by Julie Sykes
“So that’s the problem! If I make all the wheels from the new sheet of metal, it should solve it.”
As Freya pushed her fringe away from her face, she noticed the black greasy stains on her hands. She’d better wash them before bedtime. “Oh no!” she gasped in alarm. She’d completely lost track of time. Hastily, she packed up her tools. She’d leave everything here and come back as soon as she could.
Freya spun back through the revolving wall. She was just stepping out of the cupboard when Matilda came up the stairs. Her face was pale, and she was holding a washbag high in the air as if it were a dangerous weapon.
“Freya! Phew!” Matilda’s breath rushed out with a whoosh. “I heard something moving up here and I thought it was a ghost.”
“What would you have done if it had been a ghost?” asked Freya.
Matilda grinned. “Run to get the others of course! Anyway, what were you doing?” She frowned. “We heard a noise up there earlier too. Was that you? Why were you in the cupboard?”
“No…” Freya started to deny it but then she gave up. There was no good reason for being in the cupboard, and she knew Matilda would keep asking questions until she cracked! “OK. Busted!” she agreed, lowering her voice to barely a whisper. “It was me that made the noise when you all came up earlier. Look, Matilda, if you really promise not to tell anyone else, then I’ll tell you about something amazing I found.”
“I won’t,” Matilda said instantly. “What is it?”
“It’s a secret room with a revolving wall! I’m going to use it as a workshop.”
Matilda’s eyes grew huge. “Really? That’s awesome! Can I see?”
“We’ll get into trouble if we’re not in bed soon,” said Freya, “but I’ll show you it tomorrow as long as you promise to keep it a secret.”
“OK, I promise!” Matilda breathed.
“Today, we are starting a new topic,” said Ms Rivers, the strict Geography and Culture teacher. “Open your notebooks and put the heading Myths and Legends.”
Freya scribbled the words but her mind wasn’t really on the lesson. All morning, Matilda had been shooting conspiratorial grins at her. Freya’s stomach turned over anxiously. She hoped the others wouldn’t notice and ask what was going on. Had she made a big mistake confiding in Matilda? She was great fun but she wasn’t the most reliable or secretive person ever. I wish I hadn’t told her, thought Freya, as she neatly underlined the title.
“So, who can tell me any myths or legends that we have here on Unicorn Island?” said Ms Rivers.
Isla from Ruby dorm put up her hand. “What about the Frozen Lagoon? That’s a myth, isn’t it? A bottomless lagoon that’s always covered with ice, that’s supposed to be on the east coast of Unicorn Island but no one’s ever found it.”
Valentina, also from Ruby dorm, snorted. “You’re as dumb as a flapdoodle, Isla. Everyone knows that’s just a made-up story.”
“Which is precisely why Isla’s suggestion is a very good example of a myth, Valentina,” said Ms Rivers sharply. “A myth is a story. It may once have had a grain of truth, but it has been exaggerated and changed over the years. Well done, Isla.”
As Ms Rivers turned away, Valentina pulled a face at Isla. “Flapdoodle!” she hissed.
Isla quickly looked down at her desk. Valentina was one of the meanest girls at the school and Freya felt sorry for Isla, Molly and Ana who shared Ruby dorm with her. Valentina was in her second year at the academy because she and her unicorn, Golden Briar, hadn’t bonded in the first year. Being a second year seemed to make Valentina bossier and snappier each day.
Miki put up his hand. “I know a myth, Miss,” he said.
“Yes, Miki?”
Freya saw Miki’s eyes twinkle mischievously. “If you don’t graduate from Unicorn Academy at the end of your second year, you turn into a red-bellied slug with four eyes and a pointed nose, so Valentina had better watch out, hadn’t she?” He grinned.
Valentina returned his grin with a death glare.
Ms Rivers sighed. “No, Miki, you know you don’t. Now, has anyone got anything sensible to contribute?”
Himmat put up his hand. “There’s a myth about a ghost that haunts the towers of the academy. It’s supposed to be a teacher who once died here. She walks around the corridors and climbs the towers at night.”
