Night Shade

by Linda Chapman

  Lottie smiled and hugged her. “Thank you, but you three will always be my best friends. And Juniper, too, of course! Now, let’s call the animals and see if we can work out what’s going on!”

  Soon, they were all sitting around on Lottie’s bedroom floor trying to think what the three Shades might be trapped in. The animals cuddled up to the girls.

  “We need to think of something that’s in Maia’s house, Lottie’s house and Sadie’s house,” Ionie said. “What have you recently got?”

  “We all bought stuff at Fairytales.” Maia realized she had the friendship bracelet on and held her arm out. “Here, does it smell of Shades?”

  “And what about the dragon egg I got?” said Lottie, jumping up and getting it from her desk.

  Sorrel and Willow sniffed both but then shook their heads.

  “So what else do you two have that’s new?” said Ionie.

  “The red hairslides Essie gave us!” Lottie said, spotting hers on her desk. “What about those?”

  Maia shook her head. “No, I gave mine back to Essie.” She thought back over the images she’d seen with magic. The hooded figure … the clearing … the bottles of potion … the crystals on the shelf with the colourful dreamcatchers behind…

  “Dreamcatchers!” she gasped. “Essie gave us dreamcatchers!” She stared at the others, her hands flying to her mouth. “Oh no! I’ve been so stupid! I thought the magic was showing me the crystals on the shelf at Fairytales but it wasn’t the crystals that were important, it was the turquoise and pink dreamcatchers hanging up behind them! I’ve got one, so has Lottie and so has Sadie!”

  “But Sorrel would have smelled Shades in them in Fairytales,” argued Ionie.

  “There were definitely no Shades there then,” said Sorrel.

  “Esther could have bought them before we went in,” said Maia. “Don’t you remember? When we got there, Alice was re-stocking them! She said they had been selling like hot cakes. I bet Esther had just been in and bought a load of them and the three turquoise and pink ones had Shades in.”

  “But why? Who put them there?” said Juniper, jumping on to Lottie’s bed in agitation.

  “I don’t know but what’s important now is getting our hands on those three dreamcatchers, and sending the Shades back to the shadows before one of the adults does something really bad!” said Maia.

  “Where’s yours, Lottie?” said Sita.

  “On the landing outside my bedroom.”

  They looked at the locked door.

  “How are we going to get it?” Maia said.

  Lottie smiled. “Mum might have locked me in but there are other ways out of this room than through the door!” She ran to the window, opened it and a second later was climbing out. “Back in a minute!”

  In fact she returned in less than a minute, the blue dreamcatcher in her hand as she climbed back in through the window. She jumped down to the floor. “Here it is,” she said, throwing it on to her rug.

  Sorrel and Willow walked cautiously towards it but then both jumped back, Sorrel with a hiss, Willow with her nostrils flaring.

  “Shade!” Sorrel spat.

  “Are you sure?” Ionie said.

  “Without a doubt,” said Sorrel.

  “Yes. There’s definitely a Shade in it,” said Willow nervously.

  “What do we do?” said Lottie.

  “Sita, you command the Shade out from the dreamcatcher – it will have to do whatever you say – and then I will order it to go back to the Shadows,” said Ionie. She was a Spirit Speaker, a special kind of Star Friend who could banish Shades back to the Shadow World.

  “Remember, you need to be looking it in the eyes to send it back to the shadows,” Sorrel said.

  “I know,” Ionie said impatiently. “But Sita can command it to look at me.”

  “Are you ready, Sita?” Maia said.

  Sita took a deep breath. “I command you to come out, Shade,” she said, staring at the dreamcatcher. “Show yourself.”

  For a moment nothing happened and then a shadow seemed to move over the surface of the dreamcatcher. It swirled faster and faster, like a mini tornado, and then burst upwards towards the girls and animals. As it did so, the smoke formed into a tall, thin shape with long arms, spiny fingers, sharp teeth and red eyes. Maia felt a shiver run down her spine and saw Sita’s face turn pale.

  “Free at last!” the Shade hissed.

  “I want you to freez—” Sita started to speak but before she could finish commanding it the Shade had leaped towards her. It clamped its hand over her mouth, stifling her words.

