The Time Hunters and the Box of Eternity (30 page)

Chapter 28

Mr Flint
’
s Revelation

Fortunately, tailing a tipsy parrot was just about the easiest thing
Becky could imagine. Not only did Mr Flint make a great deal of noise trampling
the undergrowth but, every now and again, he would stumble into a tree trunk,
give a cantankerous squawk, before carrying on, only to do it again a few
minutes later. Recognising it would probably take some time to reach their
destination, she decided to hang at the back of the group and study the island.
It was then she heard Bruce
’
s voice.

‘
So, missy, is all of
this the norm when you visit Uncle P?
’

Becky thought for a moment.
‘
Well, it
’
s not always zombie sharks and sea-monsters,
but it can be pretty eventful.
’

Bruce chortled.
‘
Jeez, and here
’
s me thinkin
’
I had a crazy childhood.
’

‘
What was yours like?
’

‘
Ah, to be truthful
with you, it was as perfect as a smile on a face,
’
Bruce replied.
‘
How old are you
–
thirteen? Fourteen?
’

‘
Thirteen. I
’
ll be fourteen in
March.
’

‘
Then I was just about your
age when I started travelling.
’

Becky looked shocked.
‘
Time travelling?
’

‘
Is there any other
kind?
’

Becky wasn
’
t sure why, but she
’
d always assumed she and Joe were the first young people to be time
travellers.
‘
But how?
’

A wistful look crossed Bruce
’
s face.
‘
My pappy introduced me to it. Great man, my
pappy …great scientist, too. He died a few years back. Heart attack. Very
sudden. Very sad.
’

‘
I
’
m sorry,
’
Becky said.

‘
No matter,
’
Bruce replied.
‘
He
’
s gone, but he
’
s with me every single
day if you know what I mean. The thing is, all of us are here by the grace of
the big fella upstairs.
’
He pointed upwards.
‘
So you just have to ride this bronco called Life and hold on for as
long as you can. That
’
s what those Black Head boys have done. And that
’
s how I know
your
pappy is gonna be just fine.
’

‘
Why do you say that?
’

‘
Because I knew him
pretty well - the two of us had some pretty wild trips in that pink ice-cream
truck of his.
’

Becky
’
s heart flipped.
‘
I didn
’
t know you knew him.
’

‘
Oh, yeah,
’
Bruce replied.
‘
And I know he will not
let go of this bronco easily, not while he
’
s got you, your bro and your momma in his head
and heart. You
’
ll be with him every night when he closes his eyes, no matter where he
is, no matter what Drake does to him. Your pappy will hold on because of you
and yours. I am certain of that, missy…
’

Becky went quiet. Her bottom lip trembled.

‘
Ah, look at me,
’
Bruce said guiltily.
‘
I
’
ve made you as sad as
a sinner on Sunday.
’

‘
No,
’
Becky replied at
once.
‘
You
haven
’
t at
all. I appreciate what you said, I do. I just hope you
’
re right.
’

‘
I am, missy,
’
Bruce said sincerely.
‘
I am.
’

‘
Thank you. I
’
ll be honest with you,
Bruce, you don
’
t sound like a scientist at all.
’

‘
A scientist? Me?
’
Bruce chortled.
‘
Sweet Mary, no … my
pappy had all the brains, I just got the looks.
’
He smiled sadly.
‘
Nah, you
’
d think he
’
d be disappointed
havin
’
a
dunderhead like me for a son, but if he was, he never once showed it.
’

‘
I thought all time
travellers were scientists.
’

‘
Nope. They used to be
in the forties and fifties but we
’
re all second or third generation travellers now.
’

‘
But you converted that
flintlock into an automatic weapon?
’

‘
Ah, I just had the
idea for it,
’
Bruce replied.
‘
I got someone else to put it together.
’

‘
So what do you do
then?
’

‘
I own a few shops in
Tucson. I ain
’
t ever gonna be Donald Trump, but they keep the coyotes from my
door.
’

‘
Really?
’
Becky said,
surprised.
‘
What kind of shops?
’

‘
Flower shops.
’

Becky nearly choked.
‘
You
’
re a florist?
’

‘
I certainly am,
’
Bruce replied
proudly.
‘
Best
job in the world.
’
He took a long, satisfying breath as if inhaling the most beautiful
frangrance.
‘
I love the smell of Saguaro Blossom in the morning…
’

‘
That
’
s great,
’
Becky said sincerely.
‘
I thought
you
’
d be
–
well, I don
’
t really know what I
thought.
’

‘
Yeah, I know I don
’
t seem the florist
type, but isn
’
t it true that the most interestin
’
people are the ones that surprise you? Take
your uncle … he might come across all Professor Nerdwhup, but when it comes to
fightin
’
for his loved ones he
’
s got more spunk than a skunk
’
s got stink…
’

Becky smiled. She knew Bruce was right.

