Pollution Central
Eerie vapour flooded the elevator, making it difficult for them to breathe.
“Eeew! It smells disgusting!” complained Chilli, putting her hand over her nose and mouth.
“That stuff smells like the rat that died in our ceiling and was left there for a week!” complained Ty, gagging as he took another breath.
“What’s that horrible smell?” coughed Chilli as the gas caught in her throat.
“I would hazard a guess and say that that sweet smell tells me that we have definitely reached Effluvia,” speculated Professor Custodius.
Panacea reached into her coat pocket and took out a daintily embroidered handkerchief. She held it delicately under her nose.
“Lavender water, it has so many wonderful uses,” she explained. The atmosphere was stinging her sinuses and making her old eyes water.
“We’re not even sure that Morbidius’s heart is in Effluvia, professor. I still think we should go back to Oblivia” Chilli suggested, hoping to get away from the stench as soon as possible.
“I’m afraid not, m’dear. Morbidius wants to protect Oblivia, and Effluvia is the only place in which Morbidius’s heart can be sustained. It is the where the path of least resistance ends; where all the destructive forces of earth are channelled. Come now, it is time for us to leave and for you three to begin your search.”
Chilli’s eyes widened at the news that she and Tyrone were expected to go it alone. She stared nervously at the swirling mist obscuring her vision. It was impossible to see what might be lurking in the fog outside the elevator.
“We can’t go out there alone!” she exclaimed.
“Oh, but you can young lady! And you will!” said Panacea sternly. “My brother and I have done what we set out to do. The rest is up to you three. Besides, our old lungs would never withstand this dreadful mist. We will...”
“Yulloooo! Is there anyonebody in there?” a gruff voice called from outside the excavator. It sounds like someone with bad case of bronchitis, thought Chilli. All she could see through the shifting gases was a large bulky shape.
“H... hullo” Chilli shouted nervously. “W... Who’s there?”
“Oooh guestments! How wonderliferous! Hah-hah! Hee-hee!” exclaimed two disembodied voices in delight.
“It seems you won’t be alone. Come now, it is time for my sister and me to leave. We shall attempt to keep Morbidius occupied for a while longer” said the professor, moving towards the control panel.
“Ty, don’t forget to take the Ivory Bow and arrow with you” said Panacea, handing him the Bow and quiver.
“Thanks, Panacea. I hope we don’t let you down” he replied, taking the bow from her. Then he turned to his friend. “Chilli” he said, holding out his hand to her, “we can do this.”
Chilli was outnumbered. She knew she had no choice but to tackle the situation head on, so she decided to make the best of it. “Right! Let’s go and start some trouble for Mr Ultimatum!”
Outside the elevator, the unseen Effluvians were beside themselves with excitement.
“Ooh, we’d befinely step reverseback. It’s a hairskin! No, two of them. No, three, four, five of them! We’ve noughthly actufactly met a hairskin before, let alone aseed one. Carewatch, they’re stridestepping out of their cagement! Do you brainwork they will hurt us?” asked one Effluvian.
“No, I... I don’t brainwork so. I fullhoping not. They seemly companiability enough. It is quisitly propperible that they may be lovepeacing,” the other voice answered reassuringly.
Chilli and Ty hesitated outside the elevator doors, nervous about meeting whatever was lurking in it.
“Thanks for your help. Will we see you again?” Chilli asked the twins hopefully.
“You more than most, know that anything is possible,” the professor admonished with a grin.
“Goodbye, and good luck children” the twins chimed together as the door slid closed. Ty and Chilli could barely make out the elevator in the thick fog. Then they a shlissshhh sound which told them it had dropped below the ground, leaving them alone once more.
The three friends stood squiting into the fog, waiting for the owners of the voices to appear. But they couldn’t see a thing. For all they knew, they could be standing on the edge of a cliff. One step could mean certain death.
“Actfactually, hairskins are ratherwhat cute. We’ve never aseed a lived one afore. Oglement at their furzle!” croaked one voice.
“Yuck, but they’ve only got one skullnut each! How very weirodd! They seem to be intellibrained nonetheblesst. But we must beminder Effluvia’s motto ‘Effluvia for Effluvians only. Beware the jealousies who seek to usurp her,’” said another.
That made Ty even more nervous. Their welcoming party was turning out to be not quite so welcoming.
“Get ready to run. I don’t like the sound of these guys,” warned Ty. He didn’t want to freak Chilli out, but the words ‘only got one skullnut each’ gave him the heebie-jeebies.
The three friends heard a squelching, flopping sound as the owners of the voices drew closer and then stopped directly in front of them. A large dark form loomed over them, still obscured by the fog.