Panache and the Great Hunt for the Acryli-Beast

[Panache]

Panache and the Great Hunt for the Acryli-Beast

A Victorian Tale of Horror told in Chapters

Chapter 25 (continued)


The huge explosion rocked the ship and threw David, Jake and myself to the starboard side of the Bomb Bay. (Curiously McMurdo standing toward the back of the chamber was thrown in the opposite direction where he was knocked unconscious when he struck a metal support.)

Miraculously the Saltire held together and we survived the blast.

More wondrous still, after the ringing in our ears had gone we found to our astonishment that the howling wind had ceased. Looking down through the open hatch we saw that the storm had magically abated and that now a gentle swirling current bore the individual shimmering iridescent hairs of the Acryli-Beast to fill the air. The stars shown brightly above us in the now clear sky and their light was reflected and refracted in the great prism made up of the millions of individual strands of the Acryli-Beast’s fur. The air shimmered and glowed with the brilliant spectral colors. Our zeppelin floated within a vast rainbow of indescribable beauty.

The glory of the Aurora Borealis had returned.

Standing naked in the bomb bay of my mighty airship I smiled and said half to myself and half to the others, “That went well”. Leaving David and Jake to take McMurdo to the Sickbay, I headed for the bridge. I made a quick stop by my cabin for another kilted outfit as I felt it best to set a good example in discouraging casual nudity amongst the crew. When I arrived there Mr. Mender greeted me with the glad news that Mr. Splash was alive and had radioed his position at the wreck of the Maple Leaf. Todd handed me his zeppelin commander's hat with a smile. I took it and placed it on my head at a jaunty angle and I settled into my Captain’s chair. “Set course for our wayward Mr. Splash and those rapscallions of the SOKS Todd” said I. “Ja Kaptain!” he responded and busied himself at the helm. David, Jake, and Mr. BEEDEE joined us at the bridge. Mr. BEEDEE carried his set of bagpipes and looked to me for approval. I nodded. With this our piper began to play the beautiful tune Highland Cathedral.

It was then I thought to myself that there are few instances of transcendent beauty in our lives, and those that we are lucky enough to come upon seldom last long. Fortunate were we happy adventurers who could share this one perfect moment, and in our memories it would remain forever.

Majestically the Saltire sailed Southward through the shimmering lights of the Aura Borealis to the noble and stirring music of the pipes.

To be Concluded