Sharmuziks: Beyond the Great Glad. Tim Brick

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СКАЧАТЬ day wrong?” asked Barti, not seeing the master of the house.

      Nolton got up and looked at his friends. At the same moment, he remembered one very important thing: today was his birthday.

      Actually, the Sharmuziks did not have a calendar. And, at first glance, it was difficult, even impossible, to understand when exactly a birthday should be celebrated. But in reality, things were much simpler for the residents of Shmur. They simply agreed among themselves on when the birthday of one of their friends should be celebrated. The main thing was that it should happen in the season – say summer or winter – during which the Sharmuzik in question was born. Moreover, they had a special tradition. Sharmuziks never bought presents for birthdays; they made them themselves. Thus, those who had friends who made valuable jewellery were most lucky.

      Usually Nolton would lay a festive table and would have a great time with his friends. But this time was different from all the other times. Having asked his friends over to a table on which instead of food lay a map and a notebook, Nolton recounted the events of the evening before. While Lumi and Renchi listened attentively, and Archi jotted down something in his notebook, Barti decided to feast by himself on the cake that he himself had baked.

      “And then, when I started reading this diary, in addition to the map, I found strange drawings,” said Nolton and turned over a few pages of the diary – on one there was a hand-drawn figure of sorts… the image of a creature.

      “Lumi, look! The figure in the drawing is just like the one we found used as a bookmark in one of the books, “Renchi said’. “By the way, if I’m not mistaken, that drawing is still in my pocket,” continued Renchi, taking out of his right pocket a half-torn drawing of a lamp on legs.

      “And now bring it up to here,” said Nolton, turning the page and pointing to the place with the remains of a torn page. The Sharmuziks placed the drawing in the right place in the diary and realized that these parts completed each other.

      “Incredible. But whose diary is this? And why are you so sure that this map is real?” asked Archi, even putting his notebook aside in surprise.

      “Unfortunately, I do not know whose it is, and I can’t be sure of the authenticity of this map. I’ve never been beyond the Great Glade, just as you.”

      “That’s a shame that we’ll never know what’s there in reality. In order to do that, we’ll have to leave the city and embark on a long journey. To unknown lands, where unknown creatures live,” Archi said musingly.

      Following these words Lumi, Renchi and Nolton exchanged glances and then looked at Barti, who was calmly carrying the last piece of cake to his mouth. Noticing the gaze of his friends, Barti froze with the spoon in his hand.

      “What? That is… You seriously want to go to…”

      “Yes, indeed! We’ll go on a journey and see for ourselves what lies beyond the Great Glade. Good idea, Barti!” said Nolton.

      “No, I’m not…”

      “Well then… in that case, we’ll have to go to the workshop to prepare everything we need for the road,” said Lumi rising from the table and heading with Renchi towards the front door.

      “Hold on, what about…”

      “I’ll go back to the office and grab reams of blank paper, after all we’re bound to come across many interesting things along the way,” said Archi and headed towards the front door too.

      “But what I wanted to say is…”

      “Yes, definitely, Barti, we’ll certainly need food supplies for the road, take as many cans of nuts and drinking water as possible,” Nolton said leading him to the exit. “I’ll be expecting you after lunch!” he said to his friends and closed the door after them, right in front of Barti’s nose, who remained standing there in front of the house looking perplexed.

      As if under a spell, Barti stared at the shut door. A terrible picture emerged in his head: an unknown, dreadful dark forest where his friends were heading. And who knew what dangers lay in wait for them in the dark, around every corner? At that moment, there was one thing Barti was sure of: if his friends really embarked on this trip, he would not go along with them for anything in the world. Thus, if one was to find the most easily frightened Sharmuzik among all the inhabitants of Shmur, who was afraid of his own shadow, then without a doubt, it would be Barti, hands down.

      Part 3. Outbound!

      The Sharmuziks loved to undertake important matters exclusively on a full stomach. That was why, after enjoying a hearty lunch, Nolton put on his travel outfit, packed his telescope in his backpack, the diary and the map. He flung it on his back, came out into the front yard and was about to close the door when he suddenly stopped and went back into the house. He returned with a small wooden plate and hung it on the doorknob. The plate read: “I’m off on an expedition. Don’t know when I’ll be back.” And so, locking the door and putting the key in his pocket, Nolton sat on a bench and waited for his friends. After some time, Archi came to the house with a crossbody bag with sheets of paper sticking out of it.

      “Where’s everyone? They’re not here yet?” Archi asked, surprised.

      “Not yet,” said Nolton.

      After getting a response, Archi sat next to Nolton and took out of his bag a blank sheet of paper and a small case from his pocket. This was where he kept his golden pen, which was presented to him as the best correspondent in Shmur. Archi began jotting down on the blank paper. Nolton, who was sitting next to him, with his usual curiosity, decided to take a look at what exactly his friend was writing. There were already a few sentences on the paper: “The story began in a city that was not very large, yet not small in the slightest either…”

      “Ahem,” Barti, who had just come up to the house, cleared his throat.

      “Ah, there you are, Barti. Good that you came. We’re still waiting for Lumi and Renchi before we can leave,” said Nolton.

      “Yes, but I…” Barti wanted to say something again.

      “And there they are, it seems that we won’t have to go on foot. Look!” Archi interrupted, noticing a large car on four legs making its way in the direction of Nolton’s house and in the cabin of which were sitting Lumi and Renchi. It was the Stilt, one of the inventions of the talented masters. The Sharmuziks used it to pick the fruits of very tall trees. Depending on the tree, the legs of this machine could be shortened or extended. When the Stilt approached the group, its cabin began to slowly descend to the ground, until the Sharmuziks were able to enter it using the steps. Nolton and Archi dexterously climbed into the Stilt’s cabin, while Barti remained standing on the ground.

      “Barti, are you going to just stand there?” asked Archi looking out of the cabin.

      “I’m… just… I…” Barti tried to say something.

      “Hurry up, it’s time to make a move,” said Archi and returned to his seat.

      Barti was very afraid of heights. To reach the cabin, which was a few metres off the ground, he had to climb a rope ladder, which was swinging in all directions to make things worse. Trying to overcome his fear, the Sharmuzik grabbed the ladder and started to move up one step at a time. So as not to look down, he simply shut his eyes, and this really helped. In a minute, Barti had finally reached the cabin and sat in one of the seats, catching his breath. The cabin slightly lifted above the ground, and the Stilt began to walk towards the exit from Shmur.

      The СКАЧАТЬ