THE TALE OF THE BIRTHDAY BEAR - PART 3

Shy called Danbear several times after opening the messages - but it took a while to get in contact. Phones and emails couldn’t raise him and neither did turning up at his flat. There was only one other way that he knew of – and so Shy sent Dan a telepathic message.

Closing his eyes in concentration he attempted contact. “I'm sure you're very busy, but if you could give me a bell A.S.A.P. that’d be cool, Dan! I've got my old mobile back - same number - call me!”

Telepathy could be quite exhausting, especially sending messages to folk who had no natural psychic ability. After he was done, Shy went and sat in the sun in Green Park and sure enough - within ten minutes Dan was ringing his mobile. “What the in Hells name did you do to me?” he grumbled. “I was in the middle of a nice Damson pie and custard when you struck – you made me bump my head hard!”

Shy smiled broadly as he pictured it. “Eating pies under your desk again were you, hey Danny boy?”

Dan sounded flustered. “Yes... Well, maybe I was! But you could have warned me, Yeti!!”

“I emailed you! Phoned you! Texted and left a message with Alan - if you can't call me after all that...”

“I was BUSY!!!” Dan insisted.

“More pies?”

Silence for a second. “Maybe... Infact, actually, no - I was interviewing for new assistants at work!”

“Ok! The criteria being that they bought in a nice pie with them, right?” Silence. “Tell me I'm wrong!”

“You're not wrong! We had 100 people to interview... Eating all those pies before they go off has been a full time job, I'll have you know! Anyway - I'm cross with you about other things too...”

“Such as, what?”

“Like you being so stupid and stubborn about you plans for gallavantingness! Are you still set on it?”

“Am too!” confirmed Shy bluntly. "…And proud to announce so! Unfortunately, for you, I'm sticking about for your birthday to buy you ciders, before working out where I want to begin my adventures!”

“You're insane, Yeti! Totally doolally!!” chided Danbear. “Oh - do whatever you like! It’s just – well – I’ll bloody miss you not being here to chew pies with! Oh - and just promise me you won’t contact me by telepathy again - it scares me - sends my fur up on end you know! I'll have to go see Dr Nephur to have it straightened again now, you know... Careful, I don’t send you the flippin’ bill…"

“Please do!” agreed Shy, surprised how upset his pal seemed. “That’s fair enough... Just get back to me sooner next time, can't you? I don't like being ignored! Just wanted to know something really, that's all! Your birthday is when? This sunday? What are your weekend plans - was it drinks and Popstarz for a dance tomorrow night and then... what about saturday - what were you doing then?”

“Dinner! Didn't you get an invite?”

Shy thought about it - he couldn't remember. “I probably lost it when I was evicted! Dinner where though? At a restaurant or at someone’s house?”

“Someone’s house! Who’s the best cook in town? Other than my good self, of course…”

“Crap... Really!?! You mean dear old Speccy Ant, don’t you?!”

“Of course! Why? What's up? If I remember correctly, you usually sit and drool over his casseroles!”

“Not literally!” interrupted Shy, “Well – not deliberately, anyway! You know I love his cooking! I love BOTH your cooking – it’s not that! It’s just, I got a message - that's all! End of the world sort of thing! Won't worry you about it now - I'll go and try and speak with Ant himself – see what he says...”

“End of what? Look, you shouldn’t interfere! It won’t happen like that! Yeti?" but Shy had hungup.

*
It was quite late by the time Shy arrived at Ant’s flat. Anthony Spex, known to his friends as Speccy Ant was an expert in pretty much everything, advising those who sought his wisdom. Ant and Shy had been flatmates but Shy had moved out, soon after Anthony had begun working from home.

There was something about the “Speccy Ant” that always gave Shy a sort of nice, yet nervous shiver, “I don't know what it is - but I think I love how clever he is – I feel so stupid compared to him... It makes my fur wilt just thinking of all those bookshelves and I have to go and have a cold shower...”

Shy had called Ant and asked if it was okay to pop around that evening and been told that if he came he should bring with him a fresh tea towel. “Something patterned - I've worn out my last one...” So,
Shy had done just that. “Hi! Come right up!” Ant called, once he’d heard the intercom chime to Flat 3.

The door clicked and Shy passed on through and up the stairs to where Anthony was already waiting. An academic looking man he was 6ft tall, yet stocky, quirkily handsome with intelligent dark eyes and a cynical smile. He usually dressed quite casually, but today he looked the smartest that Shy had ever seen him - in a tux and (rather bizarrely) a pinney. “Why are you wearing that for goodness sakes...”

“Everything's at the wash - the murderers upstairs were trying to drown one another and they ended up flooding their flat and it all came in through the ceiling and spoilt everything... Awful!” Shy winced.

