Sonny Falls into the Mystery

By Jennifer Hashmi

Sonny and Gogo are not yet quite thirteen but are plunged into a series of events which would challenge adults. They are made aware of inequalities in societies which in our world are perpetuated, but in theirs must be dealt with quickly and with compassion. The societies of the Islands draw, consciously or unconsciously, on the teachings of King Arthur based on the honouring of women and the defence of the weak. Time in the Archipelago is not linear, so theoretically communication across the bands of time is possible. A modern-day admirer of King Arthur is dubbed a Knight and requested to defend the weak. In this book the boys begin to realize what it must mean to grow up and take up the responsibilities which fall on the shoulders of all those who accept the basic challenge of growing up.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Mar 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524679163

Jennifer Hashmi

Jennifer Hashmi was born in Bradford in 1938. She was educated in Bingley Grammar School and trained as a speech therapist in Leicester School of Speech Therapy. After practicing as a speech therapist in Yorkshire for three years she completed a two-year theology course at College of Ascension, Birmingham. In 1964 she sailed to India and lived in Delhi for forty-one years. Until 1976 she served in the Church of North India as Parish Worker, initially for St. James Church in old Delhi, and later in the parish of Ajmer in Rajasthan. She was also during part of this time manager of a holiday home in Shimla. In 1977 she married Salman Hashmi who was principal of Zakir Husain College, University of Delhi. They had a son and a daughter. In 2004 her husband passed away so at the end of 2005 Mrs Hashmi returned to Britain with her daughter. She now lives in London with her daughter, son-in-law, and small grandson.

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© 2017 Jennifer Hashmi. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/25/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5246-7917-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-7916-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017903932

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Contents

Chapter One A Question of one’s Wife

Chapter Two Sorted!

Chapter Three A Career Switch

Chapter Four Sonny, Gogo, and Tobo Fall into Spider 6!

Chapter Five And Behold a Mystery

Chapter Six A Wedding

Chapter Seven Unexpected Gifts

Chapter Eight Mother Fulati Pays a Visit

Chapter Nine Flannon in the News again

Chapter Ten The Solution!

Chapter Eleven A New Beginning!

Chapter One

A Question of one’s Wife

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SONNY LAY IN BED EARLY one morning thinking about his life. He was now nearly thirteen years old, and had been in training in Pongoland since his twelfth birthday. He felt strange. Suddenly he was no longer a child. He knew that because he worried about the future.

All he ever used to think about was today, or next week, what he would be doing or where he would be going. Now he realized he had to be somebody, and he had responsibilities. Now he knew a great many people would be affected by his decisions, and he needed them to be wise decisions, good decisions. Now he knew he was alone. His parents could not make his decisions for him. Not even Gogo could do that. Gogo was his best friend. His parents had met Gogo only occasionally, even though Gogo’s home in Pongoland was his second home. He belonged there, but he had still several years of schooling to complete, and exams to pass before he could take up his life’s work. The King had told him that.

The King of Pongoland, his second father. Sonny rolled over in bed and pulled the duvet over his head. Who was he that he had found himself in this position? Other boys, his friends, had normal lives. They did not think much about the future although they had vague plans about what they wanted to be, an architect, a doctor, a businessman. Normal things.

Sonny had become secretive. His thoughts, his plans, were secrets. You didn’t confide, even to your closest friends, that one day you would be a king. Sometimes he wished he could take someone here into his confidence, but he couldn’t tell a bit of the truth without betraying the whole story. And no friend could swallow that! His parents knew because they had been there, but they too, outside the home, observed total silence on the subject.

It was Friday morning and tonight Gogo would arrive at his window-sill on the back of Goggles, his owl, and take Sonny back with him to his island in the sky, Pongoland. Sonny’s heart lifted at the thought, but at the same time felt heavy. Sometimes he felt he could not endure to live with his thoughts alone. The King had always been a father-figure in his life, but over the last year he had become his mentor and friend. There was nothing he could not say to the King, whereas there were a great many things he could not say to his real father.

He threw back the duvet, at the same time throwing off his mood. His life was this. This was his life, mad and extraordinary as it seemed, and he had to live it. So the first thing on this particular day was to shower. The second thing was breakfast.

