The Ilkrook Village

When the rain has stopped, Warren and Nap, decided to walk on the road. They can’t risk getting even more wet by walking in the forest with such tall grasses. Not to mention that with poor visibility, there’s a high chance of them falling into a puddle or a cliff.

“Should we go left, or right?” Nap asked, as they stared at the crossroad just few meters from where they hid earlier. Both roads looked like carriages and people use it every day. The left road is wider but muddier, while the right one is darker.

“Let’s go right.” Warren replied.

“Why?”

“No reason. We must get moving before someone sees us.”

And so, Team One started following the unknown path in complete silence, taking their time one, a bit muddy, step at a time. Their energy is running low after a portion of their body got soaked in the rain. The occasional appearance of fireflies was the only thing that made their pilgrimage beautiful.

Nap, however, kept on looking at Warren and then shifting his eyes back to the road. “What?” Warren said, the third time Nap did it.

“Nothing.” Nap replied. Their previous conversation about Warren saying he is a coward is still on Nap’s mind, but he figured this is not the right time to ask about it.

They haven’t walked for a good 300 meters when they encountered an old man on a bicycle with a lamp on its basket. They didn’t see his face due to the bright light and the top hat that he was wearing, but they were so caught by surprise that they let out a scream. Warren even tripped. Although, Nap was quick to help him, all of this was seen by the old man.

“You, you.” The man’s silhouette pointing at them. “Books? But you. Just now, you.” The tired man’s eye widened as he starts to get a realization.

Warren and Nap didn’t move, but they knew it was too late. This man definitely saw them. The old man became restless. He got off his bike, and started holding himself, especially in the chest area. He kept pointing at them, covering his mouth, and touching his head. His head turned in every direction, unfortunately, no one else was there to check his sanity. The man looked like he was struggling, but Warren and Nap didn’t know what to do. They kept on staring at the old man, as his facial expression drastically changed. And as they did, they realized, this old man is none other than Mr. Basil’s best friend, Mr. Pax. Not more than half a minute later, Mr. Pax collapsed to the ground, the bicycle falling on top of him.

Ponty, Carol and Getty, have been riding the carriage for some time now while lying on their back. It made several stops and turns, their vision changing from tree canopies to the night sky, to town buildings, to well-lit places. But the view that caught their attention the most is the tiny hand hovering over them. The kid tried to pick Ponty up but fell short.

The mother reprimanded him to sit properly, but the kid didn't listen. He was kneeling on his seat and looking backwards in the carriage. The kid watched as the village houses shrink as they passed by and measured them with his fingers which was almost covered by his jacket, a bit too big for his size.

A few seconds later, the hand reappeared accompanied by a female voice shouting, “Isaac!” This time, the tiny hand was successful and Ponty couldn't do anything about it.

“See? There are books at the back. You didn’t buy them Mama?” the boy asked. One of his shoes came off as he turned around and it fell near his mother’s feet, which almost got covered by her casual dress.

Her annoyed face was decorated with her almond hair as she took the shoe and shove it to his feet while saying, “No. And put that down!”

"No, I think they fell from the sky.” He argued.

"Don't be silly and sit properly!"

“Why are you so mad?” The boy replied as he stood and went to the opposite seat, holding on to the carriage’s side to keep his balance. Earning, this time, a loud reprimand from both his parents. He sat beside his bearded father and waved the pocketbook in his hand towards the coachman with expectant eyes. To his delight, the coachman said he doesn’t own it.

“He said they’re not his. Can I keep it, Mama?” He asked. His mother glared at him but didn’t reply.

At the back, the two books were devising a plan on how to get Ponty back. However, the carriage hit a big rock, followed by a deep puddle. The family was caught by surprise, especially the mother. The young boy fell from his seat and landed on the floor. The coachman had to command the horse again with more force. On its second attempt, the carriage made it through. The coachman stopped for a bit to check on everyone and to check the wheels. When he was sure that everything is okay, he commanded the horse, and they went on their way, oblivious to the fact that the carriage just became two books lighter.

Warren and Nap are stuck. They can’t move. They can’t talk. They can’t make plans. They are dumbfounded. None of what happened since the time they left the library is close to Titus’ plans A, B, or C. They were left on the floor near the entrance to what seems to be a hospital, by the coachman who found Mr. Pax earlier.

