Her mother’s accounts hadn’t been frozen. She had a new fiancé, a shipping magnate with even more money than Everest Wan. But Essie couldn’t bring herself to ask her mother. She was still too angry at her for abandoning her father, and the thought of grovelling to her for money was sickening. She didn’t even think there’d be any point. She could imagine making her case—begging, pleading—and then at the end of it having her mother say ‘She’s no friend of yours if she gets you into this sort of trouble. And how does it benefit anyone to give money to criminals? Anyway it isn’t my money to spend, it belongs to my fiancé. I’m sorry, but the answer is no.’
If only there was some way to get a message to her father through unconventional channels. Pay someone to deliver a message by hand. Tie a note to Graham’s leg and get him to fly to Dux. Not that he could actually fly yet. She might as well put a message in a bottle.
Then she had a sudden, brilliant idea.
She whipped out her shell and began flicking through all the screens and screens of funks. Yes! On the sixth screen, among the old weird funks she never used and the outgrown games she never played, was the little blue monster-faced funk she was looking for.
My Monster. She clicked on it, hoping it wasn’t so old that it had stopped working, but no: it opened.
My Monster was an old toy she’d had when she was very little. It was a talking monster which rolled its eyes and walked and did tricks. It came with its own funk, and had been designed to interface with other toys and other people. For kids who were too young to be able to type, it had a series of pre-written messages you could send to your parents’ shell, things like I think you’re grrrrrrrreat! and I love you furry much! and the My Monster catchphrase I love you so much I want to EAT YOU UP! It would also let you type your own messages.
When Essie was little, she had sent endless monster-love messages to her father, who had always replied to them. The messages didn’t go to his normal message service. They only showed up in the funk itself. She just hoped that Everest, like her, hadn’t got around to cleaning all the old funks off his shell, because if he hadn’t, she might be able to sneak a message to him that way.
Typing fast, she started explaining her situation, trying to make the most convincing case she could for getting him to send her some money. The Monster Messages were quite short, so she had to do a series of them to get all the details in. But soon enough they were written and sent, each with a little monster growl notification sound.
They didn’t bounce back. Essie hoped that was a good sign. Several minutes passed and nothing happened. Her initial excitement began to fade. Perhaps this had been a stupid idea after all. Everest Wan was a grown-up. Why on earth would he have kept a stupid funk like My Monster on his shell? Disappointment stealing over her, Essie put her shell back in her pocket.
Some hours later, Essie was startled by a growl. Then another. And another.
She picked up her shell and let out a cry of joy.
A string of messages had appeared on My Monster.
Essie my darling! I’ve been so worried! Of
New message: course I’ll help you and Annalie if I can. But
New message: are you sure paying the ransom is the only
New message: way to get her back? Have you talked to the
New message: authorities? I can make enquiries here about the
New message: best way to proceed. There may be other avenues
New message: we can pursue. I want to make sure you’re safe and
New message: not putting yourself into even bigger danger.
New message: Love Daddy.
Essie read his reply with frustration and anxiety. She wrote back at once: I suppose you’ve seen the story about me
New message: being kidnapped? Which is NOT TRUE. If we
New message: go to the authorities for help they’ll arrest my
New message: friends and I don’t want that. Annalie would
New message: do anything for me and I have to help her and
New message: this is the only way I can think of. Please if you
New message: can find a way to send me the money please please
New message: do it I will pay you back I promise only please
New message: help us. Love Essie xxx
There was a long pause.
Then an answer came.
I’ll see what I can do. Dad x
The dark hole
‘Good news,’ the boy said to Annalie. ‘Your brother made the deal. Tomorrow we will make the trade. And then you will be free.’
Annalie’s eyes slid to Red Bandana. He was smiling like the cat that had got the cream. She didn’t like that smile. ‘Did you tell him what I said? Remember Gloradol?’
‘We told him. He understood. He said there will be no problems.’
Red Bandana spoke up. The boy translated. ‘Be happy. Your time with us is almost up.’ Red Bandana laughed, a scary laugh that made Annalie feel more certain than ever that the pirates were up to no good.
Why didn’t they listen? she thought frantically, as she was escorted back to the room once more. I warned them not to come. Why are they coming? Oh, I bet they’ve got some idiotic scheme to rescue me.
She was taken back to the room. Cherry looked up as the door locked behind her. ‘So what’s the story?’
‘They spoke to my family,’ Annalie said, too agitated to keep it to herself. ‘They said they’re coming to collect me tomorrow.’
Cherry looked both happy for her and slightly crestfallen. ‘That’s wonderful
