Alex Mason and the Smoky forest Read online



  Alex Mason and the Smoky forest

  The terrible summer

  Alex mason is a boy of 11. His parents died because of a mystic, evil warrior, his name…Salusa. From the attack, he has a scar. On his leg, Alex has a scar in the shape of a horseshoe. Alex has light brown, messy hair and pearl blue eyes. He was often called brownie at his primary school, west Belington primary school.

  Ever since his parents died, he has had to live with his Nan and his granddad. His Nan Ely had mouse grey hair, big wrinkles all over her face and sat in her big rocking chair all day knitting and only got up to whack Alex with her cane. Granddad elm had white hair and was almost bald. He too had big wrinkles all over his face. He was up all the time, Locking Alex in his room, Whacking him and sending him to get him things like food and water and gloves and hats and sticks and plates and cups and knives and forks and spoons and all sorts! Alex hated them so much.

  One day he got up from his bed on the floor, ran down the stairs and bumped

  Into Sid. Sid was the son of grandma and granddad. In addition, there was Elly. Sid had dark brown hair and clumsy green eyes. Sid always would wear his yellow T-Shirt and yellow shorts in the summer. In winter, he wore a yellow top, a yellow sweater or jumper, yellow pants, yellow shoes and yellow socks. His favorite colour was yellow. Elly had dark, black hair and deep blue eyes. She always wore her checked, pink dress with pink socks with pink bows and pink shoes with pink bows and sometimes she had pink leggings with pink bows or pink bows in her dark hair. Her favorite colour was pink. Sid was stupid and careless yet Elly was mean and harsh.

  Sid bumped into Alex and sped down the stairs shouting “Nan! Granddad! Alex was bumping into me!”

  “Oh that boy will get a big…”

  However, Alex needed no warnings. He was already down the path, out the gate and out on the pavement. He ran and ran and ran. He stopped at a bus stop. He knew he would be found in the end. Then granddad hobbled up on his stick. He yelled and yelled and yelled. Then he went for his

  Stick. Whack, Bash crash! When he got home, he was surprised with a smack off grandma’s cane.

  In the night, his back ached very badly. Then there was a sound. He heard a shuffle. Then he heard a scuffle. Then a Crack! A face showed. It was a friendly face. It said, “Come on, Alex! It is your birthday! “

  Next thing he knew he was in a street full of brightness.” Welcome to sword swipe ally!”

  Sword Swipe

  Ally

  The bright light was because he had just been in total darkness. Now the sun was blinking at him. All the shoppers took no notice of him. He saw strange things in the shop windows. He saw swords, Sticks and shields. Sweets with rainbow wrappers and tiny sword cakes that glowed! “W…who are you?” He asked.

  “Belquick.”

  “Who?”

  “Belquick.”

  The smiling face laughed. “Well time to get your school things, Alex.”

  “My what?”

  “School things.”

  “For which school?”

  “Cross sword fighting and knowledge high school.”

  “My grandpa will never…”

  “Don’t matter.”

  Belquick pulled out a big list.

  “Well, first fighting stick.”

  “Where…”

  “Anglo and bens stick shop.”

  Belquick steered him into a shop with sticks everywhere. He tumbled and stumbled over big sticks and were poked by little ones. He saw two men perched over a box.

  “Hi Anglo!”

  “Hi Belquick!”

  “How’s Ben?”

  “Oh fine. 100 Orders on the trot.”

  “Bargain”

  “Yeah”

  “Any orders you? “

  “Well Alex wants a stick.”

  “Alex…”

  “Yes.”

  “Bless my…”

  “Not now. He needs a big fighting stick.”

  “Oh yes.”

  Anglo rummaged through some boxes, pulling out a big stick.

  “Wave this about.”

  “Ok”

  He smashed some boxes.

  "Oops..."

  “Ok. Try this one.”

  He pulled out another one.

  “Fine.”

  This time he waved it so very hard that Anglo's black hood fell down. He wore black robes with yellow sticks on them. His hood had the same pattern on it. He had dark skin and green eyes. He also had a big black bushy beard.

  “Ok, Try this.”

  He waved it and didn't smash anything!

  “Yes, yes… ah ha!”

  “What?”

  “This is your stick. 90 Inches, Hemi tail.

  “What’s a…”

  “Hemi? Yes, Part lion, part horse, part snake and part eagle.”

  “Wow.”

  “Come on Alex.”

  Belquick pushed him out the shop.

  “Now. Cauldron”

  He was looking straight at the list but

  Somehow went right into Helena’s potions and cauldrons.

  “Hi Helena!”

  “H…H…Hi Belquic…k…k…Belquick!”

  “Any cauldrons left?”

  “Ye…p…p…yep.”

  “What sort?”

  “Thic…k…k…Thick bottme…d…bottmed.”

