Chapter Fourteen

Have an Ear of Creamed Corn

“Naw, Clearance, I ‘spect she ain’t dead. Clearance, how in dad burn blazes am I ‘spose to know where she comes from?”

Sara listened while regaining consciousness.

“I ‘spect some wizardly magic were used.”

She lay motionless, afraid of how the owner of the voice would react if it knew she was awake.

“Why don’t you nudge her a might bit, Clearance.”

Sara held her breath, expecting whatever it was to nudge her.

“Now, Clearance, how am I “spose to know if she got some secret weapon? I don’t ‘spect she’ll scratch an eye out if you deesturb her. If she does, you got hundurds of eyes. I ‘spose ya could survive with a few less eyes. Go ahead and nudge her with that big old head of yours.”

Sara screamed, “Don’t you dare touch me.” Sara opened her eyes to find a large caterpillar-looking creature with the saddest eyes she’d ever seen, and a dwarf-sized person was looking on with surprise.

The dwarf said to the caterpillar-like thing, “Well, Clearance, sounds like we have ourselves a spitfire. An’ I told ya she warnt dead. It looks as if your eyes is safe.” The caterpillar backed away with a fearful gaze. The dwarf stared at Sara, his arms folded, and said, “Sorry Lil’ lady, we don’t mean you no harm. And, just cause you chose our crop field to land in don’t give you the right to be mean to Clearance.”

Sara finally sat up and looked around. She was in the middle of a large cornfield. Sara had seen cornfields before. This cornfield was different. The ears of corn had a yellow gooey goop dripping from them. The grassy field with smudges of dirt and twenty-foot high green corn stalks smelled like fresh spring rain. A drop of goop oozed from an ear, fell to the ground, and sizzled in the hot sun.

“Lil’ lady, are you all right? Like I said, we don’t mean ya no harm; y’all just lucky Clearance here noticed ya afore she squished ya. All we was doing was minding our business harvesting our cream corn crops. And there you was just lying there as if ya was dead.”

 The dwarf was no taller than three feet, with a beard that had to be twice that. He was dressed in a floppy green hat, a red plaid shirt, and purple bib-overalls. Clearance was a long green and red caterpillar type creature. It had to be at least twenty feet long, with a large head, filled with at least one hundred eyes. The creature was frightening.

 “I’m sorry for screaming at you, but you startled me. Will you forgive me?” Sara blinked once and then looked around the field feeling disoriented. “Could you tell me where I am?”

The dwarf stood with his legs apart, hands on his hips, sucking on a strand of straw. “I just told you Lil’ lady. Ya, be in my cream corn crop. I be Jessup, and my friend here be Clearance.”

 “It’s nice to meet you, Jessup. My name is Sara.” She started to put her hand out but changed her mind when she remembered her star. “When I asked where I was, I meant besides being in a cornfield.” Tears fell from half of Clearance’s eyes, and the caterpillar bowed her head.

 “Now, now, Clearance, I don’t ‘spose she meant to be rude by not being pleased to meet ya also.” Jessup handed the caterpillar a tissue. “You just went and hurt Clearance’s feelings again, well, if ya be so high falootin’ I’ll tell you where you be. You be on the Isle of Rand. Now, if you’ll be a leaving and on your way, Clearance and me can finish our harvesting.”

Sara bit her lower lip. “I’m so sorry for ignoring you, Clearance.” The caterpillar peered down at her. “I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m happy to meet you.”

The beast’s eyes brightened, all hundreds of them. Before Sara could react, Clearance had licked her face with a long tongue. Sara stood in shock, with slime dripping from her face, staring at the giant bug. She reached out her hands and felt the big caterpillar, who was as soft as her favorite stuffed teddy bear back home but smelt like the garbage disposal.

 “Well, lookee there Sara, look as if Clearance has taken a shine to you. She don’t take a shine to many. She has a sense about peoples. She ain't no caterpillar. She be a waggert. Waggerts be bred to be harvestin’ pets.”

Sara wiped the slime from her face. She needed to find her backpack, which she noticed was missing. “Have you seen my backpack?”

