This entry is part of a series, Voyage to Antafrica» Gerhardt fished in his pocket for his knife but the vines grabbed his hand. He managed to get two fingers on the knife and fling it towards his other hand. Luckily he was not bad with his left hand and managed to open the blade and start sawing away at the vines. Tendrils slapped his face and grabbed his hand but he slashed back. It pulled his feet into the mud. He kicked and shouted and slashed with his pocketknife.
Behind him the water exploded. A wave hit the bank, uncovering little Bettina’s buried face. She coughed and spluttered. Something sailed over Gerhardt’s head and landed on the bank with a thud. It was Annabelle! She jumped up and stomped on vines, shouting Italian curses.
Then there was an earthquake. At least that’s what Gerhardt thought when he found his eyeballs shaking. It was a roar, a deafening roar. Enormous brown hands plunged deep into the mud and tore out vines and children alike. Gerhardt flew onto dry ground and Bettina landed beside him.
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Barring shark attack or surfing injury, story posts will resume July 2. Everyone relax!
This entry is part of a series, Voyage to Antafrica» In which the children at last ascend to the surface of the earth, only to find themselves in more danger!
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The river did not quicken to throw them over a cliff. The cave broadened and the river slowed. The twins plied their oars for speed. Gerhardt, carving a name for their vessel into its hull, looked down and realized he had spelled “Mycelium” wrong.
“Hey,” he said, “there’s light.”
Ahead across the broad, flat water was a slit of blinding light, so welcome that the children stared into it until they had to close their eyes against it, and then saw the bright red impression of it against their closed eyelids.
They cheered and rowed toward it.
The cave mouth was low and they all had to lie down in the mushroom cap to pass through. With the yeti lying in there as well there was not enough room, so Claire and Adolphus jumped into the cold water and clung to the back of the boat, kicking to propel them back into the light.
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This entry is part of a series, Voyage to Antafrica» In which we discover what Claire found.
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“This narrow cave will open into an enormous cavern,” Claire said. “I don’t know how big, I couldn’t see very far because I only have one of Mother’s algae lamps.”
“So that’s where that went,” Adolphus muttered.
“Shhh! Go on, Claire,” Mirabelle said.
“But there was light there! I think there were cracks in the cave ceiling, or vertical tunnels, because there were patches of light beaming down. That’s where these mushrooms are growing. This is one of the biggest. I chopped it down at the base, then made the pole and oars out of the stem.”
“That was clever and brave of you!” Annabelle said.
“It is nice to have a boat that doesn’t leak,” Gerhardt added.
“But next time, please tell us,” Annabelle said. “We were worried.”
Adolphus opened his mouth to speak. There was the muffled thump of a sharp kick to the shins, so all he said was “Ow!”
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If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, it is most likely hot. And if you have children, (or coglings, as our friend Clay would have it) they are most likely out of school. If you have one child, it is probably bored. If you have more, they are probably fighting. What to do?
Allow me to recommend a vacation solution that is cool (in temperature and style) and steam-inspired: Tour a coal mine! We had the opportunity to visit the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine and Steam Train in Ashland, Pennsylvania in the heart of America’s Coal Region. We had a wonderful time! We learned about the nearby Centralia Fire, the difference between bituminous and anthracite coal, got a feel for the lives of 20th century miners (this mine was in operation from 1911 to 1931, though the region’s coal history dates to the 18th century), and got to ride in a mine car.
There’s also a steam locomotive, the Henry Clay. We weren’t able to ride it, but Herr von Hedwig gave the engineers a hand and helped tune it up.
Other steamy attractions in the area are the Steamtown National Historic Site, Eckley Miner’s Village, the Anthracite Heritage Museum and Iron Furnaces, and America’s oldest brewery.
This entry is part of a series, Voyage to Antafrica» In which we learn of Claire’s fate.
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Gerhardt was gone. Mirabelle grabbed the net, kicked out of Adolphus’ grip, and leaned over the edge to look for him. She expected to see him bobbing in the current downstream with only the hope of catching onto Claire’s rope to save him, but Claire’s rope was no longer stretching into the blackness downstream. Instead, here was Claire herself, standing in a perfectly round boat with a surprised Gerhardt sitting beside her.
Mirabelle turned back and leaped at her siblings. Adolphus and Annabelle caught her. She grabbed Gerhardt’s shoe and reassured her horrified twin.
“He’s safe! Claire’s back; it’s time to go.”
There was little left on the ship worth taking. They loaded up the rope, the last of the food and tools, the algae lamp and their sodden winter clothing, and last of all the yeti, dragged onto the raft with considerable heaving and ho-ing.
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This entry is part of a series, Voyage to Antafrica» In which Bettina’s excellent idea puts her siblings in grave danger.
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“Net yeti,” said Bettina.
