“Don’t argue Avis. Family dinner starts at seven,” she announced before disappearing.
I didn’t see any of my other siblings cleaning. They just stood around conversing with a few early arrived guests.
“Well, of course Mr. Vasbender,” said Wilson in a sickening voice. “The media know their role in the new situation. I am seeing a girl currently who is the executive manager of the Herrald. It helps.”
“Very good,” called Mr. Vasbender. “I suppose the illusion of it all will carry on making the intended effect.”
“Of course,” said Harold.
I pretended to be dusting the banisters again, so I could get a good listen to what they were talking about — hoping I would hear something about Malakai. Where was he? What was he doing? If anyone would know it would be these lot. A little twinge in my stomach rumbled, but it wasn’t food related, I was scared. Scared that Malakai would come for me and get revenge for what I did to him. Suddenly a great racket from one of the corridors caused everyone to turn and look. Gertrude and Wendice, were shouting at the top of their voices at each other.
“I WANT THE BLUE DRESS, IT LOOKS BETTER ON ME!”
“YOU LOOK FAT IN IT! I SHOULD HAVE IT!”
“GIVE IT TO ME!”
“NO! YOU GIVE IT TO ME!”
There was an awful tearing sound, and as they came into view in the Hall I saw them both holding one half of a flouncy blue dress. There was a rumble from somewhere deep, before the highest pitched squealing you’ve ever heard erupted round the Hall.
“AHHHHHHHHH!” they both screamed.
Guests and all manner of life that valued it’s hearing, covered their ears as the shrill, terrible noise made every bone in your body shudder for its life. In a scorch of black smoke Mother arrived. The screaming stopped.
“What on earth is happening here.”
“Wendice tore my dress in HALF!” Sobbed Gertrude. “You fat cow Wendic—”
“Enough of that,” Snapped Mother. “Give me it…” They both handed her the two parts, in a wave and a flash it sewed itself back together.
“Now,” she looked at the dress and then at the girls. “It will suit Wendice more, here…” she said, handing it to Wendice.
“But, but…” said Gertrude, her fat lip wobbling. “That’s… NOT FAIRRRRRR!”
“Oh for gods sake,” said Mother. “Get a grip of yourself girl, you’re too big for that dress… go and find something more suitable, a shower curtain or something.” In a puff of black smoke, she was off again. Now, as an Outsider you probably think that was harsh, your all very… what’s that phrase that Robin told me… politically correct? Which means you’re not allowed to say anything nasty to each other. But we are an evil family. Get used to it.
The Hall stood in silence for a bit, before my brothers began laughing. Gertrude ran off, well, more of a quick waddle, sobbing her eyes out as guests chuckled.
Wendice stood about smugly, waving her dress, before announcing: “You know actually I think she was right, I don’t think I like it,” with a click of her fingers, the blue dress caught fire and she dropped it on the floor, where it burned to a blue dust. “I’m going to find something nicer for the wedding.” She flounced off back the way she came smiling to herself. Wendice had changed — last year she was as fat as Gertrude, but now she was skinnier than me, with long hair and a golden complexion. It was quite a transformation. She was already saying she’d had twelve proposals for marriage. I hope she didn’t get married in the castle again, that’s all I’m saying. I don’t fancy cleaning it all again!
When they allowed me a toilet break, I raced back to my room and placed Sedrick, my teddy rabbit, inside my jacket. I had missed him — before, when it was just me on my own in the castle, I used to talk to him, sad I know, but I had no other friends. In my old school, down the road, everyone was too frightened to come here to play, knowing that my family was the most evil family ever.
I wondered what Robin and Tina and Ernie were doing. I would have loved to see Ernie’s face when he went back to his old house after all those years — you see, last year I made friends with a young ghost, who, it turned out was the dead brother of Tina — he helped me defeat Malakai and Robin brought him back to life, all in the nick of time. He had been a ghost for ten years!
WHOOSH!
“OUCH!” I cried as a stinging electric bolt struck my bottom as Mothers voice rang true around this new room:
“Get to work, there’s toilets need cleaning on the third floor!”
For gods sake, when will this end!?
I carried the mop and bucket to the third floor and looked around for the toilets, they should be behind one of these doors. That’s the problem though, all the doors are the flipping same, so how am I supposed to tell where the toilets are? If I can’t find them, then I’m sure as hec a guest won’t.
