Cotton Bear's Castle - Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Illinois Ben and Cotton headed back inside to the laboratory and sat down for a minute to catch their breath.

“How could he disappear like that? Where did he go? Ben asked.

Cotton Bear nodded. “Those are good questions. I’m hoping we can find the answers here in the lab.”

Cotton began to look through the many papers scattered about the tables. Ben looked around the equipment for any clues. Cotton was the smart one and he was doing his best to figure this out but Ben knew they didn’t have a lot of time. Ben heard some noise from below and went to the hall to see what it was. He carefully spied around the corner and saw some of Cotton Bear’s staff moving on the floor below. They were still under the influence of Voltran, which meant they were still after Ben and Cotton. Ben closed the door to the lab quietly and locked it. He grabbed a nearby chair and jammed it under the handle. Cotton looked up from his papers.

“Let me guess, my staff?” he asked.

Ben nodded. “You got it Cotton. They’re still after us. Voltran must still have them under his spell. We have to get out of here.”

Cotton nodded in agreement. “Yes. I just need a bit more time to look over these papers to see if I can figure out Voltran’s secret.”

There was a distant loud thump and crash from the end of the hallway. Ben glanced at the door and then back at Cotton.

“You better pack them up or read a lot faster, Cotton, because we got to go.”

Cotton grabbed what he could and jammed the papers and files into a leather briefcase, then nodded that he was ready. Ben moved the chair away from the door and got ready to open. A look of panic flashed over Cotton’s face.

“The dagger!” he exclaimed.

“What dagger?” Ben asked.

“The Bear family dagger. We have to get it. It’s been in my family forever and I can’t leave without it.”

Ben protested but he knew from the look on Cotton’s face that he wasn’t going to leave without it. Ben’s shoulders slumped a little.

“OK, where is it?” he asked.

“It’s in the den, hidden in the den.” Cotton replied with a little smile on his face.

Ben began to smile too. “Why are you smiling?”

Cotton began to grin. “Because I just remembered something my grandfather showed me once that will let us escape the castle!”

Ben grinned too. “Great! Finally some good news.”

Ben moved to open the laboratory door. They both prepared themselves to sprint down the hall. Ben threw open the door and all he could see was weapons aimed at him.

There was the butler with the crossbow, the housekeeper with the ninja stars, but this time there was also the other staff with them. The stable master had a pitchfork, the mechanic had a giant sword he took from the old Knight’s outfit, and the list went on. Ben had just enough time to look around before they opened fire on him. He slammed the door just in time. Arrow heads and knife tips poked through the wood door. Cotton was no longer grinning.

Ben looked at Cotton. “Let me guess” he asked, “Your escape plan, it’s somewhere on the other side of this door, right?”

Cotton nodded. Ben nodded back as another sharp piece of steel pierced the door. “Right, well, let’s hope they haven’t found the axes yet…”

Illinois Ben thought of a plan that just might work. Grabbing a table that had wheels on the legs he moved it in front of the door. Then Ben put as many beakers and flasks on it as he could find, filling them with whatever flammable liquids were around. He and Cotton Bear got ready to make their break. Standing by the door, Cotton Bear waited for his signal. Ben then struck a match and threw it onto the table igniting several beakers. Within seconds the table was all engulfed in flames.

“Now!” yelled Ben as he started to push the table towards the door. Cotton Bear quickly unlocked the door and swung it open. The castle staff on the other side of the door were ready to attack; they just weren’t ready for a flaming table to come at them. As the table passed Cotton Bear he joined Ben running right behind it. Down the hallway the table went as staff members, surprised looks and all, jumped and dove out of the way. Keeping low, Ben and Cotton Bear stayed right behind the table, using it as a well flamed shield.

Nearing the end of the hallway Cotton Bear yelled over to Ben,
“Right at the top of the stairs, to the left, is the short corridor to the den”.

Ben nodded, and then realized, “The stairs?”

The table was moving too fast to stop and use as a blockade when it arrived at the top of the stairs. In a spectacular exit the flaming table flew off the top stair and turned end of end, sending all the beakers crashing everywhere. The flames flew out in an amazing pattern, scattering all along the stairwell.

“You don’t see that everyday” yelled Ben at Cotton Bear.

Cotton Bear was equally impressed at the sight but more relieved at the sight of his staff members running towards the flames with fire extinguishers.
Spending no more time to enjoy the sight Ben followed Cotton Bear to the left corridor and down to the den. It was at this point Ben thought they were going to make it. Cotton Bear quickly made his way into the den. Ben was almost there when, from the ceiling, dropped the gardener armed with Dragon Claw Rakes, right in front of him blocking his way.

Taking a defensive stance, the gardener took it upon himself to stop Ben at all costs. Crouching low the gardener held the claws out and ready to strike. Ben only had a few moments to get past the gardener before the other staff members would be upon him. Bringing out his whip Ben snapped it out at the gardener, who side stepped it with ease. Then with a quick hop the gardener jumped up on the wall and towards Ben with the claws leading the way. Ben in turn ducked the swishing of the claws only to lose his hat. The gardener leaped again before Ben had a chance to react, directly over his head, slashing Ben’s jacket and narrowly missing his ears. Again the gardener stood between Ben and the den.As they stood face to face, in a stand-off, Ben got an idea. With his whip behind him Ben leapt out at the gardener who, just as Ben predicted, leaped to his right, hopping on the wall in an attempt to get above Ben. Snapping only his wrist, Ben brought his whip quickly up and around the gardener’s feet. With an even quicker pull, Ben tugged the whip back causing the gardener’s feet to snap back sending him out of control and crashing head first into the wall, knocking him unconscious. Smiling, Ben coiled his whip and moved into the den, grabbing his hat along the way. Closing the door as the other staff members passed the short corridor.

end of chapter seven