Generation Gem

The Tunnel

Jamie, Miles and I landed with a thud outside Jamie's log cabin. We were back in the Sapphire Generation. I took a deep breath, longing to remember this world and everything it meant to me. I clasped my necklace, gently stroking my Sapphire, then looked at the boys.

"Are we all in agreement?"

Jamie nodded enthusiastically, but Miles seemed somewhat subdued.

"What about you Miles? Are you thinking what we're thinking?"

He sighed, his eyes clouding with sadness.

"You know I am, but look at me. What use can I be? This damn chair....."

Jamie walked over to him, grabbing the handles of his wheel chair and hitting his shoulder in a good mannered way.

"Don't worry about it mate, we've got your back."

I smiled at Jamies words. He looked at me and gave a small nod. It was time. Jamie leant down, fumbling for something on the ground near a bamboo root, before taking Mile's wheelchair again. He held up a wand, a grin of satisfaction on his face. I raised an eyebrow in question.

He just shrugged.

"It's always good to keep a spare lying about. Having access to wands was the only perk about being a slave for the authorities and traveling to the other worlds."

He murmured a quick spell and suddenly we were gliding along through the Sapphire world at around eighty miles per hour. In no time at all, we were at the Sapphire entrance. I turned back, getting one last glance at the world in case I never saw it again, then pushed open the door, wrinkling my nose at the smell of the tunnel.

We walked along for ten minutes, Jamie pushing Miles and me walking alongside them. We came to a stop at a commotion in front of us, gasping as we saw Maisie appear before our eyes. We couldn't hug her because of the fact that she was a ghost and us Sapphires would die a little bit if we even tried, so we held out our hands in salute. No sooner had we finished greeting her, Popkins appeared with a bang, falling on his behind.

He muttered a few curse words and got up, rubbing where he had hurt. He pushed his round spectacles up his nose then caught sight of all of us, beaming with pride. I squealed and launched myself at him, gripping on to him tightly. He chuckled and stroked my hair.

"Nice to see you too Cassie."

He nodded at the others in greeting and I pulled away, giving him some space. He frowned, then looked at me.

"Do you think Mel will turn up?"

"Of course she will Popkins. She will."

His frown deepened and he looked at his arms, poking one of his indistinguishable tattoos.

"But she's supposedly the Mayor now. Fancy pants Mayor of The Rubies. She might not be thinking along the same lines as us."

I was just about to tell him otherwise when a flash of red crossed our path and Mel faced us in all her glory. She was wearing a red, jewel encrusted top with tight fitting jeans and heels, she looked amazing.

"Who are you calling fancy pants? If you ever doubt me again, I'll have you all beheaded now I'm the Mayor."

Popkins rolled his eyes.

"You're the Mayor, you aren't an old fashioned Queen from the past human days."

We giggled at the exchange, as Mel sauntered up to Popkins.

"I'll start with you first, you pesky wizard."

Her eyes were filled with amusement as she flung her arms around him, kissing him. After the exchange, Popkins smiled shyly, putting an arm around her shoulders.