Luke pulled the crystal ball from his pocket and stared into the swirling mists. “How are you doing, Mum?” he asked quietly.
The fog inside the ball began to shape itself into an image. There was Scream Street – and there was his house! The picture zoomed in towards one of the windows and Luke was just starting to make out a figure standing in the living room, when something reached over his shoulder and snatched the crystal ball from his hand.
Chapter Five
The Birds
Luke looked round in surprise and found himself staring into a pair of large, pale eyes. A huge bird – something like a cross between an emu and a swan – stood beside him, the crystal globe wedged in its pointed beak. Its dark green feathers ruffled in the breeze as it studied Luke for a moment, then…
Honk!
Before anyone could move, the bird turned and ran, its long, yellow legs pumping hard against the course heather. Immediately, four more fluffy green “bushes” ran after it.
Honk! Honk!
Luke jumped to his feet and gave chase, Resus and Cleo just behind him. The strange-looking birds, however, were far too quick for them and it wasn’t long before the trio were forced to stop, out of breath. They were simply no match for the birds, with their long legs and tough feet.
“I told you those bushes were following us!” wheezed Cleo.
“What are they?” asked Luke, resting his hands on his knees and trying to catch his breath.
“No idea,” admitted Resus through big gulps of air. “But I bet they win all the medals at their school sports day!”
“I think we’ve said goodbye to that crystal ball,” said Cleo.
“But I need it to check on my mum,” declared Luke. “We have to get it back!”
Resus clutched at the stitch in his side. “Off you go, then,” he puffed. “I’ll be the one walking slowly behind you.”
“We’ll never catch them,” said Cleo.
“Maybe we don’t need to,” hissed Luke. “Look – they’ve stopped!”
As the trio watched, the birds checked that they were no longer being followed. Then, as one, they tucked their long necks beneath their wings, folded their legs and sat down. They now looked exactly like small bushes dotted among the heather, and if Luke, Resus and Cleo hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, they would have walked straight past. It was the perfect camouflage.
“Come on,” whispered Luke. Slowly he, Resus and Cleo crept towards the motionless birds, the soft ground dulling the sound of their footsteps. They stole closer and closer, and before long Luke could see the glint of the crystal ball sticking out from one of the mounds of feathers.
“Now!” he yelled, diving for it. Instantly, all five birds rose up from the ground and dashed away, honking in terror. Luke crashed down with an “Oof!” and a splat.
Cleo hurried over to help him up, then gagged as the stench hit her. Luke’s top was covered in reeking dung. “This is just great,” he moaned.
Up ahead, the birds continued to run for a few more metres, then dropped to the ground and hid themselves once again.
Cleo pulled up the bandages on her face to cover her nose, then tore another strip from her arm and used it to wipe off the worst from Luke’s top. “At least we now know where this has come from.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” said Resus. “I don’t think those bird things, as big as they are, would leave behind droppings that size. Not unless they were seriously ill!”
“Never mind that,” said Luke impatiently. “We still have to find a way to get the crystal ball back.”
“We could try creeping up on them again,” suggested Cleo.
“And it might help if you don’t scream ‘Now!’ before you dive headfirst into the nearest pile of dung,” added Resus.
Luke shook his head. “We’ll just end up chasing them for miles. They’re much faster than us.”
“Well, I can’t think of another solution,” said Resus.
“What about the stuff you’ve got in your cape for Vampire New Year?”
Resus’s eyes began to sparkle. “Brilliant!” he exclaimed. “I could shoot fireworks at the birds, then after they’ve been ripped apart by—”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence,” snapped Cleo.
“It was Luke’s idea!” Resus protested.
“Actually, I was thinking more of using the cakes to lure them over to us,” Luke admitted.
“No way!” cried Resus. “If my mum ever found out I’d wasted her cakes on some ugly old birds, I’d be sent to my coffin without any tea for a year.”
“Then I’ll just have to find a way to match their speed,” sighed Luke. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
Cleo grabbed his arm. “What are you doing?”
