kids book

From “Odo and The Time Children”

Odo appeared to sulk. Turnip went searching for spiders and Meadowsweet
wondered why in this perilous situation they weren't worrying. Even as a young girl she
found men and boys difficult to understand. She looked through the gloom at the cat.
He'd become a super friend, but why oh why was he so vain? If life wasn't about him, he
became bored. Her brother wasn't much better. Here they were trapped in another time
and held prisoners, and Turnip made a game of it, finding spiders and seeing if they all
had lots of legs.
"Are you two going to take this seriously?"
Odo huffed and Turnip went on playing.
"Men! Never could fathom them out, sister."
Meadowsweet spun around, alarmed by the soft voice. Odo and Turnip didn't
seem to hear it and went on with what they were doing. Which in Odo's case was
precisely nothing.
Standing by an old oil drum was the roundest, chubbiest mouse Meadowsweet
had ever seen. Beautifully black and wearing hipster jeans and a short top, the mouse
looked the epitome of cool.
"Hey, sister, lost your tongue? Mind you, I have that effect one everyone.
Stunning is a word often used. Go ahead and admire me."
Meadowsweet found her voice.
"Are you really a mouse?"
"Sure am. The name's Dolores Montiverde, the greatest clubbing mouse ever to
grace a dance floor." The mouse did a series of twirls, followed by much wiggling and
giggling. "When Dolores swings and raps the garage-music is hip."
"You're very…" Meadowsweet remembered her manners… "large for a mouse."
Dolores gave the girl a dismissive look. "Don't get any ideas, kid. I'm a mouse.
Some dude tried to call me a rat the other evening. Forget it. Those rodents just don't cut
it when it comes to cool. You'd better…" Dolores suddenly stopped talking, froze for a
second, then ran helter-skelter on her stiletto-heeled boots to hide behind Meadowsweet.
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With trembling voice she said in a shaky voice, "Cat, is that a cat?"
"He's very friendly," Meadowsweet tried reassuring her.
"That's what all humans say. Pretty cat, here lovely cat, you sweetly flatter them,
and when humans are about the cats just purr and look soooo cute. Well, sister, you ain't
ever been chased by one of those feline fiends."
"Odo is friendly…honestly. Hey, Odo, Turnip, come and meet Dolores."
Her brother was excited to see such a beautifully dressed, chic and very plump
mouse. Odo approached with a more jaded attitude, his head down and arms folded.
"This is Dolores," Meadowsweet announced.
"A cutie with a booty," Dolores said in a preening manner. Turnip tried not to
giggle. It was difficult. This was one peculiar mouse. Odo simply nodded.
"So what are you three doing here? Normally life doesn't get going until about
midnight. Then it rocks!" Dolores said, giving them a dance floor shimmy. For one
dreadful moment, Odo thought the cool mouse was going to lapse into a rap. It was music
he couldn't take to in his time travels.
"We've been imprisoned," Turnip told the mouse. "By some very odd woman
called Diaboli Tempus."
Dolores slapped her little paw on her forehead. "Tell me about it. That woman is
one serious problem. She is soooo not liked around the club scene."
Odo at last took an interest. "Tell me about her? She says she knows me, but I just
can't place her."
"You gotta understand this is gossip. We mice don't get involved in the human
world. It's property deals, making money, the occasional war, then sitting around
boringly watching TV. What a life. We mice just PARTYYYYY." Dolores did another
adorable sashay, got a bit near Odo for her liking, and slid back next to Meadowsweet.
"Well, where was I? Oh yes, Diaboli. By the way, why did she shut you in this
barn?"
"She said we were spying on her building site," Odo answered indignantly.
"Down by the River Orwell?" the mouse asked. Turnip nodded.
Dolores adjusted her hipsters, which due to her plump tummy were slipping
down. "That Diaboli is a megalomaniac," the mouse said, shaking her head
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disapprovingly.
"What's that? Meadowsweet asked.
"Power crazy. Wants to rule the world," Dolores answered. "That site down by the
River, you say. We mice think that's where she is building the robots to help her in this
insane plan. Doesn't much interest us mice. Naturally, we'll go on clubbing and doing
what's important."
"Help save the world?" Turnip suggested.
"Nay," Dolores grinned. "Shop till we drop. Retail therapy forever. That's the
mouse motto."
Odo had a private thought that perhaps this idea about robots was a mouse
invention.
The children looked at each other in amazement. This was a very strange world
after their simple Saxon village.
"Must go," Dolores said. "I've been up all night dancing. Time to sleep." Dolores
gave them one final twirl, winked at Meadowsweet and strolled casually off into the dark
of the barn.
"I begin to see the light," Odo mused.
"Where? Still seems very dark in here to me," Turnip said. Odo gave him one of
his best feline contemptuous looks. "I mean understanding what's going on," the cat
huffed.
"Do tell us," Meadowsweet pleaded.
Odo settled down and gave one of his paws a lick. He was a very fastidious cat
who liked to look his best. "I've been thinking about where Diaboli might have seen me."
"And?" Turnip asked.
"Something tells me that tall evil lady is traveling in time as well. Maybe we have
passed in some time rift."
"But you can't control where you time travel, Odo," Turnip said. Odo looked most
annoyed. The boy was right but it was impolite to say so.
"How does that all fit in?" Meadowsweet asked.
"Time travel. Coins. Signs on family crests," Odo pondered.
"Horrible Diaboli, building site and what Dolores called robots," Turnip added.
"Just so," Odo nodded.
"So?" Meadowsweet prompted him.
"Puzzling, isn't it," the cat said.

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