It was however true that Ant lived in a flat below two murderers. One of them had been a cereal killer - occasionally massacring fields of barley and the other had gone down for killing time with a pick axe. They'd both done their allotted month or two inside but their reputation remained and they were still known in the area as “Those two murderers...” It was quite fortunate - though maybe not for the couple - that they were known by such clear nicknames, which sort of detailed their wrong doings for all to see. At least it meant that the public could either associate with them or not, in full awareness of their crimes and there weren't any secrets hidden in closets - or bodies. Well, hopefully no bodies...

“I was cooking!” explained Ant as they stepped over piles and piles of new, as yet unread volumes, heading for the kitchen, “Cooking up a feast for Daniel Bear's birthday! Did you bring the tea towel?”

“I did!” confirmed Shy, removing his coat. “It was a freebie when they closed the Millennium Dome!”

“I suppose it will have to do!” To Shy's surprise Ant tied the tea towel around his head, until he looked a bit like grandad on the beach, only with a bigger, more colourful knotted handkerchief. “My brain gets very hot when I'm thinking and it's even worse when I'm cooking things...” he exclaimed and Shy nodded understandingly. “What's up then Yeti? You seem different - almost a cynical as me, today!”

“I got concussion! Ever since I’ve been seeing things rather more clearly – I’ve got ideas to explore!”

“Sounds like a bunch of old Hippie waffle to me...”

“Let me do what I do best… I’ll talk it and you can cook it...”

“Fair play to you… So why are you here?” Ant checked on something he'd got in the oven. "I'm really busy you know - there's lots to be done! I'm preparing all the food in advance, before we go clubbing!”
This was the night out arranged at the club, Popstarz for a spot of leisurely pawshuffling, “If I’m going there…” he continued. “I may well wake up on the day of the birthday meal with an awful hangover and wouldn’t feel up to cooking! You can see the sense, surely? Look - what is it you want, exactly?”

Shy looked a tad awkward. “Well... I don't know how to tell you this under the circumstances, but well - is there any chance you can cancel the party – or just postpone it - have it on Sunday or something?”

“Quite definitely NOT! It's all arranged! Why do you want this! Can't you make it now or something?”

“No, no! Not at all... It's just I received a message - it was very brief but mentioned your name, happy birthday and world ends Saturday! I just thought - well - that doesn't exactly bode well for your meal!”

Ant frowned, looking up from stirring cake mixture. “Do you mean you received some kind of threat? A poison pen letter?” Shy muttered uncertainly. “Well, what then? Where did the message come from, exactly? If it was a phonecall we should probably inform the Police! Where did it come from, Yeti?”

Shy winced again, loathe to explain but knowing he had no choice. “Well – actually… my cat sicked it up! Before you say anything though – and I know you and Basher don't really get on - but he wrote it down after having a vision! It’s all he’ll say! I did try for more, but he's vanished off somewhere!”

Ant didn’t even smile. “Okay! Very funny! Time for you to go now I think...”

“I know it sounds ludicrous - but it's the message he wanted you to have...”

“What's he going to do? Scratch my eyes out himself? Force feed me cat nip? Meow me to death?”

“Of course not! This isn’t a laughing matter! Just listen! I just don't want anything to happen to you...”

“Then be here on Saturday and make sure nothing does! Best thing you can do! Now get OUT!”

“OKAY! OKAY!” Shy sighed and struggled back into his coat, “Can I use your loo first, please...”

“No!” Shy was a tad shocked that his requirement to pee was being denied. “Really Shy! No, I'm sorry you can't! It's a mess, being redecorated, not properly plumbed in at the moment! Here - use a bottle!”

Shy stood open-mouthed, suddenly taking a wee felt less necessary, "Maybe I'll wait! See you then!"

Ant hmmphed a bit yet said nothing and so Shy fumbled out of the kitchen, through the book filled living room and beyond. Pausing in the hallway he rattled the door to the bathroom, but it was locked – in fact it wasn't only locked but it was padlocked. There was no keyhole so he wasn't going to get to peek through that way. Pressing his ear to the door though he was sure he could hear movement inside the room - and a strange sort of casseroley smell filled the air. Once again, something moved inside the room – squelched and sploshed to be accurate. Was somebody in the bath? Had Anthony some secret bather hidden within? For a minute the thought made Shy smile - until he recalled the padlock. No-one would invite a guest over and let them use the bathroom, only to padlock them in the room.

“Have you gone yet, Shy? I mean gone as in left – not as in gone in the bottle…”

“I'm departing immediately, bye!” he cried, not wishing to stay a moment longer and with that hurried towards the front door, not looking back until he was half way down the road beyond Brixton Station.

Back in the bathroom - something sinister yawned…

What will happen next? Can Shy and Luke persuade their friends that something very nasty is going to happen very soon - or are those friends already in too deep to avoid the trouble? Find out next week - Friday 26th August...