The Secret of the Storm Cloud

by Sidney Gibson

  ‘Ooer. Ok then.’ Justin’s voice sounded fearful as he and Lucy headed off into the night towards the church yard.

  ***

  ‘My word, you’re back early. Disco no good then?’

  It was Mr Overwhite in the reception about to take Mrs Overwhite’s dog out for the last time that night.

  ‘Don’t say a word about the kidnapping. We must keep it secret.’ Azel hissed at Danial.

  ‘No the disco was fine. Actually Mr Overwhite, we’re going out again in a few minutes and won’t be back till late. Hope we won’t disturb you’

  ‘No, no, not at all’ he replied thinking what an odd lot of guests he had staying with him at present. What with the trouble with Herr Saucefurter and everything and now these two coming in and going out again at very curious times.

  ‘You’d better fetch your computer thingy, but don’t expect it to help’ said Azel disparagingly. ’I’ll get the special equipment from Miss Wilmcurse and we’ll meet back in reception in five minutes. Justin and Lucy should have returned with the Warpsweeper and I’ll change it back to mission mode’

  ***

  Danial was fiddling with the computer when Azel joined him in the reception.

  ‘I don’t understand this’ he said

  ‘Well it’s no good asking me for advice’ snorted Azel

  ‘No, no it’s not that. You see I’m picking up a signal from Phemie’s crystal but the map co ordinates say 182 degrees latitude x 362 degrees longitude’

  ‘So?’ demanded Azel impatiently. She knew this new technology thing would be of no use when it came to the crunch, like right now.

  ‘Well you see, 182 degrees x 362 degrees is actually off the map. I mean there’s no such co ordinate.’

  ‘I told you it wouldn’t be any good. The old ways like common sense and good magic can’t be beaten you know. Never mind your computer. My magic wand has already confirmed Phemie is held captive by Anniolate in the Grey Castle. Anyway, I expect Fargon is way off the map as far as your computer is concerned.’

  ‘That’s it!’ exclaimed Danial ‘that’s what it is. It’s off the map in Mystic Time Dimension. The crystal won’t find Phemie until I get to Fargon. How could I be so stupid?’

  ‘Excuse me?’ queried Azel ‘until you get to Fargon? I’m sorry Danial but we’ll be travelling together. I’m not letting you go alone; it would be far too dangerous.’

  ‘But the Warpsweeper only carries two passengers. If both of us go, how can Phemie be brought back home?’

  Azel hesitated. What Danial said was true but if left in Lower Chantment he would find another way to go after Phemie, and that was even more hazardous. On the other hand, if she let him go alone his lack of experience would make it impossible for him to handle the dangers. Then again, how would experience be gained if he wasn’t allowed to go by himself? It was down to her to make the decision.

  ‘You do understand, don’t you Danial, that the journey to Anniolate’s castle is very dangerous’

  ‘Yes, but...’

  ‘Let me finish. To reach Anniolate’s castle you must first pass through the Forgotten Forest of Uncertain Death, so we’ll travel together to where it begins and find my old friend Bilberry. He’s a giant who warns travellers of the terrible dangers in the Forest, and guides them on alternative routes. But for you there will be no alternative and it’s unthinkable to try without Bilberry’s help. If you make it to the other side, Anniolate’s castle can be seen but grey walls and dark cliffs make it almost invisible. Then you’ll have to trek across a narrow causeway over a swamp infested by yellow toothed rats bred for making evil spells - the same ones Venefica was using. At the end there’s a trench round the castle overgrown with poisonous nettles and brambles. Anniolate has cursed them to sting and slash the life out of whoever tries to get past’

  Azel had hardly paused for breath, talking very fast in a matter of fact way. Danial felt confident about sorting any problem but there were other considerations which Azel was neglecting. If they both went to the edge of the forgotten forest, how was Azel going to get home? Why couldn’t he travel alone all the way to the Grey Castle on the Warpsweeper and use it to bring Phemie home directly from there? Azel had said nothing about actually getting inside the castle. She only seemed to know how to reach its outside walls. Had she never been inside?

  Reading Danial ’s mind Azel smiled patiently.

