A book of silences

Chapter eight - off to see the wizard

The Addams family arranged to meet outside the bike hire shop near the Brooke Street Pier the next day. They'd decided to investigate where Bee had got the book from and take the day off college. Rather than go on the bus to visit the auction house, they'd decided to cycle along the bike track out of the city, which ran all the way to their destination. It was going to be a beautiful day, so they'd decided to take sandwiches for a picnic.

Cat was first to arrive. She lived close to the centre of town and so only had to leave her house, turn left and freewheel downhill through the CBD to get to the docks. She came on the bike she'd bought from the tip shop over a year ago, which she'd modified heavily. It was originally designed for the young teenage girl market, and had been pink, with streamers on the handlebars and a basket over the front wheel. Cat had ripped off the streamers and the basket, before sandblasting the frame down to metal. She'd then painted it matt black with anti-rust paint and strapped a couple of canvas bags either side of the back wheel. Both bags appeared to be full.

Bev was next. She had a racing bike that she'd got one of her siblings to bring along on their last visit and was dressed for the part in lycra racing shorts and a skintight top. There was a small rucksack on her back that had a drinking tube coming from its top that clipped to Bev's collar. A streamlined crash helmet and wraparound sunglasses completed her ensemble.

"Bloody hell, Bev, nice kit, you look almost professional," said Cat when her friend drew up beside her.

Bev removed the sunglasses and grinned. "My little brother brought them along with the bike by mistake. They belong to my sister Tammy, who's dead keen on cycling; Kenny-boy got into so much trouble. I was supposed to take them back a couple of weeks ago, but you know how it is."

Cat didn't really know how it was, not having any brothers or sisters, but from other conversations she was aware that Bev and her siblings had very flexible ideas about ownership, at least amongst themselves. "Looks fast," said Cat, looking with envy on the sleek racing bike.

"It is. I can't wait to burn Bee off!"

They were interrupted by the sound of a roller door being opened at the bike shop behind them. They turned and saw Bee emerging in a pale blue linen jacket and pressed jeans, pushing out a sleek black bicycle. "Hello, I've been waiting for ages. I was just chatting with Eric," she nodded towards the owner of the shop, who was holding her belongings. "Just let me pop my helmet on and I'm ready."

"Is that an electric bike?" said Bev, envy in her voice.

"Yes," Bee replied. "I've been thinking about getting one for ages, so I thought I'd test drive one. Good for the planet and all that."

                                                                                      .....

The auction house was not what Cat expected. They had to cycle past it on the bike track before they could get to the entrance, and she was a little disappointed to find that it was an industrial warehouse with a big parking space full of cars surrounded by a high chain link fence. They had to leave the bike track and take a circular route on the roads to get to the entrance, and when they arrived, there was no-one on the gates. After standing around for a few moments looking for a security guard, they just chained their bikes to the fence and walked into the compound.

"You here for the contents sale?" said the man at the door to the warehouse. He was stocky and balding slightly on top, with heavy framed glasses, a high vis orange jacket stamped 'Pickles Auctions' and an outrageous Freddy Mercury moustache.