The two of them continued talking as the group hiked deeper into the
island. The sounds of the forest had reached deafening levels. Brightly
coloured birds sang above, insects whirred below, and dozens of monkeys leapt
gracefully from tree to tree, tracking their every move and chattering wildly
to each other.

The longer the journey continued, however, the more Becky began to
doubt Mr Flint had any idea where he was actually going. She was about to raise
this with Uncle Percy when she heard Mr Flint screech,
‘
FLINTY SHACK … FLINTY
SHACK!
’

The group emerged onto a rocky outcrop overlooking a wide valley. In
the distance, Becky could see a waterfall that tumbled from a sheer rock face,
feeding a river below. Then she turned and gasped. To her left was a large pine
house with a decked veranda, furnished with two throne-like chairs. She watched
as Mr Flint hopped eagerly through the front door, which stood slightly ajar,
and disappeared from sight.

‘
So this is where
Blackbeard lived?
’
Joe said, looking around.
‘
It doesn
’
t look like somewhere he
’
d leave a massive pile
of treasure.
’

‘
It certainly doesn
’
t,
’
Uncle Percy replied.
‘
But there
’
s no harm in taking a
look.
’
He
followed Mr Flint through the front door, trailed by everyone else.

Inside, Becky was surprised to find it surprisingly cozy and not at
all the kind of place to be inhabited by pirates, particularly not one as allegedly
ferocious as Blackbeard. Silks in every colour hung from the walls, huge red
and gold velvet cushions covered the floor. She moved slowly through the living
room, before turning into what she assumed was the kitchen. It was then she
noticed something quite curious. Two long, thick leather straps, ragged at both
ends as if cut by something sharp, lay on the floor beside a giant wooden
table. Simultaneously, an odd, sickly-sweet smell she found vaguely familiar
filled her nostrils. For some reason, she had an overwhelming urge to flee, to
get out of there as quickly as she could. Telling herself she was being stupid,
she noticed the panelling on the far wall had been damaged beyond repair;
smashed glass and broken pottery spattered the floor.

‘
I wonder what
’
s happened here?
’
Uncle Percy said
curiously.

‘
Dunno,
’
Joe replied.
‘
Maybe some monkeys
broke in and had a party.
’

Uncle Percy chuckled, until he noticed Becky
’
s expression.
‘
Are you all right,
Becky?
’

Becky opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it at
once.
‘
I
’
m fine,
’
she replied
unconvincingly.
‘
I need some air.
’
And with that she paced from the room, her head reeling. By the
time she had made it outside, she was panting heavily, her shirt damp with
sweat. Taking deep breaths, she began to relax when Joe appeared, followed by
Uncle Percy, Will and Bruce.

‘
Becks, what
’
s up?
’
Joe asked.

‘
Nowt.
’

‘
But you jellied out in
there?
’

‘
I didn
’
t
’

‘
Yes, you did. Didn
’
t she Uncle Percy?
’

‘
You did seem rather
peaky, my dear.
’

‘
I
’
m alright,
’
Becky replied with a
wave of her hand.
‘
I just … well, it
’
s hot. Anyway,
’
she said, eager to change the subject,
‘
what are we going to
do about finding Pandora
’
s Box?
’

Uncle Percy shook his head.
‘
At the moment, I
’
m not sure, but I
’
m certain something will arise. We
’
ll take a short break,
maybe have something to eat, and then interrogate a parrot…
’

For the next few minutes, they said very little to one another. Mr
Flint joined them outside, and together, they all stood there in silence,
taking in the majestic views.

‘
Prettier than Moss
Side, isn
’
t
it?
’
Joe
said to Becky.