  ‘It is not safe to use the Warpsweeper all the way. Anniolate will sense its presence and can easily prevent you from landing in one piece. The broom must be left with giant Bilberry for you to collect on your way home with Phemie. I shall travel back to Lower Chantment in my own way. Don’t ask how. It’s my secret.’

  Danial decided not to pry into Azel’s secret. ‘How do I get into the castle? Is it guarded by anything or shall I look for an open window, or what?’

  ‘Danial, you must do better than that’ said Azel sternly. ‘If you think Anniolate’s daft enough to leave a window open for people like us to pop in anytime we feel like it, you’d best leave everything to me.’

  ‘Sorry. Wasn’t thinking straight. I’ll find a way in. No sweat’

  ‘Just don’t take any unnecessary risks that’s all’ Azel said meaningfully. ‘Remember there are some nasty characters working for Anniolate who are out to get you. They’ll get a big wad of money if they succeed as well as earning special favours.

  Now, where have Justin and Lucy got to.’ Azel went on impatiently, changing the subject and peering out of the front door into the darkness. They should have been here with the Warpsweeper ages ago. We really must be on our way’

  ***

  It had stopped drizzling when Justin and Lucy reached the graveyard. A stiff, cold breeze sent clouds scudding quickly over a bright moonlit sky and made the lanyards on the church tower flag pole clatter noisily.

  ‘I’m not very ‘appy about this’ said Justin, scrutinising the empty shadows of the graveyard ‘It’s really spooky here. That’s what it is, spooky.

  ‘You mustn’t worry Justin. I’m with you aren’t I? Just think about poor Phemie. We’re helping her aren’t we?’ replied Lucy in a light hearted way.

  ‘Suppose so’ said Justin still not at all sure. What would Sergeant Ted Baggit say if he knew his constable was creeping about Lower Chantment church graveyard in the dark? And on Halloween night at that.

  ‘We’ll bbbe as quick as we cccan ‘an no talking allowed - I mean aloud’ stammered Justin nervously.

  ‘Ok then, we’ll whisper quietly so no one will hear us’ whispered Lucy

  ‘Ok then’ whispered Justin. They crept into the blackness of the graveyard with only the dim silhouettes of tombstones visible against the distant street lights of the village.

  ‘Whassatt!’ exclaimed Justin loudly ‘Ooh, I mean, whassatt!’ He tried to whisper the second time but was so nervous shouted loudly again, startling Lucy and making her jump.

  ‘For goodness sake stop being silly Justin, you’re making me as jumpy as you’

  ‘No, no, I mean listen. What’s that sound?’

  ‘What sound? Where?’

  A ghastly noise like fingernails being scraped over a bare plaster wall scrawped across the graveyard. They froze, fixated in horror as the heavy stone cover of a tomb overgrown with moss and ivy slowly, very slowly, slewed open. A curling swathe of eerie mist drifted out from the darkness of the tomb, forming itself into the indistinct shape of a person wearing sandals and a hooded shroud with a rope tied round it’s waist. Transfixed by the horror of the apparition, Justin conjured up pictures of monks who had died from the plague or Black Death. It floated unsteadily towards them it’s face changing imperceptibly from young to old and back to dead with dusty, waxen skin and staring eyes in black hollow sockets. Then it spoke, calling in an empty echoing moan.

 
‘Jussssssstin. Luuuuuuucy. Come and join us’

  A shapeless, palsied hand offered itself and beckoned.

  ‘We’re ‘outa here’ shouted Justin suddenly finding his voice. ‘Let’s go’

  But Lucy could only stand mesmerised, eyes wide open, arms outstretched towards the ghost, her mouth saying yes but no sound coming out.

  ‘Come on’ urged Justin grabbing her arm and tugging sharply, ‘we have to go’

  Lucy blinked, shook her head, and came to her senses. ‘Justin the broom. We must take the broom’

  The spectre still hovered. ‘Jussssssstin. Luuuuuuucy. Don’t leave us now.....’

  More ghostly shapes were manifesting themselves and forming a little group behind the hooded monk. A pallid sad woman with a silent, limp baby in her arms, skeletons in ragged Elizabethan costume, and a ghoulish prisoner chained and shackled. They joined in with the monk woefully wailing for Justin and Lucy to come and join them.