They are unsure what happened, or what will happen to him. What they are most certain is that, based on the time it took them to reach the hospital, they are far from the central village. Although, they did stop by a clinic once, which declined them and overheard someone say ‘Go to the hospital and make it quick’; by the standard of their tiny footsteps, they know going back would be very difficult.

The hospital had a noticeable main building made of bricks, and then there are additional construction on its right wing made of cement and wood. On it’s right, there were obvious signs of renovations done recently.

There are about five carriages waiting outside parked near the trees and the horses are surprisingly alert and very active, except for one which was fast asleep. There are people going in and out every half an hour or so, and everyone around here seems to be in a hurry.

Moments later they saw a young woman with a curly black hair running outside the hospital and then coming back in announcing, “Out of the way. Dr. Kim is here. This way Doctor.”

The young doctor must be in her early 30s. She’s got her hair tied up in a bun, a big black bag, a pair of focused eyes, and a pair of high heels that announced her arrival as loud as the girl with a curly black hair did.

“May I see the patient’s documents?” Dr. Kim said as they went deeper into the hospital and the other black-haired girl, quickly handed over pages of paper to her.

“Thank you so much for coming here in such a short notice, especially at midnight. It’s such a complicated case, and Dr. Elfonse is out on a holiday with his family.” The black-haired girl can be heard saying as they slowly disappeared into the operating room.

‘Dr. Kim?’ Warren, thought. ‘Could it be the same Kim that Daye knows?’ He wondered.

Ponty was still stuck at the boy’s hand minutes after he learned he was left behind by his teammates. It was the boy who delivered him the news, as he complained to his mother that the other books were gone and that his mother should have allowed him to get them earlier.

“They must have fallen when we passed the squeaking bridge.” The boy said to himself in dismay.

“Someone else will find those books and keep them.” The father replied.

“But the roads there are terrible Papa, you know that. Three people have already died. Those books would be destroyed if a carriage hits them!”

“Son, there’s no use in worrying about something beyond your control.”

“But, I was. They were here in the carriage—I knew that bridge is cursed---Mooom you should have---”

The son kept on lamenting about the two books, while the wife recollected what her in-laws said earlier at the family dinner. “What were they thinking casually asking for another grandchild like that? As if they have no idea how much it cost to raise a child!” The wife said. She’s been trying her best to stay calm throughout the entire trip, but she couldn’t help it anymore. As if her in-laws, who lived in such a secluded area, asking to be visited every month is not an enough additional financial burden to them, she thought.

“Don’t mind them Hun, it was the wine talking.” The husband replied.

But the family’s noise and the whereabouts of his teammates were drowned from Ponty’s mind when he saw the famous twin tree. The two trees tower very close to each other and the upper portion of its trunk form a half spiral. Its branches and leaves have expanded over the decades that it is barely recognizable which one belongs to which tree. The lights that were wrapped around it really highlighted the magnificent structure of its branches.

He looked around and realized they were already at the central area of the village. It was midnight, but the town festival two days from now made the village busy, alive, and vibrant even at such time. Overlapping conversations, mixing smell of different kinds of food and ingredients being traded all around, and decorations being arranged, rearranged, and disarranged ever so often.

Buildings made of wood, cement, and bricks greeted Ponty’s eyes everywhere, there were fountains, statues, and town clocks too. He also noticed rows upon rows of flower beds; some are fully bloomed, while others are not. The things Ponty used to hear from the people who visited the library, he could see them now with his own eyes.

His admiration turned into panicked when he realized how long it would take him to walk from the central to their agreed meet-up place. Although, he isn’t sure if any team would even follow any of Titus plan after all the mayhem that has happened.

The carriage made a few more turns and finally stopped in front of a flowery brick house. The father got off first, assisting his wife and the kid. The kid ran off and took the key from one of the flowerpots and opened the house. He went to his room while his mother began her litany of how he did not take off his shoes, did not wash his hands, and did brush his teeth.

The boy switched the tiny bulb on, placed Ponty to his desk, turned around, and saw some toys on the floor. He took one of them, placed it on his bed and left. Ponty believed it must be his favourite toy. He then waited for a while before surveying the room.

It was small but it was full. The big window beside the desk allowed the moon to brighten the room a bit more. There’s a single bed on the right with pieces of clothes and toys occupying a fair amount of space. On the desk’s left, facing the bed, there’s a half-opened cabinet with some intestines in the form of clothes coming out. A small mirror hangs beside the door. More toys, a pillow, and a bulging school bag decorated the floor.

