CHAPTER EIGHT
Toys Underground

The tunnel wasn’t designed to accommodate children and Milli and Ernest had to walk with bowed heads. It was just as well Milli had routinely fed her vegetables to a not-so-finicky Stench at dinner, or she might well have grown too big to get through.

After several minutes of travelling along the cramped passageway, the toy soldier looked up at the children. ‘Is everything all right, Miss? Not too uncomfortable, I hope?’

It took Milli a moment to realise he was speaking to her. He reached up to guide her with his tiny wooden hand. ‘Just say the word and I shall carry you all the way! I know the underground is not an easy place for a young lady. Let me know if you need to rest.’

When, minutes later, a thud followed by a yelp indicated that Ernest had hit his head on the roof of the tunnel, Captain Pluck was less sympathetic. ‘Try to keep your wits about you, man,’ he called out, without so much as a backward glance. ‘The enemy can come at you anytime and from anywhere.’

After what seemed like a long time of semi-stumbling in the dark, they emerged into an underground chamber. Finally they were able to stand up and stretch their stiff necks. They looked around. There were some faded maps taped to one wall and a couple of camp beds. On a bench stood what looked like a radio with wires hanging in a tangle from its sides, and an old-fashioned spyglass. There was also a round table with four low stools. On one of these sat a gruff-looking teddy bear wearing a bandana. On another was propped the most beautiful ballerina doll they had ever laid eyes on.

It was the doll who spoke first. She leapt from her stool and, balancing on the tips of her shoes, whirled over to the newcomers at such speed that her tutu resembled the blades of a blender in action. Up close the children could see that her ballet slippers were embroidered with stars and cream ribbons curled their way up her shapely legs. Her curly golden mane was swept up into an elaborate knot at the nape of her neck and studded with pink and white rosebuds. Some curls had escaped and hung rather limply on her cheek. A glittering tiara sat atop the concoction of curls. Her wide eyes were as deep and as blue as the ocean. She had petite features and very long lashes that swept her cheeks when she blinked. She fluttered them now as she approached the children. Milli noticed that the tulle of her tutu was looking a bit on the crumpled side, her tiara was crooked and her leotard had a streak of mud down one side.

‘My name is Pascal,’ the doll announced importantly. ‘Did you by any chance happen to bring a mirror with you?’

‘No, we didn’t,’ said Milli, thinking it a very strange question. ‘Seeing as we didn’t plan on coming at all.’

‘What about a comb?’ Pascal said, looking hopefully at Ernest’s backpack.

‘That I am never without,’ said Ernest, eager to oblige.

Pascal took Ernest’s oversized comb, which looked like a rake in her hands, and her face fell. ‘My hair is a disaster—full of knots.’

‘Perhaps I could help?’ suggested Ernest.

‘Oh, would you? I would be ever so grateful. Did you notice that my nail varnish has chipped? Tell me the truth—you did notice, didn’t you?’ Pascal dropped the comb, put her face in her hands and burst into a flood of tears.

Milli and Ernest didn’t know quite how to react but the burly teddy bear seemed accustomed to such outbursts.

‘Now, now, Pascal,’ he chided gently. ‘Let’s not alarm our visitors before we have even had a chance to be properly introduced.’ On two feet, the bear was the largest teddy the children had ever come across, reaching well above their knees. He patted Pascal paternally on the head whilst watching the children intently. ‘Pascal has had the hardest time adapting to life underground,’ he explained. ‘Her previous home was a French chateau, specially designed for her, full of mirrors and an extensive wardrobe. She misses her old life.’

‘I wasn’t made to be a soldier!’ the doll wailed.

Milli thought she seemed a very shallow and selfish sort of character even though the bear was clearly sorry for her.

The bear introduced himself as Theo. Up close they could see that he was a rich amber colour, with eyes to match, although some patches of fur on his arms looked a little frayed. The black bandana around his forehead was fastened in a knot at the back. He wore a battered leather jacket and a pair of sandshoes. Somewhere along the way he seemed to have done away with his pants, but was totally unself-conscious about it and retained an innate dignity. In fact, he had a streetwise look about him and if he were human he’d probably have been a bouncer or a musician in a jazz band. He clearly had some authority within the group because Pascal fell silent at his touch. She sniffed back her tears and tried to look stoic but only succeeded in looking up at Theo like a petulant child who is making an effort to be good. The bear turned his attention to the children.

‘Where did you come from?’ he asked.

Seeing that the children hadn’t sufficiently recovered from their surprise to reply, Captain Pluck answered on their behalf.

‘Castaways,’ he whispered, ‘from the excursion.’

‘Ah, the excursion,’ Theo said. ‘We’ve been hoping to meet you. It’s Milli and Ernest, isn’t it?’

‘How do you know that?’ asked a baffled Ernest.

‘Let’s just say your reputation has preceded you. We,’ he made a sweeping gesture with his arm—‘are the Resistance.’

‘What’s a resistance?’ Milli asked innocently.

‘You’ll have to forgive my friend,’ Ernest cut in, frowning at Milli. ‘She never pays enough attention in History. I know that a resistance is a secret organisation set up to oppose an enemy occupation.’

Theo smiled. ‘You do pay attention, I see.’

‘The question is, whom or what are you resisting?’

