Alfie the Werewolf 4: Wolf Wood

by Paul van Loon

  Alfie was taken aback for a second. There was something familiar about that face, but he didn’t know what it was. He shook his head. It doesn’t matter, he thought. This is a crook who wants to cut down the wood.

  The Boss’s eyes grew big. ‘You. You’re …’

  Alfie growled like he had never growled before. He felt like his paws were growing and his claws were getting sharper. Noura’s black wolf’s head was suddenly there next to him. She had climbed into the car too and was growling just as loud as Alfie.

  The Boss screamed. ‘Rattlebones, save me.’

  Alfie leapt forward. His teeth were sharp and gleaming. Just in time someone pulled open the door on the driver’s side. The Boss fell out and the door slammed shut again.

  Alfie banged his head on the door and fell back on the seat.

  38

  The Chopper, the Chipper and the Cutter

  Mr French and the children stopped cheering and turned around in astonishment. Tim and Dad were surprised too. The mayor hadn’t noticed a thing. He was still gazing at the treasure he was holding.

  ‘Look, someone just rolled out of that car,’ Dad said.

  Tim nodded. ‘That’s the Boss Rattlebones has been talking about.’

  The Boss clambered to his feet with difficulty. He cast a horrified look at his car.

  ‘A wolf, Rattlebones,’ he shouted. ‘Did you see that? Two of them! A white one and a black one. In my car.’

  Dad winked at Tim. ‘Alfie and Noura,’ he whispered. ‘They’ve given the Boss quite a fright.’

  Suddenly there was an enormous racket. Roaring, growling and screeching.

  ‘Oh no,’ Tim said.

  Trees snapped and toppled over. Bushes bent aside. Lights flashed. Three gigantic shadows fell on the WROW protest group. The Chopper, the Chipper and the Cutter.

  With engines roaring, they surrounded the protest group. The axe shone, the saw screeched, the scissor blades flashed.

  The frightened children looked around and grabbed each other’s hands.

  ‘What’s going on now?’ whispered Rose.

  ‘See,’ moaned Vincent. ‘We should have taken the football pitches.’

  Even the mayor looked scared. He quickly hid the box of treasure under his tracksuit top.

  Mr French and the three parents moved in front of the children to protect them.

  ‘Don’t be frightened, class,’ Mr French shouted. ‘I’m scared enough for all of us.’

  Tim looked at Dad. ‘Leo couldn’t keep them away any longer, Dad. Where is he now, do you think?’

  Dad wasn’t listening. He held his mobile up to one ear and covered the other with his spare hand. ‘What’s keeping you?’ he shouted. ‘You should have been here ages ago. What? OK, till then.’

  Tim shook his head. His father seemed to have other things on his mind.

  ‘Ha-ha,’ yelled the Boss. ‘You’re singing a different tune now, aren’t you. Tweet-tweet, scared little birdies.’ With big steps he paced back and forth in front of the protest group. ‘You thought you could outsmart me, didn’t you? You thought I’d give up Wolf Wood just like that, didn’t you? Well, think again.

  ‘Wolf Wood will be mine. One way or another. Mayor, you will sign my contract now. Otherwise …’ He nodded at the machines, which were throbbing impatiently. ‘Otherwise I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold my darlings back any longer. And I’m warning you, there’s nothing they like better than chopping, chipping and cutting.’ The monstrous machines revved their engines extra menacingly.

  Suddenly the throb of the machines was drowned out by something else. Deep booming noises reverberated through the wood.

  ‘What now?’ Tim whispered. ‘A thunderstorm?’

  Dad shook his head and smiled. ‘Not a thunderstorm, Tim. Look.’

  In the distance, lights flashed between the trees, approaching quickly. More and more lights appeared between the dark tree trunks. The booming grew louder. The ground shook. The next moment big roaring motorbikes emerged from between the trees. The riders were dressed in black leather, with helmets and goggles. The roar of the motorbikes was deafening. The headlights shone on the protest group and the monstrous machines. Almost everyone was blinded. Rattlebones and the Boss held their hands up in front of their eyes.

  ‘Who is it this time, Boss?’ Rattlebones gasped. ‘And what are they doing here?’

  The Boss didn’t say a word. He didn’t know the answer.

  Tim stared at his father with his mouth gaping. ‘Dad, they’re all wearing your helmet.’

