Read Leave the Last Page Online
Authors: Stephen Barnard
Leave the Last Page (15 page)
They just stood together, waiting.
âThat it?' said Kildark. âOkay, my turn.' He reached out towards Tom.
Alex wriggled to lose hold, wanting to protect his son. Tom held on tight though, visibly stinging his father's hand. âSorry, Dad â no fighting.'
Kildark mimicked. âYeah, sorry, Dad â no fighting. Because you'd looooossse!' He pointed his fingers in the direction of Tom's jacket. âNow, for that book.'
He touched Tom's chest, but then recoiled, as if he had received a shock through his fingers. He made another move to grab the jacket, but then at the crackle of power whipped his hand back. Kildark looked at it. It was no longer over-large and bony. It was man-sized.
He grabbed with the other hand, but yelped as the power stung him. He then tried to push his way past Daniel, but he bounced away like he'd hit a rubber wall. He doubled up in pain, and suddenly seemed very small. He couldn't help but blurt out. âWhat is it?'
âNo more fighting,' said Alex.
âNo more fighting,' said Ben.
âIt's love,' said Tom.
Kildark, visibly reduced to less than adult height, roared and lunged at Grandma Patty.
She couldn't help herself. She broke free from Alex's light, finger-burnt hold, lowered her hand so that her handbag slid down her forearm until the handles landed in her palm. Then she gripped tightly and swung high in an uppercut motion.
The handbag caught Kildark squarely underneath the chin. The blow lifted him off his feet, into the air and out of the circle, over the top of the ducking Daniel. He landed on his back with a whimper. âJust a little more fighting,' said Grandma Patty.
Tom stared, amazed. âWow, Grandma! What magic did you have in your handbag?'
âNo magic,' she smiled. âJust this.' She reached in and pulled out a heavy, bulky object. It was the brick that Kildark had thrown through Ben's car windscreen.
The poison grasses weaved themselves over the prostrate body of the shrinking Kildark. He offered little resistance, only a whimper. Within a minute he had been taken under the earth.
He was gone.
The world around them began to regain some of its colour. The sky brightened. The grass became lush and green. Trees grew from shoots in a matter seconds. And clear white sand returned to the bunkers.
A golfer crawled out from under a bush. âWho parked that bus in the middle of our fairway?'
Ben Fields walked up to his dad. âI saw how narrow that lane was. How on earth did you get that thing down here?'
Jimmy Fields smiled. âBenedict, let's just say that the bus company is going to be getting a lot of damage claims from owners of parked cars this week. Your boy did good, by the way.'
âI know,' said Ben, beckoning Daniel over.
Daniel was smiling, but then the expression on his face dropped. âDad, your stomach!'
Ben looked down. A flower-shaped blotch of red blossomed on his shirt.
Behind him, he heard Charlotte Holliday call out her son's name. Ben turned to see Tom on the ground, his legs crumpled beneath him.
Grandma Patty called out: âWill someone with one of those mobile phone things call an ambulance!'
ââ-tornado kick. Helena rooted around in her bag for other potions. “A time tube. That should help!” She shattered it on the ground in front of the Meddo clones. They pushed themselves forward at normal speed but the attacks and blasts around them slowed down so that they could be dodged. The main Meddo broke through and knocked Kildark into the wall.
“Ow!” Kildark yelled. “That's it: NO MORE GAMES!” he yelled while firing shadow clouds that blocked out the sun. The dome filled up with billowing smoke. “ I-I-I c-can't b-b-breathe” George choked.
Helena dropped to her knees. “Wind of successful scattering,” she croaked and soon found herself and George breathing easily as a fresh breeze took away the vile clouds.
“How long are you going to TAKE TO DIE?” Kildark screamed and raised his arms to the top of the dome. His huge fists punched holes through the roof, to expose them to a huge purple storm overhead. It started pulling everything apart, tearing parts of the dome away and flinging them across the poisoned land.
“This isn't going to end well,” Helena said, huddling together with George and the Meddoes. She tipped her bag upside down and one tiny bottle fell out. “All I have left is this love potion!”
George's face lit up. He had an idea that it might just do the trick. He said, “Just throw it at him!” Helena hesitated for a moment and then threw it with everything she had.
