Читать книгу Mia's Optiscope - Natalie Rose - Страница 14

The next morning Joseph and Denise were sat on Builders Wall, heads bent in conversation, when Mia and Mrs Glasson arrived.

‘Mia,’ Joseph called.

‘Hi Joseph, are you okay today?’

‘Fine my dear, all is well again.’

Denise stood, ‘It was a rough night, he hardly slept. I told him he should rest but what do I know, only a nurse.’

‘I’ll rest after I see Mia,’ Joseph said, ‘I promise.’

‘I don’t believe a word of it.’

‘I will, I promise I will. I’ll put my feet up and watch a show.’

Denise frowned.

‘And I’ll even drink that wretched brew you insist on calling a lung tonic.’

‘Oh all right then, you have your chat but don’t tire yourself.’

‘Yes, “Mum”.’

Denise turned towards Mia, ‘Look after him please.’

‘I will,’ Mia said.

Denise turned to Mrs Glasson, ‘Great day for a walk up the hill.’

Mrs Glasson sighed, ‘More like a sprint up the mountain. Mia had us running at some points.’

‘Want to sit?’ Denise said pointing to the wall on the other side of the path to where Mia and Joseph were.

‘Don’t mind if I do. You said Joseph was up all night...’

Joseph pulled out a small silk parcel to show Mia. He untied the cord around its neck and stretched the end open. Tipping it above his hand he gently shook a leather case out of the bag. He fumbled to open it but managed to unsnap the clasp before giving it to Mia. She was pleased she didn’t have to watch him use his hands again, it looked so difficult for him. Mia raised the leather lip of the case. There, against the suede lining, lay a pair of shiny metal-framed spectacles. Mia was surprised. She wasn’t sure what she had expected to find, but it wasn’t a pair of glasses.

‘This Optiscope is not a pair of ordinary glasses,’ Joseph said, ‘they can see back in time.’

Mia looked in wonder at the ornate frames. ‘Time-traveling glasses?’

‘No, you can’t travel back in time, but they do let you see back in time. A hundred, two hundred, even a thousand years ago.’

Mia traced the ornate twists and lines down the side of one arm, ‘How is that possible, Joseph?’

‘I don’t know how it’s possible. A science I can’t begin to comprehend. The stones give them their magic.’

Mia touched the blue polished stones in each corner of the frames, ‘Do I push them?’

Joseph pointed to the dials around the lenses, ‘You have to align the numbers on the dials with the stones...’

Mrs Glasson noticed Mia holding something shiny, ‘What are they doing?’ she asked.

Denise huffed, ‘He’s got his hobby glasses again.’

‘Hobby glasses?’

‘Yeah, you know – the type model builders use for fine detailing.’

Mrs Glasson nodded.

‘He’s always wearing them, drives me nuts! He’s from a family of hobbyists. His dad and his grandfather both built and painted model towns, buildings and trains.’

Mrs Glasson smiled to herself. Now there’s a hobby I approve of – less screen time. ‘Does Joseph paint?’

‘Oh no. You’ve seen his hands? He uses them to zoom in on things.’

‘Like a pair of binoculars?’

‘Exactly,’ Denise said.

‘So how long have you been Joseph’s nurse, you from the area...?’

Mia had lots of questions and fired them at Joseph rapidly. ‘How did you – where did you get these?’

Joseph cast a glance at Mrs Glasson and Denise, ‘I was chosen as the Keeper of the Optiscope many years ago. Tasked with witnessing history.’

‘So you can go back in time?’

‘See back in time...’

‘Where have you gone to?’

‘Well, I’ve witnessed the landing of Captain Cook, the subsequent colonial settlement of New South Wales, the development of Sydney, the building of towns and whole suburbs, even this hill, the city and all its landmarks, wars, celebrations...’

‘So you’ve seen everything from the very beginning?’

‘Not everything, it would be impossible to see...’

‘You’ve seen the Harbour Bridge built?’

‘Surely, the Opera House, Taronga Zoo...’

‘Does anyone else know about this? Why did you get given them?’

‘One thing at a time my dear,’ Joseph said looking at his hands. ‘I have no idea why I was chosen, there is nothing special about me in particular, wrong place right time I guess.’

Mia looked at the melted skin Joseph had on his hands. ‘Can I tell Mum?’

‘I don’t think that would be a good idea.’

Mia raised her brows, ‘Not even my mum?’

Joseph looked at Mrs Glasson, ‘Not until you know one hundred percent that she can keep their secret – wouldn’t want the wrong people to get hold of them.’

Mia frowned and looked at her mum. She hadn’t kept anything from her before. Well, nothing big like this. ‘But I tell Mum everything.’

Joseph nodded, ‘I know. But she may not be able to keep them a secret and it’s important they remain a secret.’

‘Mum can keep a secret. I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t tell anyone.’

