Secret of the Changeling

by Tommy Donbavand

  Resus swallowed hard. “What do you want from me?”

  “It’s more a case of what you want from me, my dear,” the Crimson Queen said. “There’s this little thing, for a start.” Reaching down, she lifted the small blonde child into view and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

  “Poppy!” Resus exclaimed. The toddler giggled at the sound of her name. “What have you done with her?”

  “Why, nothing,” said the queen. “I don’t even want her, if you must know the truth. You can come and take her back any time you want.”

  “But, the changeling…”

  “…was nothing to do with me,” the queen said firmly, putting Poppy back down. “I just woke up one day and this little treasure was here.”

  Resus’s brow furrowed. “You didn’t take her and leave Ditto in her place?”

  The queen laughed, but it wasn’t an altogether pleasant sound. “What would I want with a child?” she asked innocently. “And somebody else’s, at that? If I were ever lonely, I’d use magic to create a companion.”

  “Magic?”

  The Crimson Queen casually examined her immaculate fingernails. “More powerful than you could ever imagine, Resus.” She smiled widely. “But why tell you, when I could show you? Wash your cut in the stream.”

  “Why?” asked Resus, nervously. “What are you going to do?”

  “Help you, dear boy – now, do it!”

  Obediently, Resus scooped a handful of clear water from the stream and splashed it onto his forehead. The cut tingled for a second, then stopped hurting altogether. “The pain,” he gasped. “It’s gone!”

  “So has the wound itself,” declared the queen. She clicked her fingers and her image shimmered away to be replaced once more by Resus’s reflection. He was amazed to see that the cut had completely disappeared.

  “That’s incredible!” he laughed.

  The Crimson Queen’s face came floating back again. “Isn’t it just?” she said excitedly, then her expression became more serious. “Now, imagine what my powers could do for Scream Street.”

  Resus was thrown for a moment. “Scream Street?” he said uncertainly.

  The queen sighed. “All that running around, returning relics… Sounds like a lot of hard work to me.”

  “How do you know about—”

  “Why, I could get rid of the normals and close that pesky doorway with a single click of my fingers!”

  “That would be brilliant,” breathed Resus. “Everything would just—” He stopped suddenly. “Wait a minute… Why should I trust you? Prince Harming said you’d trapped all the fairies in your magic mirror.”

  The queen’s face fell, as though Resus’s words had hurt her. “And you believe a man whose sole purpose in life is to find and kill vampires like you and me?”

  Resus felt his cheeks flush. “I… I don’t know…”

  The Crimson Queen held out her hand. “Join me, Resus,” she said softly. “We could do so much good together. You could be the saviour of Scream Street. Why let Luke take all the glory? We know who’s really doing all the work.”

  Resus’s head was spinning. “I have to … have to t-talk to my friends,” he stammered.

  “No, you don’t,” the queen insisted. “They won’t believe a word you say. You can be so much more than this, Resus. You can be … a real vampire!”

  The words echoed around Resus’s mind. “A real vampire?” he croaked. “Like my mum and dad?”

  “Exactly like them, Resus,” the queen smiled, her hand reaching closer and closer. “Join me and you will finally become a worthy descendant in the glorious bloodline of Count Negatov!”

  Resus’s heart pounded as he stretched his own arm out towards the water. “After all these years, I’d finally be…”

  “There you are!” cried Luke, bounding down the bank. “We were beginning to think you’d fallen in.”

  Resus shook his head. “N-no,” he said, trying to steady his voice. “I was just—” He looked back at the water to see his own reflection staring back up at him. The Crimson Queen had gone.

  Luke sat down beside his friend. “Hey,” he exclaimed. “Your head’s better!”

  Resus touched the spot where the gash had been. “Yeah,” he said. “It looked worse than it was. Once I’d washed the blood away, there was nothing to see.”

  “That’s a relief.” Luke checked they were alone, then lowered his voice. “Cleo and I thought we saw Poppy in the Crimson Queen’s throne room,” he said. “Although we only got a quick glance so we might have been wrong.”