Colourful artworks covered the wall: the village’s strawberry farm in an interesting colour palette, an apparent family picture, numerous dogs, and a smiling sun. Ponty almost screamed when he turned and saw three faces beside the small clock. He exhaled when he realized it’s just a photograph. He stepped closer to the frame and stepped back. He repeated this three times and after a trail of thought, it hit him.

“It’s the kid from the library!” Ponty exclaimed while covering his mouth.

He was so disappointed that it took him forever to realize that it was the boy, who never speak, who snatched him earlier. His eyes sparkled when he realized another thing.

“So, your name is Isaac! Ha, I’m a genius! Just wait ‘til they hear about this! Oh, I will be a legend in the library after this!” Ponty said. His daydream was interrupted when the door sprung open. He was too late to stop his dance routine and stumbled on his feet. He faintly hoped Isaac blinks longer than a millisecond.

Isaac and Ponty played the staring game for a few seconds. Ponty, back to his book state, didn’t move an inch. He hoped he transformed just in time.

“You’re alive.” Isaac said with a long pause.

“No, I’m not.”

“AAAHH!” Isaac was about to run to the door when Ponty spoke again, “No, wait! Don’t go. Please.” Isaac turned, speechless. Against his young mind, he can clearly see a book with a pair of feet and hands, and a face.

“I know this is unusual,” Ponty said with both his hands in the air. “But, I need you to be quiet and calm.” He continued.

Hurried footsteps came into the room and Ponty transformed again. Isaac’s mother, carrying a bath towel, opened the door and asked, “What’s going on?”

“Nothing, hit my toe in the cabinet.” Isaac replied with a forced smile.

“Well, your scream sounded more than—such a mess, Isaac Tolling! You clean your room right now1” His mother said.

“Yes, Mama.” He replied and sat on his bed. His pulse was racing. His eyes fixed to the pocketbook. His mother, however, wasn’t leaving. With her arms crossed and her eyebrows higher than their water bill, Isaac had no choice but to clean his room. He picked his three years old toy and placed it on his desk. He knelt again and picked its cracked armour. On his third trip, he picked its tatty sword. His mother watched him in frustration as he picked its cape next. Of course, his motivation entirely depended on his mother’s presence. So, when she left, Isaac returned to his bed again and the floor was just one action figure cleaner.

“Well then, shall we start with introductions?” Ponty began and Isaac moved few inches away from his bed. Ponty reached out his hand and said, “I’m Ponty, a compilation of jokes as you must have noticed.” He pointed at his cover.

“You really are alive.”

“Hey, we’re past that.” Ponty wiggled his hand, still smiling.

“You are moving.”

“Come on kid, introductions. Okay?” Ponty said, his arm starting to feel numb.

“I’m, I’m Isaac.” He hesitated for a while, but the book’s smile was never fading, so he moved closer to reach its tiny hand, which only covered three of his own fingers. Isaac’s blue eyes widened in disbelief of everything his eyes are seeing now. Ponty stepped on the edge of the desk and said, “Wow, you have beautiful eyes kid.”

“How—Why—I mean—”

“It’s a long story. I need you to get over this quickly, because I’m running out of time and I really need your help.”

“Why? What do you mean? How can I help?”

“Again, long story. Anyway, I need you to help me find 10 other books please.” Ponty pleaded.

While Ponty was trying to fill in Isaac with every detail, he felt Isaac needed to know for him to help their situation. Two books in a regular looking road towards the Ilkrook village, have been buried deep in a muddy puddle.

Passersby, animals, carriages, and trucks loaded with town festival decorations passed and nobody noticed them, because nobody can see them. Their spine, their cover, and their pages broke, tore, and got buried all together as each vehicle passed.

While Ponty was brainstorming with his new friend on how to find 10 books around the village, little did he know that two of those books have stopped moving, have stopped thinking, and have stopped breathing an hour ago.

And in a further distance in the Ilkrook village, there are two more books lying on the floor hoping that everything will be alright, that they didn’t cause Mr. Pax’s death.

Author’s Note: Hello! Thank you for reading. Chapter 6 will be released on June 6. Also, please check out my landing page: https://linktr.ee/msjenjana