  ‘Don’t listen to them.’ warned Lucy ‘Come quickly, round the back. The broom’s round the back’

  They ran, crouched low against the church, stumbling over tufts of grass and clanging against an old tin dustbin, sending its lid flying.

  ‘Here it is’ Lucy exclaimed grasping the gnarled wooden handle of the Warpsweeper, still in its disguise and hibernate mode. ‘it’s worn out isn’t it Justin? What’s Miss Azel’s going to do with an old thing like this?’

  ‘Oi dunno ‘an oi don’t care right now’ said Justin hurriedly. ‘Just let’s get out of here...... Hey, look at that! Can you see that?’

  He interrupted himself with excited incredulity. He had not expected to see yet another spectre but there, limping painfully across the graveyard dragging a wild eyed black horse on a short tether, was the figure of a highway man, his masked face deathly white and hollow cheeked, a bloodstained noose hanging loosely around his neck. As he reached the church tower the man turned, stared balefully at Lucy, and disappeared horse and all through the wall without a sound.

  ‘Did you see that?’ gasped Justin. ‘e went straight through the wall with ‘is ‘orse’

  ‘Never mind him’ whispered Lucy urgently ‘We’ll have to find another way out. Look’

  The gang of hapless ghosts, ominously sighing and moaning, now stood between Justin and Lucy and the gate, waiting for them.

  ‘We’re trapped. That’s our only way out’ breathed Justin, an edge of panic in his whisper.

  ‘Unless we go into the church and out the other side through that little door the vicar uses’ suggested Lucy.

  ‘No good’ replied Justin ‘it’s locked and there are no lights on. Anyway that hanged highway man thing is in there’

  ‘All right then, let’s make a run for it. They’re only ghosts and we’re real, so we can run straight through them. That is if you’re brave enough and not afraid’ she added tauntingly.

  ‘Me? Afraid? No way. We’ll show ‘em’ said Justin taking up Lucy’s challenge.

  ‘C’mon then - go!’

  Grasping the broom tightly with one hand, Lucy caught hold of Justin with the other and together they ran full tilt at the drifting gaggle of ghosts.

  Justin and Lucy did not know about the emergency escape function programmed into the Warpsweeper. As they ran bravely, perhaps foolishly as neither knew what powers possessed the ghosts, Lucy felt the broom surge forward, gathering speed so fast her feet were unable to touch the ground.

  ‘Hold on, Justin’ she cried ‘I’ve found out why Miss Azel wants this old broom’

  The hooded monk was first to see them coming at lunatic speed and drifted to one side to let them pass. The other ghosts weren’t so lucky and were blitzed by the speed of the Warpsweeper into a thousand wraith like lengths of misty string, which knotted themselves together in the air before disappearing back into the darkness of the tomb.

  ‘That’s one of my favourite things’ yelled Justin over the rushing noise of slipstream ‘floating white ghosties all tied up with string.’

  The Warpsweeper landed abruptly in the village street, stopping so quickly and reverting to its disguise and hibernate mode that Justin and Lucy were tipped on to the grass verge. Justin picked himself up and helped Lucy to her feet. Nervously they looked back to the grave yard but save for the clattering of lanyards on the church tower flagpole it was empty, silent and without a sign of the ghosts and phantoms which moments before had seemed so real.

  But tonight was Halloween - and they had been.

  ***

  Justin and Lucy staggered into the reception of Hansome House looking somewhat bedraggled. Lucy still clutched the broom tightly with one hand and Justin with the other.

  ‘Where have you been?’ asked Azel impatiently

  ‘Phew’ breathed Justin ‘you should ‘a saw what we jus seen’ Justin often got his grammar wrong as well as words but Azel was more interested in changing the Warpsweeper into mission mode.

  ‘Well thanks anyway for fetching my broom’ said Azel ‘I’m sorry you had trouble but you’ll have to tell us about it later’

  ‘Trouble!’ exclaimed Justin ‘I’ll say we had trouble. Did you know......’

  ‘Not now, Justin’ whispered Lucy loudly, nudging him uncomfortably ‘Miss Azel and Danial are in a hurry.’

  She handed the broom to Azel.

