Alfie the Werewolf 1: Birthday Surprise

by Paul van Loon

  Before he knew it, he was rolling down the sloping lawn. He waved his arms to regain his balance, but it didn’t help. With a loud splash, Alfie disappeared into the pond.

  14

  An Accident

  Fortunately the pond wasn’t very deep. Even a four-year-old could stand up in it. But the water was cold. Alfie resurfaced spluttering, with a frog sitting on his head.

  ‘Oh dear,’ sighed the man in the shadows. ‘You’re going to be hard work. On top of everything else, you’re clumsy. You should have seen yourself hurtling down that slope.’ The man made a strange cackling noise.

  Alfie thought he was angry, but he wasn’t. The man was shaking with laughter. He was leaning against the tree and the tree shook and the leaves danced on the branches as if the tree was laughing too. And suddenly Alfie had to laugh as well, despite the cold water. Rolling into a pond, arms waving - it was like something from a film.

  Alfie’s laughter pealed over the water. The frog joined in, croaking along enthusiastically.

  ‘Thank goodness you can still laugh,’ the man said suddenly. ‘You should, too, because you should be happy with what you are. It’s a gift. You shouldn’t be scared of it. You just have to learn to control it.’

  Alfie wiped some pondweed off his nose. ‘What do you mean?’

  The man in the shadows moved a little. Twigs snapped under his feet. ‘I mean you have to learn to control yourself. Understand? If you don’t, you’ll do bad things. Biting people, maybe even eating them up.’

  ‘Croak,’ said the frog.

  ‘I’m not talking to you, Mr Greenlegs,’ the man said.

  The frog fell quiet, then jumped into the water.

  ‘Once you master the gift, you’ll discover how special it is. You’ll be able to run faster, jump higher and do all kinds of things you can’t do as a human. Just be careful of silver. Silver is dangerous for werewolves.’

  ‘How do you know all that?’ Alfie asked.

  The man walked over to the side of the pond. His face remained hidden under the broad brim of his hat. ‘All in good time,’ he said. ‘Get out of the water first. Grab my stick, then I’ll pull you out.’

  When Alfie was back on dry land he asked, ‘Who are you?’

  The man laughed under his breath. ‘Yesssss, I’m …’

  Just then someone came into the park. Someone small, on roller blades. ‘Alfie, are you here?’ he called in the distance.

  The man jerked aside.

  Alfie turned and saw Tim racing over to him. He waved his arm.

  ‘Alfie, phew. I was worried.’ Tim stopped just in front of Alfie. ‘Are you OK? Why are you all wet? Did you go for a swim or something?’

  Alfie shook his head, spraying water everywhere. ‘Accident,’ he growled. ‘I was talking to that man. He knows all about werewolves.’

  ‘Man? What man?’ Tim asked.

  Alfie looked around but there was no one there.

  15

  Showering

  ‘So who was this man in the park?’ Tim asked. ‘Where did he know you from? How does he know all that stuff about werewolves?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Alfie growled.

  They turned into their street. Alfie was still a sopping-wet werewolf, so they had to roller-blade back through quiet streets and back lanes, keeping away from streetlights. It had been easy enough. No one paid them any attention. They were just two boys on roller blades. Nobody had noticed that one of them was a werewolf.

  On the way Alfie had told Tim all about his talk with the man in the park.

  ‘That guy could have been a kidnapper,’ Tim said, ‘or an escaped lunatic.’

  Alfie looked up in fright. He hadn’t thought of that. Either way, the man had acted very mysteriously. Alfie hadn’t been able to see his face. And why had he run off the moment Tim appeared? There were lots of questions he couldn’t answer.

  ‘And how on earth can silver be dangerous?’ Tim asked. ‘What kind of rubbish is that?’

  Alfie shrugged. He didn’t understand it either.

  ‘Anyway, first we have to get home,’ Tim said. ‘And then we have to smuggle you into your room.’

  They went past Mrs Chalker’s house. The chickens started cackling loudly in the coop. Behind a window in the house a shadow moved. The shadow of a hat with feathers.

  ‘Keep going!’ Tim said.

