The Shuffle Thumpus Book Three: The Path of Destiny

By Jerry Inberg

Lava pours from the Thunder Mountain, driven by a malevolent spirit who has taken Swamp Witch under his tutelage. The thumpi work furiously to build barriers to the continual lava flow which imperils the Tree of Life and the Emerald Forest. To make matters worse, Swamp Witch has convinced Captain Potter and his men to make an assault on the Emerald Forest to steal the Forest Stone and recapture the thumpi. Join Princess Bee as the final battles between good and evil are fought in the land of the shuffle thumpus.

Visit the shufflethumpus website for more information on the Shuffle Thumpus trilogy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Jun 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781483470078

Book preview

Destiny

Prologue

Princess Bee is up early making biscuits and coffee and laying out warm winter clothes for their trek to Grampa’s friend’s house. As the biscuits come out of the oven, she hears the old man rustling around in his room.

Finally, she says as she rolls her eyes and lifts her hands toward heaven. I can never understand what takes him so long. Bee finishes putting out the plates and cups and yells, Come on, Gramps, while the biscuits and coffee are still hot.

Coming, my little princess, he replies as he walks into the kitchen. The old bones are creaking and the legs don’t move like they used to. We’re not all little bumblebees tirelessly flying from flower to flower to make sure nature keeps its promises. He sits down at the table and butters his biscuits as Princess Bee pours the old man a cup of coffee. We’ll load up a sled with supplies to take to my friend. We’ll take canned vegetables, honey, and fruit. Now, my precious princess, how about if you make an apple pie loaded with your special ingredient? That would most certainly put him in the best of spirits and help him regain his strength.

That’s a good idea, Grampa, says Bee. I’ll make two pies and we can bake them in his oven so they will be warm and fresh. I hope he’s feeling better.

So do I, Bee, says Grampa, getting up from the table. He grabs his hat, puts on his coat, and opens the creaking cabin door. Snow has piled up in front, and he kicks his way through it to start his morning chores.

It’s not long before they load the sled with supplies, and Grampa and Bee are on their way. It’s still dark as they leave their little cabin behind. Bee looks up at the sky. It’s a crisp and clear winter morning. The snow crackles under her skis. She feels she can almost breathe in the fading starlight as she exhales a cloud of steam. A crescent moon hangs low on the horizon and she imagines the fading stars emptying their light into this uneven cup. She reaches into her coat pocket and pulls out a few of the carvings Grampa has given her. She sees that the loose skin girl, Betty, fits right on Champion’s back in front of Geni. She smiles as she holds the figures at arm’s length toward the moon. It’s a good day for thinking about unicorns and thumpi.

Ahead of her, Grampa skis and pulls the heavily laden sled. She muses about his morning banter concerning his crotchety old body. She can tell by his strong and smooth skiing motion that he still has a lot of vigor left in him. The sun rises to reveal a few wispy clouds drifting across the sky. They ski for two hours through the valley, over a few small hills and into the forest. As they enter a clearing in the forest, a small cabin comes into view. Smoke curls from the chimney, promising a warm refuge for Bee’s frozen feet. Grampa knocks on the door and they both hear, Come in, echo from inside. Princess Bee has never heard such a deep and resonant voice.

Grampa enters first and looks over toward a large bed in the corner of the one room cabin where his friend is lying. When Bee enters, she closes her eyes and wraps her arms around herself, embracing the warmth radiating from the logs crackling and popping from the fireplace in the opposite corner. A small candle burns at a bedside table, but she can only make out a shadow on the bed. He rises and casts his shadow across the room. She has never seen anyone quite so large. Her grampa is a big man; she knew this because even though they lived alone, they went to the island town once a week to get supplies. Grampa was a head taller than most people. This one, she thinks, must be seven feet tall, and look at the size of those feet.

Hello Layree, the one in the shadows says.

Hello Gabby, Grampa replies.

As Gabby moves into the light, Princess Bee’s grasp on reality falters. The world around her begins to spin. She feels her grandfather’s arm slip under her own arm before the world turns dark.

