Short Story

[Peppermint_M]

So, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the London Underground, here is a short story I wrote a while back.

A Lost Past

“We’ve found it!” Bombastus exclaimed, tearing the clinging roots from the metal plate.

“Are you sure sir?” his assistant asked, narrowing her eyes as she tried to read the unfamiliar characters. “Of Course!” he said excitedly, sweeping dust and insects aside with an impatient hand. “Sorry sir, I’m not an expert of ancient languages.” She Sighed. Bombastus, however, was otherwise occupied, dashing about muttering “The ceramic tiling! The Curvature! So well preserved sealed from the flood waters!” Alice sighed again. She gingerly stepped over the twisting roots to catch up with the professor.

It had all started four years ago in the vaulted halls of Heyperjing Institute of Higher Learning. Doctor Amadeus, Master of Geography and Topographical Studies, had been gifted a bundle of rare and antique paper maps which pre-dated the great flood. In great excitement he had rushed them to his cousin Bombastus, Master of Archaeology, Ancient-alia and self proclaimed “old stuff” expert.

One of the most enigmatic of the maps seemed to be a diagram of a mass transit system for an ancient city. After a year of study one of Bombastus’ fellows and former classmate published his discovery of an ancient city thought lost to legend in a seemingly unimportant biomass area.

During a toast to this great discovery, Alice had been flicking through the journal account and had come across an image of the last surviving map fragment of the city. She noticed some similarities. Much activity had been generated by this discovery , further checks had confirmed the match of several locations and the route of a river. Within two years Bombastus had secured funds, governmental backing and willing participants for an expedition to the newly discovered city. He bullied a colleague into taking his lectures so he could accompany them in person. Alice had been appointed his personal aide.

They had met Doctor Davis at his dig in the jungle. Marvelled at the tree clad structures he had uncovered before starting the laborious task of clearing meters of silt washed in by the flood and acres of plant life that had grown on the rich topsoil, trying to discover their preferred access point. That morning their efforts had been rewarded.

“Alice!” Bombastus called, shining his torch in her direction, “Come and look at this! A perfectly preserved paper sheet!” She stood beside him and dutifully admired the artefact. Her gaze wandered left... “Sir, I think the transit tunnels could be down there.” Alice gasped, noticing a now familiar symbol on the wall.

They ventured deeper into the complex. Easing their way through a door, Alice caught sight of a transit vehicle and rushed to study something in her area of expertise. The expedition group came slowly behind, harangued by Bombastus between his bursts of rhetoric. As Alice inspected the peculiar wheeled metal box before her, Bombastus peeled himself from the group and to investigate the tunnel walls.

Not a minute later his bust of victorious laughter broke the reverential silence. “We did it! Alice! Look, the sign!” he paused for breath.

“Canary Wharf... Alice, we’ve found the London Underground!”

[Fred Daniel Yam]

Very nice, you've managed to introduce us to your characters in such a short space. Also the story gives off a Doctor Who-esque feel. I like it