The Wonderground

17 - The Unauthorised Exit

As they stepped down from the carriage, dozens of travellers surged towards the Shadow Kiss. Elliot was knocked to the ground as Wonderground customers shoved past him and on to the train.

"Did you see that?" remarked Elliot as he sat up and dusted himself off. "It was a dog! In a three-piece suit and walking on its hindlegs!"

"That is highly unlikely," said a voice from behind him. Standing over him was a short woman with long neon green dreadlocks trailing on the floor behind her. She was dressed in a blue Wonderground uniform and carrying a small orange flag. Her name badge said TASHA BUTTERFROST. PLATFORM MANAGER. She held out her free hand and helped him to his feet.

"That's a relief," said Elliot. "I thought I was seeing things."

"No, the canines tend to stick to their own lands," she informed him. "Canis Major and Canis Minor. It is doubtful that one of them would be all the way out here."

Elliot wheeled around to see if he could spot the creature again. But the platform was empty. The train doors shuddered closed, carriage by carriage.

The platform manager was wearing a metal whistle around her neck on a string lanyard. She raised it to her mouth, pursed her lips and blew three short blasts whilst waggling the flag above her head.

The Shadow Kiss responded with a long, low whistle and the carriages creaked and bumped as the train began to move down the tunnel to their left and out of sight.

Amelia followed the woman along the platform. "Excuse me, when is the next train to Bouncy Land, please?" she asked politely, trying not to stand on the platform manager's hair.

Tasha Butterfrost stopped and removed a pocket watch from her breast pocket. She flipped open the case with her thumbnail. "The next train will be along in precisely... a bit".

"How long's 'a bit'?" asked Jack.

"Longer than a little bit but shorter than a while," said Butterfrost, unhelpfully. "Do you folks need a complimentary Wonderground map?" she asked.

"Complimentary?" moaned Elliot.

"That little snake," spat Rose. "We just paid ten qizils for a map!"

"Ten qizils?" uttered Butterfrost, in shock. "He saw you coming. Ten qizils would get you a slap-up meal at any of the top restaurants on Melting Street!"

"Would it now," grumbled Rose through gritted teeth. "If I ever get my hands on that Felonious..."

"Ah, I see you have met one of the Moondragon brothers," chortled Butterfrost. "Word to the wise. Keep your mouths and wallets firmly closed around those shifty siblings. Both dodgy as a three qizil note!"

"Thanks for the advice," said Charlie. "Even if it's five minutes too late!" he sighed.

"Any time, any time," laughed the manager. "Welcome to The Portal Gate. I hope none of you are afraid of heights."

The six walked tentatively across the platform to a set of black metal railings. Rose was the bravest and the first to peer over the edge. She gasped as she looked down. The rest joined her and craned their necks downwards. Elliot nearly lost his glasses.

"Wow," whispered Charlie under his breath.

The ground floor of the cylindrical building was at least twenty storeys below their vantage point. Painted on the floor was an ornate compass design. In the centre of the compass, Isla could just make out a figure sitting on a spindle-backed chair. There was a wide carpeted ramp that hugged the wall and twisted all the way up to the platform. Along the length of the ramp, on every level, were rows of doors lined up like dominoes. Some were plain while others were painted with intricate multi-coloured designs or ornately decorated with inlaid stained glass. Many of them looked to be damaged or in disrepair. Several had large chains or ropes zigzagging across them preventing access.