Quiro's Map

By Jenny Singleton

Amanda, Sue and Gale are at it again.

But this time it's an invitation rather than just a holiday. An invitation by the Don to visit his island to celebrate the coming of the next full moon.
Believe it or not Passbar, Sina and Misko are also invited. But they never reach the island.

Where are they?
What happened to them?
Amanda and her friends are to find out only too soon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Oct 22, 2015
• ISBN: 9781329639355

Book preview

Quiro's Map

Quiro’s Map

JENNY SINGLETON

Quiro’s

Map

Second edition

First published 2015

ISBN: 978-1-329-63935-5

Copyright (c) Jenny Singleton 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the published. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages

Bus – thanks a million!

By Jenny Singleton:

Passbar, Amanda and Friends in:

1 That Magnificent Medallion

2 Keep Out!

3 WOW

4 Quiro’s Map

CHAPTER 1

Their Invitations

Oh come on, what in the world’s wrong with you, we’re supposed to be enjoying ourselves. The Don and Anton will be as pleased to see us as we’ll be to see them, look at Gale she can’t wait,  Amanda said, grinning at Gale.  Cheer up, for Pete’s sake Sue, remember Vam Vampdie and his cronies are now at the bottom of the sea.

Maybe we’ll be as well, grimaced Sue, leaning against the rails of the boat, staring at the island.  However did you persuade me, I was absolutely adamant, you know and I should have stayed that way. That island’s evil, it reeks of evil, I can smell it from here.

Come off it, you never were, anyway what’s wrong with you, you haven’t stopped moaning since we got the letter.  Suddenly Amanda grinned, opened her mouth and let out at the very top of her voice, It’s the best, it’s the best.  Sue put her fingers in her ears and shrieked, Stop, stop.  I give in,  she gave a sort of a smile and managed to follow it with, You win.  I promise not to moan again.  She glanced over at Amanda and quickly added, Honestly.

---------------------

A FEW WEEKS EARLIER

It was a windy, rainy day in July when the Don wrote and invited Amanda, Sue and Gale to visit Taraka Island.

Why can’t it flipping well stop, fumed Amanda, as she stripped off her coat and kicked off her soggy shoes.  I’m soaked and it’s the fourth day in a row.

It was July in London and Amanda did have a point, it hadn’t stopped raining for four days and to make matters worse, today everything, but everything, had gone wrong.  She’d missed the morning bus, the underground had been absolutely packed, she couldn’t get on a train, let alone move and  her boss had told her off, it was the third time in a row she’d been late.  She thanked her lucky stars it was only a holiday job. To make matters even worse her umbrella had been pinched, which meant, she knew only too well, that she’d get absolutely soaked.

What happened to you? asked Gale, as Amanda, with her hair wrapped in a towel finally made it into the sitting room.

I had my umbrella pinched, that’s what happened, said Amanda, sounding very annoyed, If I find out who did it I’ll murder her.

Well I wouldn’t bother doing that just now,  laughed Sue walking into the sitting room.  Look what I’ve got,  she said, flashing a letter before them, And do you know who it’s from?  she added, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Oh, come on Sue, how should I know,  said Amanda, still annoyed.

Don’t be such an old grump, it’s from Taraka Island,  she paused for a moment to see Amanda’s reaction.

There certainly was a reaction.  Amanda’s face changed completely, she began to look very interested.

It has the address, if you can call it that, on the back, see, The Don, Taraka Island, off Venezuela,  read Sue, holding it up for Amanda to see.  Gale and I thought you’d like to be the one to open it,"  added Sue handing it to Amanda.

Amanda, completely forgetting her awful day grabbed the letter and excitedly ripped it open, and then just as quickly the three squeezed onto the two seater settee and Amanda began to read.

Dear Friends,

Our Taraka Island is indeed beautiful, everything has been properly mended and I think the right word is much improved.  Everything is painted, a harbour has been made.  I have work with passion and my apprentices.

I want all the three of you to visit this Island. I insist that you will have arrived three days before the next full moon.  Certainly the night is remembered.  It is a giant celebration.

Your colleague

The Don

Oh,  went Amanda, That’s not the Don.  It’s not a bit like him.

You’re right, it certainly doesn’t sound like the Don.  Have you two ever seen him getting his hands dirty, I certainly haven’t.  And mistakes like that – never, said Sue, shaking her head.

Wait a minute, said Amanda, giving the letter a second look, At the bottom of the page, in tiny writing it says ‘The Don has break in his arms, so written by his apprentice’. But he should have dictated it, I would if I couldn’t write, that’s if it was to Passbar,  added Amanda, on reflection.

Hah, hah, went Sue, There you are, you said it.  We’re not Passbar, are we.

Gale are you still with us? asked Sue and at the same time giving Gale a sudden poke in the ribs.  You look as though you’re on another planet.

Ow,  went Gale, That hurts.  Anyway I haven’t had a chance to open my mouth, have I, you two never stop.  But there is something I want to say,  Gale took a deep breath, Anton has written to me.

What, written just to you,  Sue said, sounding very surprised. Actually, Gale said, quickly, It’s the fourth time he’s written but the other three were quite a while ago.

So you have a boy friend, have you, said Amanda, sounding very  interested, Why didn’t you tell us?

Gale flushed, Amanda and Sue both laughed and then Amanda asked inquisitively, And what did he say?

Gale dug in her pocket and pulled out the letter, she unfolded it carefully, His English isn’t fantastic,  she warned and began to read.

My dear, dear Gale, I send my love to you.

That’s not bad, commented Sue, I thought you said it was awful English.

I said it wasn’t fantastic and anyway he learnt that bit from me,  answered Gale, grinning.  "But the rest is – well you’ll see.