  ‘Thank you, Lucy. Now stand back, please’

  Azel held the broom horizontally at arms length and let go. To Lucy’s amazement it stayed exactly where it was put. With a dramatic flourish, Azel pulled an aerosol from the depths of her cloak labelled ‘Revertabroom Warpsweeper spray. New. Improved. Now with instant laser function.’

  Luminescent mist shot from the can’s double nozzle, spiralling round the broom and enveloping it in a cloud of blue vapour with jags of bright green lasers flashing like a big sparkler. In an instant the Warpsweeper emerged from the cloud in full mission mode and quietly hovered above the polished floor of the reception.

  Justin and Lucy stood rooted to the spot, speechless with amazement.

  ‘Come on, Danial ’called Azel ‘we’ve no time to mess about. What are you doing now?’ She added sounding annoyed.

  ‘Hang on’ answered Danial ‘I’m just transferring data to my handheld. The laptop’s too bulky. Here, Justin. Look after this for me until I get back?’

  Justin weakly held out his hand as Danial thrust his laptop at him. So many things were happening tonight Justin was not quite keeping up, especially as it was after midnight and way past his bedtime.

  ‘This way, this way’ Azel was saying impatiently as she pushed the Warpsweeper out of the front door. ‘We’ll take off from the driveway’

  The Warpsweeper floated down the steps and bobbed gently as Azel and Danial climbed aboard. It hovered motionless, waiting for directions.

  “Where to?” it asked in its usual flat, metallic voice.

  “The Forgotten Forest of Uncertain Death” whispered Azel so as not to let Justin or Lucy hear.

  “Where? Are you quite sure?” questioned the Warpsweeper loudly “That’s filed under dangerous locations. Please confirm your intention if you wish to override my safe destination programme’

  ‘I said’ said Azel in an exasperated whisper, ‘to the Forgotten Forest of Uncertain Death. No arguments. We’re in a hurry and full mission mode applies, OK?’

  ‘Whoa! Full mission mode eh? I’ve been waiting for this. You’ll have to say exactly where in the forest you’re expecting me to take you of course’ said the Warpsweeper sarcastically with customary rudeness. ‘I am unable to accept vague instructions. You ought know that’

  ‘It’s to where Giant Bilberry lives’ interrupted Danial ‘We shall travel in present time vault’

  Azel turned to looked at Danial, surprised at his authoritative manner. Even the W
arpsweeper seemed taken aback.

  ‘Yes sir’ it said briskly ‘ immediate action will be performed. Onlookers stand clear for take off manoeuvres please’ The Warpsweeper had obviously taken Danial ’s commands to heart.

  It was Justin and Lucy’s first opportunity to witness a Warpsweeper in launch mode and apprehensively they drew back from the roar of its crackling engines and blazing navigation beams. Then suddenly it was gone from them. Disappearing into the night sky on a mission to bring home Phemie Snow.

  Chapter Ten

  Journey to the forest

  A voice crackled out of the speaker in the chromed metal ball on the Warpsweeper, breaking the determined silence of the two on board. Azel and Danial had not spoken since they left Lower Chantment, keeping thoughts and concerns to themselves. Now, they had been brought to an abrupt standstill, caught in the beam of the Urquhart Castle marker.

  ‘I require your attention. I am Controller of the marker, protector of the monster and guardian of the Loch. You must identify yourself and pay forfeit or make promises to be honoured later’

  ‘It’s me again’ said Azel into the microphone ‘Azel Goodwill requesting urgent mission clearance’

  ‘You mean the same one as a few days ago?’ asked the Controller.

  ‘Yes, the same. We located Venefica and now pursue her as the perpetrator of kidnapping. Have you seen or heard anything?’

  ‘I have. Her name was entered in the register earlier this night and she failed to pay forfeit or make promise. Her bearing was on a direct heading for Fargon. Go, pass with all speed. I shall speak with you again upon your return. Good luck, Goodwill’

  The Controller switched off the beam, releasing the Warpsweeper. It lurched violently forwards, accelerating at enormous velocity, distorting light in dramatic waves as it whipped Azel and Danial swiftly away from Urquhart to confront the dangers of the Forgotten Forest of Uncertain Death.

  ***

  ‘Azel’ asked Danial as they flew low over the sea, ‘why is the Forgotten Forest of Uncertain Death called the Forgotten Forest of Uncertain Death?’