Silence.
“Mum and Dad can’t speak, or they’d show their fangs,” explained Resus. “Unlike me, they can’t just take them out for a while!”
“And we were able to mix sunblock into their make-up,” added Luke. “That way, they can go outside in daylight for long periods of time, just like everyone else.”
“Good thinking,” said his dad approvingly. “And now it’s time to put everyone to the test…”
The next morning, Luke headed out into Scream Street, quickly pulling up the hood of his sweatshirt. He didn’t want normals recognizing him and trying to make him transform again.
Resus bounced along beside him in Luke’s spare trainers. “How can you walk in these things?” he hissed. “It’s like being on springs!”
“It’s only for a little while, just until we get the normals out of here,” Luke assured him. “Then you can go back to dressing like a ballroom dancer!”
“We still have to work out how to close the doorway,” Resus reminded him, ignoring the jibe. “Let’s deal with one problem at a time, shall we?”
As the boys entered the square, they surveyed the scene before them. The residents of Scream Street were mingling with the normal tourists, each trying to remain inconspicuous. Sir Otto, standing at the shimmering doorway, scowled whenever one of them passed him.
Dr Skully, his frame covered by a long raincoat and his skull hidden by an oversized hat, was out walking Scapula, who was wrapped in lengths of fake fur cut from one of Mrs Crudley’s sofas. The bog monster had had to be physically held back as Cleo snipped out the shapes, but it was worth it.
Doug, Turf and Berry were merrily digging up the flower-beds in a nearby garden. They had wanted to continue with their scene where they asked passers-by for the time, but Luke had told them he’d buried a nice, juicy liver, and now there was no holding them back.
“You don’t think Twinkle’s being a bit obvious, do you?” asked Resus, watching the crowd gathered outside 11 Scream Street. The fairy had set up a home-made trapeze and, dressed in the leotard of a circus high-wire performer, was busy giving out handwritten leaflets that read:
Luke grinned and turned his attention to Everwell’s Emporium. “Let’s go and see how Cleo’s getting on.”
The boys pushed open the silver doors to Scream Street’s general store and found the place packed with tourists. Instead of purchasing crystal balls and spell books, however, the normals were browsing shelves filled with as many boring, everyday items as the residents had been able to find. Everwell’s Emporium had been transformed into a junk shop. Tarnished cutlery sat beside well-thumbed books, and a pair of teenagers were busy rifling through a box of Luke’s old computer games.
“You might not get some of those back, you know,” said Resus.
Luke nodded grimly. “But it’ll be worth it.”
Eefa was behind the shop counter, her enchantment charm removed for the occasion. She was dressed in drab overalls and her usually silky hair was knotted and greasy.
The bat that always sat above the shop door and screeched to announce the arrival of new customers was locked in a cage, bright feathers tied to its wings and a cardboard beak strapped in place to make it look like a parrot.
“There’s Cleo,” whispered Luke, pointing towards the storeroom at the back of the shop. The boys headed over and found their friend unpacking boxes of even more dull things to sell. Cleo was dressed in a huge teddy bear costume, complete with giant, furry head.
“Any chance of a cuddle?” grinned Resus.
The teddy bear glared in his direction. “I’ll drop-kick you in a minute!” it snapped in a muffled voice.
Resus pretended to be scared, but Cleo ignored him and sat down heavily on one of the boxes. “I’m sweating like crazy in here,” she groaned. “My bandages are soaked!”
“Well, it was either wear that or stay hidden indoors,” said Luke. “There’s no other way to hide your face.”
“Where did you get this thing anyway?” demanded the mummy.
“We did Goldilocks and the Three Bears as our school play when I was younger,” explained Luke. “That’s the baby bear costume my mum made for me.”
“Good thing, too,” smirked Resus. “I couldn’t bear it if Cleo missed out on all this excitement!”
