Cloud Riders (7 page)
Authors: Don Hurst
The attacking boy flew backwards through a cloud bank, still standing at stiff attention, facing Paul, and disappeared from view.
"Thank you, Paul,” the wee beetle said in a tiny voice.
Paul looked at Isno, who rested on top of his cloud puff.
"You have just met Kid Badd with two d's,” the beetle said in a wee beetle voice, delivered so unemotionally Paul raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “It is his job to destroy us before we can complete our mission."
"Won't he be back?"
"Give him time to recharge.” Little beetle legs wiggled to push it forward. The voice changed to a deep tone. “Do you see why I have to change shapes?” A large golden bear replaced the beetle. One moment a Reshape beetle, and the next a Reshape bear, without any in-between development. “Is there any shape you would like to see, Paul? I am open to requests."
"But you said the green shooting boy had to recharge. Why change shapes now?"
"What does that have to do with shape requests?” the bear said with a growl.
"It's
my
parallel-imagined-life, not yours. I request to see one shape; your changes are making me dizzy. If it's my imagined-parallel-life, then we have to find Vicki!” Paul said with a mixture of temper and exasperation.
"I must change form to keep in practice for Kid Badd's next attack.” They glided in silence until the bear spoke again. “Besides, you will need some of my forms on your quest to find your sister and save the solar system.” Reshape's voice continued its growling effect as it remained annoyingly matter-of-fact. “The lives of you and your companions depend on it."
Isno's purr turned into the whimper of a cat cornered by a pack of wolves. “Badd like no."
"Oh, yes. The save the solar system thing,” Paul sighed. “Yep. Save the solar system. What shape do you need to be to do that?"
"Badd like no,” Isno repeated.
"Isno, okay. None of us likes Kid Badd.” Paul said. “Okay?"
Reshape's golden brown bear form turned upside down.
Isno sank deeper into his cloud, demonstrating his hurt feelings.
Reshape the upside-down bear explained, “There are no accidents, Paul. Everything happens for a reason. I change form to avoid attack by a powerful foe, Kid Badd.” The bear's head turned toward Paul and did a growling bear smile. “Kid Badd is from another solar system known as Vile Extinction. His weapon is from that solar system.” Reshape growled. “You were chosen to save Earth's solar system and that is not an accident.” The bear looked away and pushed out a loud roar from deep inside. “Did you hear Vile's voice before Kid Badd attacked?"
"Is that the voice I heard?” Paul thought over her words. “She said leave or burn.” He frowned. “About this solar system thing, isn't it possible Maken Fairchild sent the wrong guy?"
"Vile Extinction must be stopped and you were available.” Again the bear growled, as if displeased. “Conversely, maybe everything does not have a reason and life itself is an accident."
"Between you... and Dad and Maken Fairchild... and Vicki... and this sky ride... and Isno, I'd say you all got my attention, and that's probably not by accident.” Paul took a deep breath. “Must you show off? Do you have to fly upside down?"
"I beg your pardon? What difference does it make to you if I'm upside down? I understand why you might not want to be upside down; you would fall back to Earth to your death. But why does it bother you if I choose to fly upside-down?"
What did his dad say? ‘Do not worry about what your neighbor does unless it causes harm.’
Thank you Dad
. “It's okay, Reshape. If it doesn't make you dizzy, then by all means fly upside-down. You warm in all that fur?"
"That's a fur out question.” The bear roared; its tone different. Bear laughter?
Far off Paul heard the unmistakable laugh of Vicki.
"Before anything,” Paul said, looking at Reshape and then at Isno, “we've got to find Vicki.” He felt his face darken in his effort not to show his guilt over losing his mission focus even for a second. “We save Vicki first, solar system second."
Hurtling out of the sky above Paul, a cloud descended, almost collided, and stopped by the side of Paul's unicorn. Astride a white banana shaped cloud, sat a tall boy, young as Paul, whose skin was a shiny black so deep it made Isno look almost gray. Head held high like a boy full of proud self-assurance, the whites of his teeth flashed a smile so prominent Paul had to beam in return.
Paul waited a proper polite time for the boy to speak first, which he didn't. “Who are you? I'm Paul Winsome. My cat friend is Isno Gravity."
"I'm Will. Willis Dinker. Blimey, I've been hoping to run into someone else up here, don't you know,” he said with relief. “Who's the bear and why is he upside-down, I'm thinking?"