  “No, she’s there,” Resus confirmed. “I, er … I mean, I’m sure I saw her as well.”

  “Good,” said Luke. “If we go with Prince Harming to the Crimson Queen’s castle, we might be able to get Poppy out before he starts firing his wooden stakes everywhere.”

  “I don’t like him,” muttered Resus. “Or what he’s planning to do.”

  “He’s trying to free all the fairies she has trapped in that mirror of hers,” said Luke.

  “We’ve only got Harming’s word for it that that’s what she’s done,” Resus snapped. “How do you know we can trust him?”

  Luke was taken aback. “Well, he did save us from that weirdo, Skinderella…”

  Resus began to lose his temper. “For all we know, he was the one who set her on us in the first place!”

  “Why would he do that?”

  Resus shrugged. “I dunno,” he said. “Maybe to ride in and get all the glory when he saved us? He does seem to think he’s some kind of hero cowboy, after all.”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  “Is it?” said Resus. “He seemed to know an awful lot about the queen.”

  “That’s his job,” Luke retorted.

  “No,” barked Resus. “His job is to kill vampires! Vampires like me, like my mum and dad…”

  They froze as a child’s scream pierced the calm of the woods.

  “Ditto!” cried Luke.

  The boys raced up the bank to find the clearing completely engulfed in a mini tornado. Leaves spun through the air, along with Prince Harming’s assortment of weapons. Cleo clung onto a tree with one hand, her other holding tightly to Ditto, desperately trying to stop the changeling from being dragged into the whirlwind.

  Luke dashed towards them but stopped as a twisted animal-like face appeared in the midst of the ferocious gale. It sneered at him briefly then was lost among the debris. Two others appeared soon after, both laughing with delight at the chaos around them.

  “What are those things?” yelled Resus.

  “They’re poltergeists!” shouted Prince Harming from across the clearing. “And they’re being controlled by her!”

  Luke and Resus followed the vampire hunter’s gaze to see the ghost of a young girl standing serenely in the centre of the tornado. Brushing a few stray leaves from her dress, she flung her hands into the air and began to wave them around as though conducting an orchestra.

  “Who is that?” bellowed Luke.

  “That’s Ghouldilocks!” replied Prince Harming. “And those are her three Scares!”

  Chapter Eight

  The Deal

  “Help me!” cried Cleo as Ditto’s hand began to slip from her grasp.

  Resus plunged his own hand into his cape and began to rummage around for something he could use to save the changeling. If she was caught up in the tornado, there was no knowing where she would land. First he pulled out a feather duster, then an antique bell, and finally a vacuum cleaner.

  “Hurry up!” Luke urged as the faces of the three Scares melted away and then re-emerged among the chaos. Ghouldilocks was laughing now, urging the poltergeists to twirl ever faster.

  “No!” bellowed Cleo as Ditto’s fingers finally slid out of hers. The changeling screamed as the poltergeists lifted her higher and higher, shrieking and cackling in glee.

  Quick as a flash, Prince Harming grabbed a length of rope from his belt, spun it round his head like a lasso and hurled it
into the tornado. The rope twisted and buckled in the wind, but the vampire hunter was able to hold it steady enough so that as Ditto came spinning past he could pull it tight and catch her around the leg.

  He pulled the rope in, hand over fist, until the little girl was within reach and he was able to stretch out and pluck her from the whirlwind. “There, there,” he said. “You’re OK now.”

  “Oh, how convenient!” thundered Resus.

  “What?” shouted Luke.

  “He just happens to have a lasso with him, and he saves the day once again.”

  “You’re mental, do you know that?” Luke exclaimed. “Now you’re going to tell me Harming brought three violent poltergeists here especially to attack us!”

  “Three poltergeists and the scary ghost of a girl,” Resus corrected. “And he knew exactly who they were – again!”

  “So he’s spent a lot of time in the fairy realm.”

  Resus sneered. “The Crimson Queen said you wouldn’t believe me!”

  Luke stared. “You spoke to the Crimson—”

  “If you two have a minute, do you think someone could possibly see their way to rescuing me?” screeched Cleo, still clinging tightly to the tree.

