The Smell of Evil

By Marty Love

Time has passed since the events of the first volume of this series, where the good reader became acquainted with a Rockhopper penguin named Hopper. Now Hopper and his mate, Eudy, have a family, and that is very important to the continuation of this tale.
The penguins of the Falkland Islands have enjoyed a long season of peace and safety, but a prophecy warns of potential danger coming. When Hopper and Eudy’s son, Jumpin’ Jack, travels into the Pacific Ocean to find adventure, they are afraid he is in falling into a trap set by the evil Great White Seal.
Can they find a way to rescue him before it’s too late?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marty Love
• Release date: Jul 22, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476376349

Marty Love

One day Marty Love looked out at the water in front of his home on Puget Sound and saw a penguin floating by on a log. Many years later it hit him, "Hey, what was that penguin doing there?" Penguins don't belong in Puget Sound. Thus began the long quest to find the history of that traveling penguin. Much research and writing resulted in what has become the Fly Like a Penguin book series for middle grade readers and other people who like adventure and laughs.

Book preview

Chapter 1

An Unanswered Question

"And there we were, surrounded by countless pinnipeds, with no way of escape, and right in the middle of all of them was the Great White Seal himself. It was quite an honor for Quack and me that this icon of evil, known to generations of sea creatures as the ruler of the Pacific, took it upon himself to personally track down and eat us, two insignificant friends in search of their homes…"

But Hopperpop, the little female penguin named Malvina interrupted her dad as he recounted the story of his travels, how can he live so long? He has to die sometime, doesn’t he? Didn’t you tell us all creatures die?

Hopper answered, "That is an interesting question. I guess I never came to a good answer about that. When Emmett first told me about him he said it was said that he had lived for years and years and wouldn’t die. He didn’t say it was true. But you are right. All creatures on earth die. But how could he live so long? I don’t know. I’ll have to think about that. But there we were with no hope of escape, although Quack could just fly away if he wanted to…"

Hopper loved telling his children the story of his great journey to find his home in the Falkland Islands. By this time many little penguins had been born to Eudy and Hopper. There were Emhop, Eudycliff, Harleyhop, Bhillhop, Hopsee, Jumpin’ Jack, and Hoppalong. These were all grown up and living on their own. Some even had children of their own. Now he was gladly telling it to their newest, Malvina. Usually others would come by and listen as he told his tales. There had been a long time of peace in the islands, and it was hard for them to believe it could ever be different. But the children loved hearing the stories of bygone days. Even the ones who were full-grown now would saunter by and act like they just happened to be there or were actually doing something else.

Another day Malvina was standing on the rocks by the ocean when her older brother, Jumpin’ Jack, popped out of the water after catching his breakfast. He gave her a little fish and started climbing the cliffs to the Rockhopper colony at the top of the hill. Thanks, Jack, she said. And uh, Jack, have you ever wondered why the Great White Seal lives so long, or at least why they think he does?

Jack answered, Actually I have, but I don’t have an answer I could give you. I have some thoughts, but I, uh, don’t think I should say anything right now.

But shouldn’t someone find out? If a legend is believed to be true, and it really isn’t, shouldn’t someone find the truth and tell everyone?

Well, even if you could prove the truth, they wouldn’t believe it anyway.

Sure they would, wouldn’t they?

Jack smiled at his little sister and continued his climb.

The next morning, Hopper headed for the cliff on his way to his breakfast in the ocean. The passing of time since his long adventure and his role as respected leader of the colony had molded him into a more mature and dignified Hopper.

Beat you down the cliff to the water! yelled Hoppalong as he charged past Hopper.

Oh, yeah? returned Hopper. I’m the cliff climbing king! And he took off after his young son.

They bounced and hopped down the cliff, finding little footholds only a Rockhopper could ever see, and arrived at the bottom, each of them shouting, I won!

There they saw Jack talking to a creature never seen in these parts, although Hopper had seen a few of them on his journey. It had a long body with dark brown fur and a long tail, and when he walked on the rocks his back went up and down. He had keen, dark eyes with a long, kind of pointy snout. Everything about him seemed smooth. His wet fur glistened in the sun.

Jack turned around when he heard their loud arrival and with a smile said, This is Ottomar, he’s an otter, a Giant Otter from up the South American coast a ways.

What brings you to the Falklands, Ottomar? asked Hopper. It must have been a difficult swim for you. I don’t believe you Giant Otters are known to go out much into the ocean.

Well, I’ve been looking for some adventure, and maybe a new place to live, maybe a safer place where there aren’t so many snakes and bugs and things. A friendly place. Your islands seem friendly enough. Nice folks, these penguins.