  “That’ll do. One please.”

  She handed him a big parcel.

  “B…b…bye.”

  They headed out.

  “Now. Potion ingredients.”

  They went into Miss Potion’s ingredients for every potion.

  “Hi miss potions!”

  She looked at him in a cold way.

  “Hello Belquick.” She said coldly.

  “Could we have some…ummm…oh?”

  “What do you want?”

  “Some mellopol moth…”

  She took a box from a brown cupboard.

  “…Some beetle heads…”

  Alex made a face. Miss potions took a jar from a shelf.

  “…Some exploding cherries…”

  She took a metal box from a metal cupboard.

  “…And all the usual.”

  She took a small red bag from a shelf, a big blue box from a blue wardrobe, a yellow container from a yellow shelf, A Big purple paper bag from a big purple cupboard and a small black box from under the counter.

  “Well thank you and bye!” Belquick said

  Merrily. She just stared coldly at him.

  He shuddered and went out the door.

  “She is nasty. “He stammered.

  “Very,” Agreed Alex.

  Then he looked at the list again.

  “Right. Now fighting books.”

  “They don’t…”

  “No they don’t.”

  “So they are…”

  “Yes, Normal books.”

  “Ok.”

  The airport

  He was surprised to see an airport that was gold on their right. The dingy old street was still on the left. He was pushed into the door. In it, there were shops. They went into Also’s robes for fighting.

  “Hi Also!”

  “Hi Belquick!”

  “Could we have some cross sword fighting and knowledge robes, please?”

  “Of course.”

  Also reached into a cupboard and brought out some robes. They were black and had two crossed swords on the front.

  “Try these on.”

  “Ok.”

  He tried them on. They fit! He went out holding them.

  “Ok then?”

  “Yes.”

  “Also can
I have a black cloak?”

  “Of course Belquick.”

  “Thanks.”

  “And I heard that it is a new fashion.”

  “What?”

  “To wear a black cloak at school.”

  “Ok.”

  “Maybe that one?”

  “Ok.”

  “10 bronze please.”

  Belquick handed him 10 little coins.

  “And 20 bronze for yours.”

  He handed him a piece of silver.

  Also handed him 5 pieces of bronze.

  “Bye Also.”

  “Bye Belquick. Bye Alex.”

  Next, they went into a shop called Books of knowledge.

  “Hello Nausea!”

  “Hi Belquick. Up to trouble again?”

  “Well…”

  “I see. Well young Alex wants books then.”

  “Yes, yes. We need cross swords a nation…”

  She pulled a blue book from a blue shelf.

  “… Ello Mello’s Medical Aids…”

  She found a yellow book in a bin

  “…And all the usual.”

  She got a big red book, a small blue book and a yellow and brown book from a multi coloured paper bag. She got five red books all different patterns, shapes, and sizes from big red plastic bag.6 yellow books from a yellow cupboard and 10 purple books from a brown dingy box.

  “Ok bye Nasea.”

  “Bye Belquick.”

  Belquick pushed him onto an aeroplane.

  “Bye Alex.”

  The aeroplane whooshed away. He held on tight like everyone else. He suddenly realised that it was not an aeroplane but a bird!

  It cawed at the other birds that also had surprised children on their backs.

  “What on earth?” He yelled as they went into a nosedive. Then they whooshed up again. He then noticed that his chair was not a chair. It was in fact a bump of feathers with two straps. One to hold the feathers onto the bird and one to hold him on. In fact he was not in a room like on an aeroplane but outside in the wind!

  In 5 hours of no hope and sore, Wet,

  Aching gripping for dear life knees, they went into another nosedive. After 12 mistaken ones, they were not hopeful. Nevertheless, they came to a fast glide just above the ground. Now he really was hopeful. They landed and he undone his belt and got off.

  The castle

  Now he saw the high school. It was really a big black castle with gleaming turrets and cosy looking windows with yellow lights. However, the statue was the best of all. It stood on the tallest turret, which was in the middle of them all. The turret stood there gleaming and silent. There was five windows all facing in different angles. One was facing them. However, the statue was of two crossed swords, one yellow one blue. It looked so grand.

  Then the window opened and a blue mist came out. He then was pushed onto a fish! That too had seats but not normal or feathered. Scales packed these fish together. This seat had three straps on it. One to keep it on the fish’s back one too keep him on and one to pack the scales tightly together. He buckled up.

  He saw it was one child per fish. He gripped with his knees. After 12 hours of wet, aching, sore knees, they arrived. Alex staggered up a marble staircase. He was then pushed with the others into a hall. Then he saw the hall. Sticks were everywhere. He looked at some golden trophies and golden medals.

  “Welcome. “ Said a dreary voice

  Suddenly a girl started singing.

  “Conjour, Conjour for I am a-poor,

  Maybe you be in Tellepoor,

  I will take those clever,

  And leave those not!”

