Wild Moose Chase (10 page)

 

The Salt Mines of Kazakhstan

(Two days to go…)

The next day was dark and overcast. Cam looked up at the clouds, which were rapidly covering every speck of blue. She glanced over towards Bert. He was lying on his back looking up into the morning sky with his legs dangling over Genghis's two huge horns.

“When we get home,” he said. “I'm swapping my bed for a yak. They're far more comfy.”

He sat up and stretched deeply as Attila came striding towards them.

“We have arrived at the Kazakhstan border,” he said, gravely. “The deserted mines that you seek are in the distance.”

“That's great!” cried Bert. “Thanks, Attila. We got here so quickly, we're bound to catch Primula Mold up.”

“Where are the mines?” said Cam, jumping off Zog's back.

But the smiles on the twins' faces soon fell away as they looked at the desolation that lay ahead. There wasn't a blade of grass or a single leaf to brighten up the grey grit that covered the terrain in front of them. The occasional boulder rose menacingly from the dry earth. But the worst thing was the huge tangle of bricks and steel in the distance. A collapsed building sank into the rocky landscape like a drowning concrete monster.

Attila tutted and shook his head. “You do not have to go,” he said. “You can stay with us, learn the nomadic way of life – herd our goats, milk our yaks. We will teach you how to make
aaruul
– delicious cheese balls.”

Bert could feel the hairs on the back of his neck prick to attention as he looked at the abandoned salt mine. He glanced over at Cam. Her eyes were wide but her chin was sticking out determinedly.

“Thanks,” she said, “but we have to get back to our grandpa. And we're not going to go home empty-handed, are we, Bert?”

“Nope,” he said, simply.

Attila nodded slowly. “Then take this,” he said, handing them a torch. “You will need it. And some cheese balls for your journey.”

“Thank you, Attila,” said Cam, throwing her arms around him. “We'll come back and visit you all, I promise.”

“Of course we will,” said Bert, hugging Genghis's broad neck. “I'm going to miss you, my hairy friend.”

“But I'm coming too,” called Mr Zola, rushing up from the back of the convoy.

“I meant Genghis,” sighed Bert.

 

Genghis and Zogs mooed sorrowfully as Cam, Bert and Mr Zola waved goodbye to Attila and his people and set off across the border into Kazakhstan. Bert offered round the cheese balls. Mr Zola turned his nose up but accepted a few, then checked his Cheesemaker-Locator.

“It seems you've moved up into second place,” he said. “There's only Primula Mold ahead of you now. It's looking increasingly likely that she's going to win this competition and I need to find her immediately. I'm supposed to return home with the first person who gets all the ingredients.”

“How are you going to get home now you don't have the Crown Balloon?” asked Cam, wondering how she and Bert were going to do it.

“I was hoping to hitch a ride on Primula Mold's balloon,” said Mr Zola.

“You'll be lucky,” muttered Bert. “We know Primula Mold and she's really mean. She hates people. There's no way she's going to give you a lift home.”

Cam stopped walking as an idea popped into her head. “And she won't let you help her make the moose cheese,” she added. “She'll want all the glory herself.”

“She'll have no choice,” said Mr Zola. “It's by royal command.”

“It will be a battle, though,” continued Cam. “But if you helped
us to get the salt, then we would be the leaders. And if you could arrange for us all to go home together, then you could make the moose cheese with us. We'd be happy, you'd be happy, but most importantly, the Queen would be happy. It's a win-win situation.”

Mr Zola stroked his moustache and frowned, deep in thought. “I couldn't
help
you get the salt,” he said. “That would be against the rules. But if you got it first, then I suppose I could arrange for transportation home. We certainly don't want to stay around here for longer than is necessary.”

They all glanced up at the decaying buildings, which were looming nearer. The twins dropped back behind Mr Zola.

“Good one, Cam,” whispered Bert. “I was wondering how we were going to get home.”

“Well,” said Cam, “we need to get the salt first and I have no idea how we're going to manage that.”

 

It was a long walk to the collapsed salt mine. It looked even scarier close up. Rusty railway girders poked out from the crumpled ground. Mounds of rubble and glass were swallowed up by great holes that littered the ruin. The twins peered down a decaying lift shaft. Bert dropped a rock in it. There was a few seconds' silence before they heard it crash into the bottom.

“I reckon that's about a thirty-metre drop,” he said.

Mr Zola looked down the shaft just as “God Save the Queen” struck up in his top pocket, reverberating down the mine.