  Tim and Alfie left their roller blades by the back door and slipped inside. Quickly, Tim took off his coat and threw it over Alfie’s head. That seemed the safest thing to do.

  ‘Upstairs, fast,’ Tim hissed. He pushed Alfie into the hall.

  ‘Tim, is that you?’ Dad shouted from the living-room.

  Alfie froze.

  Dad came out into the hall. He smiled at Tim and Alfie. His hair wasn’t curly any more. He was wearing a long skirt with bright-coloured flowers on it that he had borrowed from Mum.

  ‘Why has Alfie got your coat on his head?’ he asked.

  ‘He fell in the pond,’ Tim answered. He couldn’t come up with anything else at such short notice.

  Alfie growled softly under the coat. Dad didn’t seem to notice.

  ‘You must be freezing, Alf,’ he said, ‘and sopping wet. Go and have a hot shower, quick.’

  He went back into the living room without saying another word. Tim shook his head as he watched him go.

  ‘Sometimes I don’t understand my father,’ he said. ‘That skirt doesn’t suit him at all. Do you think other fathers dress up like that?’

  ‘Wrow!’ said Alfie.

  He threw the coat over the coat rack and ran upstairs.

  In the bathroom Alfie took off his wet clothes. His socks were torn. He hid them at the bottom of the pedal bin and turned on the shower. Only then did he look at himself in the mirror.

  There he was. A naked, white werewolf with glasses. Hairy from head to toe. Is this really me? he wondered.

  Alfie stood there motionless for a very long time, looking at himself.

  An overwhelming feeling rose up inside him: hunger. And not just any kind of hunger. He felt like biting into something, sinking his teeth into a big slab of meat or a …

  No! he thought. I mustn’t bite anyone!

  The lenses of his glasses had gone all misty.

  The mirror grew hazy and Alfie’s reflection disappeared. He laid his glasses on the edge of the washbasin. Then he stepped under the hot shower. The water gushed down over him. Clouds of steam filled the bathroom.

  Alfie began scrubbing himself with a hard brush. Maybe the coat will disappear, he hoped. And maybe the hunger will disappear with it.

  But that didn’t happen.

  Suddenly the door opened and Mum stepped in through the steam.

  ‘Hello? What a fog, goodness! Alfie, are you in here?’

  Alfie quickly covered his face with his paws. Tim’s mother would see him and all would be revealed! There was nowhere to hide. Any moment now she would start screaming at the top of her voice. They would disown him and kick him out of the house. He’d never see Tim again. He’d roam the world all alone, and three times a month he’d be a werewolf howling at the moon.

  Alfie waited, his face hidden behind his paws. Mum’s arm appeared out of the mist. It looked tender and juicy.

  Alfie suddenly felt the blood rushing through his veins.

  He bared his teeth and growled softly.

  16

  A Fight

  Mum’s hand grabbed the shower curtain and pulled it shut.

  ‘You need to keep the curtain shut, Alfie. You know that. Otherwise you’ll get the floor all wet.’

  Alfie didn’t answer. Instead, a smothered sound came from behind the shower curtain.

  ‘There’s a clean towel on the laundry basket,’ Mum said. ‘Remember to open the window when you’re finished.’ Then she went away, leaving Alfie standing there, trembling, with his eyes shut.

  He was holding his jaw clamped shut with his paws. His head moved wildly: up and down and from
left to right, as if he was caught up in a terrible fight with himself. He growled and then whimpered softly.

  Finally he calmed down and stood there for a long time, panting.

  He couldn’t believe it. Tim’s mother hadn’t seen a thing. She hadn’t noticed that there was a werewolf in the shower. It was unbelievable.

  It was also unbelievable that he had nearly bitten her arm off. He had almost done it! That would have been horrible.

  Fortunately he had been stronger than his urge. It had taken a lot of effort, but he had been able to stop himself and now the hunger was gone completely. He could just feel the fright of it.

  Alfie was shaking from the bottom of his feet to the tufts of his ears. He stayed standing there under the hot jets until his whole body had calmed down again.

  As wet as a drowned rat, he stepped out from under the shower. His limp ears hung down and water dripped off his tail on to the floor.