Luke opened his eyes again. “I’m going to transform my legs and chase that bird that’s got the crystal ball.”
“You can’t!” she exclaimed.
“Why not?”
“We’re outside Scream Street, remember?” said Cleo. “We can’t be sure you’ll only have a partial transformation. What happens if you turn into a complete werewolf?”
“It should be OK,” replied Luke. “We’re still on G.H.O.U.L. territory after all.”
“That might be true,” said Resus, “but if it doesn’t work out, I can’t see anywhere around here to hide from an angry wolf!”
“Then I’m out of ideas,” admitted Luke. “How can we catch those … things? Whatever they are.”
“It is possible that I could be of assistance,” said a muffled voice from the direction of Luke’s back pocket.
Luke reached into the pocket and pulled out a book with a golden cover. On the spine was the title, The G.H.O.U.L. Guide, and from the front protruded the face of its author, Samuel Skipstone.
Skipstone opened his eyes, and Resus and Cleo came over to join Luke. “This book contains information about every community in the world that is owned by the Government Housing Of Unusual Life-forms,” explained the author. “Just show me what you’d like to know about and I’ll find the relevant entry.”
“OK,” said Luke, turning the book so that Skipstone now faced the large green birds, still disguised as bushes among the heather. “What are they?”
Samuel Skipstone stared at them for a moment, then The G.H.O.U.L. Guide opened and he began to flick through the pages. “Here you are,” he said, stopping at a page with a drawing of a bird on it. It was identical to the ones they could see in front of them. “These creatures are called nasterns.”
“Nasties?” asked Luke.
“No, nasterns,” Skipstone corrected. “They are an ancient species of bird, distantly related to the swan, the ostrich and the magpie.”
“Very distantly related if you ask me,” said Resus. “Like my toothless Uncle Boslo who comes round to lick the pudding bowls clean every Christmas.”
“Vampires from this region used to breed them for food when blood supplies were hard to come by,” continued the author.
Cleo screwed up her face. “They ate them?” she exclaimed in horror.
Luke studied the drawing of the nastern. “I wonder what they taste like?”
“I bet no one knows,” grinned Resus. “I can’t imagine anyone would be able to catch one to find out!”
“Actually, they do not always run,” said Samuel Skipstone. “Due to their relationship to the magpie, they like shiny objects – which can be used to put them in a trance.”
“What kind of trance?” asked Cleo.
“Almost as though they have been hypnotized,” explained the author. “They stay rooted to the spot until the chance arises to grab whatever it is they have their eyes on.”
“If they like shiny things, that’ll be why they followed us,” said Resus. “They must have spotted Luke using the crystal ball almost as soon as we stepped through the Hex Hatch.”
“So, if we can show them something else that’s shiny, we might be able to get close enough to get it back,” s
uggested Luke.
Resus began to search through his cloak. “I’ve got a crowbar, a torch and a drum kit,” he said. “None of them very shiny, however.”
“Er, I hate to say it, but I don’t think we’ll need anything else to grab their attention…” said Cleo.
“It’s true,” grinned Resus. “They seem to have taken a shine to Mr Skipstone!”
Luke turned to discover all five nasterns now standing staring fixedly at The G.H.O.U.L. Guide. One of the birds had the crystal ball wedged in its beak.
“Of course!” said Luke. “The light is glinting off the book’s cover.” He angled The G.H.O.U.L. Guide towards the birds. They remained frozen in position, continuing to stare at the book and honking quietly. “OK,” he said, taking a cautious step forward. “If we’re careful, we can keep them focused on this until we’re near enough to snatch the crystal ball.”
“Please ensure that you keep me at a safe distance,” squeaked Skipstone, his golden eyes wide with terror as Luke carried him closer and closer to the birds. “Nasterns are known for their very sharp beaks!”
Cleo and Resus fell into step beside Luke and the three of them slowly approached the mesmerized creatures. “You keep Mr Skipstone safe,” whispered the mummy. “I’ll grab the crystal ball the first chance I get.”
