As the summer weeks passed Raven continued to work on his parquetry coffee table, gluing and clamping rectangular blocks of wood together on his workbench. Each piece was carefully placed, light against dark — the pattern appearing as he progressed. Meanwhile over at the waterwheel the tumbler continued to turn, polishing Raven’s latest batch of stones. They would soon be ready and he eagerly awaited the result.
On Wednesday afternoons and weekends both Raven and Seb found themselves at the Veldmeer Airfield, enthusiastically helping out with whatever was needed. Helping to move gliders out on to the apron ready for flying, running wing tips for the pilots, retrieving the winch rope, and asking questions, lots of questions. Both the boys were firmly hooked, there was just something about these sleek, quiet flying machines that ignited something in each of them. A desire to fly or at least be near things that flew. For the first few weeks they simply continued turning up and helping in any way they could. They even managed to score one or two more flights with other pilots who wanted to increase their hours in the twin. One Wednesday afternoon Daan casually came over and found the boys washing down a glider and drying it off with a chamois.
Daan: So um… how about it then, would you two goobers like to learn how to fly?
Seb froze mid wipe with his chamois. Had he heard Daan right? Did he really just say what he thought he’d said?
Seb: Learn to fly? Well… yes! Of course… but — how will we pay for the lessons?
Daan: Well, all you need to know is that the cost of the lessons has been taken care of, for both of you.
So Raven, what do you have to say?
Raven had just about dropped the bucket of soapy water when he heard Daan’s offer, but now he had a huge grin on his face.
Raven: Yes, of course yes! But who? Who has paid for the lessons? Grandpa and Grandma?
Daan just laughed.
Daan: Not exactly. Let’s just say that there are people looking out for you, and no, they are not the ones who you might think.
So — who’s up first?
Both the boys grinned at each other.
Seb & Raven: Rock, paper, scissors!
Seb & Raven: Rock, paper, scissors!
Seb & Raven: Rock, paper, scissors!
Summer also brought the next round of birthdays. Charlie had turned thirteen in early summer baking himself a huge chocolate cake, which was eagerly shared by everyone. Harry was the next thirteen year old off the block, and this time Charlie baked him a carrot cake, using carrots from the garden that Harry had grown himself. One birthday in particular had been anticipated for several months.
The twins were about to turn six. Preparations had been extensive. Summer meant strawberries, and Hamish loved strawberries. Charlie had promised Hamish that he would bake him a red velvet cake, with strawberries on top. Hamish promptly detailed Seb to take him to the strawberry patch to help him pick the strawberries for his cake. There was zero question about what cake Charlie would make for Fergus. A baked cheesecake, made with Headwall’s own speciality cream cheese, taken straight from the cellar caves tucked into the headwall.
The big day arrived, warm and sunny, so tables were set out under the trees in the orchard — a real carnival atmosphere. Angus, who had turned seven in the spring, decided that he was to be in charge of all the party games. There were the usual ones, pass the parcel, musical chairs, and also some that were more Hunde specific like tag your tail. Due to the human boys lacking the required appendage for such a game, Rupert had made a full set of assorted tails, in different styles that were held on by a band around the waist. There were long ones, fluffy ones, and even a huge dinosaur one that was more than perfectly capable of taking out an unsuspecting drink or unattended plate left on a table.
Hamish had especially insisted on inviting Timo, Toby, and Hans to the party. Not strictly the usual demographic for a six year old party, but their now regular visits to Headwall, had made them practically extended family.
During the games and general mayhem of the party, Lewis and Hans slipped quietly away to check on Lewis’ hydro station, now much improved from the improvised version in the spring. Lewis with Daan’s help, now had proper stakes driven into the stream bed with suitable markings to measure the height of the flow. Exactly twenty metres up stream was another stake where a float could be put in the flow of the stream and its speed of travel downstream measured. Lewis had been keeping and recording daily measurements since spring.
Hans: What’s our flow rate today, Lewis?
Lewis dropped a float in at the top marker, and was tracking its progress down to the set of markers by the stone bridge. He tapped thoughtfully on his tablet and made the calculations.
