The Wonderground

35 - Ring Ring

"We return home safely, but we could be anywhere from Land's End to John O'Groats," concluded Charlie.

"To deal with the consequences once we arrive," sighed Isla.

"Don't worry, Jack's parents will pay for us to get back to school," Rose smiled.

"I meant the consequences once we get back to school," whimpered Isla.

"At least nobody in the Upworld is trying to kidnap us," observed Jack.

"The door is locked," yelled Amelia from the far end of the room. "We are trapped!"

"What do we do now?" wailed Isla.

Amelia pushed past them and sat at Clavis' desk. She yanked open the bottom drawer and removed a half finished pink and orange scarf, a ball of wool and a pair of knitting needles.

"This is no time for arts and crafts!" said Rose in exasperation.

Amelia ignored her as she separated the straight needles from the unfinished garment.

"Are you going to stab Kaiata with those?" asked Elliot alarmedly.

"I am not going to hurt anyone," said Amelia striding purposely for the door. She knelt and inserted one of the needles into the keyhole. She carefully slid in the second at ninety degrees to the first.

"You'll be telling us next that you're the captain of the school Burglary Team!" laughed Jack in disbelief.

"Not just a Blankrook goody two shoes," winked Amelia.

"Can you open it?" asked Rose.

"It is big and old and stubborn," struggled Amelia. "But I think I can..."

Amelia stumbled forwards as the door was opened from the outside. Her face smacked against the polished black boots of Kaiata.

"What are you doing down there?" demanded the Gatekeeper. She was wearing a new pair of white cotton gloves.

Amelia gave a nervous laugh. "Erm... I was looking for my contact lens," she lied.

Kaiata shepherded them back into the room. "The secondary is on his way," she announced unconvincingly. "You must wait for him here."

"You're lying," responded Charlie. "We want to leave now."

"I am afraid that is not possible," growled Kaiata stepping in front of the door.

"Let us go," wailed Elliot. "We know who you are. We saw your tattoo."

Kaiata rubbed absently at her freshly gloved hand. "That is... unfortunate." She reached behind her back and pulled a short dagger from her belt. "Sit. Back. Down."

"There's six of us and only one of you," said Charlie defiantly, stepping in her path.

"Ha!" scoffed Kaiata. "Children are no match for a trained Gatekeeper." She towered over him menacingly and shoved Charlie to the ground.

From the floor, he heard the crunch of breaking bone as a balled fist connected with Kaiata's nose. The shocked Gatekeeper toppled over like a felled tree and was unconscious before she hit the threadbare carpet.

"Ouch, that really hurt!" moaned Lisa, flexing her fingers and shaking her hand.

"Whoa, way to go Marney!" cheered Jack.

Charlie stood and cradled her hand tenderly. He turned it over and ran his fingers delicately across her bleeding knuckles. Her nerve endings popped like fireworks and she shivered with a tingle of excitement. "I'm okay, really," she whispered.