The giant teddy waddled across the storeroom as fast as it could and grabbed Resus by the scruff of his brightly coloured sweater. “I’ve been up all night with Eefa, restocking these shelves with rubbish so we could open again this morning,” Cleo growled. “I’m too tired for your stupid jokes.”
“Well, if you’re tired,” said Luke, “why don’t you paws for breath?”
Resus collapsed in a fit of giggles, tears running down his cheeks as he gave Luke a high-five. Cleo shook her giant bear head in exasperation and shot the boys a glare that was wasted on them.
A little girl passing the door to the storeroom tugged at her mum’s sleeve. “I’m bored,” she wailed. “Can we go home now?”
Her mother dropped the half-used tube of toothpaste back onto the shelf. “We might as well,” she agreed. “There’s nothing but rubbish here.”
Luke leant in to whisper through one of the bear’s ears, “Looks like you might be out of there soon!” And, taking a fluffy paw each, he and Resus led Cleo through the shop and out into the square. A stream of normals was heading dejectedly towards the rainbow-coloured doorway.
“It’s working,” said Resus as Sir Otto tried desperately to convince the crowds not to leave. “Scream Street is almost ours again!”
He had barely finished speaking when an excited yell rang out and a young vampire, aged around six or seven, skipped into the square, his black cape flapping out behind him.
“Hello,” he called, his tiny fangs glinting in the sunshine. “I’m a vampire!”
“No, you’re not,” retorted one of the tourists already trudging for the exit. “You’re just a kid in a costume.”
“Oh, yeah?” said the young vampire. “Then how come I can do this?” And, leaping into the air, he whipped his cape around his face with a flourish. There was a puff of black smoke, then, in full view of everyone, he turned into a bat.
Chapter Seven
The Transformation
Luke stared at the tiny black bat flapping about in the middle of the square. “How did he do that?”
“We can all do that,” said Resus. “Well, I can’t, obviously, but all real vampires can change into bats whenever they want.”
Luke was stunned. “I’ve never seen your mum or dad in bat form before.”
“There’s no real reason for them to change,” explained Resus. “Vampires developed it originally as a way to escape from men with big, wooden stakes — and that’s not really an issue here. Plus, bats are blind, and the older you get, the longer it takes for your eyesight to return.”
Cleo pulled off the teddy bear head and gulped down deep breaths of fresh air. “I haven’t seen that kid around before.”
Resus quickly grabbed the head and tried to jam it back on. “Don’t take it off,” he exclaimed. “You’ll give the game away!”
“I think it might be a bit late for that,” said Luke.
The crowds who had been about to go through the doorway were now dashing back into the square, their eyes on the newly transformed bat and their cameras back in their hands.
In a second puff of smoke, the bat transformed back into the child vampire. “Told you I was real,” he announced.
“That must mean they’re all real!” cried a voice.
The surly woman, back for a second visit, pushed her way to the front of the newly gathered crowd. “Then I’m going to find that werewolf and get my reward.”
“A reward!” exclaimed the crowd.
“He must be in disguise somewhere,” called one person.
“Let’s find him!” bellowed another.
The young vampire was soon lost in the stampede.
“He’ll be crushed!”
squealed Cleo.
“Not if I’ve got anything to do with it,” said Resus, before remembering that he’d left his cape at home. “Looks like we’re doing this the hard way,” he sighed, and he and Luke began to push through the dozens of people around the small vampire. Meanwhile, Cleo was struggling to free herself from the teddy bear costume.
All over the square, residents were running for cover. As Dr Skully threw down Scapula’s lead and raced for home, one of the normals saw him and gave chase. “That could be him — there, in the coat!” cried the man.
He lunged forward and grabbed Dr Skully’s raincoat, pulling it off to reveal the skeleton underneath — and dislodging one of the teacher’s ribs in the process. The man stopped running and scooped up the bone. “It might not be the werewolf,” he said to himself, examining it, “but I bet I could get something for this on the Internet!”
Dr Skully slowed to a halt when he realized the man had given up the chase, only to find his way barred by a party of women.
