Aunt Mischa?” Natalia said uncertainly.

“Can it be little Natalia?” The door flew open, revealing a short, stout warthog woman in a faded brown dress. Her grey curls peeked out from beneath a faded blue handkerchief. “Mischa! Mischa, front and center! Natalia is here!”

A tall, stolid woman emerged from the kitchen. With her came the stale aroma of boiled turnips and gruel. Like her sister, she was shabbily dressed, but instead of grey curls, hers were brown. She had a funny, almost wary, smile on her face as she looked at the two men standing behind her niece. In a low, soft voice, she murmured shyly, “Welcome, Natalia...and friends.”

“Don’t stand outside all day! Hurry up! Come in! Come in!” Aunt Ivanna said, pulling them into the house. She gave a quick glance around outside before shutting the door. “Were you followed?”

Confused, Natalia echoed, “Followed? Followed by who?”

“Nobody. Never mind,” Aunt Ivanna stammered, sharing a frightened look with Mischa. “Forget I said that. Make yourselves at home.”

They found themselves in a large parlor sparsely furnished with a threadbare sofa, two squashy armchairs, an old rocking chair, and a brown and maroon braided rug. An ice-encrusted stove, half in the parlor, half in the kitchen, stood in one corner, giving out a modicum of heat, not enough to take the chill out of the air. Curtains made of gunny sacks with ‘Grade-A Thembrian Gruel’ stamped on them were hung over the frosty windows. Despite its shabby appearance, the room was spotlessly clean.

Baloo and Louie flanked Natalia on the couch. Before Ivanna disappeared into the bedroom, she commanded, “Mischa, get our guests some refreshments.”

“Yes, si...sister,” Mischa said timidly. She went to the kitchen and returned with a plate of gruel cookies, which she offered to her guests.

Natalia gingerly nibbled on the hard little rock, then slipped it into her purse when her aunts weren’t looking.

Baloo hungrily chomped into his, but couldn’t bite through it. He was trying to crush it in his massive paws when Louie cried, “Ouch! Is there a dentist in the shack?”

“I’ll get you an icicle,” Mischa offered, hurrying outside.

Finally giving up on the cookie, Baloo slipped it into his pocket. He blew on fingers and rubbed them together, thinking that it was colder inside than outside, if possible.

Louie hid his cookie under the couch cushion, then slyly slipped an arm around Natalia.

“What do you think you’re doin’?” Baloo whispered.

“Keepin’ Natalia baby here warm.” He gave her a fond squeeze and leaned his head against her arm.

“Nuh-huh. If anyone keeps her warm it’ll be me.” The bear jerked a thumb at himself.

“If you think that, you’ve got strudel in the noodle.”

Their argument was interrupted by a big bang in the other room.

“What was that?” Natalia asked, wide-eyed.

Ivanna and Mischa, coming into the parlor, exchanged glances.

“We have trouble with...rats,” Ivanna explained as she climbed onto a footstool. From there, she climbed into the rocker.

“Bigrats,” Mischa added swiftly as she gingerly settled on the footstool at her sister’s feet. She handed the icicle to Louie, who put it in his mouth.

Ivanna kicked Mischa’s arm, inciting a contrite, “Sorry.”

“We summoned you here, Natalia, because...” Ivanna suddenly broke off. “Are you sure that we can trust these two outsiders?”

Smiling, Natalia said, “Oh, yes. These brave men volunteered to help me.”

“Hmm...” Pursing her lips, Ivanna peered at Baloo and Louie before continuing. “Two days ago, the safe containing our family jewels was stolen.”

“Jewels?” Baloo exclaimed. An astonished Louie took a bite out of his icicle.

Nodding, Mischa added, “All of Grandmummy’s jewels that she had before the Revolution.”

Ivanna kicked her again.

“Sorry,” Mischa mumbled.

Flashing her sister a warning look, Ivanna lisped, “Since Mischa and I never married...”

“No wonder why,” Louie murmured, thinking that they were the ugliest old crones he’d ever seen.

“The jewels were to go to Natalia after we passed on.” She lowered her voice and said significantly, “They were worth a fortune.”

Baloo and Louie’s ears perked up. “A fortune?”

“Just a small one,” Mischa added, causing Ivanna to ruffle like a little hen.

“I told you before. No short jokes, dear sister!”

“Sorry.”

“Unfortunately, without our jewels, we don’t have the money to go to Shropshear to retrieve them.”

Mischa nodded again. “That’s why we sent a telegram to you, Natalia.”

Natalia asked, “How do you know the jewels are in Shropshear?”

Ivanna handed her a scrap of paper. “The robbers left this.”

It was part of a label. On it was: Dyed in the Wool Yarn Factory, Clipping, Shropshear.

“Then that’s where we’re going,” Natalia said in determination, standing. Both Baloo and Louie, who had been leaning against her, fell inward on each other. “Don’t worry, aunties. We’ll get your jewels back.”

