Back to the Underworld.
Chapter 6 – On the way
…
The tree where Buck used to live in hadn't survived the continental drift. It was a giant tree, but a very old one, and so it had fallen on the ground during the great earthquake. But Buck was always able to solve problems like this. He had dug a hole under the fallen tree, and made his new home under there. The walls of the old treehouse was now the ceiling of the new home. So to see all the drawings of Buck's adventures that he had made on the walls of his treehouse, they had to look up now.
Buck, Compso and the two little weasels sat down around the new table, which was made of a piece of wood and four small stones.
"So," Buck said. "how did you kids come down here?"
"We fell," Minny simply said.
Buck frowned. "Earthquake, huh?" he said.
Minny shook her head. "The ground disappeared under our feet," she said.
"I think the ice was too thin," Buckley said. "but I don't understand how it all happened exactly. We were having a snowball fight, en suddenly the ice broke and we fell."
"I'm guessing you want to go back home?" Buck asked.
Buckley nodded immediately. "Yes," he said. "I want to go back to my mother."
"It's a shame, you know," Buck said. "nobody ever stays long enough to see how wonderful this world actually is. But I guess you folks from the World of Above think safety goes first."
"We just wanna go home," Buckley said. He had to admit he really admired Buck. Now that he actually knew him even more than he used to do. But he didn't want to stay in this world too long. He wanted to go home as fast as they could.
Minny said nothing.
Buck stood up. "Well, they day is not over yet," he said. "we might as well start traveling."
"Do we need to travel very long?" Buckley asked.
"That depends," Buck said. "since that great earthquake everything has changed here. I hope the old exit is still open. If not, then you kids have a problem."
"I don't wanna stay down here forever!" Buckley cried out.
"Hey. Don't worry, matey. I'll get you back home. Or my name isn't Buck the Dinohunter!" Buck said. "Now let's go before roots grow from our feet and we all turn into trees."
He turned around to see Compso trying to sneak away. He grabbed the small dinosaur's tail and pulled him back.
"Not so fast, mate," he said. "you're coming too."
"Oh, come on, Buck!" Compso begged. "I just want some rest. I'll go on an adventure some other time, okay?"
"Listen, Compso," Buck said. "There are two children here and only one of me. Someone has to help me babysit. I'm not doing this on my own."
"You managed just find with Sheldon," Compso said, folding his small arms over his chest.
"Yeah, but Sheldon was just one kid," Buck said. "plus he looked a lot like me. These children don't."
"I thought you liked kids." Compso said.
Buck rolled his eye. "Sure I do," he said. "but that's not the point."
Compso looked at his best friend. Then he sighed. "Alright then," he said. "I'm coming with you. But you owe me."
"That's a change." Buck said jokingly. Then he turned around and looked at Buckley and Minny.
"Okay, kids," he said. "let me just explain the rules before we go. Rule number one: always listen to Buck. Rule number two: stay on the trail. Rule number three: do not feed the dinosaurs. Well, except for Compso perhaps. Rule number four: there will be pit stops, so use them."
The children nodded quietly.
"Now let's go," Buck said. "the world doesn't wait. And neither do I."
He went outside, with Compso, Buckley and Minny following him immediately.
…
"Minny!" Diana cried out. "Minny, where are you?!"
Liza brought both of her hands to her mouth and shouted: "Buckley!"
There was no answer. Just silence.
Danny looked at his friends. One of them shook his head. "Don't tell them, Danny," he said. "or we'll all be in trouble."
Danny didn't answer, but he looked at his mother again. It was true that he never liked his sister and cousin that much. They weren't 'cool' or popular like he was. Minny looked like a ghost and Buckley was fat and always crying for his mommy. But still, Danny wouldn't want them to be gone forever. He didn't hate them, and he never wished they would be gone.
"Mom," Danny said softly, stepping forward.
Diana turned around. "What is it, sweetie?" she asked.
Danny looked down at his paws. "I know where Minny and Buckley went." He whispered.
Even though her son was whispering, Diana could hear him very well. And she felt her heart jump.
"Really?" she hugged Danny. "Good boy. Where are they."
Danny still looked at the ground. "They… they fell through the earth," he said softly.
Diana frowned. "what?" she said.
"I don't know," Danny replied. "we were having a snowball fight. Soddenly the ice broke, and Buckley and Minny fell down. It really wasn't my fault, mom. They went behind the hill where we're not supposed to come. I didn't do anything, really."
Diana gasped. "The hill…" she whispered. She remembered that hill very well. And she also knew that she had a good reason to not let her children play there. Because that was the place where she had first entered the Underworld. In all those years, thin ice had formed over the chasm where Diana and her family had fallen into years ago.
"Liza!" Diana cried out to her sister, who immediately turned around and walked towards her.
"Buckley and Minny are in the underworld," Diana said.
Liza held both hands over her mouth. "Oh dear…" she said.
The two sisters looked at each other, not knowing what to do.
…
The small tunnel to the Underworld wasn't there anymore. That was quite clear.
Instead, Sheldon now stood in front of a large cave and went on and on down to the world of the dinosaurs. Of course, the good thing about this cave was that he could still enter the Underworld. The bad thing was that some dinosaurs could also come up now. And that wasn't really a good thing at most times.
"When I find Buck, we'll have to talk about this," Sheldon said to himself out loud. "Maybe there's something we can do."
He was looking forward to seeing Buck, so he didn't hesitate any longer. He went down into the cave. It didn't last long until he saw the bright light ond the Underworld at the end of the tunnel. He stepped into the underground tropical world. He first had to cover his eyes before they got used to the bright light.
He gasped at what he saw.
"Wow," he said. "This place is almost destroyed!"
...
...
Author's note:
I'm going to put this story on hold for a while.
I have a lot of things on my mind lately, and
I just don't really get myself to write this story
very often.
Also, I have to admit I was a bit disappointed
that only two of the people who I know have
also read 'the Underworld' are reading this
story. But I'm glad at least some people are
interested in this story, and I want to thank
you who read this story. I really appreciate it.
I don't know when I'll be writing on this story
again. But it might take at least a few weeks.
My apologies.
Snowy stoat.