"He's Reshape. I guess he's upside-down because he likes to be upside-down. He keeps changing into other shapes. Before he was a bear he was a beetle. At first he was an elephant. He's been a bear for awhile now."
The bear farted.
Paul waited for the bear to excuse himself. Apparently bears didn't feel the need to utter such niceties.
"Listen, Will, we have a boy after us who shoots laser beams trying to cook us, so maybe you can help us keep watch,” Paul said.
"I'm thinking maybe that's how I spotted you, you know, for sure, kind of. I saw the cloud light up all green like. Blimey, you say he's shooting something green at you?"
"Hot shots of electricity, green as green gets,” Paul said. He stared at Willis Dinker. Slender and muscular. He hoped he could convince him to stay. Paul grinned. “You sure stand out on that white cloud."
"It's the black thing, right, mate, I'm thinking?"
Trying to keep himself from turning red, Paul answered. “Not in a bad way."
"Why, I'm thinking, would it be in a bad way?"
"You know. Racism sort of thing.” Paul said. He glanced at Isno sitting on his cloud puff taking it all in a complete non-committal, expressionless way.
"In this day and age, mate, I'm thinking? You pulling me?” He held a grimace for several seconds, then leaned back and let out a laugh. “Had you, for sure. Look, Paul Winsome, it's okay to acknowledge how black I am, hair and all. You're about as white as white gets, mate."
"Call me Paul, okay?"
"Folks call me Will, and so
will
you.” Again he laughed. “Will and Paul. I'm thinking, friends?"
"You bet. I'm up here looking for my sister,” Paul explained. “Oh, and I'm supposed to save the solar system."
"You're pulling me. My sister is lost too, and might be up here. Holly disappeared over five years ago. Downright a mystery even the Ministry of Law couldn't sort out, I'm telling you. A little over week after she disappeared I fell asleep on top of my bed. Then I was flying on a cloud, this one, and here I am, aren't I. Oh, I was in England. My parents are from Central Africa and came to England where I was born, unexpected like. My sister was adopted a year before I came into the world, and disappeared when I was eleven. She's sixteen, I'm fifteen. I haven't seen another human for
five
or so years, don't you know.” Will paused for less than a second. “Save the solar system? Could you use some help kind of? I mean, I've been up here
five
years and all I've found is a few storms, and that's sad, isn't it, wouldn't you say?"
Paul stared at Willis Dinker, blinking, trying hard to retain all the information dumped on him. Still, rather impressive in a talkative sort of way. Then he recalled his banana-cloud riding new friend had asked a question and Paul set about to answer it. “Some kind of destiny thing, I guess. I was on a wizard's porch sitting on the grass, and he—."
"You got a wizard who has grass on his porch, for real?"
Isno purred at the new visitor, showing interest for the first time. He too had experienced the grass porch and could relate.
"Guess you have the approval of my cat,” Paul joked.
"Human my. Me belong me,” Isno insisted, in a cat voice not schooled in the finer points of diplomacy.
"Mate, your cat just talked! I think your cat considers you his human I'm thinking. If I understand it right. Look at the face he's pulling."
"Yeah, I know Isno's kind of wild. Guess I'm more his feeder than pet owner.” Paul shrugged. “Anyway, you said you were asleep, five years ago. You've been up here for
five
years?"
"Kind of dreamed myself up. To find Holly.
Five
years ago."
"I'm sorry, Will,” Paul said. “My sister's name is Vicki. Vicki Sue. Eleven."
"What do you think, mate? Can we join up? Maybe our sisters are in the same place, you think maybe?"
"Yeah. I'd like you to join us. I was hoping you would, Will. Just me and Isno makes it kind of lonely."
"Hey!” Reshape the upside-down bear growled. “I'm company."
"Like I said, it kind of lonely up here with only Isno as a friend.” Paul nodded toward Reshape. “He doesn't understand an upside-down talking bear is poor company."
"Cat I fish tuna?” Isno said, putting in his bid for attention.
"How do you think I feel,
five
years and all? At least you have a cat and a bear, don't you know. It's lonelier with only a cloud to ride on, isn't it. I talk to it a lot, for sure, but a cloud can't talk back, I'm thinking. How many years you been up here?"
"Just started,” Paul said almost apologetically.