“That’s not the werewolf,” declared one.
“I bet he can tell us where he is, though,” answered a second.
One of them grabbed the skeleton and lifted him into the air. “Please, let me down,” begged the teacher.
“Only when you tell us where to find the werewolf!”
Twinkle, giving up all pretence of being a circus performer, tore off his leotard to free his wings, rose into the air and followed the sound of Dr Skully’s cries. Reaching down into the throng with his massive fists, he grabbed the teacher’s skull and pulled hard, his wings flapping furiously to keep him airborne. There was a crack! as the skull detached from the spine, sending the women sprawling.
“Let’s go!” bellowed Twinkle.
What remained of Dr Skully twisted round in the fairy’s hands to look wistfully back towards the group. “My body!” he wailed.
Meanwhile, down in their garden, Doug, Turf and Berry had abandoned their search for the liver and were instead scrabbling at the dirt in a bid to tunnel their way to safety.
A woman in high heels leapt over the hedge and caught hold of Doug’s ankle just as he disappeared into the soil. “Oh no, you don’t!” she screeched. “Not until you tell me where the werewolf is.”
Others joined her as she tried to drag the zombie back above ground. There was a sickening squelch as both of Doug’s legs ripped free from his body, causing his pursuers to collapse backwards in a heap.
In the middle of the square, Resus dropped to his hands and knees in an attempt to reach the young vampire at the centre of the crowd.
“Help me!” cried the small boy. “Help! Leave me alo—”
Then he suddenly fell quiet.
Luke, just a few metres away, was getting kicked and stepped on as he fought his own way through. “This is hopeless,” he cried. He turned towards Resus. “Make sure you get him!” he yelled.
“Why?” Resus hollered back. “What are you going to do?”
“This!” declared Luke, forcing himself to his feet. He pulled back his hood. “WHY CAN’T YOU PICK ON A FREAK YOUR OWN SIZE?” he roared. Everyone stopped what they were doing. “I’m the one you really want!”
“It’s the werewolf!” exclaimed a woman.
“He’s mine!”
The crowd surged towards Luke, who battled his way free and raced off across the square, head down.
Up ahead, Dixon stood on a small box, reciting his poetry to anyone who would listen:
“I wish I was a coconut,
Hanging on a palm.
Then I could drop on top of you
And do your head some harm.”
Luke charged past without so much as a backwards glance.
Back in the middle of the square, Resus finally reached the small vampire, lying on the ground. Cleo skidded to a halt beside them.
“Is he OK?” she asked.
“A bit dazed, I think,” replied Resus, helping the boy up. “Let’s get him indoors.” As they started towards the emporium, they could see more normals joining the pursuit of Luke. Cleo gave a sharp intake of breath.
“We have to trust that he knows what he’s doing,” said Resus, struggling to run under the weight of the boy. “He’s probably just saved this kid’s life.”
Luke felt a stitch in his side as he continued to dodge his pursuers. He tried to stay calm; he had to keep his mind clear. This time, he wouldn’t allow himself to be beaten.
He looked up: the tourists were beginning to close in from both sides. There was nothing to do but keep going straight ahead — towards the shimmering doorway of light.
That was it! If he could only get through the doorway and back into his own world, the normals would follow and leave Scream Street alone. He’d still have to lose the crowd on the other side, of course, but if he could find somewhere to hide, he could sneak back through when everything had calmed down.
Despite the pain in his side, Luke bent his head and sprinted for the rainbow-coloured light. He could just about see his old street on the other side, the glistening barrier between the two worlds rippling like a wall of water. He was almost there…
As he made to step through the doorway, a large hand clamped around Luke’s throat and dragged him back into Scream Street, lifting him clear off the ground.
The face of Sir Otto Sneer appeared in his line of vision. “Nice try,” it growled. Tossing Luke to the ground, the landlord yelled at the advancing crowd: “He’s all yours!”
