A Message through Time by Anna Ciddor

Author:Anna Ciddor [Anna Ciddor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: 2023-02-25T00:00:00+00:00

AS FELIX STEPPED OUTSIDE HE was blinded for a moment by the sunlight pouring into the garden. The air was filled with the scent of lavender … and a volley of yips as Furia took off towards the aviary.

‘Furia, stop!’ shouted Felix, leaping over low hedges and flowerbeds to catch her. ‘Leave the poor birds alone!’

The cage was filled with terrified twitterings and flappings of wings.

He reached the dog and fought to pick her up as she squirmed and nipped. ‘Come on, Furia,’ he panted. ‘We’ll go somewhere else. Somewhere indoors.’

He struggled with her to a building that stretched along the opposite side of the garden. It had another columned verandah, and large windows divided into small squares of greenish glass. He peered through the nearest window.

‘Wow!’ he breathed.

The huge room inside was empty of furniture but the floor was covered with an amazing mosaic in reds, greys, greens and yellows, and all over the walls and ceiling were painted pictures of flowers and animals.

But it wasn’t quite finished. He could see a boy at the far end with a paintbrush in his hand. The wall he was painting curved around in a half-circle.

That’s the new apse Petronia was talking about, Felix realised. This must be the dining room.

The boy didn’t look much older than he was.

‘Furia, let’s go in and watch him,’ said Felix.

There was a door standing open a bit further along the wall. Felix peeked inside. There was no one else around.

‘Come on, Furia,’ he whispered.

He tiptoed through the door and stood listening. The only sounds were the quiet humming of the boy painter in the next room, and Furia’s indignant squeaks. They were in an entrance hall – another grand entrance hall with statues and a mosaic floor.

Padding quietly on his bare feet, Felix reached the door to the dining room and peeked inside. Furia immediately let out a menacing growl, and the boy spun round. Felix had a glimpse of a startled face, and bright carrot-coloured hair, then Furia leapt out of his arms and the next instant the room was in turmoil.

‘Sto-op!’ yelled the boy.

But Furia didn’t stop. As she skittered towards him, she sent a clay pot crashing on its side. A cloud of red dust blew into the air.

Thank goodness it’s only powder paint! thought Felix, diving after her.

But as he and the boy chased Furia, she sent another pot crashing, and this one was already mixed … Yellow paint spilt out onto the beautiful mosaic floor. The dog splashed through it and shot off again, leaving a trail of tiny yellow pawprints.

The boy stopped running and began to laugh.

‘Look … look at the dog,’ he gasped.

Furia was now covered in red and yellow splotches.

Felix began to chuckle too.

Petronia is not going to be happy, he thought, but thank goodness this boy isn’t angry.

Furia skidded to a halt and looked at them in surprise. Quickly, the boy snatched her up, holding her at arm’s length to avoid the tiny sharp teeth.

‘What’ll I do with her?’ he asked.

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