Charlie: I can see them! – they’re coming back, and there’s some… some… um…
Charlie, who had never seen a Hunde before, couldn’t quite comprehend what he was seeing.
…some people with them, well I think they’re people – um – they look like, wow! They look like dogs – but they are walking like people!
The closer Raven, Lewis and their companions got, it was beyond any doubt; coming towards them were walking, talking, and real-life barking dog people.
Lewis: Hey Everyone! Come and meet our new friends – this is Grandma Bella, Angus, Fergus and Hamish.
– And just in case anyone was wondering, they are Hundes from the planet Hundeerde!
The boys now milled around, with the three hunde puppies prancing all about, sniffing, barking, and licking anyone, and everyone who came close enough. Fergus in particular took great interest in Charlie’s backpack, which turned out to contain a half eaten bag of cheezos.
Grandma Bella: Fergus! Mind your manners!
Fergus was immediately chastened, put his ears back and tail between his legs.
Fergus: I’m sorry Gramma – but cheezos – they smell sooo good!
Charlie: It’s OK! Here Fergus, I’ll share with you!
Fergus was delighted and immediately became firm friends with Charlie on the spot.
A whole round of introductions followed which took some time, as it wasn’t completely straight forward to sort out who was who amongst twelve boys and three excitable hunde puppies.
Over the excited chatter, Grandma Bella raised her voice just a little to be heard over the din and addressed the group.
Grandma Bella: Well hello everybody! I’m Grandma Bella, and I am sure we will all get to work out who is who eventually!
Now then, if you have all come from the city, then that’s quite a long walk indeed – and through the underground tunnels, I’m told? My, my, my, – but there is time aplenty to tell your story.
First things first – how about some lunch? And judging by the look of you, maybe a big tub of hot soapy water for a wash?
At this point there were a few sheepish looks, none-more-so than Lewis, who still had some of the splashed contents from that bucket, down his trousers. The promise of lunch was more than welcome to the tired and hungry boys and they eagerly all set off back towards the pub.
Grandma Bella fixed a large tub of hot soapy water in the scullery out the back of the kitchen. She then diplomatically, left the boys to take care of themselves; while she busied herself in the kitchen with preparing lunch, after shooing the puppies away under threat of being put in the tub themselves.
When the boys all emerged sometime later, and smelling somewhat cleaner, they couldn’t believe their eyes. Living on the streets of the city, some of them for years with constant food insecurity, had been the norm for them all. Laid out before them on the long wooden table near the fire was what to them seemed a feast. Freshly baked crusty bread, butter, cheese, cured meats, pickled vegetables and fresh fruit awaited them.
Charlie was almost beside himself willing himself to believe that what he was seeing was real.
Charlie: Guys! Look! Cheese! I haven’t seen real cheese for years!
For quite some time there was very little talk among them, as they were all far too occupied with satisfying their gnawing hunger, a level of hunger that they hadn’t quite realised they had before seeing the spread laid out before them.
At some point during lunch Grandma Bella brought in another new person to introduce.
Grandma Bella: Boys – I have someone else I’d like you all to meet.
This is Grandpa Jake, I’ve already told him what I know about you, but perhaps you would like to fill us in, on a bit more of your story, now that you’ve had something to eat.
Grandpa Jake: Hiya boys – it sure is nice to meet you all!
And so, it was. Between mouthfuls, the boys took turns to tell their stories, some of the boys only finding out for the first-time things about their friends that they never knew.
When it came to the telling of the events of the previous day – events that were still incredibly raw – and especially for Seb, the mood in the room became very quiet and subdued. Several of the boys had tears running down their cheeks as bit by bit their harrowing story was told.
At some point during all this the three puppies had crept very quietly into the corner of the dining room to listen. Not that they really understood everything that was said, but they knew sad when they saw it.
Hamish crept closer and closer until he was right next to Seb and he put his paws on his lap and looked up with his big brown eyes.
Hamish: I’m sorry your friend got hurted.
Once the table contained nothing more than a few crumbs, and the boys assured Grandma Bella that they couldn’t possibly eat anymore, they all helped to clear the table and take the lunch dishes back out to the scullery for washing up.
As the table was being cleared Grandpa Jake spoke very quietly to Grandma Bella.
Grandpa Jake: Bella – I think we are going to have to call this one in – the boys can’t stay here too long – the Marauders will eventually find out where they have gone.
Grandma Bella: I agree. It’s time to make a phone call.
Screw Pile Developments 