One Kiss

One Kiss is the thirty seventh chapter in the Wombles Eight.

Fire burst out of the chalk circle as Face drank from the bottle which was now full of water. Face’s face glowed ever more brightly as he drank until the bottle was empty. Constantine gently took the bottle from him then hurled it into the flames! There was a great hiss and rising of steam.

Steam filled the cavern until it was impossible to see a hand in front of a face. Slowly the steam cleared revealing a smiling Face. Constantine asked him how he felt. “I feel great! It’s good to be alive!” replied Face. “Good to hear mate! But I gotta to disappoint a touch. You’re actually dead. Not as bad as it sounds mind you. Nobody can kill you because you’re, how do I say it, undead.”

“Like a vampire?” asked Face. “In a way” replied Constantine. “Can you fix that?” asked Face. “Not me but maybe my team.” Constantine replied. Before Face could reply he was apparated to a house in London. “Who’s this?” asked Evie.

“Templeton Peck, former Minister for Smooth Talk” replied Constantine. “He looks a bit. How do I put it?” cut in Mal. “Dead” said Constantine. “I fixed his soul back into his body but the head had already been removed. He’s undead but quite healthy though.”

“And you brought him here why?” asked Clary. “For you lot to fix while I find somebody” replied Constantine. “Fix the undead? How?” asked Jace. “Let’s ask my mirror!” piped up Evie. Constantine apparated off to find Father whilst Face was pointed towards the mirror.

Evie stood next to him and did the talking. “Mirror mirror on the wall, how do you bring back those who fall?”  The magic mirror replied “True love’s kiss is what you seek! It will restore and make him sleek! Find the one that makes him whole! Then you will reach your worthy goal!”

“True love’s kiss? He actually looks dead!” said Mal. “But love is blind” replied Evie. Just then Constantine appeared with Father. “Found ‘er in hell! Where else? That’s where they all end up isn’t it?” he said. The others said nothing. Face was sulking in the corner because he had seen his ghastly appearance. It was a bit like a zombie wearing make-up.

Nobody noticed Evie and Mal leading off Father. They didn’t notice when they came back after working some beauty treatments. Magic of course. “Do ya think you might have gone a bit far love?” Constantine asked. Father was looking radiant, young and beautiful. Mal and Evie were going to use a little magic to make her feel better. They ended up making her young again.

Face stopped sulking a moment and turned around. His mouth fell open. Face walked straight over to Father and started smooth talking. Father took his hand. The pair felt an instant spark. Instinctively they kissed. As they kissed Face’s appearance changed. He was almost back to his old self. Almost but he was better! More handsome than he had ever been. He stared into Father’s eyes entranced. Father held onto Face’s hands and everybody knew that it was love at first sight, or touch in Father’s case.