The Hathaways and the Disappearing Translators: The Search Begins

By Kass Harker

The Hathaways and the Disappearing Translators is in two parts. This, part 1, takes Edward, his sister Gemma, and their new friend Cliff into the unusual dimension of Dogarea in search of missing folk from Perceptoria. With Will, the super-sophisticated futurist drone, to help, they overcome many trials and challengers. An unexpected journey into the Rumble sees Edward and Gemma separated from everyone else. The Rumble, a maze of twists and turns and riddles to solve, leaves the pair desperate to find their way back. When Will finds them, they are lost. And when they are confronted by strange and dangerous creatures, the trio are in danger for their lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris NZ
• Release date: Jan 28, 2019
• ISBN: 9781514467060

Kass Harker

Kass loves to write for children. In her home studio in Nelson she loves nothing more than to let her imagination run wild. ‘Children are great critics. They have no hesitation in telling you something stinks so it is especially rewarding when they tell you they love your book.’ With the support of her partner of 30 years she has travelled around New Zealand and talked to kids about her writing. Sunny Nelson has been home for more than 30 years now and she loves to stroll the many beach and river walks with her sidekick Pippy (6 year old fox terrier). Kass also works fulltime as a public servant and enjoys the interaction she has with fellow staff and customers. Her hobbies include biking, hiking, digital games and reading.

Book preview

Copyright © 2019 by Kass Harker.

Library of Congress Control Number:            2018908440

ISBN:                  Hardcover                   978-1-5144-6708-4

                            Softcover                     978-1-5144-6707-7

                            eBook                          978-1-5144-6706-0

Cover illustration by Kass Harker and Rana Goossens

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 04/25/2019

Xlibris

0-800-443-678

www.Xlibris.co.nz

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The storyline in this book was inspired by the books that I loved as a child. So I dedicate my book to them: Famous Five by Enid Blyton and Peter Pan by JM Barrie.

As always, Nola, you have been my rock. Thank you for your unfaltering faith.

And thanks again to my good friend Glenys Langdon. Again, you have given up your time to help me promote my writing.

And most of all, thank you to all the kids (aged four to 90) who have read my earlier book. Your enjoyment of my work is the fuel that powers my writing.

Contents

Chapter 1 – Business as Usual

Chapter 2 – And so it Begins

Chapter 3 – Don’t Mess with Will

Chapter 4 – The Investigation

Chapter 5 – The First Clues

Chapter 6 – A New Team Member

Chapter 7 – More Clues

Chapter 8 – Doing the Homework

Chapter 9 – Alone on the Other Side

Chapter 10 – Planning a Rescue

Chapter 11 – Gemma Is Nancy Drew

Chapter 12 – In a New Dimension

Chapter 13 – Smelling a Rat

Chapter 14 – The Dogas of Dogarea

Chapter 15 – The Great Escape

Chapter 16 – On the Trail of the Lost

Chapter 17 – Where Is Cliff?

Chapter 18 – Lockdown in Dogarea

Chapter 19 – Will Goes His Own Way

Chapter 20 – Bunking School

Chapter 21 – Things Get Ugly

Chapter 22 – Are They Really Friends?

Chapter 23 – Is This a Dead End?

Chapter 24 – When Things Get Too Close

Chapter 25 – Lost without Will

Chapter 26 – Planning the Search

Chapter 27 – A Maze of Trouble

Chapter 28 – Riddle to Solve

Chapter 29 – Heading to Bridges

Chapter 30 – Have No Fear, Will Is Here

Chapter 31 – Light and Dark

Chapter 32 – Wise Is the Clue

Chapter 33 – Falling through Time

Chapter 34 – New Tool in Their Box of Tricks

Chapter 35 – An Unexpected End

From the Author

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Chapter 1 – Business as Usual

‘H ey, Mum! You’ll never guess what! Only that Edward and Gemma are home,’ Prue announced as she burst into her parents’ bedroom.

Cally lifted her head from the pillow, sleep still in her eyes, not quite awake.

‘Er, what?’

‘I woke up and looked over at Gemma’s bed, and there she was. And when I checked across the hall, I found Edward there, out to it.’

Cally jumped out of her bed. Well, as much as a mum could jump. More a slow glide. She went into the girls’ bedroom. There, looking for all the world like a normal sleeping child who hadn’t been missing for more than 24 hours, was Gemma. Cally ran to the bed and swept her daughter up into her arms.

