays. Bodie fell behind when they came to what he could only call a sporting goods shop. A carved wooden bear dominated the window, while all around it was a display of bright metal hunting knives, bone hunting knives, bone smoking pipes, ivory tipped harpoons, and beautiful worked-leather sheaths.

"Bodie!" cried the little healer, "do keep up!"

Far ahead on the footpath, Tomten and Ray rounded the corner and disappeared. Bodie jogged to catch up and ran straight into his partner's backside.

"My god..."

As busy as all the streets behind them had been, this was obviously High Street. A wide canal of deep blue water and festooned with brightly colored pleasure boats. The canal was crossed, as far as his eye could see, by a network of sparkling footbridges that connected to doubled-laned roads in both directions and finished with cobble paved footpaths running down both sides.

Unbothered by the slowness of his two charges, Tomten turned at the first bridge to cross the canal.

"We're definitely not in the Dales anymore," Bodie whispered, unease beginning to seep through the ugly woolen clothes to send a chill up his spine.

"Not at all!" Ray answered with a wide, joyous grin. "Nowhere even on the island if I've got the measure of this right."

Bodie's lips thinned. Of the two of them, Ray most likely did have the full measure of things. "We should move," he said, placing a hand at Ray's back. "I don't want to lose Tomten in this crowd."

"Alright."

They jogged up the stone steps to the footbridge and across. Tomten was waiting impatiently on the other side. His thick white beard did nothing to hide his upset. "Food's never quite as good when it's been warmed over," he muttered.

"What's she making?" Bodie asked. His stomach growled. "Maybe we should get you home first before we meet Nicklaus?"

"No, no. I'm to take you there straight away."

They walked for another ten minutes or so. Ray's head swiveled to and fro at each passing delight. Bodie kept his eyes straight ahead and his hands jammed deep into the miserably bulky tunic pockets. No matter how you measured it, none of this was natural and Bodie wanted nothing to do with it.

Tomten made one last turn which brought them to a set of open golden gates that marked the boundary between the busy road outside and the fantastical house that now stood before them.

Bodie refused to believe that this building was actually made of gingerbread. Beside him, Ray gasped.

"Do hurry! If I hail a sleigh taxi, I just might make it home before she packs everything away for the night."

Kicking at the cobblestone under his enormous boots, Bodie followed his two companions inside.

From:

jinkyo.livejournal.com

"Tomten!" The great door of the not-gingerbread house flew open and on the other side, they were greeted by a smiling man, tall and dark-skinned, dressed in rich brocade with a smart cap perched atop his curly head. "Is this them?"

"This is them, Piet, and I shall be happy to hand them off now."

"Roast duck night, eh?" the man asked sympathetically.

"Aye," Tomten answered sadly.

"Rupert is in the stables. You shall have him prepare a sleigh for you now, my friend. I will take our new friends through to Nicklaus."

"Thank you, Piet." Tomten offered his hand first to Ray, then to Bodie. "I'll stop in tomorrow to check on you both. In the meantime, after you leave here, get some food into your bellies and some good sleep under your heads. Understood?"

"Yes sir," Ray answered for both of them. "And thank you."

"Sure, go enjoy your roast duck then. Ray and I'll pop down to Maccies and order ourselves up some burgers and fries to take back to… What was it, Ray?"

"Southeast Branch 221 Sugarplum Lane."

"Yeah! So don't worry about us!"

"Oh, I shan't, Bodie. I have faith that you can take care of yourselves." Tomten gave a half bow. "Until tomorrow."

Bodie could barely contain his outrage as he watched the gnome practically race down the steps and around the back to the stables.

"Calm, my friend," Piet said. He shut the great door and closed out the cool night air. "Come with me, friends. And keep a watch underfoot, it's the busy season."

Ray fell in step with their new guide as they all made the journey down the not-gingerbread hall, lit by not-lemon gumdrop lamps, while dozens of absolutely not-elves darted in and out of the various rooms that lined the hall.

At the end was a door of highly polished wood, skillfully carved with scenes both familiar and terrifying. Bodie did not want to go beyond this door. Ray nearly tripped over Piet's heels in order to get inside.

From:

jinkyo.livejournal.com

The door opened up to a great hall. The hall was brilliant with light; tiny colored lights strung through the heavy wood support beams overhead, delicate fairie lights that twinkled against the walls, and an enormous roaring fire in the hearth at the far end.

In the center of all of this sat Nicklaus, a pipe in one hand, a sheaf of papers in the other. He looked up from his work, peering over the top of his reading glasses as they entered.

"Ho! Our visitors have arrived! I'm glad to hear of your good health and pleased that you could join us!"

"You know us then?" Bodie asked defiantly.

Nicklaus graced them with a benevolent smile, all rosy cheeks, bushy brows, and long white beard. "Indeed I do. Raymond Doyle. 31d Uttoxter Road, Derby. Top bedroom overlooking the garden. Inquisitive." Nicklaus paused for a second, eyes closed. "You're in London now - Care of George Cowley, CI5?"

"Yes! That's it!"

The jolly man, not quite as old as Bodie would have imagined, laughed. "It's good to know that our records are up to date. And now you: William Andrew Philip Bodie, 56 Dovey Street, Care of the Sisters of-"

"Okay, okay!" Bodie's outburst cut the man short and even Ray, long used to his partner's temper, took a step back. "The parlor tricks are a real treat, but let's say we get to the real business. Everyone says you're the answer man around here. So tell us, what is all this about?"

"Bodie…" Ray placed a stilling hand over his partner's arm. "We're guests."

"Honored guests, no matter which list your name is on," Nicklaus added with a pointed look at Bodie. He straightened his paperwork and set it aside. "Come and make yourselves comfortable. It's almost dinner time and I understand that you might be hungry?"

"We'll get food after you tell us what's going on."

"Or we can enjoy some good lamb chops and veg with Swiss rolls for afters - while I answer your questions, and I imagine you have many. Would that suit you, Bodie?"

Deny it all he liked, Bodie knew just as well as his partner the measure of this thing. And he was hungry to boot. He nodded and Nicklaus let loose a hearty, good-natured chuckle.

"Piet, please ask Cook to prepare two extra settings for tonight, and bring up some bottles from the cellar. We may be in for a long night amongst friends."

The End