But then a strange noise floated towards me — a scratching noise, water too… slop, slap, scratch, scratch, scratch… slop, slap, scratch, scratch, scratch… it was coming from around the corner. Cautiously I poked my head round a stone effigy of a near relative and saw…
“Ross?” Whoops. I couldn’t help it, he was on all fours scrubbing the floor!
He looked up with bloodshot eyes, which winced as they saw me. He stood, clicked his fingers and the brush carried on scrubbing the floor. “There making you clean as well?”
“I was wondering when I might bump into you…”
“Why?” I said.
“Why? Why?” he said a little too loud, his face twitchy and dangerous. “Because you had something to do with the downfall of him.”
I swallowed hard. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“The Lily said as much… you and the Partington’s… that sodding ghost boy… it all adds up. You did something.” His voice dripped with indignation and resentment, he was livid that he’d been made to clean and somehow it was all my fault. His dark sunken eyes twitched. His thin lips chapped and curled inwards, skin pale and pasty, a green hue surrounding it — he looked like he hadn’t seen sunlight in years.
I backed away slowly as he came closer. “How could I do something? I’m a first year?”
Ross rolled up his sodden sleeves. “I’m not stupid Avis. I know you did something, by sheer bloody luck or whatever… and I’m gonna get to the bottom of it. Your just lucky our parents are too busy with this wedding to realise what’s going on.” His eyes looked dead and black. “I was supposed to go and work for him, soon as I left that awful school… but now look, I am at home… scrubbing bloody FLOORS! All because of you,” he began talking in a strange high voice, which scared me even more — “Didn’t believe me did they… when I told them…. and now look at ME! All your fault… all your fault…” he repeated.
I backed round the corner slowly. I did not like the look in his eyes. “You’ve got it all wrong Ross.”
“I’m gonna make you confess to what you did. They will be able to read your mind and see that I am right.”
“No ones reading my mind,” I said, slowly putting the mop and bucket down. Ross raised his hands slowly. “Stop that,” I said. “Put your hands down.”
“I’ll tell all our brothers first. Get some of Harold’s truth infusion, make you confess. Then what do you think our parents will do about you? Or rather, do to you…” He cackled.
“They won’t do anything because I am innocent. Now put your hands down.”
Ross smiled. “No!” In less than a second, a bright red chain flew out of his hands at me.
“Dancidious!” I called, ducking as the chains shaved the top of my head. “Stop it Ross! Stop it!” But he wouldn’t. More red chains came flying towards me. “Dancidious! Dancidious!” I called in vain, for it made no difference! I ducked and dived out of the way. But it was time to run. I stood up and charged round the corner for the end of the corridor. There was a short golden flash beneath my eyes, I thought Ross has got me. But it wasn’t that at all… it was something much better… my Se
ven League Shoes, the ones I put on in the carriage had lit up gold! As I ran, my legs felt different and I noticed time change around me. It slowed down. I got to the end of the corridor in the blink of an eye. I turned around and saw Ross, in slow motion, his face contorted into mad fury, spells fizzing and popping as they exploded against pictures, expelling plumes of dust from the floor. Speeding down the next hallway, which was at least a hundred feet, I put one foot before the next and without thinking or doing anything, the shoes carried me all the way to the end. It felt like walking through treacle, little effort was expelled, yet they carried me that hundred feet in a second. It was magical. The golden fizzing light died down as the shoes stopped moving, corridors and hallways had passed me by in a blur… but now I was… god knows where. It was dark and high up, for the pictures on the wall were all of magical creatures that we hang in the turrets. How did I get all the way up here in a matter of seconds? Still, they’d probably just saved my life.
All I could see was darkness and… an open door with a faint orange glow. There was no where else to turn so I walked forwards.
It was one of the turrets, small and dusty, dim and dark. Facing the fire was a high backed chair. A head of silvery hair just visible over the top.
“Come in boy,” said a barky voice. I froze, ice shards splintering my spine. The voice echoed softly around the turret. “Sit, sit…” beckoned a long bony hand.
Finally…
Did you enjoy reading “Avis Blackthorn Is Not an Evil Wizard!”?
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If you would like to contact me about anything, then please email: [email protected]
I look forward to hearing from you.
All the best,
Jack Simmonds
Avis Blackthorn: Is Not an Evil Wizard! Page 23