“Whoa there, Natty. These guys might be dangerous,” Baloo said, putting his hands on her shoulders. “You stay here. I’ll zip into Shropshear, grab the jewels, and zip out. No problem.”

Poking the bear in the chest, Louie said, “Not on your propellor. If anyone’s gonna play hero, it’s gonna be yours truly.”

“Bandy your japes, ape. I wanted to help her first.”

Before they started a scuffle, Natalia broke in with, “It’s flattering that you both want to help me and my aunts.”

Ivanna, a sly twinkle in her eyes, said, “Yes. Why don’t you young men go and steal...er, get back the jewels while Natalia stays here and visits?”

“I’d love to have a little girl talk.” Mischa fluttered her eyelashes with a giggle. “We can swap cookie recipes.”

Ivanna added, “Furthermore, you’ll be handsomely rewarded, handsomes.”

In a loud aside, Louie said, “She didn’t mean you, Baloo,” prompting a frown from the pilot.

“I know what we’ll do,” Ivanna continued. “Why don’t you meet us at Dimitri’s on the way back from your little adventure? It’s a little restaurant on the western edge of Thembria, right over the border. We’ll discuss your reward over a delectable dinner.”

Baloo’s stomach growled. “My kind of reward!”

“F...food?” Louie echoed, his mouth salivating. Like Baloo, he hadn’t eaten all day.

Simultaneously, both young men said, “Dimitri’s. Got it.”

“Now you must get going. No time to lose,” Ivanna said, pushing them to the door. “Get into the factory, get the safe, and get back here as soon as possible.”

Natalia pecked both aunts on the cheek. “I’ll be right back, dear aunties, as soon as I escort Baloo and Louie to their airplane. Then we can have a nice little visit.”

“How wonderful,” Mischa said, clasping her large hands together with a big smile.

The two Thembrian women stood at the door, waving their handkerchiefs as Baloo, Louie, and Natalia walked towards the airstrip on the outskirts of town. “Good luck, boys!”

Natalia, looking back over her shoulder, smiled. “Aren’t they sweet?”

“Just like candy, Sweet Cakes,” Louie lied.

Sea Duck

Fifteen minutes later, the trio found themselves at the snowy airstrip where the Sea Duck was waiting. Its sleek design and bright coloring was in stark contrast to the grey, hulking Thembrian craft.

“I don’t feel right about putting you two in danger,” Natalia said, her pretty face creased with concern.

“Aw, don’t worry your purdy head, Natty. Danger’s my middle name,” Baloo said jauntily.

“I woulda guessed lily-livered,” Louie smirked.

“How can I ever thank you two?” Natalia said, looking from one young man to the other.

Louie sidled up next to her, grinning. “I’m sure you’ll think of somethin’ by the time we get back.”

Baloo opened the cockpit door, grabbed Louie by the scruff of the neck and tossed him into the plane. He then climbed in after him. “So long, little lady. Heroism calls,” he said, waving his hat.

From the interior of the cockpit, Louie said, “An’ I’m answerin’.”

Baloo closed the door, started up the engines, and yelled out the window, “Don’t worry, Natalia. We’ll be back with your jewels in a jiffy.”

As the Sea Duck taxied down the snowbound runway, Louie said from the co-pilot’s seat, “It’d go faster without you to slow me down.”

“Ha! That’s a laugh. How are you gonna get there? I got the plane.”

Louie tapped his temple. “But I got the plan, Stan.”

Cupping her hands to her mouth, Natalia yelled, “Good luck, my brave heroes!”

Louie scrambled onto Baloo’s lap and stuck his long arm out the window.

Annoyed, Baloo had to crane his neck to see over Louie’s turban. “What are you doing?”

“Wavin’ at Natalia baby.”

“She was wavin’ at me!” Baloo retorted, plucking Louie from his lap and tossing him into the co-pilot’s seat.

Louie snorted and straightened his turban. “Fluff up your pillow and dream, flyboy. She was wavin’ at me. You just happened to be in the way.”

Their argument escalated as the Sea Duck gained altitude and flew west, towards Shropshear and adventures unknown.

End of part 1

Two More for the Road
part 2

Aunties’ House

As soon as Baloo, Louie, and Natalia rounded the corner, Ivanna said in a decidedly male voice, “Quick, Dunder, we have to leave before that girl gets back.”

“But, Agent Spigot, sir, shouldn’t we at least let the old ladies free first?” Dunder opened a closet door, revealing two elderly women, who were bound, gagged, and blindfolded. “You remember what Agent C taught us in spy training.”

“Of course I remember what Agent C taught us in spy training!” Spigot snapped. “What kind of fool do you take me for?”

“How many kinds are there, sir?” Dunder wondered.

Annoyed, Spigot cleared his throat and recited, “Rule number one was never tell anyone you’re

Previous Page

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Next page