  After a short search he found the big bath towel, with a picture of Mickey Mouse on it.

  At least it’s not the Big Bad Wolf, thought Alfie.

  Quickly he rubbed himself dry and wrapped himself in the towel, pulling it up over his ears and peering out through an opening.

  Completely covered up, he walked out on to the landing. He slipped into his bedroom.

  A little later he was lying in bed with the blankets pulled all the way up. He kept his head under the pillow, so that Tim’s mother wouldn’t see him if she happened to come up to check on him.

  He just wanted to go to sleep and not wake up again until this werewolf business was all over. He wished it was just a bad dream.

  Maybe that’s what it is, he thought, just before he fell asleep.

  But maybe not.

  I have to find that mysterious man. He can tell me more. He understands me.

  Alfie decided to look for him the first thing tomorrow morning.

  17

  Noooo!

  Alfie walked into the park. He had left home extra early that morning. Tim hadn’t come with him. Alfie wanted to be alone. He thought that the man might not come out if someone else was with him.

  Alfie walked to last night’s bench and sat down. He looked at the pond and then at the tree.

  ‘Pssst, you there?’ he called.

  It stayed quiet.

  Alfie waited a while longer. Then he stood up. It was pointless, nobody was there.

  Suddenly there was a rustling behind him. Alfie spun around. Was that a dark figure in the bushes? Or was it just the shadow of branches and leaves?

  The cry of a baby made him jump. A lady with a buggy had turned into the park. Alfie looked in her direction and then back at the bushes. There was no more rustling. No dark figures appeared.

  Of course not, thought Alfie. I was imagining things.

  Suddenly he felt really stupid. What would the mysterious man be doing here in the bushes early in the morning? It was a good thing no one had heard him.

  Alfie looked at his watch and got a shock. It was almost half past eight. He had to get to school like a rocket.

  Just before the gate shut, he ran into the school playground. The kids were running and jumping, kicking and shoving, even spitting.

  At least they’re normal, thought Alfie. No one is like me.

  For a moment he thought about what the mysterious man had said: ‘No one is the only one.’

  If you looked around he was right. There were various kids with braces. There must have been ten with freckles. And at least six with runny noses.

  But no one is like me, thought Alfie. I’m sure there are no other werewolves wandering around here.

  He thought of his parents again. Maybe they were like him. They’d have to be. He must have got it from someone. But if they were, why did they abandon him? He couldn’t even remember what they looked like.

  Suddenly he snapped out of his daydream. He could see two of the kids with runny noses approaching Tim on the other side of the playground.

  They were both a head taller than him: Nick Bragman, first-class bully, and Rick, his buddy.

  What did that creep want with Tim this time?

  Cautiously, Alfie moved towards them.

  ‘Check it out,’ Nick yelled. ‘Timmy’s made of paper. If I blow, he falls over.’ He blew on Tim and gave him a quick shove. Tim fell over.

  Good one,’ Rick said.

  Alfie shrank.

  Tim didn’t say anything. He scrambled up and tried to walk away, but Nick stopped him.

  Without being noticed, Alfie crept closer.

  Nick wiped the snot off his upper lip. ‘Shall I blow again?’ he said. ‘Maybe this time Timmy will fly over the school roof.’

  ‘Sounds cool,’ Rick said.

  ‘Watch this,’ Nick grinned.

  Alfie’s legs were trembling. He was actually scared of those big boys, but they wanted to hurt Tim. Alfie felt an unknown rage rising up in him. He heard a strange rushing sound in his ears. It was as if a red haze appeared before his eyes.

  He saw Nick grabbing Tim by the collar, blowing in Tim’s face. Pulling his fist all the way back.

  ‘Noooo!’ roared Alfie.

  18

  Aaaah!

  Alfie leapt forward as if he’d been launched with a rubber band. He slammed into Nick with a growl and wrapped his arms around the boy’s legs.

  Nick didn’t fall over. He just stayed standing where he was.

  Surprised, he looked down at Alfie. He moved his leg, as if trying to kick away a bothersome fly.

  But Alfie didn’t let go. He clasped Nick’s legs tight and glared up at him.