He set off at 8.30 as usual to school. His lessons were important. Everyone told him that. He was equipping himself to be the best possible king he could be. Back in Pongoland Gogo and his younger brother Tobo, also went to school, and took their studies very seriously, because they too had responsibilities. Gogo was in training to take over from his father eventually the job of Chief Minister of Pongoland. Tobo was to be a diplomat for the Islands. Toby was still wholly a child, but he understood the part he would play in the life of the Islands. He would travel between the Islands working for good relations between the peoples, and establishing friendships. He would negotiate trade agreements and help to sort out potential disagreements. He must not be found wanting in his knowledge of the history and geography of the Islands and the peoples inhabiting them. His father, Murgo Pongo, trained both his sons in the skills they would need to be in service in Pongoland.

Promptly at 9.00 pm Gogo arrived on Goggles’ back, and stepped on to Sonny’s window-sill. Unusually for him, Gogo was also a little somber. He stepped over the window-sill into Sonny’s room and took him by the hand. Sonny immediately reduced to Gogo’s height which was about two feet. Together they climbed on to Goggles back. Sonny’s parents did not see him off but they knew he would be going and would return Sunday evening. The two boys rode almost in silence over the tree-tops and under the stars to the archipelago of islands in the sky where Gogo lived. To get there they would pass through from this world’s dimension into the dimension of Gogo’s world. The Islands could not be seen from this world’s dimension, and it was very rare for anyone from the Islands to visit this world. In fact the only people who could come were the King and Murgo’s family, and anyone they escorted.

In a little while the Islands came in sight, and the Palace of the King was visible, shining in the rays of the rising sun, at the top of a green hill. Goggles came down to land in the meadow at the foot of the hill. Lots of owls were congregated there having their breakfast, ready to start their day. They were the mode of transport for Pongoland.

Gogo and Sonny slid to the ground and Gogo turned to look at Sonny.

We have to talk first, he said. Let’s go and sit under the trees for a minute.

The meadow-land merged into forest, and beyond that it was not possible to travel. Gogo led Sonny to a fallen tree to sit on. Sonny was becoming alarmed! Had the King changed his mind? Was he not to succeed as King after all?

Now don’t freak out, said Gogo, but the King has found you a girl.

What! cried Sonny.

Yes. A girl from Meridoland, a young cousin of Princess Ahoosti, so she is by rank a princess too. You know that there is a very strong tie between Meridoland and Pongoland, and their King would really like you to form an alliance with Meridoland. She’s a very nice girl though too actually, said Gogo.

But I’m only twelve! I thought all that would come much later. And I’ld rather pick my own girl!

I know. I know. But the King says any moment now you will take a fancy to some girl, and that will be very difficult if she’s a girl from your world. I suppose he wants to concentrate your attention.

Sonny sat quietly, grappling with the prospect of this new challenge.

But what am I supposed to do? Propose? Sonny boggled.

No, no, no. Just get to know her. She will spend some time with us and Tobo. Maybe have some adventures with us. That sort of thing, said Gogo.

And what if I don’t take a fancy to her. Or she to me?

He’ll bring along other girls into your life. This is a start. Gogo in fact looked very awkward.

But isn’t she going to know why she is suddenly thrust upon us? It will be so embarrassing.

Yes I know. These things are, but that is how relationships tend to be formed here. She’s very pretty.

Right, said Sonny. Of course she might well not like me. It’s a two-way thing after all and I don’t have pointy ears. That could really put her off.

True, said Gogo. And we can only play it by ear.

Where is she? asked Sonny guardedly.

At the Palace. Anyway you will come home with me for breakfast. We don’t have to go straight up there. We will all go together later this morning.

Suppose she fancies Tobo? He’s the most handsome of the three of us, said Sonny.

Oh I think she would consider Tobo way too young, said Gogo.

The two boys chortled as they climbed up the hill, imagining ridiculous scenarios and enacting Sonny’s proposal.

However Mrs. Murgo met them at the gate and Sonny soon realized all this was indeed no joke. She had laid out special clothes for him, and Murgo talked seriously about manners and etiquette. Mrs. Murgo’s attitude was more light-hearted, reminding her husband that Saraya was also a child and the children should be