Travel to Sockland

Chapter 23

Arnie looked down at the gathered pens standing guard over the gate below. There was quite a number. He thought his pencils would be outnumbered by about 10 to 1. He had expected this and knew the odds were too great to win in outright battle. Luckily his plan didn't include a suicidal charge on the gate.

"Arnold? What are we going to do now?" Flimgog spoke up, sounding hesitant and unsure. Arnie looked down at his companion but didn't answer immediately.

"I'm going to get down there and face the girl." Arnie said, trying to sound like he knew what he was talking about.

Alagog was there too and responded before Flimgog could speak. He sounded irritated. "You can't go in there on your own! That is madness."

"On the contrary, I must." Arnie kept his voice level and calm as he spoke. "If we attack, we don't stand a chance. You and your soldiers are outnumbered at least 10 to 1. And that is only with the soldiers at the gate. We don't know how many others there are in the village itself."

"But Arnold, you will be captured for sure." Flimgog piped in. His squeaky voice was filled with concern. "Perhaps we should leave and return with more soldiers."

"No. If we leave now, it will be too late. It is now or never. The only way to let the pen leader know what has been happening is through the girl. I must find her and let her know what's been happening. Then we can end this thing." Arnie was convinced that this is what had to happen and it was evident through his tone of voice.

Alagog and Flimgog stared at him in disbelief but didn't say anything further. He could tell they were both thinking about it, trying to find ways around his plan. He knew they wouldn't find an alternative.

"Don't look so serious." Arnie said, attempting to lighten the mood somewhat. "I have a plan."

"What is your plan?" Alagog asked, He did not sound convinced. Arnie looked down at him and forced a smile onto his face as he answered.

"I'll go down there towards the gate." He pointed down the hill. "You will run down ahead of me and create a noisy diversion. As that is happening and the pens prepare to defend I will veer off to the left and jump the wall. No doubt it won't take them long to notice and give me chase but I think I will have enough time to make for that house where I assume the girl is. From there I can hopefully talk to her." He pointed at the large, human-sized house as he spoke.

Flimgog and Alagog fell were silent again for several moments before Flimgog finally nodded his agreement. Alagog was the one who spoke. "I see no alternative, though I still think it is madness."

Arnie bowed his head slightly. "Don't fight the pens. Once I'm over and before you reach the gate, turn and run back. I don't think they will follow."

"Very well." Alagog said. "We shall prepare the troops. When do you want to do it?"

"As soon as you can be ready. There's no point in hanging around or waiting. And Stickler is coming with me. Have him tied up and ready." Without another word, the two pencil leaders scurried off to ready their troops. Arnie watched them prepare. Despite the certainty in his voice and the knowledge that they were doing what had to be done, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous. And while he didn't like having the paintbrush tied up, he didn't feel he could take any risks of him escaping while he was embroiled in the dangers of the village.

It didn't take long for the soldiers to be ready. They stood in formation at the top of the hill with Flimgog and Alagog in the lead. Arnie spoke to them all. "As you have been told, we are going to attempt to end this war. You are to create a diversion while I get into the village. Don't enter a fight unless it's unavoidable. There's no need for unneccesary risk. So, be safe and I'll see you shortly." He kept his voice strong and steady despite his growing feelings of fear and apprehension.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes! We are ready!" they called in unison.

"Charge!"

The pencils took off down the hill, yelling and screaming as they went. Arnie was momentarily startled at the volume coming from this group of small beings. He took off behind them, following down the hill. He saw the pens at the gate tense and move into battle positions, ready for a fight. They moved with streamlined efficiency.

As the pencils drew nearer, Arnie turned and speeded up. He ran towards a point to the left of the gate towards the wall. Out of the corner of his eye, as he approached the wall, he saw his pencil soldiers slowing down and stopping a short distance from the pens at the gate. There was a moment of stillness where both sides were staring directly at one another and then, just as suddenly as it had happened, it was over as the pencils began to run back up the hill. Arnie reached the wall and leapt with all his might. He held one hand to his pocket where Stickler was securely stored as he landed with a thud and fell to the ground, banging his knee as he slid to a stop. It took him a moment to recover.

He was inside! He made sure Stickler was still firmly in place and got to his feet. He looked towards the gate. Some of the pens seemed to be returning after having given chase to the pencil soldiers but he had been right about them not going far from the gate. The pencils were back at the top of the hill and the pens were in their positions at the gate. Arnie was surprised to see they hadn't noticed him yet.

He turned towards the building he was aiming for. It stood a little way further into the center of the village. He glanced back at the gate guards, they were still in position facing the pencils on the top of the hill, and so he looked back to the building he wanted to get to and took a step forward.

He made it about two steps when the front door opened. Out streamed a batch of pen soldiers, probably about 30 of them. As they finished filtering out of the building Arnie's heart jumped to his throat. At the back of the group came the girl. Arnie froze and looked at her, shocked. The greyscale pencil drawing hadn't prepared him for the real thing.

She was about his height, but that was where the similarity ended. She had shoulder length hair, dyed a mixture of blue, green and yellow. Her face was pretty, symmetrical and pale. Her glowing eyes were greyish green. She was wearing a paint splattered white t-shirt beneath a set of denim dungarees. He made eye contact and could see from the look on her face that she was as shocked as he was. He opened his mouth to call out to her, unsure what exactly he was going to say.

Before the words left his mouth the pens were upon him. In his shock he didn't defend himself. They tackled his legs and he fell backwards onto the ground. "No!" he called. "I'm not an enemy."

The pens held him down. He was amazed, as he had been with the pencils, at their strength. He tried again to stop the onslaught. "I have news to stop the war. Please stop."

"Stop!" The pens stopped instantly at her command and stepped back. Although they had stopped their attack he could tell they were on their guard and ready. He looked up as the girl arrived next to where he lay and gazed down at him. She didn't say anything.

"I am here in peace with news to stop the war." Arnie kept his voice light and friendly, despite the panicked feeling he felt. Mixed in with his apprehension he felt a fluttering in his stomach.

"My name is Arnie."

The girl looked at him as though sizing him up. He held her eye contact and she his. He felt that her greyish green eyes were boring into his mind. When she finally spoke her voice was lilting and soft. It sounded musical. And while he couldn't place her accent exactly, it made him think of Scotland. His stomach did a somersault that he couldn't explain.

"My name's Isabelle and it sounds like we have some things to discuss." A slight smile played upon her lips as she held out a hand to help him up.

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