“Is that true?” said Violet.
Himmat nodded. “My brother thought he saw her when he was here.”
“Himmat, that’s not quite the kind of myth I was thinking about,” said Ms Rivers. “Have any of you heard about the Silver Unicorn? It’s a mysterious unicorn who appears occasionally, always first thing in the morning, and anyone who sees it is blessed with good luck.”
Freya made notes as Ms Rivers continued to tell them some of the myths of the land. It was really interesting, and she was surprised when break time came. They all headed to the dining room for cookies and hot chocolate.
“Maybe the noises we heard yesterday from above our dorm were made by the ghost who haunts the school,” said Rosa as they left the classroom.
“But ghosts aren’t real,” Ariana argued.
“Well, something made that noise,” Rosa told her.
“There could be another explanation,” said Matilda, sending Freya a look.
Freya tensed. Surely Matilda wasn’t going to give the game away? “So… Um, when are we going to tell the other dorms about the party?” she said quickly.
To her relief, her change of subject worked. “We’ll tell them now – at break,” said Rosa. “Most people will be in the hall so we can pass the message round. Come on!”
Matilda grabbed Freya’s arm and dropped back as Rosa hurried on with Ariana and Violet. “Can we see the secret room now?” she whispered.
“Now? But we’ve got cross-country with Ms Tulip after break.”
“That’s half an hour away. We can have a look and get to the stables in time if we go now.”
Freya sighed. “OK. Let’s go. But remember you’re not to tell anyone.”
“I won’t,” said Matilda.
They peeled away from the others and headed for the spiral staircase.
“In here,” said Freya, opening the cupboard.
Matilda raised her eyebrows. “But this is just a cupboard.”
“No, it’s not. Watch!” Freya went to the wall and pulled the lever. There was a familiar creak. She pressed her back to the wall and felt it start to move.
Matilda squealed as the wall revolved and Freya vanished from sight. Freya hastily pulled the lever again and returned to the cupboard. “So?” she said, her eyes shining.
“Oh. My. Wow!” gasped Matilda, her eyes as wide as saucers. “What’s on the other side?”
“Come and see,” said Freya, patting the wall beside her.
Matilda ran to stand with Freya and Freya pulled the lever again.
“This is so cool!” Matilda walked around the room, slowly taking it all in. “A secret room.” She peered at the bottles and jars on the shelves. “It looks like it used to be a science room or something.”
“I know. I’m going to have it as my workshop from now on. I’m working on…” Freya swept the blanket off her invention. “This! It’s a birthday present for Honey,” she said, as Matilda stared at the robot. She felt suddenly shy. “What do you think?”
“It’s incredible,” Matilda breathed. “Does it actually move?”
“Yes, it’s voice activated and it can fetch things. It puts that basket down, picks things up in its mouth, drops them in the basket and then picks the basket up and carries it back. It needs a bit more work because it keeps turning in circles, but I think I know how to fix that glitch.” Freya glanced at Matilda. “I know it doesn’t look much like a unicorn but do … do you think Honey will like it?”
“I bet she’s going to love it!” Matilda exclaimed. “You’re so clever! I don’t know how you did it.” She walked round it. “It … well … it doesn’t look very pretty at the momen
t though. If you want, I could paint it and give it a mane and tail.”
Freya hesitated. She’d never worked on an invention with anyone else before, but Matilda was brilliant at art and she wanted the robot to be as good as possible for Honey. “Yes, please.”
“Really?” Matilda looked delighted. “Brilliant! Why don’t we sneak away from the others and work on it this evening? I’ll bring my paints and you can bring some biscuits or something.”
Freya grinned. “OK, it’s a deal!” she said.
Cross-country was one of Freya’s favourite lessons – she loved galloping and jumping, and Honey loved it too. However, for once she was glad when their lesson finished. If she was going to work on the robot that evening, she needed to get all her homework done during the lunch break.
“Come on, Honey, let’s get back to the stables as quickly as we can,” she urged.