“I got no idea what a backpack is, Lil’ lady, looks as if your back is attached to your front.” Jessup pointed to Sara’s back.

Sara’s expression changed. She wouldn’t be able to save her mother without it. “No! My backpack is not my back. It’s important, and I need to find it. It’s about so big.” She did her best to show the size of her backpack with hand movements, but Jessup stood there with a blank, confused look on his face. Sara shook her head. “I might as well be talking Latin for all the good it is doing me now. Ubi proprius dorsum Sarcina.” She jumped. What were those strange sounds coming from her mouth? Even more surprising, Jessup understood what she said.

“Well, Lil’ lady, why didn’t y’all ask for your satchel in the first place?” Jessup glanced at Sara. “Clearance found your purse, a way up in the tops of the cream corn stalks afore we knew you was here. Weren’t Clearance’s fault, though, she was thinking a bird left it for her. I tried telling her she couldn’t keep it. Jessup nuzzled Clearance’s huge head, again. “Give Sara her satchel back.” A sad look came across the beast’s face, and with a slight hesitation, she reached behind with one of her arms/feet and handed Sara her backpack.

“Thank you.” Sara opened the bag and searched inside making sure everything was still there.

“Jessup, could you tell me the best way to get to Tenebrae? I’m in a kind of a hurry to get there.” She began pulling grass from her hair.

“Tenebrae eh? Clearance does ya hear that? I think your radar ‘bout this girl is wrong.” Jessup eyed Sara suspiciously. “Spect we have us a spy. Likely sent here to get information ‘bout our cream corn crop. No real person would go to Tenebrae.” He rubbed his chin. “You knows that. Now, lookee 'ere Lil’ lady, I was joshing you when I said this here was creamed corn. Naw, ‘tis creamed asparagus.” He swept his hand, gesturing toward his crops. “The Queen ain’t suddenly taken a disliking to cream asparagus, has she? ‘Taint my fault she suddenly took a dislike to cream corn and made me illegal. Ya can just tell her majesty we ain’t growin' no cream corn. All we got is asparagus. Tain’t that right Clearance.” Jessup folded his arms and tapped his feet on the ground.

“Now, if you are finished spying’ on us, you can just go back from where you came. Go on get. You ain’t welcome no more. Clearance, hush up, I knows what I'm doing. Clearance and me has some cream spinach to harvest- - -I meant cream- - -. Psst, Clearance, what crops did I say we was growing? Oh, ya, cream asparagus.” Jessup said, with his back to Sara. “She gone Clearance yet? I don’t care. Do what I says and turn your back on her, too. Maybe if you ignore her, she’ll disappear. I told you to ignore her.” Jessup faced Sara. He wanted nothing to do with a spy. Clearance had moved over next to her as if to protect her.

“I’m sorry.” Sara scratched Clearance’s huge ear. “Did I do something to offend you or Clearance again? If I did, I didn’t mean to do it. I do need to get to Tenebrae. I love creamed corn. Please, you have to trust me. I have significant business in Tenebrae.” She pleaded. “If it would make you any happier, I think the Queen wants to kill me.” Sara sat down on the ground, placed her head into her hands and broke down into tears. Who am I kidding? Did Thompson think I could do this? “I can’t do this. I’m just a little kid.”

“There, there Lil’ lady. Clearance didn’t mean to make you cry.” Clearance had a confused look in its eyes. “She’s sorry. Tell her you’re sorry, Clearance.”

“That’s okay.” Sara thought of Clearance’s tongue. “I believe she’s sorry. Will you help me? I don’t know what to do. I think I can trust you.”

“Well, Clearance and me ‘taint nothing but farmers. I’m sorry ‘bout the Queen trying to kill you. What’s you done anyways? Never you mind, ‘taint none of my business. You can stay here. Queen’s people don’t come here often. I see that I can't stop ya from going to Tenebrae. You’ll need a professional.” Jessup looked at his friend and shook his head, his eyes widened. “I reckon you are right. Clearance says old Pirate Percy would be your best bet.” He pointed to his rear with his thumb. “If you can convince him to go out again after the sea monster done ate half of his ship and most of the crew.”

