Scoga And The Island In The Waters Of Time: Part 9

Scoga and The Island in the Waters of Time

Part 9: The Mouth of the Frozen King

“If we jog, we won't tire ourselves out as easily, and we may not have to sleep where we slept last night,” said Scoga, in one long, panting breath. We were, he said, only a third of the way home. Already my legs ached. I kept saying, over and over in my mind, “Break-at-Stonehenge-break-at-Stonehenge-” and so on. Again, I shall not go into the agonizing details of the journey, but shall simply say that we arrived safely (if not totally exhausted and fatigued) at Stonehenge. I think “Stonehenge” is better to say than “the place we slept last night”. After we had taken a Fifteen-minute break we started off again. As we neared the town, several armed guards jumped out at us from the bushes. Then they went back into the bushes and said “You may pass, Scoga.”

The moment we arrived in town we were ushered into the chief's house. There sat Chakunga along with Scoga's father, Gani, and a few other townsfolk. “Papa!” Scoga ran at his father,, and Gani lifted Scoga high into the air and set him down on a table. We all laughed, but the chief looked uneasy. “Well?” “Well,” I said, “The other village has been warned, and Mr. Shunpike ordered all the countryfolk to come into the village, to be protected. He also meant to post a guard on the walls and at the gate.” The chief sighed. “I wish we had a wall. But then we have a trained military garrison, and they have only farmers and pitchforks.”

After that, we waited. One lazy afternoon as I pet the cat Dornsvik and contemplated how to get off the island, we heard shouts. Then it was quiet. “Another false alarm,” said Scoga, stifling a yawn. Then he jumped to his feet. “Let's find out what's happening. I can't sit in this house another minute!” I crashed down the stairs to the shop. Gani looked up. “And what can I get for Mr. Elephant today? Perhaps some nails he may need to fix my steps?” We laughed. Then I told him that Scoga and I needed some fresh air, and that we'd go out just to the guard path on the ridge and then come back. “Alright, alright. I don't want any broken dishes or furniture,” said Gani.

Scoga and I packed what we needed, and made a lunch, which was some kind of salad with a flaky, eggy dough Scoga called “P'tash”. Then we set off. I took us about an hour to get to the path, and we met the friendly guard who had helped to capture the elders along the way. He said we could come with him to where to ridge descends into the forest, and that then we must turn back. “The east end of the island is the most uncivilized. I won't let you go past Frozen King. “What's Frozen King?” I asked. The guard smiled. “You'll see,” he said.

We walked along the ridge, not talking, but taking in the peaceful silence. Birds sang, frogs peeped. Then we came out of a thicket– and there was the frozen king. It was a massive ravine, and etched into a cliff on the other side was a sculpture of a king. The areas around the cliff were indented for an outline, and a narrow path wound up the cliff and into its mouth. Which wasn't really a mouth at all, but a “Natural cave,” said Scoga. “It leads out to the other side of the island. I've been in it only once. The guards keep torches on the walls, and their fires light the inside. You come out on the north edge, where it is a hole in the trunk of a tree carved into the rock like the Frozen King. We call it the Lifeless Tree. The carvings were carved a long time back, when the first settlers arrived.” “Now, you two had better get back,” said the guard, whose name was Luikorm. “Can we stay a little longer?” I asked, “I've never seen this before.”

We stayed another 5 minutes. The carving was highly detailed, Although it was fading. We then ate our lunch. The Luikorm had to wait too, for the person that always met him here was late. He began to pace. Then we heard running. The other guard was coming. “Sorry I'm late,” He panted, “But I saw ships on the horizon!” Scoga and I gasped. Luikorm was more stern. He was some sort of lieutenant. “Well, you know how to call the patrol together. Sound the horn at the at the other side of the tunnel.” The other guard ran off again. Then Luikorm turned to us. “Run back to town. Notify Chakunga. He will send the garrison. It has begun.” And with that, he raised a bugle to his lips and an echoing note sounded over the ridge.