Yes, said Hopper, It has been fairly safe here for quite a while now, but it wasn’t always that way, and who knows, but One, if it will continue that way? We had good times in the past; then unexpectedly, we had the caracaras starting a war with us. Since they were driven away, it has been very nice here. The caracaras who remain don’t dare cause much trouble. But something could happen again, so we try not to get too comfortable in our time of peace.

So you know about us otters then? said Ottomar. I wouldn’t expect a penguin from way down south here to have ever known an otter.

Well, I haven’t met too many, and some I’ve only seen from a distance, but I’ve talked to some other folks who’ve been around them more than I have, and I’ve learned a lot. When I was in Cal…

Here Hopper was interrupted by Jack, who said, I don’t think Ottomar wants to hear about your travels right now, Hopperpop. I think he’s pretty tired and hungry. You see, he just arrived, and I happened to be here when he popped out of the water.

Yes, of course, said Hopper. Make yourself at home, Ottomar. Just don’t eat any of us, heh, heh. Then you wouldn’t find it so safe and friendly here.

Chapter 2

Something Amiss

Now that they were getting quite old, Cliffider and Cliffidee had taken the role of old wise guys in the colony. Hopper and Eudy felt it was time to visit Hopper’s parents where they spent a lot of time in the cave of old Cliffking, who had long since departed. Here they were less disturbed by all the constant talking among the multitudes of Rockhoppers.

After breakfast in the ocean, Hopper and Eudy climbed back up the cliff and found their way to the cave. Hey, Mom and Pop, they said.

How was the krill? asked Cliffider.

Just swell, said Hopper. Would you like some?

Well, sure, answered his dad. Did you bring some for me?

Hopper said, No, but there’s a lot of it in the ocean.

Oy, groaned Cliffidee, and this is my son?

Yes, my lovely one, he’s your son, said Cliffider, and I think I just disowned him.

Hopper hopped up on a small rock and stood there with his wings out and his beak in the air. Eudy waddled over toward him and apparently stumbled and fell towards Hopper. As her head butted him in his belly, she said, Oops, excuse me.

Hopper lay on his back, looking dead. Eudy waddled over and said as she gazed down at his lifeless form, I hope I haven’t killed him. He used to be a fine young penguin. Now he still has some good points about him. Too bad if he’s dead.

Suddenly a voice came from nearby, sounding like a fox, Ah, Eudychris stew, my favorite meal for such a fine morning!

Apparently forgetting Hopper’s ability to imitate the voices of other animals, Eudy glanced around looking for source of the voice. Then she felt Hopper’s head in her side, and he said, Oops, excuse me.

Cliffider and Cliffidee stood there shaking their heads. He muttered, If only old Cliffking could see us now.

She returned, And these two are the ones to take over when we’re gone?

As the two younger penguins waddled and hopped back towards the cave after picking themselves off the ground a few more times, Cliffider asked, Do you remember why you came to visit us? I had the impression it was more than just an attempt to be good children who think they should visit their poor old parents once in a while.

Eudy said, We’ve been at peace for a long time now, but we’ve never felt we could count on it lasting for the rest of our lives. And now both of us have felt like something evil is happening or about to happen, even though we haven’t seen anything yet. We were wondering if you had a message from our Creator about anything like that.

Cliffider answered, We’ve felt the same way, but we don’t know what it is, either. I have a guess, but until we know, I think we should be calling out for help and answers, so we can know what to do.

They spent the rest of the morning talking and calling out for help and wisdom. Then Hopper and Eudy headed back to their own place in the midst of all the other Rockhoppers.

Chapter 3

A New Playmate

"Do you know what I’m going to do? Malvina called to Hopper and Eudy a few days later. Ottie’s going to teach me to slide today!" Away she went toward the west.

Hopper and Eudy decided to follow her to see what was going on. They didn’t have anything pressing to do, because being penguins, they didn’t have a house to clean or clothes or dishes to wash. They didn’t have to do any yard work or house work at all. All they had to do was take care of any young ones they might have, and now their youngest was Malvina, and she could take care of herself for the most part. Other than that, they had to eat and sleep. But one other thing they needed was to be listening for any words of wisdom from above. They did this daily, but the uneasiness they’d been feeling lately made it even more urgent.

Not far from the place the penguins called home (when they were on land), a little stream flowed down a rocky channel into a small inlet. There Malvina found Ottomar floating on his back. He was holding a rock in his paws and using it to crack the shell of a clam. Seeing him like this reminded Hopper of something, but he couldn’t quite tell what it was. When Ottomar saw Hopper and Eudy arriving just after Malvina, he seemed to turn over quickly and swim for shore. Perhaps it was because he was excited to give Malvina her lessons, thought Hopper, or was it something else?