“Do we have to?” Honey said. “It’s a lovely sunny day. We could go to the play park.”
“I can’t. I need to do my homework,” said Freya.
“There’s no time for homework now,” said Rosa, overhearing. “We agreed to go pumpkin picking with Miki and Himmat this lunchtime, remember? For the party.”
Freya groaned inwardly. “Do you really need me? I’ve got loads to do.”
“You have to come and help,” said Rosa. “The pumpkins are massive and it’s going to take all of us to pick them and take them to the stables.”
“OK,” sighed Freya.
“As soon as we’ve settled our unicorns we’ll meet at the stable entrance and go to the pumpkin patch,” said Rosa, hurrying away.
Honey snorted. “Do you have to go, Freya? We hardly see each other at the moment.”
“You see me lots,” Freya said.
“Only in lessons. You never visit me the rest of the time. I miss you.”
Freya felt guilty. “I promise that I’ll change that, soon,” she said. “I’m just really busy working on my invention.”
Honey huffed. “I think you like your invention more than you like me.”
“I don’t!” exclaimed Freya. She wished she could tell Honey that the invention was for her. It’s just a couple more days, she told herself. Then Honey will understand.
“Wow! Look at these pumpkins!” said Freya a little while later, as she stared at the sea of massive purple pumpkins in the walled vegetable garden. She picked her way carefully between the pumpkins, trying not to let their curly green tendrils trip her up.
Miki stopped beside a huge pumpkin. “Someone help me here.”
Himmat rushed over and held the pumpkin while Miki cut through its thick spikey stem. Then Freya and Rosa helped them to lift it into Miki’s wheelbarrow. Pumpkin picking took much longer than Freya had expected but they had a good haul of pumpkins to show for it. They carted them to the stables in the wheelbarrows.
“Goodness me! What are you going to do with all those?” Ms Willow, the school nurse, came out of her unicorn’s stable with some rolls of ribbon in her hands. She was young and pretty and the girls really liked her. She was always fussing over her unicorn, Daffodil, decorating her yellow and orange mane with elaborate plaits or pottering around the gardens with her, gathering herbs to make medicines from. Daffodil had healing magic but Ms Willow liked to use herbal medicines on sick or injured students whenever possible so as not to tire Daffodil out. She really did adore her little unicorn!
“We’re going to use them to play a game of leapfrog in the small barn, Miss,” said Rosa. The others exchanged grins. Rosa had conveniently missed out the vital fact that it was going to be a midnight game!
“In the barn?” Ms Willow said in surprise. “Why not outside?”
“Just in case it rains,” Rosa invented. “It’s all right if we play in the barn, isn’t it? It’s never used for anything.”
Ms Willow smiled. “It’s fine. Enjoy yourselves!”
She headed into the tack room.
Diamond and Topaz dorm wheeled the pumpkins into the old stone barn and arranged them around the empty space. Their unicorns came out of their stalls to watch.
“They’re massive!” said Crystal, Rosa’s unicorn.
Rosa nodded. “They’re going to be perfect for playing leapfrog.” She tried to leapfrog a huge one and got stuck on top of it. She collapsed to the ground, giggling.
Freya suddenly realised Honey hadn’t come outside with everyone else. She went to find her. Honey was in her stall, picking at a net of hay. She looked unhappy.
“Are you OK?” Freya said. “Don’t you want to come and see the pumpkins we collected?”
Honey looked at her reproachfully. “Freya, we’ll never bond if you keep secrets from me.”
Freya suddenly stood very still. “Secrets? What do you mean?”
“I overheard Matilda telling Pearl that she’s working on a top-secret project with you and only the two of you know what it is. If you were going to tell anyone about it, Freya, it should have been me.”
Freya’s cheeks turned hot. She should never have trusted Matilda! “Matilda wasn’t supposed to say anything to anyone,” she said angrily. “She promised! Did she say what the project was?”
Honey shook her head. “No, she wouldn’t let on. Pearl tickled her with her tail and Matilda laughed so hard she got hiccups, but she still wouldn’t say.”
