Slugger's Secret.

[Jane]

A few days later saw a letter arrive for Slugger. Steve had picked it up off the doormat and placed it on the kitchen table propped up on a cup in a prominent position. As Dora, Hazel and Ron entered the kitchen for breakfast, all eyes were on the letter.

“What’s this Sluggs? Ron asked. “You never get letters. Won the pools or summat?” Grinning he sat down and studied the envelope intently.

“Oh leave him alone Ron” said Dora, although secretly she was rather curious herself. Slugger had been acting strangely for weeks now, unexplained trips into town with Ron and Hazel sneaking off after him. She had seen their little games.

Slugger sighed. I suppose it’s time I told them, he thought, I’ll be heading off to Australia soon and I can’t explain that one away.

“Right you lot. While you’re tucking into bacon and eggs I’ve got something to tell you all.”

They were all ears!

[squeakytre]

Slugger cleared his throat and addressed his audience around the breakfast table; 'I've officially got sumthin' very important to say...'

Ron quickly pipped in, ' Your officially retiring from yer' cookin, Sluggs! No wait a minute, you've officially decided to change the recipe- no, your going on a holiday-cos you've won the pools- an' yer gonna invite us all to come with you!' Both Ron and Hazel burst out laughing, whilst Dora and Steve smiled and then began to look at each other, bewildered.

Slugger continued, 'As a matter of fact, it's like this see-Iv'e got to go 'orf to Australia, an' see a solicitor about a will that says I've been 'anded over a lot of money- an' a large house- an' a garden or somethin, to go with it like.'

The others stopped eating and fell silent. Hazel suddenly said, 'oh good, that means Slugger can buy me a motorbike when I'm sixteen- like Ron's.'

Slugger rolled his eyes and began to mutter to himself.    

[Marie]

Sorry this is very rushed, leaving right now to collect sister's grandkids to take to panto!

Outside, below the farmhouse window, the fox limped by unnoticed.  Normally the solitary animal preferred to hunt by cover of night but hunger and pain had lately driven it to more desperate measures.  The Farm proved fertile hunting ground.  It had escaped the farmer’s rifle but the damage had been great. 

Large spots of blood trailed in its wake, but fortunately its predators were few.  Humans were the exception.  Humans were to be feared.  Its keen nose picked up the aroma of food but its acute hearing picked up too the sound of people, their every movement magnified in sound.

“’E’s finally flipped!”  Ron at last found his voice, albeit a suspiciously croaky voice.  “I knew it’d ‘appen sooner or later.  It’s all that ‘avin’ to eat ‘is own terrible cookin’ all ‘is life done it.  Slugs, me ol’ mate, you don’t ‘ave no money.  It’s all in yer ‘ead, innit?  Now you might be able to afford a week by the seaside and that’s fine, you can ‘ave your week wearin’ a knotted ‘ankie on yer ‘ead and paddlin’ in the sea but you ain’t…you just AIN’T goin’ to Australia!”  Ron had sprung to his feet to deliver his emphatic speech and he sank weakly back down and banged the saltpot down on the table so hard that grains of salt flew in the air. 

“See?”  He added, with a shaky breath and an embarrassed smile as everyone stared, and he firmly folded his arms.

Stunned, Slugger opened his mouth to reply when he suddenly found himself sitting alone and clutching the letter with trembling hands as a loud whinnying from the stables alerted the occupants of the farmhouse that the horses sensed an intruder. 

“The horses!”  Dora was first to the door, her heart beating nineteen to the dozen at the thought of any of her beloved horses being hurt, and so glad to have Steve by her side, the scent of his aftershave, the reassuring touch of his hand on her shoulder, the tickle of his warm breath on her neck as he whispered, “It’s okay, girl.”

“The fox!”  Hazel rejoined, indicating as a red-brown creature hobbled as pathetically  fast as its injured hind leg would allow.  “Ron, do something!”

