The Clockwork Princess

10 Zipwire to Manchester

Image - monorail right period.

Later Flying boy looked up.

'It's going to rain' he signed to the Princess.

She almost felt the rain drop hit her. It was as almost as if the cloud had deliberately got them far from the signal tower as possible. Just to make sure they would get as wet as possible. The Princess looked back to the tower on the horizon.

'The monorail is close' signed the flying boy.

Flying boy and the Princess walked more quickly. The forest was deep and dangerous around them, eventually they came to a strange staircase made of wood. Fly boy started up and the Princess followed. The staircase went up into the tree branches higher and higher. At intervals there was a small roof built over the staircase to rest at. Eventually they came on to a platform near the treetops.  It was like the highest tree house you could imagine. At first sight it looked like they had got nowhere. The Princess looked around, the platform was a mixture of wood and iron. 

There was a small waiting green room and a small box that was once the ticket office with a large clock on it. There was a station sign 'Telegraph hill Station' it said.The Princess looked down wooden floor in the middle of the platform was worn and scratched. Through the gaps between the planks she could see the ground far below. The wind pushed the trees making them look like a huge green sea in a storm.

'Where is the train?  What's wrong ? Where is the train?' asked the Princess.

The cat, the rat and flying boy laughed. The Princess looked at them pleading for an explanation.

'What's so funny?' she asked.

'Highness might not have realized but for Kings and Queens the train waits. For everyone else we wait for the train' said the rat giggling.

The Princess got a bit huffy at this. Suddenly there was a twanging noise above their heads. The Princess looked up to see some metal cables above the platform. They sang like very long guitar strings.

'Just on time highness. It's the 10:19 to Manchester' said the rat looking at the timetable. Looking along the cables the Princess saw the cable strung between a number of trees. Then in the distance she spotted the train coming along the track. 

The monorail rushed down the cable like a huge zip wire, except the cable went all the way to Manchester.  Instead of a harness there was a carriage. The bottom of the carriage looked like a sleek wooden ship sailing through the sea of green leaves. The top was made of glass and  looked closer to an old greenhouse. The monorail train slowed down and then slowly pushed its way through a gate in the side of the platform.

Everyone stood back to let the train stop.  A door opened in the side of the train and lowered its self to the ground like a drawbridge. The inside of the door formed a small ladder that they used to step into the train. It was warm and cozy inside the train.

'Hello, hello, hello' said the guard as they got in. 'Is that everyone? Right then.'He turned a handle to lift up the doorway. Then he tugged twice on a rope, a bell rang in the drivers cabin. The train slowly pulled away. The guard talked very quickly.

'Right then, come up to the end of the carriage, its next to the boiler there and nice and warm. Bet you're all cold standing on the top of that platform you are. That's right down here. Wasn't expecting to stop there. Not that I'm complaining mind you, not me Hensel Kibbins doesn't complain, why ? Nothing to complain about that why. Normally it's only the Janus sisters who get on there. Saturdays to go to market and Sundays to go to church. Regular as clockwork those two.'

The guard showed them down the carriage.  Along either side was a long row of wooded park bench seats. The Princess admired the shiny polished brass work as she went. Under their feet the monorail swung a bit like a boat.

'So what were you doing out in the forest, carriage broke down or sum'nt?'

'We were visiting our Aunts' the flying boy signed, not having to interrupt the guard while he was talking.

'Oh the Janus sisters your Aunts! Why didn't you say, I'll tell the wife, she'll be pleased so where you oft too then?' said the guard pulling out his ticket machine.

'err Manchester' said the Princess.

'Manchester ay? Lovely walls, we'll be there in a few hours. Lucky only two trains a day go though Telegraph hill and Manchester. I guess you know that. That will be sixpence for the two of you. I won't count your rat or your cat they go free'

The Princess looked at Flyingboy she was a Princess she didn't walk around with money. The flying boy didn't flinch and reached down to his ankle. He fiddled in his sock for a moment and came up with a silver bracelet. The Princess noticed what he was giving and boiled over.

'Hay' she said 'that's MY bracelet, that was a gift from the Duke of Northumberland' the Princess said.

Flying boy boy looked upwards trying to look innocent.

'Technically it's not yours either it belongs to the princess' reminded the rat and stopped when he saw the princess wasn't looking very happy at this.

'Ain't you got anything smaller?' said the guard.

Flying boy shrugged.

'OK I'll come back when I've got change' said the guard.

Flying boy handed the Princess the bracelet.

'You can have it if you want' he signed

The Princess put it over her small hand, it felt like hers. Knowing it was not hers worried her for some reason she couldn't quite think. It was a bit like sleeping with a pea in your bed, you can't quite sleep and could you wake up either.

Everyone looked out of the window and watched the world go by. At first the monorail was high in the trees and it felt like flying with a flock of silly birds who liked hitting branches. Sometimes the wire would get close to the ground and the world fuzzed by very fast like looking with your face scrunched up. Sometimes they dived like a large wooden rabbit into a tiny tunnel burrow. The carriage would go black then it would  shot out again like a large wooden rabbit discovering a hungry fox in its burrow. They shot over villages, they chased sheep in the fields, they raced horses.

After a while the Princess grew tired and fell asleep. She woke up in flying boys lap with him poking her.

'Look' he pointed 'Manchester'

The Princess looked out and saw the huge red walls and tall towers of the city of Manchester. The walls were higher than ten acrobats standing on top of each other. At each corner of the wall (there were eight the princess counted) stood a tall round tower like a giant barrel. The monorail passed over the canals. It joined up with other monorail wires. The monorails cables wove together like a huge monster's loom. Soon there were monorails flying above and below them, then in front and next to. The conductors and the drivers waved to each other as the monorail trains pass over the walls and into the city. The buildings in Manchester were huge and very grand, tall factories with massive glass windows. Offices taller and prouder than any town mayor and millions and millions of houses.

'Piccadilly central station' cried the conductor to the passengers who now filled the train.

The train pulled to a stop in a station like large grey glass bubble, big enough to hold a hundred trains. They thanked the conductor, who told them any time and they could pay on the way back. With a wave they walked down four staircases passed more monorail trains to get to the ground level.

Flying boy noticed another wanted poster for him and the Princess. Quickly put his coat and flying helmet on the Princess to hide her. She looked out from under the goggles and watched as she passed the huge crowd of people.

'Oh no' said the cat as he noticed that reward of him was now double what it had been in the forest.

'I will slowly suck you to death like a lolly pop' the irritated cat promised the rat hiding in the furry collar of the Princesses jacket.

Then the Princess noticed something.