  Dad grinned. More and more motorbikes kept coming out of the darkness. There were dozens, maybe fifty or even more.

  ‘That’s right, Tim. I’m the one who asked them to come. This is M3.’

  39

  M3

  The riders got off their motorbikes. One after the other they took off their helmets and goggles, revealing long hair, curls, mouths with lipstick and mouths without lipstick. Dad quickly shook a few hands.

  ‘Welcome, Mamas,’ he said. ‘You’re just in time.’

  ‘Alfie, those motorcyclists are women,’ growled Noura. ‘All of them.’

  Alfie nodded and all at once his eyes lit up. ‘They’re all mamas. Now I get it.’

  Alfie and Noura had quickly climbed out of the car. Now they were lying under it, hidden by the back wheels but with a good view of what was happening.

  ‘Wrow, I finally know what M3 is.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘M3 is the Motorcycle Mamas. And Dad’s the only father who’s allowed to join. Because he’s so crazy about being different, of course.’

  They crawled a little bit further forward so as not to miss anything.

  Suddenly things started happening very quickly. The Motorcycle Mamas had brought someone else with them. It was the reporter from the local TV station. Sitting on the back of another motorbike was a cameraman. The reporter started talking straightaway.

  ‘Hello, viewers. This is your on-the-spot reporter Don Dibbs with an important live broadcast from Wolf Wood.’

  Meanwhile the cameraman aimed his camera at the protest group and the monstrous machines. Then he glided along the long line of Motorcycle Mamas to the mayor, and on to Rattlebones and the Boss. The two men were clearly panicking.

  Dibbs shoved the microphone under the mayor’s nose. ‘Tell us, Mr Mayor, what’s going on here?’

  The mayor blushed. ‘Er, what do you mean?’ He was still holding the box concealed under his tracksuit top.

  Dad quickly stepped forward and looked straight into the camera.

  ‘Wrow, what’s Dad going to do now?’ whispered Alfie.

  Noura gave a giggly growl. ‘Something crazy, I bet. Just his style.’ For a second she pressed her snout against Alfie’s hairy cheek. Alfie got that lovely, warm glow in his stomach again.

  ‘Wrow, watch this, Noura.’

  Dad brought his face closer to the camera so that it filled the TV screens in all the living rooms.

  ‘Hello, I’m William Friend.’ He pointed at the helmet on his head. ‘Proud member of M3. I have an important announcement. Wolf Wood is now the property of the WROW Foundation.’

  Behind him Ahmed and Larissa quickly held up the banner for the camera.

  ‘We’ll take good care of the wood, I promise you that.’ Dad looked aside at the mayor. ‘In exchange our town has been given an important ancient treasure trove. That treasure is in safe hands.’ Now Dad pointed at the mayor. ‘No one less than our own mayor has it in his safekeeping. Under his top, if I’m not mistaken.’

  ‘Wrow, Dad is amazing,’ growled Alfie. ‘He’s so smart.’

  The journalist held the microphone out to the mayor. ‘Mr Mayor, what fantastic news. May we see the treasure?’

  The camera was aimed at the mayor, who scowled and pulled the box out from under his top, then reluctantly opened it. The camera showed the gold and jewels to the people in the living rooms.

  ‘Wow, that’s incredible,
’ Dibbs said. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, this is a great acquisition for our town. You’ve all had a good look at it. Isn’t that so, Mr Mayor?’

  The mayor forced himself to nod his head. He looked like he could burst into tears any minute. He wouldn’t be able to keep any of the treasure for himself. Not even a teensy-weensy gem for his wife.

  The reporter went over to the Boss and Rattlebones with his microphone, the camera following.

  ‘And who are these two gentlemen, if I might ask? They seem to be involved in things as well.’

  The Boss raised his hands and gave a big grin. ‘No, no, we don’t know a thing about it. We just happened to be passing. A walk in the woods, you know.’

  Rattlebones nodded nervously. ‘Enjoying nature, you see. We love forests.’

  ‘Wrow, liars,’ growled Alfie as he started to crawl out from under the car. ‘I’ll show them.’

  Just in time Noura grabbed him by his hind legs and pulled him back. ‘Wrraaa, Alfie, don’t do it. They’ll see you.’

  Alfie growled with pent-up fury. In the same instant Tim stepped forward.

  ‘They’re lying,’ he cried. ‘They’re crooks. They wanted to cut down Wolf Wood.’