From the doorway of Everwell’s Emporium, Resus and Cleo looked on as the normals surrounded Luke, pointing and poking at him as though he was some kind of laboratory specimen. Before they could do anything, they became aware of a figure dashing into the crowd. It was Luke’s mum.
“LEAVE HIM ALONE!” screamed Mrs Watson, trying to move the normals out of the way. “That’s my son!” She dragged a teenager out by the hair and half pushed, half threw her to one side. Then, lashing out at a man in a baseball jacket, she managed to battle her way towards the centre of the throng. “Luke!” she cried.
Finally she spotted him, crouching on the ground, his hands covering his face and his legs kicking out against his attackers. She gave a final push forward, only to be grabbed by the hair and pulled backwards.
“Stay back,” snarled the surly woman, knocking Mrs Watson off her feet. “That reward money is mine!”
Cleo and Resus dashed over to help, but they were stopped dead in their tracks. Mrs Watson’s nose was beginning to stretch and change shape, and long, sharp fangs were bursting through her gums…
Luke’s mum was transforming into a werewolf.
Chapter Eight
The Cage
Resus and Cleo watched the transformation, horrified. Mrs Watson writhed on the ground as-her spine twisted and her limbs began to lengthen. The snout was now completely stretched out, patches of dark blonde fur burst through her clothes and a meaty tongue lolled between her jaws.
“What’s going on?” cried Cleo.
Resus looked from the mummy to Luke’s mum and back. “I would have thought that was perfectly obvious.”
“No, I mean… I thought Luke was the only one in his family who could transform,” said Cleo, unable to tear her eyes away.
“Maybe his mum had the werewolf gene in her all this time.”
A long, furry tail ripped through the back of Mrs Watson’s trousers.
“Maybe?” exclaimed Cleo.
“OK, then,” said Resus, “she obviously has got it! But this must be the first time it’s kicked in. It looks like it’s going to be a full transformation, too.”
“What shall we do?” asked Cleo in panic.
“We’ll have to get them out of here,” said Resus, glancing at the normals still crowded around Luke. “And quickly!”
“How?”
Finally, long talons sliced through Mrs Watson’s fingertips and she raised her snout to the sky and howled.
The world seemed to pause for a few moments, then chaos erupte
d. The crowd screamed as they ran, as one, from the werewolf.
“Well,” said Resus. “That seems to have done the trick!”
Cleo rushed over to Luke and helped him to his feet. “We have to get out of here,” she urged.
“Why?” he asked, lowering his hands from his face. “The normals have all—”
He stopped, the words stuck in his throat, as his mother’s werewolf clambered to all fours and turned to face him, its eyes burning yellow. It growled.
“Oh no,” Luke whispered. He turned to Resus and Cleo, his eyes pleading. “Tell me that’s not…?”
“I’m afraid it is,” said Cleo gently. “We have to go.”
“I-I can’t leave her,” said Luke, backing away involuntarily as the werewolf came towards him. “That’s my mum!”
“Not at the moment, it’s not,” said Resus as kindly as he could. “She could attack you.”
“But…”
“I doubt you’ll be able to reason with her when she’s like this, Luke,” said Cleo. “We used to try when you transformed, but it’s not always possible.”
“All you can do is wait for her to change back,” added Resus.
Luke stared into what were no longer his mum’s eyes. He couldn’t bear to think about how scared she must be. He remembered the terror that had filled him when he had first transformed. He’d known something was happening, but—
Suddenly, without any warning, the werewolf sprang forward, teeth gnashing, towards Luke.
“Mum!” he cried, holding his hands up in front of him as though they could somehow protect him against the claws and fangs of this vicious beast. The wolf leapt… and sailed right over Luke, landing behind him with a snarl. It had another victim in mind.
The surly woman who had kick-started the riot stood trembling behind a garden hedge. Some of the tourists had made straight for the doorway, but most had found a hiding spot, torn between fear of the wolf and curiosity to see it in action.
Invasion of the Normals Page 4
