Chapter 6
The Go-Go-Pole
Yellow Door
Paul landed in the largest room he had ever seen.
A model of Earth, taller than a house, floated above the floor. Countries, rivers and mountains moved across its surface. Beneath it stood a thin Ponco with untidy ginger hair and pointed yellow shoes.
He was holding the other end of the pole.
“Welcome to the greatest transport invention in this world or any other,” he declared. “The Go-Go-Pole! I am Ponco Yellow, its brilliant and remarkably modest inventor.”
Ronnie untangled himself. “You dragged us through a door.”
“A successful demonstration of rapid travel.”
Ponco Yellow raised the pole towards the globe. A bright light flashed at its tip.
“Touch any place and the Go-Go-Pole takes you there instantly. No tickets, no queues and no lost luggage.”
“Has anyone tested it?” Paul asked.
“Certainly.”
“Who?”
“You.”
Paul took one step backwards.
“There is only one condition,” Ponco Yellow continued. “Your destination must begin with the word yellow. Yellowknife, Yellowstone, Yellow Sea – the possibilities are nearly three.”
The pole was too heavy for one person, so Paul and Ronnie lifted it together. The globe rotated.
“Yellowstone,” said Paul. “Geysers, mountains and forests.”
“Steady,” Ronnie warned.
They aimed as North America came round.
The pole slipped.
There was a yellow flash.
Paul woke in a wooden boat surrounded by water, reeds and clouds of insects. Ronnie lay across his feet.
“This is not Yellowstone,” Paul said.
Ponco Yellow appeared beside them, holding the pole and looking offended by the scenery.
“Nonsense. The invention cannot be wrong.”
A rusted sign projected from the marsh. Most of its letters had fallen away, but the remaining words read:
YELLOW MERE NATURE RESERVE
“We hit Yellow Mere,” said Paul.
“Practically the same place.”
The boat drifted towards a weir. Water rushed over the edge into a deep channel.
Ronnie picked up the oars. One came off in his hand.
“Ponco Yellow, take us back.”
The Ponco touched the pole to the air. Nothing happened.
“It requires the globe at the other end.”
“You have invented one-way travel?”
“Every great journey begins by leaving.”
The current quickened.
Paul opened his pocketknife and cut the rope from a broken fishing net. He tied one end to the boat and made a loop in the other.
“We need something above us. A branch, a post, anything.”
“I have something better,” Ronnie said.
He took a tiny jar from his coat and sprinkled RainbowDust over a dragonfly resting on the reeds.
The insect grew to the size of a horse.
Its wings began to beat. Paul threw the loop around one of its legs. The dragonfly lifted, pulling the boat sideways just before it reached the drop.
The boat skimmed through the reeds and came to rest in the mud.
“A complete success!” Ponco Yellow shouted.
“Your invention stranded us,” Paul said.
“And inspired an exciting rescue.”
“A useful invention should solve more problems than it creates.”
Ponco Yellow looked at the snapped oar, the muddy boat and the enormous dragonfly.
“Perhaps the next Go-Go-Pole should include a Go-Back button.”
“Now that,” Paul said, “is a useful idea.”
The dragonfly flew through a rainbow forming in the mist above the weir. Paul, Ronnie and Ponco Yellow vanished in a shower of yellow sparks.
When Paul landed in the Rainbow Room, the yellow spark joined the red and orange inside the white door.
The dull booming was louder now.