“Your Majesty,” he gushed. “Nearly there now, ma'am, just one ingredient to go… I do realize that time is running out… I understand we must leave enough time to make and mature the cheese before Monsieur Grand-Fromage arrives… I will hurry the contestants along… At once, ma'am … as soon as possible… You can rely on me, ma'am.”

He replaced the red phone. “The Queen is getting jittery,” he said. “She's worried nobody will be back in time to make the cheese. It needs to be matured overnight before serving. Monsieur Grand-Fromage is arriving the day after tomorrow and—”

 

CLANK CLANK CLANK

 

He stopped mid-sentence as a banging sound floated up from the old mine shaft. It was getting louder and coming closer.

 

CLANK CLANK CLANK

 

It was followed by a low howl.

“What is that?” cried Mr Zola, hiding behind Cam.

The twins slowly backed off as the hammering and howling came nearer.

“It's the evil spirits,” whispered Bert. “They're coming for us. They're annoyed that I threw a rock down the mine.”

“I can smell them!” gasped Mr Zola.

A vile vapour wafted up from the hole in the ground. The hammering stopped. Cam held her breath and instinctively pulled Bert back as a spindly figure slowly emerged from the shaft. The hunched creature hauled itself out of the hole and turned towards them. Two bulging black eyes stared out from beneath a bright light glowing from a wrinkled white forehead.

“IT
IS
AN EVIL SPIRIT!” screamed Mr Zola, running away. “IT WASN'T ME THAT THREW THE ROCK. IT WAS THE BOY! TAKE THE BOY!”

Mr Zola disappeared into the distance. The twins looked back at the old woman in front of them, her lucky Stilton swinging from her neck and a whining basset hound in a basket on her back. Bert felt the familiar wave of uneasiness trickle through his body whenever Primula Mold was near. But he stepped forward and focused, as he always did, on her dog instead.

“Hello,” he said, vaguely. “Hey, Fungus. What's the matter? Did you not like it down there?”

Fungus jumped out of the basket and ran towards Bert, his tail wagging happily. Primula Mold put down her climbing hammer, turned off her head torch and removed the spiked shoes that had helped her to scale the old lift shaft.

“He's howling because he was nearly hit by a rock,” she snapped. “Who threw it?”

Bert turned scarlet. “Sorry,” he muttered. “I didn't know anyone was down there.”

“Hmph! Thoughtless behaviour! But I would expect nothing more from you. Anyway, I see you finally decided to take part in the Great Moose Cheese Chase. So where is he, then? Where's your grandfather?”

It was Cam's turn to go red. “We came on our own,” she murmured.

Miss Mold looked shocked. “I'm surprised he allowed that,” she croaked. “You two are up to no good again. I can see it in your eyes. But if you think you're going to win, then you're mistaken.”

She held up a gleaming rock-salt crystal. “I've got all the ingredients now and I'm heading home. Come along, Fungus.”

The dog gave Bert a lick and trotted over to his mistress.

“I will expect a curtsey from you next time we meet. And you may address me as ‘Lady Mold'.”

She stalked towards a collapsed building. The twins spotted her yellow balloon anchored beside it.

“And after I win I'm going to look into buying your land with the prize money,” she said.

Bert stomped after her, all nerves forgotten. “You can't do that!” he cried. “Gramps will never sell it to you.”

“We shall see,” called Miss Mold, climbing into the basket and heaving Fungus in beside her. “The Queen is bound to grant me some favours when I produce my
special
moose cheese.”

Mr Zola appeared from behind a large rock just as Primula Mold released the ropes and sailed off into the grey sky.

“Did someone mention moose cheese?” he called.

“That was Primula Mold,” said Bert, pointing towards the balloon. “You missed her. You're too late.”

“Let's just hope we're not,” whispered Cam.

 

Cataclysm

Mr Zola came running over.

“I should have known that was Primula Mold,” he said, checking his Cheesemaker-Locator. “Why didn't you tell me she looked like an evil mine monster?”

He began to sprint after the yellow hot air balloon. “Miss Mold,” he shouted. “Miss Mold, take me with you. I'm the Royal Cheesemaker. I'm commanded by the Queen to oversee this competition. I must accompany the winner home and help them make the moose cheese to Her Majesty's exact taste.”

“I don't need any help to make cheese from a young whippersnapper like you,” called Miss Mold as she floated away. “I'm going to delight Her Majesty with a surprise ingredient.”

