Free We Were Only Strawberry Picking by Henrietta Defreitas Page A

might indicate they could have gone into that field.’
    ‘If you must, but please be careful and stay on this side of the fence,’ warned the sheriff.
    Both parents approached the field with exceptional caution, holding onto each other in fear of the unstable ground giving way but they were still on the safe side of the fields, so there was no danger really. They scanned the area several times, however, nothing looked disturbed or out of the ordinary.
    ‘There’s no way they would have gone into that field, look there’s no strawberries to pick anyway. One look at this field and you would definitely not even bother contemplating going in there especially with a sign like that. I guess because of the mining, nothing good grows here anyway!’ presumed Papa Mortimer. It never dawned on them that perhaps there were no strawberries because, firstly, Jack had eaten most of them and, secondly, they had picked all the strawberries as there were so few in this field to begin with.
    ‘You’re right, nothing but wasteland,’ agreed Papa Brian.’
    * * *
    It was just after two o’clock in the afternoon and so far no one in Meerville Town had come forward with any information that could lead to the possible whereabouts of Henratty, Jack, Oscar and Lyndi Lou. They had been missing for one whole day and something like this had not happened in a very long time and was virtually unheard of in Meerville. Papa Brian gave Mama Katie a worried glance; she knew what he was thinking when he looked at her solemnly. Was history about to repeat itself – they both believed in The Meerville Myth. Had Dustmist arisen once more to wreak havoc on the Mortimers and Brians, as it was their very meerkats that had broken the spell and brought the Mortimers’ eldest daughter, Misha, back safely? All they knew was that Dustmist had disappeared, which they had hoped was for good, but no one really knew.
    Papa Mortimer had picked up on Papa Brian’s and Mama Katie’s thoughts as he uttered, ‘I bet I know what you were both thinking?’
    ‘Was it that obvious?’ asked Papa Brian.
    ‘Yes, I’m afraid so, to tell the truth I was thinking the same thing, it’s Dustmist isn’t it? You both think Dustmist has come back for revenge starting with our little ones?’
    ‘At this stage, we can’t rule him out, it’s the only thing that would make sense. At least Misha was safe. I think it was a good idea that you sent her away to stay with friends, but for now I don’t think we can say anything to the sheriff. He would just laugh at us and say, ‘Don’t be so ridiculous – it’s only a myth!’ remarked Papa Brian.
    ‘Yes, at least that’s one thing we are all in agreement with,’ affirmed Papa Mortimer as he and Papa Brian looked at their respective partners.
    ‘I don’t think there is much more we can do in Meerville Town now. Something tells me that we should go back to the strawberry fields and take another look without the sheriff. If it were left to me I would have already taken a closer peek at the field above the mine; there is something that has been niggling me. I can’t put my finger on it but when we go back there it will come to me,’ said Papa Brian.
    ‘Do you two think that is really a good idea?’ sniffled Mama Mortimer, as she just about held back her tears. ‘You heard what the sheriff said, it really wasn’t safe , and what if the ground gives way?’
    ‘Honey, I think it’s a risk we have to take. At least if we go missing, you will definitely know where we are and can get help if need be, but I promise it won’t come to that,’ reassured Papa Mortimer.
    ‘You promise?’ repeated Mama Mortimer as she hugged Papa Mortimer lovingly.
    ‘A promise is a promise,’ chirped Papa Mortimer, but deep down he knew their suggestion could have serious consequences.
    ‘Papa Brian does know what he is doing,’ reassured Mama Katie confidently, although she did not feel as confident inside but if there was a slim chance