breaking news

Monday 18 March 2013

#166 day sixty-five and singed


Flames danced around on the stern of the skyacht, and up the rigging.
“Fire!” shouted Admiral Spicerack.
“No need to panic!” cried Miss Wu.
“Get some water!” shouted Tusks.
“There’s only half a bottle!” shouted Skates.
“And a packet of crisps!” shouted Ron.
“Cheese and onion!” shouted Chops the dinosaur.
Tusks took off his jacket and started beating the flames with it. Ron and Skates followed suit. Miss Wu and the admiral used their hats. Wildmouth wasn’t wearing a jacket or a hat. He tried to blow out the flames, like birthday cake candles. Chops tried to splat the flames out with his little front paws.
“No wonder we caught fire!” shouted Tusks, looking down over the side of the yacht. “We’re right above the volcano!”
“And that’s why it was so hot!” shouted Miss Wu.
The volcano started to erupt violently, sending big globs of lava up into the air, scorching holes in the yacht’s sails.
“We’ve got to get out of here!” cried the admiral, “While we still can!”
He took the helm and released the brake. The yacht jolted forward.
Soon the yacht was away from the vent, and when they had finally extinguished the flames, everyone watched as streams of red-hot lava flowed down the volcano’s sides.
Before long, they were out of danger, and Ron was the first to look away from the mesmerizing hot-spot:
“My jacket!” he cried, holding up his garment, and examining the singed velvet collar and cuffs.
“My hat!” cried Miss Wu, regarding her battered bonnet.
“My yacht!” cried the admiral, seeing the black edging around his beautiful white boat. And then everyone went quiet as they contemplated their narrow escape from the firey fury.
“Er.. are those crisps still going?” asked Chops, breaking the silence.

Admiral Spicerack was able to take a bearing from the volcano, which was now two hundred metres distant, and set a course for the hotel. Everyone was now looking forward to getting back, although Tusks was concerned about the dinosaur.
“I’ll have to lock the exotic garden gate, to stop Chops getting in and eating everything!” he said.
“I’ll teach him how to grow vegetables!” said Miss Wu.
“Mmm...” said Tusks. 

© David Severn 2013