Animal Amulets (8)
She hadn´t ran far when she heard the angry croak of toads and frogs. They were after her all right. It was time to scamper out of here as fast as she could. But where could she go? She hid in the undergrowth and kept really still. The banjo started to bounce.
“Not now banjo, we´ve got to keep quiet or they will find us,” she whispered.
The banjo reluctantly went still. The shouting and the shrill screaming got closer. Molly shut her eyes and prayed that they wouldn´t see her. The angry mob sailed past. The refugees stayed where they were until they felt it was safe to come out of their leafy hideout. The banjo was bopping around now like a lunatic.
“Will you cut that out,” said Molly. Then she plucked it´s strings. “We´re being watched, look up.”
Molly looked upwards. There, resting patiently with both beady eyes firmly fixed on the odd pair was the crow that had been playing the bass.
Molly said a word that we shouldn´t print and asked the crow how long he had been there.
“Oh, only until you decided to hide, before that I was everywhere you have been. I´ve been following you since you arrived.” it cackled and added, “Tiger would be really impressed with you, he hired me to make sure you did what you were supposed to, to be honest he really doesn´t trust any kind of vermin.”
It was then that Molly noticed one of the crows claws was damaged.
“What happened to your claw?” asked Molly.
“Oh the cat got me too, why do you think I´m working for him. He´s got some kind of brilliant surgeon who apparently can stitch us up nicely.” explained the crow.
“If you ask me we´ve already been stitched up.” sighed Molly.
“My claw may be damaged, but my wings are fine, hop up on my back and I´ll get you two out of here.” offered the crow.
Molly and the banjo jumped up and off they flew. They could see the angry amphibians down below. They looked like tadpoles from the distance. Not long in the air they came to the entrance of what looked like a deserted mine.
“Hold on tight,” cawed the crow, “…next stop your world.”
Everything went odd again and Molly closed her eyes. When she opened them she was squeezing out of the original pipe she had initially gone into. The crow was holding the banjo and talking to Tiger. Tiger was smiling when he grabbed Molly. He took the amulet off her and handed her to a hairy monkey that brought her to a laboratory and locked her in a cage. There were loads of cages in the room all full of white mice or rats. Molly sat alone in the the cage and felt like a fool she felt so sorry for herself she began to cry. How would she get out of this mess. A heavy door at the back of the lab creaked open. Molly could not believe her eyes. Dressed in a lab long white lab coat was the so called mythical character himself – the Pied Piper.