****

Bee awakes, notices the curtains pulled to the side and the shades raised. The afternoon light illuminates the small cabin now, making her squint her eyes. As her eyes adjust to the light, she takes in her surroundings. She smells the sweet aroma of baking pies. Her head is propped up on pillows and she lay on a small sofa. She can feel the ache in her calves from the morning’s skiing. At the table, she can see her grandfather and the shuffle thumpus, Gabby, speaking like old friends. Gramps sits with his back to the window, and the light pouring in from the morning sun illuminates him in an angelic glow. She sees a serious look on his face as he concentrates trying to follow the torrent of words coming from the shuffle thumpus. Gabby’s back is to her and she sees his hands moving in exaggerated animation. Are they speaking shuffle thumpus? No, she can hear the thumpus speak in English. She giggles as she still teeters on the edge of unreality. She places her hands on the sofa and pushes herself up as a big grin spreads across her face. Her grandfather raises his head and catches her eye. A warm smile appears on his face as he raises his hand to stop his vociferous friend.

Princess Bee, I would like to introduce you to my best friend in the whole world, Gabbiumpus Rattleumpus Shuffle Thumpus. Gabby, likewise, I would like you to meet my precious granddaughter, Princess Bee.

Pleased to meet you, Princess Bee, Gabby replies in his sonorous voice, bending his large frame in a bow. Your grandfather has told me so much about you, and you look just like your grandmother.

You knew my grandmother? Bee asks, her eyes widening as her eyebrows raise slightly. She tilts her head a bit, as she can’t quite get used to this huge, furry shuffle thumpus speaking to her in English. How do you get used to such a thing?

Yes, of course, Beddy and Layree taught me how to speak your language. They were the ones who saved us all.

Princess Bee turns toward her grandfather and blinks as her large brown eyes fill with tears. Again, she feels her legs weaken and she reaches for her gramps to steady herself. She hesitates, looks deeply into his eyes, and then hugs him tightly as the tears fall freely. Why didn’t you tell me, Grampa? You made me believe it was just a story.

I didn’t know how to do it, my precious little princess. Tears slide down the valleys and hills of the old man’s wisdom crinkles. His tongue licks and clears them from his upper lip and his hand brushes them from his cheeks. The books were written by your grandmother with the help of many others. We wanted to wait until you were old enough to understand. She wanted so much to tell you the story herself, but we lost her too soon. For her it was a story of love. Love of her life, love of her friends, and love of her precious family. She tried to put as much of the special ingredient in it as she could. Do you like it?

Oh Gramps, says Bee with glistening eyes, To me, you both were just Grampa and Granny; it never dawned on me you might be Betty and Larry, or that it ever might be real. I thought how wonderful it would be if these creatures actually existed but I never really expected the story to be something that actually happened.

Being just your grandparents was enough for us, Princess, says Grampa. Now, the pies are done, so let’s get them out to cool and come over and get to know Gabby.

By the way, Gabby, Grampa says while reaching for a box in his rucksack, I have a present for you.

Gabby takes the box and opens it. Spectacles?

Yes, they’re really just magnifying glasses that I set into a large wire frame. See if they work.

Gabby puts on the wire glasses and Princess Bee laughs at the sight of the large thumpus with this contraption on his face. Grampa laughs, too, at the magnified brown eyes of his friend. Gabby gives them both a warm smile. He shuffles over to a shelf and grabs a large leather-bound book. Let’s see if they work.

You can read? Princess Bee asks, letting her mouth drop open and grabbing unto her grandfather.

"The Shuffle Thumpus Book 3: The Path of Destiny, Gabby reads aloud in his deep resounding voice, smiling from ear to ear. Yes, Bee, your mother taught me to read."

My, my, my, mother. You know my mother?

Yes, Little Princess, I’ve known her for a long time. But before I tell you that story, shouldn’t we finish the last book of the shuffle thumpus?

