The Whale's Song (Book 1)

Chapter Nineteen. A situation bent out of proportion.

The lights in the Inner Chapel of Lots of Space went out. Jakle wobbled uncertainly. Lowering his cane he leaned on it as he watched the frightened, huddling form before him. He clicked his tongue thoughtfully. It wasn't a child, of that he was certain. It was too big. Which meant it was a man. Which meant Jakle would probably have to apologise.

Hobbling forwards, he picked up the candlesticks and placed them back on the alter. Then, he pulled out a packet of matches from his pocket and relit them. He had no idea what happened to the electrical lights, but they weren't his problem.

'Come on, lad,' he gummed the words out. 'Get up!' With his free hand, Jakle scooped up Oscar and placed him on his feet.

Trembling, Oscar swallowed nervously as he took in the giant man before him, leaning on a stick. It wasn't a monster. And it wasn't carrying a sword.

'Um,' he tried, looking around nervously at the spilled wax lying all over the floor. 'Sorry. I wasn't aware there was anybody else in here. Um,' Oscar paused, looking over at the opening in the wall. He turned back to the stranger. 'Um, where did you come from?'

The man ignored the question. He looked keenly at Oscar. 'What is your name, lad?'

'Oscar. Oscar Wilder. Who are you? And, if you don't mind me asking, where did you come from?'

'My name is Jakle. Doctor Henry Jakle. And I came from my room. You're intruding.'

'Oh, uh, sorry?' Oscar frowned. 'I thought the ship owned this place?'

'The ship owns the physical, I own the immaterial. The idea is mine!' snapped Jakle, hobbling over and poking at the spilled wax with his cane, he turned sharply to Oscar.

'The mess you'll have to clean up. I expect every visitor to my chapel to clean up after themselves.'

'Listen,' tried Oscar, attempting to put some strength into his words. 'I didn't know you were here. And I certainly didn't expect anyone to come running at me, screaming a war cry and waving a stick. This mess would not have happened if you hadn't snuck up on me from your black hole,' snapped Oscar, folding his arms defensively before him. His mind blinked as it caught up with what his mouth had said. 'I mean, your black hidey hole, not an actual black hole. Because no one can ever emerge from one of those,' he remarked dryly.

'What are you mumbling about, boy?' demand Jakle, hobbling over.

'I mean,' Oscar faltered as Jakle towered over him. 'Uh,' he took a step back and reassessed the situation. 'I think,' he said, slowly, 'that I'll clean up the mess, but you owe me an apology for scaring me into making the mess.' He paused, his eyes narrowing as he tried to make sense of what he had just said.

Jakle was doing the same, his head on an angle. He mouthed something, shook his head and then tried again. 'I came out because something disturbed me from my writing.'

Oscar's eyes flicked quickly from the bent candlestick back to Jakle, who, he was relieved to see, hadn't seen it.

'I've no idea what that was,' he said, quickly. 'I was alone in here and didn't hear a thing. Maybe it was the ship?'

Jakle stared inquisitively at him. 'The ship?' he murmured. 'Could have been,' he said. He frowned, looking closer at the candlesticks. 'What's this?' he demanded, picking up the bent candlestick.

Oscar shivered, racking his brain for something to say. He shrugged. 'I did fall into them when you frightened me,' he suggested, subtly.

Jakle looked at him. 'Alright,' he agreed. 'Maybe it was the ship that was the noise I heard. I'm sorry about the fright.' He indicated the mess. 'Usually it's kids terrorising my peaceful sanctuary. I didn't expect to see a grown up.' He put the candlestick back in its place. It fell over.

Oscar exhaled, relaxing with relief as his lie was bought. 'It's all right,' he accepted the apology and bent to begin scrapping the wax off the floor. 'So,' he paused, racking his brain for something to say. He caught a topic and ran with it. 'You're writing a book, you say?'