‘Perhaps she wouldn’t, but she might, and that would expose the secrets to others who would use the Optiscope for selfish reasons.’

Mia’s bottom lip turned down.

‘You understand what might happen if they were to fall into the wrong hands?’

Mia shrugged.

‘In the least, if the secret of the Optiscope were to be discovered they would be taken away from you and I can’t let that happen. You understand?’

Mia nodded.

‘You must promise me you will keep the real purpose of the Optiscope to yourself.’

‘I promise.’

‘One day you might have to tell her. It will be when you know absolutely that you can trust her but until that day comes it is important that only you know.’

Mia nodded, ‘But what do I say when she asks? I can’t exactly hide them from her.’

‘No, you can’t hide them from her. And it’s best not to lie. You can, however, show her how they magnify things.’

Mia nodded.

‘You can look through the lenses and zoom in and out without activating their time travelling capabilities. Want to try?’

Mia carefully took the Optiscope and placed them on her nose, ‘Like that?’

‘Yes, hold them there until they suction to your face.’

‘Oh!’ Mia gasped as they pulled her cheeks.

‘It’s a bit strong – you’ll soon get used to it.’

When the Optiscope had adjusted to Mia’s face Joseph turned the dials as one, ‘See the difference?’

‘Everything just got bigger.’

‘Now you try.’

Mia turned the dials again, ‘Bigger again.’

‘Keep turning it until you can’t turn it anymore.’

Mia rotated the dials until they stopped and the gravel appeared as large as bricks.

‘Turn it the other way to zoom out and when you’re done, take them off and I’ll show you how to set the dates on the dials.’

Joseph was a patient and thorough teacher, explaining what Roman numerals were and how to read them. Mia was just getting the hang of the dials, symbols and dates when her mother interrupted, school was starting in ten minutes.

‘Only just enough time to get there,’ Mrs Glasson said, apologising to Denise and Joseph that they had to leave.

‘Take them with you,’ Joseph whispered. ‘Tomorrow, before school, we’ll try them out, okay?’

Mia nodded and pocketed the Optiscope, a rush of excitement coursing through her body. ‘See you tomorrow.’

‘We need to hurry Mia,’ Mum urged as they walked away. ‘The school bell will go soon.’

As Joseph watched Mia and her mum disappear over the hill, a thought ran through his mind causing him to frown. Has the urgency to find someone to give the Optiscope to clouded my judgment? He doubted momentarily that the responsibility was manageable for a girl so young. He pushed his doubt from his mind and told himself he must trust his instinct about Mia. He recalled how long he had been searching for a soul pure and wise enough to take over. She has much to learn, he pondered, about people, about how the greedy and evil prey on the innocent. How will she see through craftiness? And will she stand strong even if it means standing alone? Joseph sighed. He was dying, he had to trust someone. He could no longer be the Keeper of the Optiscope.

Mum took the backpack onto her own arm and the pair raced to school.

‘We’re late,’ she cried, jogging through the gates as the last bell sounded. ‘What did he tell you, what did he say? You talked for ages.’

Mia swallowed the lump in her throat, ‘Well, he gave me...’ She shut her lips as she searched for the words Joseph had told her, ‘...these hobby glasses that magnify...’

‘Oh, never mind. No time now. Tell me this afternoon?’

‘Okay, Mum.’

Mrs Glasson helped her put on her backpack, ‘Go on – off to lines.’

Mia sighed. That was close, she thought to herself. Did she see me turn the dials? As if she’ll believe they’re magnification glasses.

Mia had no idea what to say to but determined to get her story straight before the end of school. She didn’t trust that she could keep her secret from spilling out. It was practically all she could think about, that and how to use the thing. She hoped Joseph would show her how to use them that afternoon.

Arriving at her first class, Mia was both concerned and yet relieved to learn that her friend Lena wasn’t at school today. Her mum had called, she was sick. She knew it would have been impossible to keep her secret from Lena today. Tomorrow, perhaps, if she was well enough to come to school.

The final bell sounded at three o’clock in the afternoon and Mia was first out the classroom door. Mum waited in the quadrangle chatting to several others. Mia grabbed her hand, ‘Let’s go Mum.’

Mrs Glasson let herself be led away from the group as she asked Mia, ‘What’s the big hurry?’ As if she couldn’t guess.

They made their way out of the gate and across Paine Reserve, arriving outside Joseph’s place five minutes later. Mia quickly deconstructed the tower, hoping for some message inside. Finding nothing, she stacked the bricks into a pyramid with Mum’s help, one stone at a time.

‘Mia, he said we’ll see him tomorrow right?’

‘Yeah, I know, I was just kinda hoping he’d be here this afternoon. There was something I wanted to ask him.’

‘About the glasses?’

Mia looked blankly at her Mum. Does she know? How could she?

‘Joseph gave you glasses this morning right? Hobby glasses?’