Ernest’s little speech may have annoyed Milli, but Theo broke into a roar of laughter and extended a furry paw to shake Ernest’s hand.

‘Someone with your thinking is going to be immensely useful to us. But tell me, how did you come to be left behind?’

‘We think a doll in one of the displays tried to send Ernest a message,’ Milli replied, anxious not to be completely excluded from the conversation. ‘He saw help us written in the snow but we don’t know who wrote it or why.’

The bear nodded. ‘I was afraid it was a long shot, but we had to try everything to get your attention. Thankfully, you have proved as observant as I had hoped.’

‘It was intended for us,’ said Ernest, still struggling to get things clear in his head. ‘I knew it!’

‘Of course,’ the bear rumbled. ‘We are in desperate need of friends.’

‘Perhaps you could explain to us what’s going on?’ asked Milli politely. ‘We are, as Ernest would say, a tad confused.’

‘And we don’t have much time,’ Ernest thought it wise to add, ‘before the bus comes back to collect us.’

‘Please sit down,’ said Theo, ‘and I’ll try to be as brief as I can. Afterwards, you can decide whether you wish to be of assistance or not.’

The bear sat down on his stool, took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he considered how to make his explanation as succinct as possible.

‘It is not possible to tell you everything right now,’ he began, ‘so I’ll try to focus on the important bits. The three of us have been friends for a long time. We formed part of our maker’s special collection. The first thing I imagine you’re wondering is why we can use speech whilst others can’t?’

The children nodded encouragingly.

‘Well, that part is not so easy to explain. I could say it was due to magic, but that wouldn’t be quite correct, although magic has no doubt played a part in it, just not the magic you are accustomed to. No, it is more the magic of creative endeavour. When Von Gobstopper created us, he imbued each of us with a specific identity and human qualities. As toys are Von Gobstopper’s only companions, he creates them to resemble humans—not in appearance but in personality.’

‘Does this mean all Von Gobstopper’s toys can speak?’ Milli asked breathlessly.

‘I doubt it, although we think they may have the capacity to learn. We were fortunate enough to form part of Von Gobstopper’s inner circle and our creator certainly has a taste for debate.’ The bear paused and chuckled, clearly enjoying some private reminiscence. ‘Eventually, we learned to answer him when he posed philosophical questions. He was delighted with his achievement, of course. We all became firm friends.’

‘How do you explain the message in the display?’ Milli interrupted.

‘Gwendolyn is special, and far too accomplished to spend her life as a prop in a display,’ Theo muttered in anger. ‘Sadly, she became trapped in a glass enclosure with companions she cannot communicate with. Hopefully, it will not be forever.’

‘We’ve read that Mr Von Gobstopper is now a recluse,’ commented Ernest, keen to keep the discussion from straying.

‘Recluse!’ snorted Captain Pluck. ‘Is that what they call it? Hostage, more like!’

‘Calm down, Pluck,’ said Theo. ‘We’re still trying to determine what happened to him.’ He turned back to the children. ‘We travelled here by coach, a whole party of us, including Von Gobstopper and a number of his staff, for the opening of the arcade. But on the way we were intercepted and Von Gobstopper has not been seen since.’

‘So how come you’re living down here?’ Milli asked.

‘We are not living here,’ the bear corrected her kindly, ‘we are in hiding. The worst part is that we don’t know exactly what we are hiding from. The arcade has been taken over. We escaped as soon as we suspected something was wrong—before we could be locked away as part of an exhibit.’

‘What makes you think anything is wrong at all?’ said Ernest. ‘Is it possible that Mr Von Gobstopper has just gone home and put others in charge of running the arcade?’

‘That would be an entirely plausible conclusion if we didn’t know Mr Von Gobstopper better,’ Theo reflected.

‘He would never abandon us!’ Captain Pluck said indignantly.

‘Something is very wrong,’ added Pascal, tearing up again.

Theo gave the children a serious look. ‘We’re hoping you’ll help us determine what that something is.’

They were interrupted by the crunch of wheels on gravel, audible even in the Resistance’s underground headquarters.

‘The bus!’ exclaimed Ernest.

‘Captain Pluck will escort you out,’ Theo announced. ‘We don’t want to cause you any more trouble. Please come and see us again soon if you can.’

‘How do we let you know we’re coming?’

‘There’s no need. We’ll know when you get here. Wait at the opening in the wall and use the password.’

‘But we don’t know the password,’ Milli said.

‘Of course you don’t; how remiss of me. It’s Peppered Pancakes.’

Ernest had already shouldered his pack, keen to return to the driveway and the bus in the hope that a rapid return might lessen the scolding they were bound to receive from Miss Macaw. Milli, however, the more instinctive of the pair, sensed there was something the toys were holding back.

‘Is there anything else you can tell us?’ she asked. ‘Anything else not quite right?’

‘There is one thing,’ the bear said hesitantly. He stole a glance at the others to ensure he had their approval to proceed. They gave almost imperceptible nods.

‘On three occasions now there has been what we call a “round-up” in the arcade,’ he told them, ‘during which certain toys are taken down to the basement for repairs. Perhaps five or six at a time.’

‘What’s strange about that?’ asked Ernest. ‘Toys must need maintenance.’

Theo fixed him with a grim look.

‘That is true, Ernest, we do. Only in these instances not a single toy taken for maintenance has ever come back.’