“What can I do?” asked Resus.
“Have your fangs at the ready in case one of them decides to bite!”
The children crept steadily towards the nasterns. Luke could now see the shining cover of The G.H.O.U.L. Guide reflected in their hungry eyes…
Cleo flexed her fingers, preparing to lunge for the crystal ball as soon as she was close enough…
Resus licked the tips of his fangs and looked watchfully around him…
And that’s when the ground collapsed beneath them, plunging the trio into a deep pit below.
Chapter Six
The Hunters
Luke blinked. Stars flashed before his eyes. He’d hit his head on a rock at the bottom of the pit and could already feel a lump beginning to swell up.
“Is everyone OK?” he asked, rubbing his head.
“I’m fine,” said Cleo. “I landed on something soft.”
“That was me,” groaned Resus. “Feel free to get off any time you want!”
“Mr Skipstone?” said Luke.
The author opened his eyes. “I seem to have survived the fall unscathed,” he assured them.
“Yeah, because you landed on me as well,” muttered Resus.
Luke clambered to his feet and tucked The G.H.O.U.L. Guide back into his pocket. He gazed up at the circle of light above them. The pit was about six metres deep and just wide enough for the three children to stand side by side.
“Where are we?” Cleo asked.
“Some sort of hole, by the looks of it…” replied Luke.
“Oh, well done, Detective Inspector Watson,” said Resus sarcastically. “However did you work that one out?”
“Cleo should have landed on you a bit harder,” scowled Luke. “What I was about to say, is that the hole isn’t natural.” He ran his fingers along thick grooves in the hard earth. “Someone has dug this out deliberately and covered it with sticks and moss so it wouldn’t be seen.”
“You mean it’s man-made?” said Cleo.
“Not exactly man-made,” growled a deep voice above them.
The trio looked up to see two huge faces glaring down into the hole.
“Trolls!” cried Cleo.
“That one’s quite intelligent,” rumbled the smaller of the two. “I think we’ll save her for dessert.”
“You try to eat her, and she’ll give you indigestion!” shouted Resus.
“And he’s gonna be the starter,” grunted the troll.
“You monsters!” yelled Cleo.
The smaller troll almost looked offended. “Comments like that hurt,” he pouted. “We’re not monsters! I’m Stumper and this is Little Bennett.”
“Hello!” called the bigger one cheerily.
“If he’s Little Bennett,” said Luke quietly, “I don’t fancy running into his big brother any time soon.”
“I appreciate that you might be unwilling to form a lasting friendship,” Stumper called down. “What with us having trapped you in order to eat the flesh from your bones. But I’m sure that once you get to know us you’ll agree we’re anything but monsters. Get them out of there, Bennett!”
The larger troll grinned, revealing a row of thick teeth that resembled chipped gravestones. “Yes, boss,” he beamed, saluting so hard he slapped himself in the face. “Ow!”
Stumper shook his head. “Just lower the rope!”
Little Bennett began to feed a thick rope down into the pit.
“Do you really think we’re going to climb up that just so you can eat us alive?” demanded Luke.
Stumper shrugged. “You can stay down there and starve to death if you like,” he snarled. “Then we’ll just drag you up and eat you dead. Makes no difference.”
“Maybe we’ll tunnel our way out,” Cleo called up bravely.
The small troll gave a horrible laugh. “You can try,” he mocked. “But I can’t see you getting very far unless you’ve got some of these…” He held his thick fist out over the pit and wiggled his fingers. They ended in broad, yellowing claws.
Resus glanced down at his own false fingernails and gulped.
“I think we’ll just have to climb up there,” Luke said to the others.
“Great idea!” replied Resus. “I tell you what, let’s ask them to throw down a pan of gravy first, then we can baste ourselves on the way up!”
“I’m not going to let them eat us,” hissed Luke, lowering his voice. “I’ll go up first and trigger my transformation once I’m at the top. If everything goes to plan, I’ll face them as a fully formed werewolf.”
