Never in my life have I felt so glad to see a familiar face
and I ran up to George, embracing him I could feel his heart was still
pounding and it shocked me I was expecting him to be calm, after all he's been through all this before.
Are you OK? I asked
Yes I’m fine, he lied, how are you?
I wasn’t too sure how to respond, I was still processing
everything that had happened and my mind was a bit all over the place and worried that this nightmare wasn’t over yet.
What happens now? I asked him.
We wait!
What for?
The judgement from The Judge. The Jury have decided our fate
but it’s down to The Judge to deliver our sentence. It was at this point last
time that he decreed I could go but then inflected me with gobbledygook as part of their judgement.
So it’s not over yet? I felt a little sick.
No not yet!
We had so much to talk about but neither of us was in the
mood for talking and we sat there next to each other in silence. I looked around
the dome, there wasn’t much else to do.
Unlike The Lane of Bells the dome had a
ceiling and even though it was dark I could now see the top was painted depicting
tales of Catlore. I spotted some elephants and a great Oak Tree
with a smiling face, a river crossed from left to right, a bed of purple
flowers on one side hid a tiny red dragon, a bunch of crying cats poked
through some gaps in a forest of the greenest trees I had ever seen. There was
a familiarity to these scenes but they confused and jumped around in my mind,
not making total sense. A rainbow hole very much like the one that took me to
the other side was in one corner and an over-turned throne in another.
I felt strangely drawn into the paintings and a little
hypnotised my them as well, the more I looked the more it was as if I was a
part of them as I was in the scene itself.
Lil’, George. The Judges voice boomed out. Please stand.
I wanted to swallow but my mouth felt so very dry and I
chocked a little as I tried to swallow.
The Jury has listened to your evidence and has delivered
their verdict to me.
George, I could see him trembling. It has been decreed that
you are free to leave this place, your voice fully restored.
George visibly slumped, the relief spreading throughout his
body. He looked down a droplet from his weeping eye hit the floor or maybe it
was a tear.
I wanted to hug him but all of a sudden felt very scared. Oh
come on, come on Judge just tell me but I didn’t utter a word.
Now Lil’.
Bang, bang, bang went my heart, I tried to
swallow again but my tongue stuck to the side of my mouth, I felt a bit dizzy
sand thought I might even pass out.
It has also been decreed that you may return home.
I dropped just like George had, the relief took the strength
out of my legs. I turned to George who was now looking at me, he was smiling
but I could tell ready to leave.
You know the exit, the Judge boomed and we both looked down
the Lane of Bells, but make sure you make it before the bells stop ringing, or
you will be trapped here. FOREVER!
At that second the bells began to swing, the iron rod in the middle
hitting the side and ringing out and the noise from the Catacombs started
again, the wailing and crying from those poor demented souls as we ran down the
corridor will forever stay with me.
Arghhhh, Jujujujujuoop, Carracka, Ploopploop
Faster and faster we ran, I was as scared as the first time
just in case this was all a trick and I had actually gone mad and would in a
moment wake up to find myself interned and imagining all this.
Yesyesyeys, Urghhhh, Kalkalkal, Farfarfaraa, Veeeeeeeeeee.
The door that we had come through was now in sight, the
bells were swinging wildly back and forth, their din mixing with the cries
behind them.
Lalllllllllllll, Munnndeeem, Help me, Help Me, HELP ME! Frackkkkkk
Hang on a second what was that? I stopped dead in my tracks, the door in front
was opening and I could see on the other side the rabbit field where all this
had started waiting for us, the sun shining, it was now day, how long we had
been gone I had no idea but I had clearly heard some one call out for help?
George, stop! He was at the door and turned to look back at
me. Someone’s just called for our help.
We can’t help any of them Lil’ come on we must go, we have
no time, look the bells are beginning to slow.
I looked back to where I thought the noise had come from and
forward again to George, which way, which way do I go?
George leaped through the door, no time, no time, I had no
time and I leaped as hard and as high as I could through the door, which slammed
shut behind us and disappeared.
We both sat their panting trying to catch our breath.
George, did you hear that? Someone was trapped, someone in
there is still sane and needed our help. I want to go back.
He looked at me very seriously. Lil’ you can’t.
But we can’t leave her there whoever it was.
Lil’ it’s been decreed. I can speak and I can tell you what
Troy told me and why I now know it’s the right time, he said I would know and I
do. Lil’!
Lil' I need to tell you all about my night with Troy Lamore and what he told me then it will all make sense. Lil' the time is now, THE TIME IS COMING!