Soon Hopper and Eudy and a few others who came by were laughing as the otter and Malvina were sliding down the stream into the inlet. In fact it looked like a lot of fun, and Hopper, who had done something similar in Antarctica on the ice, joined in. Eudy followed, and so did the others. Soon they were all laughing and thinking Ottomar was a nice fellow to have around. He was cheerful and playful, and knew how to befriend each person he met.

A few hours later they all split up to head for a meal in the ocean. All the penguins had that good feeling that comes from laughter and fun exercise. Mixed in with those feelings Hopper had something nagging at his memory, whatever it was that he couldn’t quite recall to his mind when he first saw Ottomar in the water.

Eudy too was slightly troubled inside, but she didn’t know why. They decided to go together to a lonely place outside the colony and call out for help and wisdom.

Chapter 4

Jumpin’ Jack

Every child of Hopper and Eudy had a special place in their hearts, and Jack was no exception. He was the oldest of those who hadn’t yet found a mate. He was quieter than most Rockhoppers, probably because he liked to think about things that he didn’t understand. He was generally courteous to others, not friendly in the outgoing sense of the word, but not at all unkind.

What he was best known for was his climbing ability. No one could reach the top of the cliffs as fast as he could, or if going down he was the first to reach the bottom. As a result he became known as Jumpin’ Jack. It seemed like he could almost jump to the top (or the bottom) of the cliff. When he did the typical Rockhopper hop as he went along on level ground, he hopped farther and higher than anyone else.

Jack took a great interest in Ottomar as soon as he first met him, mainly because here was something new, a creature he’d never seen before. He found himself spending a lot of time with the otter, and got to know him better than most. Also Ottomar was able to get to know Jack much better than any of the other penguins. They would often sit by the ocean talking.

What did they talk about? At first Jack told him about their island and the ways of the penguins, and about the different types of penguins, and what they ate, and what they feared. Ottomar didn’t talk as freely about otters, but he described his former home, talking much about the dangerous creatures he was glad to get away from.

Later on they began talking about the things that troubled Jack, things he didn’t understand, most of which nobody else seemed to be concerned about. Have you ever been to the Pacific? he asked Ottomar one day.

Pacific? We Giant Otters live on the Atlantic coast of South America. We don’t have any good reason to go there. It’s too far, anyway.

It’s not so far from here.

Why would you want to go there?

Well, then I could say I’ve been there. Then Jack added more quietly, And there are a few things I’ve been wondering about.

Like what?

I’d like to know why we’re forbidden to go there. I’d like to see if it’s such a dangerous place. Hopperpop went there and he came back all right, but now he says we’re not to go there, not until the end of the reign of the Great White Seal, and they say he never dies. That means I can never go there. But how can it be that he never dies? He’s just a big sea lion.

Ottomar answered, I don’t know much about what goes on in the Pacific, but I’m sure Hopperpop has good reasons for depriving you of the adventure of traveling there. He’s a very wise and good penguin, the rightful leader of your colony. You must be very proud of him. I’m sure he just wants no harm to come to you.

Well, sometimes I think it’s all just stories. Maybe he just likes to entertain us. Or maybe he just thinks it all happened, but it was just a long dream or something. How could there be someone like the Great White Seal who never dies?

It is kind of hard to believe, I must admit, but who knows what goes on beyond what we can see? If I wasn’t getting to feel so at home here in the Falklands, I might want to travel there myself to find out what really goes on in the Pacific. But it doesn’t really concern me that much. I’m happy just to lounge around with my penguin friends till the end of my days. What more is there in this life? Rest and fun and good friends. That’s the life for an otter like me.

Jack said sullenly, I’d like to see beyond what I can see. The Pacific keeps calling me. One of these days…

Chapter 5

Cliffider’s Prophecy

Very little is known of what penguins do or where they go on their yearly migration. Penguins actually spend a large portion of their year at sea, and come back to land to hang out and have eggs that grow into penguin chicks. The time was drawing nearer for the Rockhoppers’ migration.

Hopper and Eudy felt it was time to see Cliffider and Cliffidee again. The uneasiness had gotten to the point they knew the answer must come soon. Now as they climbed up the cliff this late afternoon, they were feeling nervous with excitement that something was about to happen, and they weren’t sure if it was good or bad.

They passed quietly through the crowds of Rockhoppers gabbing around their nests. If any spoke to them, they didn’t know it. They didn’t hear, but passed on until they approached the little cave of Cliffking. The setting sun shone upon Cliffider and Cliffidee as they stood upon rocks outside the cave with their beaks pointing to heaven and their wings outstretched.

Hopper and Eudy stood before them speechless, waiting. They didn’t know