“Yes, dear, it was a nice yeti,” Mirabelle said.
“Net yeti,” Bettina repeated pointing up.
Gerhardt looked up. In the dim light he saw the dark square of the open trapdoor, through which he had ascended many hours, or possibly days ago.
“The balloon net,” he said. “She means the balloon net.”
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I hardly know where to begin! My dear von Hedwig and I left our beloved and numerous offspring back on the airship with Nanny and Ulrik last weekend and attended the first Steampunk World’s Fair. We had a wonderful time! At every moment there were 3 things events we wanted to attend, and yet one of the most rewarding activities was doing nothing at all – just promenading about the buildings and grounds admiring all the other Steampunks.
What joy! Not a pair of baggy jeans or sweatpants to be seen in all the weekend. Dapper gentlemen, beautiful ladies, dapper ladies and beautiful gentlemen. And smiles! We were all delighted to be there, delighted to see each other, complimentary of one another’s sartorial and scientific efforts, and clogging the halls taking each other’s 
pictures non-stop. (Which Security was most gracious about, really.) I found my heart swelling with affection at the sight of my fellow Steampunks, which is, in general, not a sensation I achieve when awash with humanity.
We were inspired by our fellows’ gear, accoutrements, accessories, extraordinary facial hair, modified contraptions, hats, corsets, hats! So many Makers! ModVic Renovations! Tesla Coils! Firearms! Backpack devices! Robot arms! My dear von Hedwig locked himself in his Lab the minute we got back to the ship, as his head is so full of ideas!
We met Jake von Slatt, whose Steampunk Workshop inspired von Hedwig to take the plunge and mess about with metal. We met people we have admired over the aether and now know to be actual live humans. We met someone from our deep dark past, and his lovely and talented author wife. We met friends of friends (including Emilie Bush, author of Chenda and the Airship Brofman), imaginary friends (including folks from Brass Goggles and Silver Goggles), and made new friends (including Leanna Renee Hieber, 
who is intelligent and vivacious, and if her fiction is even a quarter as delightful as her conversation, I am in for a treat). We met writers and publishers and reporters.
We met Professor Elemental, and shot him with Gerhardt’s marshmallow crossbow. (He started it by telling me I had “the eyes of an angel, but the cheekbones of a murderer.”) He is even funnier in person than I expected, and my expectations were high. He is also capable of more powerful poetry than his usual hip hop hilarity, as I was lucky enough to discover at the Gaslamp Cabaret.
Speaking of the Professor, we entered the Mad Science Fair and he granted us the Honorable Mention Prize for Madness. Accolades, indeed! We were also honored by General Caled with a “Steampunk World’s Fair 2010 General Caled’s Epic Attire, Apparel and Modified Contraption, Thingamajig or Watchamacallit Competition Winner”
And the music! It wasn’t really a World’s Fair, it was a music festival with a thousand-strong Steampunk social attached. I was looking forward to Humanwine, Black Tape for a Blue Girl, Unextraordinary Gentlemen, and the Clockwork Dolls (I had tea with them; they are charming!), and of course Professor Elemental, and was not disappointed. Even more exciting for me was hearing new (to me), amazing bands like Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys, What Time is it Mister Fox?, and The Emperor Norton Stationery Marching Band, which was both, and rocked the house late into the night, long after the constabulary had politely requested they withdraw. I was, unfortunately, unable to make the JM Renfield & HM show, but I must say that out of hundreds and hundreds of beautifully dressed people, these gentlemen always stood out.
In short, I can’t wait for next year, and desperately wish I could fuel up the ship and charge off to World Steam Expo and Seattle Steamcon to recreate all the fun. And remember, there’s nothing that can’t be done by a man in a top hat and an ape with a monocle!
This entry is part of a series, Voyage to Antafrica» In which Annabelle loses her composure.
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Adolphus attacked the control panel with hammer and pliers, looking for wire or cable sturdy enough to hold the weight of any of the children. Having been forced to admit that he could not rebuild the airship into a raft before they all drowned, he was working on harnessing himself and his siblings to one or two of the gas balloons that even now kept them from sinking into the underground river.
Mirabelle and Annabelle were helping him, but the younger two were struggling to keep the yeti’s head above the water seeping into their ship. The creature was huge and heavy, and showed no inclination to float.
“If Claire hadn’t taken all the line without a word to anyone,” Adolphus muttered, “we’d be flying out of this mess by now.”
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I have only packed 2 trunks and 3 hat boxes; surely I’m forgetting something!
If you will be at the Fair and would care to join Herr von Hedwig and myself for a glass of absinthe or champagne or a cup of tea, we are delighted to invite you. We will be at home to visitors in our room at the Radisson Saturday from 6:00 to 7:30 in the evening. Either find us at the Fair or check our Facebook or Twitter posts for room number.