  ‘Leave Tim alone,’ he growled.

  Nick’s eyes grew bigger. He looked over at his friend and burst out laughing. ‘D’you hear that, Rick? This midget’s telling me what to do.’

  Rick nodded and laughed just as loud. ‘I heard.’

  Tim shuffled back and forth awkwardly. Nick was still holding him by the collar.

  ‘Alfie, get out of here,’ Tim hissed. ‘They’ll get you too.’

  Alfie didn’t let go. He kept looking up at Nick and growling.

  ‘Look. It’s all snarly,’ Nick sniggered.

  Rick was hiccuping with laughter. ‘Maybe we should give him the treatment too,’ he suggested.

  Nick nodded. ‘Good idea. Two wimps in one go.’

  Tim tried to break free. The bullies were going to bash him first. And then Alfie.

  ‘Stop wriggling,’ Nick said. ‘I— Aaaah!’

  19

  A Plan

  Nick’s shriek echoed over the playground. All the kids stopped what they were doing to look in the same direction.

  Nick Bragman hopped across the playground on one foot. He was holding on to his other leg. A piece of his trousers had been torn off and the skin of his leg was dark red.

  ‘I’m bleeding,’ Nick wailed. ‘He bit me.’

  Alfie was squatting on the ground, panting heavily, with a piece of material between his teeth. Rick was staring at Alfie in disbelief.

  Alfie spat out the material and stood up. Rick stepped back quickly.

  Nick was still wailing and jumping around on one foot. The other kids were sniggering.

  ‘I’ll get you,’ Nick said in a tearful voice. ‘I’ll get both of you, you wimps!’

  Tim put his arm around Alfie’s shoulders.

  ‘You better be careful,’ Alfie warned Nick. ‘You think I’m a wimp. But at night I’m a wild, ravenous beast. Be careful at night!’

  Tim and Alfie walked away together, Nick staring after them with his mouth hanging open. He raised his fist in the air.

  ‘You wait, I’ll get you,’ he shouted again.

  Tim and Alfie walked into the school building without looking back.

  ‘Thanks,’ Tim whispered.

  Alfie was staring into space as if he hadn’t even heard Tim. He still had a glowing feeling inside.

  ‘Tonight it will happen again,’ he said suddenly.

  ‘
What?’ Tim asked.

  ‘Tonight I’ll change again.’

  Tim looked at him quizzically. ‘How do you know?’

  Alfie looked up, as if searching the sky for the moon. ‘I feel it. It’s the third night. The wolf in me wants to come out. I felt it just then, when I attacked Nick. I was furious. I actually felt like I was a wolf. That’s why I bit him, I guess.’ He looked at Tim and grinned. ‘Before, I was always too scared to defend myself. Especially against someone bigger than me. Standing up to him felt pretty good.’

  Tim nodded and grinned back. ‘You really showed him. But what now? Nick’s going to want revenge, that’s for sure.’

  Alfie looked out at the playground where Nick was still wailing in pain. ‘Don’t worry,’ he said. ‘I’ve got a plan.’

  20

  Dressing Up

  ‘Hey, where are you two going?’ Tim’s father asked.

  Tim and Alfie were about to sneak out of the back door. All they could see of Dad was his bottom half. He was wearing swimming trunks. His head was in the cupboard under the kitchen sink. He was trying to fix something. Pliers, screwdrivers and other tools were spread everywhere.

  ‘We’re going roller-blading,’ Tim said.

  Dad peered at them from inside the cupboard. ‘It’s already dark outside.’

  ‘That’s what’s so cool,’ Tim said. ‘Moonlight roller-blading. Haven’t you ever heard of that?’

  ‘Er, no - ouch!’ Tim’s father had hit his head. He rubbed his forehead with three fingers.

  He gave Alfie a questioning look. ‘Is it that cold out, Alfie?’

  Alfie was wearing a big woolly hat pulled down over his head and ears, a scarf that covered half his face, gloves, and wellies up to his knees. All you could of him were his glasses.

  ‘Wrow!’ Alfie was too scared to say anything else, because the change had already started.