It burst on Kildark's chest. He froze for a second as the storm calmed down around him. The remains of the dome started to fade away around them. “What is that?” he asked. “It makes me feel all funny.” He looked at his super-large fingers, and strangely, could see through them. “No, it can't be,” he said. “Not something so simple and as harmless as that!”
And then Kildark went all fuzzy like he was made of static, then with a quick pop, vanished completely.
The Meddo clones got up and ran off. “Sorry, we gotta go!” they apologised and sprinted away. The original Meddo just shrugged. “I'm gonna stick around and see how this ends, if that's okay.”
Helena nodded. She had spotted a silver chest near the Snuggerthang tooth. “George, pass me that key we got from the wyverym.”
“Okay?” George said in confusion. He had forgotten all about it.
Helena walked over to the chest, avoiding the tooth. The lines of darkness had gone from the ground, and it had buried itself further into the earth, but she worried about it still being dangerous. When she got to the chest she put the key in the lock. She turned it and it popped open. “The potion,” she said. As she walked out of the area where the dome had been and onto the path, she undid the necklace and poured it out onto the nearby grass. Instantly it started to change back into a fresh green colour.
The Meddo clones came back. They were in a wooden flying contraption that looked like a giant bird. “We just borrowed this. Can we give anyone a lift?”
As they flew back to their homes they could see that the grass and the land below them was becoming more green and vibrant, and when they landed back in town, people were now breaking the stone paths near their houses and dancing on the new, fresh, safe grass.
They'd done it. Greensphere was safe.
“Hope we talk soon, George,” Helena said.
“Oh come on, we're neighbours!” George said. “Of course we will!” And with that he ran inside, knowing it had been the time of his life (despite the fact he almost died a few times!)
He also knew that if Greensphere was in trouble again, he and Helena would find a way of helping.
TOM RECOGNISED THE VIEW FROM HIS HOSPITAL BED. It was the same rooftops he had seen in his dream when he thought he was in his bedroom, wrapped in cotton wool.
He wasn't wrapped in cotton wool at the minute, but the hospital staff were taking a day or two just to check him over and to see that he was comfortable.
Especially now that he had lost the use of his legs.
It was time for visitors, so he could hear the buzz of activity outside the door of his private room. It opened a touch, and Ben Fields poked his head in. âHi, Tom. Do you mind if I come in? Your family are waiting, but I said I'd only be two minutes.'
âOf course not, Ben â please do.'
The detective walked in, a little gingerly in his movements. He'd taken a good few hits with the golf clubs, and then there was the reappearing knife wound. Tom nodded to Ben's stomach. âWas everything okay?'
âMissed every major organ. They said I was very lucky. Plus, the hospital said they'd never seen a patient delivered by beaten up blue bus before. If we'd waited for the ambulance to find its way onto the golf course I might not have made it.'
âIt's a good thing that cottage was the last bit to come back to normal.'
âIt certainly was. Although I think my father still hopes all the cars he bumped will miraculously fix themselves.'
âMaybe you've got all the family luck then!'
Ben chuckled, then winced. âMaybe so.' He perched on the end of the bed. âListen, Tom, I just wanted to pop across to see how you are, but also to thank you for everything your story has done for me.'
âBen, it's you that did everything for me.' He indicated to the detective's stomach.
âNot a bit of it. You did plenty for me and my family; your story brought three generations of Fields men together.'
âMy teachers would be proud â I think that was the idea of the story project in the first place.'
âI think there are much more important people just outside that door who are rightfully proud of you. But thanks again, Tom; I'm sure the Fields' and the Hollidays will be keeping in touch.' The detective patted the boy's leg as he got up, but then looked self-conscious at the action. He nodded his appreciation one last time and then slipped out of the room.
He was soon replaced by Tom's mum, dad and Grandma Patty. They arranged themselves in chairs around his bed.
âHow are you feeling today, son?' asked his dad.
âI'm fine, just like yesterday. I think I'm ready to go home.'
âThey just want to run a couple more tests, love,' said Mum. âJust to be sure.'
Tom leaned back and sighed. âAll of us in here are sure, so we know the doctors aren't going to tell us anything different. There was only one thing that made me walk, and that's all done with now. I'm going to be in a chair for the rest of my life.'
