The Clock on the Mantle
Chapter one: Ugh…Belgium
Riley Chantley tucked a strand of platinum blonde hair behind her ear as she blankly stared out the window of the plane currently taking her to the boring Brussels Belgium. Why the school board made her school do an entire unit on Belgium was completely unknown to her. She felt a light tap on her arm. She was snapped out of her trance and turned to face her lifelong friend Cecilia Green who was currently attempting to balance a piece of gum on the tip of her tongue.
"Celia, what are you doing?" Riley asked her. Slowly and tediously, Celia turned her head, desperate not to drop the gum she had so carefully balanced on her tongue.
"I fi-ally di-it!" she said wither tongue still stiffly sticking from her lips. Riley shook her head in amusement.
"You're 'gonna drop that on the filthy floor and I'm 'gonna laugh when you do." She said chuckling as her friend carefully pulled her tongue back into her mouth. Just then Ms. Prudence, an aged unmarried woman in her late forties, gave them both a glare as she walked down the plane cabin aisle. She stopped at their seats.
"Girls," She said sharply. Riley and Celia looked at each other like a couple of deer in headlights, then turned their attention back to Ms. Prudence, who had her arms crossed angrily and was impatiently tapping her foot on the cabin floor.
"Yes Ms. Prudence?" They asked together in the same, cautious voice. Ms. Prudence took in a sharp breath before speaking again.
"You will not be a problem on this trip, correct?" She said, annunciating every syllable with purpose. Riley looked to Celia, who was frozen stiff, obviously locked under the spell of Ms. Prudence's evil, witch-like eyes.
'Great, you're a huge help Celia' Riley thought sarcastically. "Consider us nearly invisible." Said Riley, grabbing Celia's arm as if to pull her back to reality.
"Mhm." Ms. Prudence mumbled sourly in disbelief. "Let me be perfectly clear with you ladies," Riley and Celia's heart rate began to rise as the old hag leaned closer. "If I catch you in a single act of foolishness, your field-trip privileges will be revoked and you will be sentenced to summer school. Am. I. Clear?" With every word spoken, Riley and Celia flinched slightly, blinking each time as if she would disappear. Once again, Riley knew that Celia would be of no assistance, seeing as she has a tendency to clam up in these situations.
"Crystal." Replied Riley, short and punctually, not once breaking eye contact with the evil crab-apple of a woman. Ms. Prudence leaned away from them and eased from the icy stare she had locked on them. She uncrossed her arms and continued moving down the aisle, hitting a pair of students making out in the seat in front of them with a rolled up magazine yelling "Break it up!" in her sharp somewhat British accent. When she sat down at her seat, Riley and Celia released the breath they had subconsciously been holding in as a sigh and leaned back on their seats.
"Celia, you need to work on your 'scardie-cat factor'. You're not very useful when someone's yelling at you." Riley said, turning her body to face her.
"Sorry, I just d-don't like it w-when people y-yell at me. It m-makes me n-nervous." She stammered.
"I know, I know. I guess that's why you need to keep me around." Riley said, smiling while returning her attention back to the window. Celia shrugged and continued playing around with her gum. Riley slowly drifted back into her original train of thought. What were they even going to do in Belgium? Just walk around and tour? 'Doesn't sound like a practical reason to drag the entire junior class of our high school halfway across the world to me.' Thought Riley.
"Attention ladies and gentlemen," Riley was pulled out of her thoughts at the voice of the flight attendant at the front of the plane. She craned her head to get a better view over the rows of seats in front of her. "Please, at this time, turn off all electronic devices and buckle your seatbelts firmly around your waste. Please, no walking around the cabin until the captain turns off the fasten seatbelt sign in the overhead bar. Thank you and enjoy your flight."
Riley began to tune her out as she repeated the statement in French…then Spanish…then Swedish. As she spoke, Riley's eyes began to droop. She hadn't noticed her eyes were closed until Celia elbowed her that they were taking off.
"That's cool, Celia, just…" she yawned, "wake me up when we get there." Riley continued. She closed her eyes and snuggled her face into her seat.
"Sure thing, Riles." Celia replied as she turned outwards to talk to the boy across from her. As the plane buzzed, Riley was lulled into a deep sleep.