  “Let her go!” Maia gasped as Sita struggled frantically in its grip.

  “Oh no.” Its mouth widened into a gloating smile. “Did you think I couldn’t hear you talking while I was in the dreamcatcher? I could hear every word. I know to avoid that one’s gaze.” It nodded at Ionie while not looking directly into her eyes. “And I know that this one is dangerous. Well, she shall not command me. In the catcher I could only affect a few people. Now I am free, I will go where I wish.”

  “To do what?” demanded Lottie.

  The Shade smiled evilly. “To cause unhappiness and bring discord. I will talk to people in their sleep, bring them dreams that feed their ambitions, make them dream a future where they could win and lead them to a point where they will hurt anyone who stands in their way,” it sneered. “It is easily done. Whisper words in their ears and soon their personality starts to change…”

  “But only adults can hear you?” said Maia.

  “Yes, only adults,” the Shade agreed.

  “Why would you do it?” said Lottie.

  “Because every time I do something evil, I grow stronger,” hissed the Shade.

  Sita struggled under the Shade’s hand.

  “Let Sita go!” Maia said through gritted teeth.

  “No,” said the Shade. Maia and Ionie both stepped towards it. “Stop there. If you come near me I shall hurt her.” It flexed its vicious fingernails and drew a faint line across Sita’s neck. Pinpricks of blood welled up where his razor-sharp nails touched her skin.

  Sita struggled desperately. “Stay still!” it snapped. “Or I shall do worse!” It looked at the others. “You are going to let me go free. If anyone tries to stop me, this girl will suffer.” It edged away, its angular bones clicking as it dragged Sita with it. Maia knew they had to stop it! It couldn’t be allowed to affect lots of people, while getting stronger and stronger all the time. Her mind flicked through all the things they could do. The only way to stop it was to free Sita so she could command it but how could they do that? A plan suddenly came to her.

  Using her magic, she saw the Shade’s outline move a second before it made the move for real. Its hand was reaching for the window. “You’re not going anywhere!” she cried, leaping forwards and barrelling into the Shade with her shoulder, knocking it away from the open window. “And if you want to hurt someone, you can hurt me not Sita!”

  The Shade lost its grip on Sita. She took the opportunity to tear herself free. With a snarl, the Shade grabbed Maia and slashed its hands at her. She gasped and ducked, hiding her face. She’d been ready for the pain – expecting it – but it still hurt. Its talons raked down her arm and she cried out. Bracken snarled in fury and grabbed its leg while Juniper leaped at its head, Willow butted its arm and Sorrel dug her claws into its foot but the Shade took no notice. It lifted its hand. It was going to slash her face!

  “Stop hurting Maia!” Sita shouted, scrabbling to her feet. “Stop it now!” The Shade’s hand froze in mid-air. It had to do as Sita commanded.

  Pushing Maia away in disgust, it leaped for the window.

  But Lottie reached the window first with her super-speed and slammed it shut. “You’re not going anywhere!” she cried.

  Sita stared at Maia. Blood was trickling from her arm. “What’s it done to you, Maia?”

  “Don’t worry about me!” Maia said, holding the wound. “Just send it back to the Shadows!”r />
  “I order you to face Ionie!” Sita commanded.

  The Shade tried to fight against the command but Sita’s power was too strong. Its body shook with anger as it reluctantly turned to Ionie. She marched up to it. “You hurt Maia!” she said furiously.

  The Shade glared at her. “I shall hurt you all!” it hissed.

  “Oh no, you won’t,” said Ionie. “Your time here is done, Mr Spiny Fingers. Go back to the shadows. I command it!”

  The Shade’s body started to dissolve in grey smoke. It faded faster and faster until the last few wisps of smoke chased each other in a circle and disappeared with a pop like water going down a plughole.

  “It’s gone,” said Lottie in relief.

  “Oh my goodness, Maia.” Sita threw herself down beside her friend. “That was so brave. You saved me.” Blood was seeping out from under Maia’s fingers. “But look what it’s done to you.”

  “It’s OK, you can use your magic to heal me,” Maia said, gritting her teeth. “I knew we couldn’t defeat it unless you were free.”