Charlotte Holliday sat forward in her seat, her fist to her lips. Alex Holliday blinked back a tear.
Grandma Patty noisily shuffled her chair closer to Tom's bed, so that she was almost face to face with him. âI will take every one of your notebook stories, and drag my bones to every old folks' home I can find, and capture every last breath I can on those pages, and live every dangerous adventure I possibly can with you, if only to see you walk again.' Her eyes were puffy but determined.
Tom grabbed her hand. âIt's okay, Grandma, I'm happy with it, honestly. This is who I am. A few days running around doesn't change that. I've had years â happy years â being in a chair. In fact I miss Dodge! I just want to go home, and get back to normal. Nothing else.' He squeezed her fingers. âNothing more.'
They all held back their tears, as much as they could, for Tom's sake. âOkay,' Patty said. âOkay.' She reached down to her handbag and pulled out a couple of things. She placed them on Tom's lap. âLet's think sunnier thoughts.' It was the silver box and the ornate key on a cord. âTime to claim the prize at the end of our adventure!'
He looked down at the key, smiling. âThere's no way that key will fit that box.'
âWell then, why don't you just try it and find out.'
He held the metal next to the opening; it changed its shape and slipped into the slot perfectly. It turned with a satisfying click.
The silver lid popped open. Tom reached in and pulled out the golden chain with the heavy, heart shaped, ruby pendant.
âThank you, Greatgrammy Aisling.'
Charlotte opened the front door. It was Grandma Patty.
âHi Patty. You finally made it then?'
âI know, I know, it was his birthday yesterday, but when Rammstein's nearest European tour date is Paris, then I've just got to go.' She had a parcel tucked under her arm. âIs the birthday boy in?'
She nodded. âAlthough you're lucky to catch him.'
They walked toward the living room together, but Charlotte took steps towards the kitchen as Patty went in. Tom and Alex were just finishing with a game on the Playstation. âHello, Mother,' said Alex. âNice of you to join us. The birthday cake's all gone, I'm afraid.'
âAnd I can see who ate it. Are you able to get up on your own, son, or do you need some help?'
âVery funny,' but Alex did creak a little as he got to his feet. âI'll go and put the kettle on.' He kissed his mother on the cheek on his way to the kitchen.
Patty sat on the sofa near to Tom. âDodge has got a few more bumps and scrapes than last time. Looks like she needs a paint job.'
Tom grinned. âWell, she gets out a lot more these days. How was Rammstein?'
She twirled her walking stick and showed him a new sticker. âCrazy. How was school this week?'
He twirled his arm around and showed him a plaster on his elbow. âCrazy. Wheelchair basketball. All the local schools got together to make up two teams. I got six baskets.'
âThat's brilliant,' beamed Patty. âSorry I missed your birthday yesterday, but I got you a gift.' She handed over the present. Tom thanked her and unwrapped it.
It was a book. A notebook to be precise. One you could by in any stationery store. The inscription on the first page read:
For my grandson, Tom, on the occasion of his twelfth birthday.
âIt's my version of the adventure we had. I wrote it all down. To complement your original tale.'
Smiling, he flicked over the page. âThe title page is empty.'
âYeah, I don't know what to call it. I'm not very good with names. Perhaps you'll come up with one when you read it.'
Alex walked back in with two mugs. Tom nodded in his direction. âYou did okay with Dad. Alex is a cool enough name.'
âYeah, but has he ever told you his middle name?' Tom shook his head.
Alex delivered the mug for Patty but then disappeared with his own. âHendrix!' he shouted as he walked into the hall.
âYeah, that's pretty bad, Grandma. Thanks for the book though. I'll think about a title for you.' He looked down at his watch. âBut I need to get gone. I'm due over at Jack's in five minutes.'
âOh right! Don't let me stop you!' She stood up as Tom wheeled himself past. In the hall, Alex was waiting with his jacket. As Tom leaned forward, he helped him get it on.
Patty grinned at her son. âIs his friend Jack coming to collect him? Or his parents, maybe?'
Alex smirked knowingly. âNo, Mother. Tom can take himself there on his own.'
He opened the door for his son. Alex and Patty watched Tom go smoothly down the drive.
âOf course he can,' said Grandma Patty. âHe can do whatever he wants.'