We do a celebration for the full moon that will be the

next month.  You come here with Sue and Amanda.

You come three whole days before.

It will be a very, very extensive celebration.

I love you completely,

Anton."

It’s short and not very sweet, I’d say,  commented  Amanda.

Except for the first and last lines,  said Gale, blushing.

I think all that work has finished him off,  laughed Amanda,

Well are we going?  asked Gale, I’d love to see them again.

You mean Anton, don’t you? said Sue pointedly, You’re dotty about him, aren’t you?  she added, sounding really quite surprised.

I don’t blame her for wanting to go, I’d do the same for Passbar, said Amanda.

I knew it, you’re still head over heels in love with him,  cried Sue, And after all you’ve said.

Don’t be so rotten Sue.  I do love Passbar, you know that, but this time he’s gone too far. First he didn’t have the time, the time can you imagine, to get married and now he’s moved, for work what else, to Singapore – for a whole year.  Amanda was now beginning to sound very upset, And if you two hadn’t taken me in I’d have gone crazy, I hate being on my own.  Anyway,  Amanda said brushing away a tear and changing the subject, Why don’t we go to Taraka? I’d love to see the Don again.

But the letter,  Sue said quickly, For starters I’m sure the Don’s letter wasn’t written by any old apprentice, in fact, it sounds more like----

It was Amanda’s mobile ringing, an awful noise, it sounded just like a hyena.

Shut it up, can’t you,  cried Sue, completely forgetting what she was about to say and putting her fingers in her ears, I can’t stand that noise.

Ignoring Sue, Amanda grabbed the mobile, said ‘Hello’ then her face lit up.

Oh my, it’s Passbar,  Sue and Gale exclaimed and they both began to laugh.

Amanda put out her tongue, it wasn’t the first time.  With a huge smile on her face, she listened, she listened for about five minutes and ended with Of course we’ll come, I love you.

And where are we going? asked Gale, hoping against hope.

To the island, to Taraka,  Amanda declared, Passbar got his letter two days ago, it was sent to him from his London office.  What a cheek, we should have got ours first, the Don knows us better.

We’ve got ours now,  said Gale, happily, That’s all that matters, don’t you think? 

Sue though, was sitting looking none too happy. Amanda lent over, put an arm round her and squeezed. Sue just couldn’t help it, first she shook her head, but couldn’t help but smile and after a moment said, You win Amanda, we’ll go and I only hope you two are right.

Two weeks later there was another call from Passbar. He’d arrive on the island one day before the full moon, work was to blame - as usual.

What else,  Amanda said, seething, He can never do anything I want him to do - but work - huh - that’s another thing.  We’ll go by ourselves, agreed, she said, sounding absolutely furious, Three days before the full moon and Passbar can go and jump.

-------------------

As the boat sailed into the bay, Amanda, Sue and Gale peered excitedly at the harbour expecting to find the Don with his apprentices waiting to greet them, but there was no-one, absolutely no-one.  Perhaps the Don and Anton were busy, they said to themselves, but there should have been at least one apprentice waiting to greet them.  Amanda, looking surprised and also a little put out, looked at Sue and Sue looking much the same looked at Gale, Gale, though, looked ready to cry.  Maybe, maybe the Don will appear when we get off the boat, maybe, maybe they’re waiting to surprise us,  said Gale, gulping down her tears.

And maybe they didn’t invite us, maybe, just maybe someone else did,  said Sue, with a certain amount of emotion.

Amanda was beginning to get annoyed. She turned to Sue and said, You’re at it again and you promised. They’re just late, believe me, just late, or more than likely, we’re --.  She stopped in mid sentence, for who should be coming out of the trees, none other than Anton with two apprentices."

CHAPTER 2

Tweedledum and Tweedledee

Gale took a deep breath, closed her eyes and leapt from the boat onto the harbour, she raced towards Anton.  Anton did much the same, he raced towards Gale, but a second before they reached each other, they stopped. Gale smiled shyly and dropped her head. Anton though, frantically shook his head, his face in agony. But then as though he couldn’t stop himself, he took a step forward and kissed her.

So that’s what he meant when he said ‘I love you completely’, it wasn’t one of his mistakes. I bet anything there weren’t just three letters, thirty three’s more like, said a very envious Sue.  I wish I could make out his face, I bet it’s dripping with love.

Tut-tut,  went Amanda and gave a half smile, She’s lucky isn’t she, if only Passbar.  She stopped and sighed, there wasn’t any point was there, Passbar wouldn’t change.

Come on,  Sue cried, feeling a fraction guilty, Let’s join them, anyway  we’d better get to know Anton properly,  she laughed, There could well be wedding bells soon.

The two ran across the gang plank, which had just been put in place, and over to Anton and Gale. But as they got near, their run changed to a walk, a slow walk, they were now able to make out their faces clearly. Gale looked terribly, terribly worried while Anton, despite his smile, looked very thin and weak.

Amanda couldn’t stop herself, Anton what happened to you? You look awful.

There was a giggle from behind and immediately afterwards the noise of a slap.  They quickly turned to see the two apprentices. They both looked surprisingly agreeable. The one was tall and lanky and the other short and plump.

It can’t have been from them,  Amanda whispered to Sue, Sue though, didn’t look too sure.

The taller of the two apprentices walked up to Anton put his arm affectionately  round him and said quietly, ’e is ill,  he corrected himself, ’e was ill, now ‘e is very good. 

Sue looked at them, there was something about them, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.  Who do they remind me of? she thought, shivering slightly, Who?  Amanda doesn’t seem to have noticed and Gale is too much in love to notice anything except Anton.  But Anton looks