“Will that be enough to fight off a pair of trolls?” asked Cleo.
“It’s the best chance we’ve got,” replied Luke, grabbing hold of the rope and starting to climb.
Above them, Little Bennett’s smile grew wider. A tongue the size of a sofa cushion shot out and licked a pair of leathery lips. “Da first one’s coming up da rope, boss!” he bellowed. “Can I eat him as soon as he gets to da top?”
Stumper scowled. “You don’t eat them raw, bricks-for-brains!” he scolded. “We’re not completely uncivilized.”
Resus and Cleo watched as Luke came to the top of the rope and Little Bennett stretched down to pull him out of the hole. “Any second now,” whispered the vampire, picturing Luke’s face twisting as he transformed into a vicious werewolf. “Just listen for the growls…”
But no growls came. The only noise at all was the rumble of Little Bennett giggling.
Suddenly, the rope dropped back into the hole. “Next!” called Stumper.
Resus and Cleo looked at each other nervously. “It hasn’t worked,” whispered the mummy. “He hasn’t transformed!”
Resus gritted his teeth. “We’ll have to go up to see what’s going on.”
Cleo nodded, and wrapping her fingers around the rope she began to climb. As she neared the opening of the pit, she too was dragged out by Little Bennett. Resus swallowed hard and climbed up after her.
Resus felt himself being pulled out into the daylight by the huge troll, and he looked up to see his friends tied together a few metres away. A long, furry tail wagged from the back of Luke’s jeans.
“So I guess you only managed a partial transformation,” sighed Resus.
“It’s not my fault,” insisted Luke. “I tried!”
While Resus was being bound, Luke examined the pair of trolls, hoping to spot something that would help the trio to escape. Stumper, despite being the smaller of the two, was still a good metre taller than an adult human. His dark grey skin was covered in scraps of cloth and he wore a necklace made from shiny cutlery, shards of glass and pieces of tin foil. The troll’s hair was as grey as his skin and slicked back with some sort of wet
slime. Perched on top was a battered old top hat.
Little Bennett, now busily tying knots around Resus’s legs, was roughly the size of a small hill. His black hair was matted into thick dreadlocks that looked as though they had never been washed, and he wore a belt of skulls around his waist.
Stumper limped over to inspect his captives. The troll was missing one of his legs and had replaced it with the blackened trunk of a dead tree. He swatted at Luke’s werewolf’s tail with his hand.
“I see we have someone rather interesting among us, Bennett,” he sneered.
“Where?” demanded the larger troll, looking around.
“Here!” barked Stumper, grabbing Little Bennett’s dreadlocks and forcing his head round to face Luke. “He’s a werewolf, you idiot!”
“Ohh!” Realization crossed Little Bennett’s face at a snail’s pace.
“It’s a shame we’re so hungry,” continued Stumper. “We could have kept you as a pet. Bennett likes his pets…”
“They’re my special friends,” grinned Little Bennett, pulling a handful of seeds from the pocket of his filthy trousers. The five nasterns immediately leapt up from their hiding places and ran over to peck hungrily at the food.
“So that’s how they got us to walk over the pit!” said Resus angrily.
“Oh, they’re clever birds,” replied Stumper, poking Resus in the stomach with a chubby finger. “Feed them right and they’ll do just about anything for you. I might even let them have the fatty bits we leave behind…”
Suddenly something caught the smaller troll’s eye. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Stumper held out his hand and one of the nasterns dropped the crystal ball into his palm. “This is very pretty indeed.”
Luke struggled against his bonds. “That’s mine!” he shouted.
Stumper grinned. “You’ll get it back,” he said, waving the globe teasingly in Luke’s face. “I’ll make sure we pop it inside your skull before Little Bennett here ties your head to his belt in the morning.” The troll adjusted the angle of his scruffy hat. “Come, Bennett! I have a feeling we’re about to be welcomed home.”
Attack of the Trolls Page 3
