THE TALE OF THE BIRTHDAY BEAR - PART 4

When Shy woke, late next morning - under a bush in Hyde Park, he wished he'd not been more strict with Speccy. After all, with his powers - he probably could have influenced him to open the bathroom door. Anthony had commented on how much Shy had changed – which was ironic seeing as Anthony was far from his old self. What WAS going on in that flat? Shy wondered if he was over-reacting – foolish to listen to the predictions of a cat? It seemed, only his trusty Cub in crime believed him!

“What happened? What happened? What happened?” cried Luke, all bouncy and puppy-like, when they met at lunchtime – he seemed about to excitedly explode. “WHHAAAAAAAAT HAPPENED?”

“Okay! Calm down... I talked to Dan and he confirmed the party at Speccy's! I talked to Ant himself, and actually described the message and he pretty much told me to get lost and stop being ridiculous!”

“HE SAID THAT?” Luke sounded totally outraged. “WHY - JUST YOU WAIT 'TIL I...”

“Please, cub... Wooooe now... You must admit this whole story of ours does sound a little bit - odd...”

Luke stopped sipping his latte and frowned, “Yes – but we know it's true – they have to believe us!”

“Of course! Actually…" Shy paused, relating what had happened when he'd gone over to Ant's flat. “I'm beginning to wonder what’s going on… What I mean is, if there's danger then it's not necessarily from outside! That it may be something of their own doing – some surprise Ant might be planning!”

Luke looked all bouncy and mad eyed again. “What? Something like an exploding birthday cake that goes out of control and destroys the world? Or a bad case of food poisoning which turns everyone into zombies? It could be, you know! What about the bathroom? Maybe the slugs came back! Well?”

Shy smiled sadly. Dan had decided that Anthony needed a pet and had planted a pair of randy slugs under the bath and the devils had mated like crazy until one day Ant had come home to find them all having a dinner party in the front room. How rude!! It had taken quite some time and an eviction order to get rid of them - and Danbear had still not paid up for all the damage he'd caused. At the moment he gave Ant one large bag of chocolate buttons a week - but it would take years to fully repay, especially with interest rates being almost a creme egg every fortnight, in the current financial climate…

“To be honest I'm baffled...” Shy admitted. “But we need to keep a close eye on both Dan and Speccy at Popstarz tonight? Are you up for it, fella? I could do with a bit of help on this one...”

Luke grinned, “Of course...” he replied, clapping his paws together eagerly. “I'd be most happy to!!”

“Then I've got me a side kick!!” grinned Shy – and felt rather pleasantly satisfied at that.

*
The SCALA, where Popstarz was held every Friday, was as busy as ever. They’d come prepared with Retro Bar Q-jump tickets and as they handed them to a man at the door, it seemed everyone they knew had shown up. Shy soon recognised Carlos Paella and his feline companion, Juanita who was busily snaffling pilchards truffles, whilst they both lay stretched out on the bar chain smoking and lapping on expensive milk cocktails. “Hi! Ooo-weee! How are you, daddy?” Carlos called out merrily once he saw them, adjusting his gold lame cat suit and buffing his medallion. “I DO like your outfits laydees!”

“Why does he call you that?” whispered Luke, teetering on heels that were at least a metre high. He'd also got a bit of glitter caught somewhere unpleasant and was finding it very difficult to remove. “Why does he call you daddy again, I've forgotten... You’re too young to be his father, surely oh furry one!?”
“Because…” sighed Shy disparagingly. “Basher lived with me as a kitten - and he’s Junita's son...”

Luke remembered. “So what did you two come as?” he asked Carlos rather reluctantly, now realising that they needn’t have gone to such extreme. “So, who was it told you it was fancy dress, anyway?”

“Same person who told you, I expect!” sighed Carlos. “Although Juanita and I have been telling the guys that we’re not IN fancy dress! That we just like to make an effort!” Juanita purred in agreement.

Prankster Dan and his “good lady wife” had arrived in casual clothes, yet delighted in suggesting that guests dressed up. Hence, there was Carlos looking like a glam rocker, Luke looking like some kind of acid-fuelled drag queen, with Shy some sort of mutant cross between Dame Edna, Madonna and a pair of net curtains. “Those two have never forgiven me the time I refused to give them the recipe for my Mother's Ancestral Furry Fruitcake!” muttered Shy. “Sorry - but that’s a family secret nobody shares!”

“He should never have asked...” Luke added protectively. “Family recipes are sacrosanct…”

“Well, at least we stand out, laydees...” grinned Carlos as he lit himself another large cigarette.

“But what on earth has Juanita come as?” Shy suddenly blurted out as he noticed that the black and white cat was admiring herself in the mirror above the bar “It's 2/3rds Ziggy Stardust, a pint or more of Barbarella, mixed with a smidgeon of Olivia Newton John in Grease and little early-70s Pink Floyd...”

“All of that and more... She looks good, yeah?” they had to agree that she did. “She’s supposed to be ABBA, laydees – but she didn’t quite pull it off… Anyway, what drinks are you having, my dears?”

“Back in a mo!” promised the Yeti, dragging Luke away from the bar before he could order. There was still a lot of business to attend to. Soon, Shy and Luke were upstairs in the Rock Music floor. Here all the indie kids and cubs were dancing to Britpop one minute; Garbage, Pulp, Elastica, Blur and the latest single from any number of current favourites; Franz Ferdinand, The Bravery, Kaiser Chiefs, The Libertines - the next. There had been no sign of Dan or Anthony on the ground floor and no sign here – so Shy suggested that he go straight up to the Cheesy Pop Floor, whilst Luke checked out the Easy Listening Bar. “Text me, if they show up! Try and get them into a conversation about this dinner party tomorrow! I’ll see you in a minute... Don't throw your drink over anyone now, will you?"