  “All yours,” said Luke, turning to Resus. “Unless, of course, Prince Harming’s just biding his time until he charges in and rescues Cleo, too…”

  Resus looked over at the vampire hunter, who was still trying to calm Ditto. “I can save Cleo any time I like.”

  Luke raised his eyebrows. “What with?” he demanded, picking up the battery-powered vacuum cleaner. “A Dustbuster?”

  “Yes, actually!” Resus barked, snatching the vacuum cleaner from Luke’s hands. He turned it on and aimed it into the whirlwind.

  The first Scare to be caught was the smallest of them all. The baby poltergeist squealed as it was sucked into the cleaner with a sound like a backwards pop! and disappeared. The Scare fought to get out and Resus found himself struggling to keep a grip on the handle – but he was still smug enough to quip to Luke, “Who’s been slipping in my vacuum?”

  “I can’t believe it!” cried Luke. “It’s working!”

  Ghouldilocks, spotting that one of her precious Scares had been captured, let out an angry roar.

  Luke came alongside Resus and helped him keep his grip on the cleaner as the baby ghost inside caused it to protest. “Do you think it’ll take two more?” he yelled.

  “Only one way to find out,” shouted Resus, then he flicked the power up to medium and plunged the vacuum back into the storm. Almost immediately, the boys captured the middle Scare, which scrabbled around for a few seconds with transparent fingers before being sucked inside to join its sibling.

  “Two down – one to go!” yelled Luke. The vampire grinned and flicked the power onto high.

  The final poltergeist was the trickiest to catch. No longer restricted by the movement of its brothers, it leapt up and down as it spun around the clearing – skimming the ground one second and tearing leaves off the trees the next. The vacuum cleaner was now jerking around violently, and Luke and Resus struggled to keep control.

  Ghouldilocks had become a picture of anguish. Her eyes blazed and she flung her arms around, screeching unintelligible commands to her remaining Scare.

  The poltergeist shot past the boys again, but it was too fast and strong for the vacuum to have any effect.

  “I’ve got an idea,” cried Resus. “Let go!” Luke did as he was instructed and Resus charged across the patch of open ground to plunge the hoover into Ghouldilocks herself.

  The result was as bizarre as it was effective. Screaming with rage, the ghoulish girl was dragged and twisted out of shape as she was sucked inside the machine. Within seconds, she was gone.

  “Resus – behind you!” bellowed Luke.

  Resus spun round to see the final Scare shooting through the air towards him. Standing his ground, the vampire lifted the hoover like a shotgun and simply allowed the poltergeist to slip inside. Then he switched it off, spun it around his finger and blew the last few tendrils of ectoplasmic smoke from the end of the barrel.

  Cleo raced over to hug him. “That was unbelievable!” she exclaimed.

  “It sure was,” drawled Prince Harming. Then there was a click! and Resus felt the sharp point of a stake press against the side of his head.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” demanded Luke. “He’s just saved us!”

  “Yep,” said Harming slowly. “He saved us all right – with items from a vampire’s cloak. That ain’t no costume from a school dress-up box!”

  Resus swallowed hard. “But I’m not a vampire,” he insisted, opening his mouth to show once more that he didn’t have fangs.

  “Then where’d you get the cloak?”

  “His dad gave it to him!” Cleo blurted out. “But he’s nothing like his parents – he doesn’t drink blood, and he’s the only kid in Scream Street who dyes his hair.”

  Prince Harming paused, then lowered his crossbow. “So there are real vampires in this place, Scream Street?”

  Resus’s eyes widened in alarm.

  “No, no! I didn’t mean that!” Cleo said quickly.

  “Maybe you did and maybe you didn’t,” said Harming. “But I reckon I’ll be paying this Scream Street a visit after I’ve dealt with the Crimson Queen.”

  Resus turned on Luke. “Now do you believe me? He’s dangerous!”

  “I’m sure it’s just a mistake,” Luke insisted. “We can sit down and sort this out.”

  “You’re STILL taking his side!” yelled the vampire, his eyes filling with tears. “He’s just threatened to kill my parents, and you won’t see him for what he is!”