  “So you made it attack you instead,” said Ionie, her eyes wide. “That was really brave.”

  “Help Maia, please, Sita,” Bracken begged.

  Sita crouched down and gently looked at the wound the Shade had made with its nails. She put her hand just above the wound and concentrated hard. Maia felt a pleasant tingling sensation sweep over her skin. She watched as the blood dried up and the marks got smaller and smaller, shrinking to tiny scratches and then disappearing altogether, just leaving her skin slightly pink.

  The pain vanished. “You made it better!” she said, hugging Sita. “Thank you.”

  Bracken jumped around excitedly and licked Willow on the nose. Juniper raced across the curtain pole and even Sorrel gave a satisfied purr.

  “Now we need to get our hands on the other two dreamcatchers,” Sita said.

  They heard footsteps outside Lottie’s room. “Lottie?” It was her mum.

  The animals disappeared instantly. Ionie gestured to Sita and Maia to go to the shadows beside the wardrobe with her.

  “Wait. I’ll try to get rid of her,” Lottie whispered. “Yes?” she called to her mum.

  There was the sound of a key turning in the lock and the door handle moved. Lottie stepped out on to the landing, holding the door shut behind her.

  “Lottie, I’m sorry.” Her mum sounded strained. “I don’t know what came over me this afternoon. I should never have locked you in here, and making you redo that maths paper for the sake of eight per cent was a really stupid idea. I have no idea why I said it. I’ve been feeling so strange the last few days. It’s like I’ve had a voice in my head making me feel it was really important you did well. I was downstairs just now and it was as if a cloud had suddenly cleared. I’ve been pushing you much too much. I’m sorry.”

  “Does this mean you’re not going to make me do all those extra classes?” Lottie asked hopefully.

  “No, you don’t have to do them and of course you can go and see your friends this afternoon.”

  “Thanks, Mum!” They could hear the smile in Lottie’s voice. “I’ll just get my things.”

  She shut the door and the others stepped out from behind the wardrobe.

  “Did you hear all that?” Lottie asked.

  They nodded. “One dreamcatcher down, two to go!” Maia said.

  First, Maia used her magic to see where Sadie’s dreamcatcher was – it was hanging in her bedroom window – then Lottie went downstairs and told her mum she was going to Maia’s house.

  The girls all met up outside and walked to Sadie’s house. It was a detached house slightly set back from the road. Maia had seen that Sadie’s room was on the top floor. There was a horse chestnut tree outside it and the window was slightly open.

  “Sadie will be at Essie’s so we should be safe to get in,” said Lottie. “I’ll call Juniper and he will help me. We’ll climb the tree and then he can get in through the window and pass the dreaamcatcher out to me.”

  While the others kept watch, Lottie raced to the house. They saw the branches of the tree move as she climbed up it and then there was a blur of red as Juniper leaped from the branches on to the windowsill and vanished inside, reappearing with the purple dreamcatcher in his mouth. He gave it to Lottie and she was back beside them in next to no time.

  “Got it!” She grinned. “I can put it back later when we’ve got rid of the Shade!”

  “Just mine to get now!” said Maia.

  Not long afterwards, the girls and their animals were staring at Sadie’s and Maia’s dreamcatchers on the floor in Maia’s room.

  “How do we do this?” said Lottie.

  “I’ll command the Shades to come out,” said Sita confidently. “Only this time I’ll be ready and they won’t get the better of us.” She stared at the dreamcatchers. “Here goes. Shades, I command you to leave the dreamcatchers and to freeze as soon as you are out.”

  Grey smoke swirled from the dreamcatchers, swirling faster and faster as it formed two tall, thin shapes.

  “Freeze without saying a word!” Sita commanded.

  The Shades froze where they were, their red eyes open. They looked terrifying but they couldn’t move or speak.

  Ionie pointed at them. “Oh dear, we spoiled your little game. Now, return to the shadows!” she ordered.

  The Shades’ eyes flashed with fury but they had to obey and they disappeared in a puff of grey smoke.

  “We’ve done it!” cried Lottie.

