CHRISTOPHER GUMBLETON
THE ABBEY MICE – ITS CHRISTMAS
Chapter One
It was a glorious autumn afternoon. The Abbey Mice were out in the churchyard foraging for food to store for the long winter ahead. Carroway however was tired. She was a pretty little girl mouse. She had been working hard. Too hard she thought. It was time for a rest. Wandering off down to the far distant end of the churchyard she searched for a suitable place to rest. Finding the spreading chestnut tree growing near to the churchyard wall she lay down beneath it for a snooze. On the other side of the wall lay the Vicar’s garden. Snuggling down in the long grass, the stone walling protecting Carroway from the slight breeze blowing that day, she began to day dream in the warm autumn sunshine.
Carroway lay on her back gazing thoughtfully up at the branches above her. It would soon be winter. The Abbey Mice would have to stay indoors then. The weather would be cold, the wind would blow and the bad weather would last for months and months.
She shuddered. How she hated bad weather, particularly the bad weather of winter. Of course she adored the snow but more often than not that did not last long when it did arrive.
“How nice it would be if it snowed on Christmas day,” she thought and she stretched and made herself more comfortable in the long grass growing beneath the tree.
The autumn leaves fluttered down one by one, slowly carpeting the grass around, a rich golden brown. Carroway’s eyelids became heavy. She could hardly keep them open. She was so tired. Carroway yawned a little yawn and within moments the pretty little mouse was fast sleep.
“Screech,”
”Screech,
Screech,”
”Screech, Screech, Screech.”
Carroway sat suddenly bolt upright, her eyes wide open, terrified she stared wildly about her.
“What is that,” she gasped, her mind racing, horrors screaming around her. ”What is that screeching noise, its horrible.”
It was terrifying. As if someone or something was in agony. Desperately she tried to comprehend the situation she was in but she was too terrified to even think.
Carroway sat frozen. She dare not move. Her mind couldn’t focus on what was happening. All she knew was that she had been in the middle of a beautiful dream and then the next moment all she could hear was this terrible screeching that filled her head, echoing in her ears.
“Screech,”
”Screech,
Screech,”
”Screech, Screech, Screech.”
Then suddenly she heard the terrifying sound of footsteps behind her. The sound of running. Closer and closer the footsteps came but she did not dare to look around. She was petrified, far too scared. Closer and closer it came. Then suddenly horror of horrors she felt someone or worse still something, touch her shoulder. Slowly, almost too frightened to look, she turned around to face the monster behind her. Then she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Sesame!”
she gasped. “Thank goodness its you.”
“I thought you were a
monster.”
“I ran as quickly as I could Carroway,” the leader of the Abbey Mice gasped, trying to recover his breath after his long run down the entire length of the garden.
"I was worried. 1 knew that you were over here, 1 watched as you crept off and hid.
Carroway went red with embarrassment.
"When 1 heard that terrible noise I thought that something had got you."
"Oh Sesame," Carroway gasped, hugging him tight.
"1 was so frightened."
Sesame held the pretty little girl mouse in his arms and she sobbed and sobbed.
"There, there Carroway, it will be alright."
Within moments Benedict and the other Abbey Mice had joined Sesame and Carroway down at the bottom of the churchyard.
"We came as quickly as we could." Benedict explained, a little out of breath.
"We dropped the baskets of food we had collected," Samuel stated. Then he added eager to know," What is that terrible noise!"
"Where is it coming from!"
Suddenly the high pitched shriek was heard again,loud and clear.
"Screech,"
"Screech, Screech."
"Screech, Screech, Screech."
"Its coming from over there," Benedict exclaimed, pointing in the direction of the Vicar's garden that lay on the other aide of the high stone wall.
"Yes it is," Sesame agreed," listen 1 can also hear something else."
The Abbey Mice stood quite still, straining their tiny ears, they listened. At first the others were not certain. They couldn't hear anything.
"Listen herder," Sesame exclaimed. "You'll hear it after the screeching.