  Cleo took a step towards him. “Resus, I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I didn’t mean to—”

  “Stay away from me,” Resus ordered. “All of you – just stay away! The Crimson Queen said I couldn’t trust any of you, and she was right.”

  Luke felt a lump rise in his throat. “You were telling the truth,” he gasped. “You did speak to the queen!”

  “Oh yes,” said Resus. “And she’s the only one around here making any sense.” He turned to face Prince Harming. “This is a real vampire cloak,” he growled, “and it just happens to contain one last mirror!” He pulled a full-length mirror from his cape and stood it against a tree. The Crimson Queen was waiting patiently in its glass.

  “Does the offer still stand?” Resus asked her. “If I join you, will you help me save Scream Street and turn me into a real vampire?”

  “Anything you desire, Resus,” replied the queen, stretching out her hand again.

  With a final glance back at his friends, Resus reached into the mirror, took the queen’s hand and allowed himself to be pulled through.

  “Resus, no!” Cleo begged, but the vampire was now standing in the Crimson Queen’s throne room. The image began to shimmer and fade, and by the time Prince Harming’s stake hit the glass, all it showed was his own reflection. The mirror shattered and fell to the ground.

  Chapter Nine

  The Palace

  “We have to stop him!” shouted Cleo, clinging tightly to the mane of Prince Harming’s horse as it galloped along the path to the palace. She and the changeling were seated in front of the vampire hunter while Luke clung on tightly behind. “We can’t let him do a deal with the Crimson Queen.”

  “Don’t you worry, little missy,” said Harming. “I’ll stop him, all right.”

  “I mean in a nice way,” Cleo yelled back. “Not with sharp, pointy sticks!”

  They reached the palace in no time at all. With its pale pink walls and immaculate gardens, it looked like something out of a children’s picture book. Towers rose above the trees, their windows glinting in the sun, and an array of green flags flew from their tops, twisting in the breeze.

  “This used to belong to the fairy royal family,” said Harming as he pulled the horse back to a trot. “Until the queen made her move, that is.”

  �
��I don’t get it,” admitted Luke. “You said she overthrew every fairy in the land and trapped them all inside the same mirror. How is that possible?”

  Harming turned round in his saddle. “Don’t say you’re startin’ to doubt me as well?”

  “Of course not,” said Luke hurriedly. “It’s just hard to imagine.”

  Prince Harming trotted the horse into the courtyard. “As hard to imagine as your best friend makin’ a deal with the Queen of Darkness herself?”

  He may not have been happy about what Resus had done, but Luke still bristled at the vampire hunter’s words. “I’m sure he thinks he’s doing what’s best.”

  Prince Harming grunted what might have been a laugh. “All I know is that there used to be fairies aplenty around these parts, and now there ain’t a single one. The realm’s been handed over to monsters.”

  “Like Skinderella and Ghouldilocks, you mean?” said Cleo.

  Harming nodded. “Them,” he said, “and her…” He pointed to the palace entrance, where a young witch was cartwheeling out through the open door, accompanied by a troop of tiny men dressed in black. When they saw the newcomers, they struck aggressive poses.

  “I hardly dare ask,” Luke sighed. “Who are they…?”

  Prince Harming unclipped his crossbow. “These folk guard the palace nowadays,” he said. “Snow Fright and her seven Ninja Dwarves.”

  From a window high up in the palace, Resus watched the crack martial arts unit slink towards his friends. Not that they deserved to be called friends any more. Luke hadn’t believed a word he’d said about that macho fraud, Prince Harming – and Cleo had practically handed his parents a death sentence.

  The queen was different, though. She had led him to this awesome bedroom – his own bedroom for as long as he wanted it – before ordering the guards to attack the intruders. If only Luke and Cleo had listened to him! Then they’d have understood he was doing this for the good of everyone back home.

  A fierce battle cry pulled Resus away from his thoughts and back to the scene below. The ninja dwarves backflipped across the courtyard to where Cleo, Luke and Prince Harming stood waiting.