‘Where on Earth have you been?’

Gemma, only half awake, looked at her mother through puffy eyes. She was thinking, Well, actually we haven’t been on Earth, but instead she simply said, ‘Hi, Mum.’

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The trio—Gemma, Edward, and Will—had stepped back into dimension Earth about 2 a.m. Earth time. They had made their way through the park under a bright full moon. Will hovered just overhead, beaming a large brilliant-white spotlight down so they could see where they were putting their tired feet. Although they’d slept well in Picturedurmia, the moment they set foot back in their own dimension, they both felt totally exhausted.

As they walked silently towards home, they were both thinking about their adventure. They knew it would be hard to convince anyone that they’d been where they had and done all the things they had done. For the moment, though, they were happy just knowing they’d saved their friends and experienced the wonders of Picturedurmia.

Edward broke the silence first.

‘What exactly are we going to tell Mum and Dad?’ he asked.

‘Good question! I was thinking about that too.’ Gemma suggested they sit for a while. They had to get their story straight.

The moment they sat on the ground, Will started to talk.

‘It’s time for me to tell you more about my conversation with Dash. It seems that the Perceptorian president and his presidential team have embarked on a large-scale project. The project involves seeking knowledge of peoples and beings from all dimensions. They have sent Translators to immerse themselves into communities—to learn all they can. And this is why I was sent to you, Edward.’

Will explained that there were no less than 5,000 Translators in dimension Earth at any one time. They were in most countries, learning Earth ways. But over the last year, more than 600 had gone missing.

‘This is why they have made contact by sending me,’ said Will.

‘So what do they need us for, Will?’ Edward asked.

‘Nothing. Well, not just yet anyway,’ said Will. ‘They will send someone to you, with the plan. For now, we just need to integrate back into life as usual.’

‘So that just leaves what we tell Mum and Dad,’ said Gemma.

After a long discussion, the trio agreed it was best to tell them as much as was safe. They’d leave out the bit about the battle and flying but would tell them they had a lovely, safe time in an incredible world called Picturedurmia. And with that resolved they headed home, quietly let themselves in, and went to bed.

Separator%20-%20Scene%20Break.jpg

‘Okay, miss,’ said Gemma’s mother. ‘Time for some explaining, me thinks.’

‘Oh … ah … yes. Well, I think we need Edward as well,’ said Gemma, stalling for time. With that, she jumped out of bed and stalked across the hall to Edward’s room. She ran over and leapt on his bed.

‘Wake up, Earth boy!’

Edward’s eyes shot open.

‘What the? Gemma, you gave me kittens. I was just about to vaporise a—’ Edward stopped short, seeing his mother over Gemma’s shoulder.

‘Oh. Hi, Mum.’

‘Hello yourself,’ was Cally’s reply.

Time to face the firing squad, thought Edward.

‘I think the two of you have a lot of explaining to do. Your father and your uncle Tim are still out looking for you,’ said their mother in a stern tone. ‘Prue, have you called your father to let him know?’

‘Sure have,’ said Prue. ‘They’re on their way home right now. Dad sounded really relieved.’

‘As we all are,’ said Cally. ‘But you two are in a power of trouble, so out with it.’

Edward and Gemma looked at each other. Edward shrugged and raised his eyebrows, so Gemma started the explanation. She told them about the hide-and-seek game with Will and the strange change in the bush, how they’d moved through a portal to another dimension called Picturedurmia, and about the amazing Sprocket people—their kindness and generosity. Both she and Edward raved about the strange but wonderful world. Most of all, they went on and on about how they could imagine just about anything they wanted.

Cally and Prue sat quietly, not interrupting. Neither knew what to say, and it was clear by their faces that they didn’t believe any of it.

‘Okay,’ said Prue. ‘So how come you’ve done all this and you’ve only been gone just over a day?’

Caught ya! Prue thought when there was no immediate reply.

It was Edward’s turn to explain, but before he could start, Cally interrupted.

‘I think you should both have a shower, get dressed, and think about what you should really be saying. We’ll talk more about this at breakfast when your father is here. Hopefully, he’ll know how to deal with it.’ And with that, Cally and Prue left.

‘I think we’re in deep doo-doo,’ said Gemma.

Edward looked at her, unconcerned.

‘I get the shower first!’ he yelled over his shoulder as he raced out the door.

About half an hour later, a clean, wide-awake couple of kids mooched into the kitchen, where their mum, dad, and Prue were lined up along the window side of the table. Like an interrogation squad, thought Edward.