Freya’s anger faded slightly. At least Matilda hadn’t let on what the secret was.
“Will you tell me the secret too?” Honey asked.
Freya hated seeing Honey upset but she desperately wanted the present to be an amazing surprise. Just two more days and then she’ll realise why I kept it secret, she thought. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I can’t.” She reached out to stroke Honey, but Honey stepped away.
“Don’t be like that, Honey,” Freya pleaded.
Suddenly, a flash of violet lit up the stable. A second later there was a huge bang from the direction of the barn. It was followed by a series of smaller bangs and shrieks. A thin wisp of smoke curled into the stable. Freya’s nose wrinkled. Burnt pumpkin with a whiff of sugar! She rushed from Honey’s box and into the barn. Miki and Himmat were standing in the middle of it looking like they’d fallen into a gloopy purple swamp. They were covered in pumpkin flesh and flat pale seeds and the girls were crowding round them.
“Gross!” A lump of goo slid from Himmat’s hands and on to his boots.
“Aaaatishoo! Atishoo!” Miki sneezed violently. “That’s better,” he finally gasped. “I had a pumpkin seed stuck up my nose!”
Ms Willow came running in. “What just happened? Miki, Himmat, are you both OK?”
“The pumpkins exploded!” Miki exclaimed. “Himmat and I were moving them and suddenly they went bang!”
“Boom!” said Himmat. “Pow! Pumpkin everywhere!”
Ms Willow looked dismayed. “You poor things. The pumpkins must have been rotten and in the warmth of the barn they exploded. Pumpkins are really best kept outside. It was lucky no one was hurt. Go and have a wash, boys. Everyone else, please help clear up.”
Freya grabbed a shovel and began to scrape up the splattered pumpkins. “I don’t understand,” she said to Ariana, who was clearing up nearby. “The pumpkins were fresh from the field and the insides don’t smell rotten.”
Ariana frowned. “So, what are you saying?”
“I’m not sure. It’s just, when the pumpkins exploded, I smelt something sweet. It reminded me of magic.”
Rosa overheard. “Maybe it was Twinkle or Honey discovering their magic powers.”
“What? The power of exploding vegetables?” said Violet, her eyebrows shooting up. “I’ve not heard of that before.”
Rosa giggled. “OK, maybe not.”
“So, what did make them explode?” said Ariana.
Matilda’s eyes widened. “It could have been a spell or an enchantment.”
“But who would enchant a load of pumpkins to explode?” said Freya.
“Someone could be trying to wrec
k the party,” said Ariana. “How about Valentina?” she gasped.
“But her unicorn, Golden Briar, has wind power, nothing to do with exploding things,” said Violet. “And Valentina can’t cast spells – only people who have a spell-weaver unicorn can do that.”
“Also, why would Valentina do something like that?” said Rosa. “We invited her to the party at break time and, even though she was a bit snooty about it, she said she’d come. Why would she try to wreck the party?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” said Ariana. “You’re right, it doesn’t make sense. Maybe the pumpkins were rotten after all.” She sighed and looked around. “I guess we’d better clear up.”
“I think I’ve done it.” Freya tightened the last screw then sat back on her heels.
“Let’s try it out.” Matilda, who had a smudge of paint on her nose, stopped painting.
Freya faced the robot. “Robot… On,” she said, clearly. With a small hum the robot came to life. “Robot… Forward,” she added.
The robot jerked then trundled forward, rolling across the smooth wooden floor. It went in a perfectly straight line towards the enormous blocked-up fireplace, no spinning or turning. Freya held her breath as it got closer to the fireplace. Was it going to crash? No! It swung round just in time and continued around the room.
“It’s working!” Freya said in excitement. “Robot… Stop!” she commanded. The robot came to a standstill. “I did it!” Freya clapped a hand to her mouth.
“Hurrah!” Matilda waved her paintbrush in the air. “You’re a genius!” She threw her arms round Freya and hugged her.