  Maia felt an overwhelming rush of relief. “I can’t believe it.” She looked around. “They’ve really gone.”

  “We’re so awesome!” said Ionie, high-fiving her. “It’s all over!”

  “Well, not really,” Sita pointed out. “We still have to find out who trapped those Shades in the first place.”

  “Yes, and stop them conjuring more Shades,” said Maia.

  Bracken jumped into Maia’s arms. “I’m up for the challenge!”

  Maia buried her face in his soft fur. “And me!” she declared. “But for now, I really need some food. I didn’t have any lunch and I’m starving.”

  “Me, too,” said Lottie. “Mum didn’t even give me a chance to have lunch.”

  “I’ll get us some food,” Maia said.

  She went downstairs to the kitchen. Her mum was sitting at the table in her running gear having a cup of tea.

  “Are you going running, Mum?” Maia said, wondering how her mum would be now the Shade had gone. People usually forgot everything that had happened when Shades returned to the shadows.

  Mrs Greene sighed. “I should do really but I just don’t feel like it any more. I think I’ve been taking this fun run far too seriously.” She held out an arm and Maia went over. Her mum hugged her. “I’ve hardly seen you this week. Now, weren’t you saying you’d like to go to The Copper Kettle the other day? How about we stop at the beachcomber competition to see who’s won and then go on to the café for tea? I’ll treat you, your friends and Alfie to sandwiches, hot chocolate and cake. How does that sound?”

  “Awesome!” Maia said.

  “Did someone mention cake?” Her dad put his head hopefully round the kitchen door.

  “Yes, we’re all off to The Copper Kettle,” said Mrs Greene.

  “Count me in!” Mr Greene said. “I am so fed up with looking at all these quiz questions!” He crumpled up the paper in his hand and tossed it aside. “It’s like I’ve had a voice in my head telling me to keep on practising, keep on revising. It’s even been there in my dreams. And what’s it all for? It’s going to be a good family fun night out, win or lose. No more practising, that’s what I say. Let’s go out and eat cake!”

  Maia grinned in delight. “I’ll get the others!” she said.

  They all piled into the Greenes’ people-carrier. Mrs Greene took a detour to the beach car park on the way to The Copper Kettle. The judging had just taken place and Alice was beaming beside the first-place rosette next to her sc
ulpture.

  “Well done,” said Maia, going over to her. She felt bad now that she’d suspected Alice of being the person doing dark magic.

  “Thank you, dearie. I’m thrilled!” Alice winked and whispered, “Those little fairies at the bottom of my garden did a very good job, didn’t they?”

  Maia smiled. She wished Alice would stop talking to her as if she was five years old but she could see now that she meant well and it was just her way of being friendly. Maybe one day they would get her to tell them more about the plant magic she did.

  Sadie’s mum hadn’t won anything but she didn’t seem to mind. “The winners were all so good,” Maia heard her saying. “I enjoyed making my sculpture anyway.”

  Even Mr Jones seemed happy. He’d been asked to help judge the competition and he was standing with the other three judges laughing and joking as they had a cup of tea. “Next year I’ll be back with something even better!” he was saying.

  “You’ve got to give everyone else a chance every once in a while,” joked one of the other judges.

  After looking at all the beautiful sculptures, Maia and the others set off for The Copper Kettle. The cosy café was warm inside, the air filled with the smell of cake and coffee beans.

  “Mmm,” said Maia, breathing in deeply.

  “Hello, everyone,” said Mary, the owner. “One table or two?”

  “I’m sure the girls would rather sit by themselves if you’ve got space,” said Mrs Greene.

  “Of course,” said Mary. “No problem at all. Follow me, girls.” She showed Maia, Lottie, Ionie and Sita to a large round table with comfy armchairs tucked away round the corner in an alcove, while Mr and Mrs Greene picked up some crayons and a colouring book for Alfie, grabbed a couple of newspapers and sat down at a smaller table in the window.

  Soon they were all eating a delicious tea of ham, cheese and tuna sandwiches with the crusts cut off, fruit scones, mini cupcakes covered with frosting, little chocolate brownies, and slices of apple and strawberries.

  “This is the best tea ever!” said Lottie happily.