"Screech,"
"Screech, Screech, Screech."
"Chirp,
Chirp,"
"Chirp, Chirp."
"Chirp."
It was a sad little sound. As if someone was pleading, begging for mercy.
"Come on," Sesame suddenly shouted out, running over to the wall. "I've heard enough."
"Someone's in trouble and we must help them."
As
one the little Abbey Mice raced after their leader Sesame.
Within
seconds they had all wriggled through the tiny crack at the
base of the
stone wall ready to charge out acrass the vicars
garden. Popping out on the other side of the well the Abbey Mice
suddenly shrank back, motionless with fear. Pressing themselves hard
back against the stone well they gasped in horror. Where could they
hide, where it couldn't get at them.
"Steady everyone," Benedict commanded,in a low voice. "Everyone, remain calm."
Benedict was an intelligent mouse, always reading books and searching for Knowledge. He knew how to handle situations.
"It hasn't seen us ," he whispered, " so don't anyone make a move and he won't spot us."
Then he added menacingly.
"If it does, we are done for. They'll be no escape."
"Screech,"
"Screech,
Screech,"
"Screech, Screech, Screech."
Again and again the terrible sound filled the air, at this Robert let out a cry. He couldn't bare the strain any more. He was not at all brave at the best of times.
"Cover his mouth," Sesame snapped. turning and fixing Robert with a piercing stare.
"Cover his mouth and keep him quiet."
Immediately Samuel's strong hands clasped over the frightened little Mouse's mouth and held him tight.
"Screech,"
"Screech, Screech,"
"Screech, Screech,
Screech."
"Its
so big," whispered Hilary.
"What type is it."
"What
is it doing."
Hilary was usually very brave but even she was frightened.
"Its a hawk," Benedict murmured.
"One of the fiercest of the birds of prey."
His words sent a cold shiver of fear down the backs of the mice.
"A,
A, A, hawk," trembled Poppy.
"C,C,C,Could it, could
it;'
"Could it kill me."
Benedict turned and stared long and hard at the frightened little girl mouse.
"Not
only could it kill you Poppy," his voice very matter of fact.
"it could also kill the rest of us, and easily."
"Very, very easily."
The Abbey mice were speechless. They didn't dare to move. They could only stand and watch, as the powerful bird of prey soared high up into the sky. Pausing for a brief moment, as if eyeing up its target it then dropped, plunging earthward with the speed of lightning. Its razor sharp tallons set, its cruel hooked beak was ready to rip its prey apart. Repeatedly it attacked what appeared to the mice, to be a pile of stones over in the far corner of the garden.
"Why
is it doing that" Poppy questioned, her voice a faint whisper.
"I can't see why it wants to attack those
stones.
"no,neither can 1," Michael agreed.
He was becoming more frightened with each passing second. He wanted to go home and quickly.
"Perhaps
we should leave the vicar's garden now," he murmured
"after
all its only a hawk playing."
and slowly he started to
wriggle back inside the crack in the wall.
"You idiot," Hilary exploded.
She was a courageous little mouse and wasn't afraid of saying what she thought .
"Of
course it's not just playing."
"Look," and she
pointed.
"There."
"Between
the rocks,"
"Cowering down."
Benedict saw it first.
"Goodness
me," he exclaimed, anger welling up inside him.
"It's a
little bird."
"Thats whose been making the chirping noise, a tiny, little bird." '
Benedict was growing wilder by the second.
"Come
on, everyone," he shouted, his anger boiling.
"We've
got to save the little fella."
Taking a bold step forward Benedict raced off across the garden towards the little bird. At least he tried to. To his surprise however, he found that he couldn't move. He was being held back by his friend Sesame who was holding on tight to his jacket. With both paws.
"Steady on Benedict," Sesame hissed. "Just hold an a moment."
"If you rush off over there now you will most certainly be killed instantly.
Benedict continued to struggle for a moment and then he paused as if the impact of Sesame's words had slowly sunk in.
