Chapter Five - Impenetrability
"I meant by 'impenetrability' that we've had enough of that subject, and it would be just as well if you mentioned what you intend to do next…"
(Humpty Dumpty to Alice, Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There)
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Robbie scrabbled madly up the ladder and opened the hatch.
"What are you doing?" wailed Ruby, from the floor of the bunker. "You'll get killed, that was them being killed - "
"That," said Robbie, "was a death-scream. They did it…it's dead." He put his head out of the top of the hatch, and swallowed hard. "Oh yes. Definitely dead. Good Christ, what a mess."
Emma scrambled determinedly up the ladder behind him and climbed out. She ran across the field to her father, who picked her up automatically and held her close; but his face was white and shocked. Stephanie was kneeling at the side of the Jabberwocky's headless body, stroking Ziggy's face. It was peaceful and still.
"You made the right call," said Robbie, putting an awkward hand on Sportacus's shoulder. Sportacus shook it off angrily.
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
"Hell of a choice to have to make. But you called it right."
"Robbie, he's - I've known him since he was six years old, and now he's - "
"So? I'll be honest, I tried to send him up there instead of her. Sorry, I don't have your magnificent powers of persuasion; she got away from me. But at least it was him and not her. If anyone was born to be cannon fodder, it was that young man. He always wanted to be a hero, the great silly fool. I guess he finally got his wish."
"How dare you talk about him like that? How dare you? No-one is expendable, Robbie, no-one - "
"Oh, I'm sorry. Was I imagining it, or did I not see you make exactly the same decision? Your pregnant wife, the love of your life and the mother of your first-born child, or a slightly idiotic young man with no family to support? My God, if you're going to be ashamed about anything, then personally I'd be embarrassed about how long you had to think about it - "
"He's still alive!" shouted Stephanie. "He's still alive, do you hear me? Get over here right now and help me get this thing off him so we can get him to the hospital!"
Sportacus glared at Robbie.
"This conversation is not over," he said menacingly, and ran across the grass.
"Sez you," said Robbie under his breath.
-----
"He's out of surgery," said Sportacus, coming down the hospital corridor to where the huddle of people were waiting.
"Will he make it?" asked Trixie.
"They think so," he said. Trixie burst into tears. Stephanie put her arms around her.
"He was so brave," she sobbed. "He's the youngest of all of us, and he was the only one who went up there to help you."
Robbie rolled his eyes.
"I don't think I can deal with all this self-flagellation," he announced. "I'm going home. Has anyone seen that talking rabbit, by the way? I sincerely hope you didn't leave it in my little abode."
"He disappeared," said Stingy.
"What?"
"Right after the Jabberwocky died. He said he was in the wrong story anyway, he was just an anachronism and he didn't even have a pocket-watch. Then we just - looked around and he'd gone."
"Really?" Robbie paused. "Interesting…well, I'll see you all later, no doubt."
"You're not going anywhere." Sportacus stood in front of him with his arms crossed.
"No?" Sportacus took his arm and steered him firmly into a chair. "Ha. So I'm not. Any particular reason?"
"I want to know what on earth was going on. Where did that thing come from? What was it? How did it get here?" He paused. "And did you say a talking rabbit?"
"Oh, I think we can say it was a team effort, don't you?" said Robbie, stretching his legs out and contemplating his shoes.
Everyone stared at him blankly.
"Oh, don't all look at me like that," he said. "It might have been me that put the DreamWeaver under the brat's bed, and I'll freely admit it was me who read her extracts from Through the Looking-Glass…but who built the thing in the first place, hmm? And who gave it to Ziggy?"
"You didn't," said Stingy accusingly, glaring at Pixel.
Pixel looked sheepish.
"Sorry."
"So you should be! What were you thinking? After what we talked about! I've told you and told you, Pixel, you just can't build this stuff and send it out into the world - "
"And where were you when he handed it over?" asked Robbie, smiling. "Stingy? Trixie? Anything you want to share with everyone here about your little lunchtime rendezvous?"
"You're quite, quite disgusting," said Trixie coldly.
