Down the rabbit hole ...... Part II

The nettle tea was restorative and, as it always imbues our band of travellers with a feeling of positivity, I was pleased that the twins had the foresight to prepare a large pitcher of the delicious beverage. I sipped slowly and considered our plight.

The day had dawned clear, thus far, but ominous dark clouds, in the West, were fast approaching and the island had little in the way of shelter. Palm trees, bent double by previous storms, were of little use should the tempest return. We needed to leave this place; find a safe harbour. Our situation was desperate, but even the wariest of us could not fail to be amused, when the Crab king ventured across the beach and, in a squeaky but eminently polite voice offered to help us refloat the ship.

This would normally have been a hopeless task, but I had become used to accomplishing seemingly impossible things and called for the others to assist. The vessel lay, on its side, in the surf. Waves foamed over the barnacled hull, washing mussels and cockles and sending them scurrying for cover under a large, brightly striped umbrella. Young dolphins had appeared, with their chalk and slates and were now sketching the whole sorry spectacle, under the watchful eye of the Walrus, who sat, leering, on his rocky dais.

The crabs marched, purposefully, down the shoreline, their claws "click, clicking" on the silver sand. Tumbling into the turquoise waters, they scrambled under the immersed port-side and clambered, one on top of the other, to form a wedge shape. Together they pushed and pushed as the Knave and I pulled and pulled, but we needed more strength.

I shouted out to the playing cards, who were still drifting, listlessly, back and forth on the tide. One by one, they floated to the shore and shook themselves. Some of the soggier ones ran about until they were drier and their cardboard was strong once more. Then, working as a pack, they heaved and heaved and, just as we were almost collapsing with the effort, there was a huge "SLUUURRRPPPP" and the ship was righted !

Tweedledum and Tweedledee triumphantly carried the only straight palm tree, proudly, across the sand-bank .... we had our main mast ! Working swiftly, eyeing the ever approaching clouds, the Dormouse secured the 'mast' and tightened the bolts with the handy torque-wrench, that he always carried in his hip pocket. Thank goodness for the Dormouse and his capacious, hip pocket.

Fat raindrops began to fall and splatter onto the deck as we loaded the Cheshire Cat and our meagre rations. Then we hoisted the spinnaker. We must outrun this storm. The Knave had now been demoted to First officer and so he set to work, checking that the barrels were lashed and the sheets were secure in their cleats. In my new capacity as Captain, I took the wheel and, with a final salute to the crabs, I turned the ship into the wind. The sails filled and the ship sprung to life, scudding swiftly away from the island, as storm petrels flew high across the fast disappearing sun. And all the while, the unseen maelstrom dragged us ever nearer to its depths and the rabbit hole yawned down at us, from its unattainable height, high in the sky. I could never reach it. Would I ever see Dinah again ? ______________________________________________________________________________________

The above nonsense is my entry for this week's Word Game. As you can see, I adore "Alice in Wonderland"!!!Although, I doubt Lewis Carroll would ever forgive me.

You can find the rules and more sensible examples of the game if you visit Matt's blog on http://miblodelcarpio.blog.co.uk

This week the words that must be included in the story are;

LEERING, DAIS, IMBUES, WARIEST, RATIONS, DEMOTED, TORQUE, AMUSED, SOGGIER, POLITE.

This was first published on http://tearose.blog.co.uk