"Blimey. It's okay, mate. Where is your cloud bloke taking us?” Will asked. “And how long has Isno Cat been talking?"
"He's just started."
Reshape the bear growled and took over the conversation. Bears have a way of taking over, even upside down ones.
"Willis Dinker,” Reshape the upside-down bear said with a roar, its large head an uncomfortable distance from Will's face. “Rule one, keep out of the way!"
Will leaned away from the upside-down bear. “Blimey! Don't bite me!” Will turned to Paul. “I don't have to listen to this Reshape bloke, do I?"
"Reshape, can't you guide us without threatening to bite off our heads?” Paul said. “You never treated me or Isno that way, not even when you were as big as an elephant."
Reshape cartwheeled, growled and said, “Rule two, this is Paul Winsome's show, not Willis Dinker's. Rule three, do not make fun of my farts. Rule four, do not ever think of breaking the first three rules. Rule five, only kidding about rule three."
Will stared at the upside down Reshape bear. “You're pulling me. You're an upside-down bear and in charge?” Will gazed at Paul with a puzzled look on his face. “I don't remember saying anything about any bear farts, for sure."
Even in his puzzled state, Will had an elegance Paul admired. Most folks who had a bear growling inches from their face would back down in fright, but Will didn't do more than lean back.
The upside-down bear farted. The bear turned his head toward Will with a low rumbling snarl, just daring Will to say anything.
"Blimey. So this here upside-down bear is our boss?” Will said to Paul.
"He's supposed to be more like a guide.” Paul stared at Reshape. “Right?"
"Here is the game plan, Earthlings.” The bear laughed in short chuckles and growls. “Paul Winsome is in charge. Willis Dinker is in charge. Isno Gravity is in charge. I am your humble servant.” He growled. “We
charge
!” He farted.
Paul shook his head. All he had to do is find Vicki and save the solar system—while sharing his parallel-imagined-life with a talking cat for a watchdog, a new talkative friend looking for his own sister, and a bear flying upside-down, farting and giving orders.
"I know it's silly, but why do you need to be an upside down bear, Reshape?” Paul quizzed. “Don't mean to question your flight plan, mind you."
Isno lifted his head, looked at Reshape's bear shape, and arched his back. “Cat eat no?"
"I can see how the cat might wonder about that, I'm thinking, “ Will said. “Do bears like cat meat?"
The bear snorted some more laugh growls. “I shall not eat you if you promise not to eat me when I change into a mouse, Isno Gravity."
"Reshape! Vicki, my sister, remember?” Paul shouted at the bear. He turned toward his cat. “Isno, keep watch for Kid Badd. Give a warning if you see him, my friend.” Paul swiveled toward the upside-down bear. “Reshape, how do I steer this cloud toward finding Vicki?"
Will raised a muscular arm. “Sir, Reshape bear, is my sister Holly with Paul's Vicki?"
"No,” came the growled reply. “She is in Horrid Ice Castle."
"Where's that, I'm asking?” Will said.
"We go there now, I believe,” Reshape explained, momentarily forgetting to sound like a bear.
"So, where's Vicki?” Paul said in a less than polite voice.
"At Horrid Ice Castle,” Reshape said, sounding like a bear once again. “Funny you should ask. Hold that question!” Reshape said as Paul opened his mouth to protest the contradictory information. “They are both at Horrid Ice Castle, but not in the same room. You know, being upside-down gives one a perspective unavailable to those right-side up. Try it, Paul. I do not think you will fall if you hold on tight."
"No Isno eat?” Isno repeated his earlier question to the bear.
"I would have to slow cook you first,” the bear assured. “You are too stringy tough to—"
"Isno, he isn't going to eat you, all right!” Paul cried in exasperation. “Reshape, we've got to find Vicki, not play which-way-is-up games. And what about Holly?"
"Thanks, mate. I needed that asked don't you know."
The low pitched growl of the bear sounded threatening. “And save the solar system!"
"And so we return to that,” Paul whispered to himself. “Sorry, Vicki, guess you're on hold.” His words and thoughts were bitter.
"Try not to think about your reality down on Earth,” Reshape said, now a giraffe flying upside-down, rainbow colored stripes decorating his skin. “I'll be your guide on this journey.” He righted his giraffe self and pushed his long neck forward in the direction of their flight.
"So if you're our guide, when are you planning to start?” Paul asked the giraffe Reshape.