“A pirate? Can I trust him?” She had never met a Buccaneer before, trustworthy or not.

The waggert shook its body. “Clearance says he’s not a good pirate. I reckon Y'all can trust him.”

“Thank you so much, Jessup. How do I find Percy?” Sara glanced around the field.

“Well, everybody knows ever since the sea monster, Percy will be hanging out at the old Rusty Anchor Inn. It’s in the Sea Port of Randula ya know, just over yonder.” He slapped his knee. “I forgot you ain’t from round these parts. First, ya gotta get to the end of my crops.” He pointed to the right. “Just go straight, don’ turn, or you’ll get lost. When you come to the end of my crops, you’ll find a road. Take the path to the right.” He rolled is beard up and shoved it down into his bib-overalls. Clearance shook her head. “Now don’t go a getting her lost, Clearance. Oh ya, Clearance is right, you turn left when ya get to the road. Keep a walking down the road ‘til ya get to the lizard - - -”

Sara interrupted, “What makes you so sure the lizard will be there?”

“Don’t you worry about the lizard, he will be thar. He has been there every day, all day long for the last four months. As I was saying, what you need to do is ask Cedric...Yes, Clearance he has. You have never met him before. No Clearance, I don’t know why he has been there. I ‘spect he has a reason.”

Sara interrupted again, “Who is Cedric?”

.Jessup swatted a mosquito the size of her fist from his nose. Clearance gobbled it up as it flew in the wrong direction. “Taint you paying attention? Cedric is the lizard. As I was saying, what you’ll do is ask Cedric to show you the way to the Rusty Anchor. After you get to the inn, Percy won’t be too hard to find.”

 Clearance pushed him with her big head. “What’s that Clearance? Clearance wants to know if you got any money. You don’t do you?” He whispered something. “Are you sure, Clearance, you been saving for years. I see you can tell this girl is in need. Clearance here says you can have her half of our money.” Jessup handed Sara a big pouch. “I don’t wanna be outdone by Clearance. You can have my half too.” Jessup gave Sara the second pouch. “This’ll get you started. Now, Sara, you best be a going if ya wanna make the Sea Port of Randula. Lil’ lady, it twas right nice a meeting you. If you ever need anything, you just call us. And Sara, don’t go letting the Queen kill you.”

“Jessup, I’m curious. Why did you name her Clearance?”

Jessup’s eyes narrowed as he whispered. “I didn’t name her. When I bought her at the pet shop, she had a tag on her with her name on it. Got a mighty good deal on her, too!”

Clearance licked her face again. Jessup gave her a big hug. “I won’t forget the two of you. I will repay the money when I am able. Goodbye.” She ran off in the direction Jessup told her to go, tears running down her cheeks.

Sara had only walked a few minutes when she came to the road Jessup had told her about. She could also smell the fresh sea breeze. The road was well cared for, about twenty feet wide, and made from dirt. Sara was the only one on the road. She turned to her left and walked down the road. Sara walked for about an hour, with no sign of any lizards. Sara wondered about the lizard. Mr. Thompson said they could never trust rodents and amphibians. “Are lizards amphibians?” thought Sara. Sara wished she had paid more attention in class. She was sure lizards were not amphibians. Lizards are reptiles like snakes and alligators. She hoped she was right. Finally, she saw the Rusty Anchor Inn, as it was the only structure in the village that even resembled a building. The rest of the village turned out to be small shanties.

There was only one ship in the harbor, a timeworn, dilapidated ship. The ship had no appearance of having been out to sea for decades, let alone looking sea-worthy. She shook her head; she was in a lot of trouble. Certainly, she could not trust this ship to get her to Tenebrae, but she had no other choice.

The Rusty Anchor Inn was also dilapidated, but still in better shape than the ship.

There was a faint glow coming from the windows, and there was a hub of voices coming from inside. She had never been in an inn before, but she needed to find the pirate. The sign on the door stopped her cold. It looked as if it had been written in blood and it read,

NO TENEBRAENS, WIZARDS, LIBERO SALUSONS OR CHILDREN ALLOWED.