5: The Fifth Instalment

Logan had decided to hide the Walrus Document in his house, in his schoolbooks. Nobody would ever think of looking in his schoolbooks, Logan reckoned. Flo P, Saraha and Ji-Ji hadn’t been over since they’d found it… Logan found himself pining for interaction with them. They, after all, were the only friends he’d ever had.

Suddenly, the phone rang, and jerked him from his sad stupor. “Hello?” his mother asked downstairs. “Yes, yes, oh, hello! One moment, Flo P, I’ll just give you to Logan.”

Logan felt his heart beating, almost as much as when Commander Brack had confronted him, but it was a lot more alive, like hot chocolate was pumping in his veins. He grabbed the phone, and was so nervous he squeaked, “HELLO!”

“Oh, hi, Logan!” Logan marveled at how smooth she was – he was so nervous his hands were shaking, and he almost dropped the phone. “I was wondering if we could get together and talk about ‘the whale-fish pages.’”

“Yes, of course,” Logan said, his voice squeaking again. He felt like he was a door that needed oil on its hinges.

In the background, he heard a loud voice yell, “I FEEL LIKE SUCH A GOOSEGOG! I WILL NOW GO TO THE BATHROOM SO YOU CAN ROMANTICALLY ASK TO SNOG LOGAN ON A PRE-ARRANGED TIME PERIOD. Saraha audibly stomped off. Logan could almost feel her grinning, and he felt himself blush.

“Sorry about Saraha, the big chump,” Flo P said. “I was saying – I think we should discuss it. What do you think? I don’t want to sound paranoid, as I’ve found myself becoming lately…” She paused, thinking, then said: “But I think it should be in a normal environment, so it doesn’t attract attention.”

“GOOD IDEA!” said Logan, then carefully lowered his squeak and volume. “How about we meet at the café tomorrow at 3 o’clock?”

“Sure thing!” said Flo P.

“HEY, YOU PRE-ASSEMBLED SNOGGERS, JI-JI’S HERE!” boomed a voice in the background. “SHALL I LET HER IN? NAH, SHE’S TOO MUCH OF A BARNACLE.”

“Sorry, Logan! I have to control my friend – she’s eaten too much raw sugar!” said Flo P, and abruptly hung up.

Logan felt shivers run up his spine. He’d just had a phone conversation with a girl, and for his standards, it had gone quite normally. Now there was something for the books!

Later, the four friends met up at the local café. The problem was, Logan was too scared to read the Walrus Document, and besides being chicken, he also felt as if it was going to bring bad things.

“Hello, all,” said Saraha, last as usual. She went to the counter and ordered a hot chocolate, the came back to the table, where her friends were chatting idly. “The problem is,” Saraha said, bringing them back to the pressing issue, “we don’t know what that Document is, but that’s because Logan’s too scared. Although, I do agree with him.”

Flo P gaped.

Saraha narrowed her eyes. “Why are you so surprised? We could be tortured for information or something, and then it’d be all Logan’s fault. If that’s not overly melodramatic. ANYWAY, I think we should get ready. Nothing may happen, but I just know it will.”

“Get ready?” asked Ji-Ji.

Logan spoke up. “You know, pack.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “What if we have to leave? What if they try to get at it?”

Flo P looked alarmed, Ji-Ji looked like she was planning already, but Saraha and Logan looked like they had expected it all along, though Saraha looked slightly disgusted by this.

“I can’t believe it’s come to this. Don’t you think we’re overreacting?” asked Flo P.

“No, it is entirely thought out. I have been brooding on it for days,” Logan confessed. “It is the only way.” He nodded, grabbed his mug, and took a heart swig, banging it back down on the table. It was settled.