  ‘Go, Tim,’ growled Alfie.

  ‘They’re timber thieves,’ Tim went on. ‘They locked Alfie and me up in the boot of their car.’

  ‘Alfie? Who’s Alfie?’ asked Dibbs.

  ‘Alfie is my best friend. And my little brother too. Those men took us prisoner but we escaped. And those dangerous chopping machines are theirs too. They’ve already secretly cut down lots of trees. At least twenty, maybe more. And they threatened all of us.’

  ‘It’s true,’ yelled Ahmed.

  ‘Tim is right,’ screamed Larissa.

  The whole protest group started calling things out. The parents joined in as well.

  Dibbs looked at the camera. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, these are serious accusations. We must investigate them.’

  Mr French tapped Dad on his shoulder. ‘Where’s Alfie got to?’ he whispered. ‘You don’t know, do you? I’m a little worried.’

  Dad nodded. ‘He’s with his grandfather. Together with Noura.’

  ‘Ah, Grandpa the forest specialist,’ Mr French said. ‘That’s OK then.’

  Dad looked at him with surprise. ‘A forest specialist? Is that how you see it? Well, I guess it’s true. We just don’t usually put it that way.’

  Meanwhile the camera swung back and forth between the Cutter, the Chipper and the Chopper. The three machines had fallen silent. Their lights were off and they were standing there like dead dinosaurs. The drivers had climbed down when no one was looking and run off.

  The Boss laughed an exaggerated loud laugh. ‘What is that little boy talking about? You can see for yourself that those machines wouldn’t hurt a fly.’

  ‘I’ve never seen that kid before in my life,’ exclaimed Rattlebones.

  ‘Really?’ exclaimed Tim. ‘That’s not what you said a minute ago. The evidence is in the boot of your car. That’s where Alfie’s shoes are.’

  Dibbs looked straight at the camera. ‘Viewers, this is interesting. Who is telling the truth? The boy or the night hikers? Let’s go have a quick look in that boot.’ He waved for the cameraman to follow. ‘You coming?’

  Rattlebones burst out laughing. ‘What nonsense. There’s nothing in our boot.’ Then he looked at the Boss. ‘Is there?’

  The Boss shrugged. ‘I don’t think so. But we really must be off now. Bye.’

  Suddenly the Boss and Rattlebones started running to the black car.

  ‘Stop them,’ Dad shouted.

  The Boss and Rattlebones were already at the car. Alfie growled and quickly reached out from under the car.

  The Boss screamed when Alfie’s paw grabbed his ankle. The next moment he was tumbling forward. Rattlebones stumbled over him and fell too.

  The Boss was lying on his right cheek next to the back wheel, with a perfect view of Alfie and Noura lying under his car.

  ‘Help, the white wolf and the black wolf,’ he groaned.

  Alfie and Noura bared their teeth.

  ‘Wrow.’

  ‘Wrraaa.’

  ‘Help,’ shouted the Boss and Rattlebones, trying to wriggle away on their stomachs like caterpillars.

  ‘Grab them,’ Dad cried.

  The cameraman was already there and a few M3 mothers had already broken into the boot. The camera broadcast a nice picture of Alfie’s shoes into the town’s living rooms.

  The reporter Don Dibbs knelt down next to Rattlebones and the Boss, pushing his microphone under the Boss’s nose.

  ‘Unfortunately for you, you’ve been caught red-handed. How do you feel now? What’s running through your mind? Is there anything you’d like to share with the viewers?’

  The Boss pointed under the car. ‘There. There he is, the w—’ He fell silent and peered under the car, where Alfie’s glasses were gleaming. For a moment the Boss and Alfie looked each other in the eye. That moment seemed to last a very long time.

  Alfie and Noura held their breath. They were about to be betrayed.

  ‘What’s there?’ Dibbs asked.

  The Boss hesitated, then shook his head. He looked at Alfie and Noura one last time. ‘No, nothing. I was mistaken. There’s nothing under the car.’

  40

  A Wish

  It was over. With a long face, the mayor had made a statement for the camera. Then everyone had left. Mr French and the WROW protest group had gone home singing. Everyone was overjoyed. Almost everyone. The mayor wasn’t very happy. And M3 had taken the Boss and Rattlebones away to hand them over to the police. The two tree thieves would get a hefty fine and maybe even a prison sentence.

