Jarvit

Jarvit Ch 4 P2

The morning sun filtered down through the clear water and woke Jarvit. He yawned and flexed his body. Looking around he found he was still alone. Jarvit determined to go after the eel. Keeping right under the shadow of the bank he edged his way downstream. Jarvit felt strange, he was not sure if it was because he was hungry, or because he was not used to being a fish. His whole body seemed to be cramped. He swam among two tall reeds and before he knew what was happening he was scooped up in the beak of a heron. Flapping, madly he tried to escape as the bird lifted its head to swallow him. His body extended, legs appeared, he grew. The heron finding he was gripping the arm of a boy stumbled in surprise and released Jarvit. It spread its large wings and took off, flapping away downstream.

Jarvit sank to his knees on the bank. His shoulder was aching where the cat had bitten him, though it was not bleeding. He realised that he was naked and being wet began to shiver.

Hide, get under cover.

Jarvit looked up to see the edge of a copse just back from the river bank. He forced himself to run into its dark interior. Looking around he found a fallen hollow tree trunk surrounded by tall browning ferns. He crawled inside to hide in the undergrowth and to think what he could do next. Jarvit chafed his arms to get some warmth as he crouched inside the dark log. An insect began to crawl up his leg. The place smelt of mould and damp. Jarvit put his head on his knees and moaned. A chill draft crept round behind him. Water tricked down his neck from his soaked hair. The morning mist from the river seemed to creep into his hiding place and lurk there with him.

‘Free though ain’t ya?’ A merry voice piped from the opening. Jarvit jumped and looked up. An upside down distorted leering face with greasy long hair that hung down was in the opening. Its owner was astride the log.

‘Oh no, you,’ Jarvit recognised D’Braggatio’s carriage driver. The grin split into a full smile revealing the rotten teeth.

‘Glad t’ see ya knows me,’ the head smirked and disappeared. Jarvit heard him climb down from above and then he was stopping up the entrance. Crouching to look in and placing his hands on his knees.

‘Not got nothing to wear ’av’ ya,’ the man gloated.

‘No,’ Jarvit was close to tears. He’d been caught.

‘Well ya can’t stay ‘ere ya knows. Best be off afore that Quilpie comes along.’

‘But aren’t you going to take me back to him?’ Jarvit asked mystified.

‘Wot me? Naa,’ the man seemed surprised.

‘But you work for Lord D’Braggatio.’

‘’Im? Naa I don’t work for no one me. I does wot I likes. This is my time ya know.’

‘Your time?’

‘Oh that’s it I ferget ya knows nothing about it does ya?’ Jarvit shook his head bewildered at this turn of events. ‘Look here’s a towel.’ He produced a large fluffy pink towel from behind his back. Wary, Jarvit reached out with slow movements and took it from him. The man watched him for a moment.

‘Well go on rub yourself with it. It’s not for looking at ya knows.’ Jarvit feeling the softness in his hands began to rub the towel up and down his arms. His benefactor sat down in the entrance, facing away from Jarvit. He leant back against the edges of the tree trunk and carried on talking.

‘Na, see, this time of year before the Contemptible takes precedent I can do wot I likes. Sometimes I gets away with it an’ sometimes I don’t. Now with ya see, I like ya. Thought I would do something for ya. And old ‘Braggatio he’s had it pretty good up to now. See he don’t know it were me as drove ya up to Quilpie’s. No I let him see wot he wanted, his own man. Thought I would enjoy the ride.’