Lewis: Today we are at 9 m³/s that is 37.5% of the peak spring flow of 24 m³/s.
Hans: So, summer flow is running at just over a third of spring. That tracks.
Lewis pushed his glasses up his nose and looked again considering the spreadsheet on his tablet.
Lewis: Yup, that is how the data has been tracking over the last couple of weeks. Significant taper at the end of spring, early summer and then levelling off over the last couple of weeks.
Lewis and Hans sat on the grass, a warm breeze complementing the gentle sound of the stream lapping and bubbling over the stones. Between them as usual, sat Dogger. Hans reached over and picked him up, with a studied expression.
Hans: When I first met you, I didn’t quite understand Dogger. He is not quite the same as the soft toys that we have here on Hundeerde. Ours are usually like us, with legs and arms.
Hans continued to hold Dogger in his paws.
Dogger is like an Earth dog, who walks on all fours. Your dogs don’t talk, do they?
Lewis: No, our dogs don’t talk, they usually live with humans as pets.
Hans shuddered slightly.
Hans: Ugh. I don’t think I’d like to live with a human as a ‘pet.’
Lewis chuckled.
Lewis: No, I guess not. Living with you would be a bit different though. Dogs on Earth poop in the yard and you have to clean up after them! I think I like you better as a friend, who knows how to use a toilet.
Hans screwed up his nose and snuffled in disgust at the idea of pooping in the yard.
Hans: Where did Dogger come from?
Lewis didn’t answer straight away, as he considered his answer.
Lewis: I’ve had Dogger since as long as I can remember. My mum said that she got him at a village jumble sale. So, he had already belonged to someone else before me. Sometimes I wonder about who it was that Dogger belonged to before me. But…
Lewis’ voice trailed off.
That was from before.
Hans: When everyone got sick?
Lewis: Yeah. From before everyone got sick.
Hans: Will you tell me about it, what really happened?
Lewis became still and quiet before he answered.
Lewis: It all happened really fast. Everyone all around us were getting sick. People just had to do what they could at home — there was no room in any of the hospitals. When people got sick, it only took a few days, before—
Lewis’ voice trailed off. Hans knew what he meant.
Hans: It sounds really scary.
Lewis: Yeah. Everyone was scared.
I was scared.
Hans: What about your family?
Lewis: They all got sick.
First my Mum — then my Dad. They took them away, in black rubbish bags. They came in white suits with masks — I never saw their faces.
For a while it was just me, and my big sister, Alice. But then—
She got sick too. No one came to take her away. I left her in bed with her favourite soft toys — she had loads, but I only had Dogger.
Most people got sick, but I didn’t. I don’t know why.
I was alone — alone for a long time.
All I had left, was Dogger.
Hans: How did you meet the other boys?
Lewis: I was looking for food. I was always looking for food.
One day Red found me when I was looking through a dumpster. He took me to the basement and I met the other boys, they were all older than me, but they all became my family. I’d never had brothers before, and then suddenly — I had loads. Loads of big brothers.
One day the Marauders came, and we had to leave the basement in a hurry. I couldn’t find Dogger and I didn’t know what to do. I thought I had lost Dogger too, and I was frightened. But Raven found him and gave him back to me.
I squished Dogger tight. I always squish him when I’m sad.
Raven, he looks out for people, he looks out for Seb too. Seb saw the Marauders shoot Red. Seb is sad, but he hides it, just like lots of us do. Sometimes I give Dogger to Seb, so he can squish Dogger tight too.
Hans who had been holding Dogger all this time gave him back to Lewis.
Hans: Does Dogger need a squish now?
Lewis: Yeah.
Lewis took Dogger from Hans and squished him tight.
Then as if on cue, Seb appeared next to them.
Seb: There you guys are! It’s time for the food and cake!
Lewis and Hans, got up off the grass and returned to the noise of the party. Charlie brought out two cakes, and placed them on the table in front of Hamish and Fergus. Hamish’s eyes grew wide when they saw the strawberries on top of the cake.
Hamish: Red butterflies!
Charlie had one more surprise for Fergus. He produced a huge bowl filled with something yellow made of rings.
Fergus: HOLY CHEEZOS!
Screw Pile Developments 