  Alfie stared thoughtfully at the full moon. He was back at the werewolf graveyard sitting at Alfred Spanman’s grave with Noura, Dad and Tim. Grandpa Werewolf was there too. Dad and Tim had carried him over. Now he was sitting up straight and leaning against the headstone. He stroked the Scoffle, which was purring like a cat. They’d already become good friends.

  ‘From now on the Scoffle has to live in the wood with me. That’s a lot better than being in a cage. Don’t you agree, Alfie?’

  Alfie didn’t answer. He was still staring into space.

  Noura nipped him on the ear. ‘Wrraaa, Alfie, what’s up? Have you gone deaf or something?’

  ‘Wrow, what? Oh.’ Alfie shrugged. ‘I don’t get it,’ he said. The Boss could have betrayed Noura and me. Then everyone would have seen us. But he didn’t do it. Why not?’

  ‘Yeah,’ Dad said. ‘That’s a mystery. Maybe he’s not as bad as we think. Maybe he suddenly experienced a twinge of niceness.’

  Alfie shook his head. ‘I don’t know. It was all very strange. He saw us lying under the car and he looked at me for a very long time. And I looked at him. It was weird. As if I knew him from somewhere, but didn’t know where.’

  Grandpa Werewolf rubbed his broken leg, then patted Alfred Spanman’s headstone. ‘Oh well, don’t dwell on it, son. Without you we would never have found the werewolf treasure. And thanks to the ancient treasure Werewolf Wood is now safe for ever. That treasure was Werewolf Wood’s biggest secret and it was the only way to save the werewolf graveyard. That’s why our ancestors reached out to you.

  ‘Alfred the Elder is proud of you. I’m sure of that. And to show his gratitude, he’d fulfil any wish you made, if it was in his power.’

  Dad rapped on his M3 helmet. ‘My wish has already been fulfilled. I wore the M3 helmet day and night for three weeks. Including in bed and in the bathroom. Now I’m an official member of M3.’

  ‘But you don’t even have a motorbike, Dad.’

  Dad smiled. ‘That’s right. I’m the only P3 in M3.’

  ‘P3?’ asked Tim.

  ‘Pedestrian Papa. And I’ve got a cool new job. I’m going to be the Wolf Wood forester. If I save really well, in ten years I’ll be able to buy a motorbike.’

  ‘Excellent,’ yawned
Grandpa Werewolf, pulling his legs up. For a moment the headstone seemed to radiate a gentle glow.

  Alfie stared at Grandpa Werewolf for a long time. He wasn’t sure if he’d just seen things.

  ‘Grandpa, your leg?’

  ‘What about my leg, son?’

  ‘You … moved. It doesn’t seem to be broken any more.’

  Grandpa Werewolf looked at his leg with astonishment. It looked straight and whole. Grandpa stretched it carefully.

  ‘Great werewolves, Alfie, you’re right. It doesn’t hurt any more either. What happened?’ He looked at Alfie. ‘Hang on a sec. Did you secretly wish for something?’

  Alfie grinned shyly. ‘Wrow, maybe. I didn’t want you being all alone in the woods with a broken leg.’

  Grandpa Werewolf nodded. His eyes were wet and gleaming. ‘Thank you, Alfie,’ he whispered. ‘The Elder has fulfilled your wish.’

  ‘Wrraaa, cool,’ growled Noura.

  Suddenly they heard loud panting. Someone was coming up the path between the headstones, stumbling, limping, dragging his feet. Everyone looked up with surprise.

  ‘Leo,’ cried Alfie.

  41

  A Hero

  ‘Peek-a-boos, here be Leo.’

  ‘Where were you?’ asked Noura.

  Leo grinned. His overalls were in shreds and there were bloody scratches on his muzzle.

  ‘Leo done his bestest to stop the choppers and the loppers, but they be too big and strong. They scooped and throwed Leo – whoops – through the airs. Leo flied and whizzled through branches and brushes like a little birdie beast. Now he be all scratches and bumpers. But that don’t matters. Leo be no cry baby. Then, all at ones, the choppers go off. Leo don’t know where or why?’

  Alfie nodded. ‘It’s all fine, Leo. You’re the biggest hero.’

  Leo beamed. ‘Leo already got a new hero idea. He makes a brand-planking new treehouse for Grandpa. He starts tomorrow.’ Then he collapsed in a heap. Snoring loudly, he immediately fell asleep on the grave of Alfred Spanman.