Dan Dan and the Noodles of Despair

The Dividing River

Returning to their original campsite amid the woodland they find Tiddlepuss and Floyd aside a small fire. Overjoyed to be reunited with their friends, they show them the dazzling Blue key. Talking long into the night they discuss the shocking poverty, the segregation and stupendous wealth they had witnessed. Sipping fresh tea in the jittery light of inquisitive fireflies, Anaximander reveals what else he discovered in Trumptonia.

'While in the great library, I found the evidence I sought to confirm my hypothesis regarding Bingo Bill and the wealth he has at his disposal. I can now confirm that he did not, as we suspected, find the gardener's hoard of hidden wealth, but rather he was directed there by the custodians of Trumptonia and under their guidance was able to access the considerable funds to build his army.'

'Are you suggesting that Bingo Bill is under the control of the custodians of Trumptonia?' asks Tiddlepuss alarmingly.

'No I'm not suggesting they are controlling him, I'm saying they have unleashed him.'

'Unleashed him?' exclaims Daniel questioningly.

'They want the same outcome, he and the Trumptonian rulers, the concentration of colour and power into the hands of a few powerful people. Bingo Bill will deliver them their goal. They have empowered him to use the hidden wealth and build the army of numbers to undermine society, marginalise the people, sacrifice the environment and seize control of the sheep. They want complete control of colour to ensure their long term dominance, spreading eventually beyond their own borders to all surrounding lands.'

'This is horrendous,' says Tiddlepuss 'The people...my people, this is grave news indeed.'

'Now that we understand the considerable support that Bingo Bill has and the size of this plot to capture the sheep, we must be especially careful. No one can know what we truly seek, no one can know what we have already discovered, and we must be extra vigilant in our travels.'

⦽

The next morning Dan wakes with his first long stretching intake of breath of fresh woodland air and sucks a feathery dandelion seed up his left nostril. He sits bolt upright and lets out a huge sneeze, the very worst way to wake up.

Looking about he sees the others gathered around a fresh fire and yet another bubbling pan of tea. Anaximander is stoking the embers while keeping guard over his precious brew.

Breakfast eaten, bags packed and the fire extinguished the troop head back down to the Dividing River making their way along the grassy bank, downstream to a small trading post.

Clustered around a market place and a small crane at the end of a jetty are several buildings and some livestock holding pens. They purchase tickets aboard a trading vessel headed for the towns on the delta and the great lake itself. The barge lies low in the water, laden with goods bound for Greenland.

Making their way South, on the fifth day of their voyage, Dan allows his hand to trail in the Dividing River. The cold water running over his wrist cools him down as they glide along the living artery of Greenland, the heartbeat of commerce flowing through the centre of the capital.

Nearing the city the river traffic intensifies until they are encompassed by all manner of trading and pleasure craft, floating communities of water dwellers living in boats and small huts on stilts above the water.

On land what began as a few farms on the banks of the river has steadily grown into higher concentrations of housing with roof gardens, tall organic buildings with trees and foliage draped like a cloak of life around their frame. Large glass Geo Domes reflect the clouds above and globular looking buildings constructed from clusters of Eco Bubbles stand erect while windmills turn gracefully in unison with the breeze.

The land is fertile with gardens and orchards between fields of luscious crops teeming with workers. Everyone healthy, smiling and looking like they're glad to be alive. A stark contrast to the outsiders of Trumptonia.