“On the case, kid!”  Ron had already grabbed the dangerously loaded shotgun from where it had been hidden it in a rarely used store cupboard, little dreaming what havoc he was about to unleash…

[squeakytre]

'Stand back girl-I'm gonna 'av to put it out of 'is misery!'

Ron rushed into the barn and immediately saw the fox whimpering in the corner. He took aim and was ready to squeeze the trigger....but just then, the fox had other plans-and skipped off, clearly in pain and once more hobbled off back outside into the courtyard and towards the direction of the top barn, with Ron and loaded shotgun, coming up the rear.

'Ron! Oh Steve do something- if he lets the gun off, the horses will panic! Stop him Steve!' Dora was anxious and now becoming furious!

Dora, Steve and Hazel looked on in growing alarm as Ron headed up in hot pursuit-had Ron lost his senses? Running around the farm with a loaded shotgun after an injured fox, with horses and people everywhere- surely he was asking for trouble. 'Come 'ere -it wont take long to put you out of your misery-I'm only trying to help', Ron spoke out aloud to re -assure both himself and the fox, 'stay put will you mate, an' let me take aim properly will you!'    

'Ron, Ron....Ron! Stop you bleverin' idiot! Ron!' Steve shouted even louder. 'Ron! Stop!   

Ron could hear Steve's shouts to stop perfectly loud and clear but he was adament that no-one (not even the Colonel) was going to get in his way now and stop him recieving his 'just reward' for puting the fox out of it's misery! 'Right, Mr fox- your days are numbered mate-I'm gonna do whats right an' stop you from attacking the farmer's geese and chickens an' all! 'I'm doing this, to do you a favour mate'.

As Ron began to take aim once more, he began to pant and the adrenalin was racing-he could see the fox again inside the top barn and with hands shaking, took aim from outside and squeezed the trigger ..... bang! Bang!
'Oh darn, Iv'e missed 'im!' The fox immediately fled the scene and ran out underneath the gap in the door and raced back along the nearby field -using all three of it's remaining legs-all before Ron could even re-load the gun again.

'Ron! Ron!' Steve had caught up and now tried to grab the gun off Ron.

'Ere Steve mate, what the heck you doin' -let go of the gun!' Steve and Ron wrestled with the shotgun and at the same moment, the gun fired again, letting out a tremendous bang-that seemed to echo throughout the farm and beyond-and took a hole out of one of the large, blue doors.

'Now look what youv'e gone an' done -you stupid fool!- Let go of that gun at once!' Steve yelled out and was now madder than ever! As the tussle continued, the horses were already reacting to the sudden explosive discharges and several had already began to kick their doors with blind panic and fear. Ron suddenly dropped his head in defeat-he had missed his quarry (and a garanteed reward)- had been humilated in front of Dora and hazel -and to top it all- his mate Slugger was going to be a rich man and 'swan' it all up in Australia-without Ron. Ron, finally admitted defeat and handed the gun over to Steve!      


   

[Loopy]

"What the hell was all that about - you could have killed somebody?" Steve shouted at Ron.   Dora went over to him "Whatever possessed you?" she said angrily.  Ron hung his head.  "Sorry" he said miserably.  "So you should be." replied Dora, spitting out the words at him before she went to calm the frightened horses.  Steve shook his head and took the gun back into the farmhouse.  Hazel had never seen Ron like this before.  She went across to him.  "Sorry for getting you into trouble." she said sheepishly.  Ron looked at her sad face and said "You didn't, it was all my fault - and I didn't even put the fox out of its misery."   Slugger came across to him.  "I dunno son, you don't haf get yourself into scrapes don't you?  I can't risk leaving you on your own while I'm away can I."  Ron looked at him.  "What d'you mean?"  he asked.  "Well, it's a good job I got two tickets to Australia innit." said Slugger with a broad grin.  Ron couldn't believe what he was hearing.  "You mean, you mean you're taking me with you?" said Ron excitedly.  Slugger nodded his head.  "I'd be useless trying to get around Australia on me own - of course I'm taking you with me."

The End