Mia handed her mum the glasses and watched as she took them out. While Mum examined them, Mia wondered if she should tell her that it was an Optiscope and explain what an Optiscope was. She imagined how that conversation would go, ‘They let you see history, just choose the year.’

‘They look very old, what are they for?’

‘They’re magnetic, no, magnification glasses,’ Mia said repeating what she’d heard Joseph say. ‘They help you see small things. Joseph uses them to see the models he once painted. His dad painted model trains, railways, and the trees and hills that go with it all. So did his grandfather, though he painted toy soldiers, tanks, airplanes and army stuff.’

‘Is that something you would like to do?’

‘Well, maybe.’

Mum tried the glasses on for size, and examined her hand under magnification.

‘Well, it’s not really my thing but, I think I know someone who would enjoy that hobby.’

Mia’s eyes lit up, ‘Grandad?’

‘Yep, Grandad.’

That afternoon Mia daydreamed through her homework. She wandered about her room, picking up toys and putting them down. She pulled out her sketchbook, but finding no inspiration, she put it back on the shelf. She straightened the furniture in her dollhouse and shuffled the dolls. Finding nothing amusing enough for her busy mind she went to find her mum. Mum was in the kitchen, stood over the counter chopping salad and singing along to the songs on the radio.

‘Smoo-ooth ninety-five point three,’ Mum sang to Mia and was surprised when Mia didn’t join in.

Mrs Glasson handed her daughter a bowl of green beans and a pair of kitchen shears. Sitting on a barstool Mia began snipping the ends off.

‘What’s up, love? You’ve not been yourself since I picked you up from school,’ Mrs Glasson turned down the radio, ‘things okay?’

‘No, I’m okay, Mum,’ Mia replied not wanting to discuss it.

‘Okay. Skins on or off?’ she asked, handing Mia three cucumbers and a peeler.

Mia handed the trimmed beans to her mum and began peeling the cucumbers.

‘Joseph is sick,’ Mia suddenly blurted out.

‘Yes, yes he is,’ Mrs Glasson replied, at once understanding what had been bugging Mia all afternoon.

‘He is very old,’ Mia stated. ‘I don’t want him to die. Why does he have to be so old? I only just met him and now...’ Mia became upset and buried her head in her arms.

‘It’s a shame,’ Mum consoled, ‘we were both wrong about him being young... but you know, he’s not dead yet.’

Mia raised her head, a look of shock on her face. ‘We’re going to see him tomorrow, right?’

Mia shrugged her shoulders and buried her head again.

‘And we will see him as often as you like, until, well, until we can’t see him anymore. What would you rather? To have never met him and never known who it was you shared a game with, or to have met him and had a chance to say goodbye?’

Mia shrugged as she stared at the floor under her. Say goodbye? I’ve only just met him, why should I have to say goodbye? She felt Mum’s hand on her back.

‘Mia, Mia darling. You know, he’s clung on for you?’

Mia looked up with a puzzled expression.

‘That’s right, love, fought that little bit harder so he could meet you.’

Just then Dad came home, and, seeing his wife and daughter looking so serious, put his bags down and took a stool next to Mia. Mia leapt onto his lap and buried her head in his shoulder.

‘Hey, hey what is it?’

Mia just clung tight, unable to say anything. His wife filled him in.

‘Pretty cool,’ he said at the end.

‘What do you mean?’ Mia scowled.

‘Well, it’s certainly not boring, is it? Besides, he might leave you a fortune.’

‘Dad!’

‘What? It’s not like he has any family, right?’

Mia squinted at him.

‘Okay, look I’m sorry, I’m just teasing. Although, it seems the only people in the world he knows are Denise, Mum, and you.’

‘Hun, don’t...’ Mum warned, ‘I’m sure he has plenty of people in his life.’

‘No, I don’t think he does Mum.’

‘Oh?’

‘I asked him if his friends visit. He said no like he didn’t have any.’

Mia had not thought of this, and it hadn’t crossed Mum’s mind either by the looks of it - she was scowling with disapproval. This new thought didn’t seem to cheer Mia up, so Mum suggested a game of ball after dinner. It proved to be a good distraction, and they stayed outside until the mosquitoes drove them indoors.

That night, long after her bath and bedtime story, Mia lay staring up at her bedroom ceiling. As she scanned the embossed fruit and leaves in the cornices of her room, Joseph’s words ran through her mind. ‘See back in time one hundred, two hundred, and even one thousand years.’ Well what about two thousand years? Mia thought to herself. She could hardly wait to see the glasses in action. She was tempted to use them now, but she had agreed to wait until tomorrow. Besides, she couldn’t turn the dials, she’d tried but they wouldn’t turn over. Does Denise help Joseph turn them? How does he manage with those hands of his? Why can’t I tell anyone? So many questions milled through her mind that it was quite surprising she fell asleep at all.