Mr Zola watched as Primula Mold's balloon became a tiny speck in the sky.

“Her Majesty doesn't like surprises,” he muttered, sinking to the ground, “and I'm supposed to keep up with the leader. She's going to be furious.”

“We could still be the leaders,” urged Cam. “If you could just think of a faster way to get us home, Mr Zola, then Bert and I will somehow get the salt.”

Mr Zola sat for a moment in deep thought. Then he jumped to his feet.

“You're right,” he cried, reaching for his phone. “I need to call in an old favour.”

“Are you calling the Queen?”

“No, she's still fuming about the Crown Balloon. I need to find a different way to get us back without concerning the Queen. You two look for a way into the mine. Quick as you can; we must hurry.”

The twins left Mr Zola talking into his phone. Bert picked up Miss Mold's discarded hammer and they started to explore the crumpled buildings. There were several gaping holes which dropped into the darkness, but the surrounding rock was too crumbly to climb down without the right equipment.

“I wish Miss Mold had left her spiked climbing shoes behind as well,” said Bert. “We have to find a safe way in as quickly as possible.”

They ran along the old railway track. The rail was bent and buckled in places but smoothed out and sloped down steeply into a pile of rubble stacked against a rock face.

“The miners must have used this track to transport the salt,” said Cam. “I bet it leads underground. Help me move this rubble, Bert. I think there might be a tunnel behind it.”

It was hard work moving the large stones off the track and away from the rock face, but Cam was right. Behind them was a small tunnel sloping down into the ground beyond. Sitting on the track inside the hidden tunnel was a cart. It looked like there was a small see-saw on top.

“Why would they have a see-saw on top of a railway cart?” asked Bert, climbing on board. “C'mon, Cam, get on the other side.”

The moment Cam sat on the opposite end of the see-saw the little cart began to move along the track.

“It's not a see-saw,” she gasped. “It's a pumping cart. The more we go up and down, the faster it gets.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” said Bert. “Let's go.”

“Wait, where's the torch that Attila gave us?”

But Bert wasn't listening and began jumping up and down on his half of the see-saw. The cart started picking up speed, then plummeted down a sharp dip, plunging them into total darkness and shooting along the track.

“BERT!” screamed Cam. “What have you done?”

The twins flew down the railway, no longer in control of the cart. The see-saw on top was throwing them up and down. Their stomachs were left far behind as sharp bends followed steep dips, flinging them from side to side. Suddenly, the cart struck something on the track and came to an abrupt halt, throwing them clear off the truck and on to the hard ground.

Cam lay there for a moment before staggering to her feet. A large bump was slowly growing on the back of her head. She reached up and touched it carefully with one hand, steadying herself against the wall with the other. It was pitch black and she couldn't see a thing. She felt the cold, hard rock beneath her fingers. Something brushed against the back of her hand and she pulled it away sharply.

“B-Bert?”

Her anxious voice bounced off the damp walls and fell into thick silence. She began fumbling in her coat for the torch but her fingers were numb. She took a deep breath, trying to quell the rising panic.

“Bert? Where are you? Are you all right?”

Something scuttled past her on the wall, hissing softly. She backed away, still feeling for the torch, and tripped over a large lump on the floor.

“OW!” yelled Bert. “Watch where you're going!”

“Oh, thank goodness that's you,” cried Cam, reaching for her brother. “Are you hurt?”

“No, not much,” he said, rubbing his temple and slowly getting to his feet. “My head aches, though.”

“Mine too,” she whispered. “But that's the least of our problems. I don't think we're alone. Listen, there's something else down here.”

They stood huddled together. The low hissing sound seemed to be coming from all around them.

“Where's the torch?” gulped Bert.

Cam finally managed to pull it out of her coat with a shaking hand and pressed the switch. The moment it lit up the hissing stopped. It took a moment for the twins' eyes to get used to the light. They were in a low rocky chamber. Rotten wooden pillars held up the crumbling ceiling and the grey stone walls were covered in large brown patches.

Bert took a deep breath. “I'm not scared of heights,” he said. “I'm not scared of wild animals or going fast or anything like that. But I don't like enclosed spaces that smell like death.”

It was hard to breathe properly. The air was thick with a heavy stench. Far worse than the large piles of manure they had on the farm.

“Do you really think this place is haunted?” asked Bert. “Or was that hissing noise inside our heads?”