XXX
"Riles," Came a faint, familiar voice in Riley's ear. "Riley! Wake up! We're here!" Celia's excited voice came louder. Riley blinked, letting her eyes adjust. As she sat up, a sharp pain shot up her back and neck. Her hand flew to her neck to try to soothe the pain through rubbing.
"Celia, I don't understand why you are so excited about going to…Belgium." Riley said, cracking her back and neck.
"Yeah, and I can't believe that you slept in the same position for about nine hours." Celia shot back in response, crossing her arms and smirking.
"OK, OK, true." Riley said, her arms going up in surrender. Their attention was drawn to the front when Ms. Prudence stood from her seat. The whole junior class seemed to hold their breath in anticipation. She glared knives at all of them, then unexpectedly, she yelled "California State High School Junior Class!" In her shrill, British cackle of a voice. In complete unison, all of the students from the high school stood up from their seats, standing as straight as boards, fearing that Ms. Prudence would come to yell or straighten them out. "WALK!" She yelled from the front of the plane. Riley and Celia grabbed their backpacks from under the seat and began to exit the plane with the other kids. They walked out of the terminal and into the congested airport, following close behind Ms. Prudence and her big mouth. When they got out of the airport, a tour bus was already waiting outside.
Riley and Celia made their way through the bus to the back window seat and sat down. Celia peered excitedly out the window.
"Celia, it's just like that trip to New York, except on the other side of the sea. Chill!" Riley exclaimed, somewhat surprised that she was this energetic, more energetic than usual that is.
"I know, I know, it's just…I heard rumors from some other kids that our first stop on the tour is-"
"Lunch!?" Riley finished Celia's sentence, her eyes igniting with hope.
"Um…no." Celia finished, her expression flattening faster than a frozen diet coca- cola. "We are going to some old creepy mansion for our first stop!" She said, her face regaining its former excitement.
"Who cares about an old creepy mansion? We have tons of those back home." Riley said, slightly less excited.
"Oh, but Riles, it's so much cooler than that! This mansion is where that guy we learned about in Ms. Prudence's class, oh what was his name…?"
"Yeah, like I would know, Ceels." Riley said, no interest returning to her face.
"His name was Tintin." A lady's voice rang like bells in Riley and Celia's ears. They jerked their heads towards the voice with a slightly Scottish accent. The voice came from a young looking woman about 30 years old. She had shoulder length black hair tucked behind her ears and bluish-greenish eyes that reflected the color of the sea.
"Hi, I'm Lillian Haddock." She stuck her hand out for them to shake. Celia and Riley shook it in turn.
"How do you know?" Riley asked with a quizzical face as Celia shoved her with her elbow, as if to say 'that's rude!'
"I know because I work as a tour guide there, and I'm also the old owner's granddaughter. Ever heard of Caption Archibald Haddock?" Celia and Riley's mouths dropped. They had learned about the old sea hag that had gone on adventures with the famous Tintin, but they never expected to see a living, breathing relative. "Well, I must get to my post at the microphone. See you ladies later." She said, waiving to them as she walked to the front of the bus.
As the bus lurched forward onto the road the same voice came over the intercom, pointing out different places of interest. It didn't matter to Riley though. She was too hypnotized, lost in the murky fog of the past. Her hand subconsciously went to her back, running her fingers over the scars that were unfairly placed there.
She remembered the stinging pain that she had endured, and the smell of alcohol could almost still burn her nose. She was brought out of her deep trance when the bus screeched to a stop in front of a gargantuan, old, rustic mansion. On the front gate read, "Marlinspike Hall".
A/N:
I decided to put the author's note at the bottom since usually people like to read the story first, listen to the author talk after. Usually. I know this chapter doesn't have a ton of action, and it only MENTIONS Tintin and Haddock, but don't worry my friends! They will show up in chapter two! This is the first fanfic I have ever written, and I hope I'm doing it right (at least…I think I am), but if I did something wrong or something is out of place, or you have constructive criticism in general, it is welcome with open arms! Also, if you have any comments, review. I would love to hear how you liked it (or if you didn't, that's okay too.) I will hopefully have the next chapter up by New Years. Until then!
Disclaimer: I think we all know I don't own Tintin, but I'm just 'gonna add this for fun. I don't own Tintin, Haddock, Snowy, Castifiore, or Marlinspike Hall. But the other stuff came from my creative brain juices.