Will you read it to us, Gabby?

Sure, Princess. Come, let’s have some of your wonderful pie first and then I’ll finish the story.

After eating one pie, Gabby sits between Grampa and Princess Bee on the small sofa, opens the leather cover, and begins volume three of the amazing story of the thumpi.

Chapter 1

Volcano Keeper

Swamp Witch sat in a cold, dark place. She knew she was alive, because her ribs throbbed at the violence that had snatched her from the canyon and dumped her into, what appeared to be, a cave. She couldn’t see anything but she could feel the rocky floor and walls. She couldn’t keep her hands from shaking. She had never been so afraid in her life and never felt so powerless. She must calm herself. There had to be an explanation. She focused on remembering what happened to clear her frazzled wits. She remembered she cried for help and help came. This thought gave her some comfort. She didn’t know it would work, only that she was afraid for her life and didn’t know what else to do. She was surprised she even thought to do it. It was a child’s reaction to fear, wasn’t it? Maybe she didn’t do it.

Out of the dark came a mournful groan. Her whole body began to shake again. She could feel a wind against her face and then like a slap came the overpowering smell of death and decay. Swamp Witch pulled her robe over her mouth and nose to quell the effects of the foul stench.

What’s wrong, witch? came a voice from the dark. You don’t like the smell of death?

She picked herself up off the ground and her legs began to shake. She didn’t know if they would hold her. It’s not my favorite smell, she finally replied tentatively, trying to get control over her nerves.

Ha-ha, came a burst of hideous laughter. I thought you were well acquainted with death, witch. Didn’t you plunder the unicorn graveyard to get the Dark One’s Horn?

She moved to step back, but the wall stopped her retreat. That’s true, but the unicorns were long dead and didn’t smell like death.

That’s right witch, this mountain is fresh with death. Perhaps you should smell yourself; you could be dead.

No, I am sure I’m not dead, but I don’t know where I am. She was getting more courage the more she talked. She took a step forward. Where am I?

You’re in the mountain.

I can’t see anything.

Use the horn, woman. Are you an apprentice, witch?

Swamp Witch winced at this comment about her abilities. She had forgotten that she still held the horn. She took another step forward and raised the horn of the Dark Unicorn. As the horn passed in front of her, a light shone from green stones embedded in the walls and ceiling and illuminated the tiny chamber she was in. I don’t know all the tricks of this thing, she admitted. Am I a prisoner?

You asked to be saved.

I asked the horn to save me. Did it bring me to this place?

No, the horn fell short in that respect. It drew power from the herd until Destiny took it back. I was your savior, witch. Now you must pay the price for my act of grace.

Ah, so Destiny is the name of the young colt who almost destroyed me. Now the warning from the fly makes sense. Swamp Witch took another step toward the voice. Who are you?

I am Volcan, the volcano keeper. Some call me the fire wizard or the thunder wizard. I am the spirit of this mountain and the keeper of the power of the fire inside. And soon I will be the destroyer of this island.

Do you have a physical presence or are you ethereal?

Look at the wall, Volcan roared angrily.

Swamp Witch stepped back startled, again unsure of herself. She looked at the wall and the rocks started rearranging themselves until a distinguishable face formed. It had emerald eyes, a pointed rock nose, and rock lips with a deep hole for a mouth, which looked like the entrance to a bottomless pit. Its lips moved and it said, Does this satisfy you, witch?

She could feel hot air explode out of its mouth and again smelled the foul stench of death. She moved back in the chamber. If you are the keeper of the volcano, why were you silent for so long and have just now decided to show your power?

"This is the first good question you’ve asked, witch. I was bewitched by the Tree of Life. She is very clever and confused my spirit by injecting stray thoughts into my mind. Her roots travel through this mountain and cause me mischief wherever they sprout. She convinced me with her thought caresses that I should rest and sleep and leave the island in peace. These caresses felt very good and I decided to sleep for a while. After all, I was a mountain and had waited thousands of years to destroy this cursed island, what was