Lauren--Part Thirty-Two

Splog # 103

Thirty-Two

   Bart's face had appeared between the curtain and the door frame. His lips and, when he talked, his tongue seemed to have a light blue coating on them.

   "There's a pump and a bell and a rocking chair, well not just one, but watch out for the Sisotow. And when you hear the story..."

   He was interrupted by Jane.

   "You're getting everything mixed up. Did Captain Sharp send you out here?"

   "Of course he did. Would I be here if I hadn't been sent?"

   "All right. So why did he send you?"

   "He wanted to be sure you told her about the Sisotow."

   "All right. I'll tell her."

   There was a slight pause while Jane simply looked at Bart. He endured this for a moment, trying to avoid her eyes. Then he looked back at Lauren. His expression seemed to say "I could tell you a lot more but some people are always bossing other people around." He opened his mouth and Lauren thought he was going to speak despite Jane's frowning disapproval. But he licked his blue lips with his blue tongue, said "Bye" almost in a whisper, and then the curtain was rustling slightly where his head had disappeared.

   Lauren almost laughed while Jane blew air out between her lips in exasperation.

   "I hope he didn't confuse you. He can't seem to deliver a message without jumbling everything up together. The bell and the pump and the chairs are all on the way to the inn. King will be with you until Austin returns. The Sisotow..."

   Jane paused as if unsure of what exactly to tell Lauren.

   As she waited, Lauren puzzled over the word - See-soe-toe...

   And then Jane finished in a rush. "It's not until after the inn so you'll find out what you need there. It's a kind of a grassland and you'll need a candle but when you hear the story it'll explain everything. I don't know why Captain Sharp wanted you to know about it now. But maybe Bart got mixed up and I don't really know it myself..."

   She looked at Lauren with a small awkward smile and then ran to her and gave her a brief hug and hurried back inside.

   Lauren stood looking after her. She seemed really very sweet. And Bart was amusing with his blue tongue and funny faces. So this wasn't the inn that she would be stopping at. And now it seemed that there would be landmarks. A bell and a pump and a rocking chair...

   She still had a few carrot sticks in her hand. She took a bite of one and turned to the camel, who stood patiently gazing into the distance. As she walked toward it, chewing absent-mindedly, a realization dawned on her. She quickened her pace, saying at the same time (around shreds of carrot),

    "You must be King."

   The camel looked at her as she came up to it. There was no expression on its large face. She patted its nose and repeated, "I guess you must be King. They both said someone named King would go with me and you're the only one here so I guess you're King....Are you?"