Wychetts

by William Holley

22 Ginger Marmalade

  “How dare you compare this boy to an insect,” squealed Stubby as he charged towards Edwin. “That’s insulting to insects.”

  The mouse slammed into Edwin from behind, just as Katya’s boot came stomping down. Sent flying by the impact, Edwin rolled to safety. But Stubby was not so lucky, and his stumpy tail was pinned to the floor by Katya’s toe.

  “You again!” Katya reached down and picked Stubby up by his right hind leg. “You got away from me before, but now there will be no escape.”

  Bryony watched, horrified, as Katya tilted her head back and dangled Stubby above her gaping mouth.

  “Listen children,” squealed the upside down Stubby. “Only you can save Wychetts and the world. And you can only do that together. You must wish for the same thing.”

  And that was the last thing Stubby said before Katya swallowed him in a single gulp.

  A loud cheer erupted from the Shadow Clan. Bryony put a hand to her mouth. Jane gasped with shock. Edwin screamed, but fell silent when Katya switched her attention back to him.

  “And now to finish you off,” she sneered, raising her boot again. “I’m going to grind you into ginger marmalade.”

  Jane rushed forwards, but Bill held her back. “Leave this to me!”

  Jane struggled in her husband’s grip. “Leave this to you? After the muck up you’ve made of everything? Never! Now let me go!” From somewhere she found the strength to shove Bill away.

  Bill fell against a ball of wool, and the impact sent it rolling across the floor.

  Relishing her moment of triumph, Katya held her foot in the air above the cowering Edwin. But then her attention was drawn to something else. Her face lit up, and her emerald eyes flashed with joy as she spied the tumbling ball of wool. In a flash she transformed into a cat and leaped after the ball, purring dementedly as she chased it out through the open lounge door and into the hallway.

  “Now’s our chance,” said Bryony. “Let’s get Edwin and make a run for it.”

  But before Bryony, Bill and Jane could reach the prostrate Edwin, something black and ragged came swooping down at them.

  “I shall deal with them,” croaked Dawes, now transformed into a bird.

  A massive pointed beak snapped at Bill, who fell backwards and slammed his head against the floor. The jackdaw let out a raucous cry of triumph, and was about to lunge for the kill when Jane came running at it, wielding a giant knitting needle.

  “Get back,” she screeched, thrusting aggressively. “Keep your nasty big beak away from my husband.”

  Surprised at her stepmother’s bravery, Bryony watched in amazement as Jane thrust the needle at the bird’s neck. Dawes squawked and jumped backwards, landing on the pile of tangled orange wool that Bryony now realised was that hideous cardigan Jane had knitted for her.

  “Take that,” snarled Jane, jabbing the needle mercilessly at her downed opponent. “And that! And that! And…”

  Dawes grabbed the needle in his beak. Jane wouldn’t let go, and was hoisted off the ground as the jackdaw took to the air.

  Bryony just stood there, powerless to help as Jane was lifted higher. Then she saw that the jackdaw’s left leg was snagged in the cardigan. Dawes flapped furiously in an attempt to free himself from the woollen snare, shedding a flurry of ragged feathers in the process.

  The cardigan tore, and Dawes broke free with a defiant squawk. But a strand of wool was snagged round his clawed foot, and the cardigan unravelled as the jackdaw flew upwards.

  Acting instinctively, Bryony rushed to the cardigan and seized the trailing strand of wool. Dawes squawked angrily as Bryony tugged him backwards. He beat his wings faster, and the wool slipped through Bryony’s hands, burning her palms. Wincing, she managed to wrap the thread round her waist and tie a hurried knot, planting her feet apart and leaning back to counter the strain.

  At first she thought that had done the trick: Dawes seemed to tire, but just when Bryony felt she was winning, he flapped harder and shot up again, taking her with him.

  “Bryony! Jane!” Bill sat up groggily, too dazed to do anything but stare as the giant bird carried off his wife and daughter.

  The sound of Bill’s cries faded as Bryony was hoisted higher. Dawes circled the room, croaking triumphantly. Below them the members of the Shadow Clan cheered and hooted with delight. Jane was still clinging to the knitting needle held in the jackdaw’s beak; her eyes were clamped shut and she had turned a weird shade of green. It looked like she was about to pass out. Bryony knew she had to do something, before it was too late.

  But what could she do, dangling on a length of woollen thread?

  “Order!” hissed the Dark One, waving his skeletal hands about. “This is an official Shadow Clan function, not a children’s party! Please can we have some order!”

  But everyone was having too much fun to pay attention to their leader. Dawes swooped low, and a selection of hands, claws and pincers reached up to grab Bryony. All missed their target, but Bryony’s relief vanished when she saw the green lizard monster straight ahead of her.

  A dart of bright flame shot from the lizard’s mouth. It was aimed at Bryony, but somehow she escaped unscathed. But again her relief was short-lived; looking upwards she noticed the woollen thread was severely singed, and the blackened fibres were disintegrating.

  But that wasn’t the only thing on fire. Dawes’ tail feathers hadn’t escaped from the flames, either. The jackdaw squawked and croaked with pain, trailing black smoke like a damaged aircraft as he spiralled through the lounge door.

  Though her head was spinning, Bryony recognised the hallway as they zoomed along the dark narrow passage. Then she glimpsed the kitchen, and another open door beyond…

  The sound of screaming made Bryony look up again. Jane was losing her grip on the needle, and was now clinging on with only one hand. Before Bryony could shout “Hold on!” a sudden swerve from Dawes made Jane lose her grip completely.

  Bryony grabbed Jane’s arm as she tumbled past, and the frayed woollen strand snapped under the strain of their combined weight.

  At first Bryony didn’t know what had happened. She watched the smoking jackdaw disappear through a broken window, and wondered why the air seemed to be rushing around her. It was only when she looked down that she realised they were falling...