8 The Key Of Souls

8. THE KEY OF SOULS Jim decided that Miss Pinky's front room was hotter than cooking belowdecks in the tropics. Two bars on her electric fire glowed bright orange, and he wondered why she needed it on at all in the middle of July. "Ooh, it's a bit nippy out there, isn't it?" said Miss Pinky. "Would you like some lemon cake, dears? It's just finished baking." Jim looked at Matilda. Matilda looked at Jim.

"Yes, please!" they chirped in unison. "And what would you like with it? Cup of tea? Or soda?" "Soda, please!" said Matilda. "Grog, if ye please!" said Jim with a cheeky grin. "Soda and grog.... Hmm," said Miss Pinky as she shuffled off to the kitchen.

After much crashing, gurgling, jingling, and jangling, Miss Pinky reappeared pushing a small cart, on which sat a moist and sticky-looking lemon cake, three plates with three forks, a teapot, one cup, one saucer, a small milk jug, a sugar bowl with a silver teaspoon, two large pitchers, two glasses, and a heavily decorated cookie tin. "I haven't got any grog, dear. I've got

soda or homemade lemonade. Or a nice cup of tea. I've got some cookies too. Do you like cookies? I've had them a little while. My brother Stanley liked cookies, but he died in 1981. These were his favorites, and there are still a few left!" Jim and Matilda decided to stick to the cake. "So, Matilda dear, what can I do for you?" Miss Pinky inquired. "Miss Pinky," began Matilda, "we'd like to borrow one of your keys." "One of my keys?" said Miss Pinky, opening the key-cupboard door and looking puzzled. "Which one?"

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Before Miss Pinky could say anything else, Jim shouted, "It's the Key of Souls! The big one, with the skull— that's the Key of Souls!" "Souls, you say? Well, I never, so that's what it's for...." mumbled Miss Pinky. "What do you mean by 'souls,' Jim dear?" "It unlocks the Chest of Souls, and when the key is turned, it will send those ghosts to Davy Jones's locker!" "The Chest of Souls, eh? Ghosts, you say? Davy Jones's locker? How peculiar. You young people say some funny things.... My brother found this key on the beach, near Parrot Point, I think.