"Am I? Or are you just feeling guilty because you shamelessly bully your husband, just to compensate for your own feelings of insecurity? But then, of course, the first question for us to think about is why Ziggy wanted that thing building in the first place. How many years have you all been treating him like an annoying little brother who can't be trusted to do anything right? No wonder he's convinced that girl of his is only with him because it amuses her to watch his hopeless devotion. Although, of course," he added thoughtfully, "he may have a point there…"
On cue, Marie burst in through the doors of the hospital.
"Where is he?" she demanded, her face streaked with tears. "What have you all done to him?"
Stephanie took her kindly by the arm and led her up the stairs to the Intensive Care ward. The rest of the gang looked at each other guiltily.
"He's been telling us for years we never take him seriously," said Stingy at last, running his hands through his hair. "You don't think he went up there to prove himself, do you?"
"Or maybe he just thought he wasn't as important as the rest of us," said Pixel.
Robbie watched in satisfaction.
"Teamwork," he said under his breath, and stood up so he could sidle out of the doors.
"I haven't finished," said Sportacus menacingly.
"You never know when to leave well alone, that's your trouble. All right. What?"
"What was that you said about - about leaving a machine under Emma's bed?"
"Oh, that…damn. Well, okay. I wanted to see into her dreams, if you really must know. I wanted to know where you were, and why. She's got the gift - oh, you know I know about that, don't even try to pretend - and I thought it was worth a try. I never imagined the stuff she dreamed about would actually start appearing…she's got some power, that brat of yours, I'll say that much for her. I guess combined with Pixel's technology it just…well, thank God she had the good sense to dream the weapon as well, that's all I can say. "
"Stop trying to change the subject. You wanted to know where I was? And why would Emma know that?"
"Oh, don't try and fool me, Sportacus. You can't lie, you're a rotten bluffer, and I know all your family secrets anyway."
"Not quite all of them."
Robbie grinned.
"Touché. So. Want to tell me what's going on?"
"Not in the slightest."
"I'll find out, you know."
"I seriously doubt that."
Robbie yawned.
"This could go on all day, couldn't it? Well, I'll let you have the last word on that subject. Time will tell. See you around, old pal. Oh, and by the way, you're welcome."
"For what?"
"I did what you asked…I kept an eye on your wife while you were out of town." He sauntered out of the hospital.
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Ziggy awoke to a sensation of crushing pain around his ribs and a splitting headache. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Marie.
"Hello," he managed. He coughed, and caught his breath in agony. "Wow, that really hurts. What happened to me?"
Marie took his hand and kissed it gently.
"Don't you remember?"
"Not really," he admitted.
"Well, it doesn't make much sense the way Stephanie explained it, but…there was some sort of monster out in the meadow and…" her voice broke. "Stephanie said you saved the town. She said she would never have been able to kill it if you hadn't helped her - she said you were one of the bravest men she knew and she'd never be able to thank you enough and I should be proud of you - "
"Stephanie said all that?" Ziggy looked at her in amazement. "Wow." He looked at the clock. "Hey, it's seven in the evening. Have I been out all afternoon?"
"All afternoon - Ziggy, you've been asleep for three days."
"What, like in a coma or something?"
"No, just asleep. You woke up for couple of minutes every now and then but you just went straight back to sleep. The nurse said it was normal, but I was so scared…"
He wanted to put his arms around her, but just breathing was quite painful enough.
"I hope I'm out of here in time for your birthday," he said, coughing again. "Ouch, ouch, ouch…I don't suppose you know how I'm doing, do you?"
"You're doing brilliantly, but I'm not sure you'll be out in time for that," she said, smiling.
"But I haven't even got your birthday present," he said despairingly.
"Just come home safely," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "That's the only present I want."
"But Marie, I was going to ask you to - "
She laid her finger gently over his lips.
"Don't say it now," she said, her voice so soft he could hardly hear it. "Don't say it here. Ask me when you're well again. But just so you know…if you really want to know what I'd like…I'd like you to ask me in the moonlight…by the lake…with a bottle of champagne…and I'd like you to have the ring all ready…and the answer…" she kissed him again, so sweetly he thought he might be dreaming, "would be yes."