"You're
quite right of course," he said calming down.
"It would
be foolish of me. If the little fella is to be saved we must think
logically, we must have a sensible plan."
Sesame smiled patting his friend on the back.
"Good,
I don't want to loose a good friend, now do I!"
Benedict
grinned. "How nice," he thought,
"Sesame really
was a true friend."
Sesame turned and addressed the Abbey
Mice.
"Now then," he stated, taking command of the situation.
"Our first move is to send home any of you who will not be required in this operation."
"No need for anyone to get hurt needlessly.
He scanned the assembled Abbey Mice, as if selecting in his mind, who would go with him.
"I
shall need Samuel, Hilary and Benedict.
"You others go back
to the churchyard and hide."
Somewhat reluctantly the Abbey Mice scrambled back through the crack in the well.
"Hide under the large stones by the willow tree," Sesame ordered, watching his friends disappear.
"And don't come out until I tell you that it's safe."
Within seconds the four brave mice were left standing on their own. A little group of brave mice surrounded by the vicar's enormous garden.
"There is no going back now," Sesame stated, and he took a deep breath. "Come on," he commanded.
"Lets get to it."
"What is the plan then Sesame," Samuel enquired.
"First we have to find a safe hiding place and I think I know just where there is one. Follow me."
Scurrying across the garden making good use of the flower beds for cover, the brave little mice followed their leader. Eventually they reached the old wooden tool shed over on the far side. For several minutes the brave band of mice lay in the long grass behind it, puffing and panting. Having finally got his breath back Sesame was the first to speak.
"The plan is a simple one."
"I must distract the hawk and you will then rescue the little fella."
His companions looked at one another, stunned by what they had heard. The plan was a brilliantly simple one, but terribly, terribly dangerous.
"Surely
you can't be serious," Benedict gasped.
"It'll be
suicide for you if you do that."
"You will be killed by the hawk within seconds."
Sesame eyed his friend coldly.
"Can
you think of a better idea then," he added authoritively.
"Besides which , I am the leader and as such it is my duty
to go."
Benedict couldn't bare to think of his good friend getting hurt.
"I will go," he shouted angrily.
"NO you will not," Sesame snapped.
"I will," Benedict shouted back angrily.
"I will, Sesame growled insistantly.
"Stop,
Stop, Stop, Stop, Stop."
"Stop shouting. Stop
Shouting."
It was Samuel.
Sesame and Benedict stared at him in amazement. Samuel was red in the face.
"You two were so busy shouting at one another , you haven't seen what's happened.
"Look." and he pointed.
Benedict and Sesame stared in horror. In front of them, running across the garden, as fast as her little legs could carry her, Hilary was heading directly towards the killer hawk.
"Nearly there," "Nearly there,"
"Nearly there," Hilary muttered to herself as she sped across the vicar's garden.
"A few more seconds and I'm nearly there."
Dodging and weaving, in and out of the long grass, avoiding rose bushes end shrubs, the brave little girl mouse ran on.
"Nearly there,"
"Nearly there," she gasped, hoping to goodness that the hawk would continue attacking the stones and not notice her.
At long last, exhausted, Hilary reached the safety of the vicar's lawn mower. Wriggling in, she hid inside the grass box and collapsed panting and puffing in a heap. The vicar had been cutting the lawn earlier that day. Fortunately for Hilary he had left the box half full with grass cuttings when he had gone into the vicarage for his afternoon tea.
The grass was warm and sweet and if she hadn't have been in such , serious situation her surroundings would have been really pleasant and very cosy. Crouching down Hilary thought of what to do next. Her mind raced. Then she noticed a tiny crack in the edge of the grass box. Not big enough to climb through but enough to be able to peep out of. Wriggling over she peered out. she could see the stones. She could see the little bird trapped down between them. But strangely enough she couldn't see the hawk. Where is it. Had it flown off. What was it doing now. Suddenly an ear piercing screech filled the air. The hawk was again high up in the sky