The Neverchanging Story
by Gary D. Snyder
Part 10:
Although Jimmy still wasn't entirely convinced by what he had been told at the Hogsnorts school he set out for Lord Folderol's keep armed with instructions, advice, magics, and other tems provided him by the council. He had tried to be patient as they explained what he could expect to find and how to deal with them but couldn't resist attempting to suggest some common-sense scientific alternatives. His efforts to do so failed miserably.
"Lord Folderol will undoubtedly have some minions guarding the entries to his stronghold," Headmaster Tremblemoor told him. "Our charm of warding should keep you safe from their notice."
Jimmy shifted uncomfortably. "That's really swell of you," he said as the council surrounded him and begun some sort of mystical conjuration, "but if you give me half an hour I could construct a electromagnetic damping field generator that should render me virtually invisible. I'll need –"
Before he could finish all the council members had intoned, "Exception 4. Unrecognized instance reference 'electromagnetic damping field generator'. Hyperthread restart." Then, as if nothing had happened, they resumed their incantation.
"Oh, right," Jimmy remarked. "I forgot."
The council provided him with several other charms and magical devices to heighten his senses, augment his own innate magical powers, and hopefully defeat Lord Folderol's plans for the Tureen of Turin. Last of all the headmaster dropped several metal disks into his hand, stating, "These will get you to Lord Folderol's castle before sunset. Remember that the moon will rise just as the sun sets, so you must be swift."
Jimmy studied the disks with interest. "What are these? Some sort of teleportation talismans?"
"No, bus fare. The bus will take you to Woodhollow depot, and from there it's about a half mile walk to Lord Folderol's place."
While the council at Hogsnorts had been preparing Jimmy his friends were coming to terms with their own situation. Cindy, familiar with the Larry Fodder series, recognized at once that Lord Cordemal Folderol was not someone they should associate with or trust and had tried to impress that on Sheen.
"We've got to get out of here, Sheen," she whispered frantically as Lord Folderol inspected them carefully.
"Relax, Cindy," said Sheen. "We will get out of here. Lord Fauntleroy promised me. We're just waiting for Jimmy."
"I wouldn't believe Lord Folderol if he told me A comes before B. You can't trust him!"
"Oh, Cindy, Cindy, Cindy," replied Sheen as he shook his head sadly. "Just because he's British doesn't mean we can't trust him. The American Revolution was over years ago. We're friends now."
Lord Folderol cut off Cindy's exasperated response. "Well, well," he said in a cold voice but with a faint trace of a smile. "This is rather a surprise. I hardly expected that Mister Toadspittle would be friends with Mr. Fodder's close associates Miss Fernthistle, Mr. Snives, and Miss Chumbucket."
"That's Shoom-boo-KAY," retorted Libby, wagging her finger in front of Lord Folderol. "Shoom-boo-KAY. Remember that."
"Whatever the names, the important thing is that I have you here. And that means that Mr. Fodder will be here shortly."
"Well," Cindy laughed weakly as she edged towards the heavy wooden door in one of the stone walls, "I really wish we could stay, but I'm afraid we have a very pressing engagement and have to be off now."
The wizards smile grew wider but colder and he gripped the wooden staff in his hand more firmly. "I'm afraid I must insist," he stated as his voice took on a threatening tone.
"No really, we couldn't think of it," Cindy tried, her voice becoming frantic.
"That's right," agreed Libby, who was beginning to feel uncomfortable as well.
"And I think I hear our moms calling us," Carl offered feebly.
In response to this Lord Folderol thrust his staff towards them. As he did so the three children flew backwards towards one of the walls as if in the grip of a terrific wind. They struck the wall with considerable impact but instead of dropping to the floor after hitting they stuck there like flies on flypaper, spread-eagled and unable to move. Lord Folderol walked up to them and stopped in front of Cindy, holding her face in his hand. "As I said, I'm afraid I must insist. You see, it's very important to me that Mister Fodder shows up, and having you here is the surest way of getting your boyfriend here."
Cindy managed to twist her head out of his grip. "He's not my boyfriend!" she snapped after the wizard as he walked away.
"Oh, please, girl," said Libby, rolling her eyes.
"What?" Cindy spluttered in protest.
"Everyone with at least half a brain knows that you two are an item," said Sheen, who had walked up to them but still hadn't fully grasped the situation.
"Yeah," agreed Carl with a snorting laugh. "I know that."
"Well, I don't," Cindy replied angrily.
"Then I guess you don't have half a brain," replied Sheen smugly. "Jimmy and Cindy, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S…S…Hey, Libby, how many S's in 'kissing'?"
Cindy shook her head in disgust and anger. "We don't have time for this! We have to get out of here!"
"Mister Toadspittle!" Lord Folderol called. "Come! We have work to."
"Oops! Sorry, Cindy," Sheen said as he hurried away. "We have to get things ready so that when Jimmy shows up we can all get out of here and back home again
"Come back here, you dimbulb!" Cindy yelled at Sheen as he disappeared through the door with Lord Folderol. After the two had left the chamber she snarled in frustration. "I can't believe this."
"Me neither," said Carl. "Have you and Jimmy really been kissing in trees?"
The entire situation seemed surreal to Cindy. "We haven't done anything! He's not my boyfriend!"
"Is that why you write 'Cindy Neutron' inside your book covers in class?" asked Libby.
Cindy looked uncomfortable. "This isn't the time for that. And I was just practicing my penmanship, anyway."
"So why do you always dot the 'i' with a little heart when you do that?" Libby pressed. "And you seemed awfully happy to be Calliope in this story. Is that because you'd be Jimmy's girlfriend?"
"She isn't Jimmy's – I mean, I'm not Fodder's – oh, forget it. Like I said, this isn't the time for that. We have other things to worry about."
"I'll say," said Carl. "I just remembered we haven't eaten yet. Do you think he's going to feed us? Maybe he needed the Turin to make us all soup. Or stew."
"No," replied Cindy. "I don't know what he needs the Tureen for. But it has something to do with Jimmy. I'd bet that he's on his way now and that he's walking into a trap of some kind. But I don't know what."
"You think he'll be all right?" Libby asked, sounding worried.
"In the story I'm sure that Larry Fodder would come out okay. But Jimmy isn't a wizard and he doesn't know much about the storylines. He's at a terrible disadvantage whatever is going to be happening."
"Then Jimmy might get hurt or…or…" Carl whimpered.
"Jimmy's always come through," Libby answered confidently. "Between him and some raggedy wizard I'd put my money on Jimmy every time."
"That's right," agreed Cindy. "Jimmy will think of something, just like he always does." To herself she added, I hope.
End of Part 10.