“Let's just find the salt and get out of here,” said Cam. “We'll have to see-saw back the way we came. Unfortunately, it's all uphill.”

“OK. Keep looking as we go. Primula Mold's salt was like a crystal. It must be embedded in the stone.”

They looked up at the rocks surrounding them.

“The walls almost look like they're moving in the light,” whispered Cam, taking a step closer. As she walked, something crunched beneath her feet. She pointed the torch down and shrieked as something ran over her foot.

“The walls
are
moving!” cried Bert. “Hold up the torch!”

As the light hit the wall the brown patches that speckled the grey rocks hissed and scuttled up on to the ceiling. Cam screamed again and jumped backwards.

“Cockroaches!” warned Bert. “Hundreds of them. Look, they're covering everything.”

Swarms of cockroaches skittered over the walls and along the floor.

“Get back in the cart!” screeched Cam, swiping one off Bert's shoulder. “Move!”

She clambered back into the truck and held the light up for Bert.

“Wait,” he said. “I think I saw something glinting over there.”

“Just get in!” yelled Cam.

“Hold the lamp up again.”

Reluctantly Cam did as she was asked. The torch revealed a smaller tunnel leading off the main chamber with a tiny sparkle of light at the end.

“We've got to check that out,” said Bert.

Cam shook her head vigorously.

“Do you want to win this competition or not? Cockroaches can't hurt you. They just smell and hiss and … maybe have a little nibble, but … forget that bit.”

Cam gritted her teeth and climbed back out of the cart, trying to ignore the crunch as her feet landed on the floor.

“They hate light,” said Bert. “Just hold it up and they'll scuttle away.”

They edged their way along the narrow tunnel, Bert in front and Cam close behind. She kept feeling the odd cockroach scramble up her leg or run across her back, and swiped them off wildly.

“It's all right,” said Bert. “Try to keep calm. Let's sing to take our mind off them.”

He began to sing to the tune of, “I Do Like To Be Beside the Seaside”
.

“Oh, I do like to be inside a mine-shaft! Where the cockroaches smell like rotting flesh—”

“OK, that's not helping,” interrupted Cam. “Look! I think I can see something glinting up ahead.”

Just in front of them, poking out of the wall, was a small crystal of rock salt.

“Wow! I told you,” cried Bert. “I can't believe we've found some. But it doesn't look a lot. How much do we need?”

“I suppose that depends on how salty the Queen likes her moose cheese. Let's just get it and go.”

Bert pulled out the climbing hammer and began to bash the wall. The whole tunnel started to shake. Bits of earth tumbled from the ceiling.

“Careful!” cried Cam.

“Nearly there,” he said, smashing away at the wall.

The salt crystal fell into his hands just as a loud rumble filled the whole mine. Cam held the torch up and looked along the tunnel towards the noise. A large cloud of dust was flying through the air towards them.

“It's collapsing!” she screamed. “The whole thing is coming down!”

“Go!” cried Bert, pushing Cam forward.

They raced back the way they came, to where the old pumping cart stood, and then jumped aboard it. Swarms of cockroaches scattered as the cloud of dust and rock exploded into the chamber.

“See-saw like you've never see-sawed before!” yelled Bert.

The twins furiously jumped up and down on either side of the pump, propelling the cart along the track. They shot into a rising tunnel just as the chamber behind them completely collapsed.

“FASTER!” screamed Cam, looking over Bert's shoulder.

A rumbling smog of crashing rocks chased them up the tunnel. The twins bounced up and down as fast as they could but it was all uphill and soon they were engulfed in a veil of rock dust and earth.

“Keep pumping,” coughed Bert. “I can see a circle of light up ahead.”

Cam could no longer see Bert even though he was just centimetres in front of her. She was facing the collapsing mine and her lungs began to fill with dirt. Her legs turned to jelly with the lack of oxygen and she slumped to the floor of the cart. A large rock smashed into the ground beside her, quickly followed by several more. The avalanche was upon them and she closed her eyes, waiting to be completely flattened, when suddenly they emerged into daylight. She looked up to see Bert pumping the cart along with his hands. He was completely covered in dust but didn't stop until they were clear of the tunnel.

“Cam, can you move?” he shouted, pulling her from the cart. “The whole place is falling deeper into the ground. We've got to get out of here.”

Cam lurched to her feet. The earth beneath them was shaking and large cracks were shooting along the ground.

“RUN!” yelled Bert.

But a huge crevice appeared ahead of them, swallowing up their only route to escape.