‘Well, my absentee children,’ said John, ‘get some breakfast and take a seat.’

He pointed to the other side of the table, and Gemma and Edward turned to the cupboard for cereal. They looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

Breakfast was an uncomfortable affair. Edward and Gemma recounted their adventure. John, like Cally and Prue, listened with a look of total disbelief on his face. When they’d finished, John leaned back in his chair, sighed deeply, and said, ‘That’s a pretty elaborate cover story. What were you two really up to?’

Edward and Gemma looked at each other and shrugged. An unspoken thought passed between them that said, ‘Okay, what now?’

Cally got up from her chair.

‘I’m just going to call that nice young police officer and tell him you’re home. He may want to come around and have a chat to you both.’

‘Why? What for?’ asked Edward, a little alarmed at the thought of the police being involved.

Just at that moment, there was a humming sound, and Will floated into the room.

‘Good morning, Edward. Good Morning, Gemma,’ he said with his best electronic voice.

The rest of the family just stared. Edward introduced Will to his family, and Will greeted them.

‘We have had quite the adventure,’ said Will.

It took some time and the intervention of Mr Beatson—Edward’s schoolteacher—to convince Cally and John that the story the children had told was a fact and not a fiction invented to cover something up.

Mr Beatson had shown John that Will had no capacity to lie, and so they got the full story from him. Luckily, he was only required to answer direct questions, so nothing needed to be said about the Dart training or the battle. And of course, nothing needed to be said about the Translator’s request—yet. But Will did explain that he’d been gifted to Edward by the Translator president because Edward was his lookalike.

By lunchtime, the full story had been retold, and all questions answered. Mr Beatson had left, and Uncle Tim was about to go home to get some well-deserved shut-eye.

All three of the Hathaway children had missed the first day of term, so they were sent to their rooms to get organised for school the following day.

Edward and Gemma went to Edward’s room for a quick chat.

‘Where have you put your you-know-what, Gem?’ asked Edward, wondering what to do with his vaporiser.

‘It’s in my bedside draw, but I need to find somewhere better than that,’ Gemma replied. ‘Any ideas?’

‘I have actually. I’ve got a tin box that I can lock. I think we should keep them in there. It would be an OMG situation if anyone got a hold of one by mistake.’

Edward was picturing his mother, arms flailing and vaporising her entire room. Then a wry smile spread across his face as another image crossed his mind—his sister Prue showing it to her ditsy girlfriends and vaporising them all. No loss, thought Edward uncharitably.

‘That’s a good plan, Earth boy. I’ll see if I can get mine over here without being snapped.’ And she raced to her own room.

To her disappointment, Prue was lying on her bed, texting her friends at school.

Drats! thought Gemma. She started to make her bed and turned some music on. She turned it up loud, hoping that this would annoy her elder sister enough for her to move out. It didn’t! When she’d finished her bed, she went back to Edward’s room. He was trying on his school clothes.

‘I think I’ve grown a bit over summer,’ he said, stretching his arms out to show how short his school jersey was.

‘You won’t need that right away anyway. It’s too hot.’

‘Just as well,’ said Edward from inside his jersey, struggling to get it off. ‘Do you have your you-know-what?’

‘No! Prue is in our room, and it doesn’t look like she’s going anywhere soon,’ Gemma said in a frustrated voice.

‘I’ll fix that,’ said Edward, starting to rummage in a draw full of junk. Finally, he pulled out a long rubber snake, and he raced into the girls’ room. He circled the snake over his head like a lasso and threw it onto Prue’s bed.

Prue leapt up with a squeal.

‘Get that bloody thing off my bed, you little monster.’

‘I thought we could all play a game,’ Edward said with a mischievous smile on his face. ‘Find the snake.’

With that and Gemma’s girl music playing, Prue decided she’d had enough. She picked up her digi-call and stalked out the door, heading for the kitchen.

‘Boys!’ she muttered under her breath.

‘Now!’ said Edward. ‘Get the you-know-what, and let’s get outta here!’

With their vaporisers locked securely away in Edward’s tin box, they did as their mother had asked and got ready for school.

That night after tea, Gemma, Edward, and Will went over to the reserve. They received strict instruction from their mother to stay on the open field. They were okay with that; they only wanted to talk about their plan of attack at school.

They both agreed that their adventure and Edward’s Futuristicator should be their secret.