“As if I’d ever!?!” Luke grinned, remembering when he'd done that once to Shy, one heady night in The Kings Arms and with that the two friends hurried off chuckling, in separate directions.

A minute or two later, up on the third level, Shy found himself shimmying through the crowds to a spot of Kylie. (One of his former mentors favourites!) It was a smaller and more crowded room than the Rock floor and there was no viewing gallery to check out the comings and goings of clubbers.

“Come on! Let’s have a coupla Tequilas for old times sake!” called his friend, David who was dancing frantically up on a podium, a perfect viewpoint, but he couldn’t spot Dan or Ant. David was dressed in what can only be described as armour. “Forgive the costume!” he added, voice almost lost inside the suit. “I came with my other half – he suggested I dressed up for the night and I misunderstood!!”

“Something very similar happened to me!” Shy explained and knocked back a quick Tequila or two before thinking he’d spotted Dan heading downstairs. “Look, I’ll be back! I have to find someone!”

Down in the Easy Listening Bar – the music was only background and didn’t drown the conversation. It was here that Luke had caught up with Anthony, “I think Shy wants a word!” he was saying, “…It’s about the party – about that strange message we received… It really is a genuine warning, you know!”

“From a CAT!” mocked Ant unkindly. “Listen Luke! The birthday party is still going to happen – no matter what you say… Now, what about this drink you promised me? Am I wasting my time?”

“I’m trying!” Luke apologized meekly, “All the bar men seem to be ignoring me – am I invisible?”
“Can I be of any assistance?” interrupted Shy as he hurriedly joined them. “Happy to use a little Yeti Magic! BARMAN!” he called, staring at a passing serve. “Anyone seen, Dan? I SAY – BARMAN!!”

“Not recently… I don’t think that waiter’s seen you, Shy!” sighed Luke, patting his friend on the shoulder, whilst waving a twenty pound note in the barman’s general direction, “Hello!? Drink man!”

Speccy appeared to be finding all this very amusing – especially Shy’s inability to use his Yeti influence. “Poor Shy! You and your newly found Magic don’t seem to have the required effect today!”

“It WILL do once I catch his eye, I assure you… Anyway – who told you about my powers…”

“Dan of course… Said you started using them after your bang on the head… HEY! BARMAN!!!”

Suddenly everything went dead, literally dead – nothing moved except them – not even the dancing clubbers. “Having trouble gentlemen?” Almost out of nowhere, Dan had appeared. “Looks like you need to jump the queue – this should do the trick!” Dan held what appeared, at first glance, to be an electric toothbrush with a shiny, spinning crystal device attached. Shy and Luke stared in shock as the Bear slipped behind the bar and began pouring out 4 glasses of Champagne. “Seems a fella has to get his own drinks around this place… Bubbly for everyone is it? As it is very nearly my birthday!”

“God! Where did you get that thing?” Ant seemed to have grown bored by his drink and more intent on getting the device off Dan. “Not that mail order place again, surely? Oh boy! It’s amazing! Dan!?”

“I made it!” he lied. “I conjured it up out of nowhere! Well, that’s not 100% true! OK, I borrowed it! Listen, I know you’re keen to know where it came from, but I’d have to fluff up your fur if I told you!! Anyway, it must go back tomorrow! I stumbled on it by accident! I’ll get into all sorts of trouble!”

“What is it?” asked Shy coldly, “I mean it looks like a toothbrush but it appears to be diverting Time!”

“…And does a good job too!” laughed Dan. “You’ll note that we’re surrounded by a forcefield which allows us complete freedom – whilst everyone else is suspended. Works in limited areas – such as this building – for a short time. Pretty soon the effects will wear off and Time shall return to normal – but at least we got served, now! See! Something even cleverer than Yeti Magic, Shy – and I even intend to pay for these!” he added snidely, referring to Shy’s recent, occasionally dishonest use of his powers. “Hurray up Yeti… You’re free to run amongst the crowds until Time begins again – I’m sure you could swipe a few wallets if you’re really intent on becoming some sort of furry dandy highwayman!”

Shy was alarmed, in fact Shy was VERY alarmed and turned to Luke. “Keep an eye on those two jokers and try and stop them using that thing again will you, please! I’ll be back posthaste, I promise!”

Luke didn’t even get a chance to reply – but it was becoming obvious to Shy, that if Dan was playing around with toys like that, then Basher’s warning was rapidly going to come true. Sure enough, Time was beginning to speed up as he slipped in and out of realities – catching glimpses and snatches of movement and sound. Shy headed down the stairs from the Easy Listening bar and out through the nearest Fire Exit. Behind him things were almost flowing like normal, but out in the road – out there on the street, there was devastation. Devastation where normal real time events had run headlong into a brick wall! Outside Time had tried to pass through the barrier and then bounced back in on itself…
Around the SCALA club ran an enormous wall of flame and a pile up of vehicles, from where a bus had caught between the two realities. Shy could make out the body of a clubber twisted in agony – half in, half out – held like a man drowning in quicksand, despite his friend’s attempts to pull him from the flames. Time was taking it’s time out here and wasn’t returning in any hurry.

There on the SCALA roof – paint brush in mouth, sat Basher… No Spitballs this time – for it seemed that he’d now mastered the art of graffiti. NICE DAY FOR OBLIVION; he’d spelt out in large letters. All around Time began to run normally again suddenly, as the first light of dawn sparked into life.

Basher’s warning was already becoming a living truth…

WHATEVER NEXT??? AS THE BIRTHDAY BEAR'S BIRTHDAY GETS CLOSER - HOW CAN SHY YETI AND LUKE FIND A WAY OF STOPPING EVENTS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL... FIND OUT NEXT FRIDAY!!!