  Then a male voice.

  “Ok, ok, let my chore,

  Maybe you be Chellochore,

  I take those hard working,

  And worthy of more!”

  Then a bright voice.

  “Hello, hello!

  Maybe you be in Belloco,

  I take those bright,

  And leave the blight!”

  Then a tired straggled voice.

  “I got tired of choosy,

  Maybe you be in boozy,

  I take the rest of the lot,

  I’m not picky I’m not.”

  “OK let the choosing begin.”

  “Hannah Bellso.”

  “Yes miss.”

  A blonde haired girl went up.

  “Stick please.”

  “Yes miss.”

  “Ok. 99 inches dragon ear. Am I correct?”

  “Yes miss.”

  “Ok. Pick, Children of this school!"

  “I say she belongs in Belloco!”

  “Ok is that so?”

  “Yes professor.”

  “Ok Hannah you are in Belloco.”

  “Yes miss.”

  There was clapping as she went to a green table.

  “Limeades Perkins”

  “Yes miss.”

  “Ok. Pick, Children of this school!"

  “Come on she’s in Chellochore!”

  There was more clapping as she went to a blue table.

  “Sam Barolo”

  “Boozy!”

  He looked red as he went to a yellow table.

  “Nathan Conrail”

  “Tellepoor.”

  He went to a red table.

  “Alex mason.”

  A muttering went around the room.

  “Let me see your stick.”

  “Ok miss.”

  He pulled out his stick.

  “90 inches hemi tail. Am I correct?”

  “Yes miss.”

  “Ok. Pick, Children of this school!"

  “Come on he’s in chellochore!”

  A lot of clapping went round the blue table.

  “Hi Alex!”

  “Hi!”

  “Hello Alex!”

  “Hello!”

  ‘I’m lucky’ He thought to himself.

  The common room

  He could have listened more but he was dazed and confused. He only woke up for the feast. It was delicious. There was chicken pie, Sausages, Chicken on the bone, Pizza, Mash, beans, Peas, Carrots, potatoes, hotdogs, Burgers and all sorts!

  Dessert was even better! It was Ice cream, Cake, Sweets like those that he saw in the shops at sword swipe ally, Small cupcakes, Fairy cakes that flew around in the air and jelly and yoghurt and all sorts!

  He was munching away when a boy said “Hi Alex. My name is Ben Besloo.”

  “Hi Ben.”

  He saw the boy’s face. He had yellow eyes like a cat and pokey ears. His lips looked pale purple. He had Jet-black hair.

  “Will you b…b…be my friend?”

  “Yes, Ok”

  “Thanks Alex.”

  Then a stout figure looked over them.

  “Well, Well, Well. Hello Alex. Time to go to the common rooms.”

  “Ok. Who are you?”

  “I am Professor Belooko.”

  “Hello professor Belooko.”

  “As I said. Time to go to the common room.”

  Ben and Alex followed professor Belooko to a wall. He put a key into a hole. It turned!

  They entered a small round room. It had a bookshelf filled with books. Also there was a cosy fireplace. There was a door on there right. On their left there were some pictures. They moved! They talked! Also there was a table. Some chairs were brought up so a gang could sit down. They played with some cards that exploded if you lost. He thought he could play so he asked.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can I play?”

  “Yes.”

  He called to the gang.

  “Hey lads”

  “Yeah?”

  “Deal up the cards again. We got another player.”

  One lad willingly collected up the cards and shuffled them. He then gave them out. It was six to a person.

  “What?” Cried Alex as someone’s card exploded.

  “
It’s explode bingo.” Explained Harry

  Then slowly, One by one the lads went through the door.

  “Come on Alex. Let’s go to the dormitory.”

  “Ok.”

  They went through the door into a big room with millions of beds.

  “Good night Alex.”

  “Good night Ben.”

  The next morning he woke up feeling confused. He usually woke up on the floor in some rags, probably with a smack of granddads stick or grandmas cane. Now he was in a comfy bed, with no whack or floor.

  No rags but rich comfy sheets.

  He felt so confused that he could not get up. He suddenly knew. He was born on the day before Christmas! That’s why there were banners all saying merry Christmas! That explained the presents… Wait! He did not have someone to give him some presents. That was so strange…

  The strange gifts

  He saw the first gift. It said, “Dear Alex, I am afraid you did not see me much. I think I should grant you with this. Professor Zipplezack. “

  Alex opened a brown one. It looked like a birdcage.

  It said, “To Alex, I thought you would like it at cross swords fighting and knowledge school! So if you want to get in touch then you can! Just put my name on the envelope and put the message inside. You can seal it with your stick. Just say “Seal!” And hey presto it seals! Then tie it to your present’s leg and it will ummm… Go and find me. From Belquick.”

  He opened it and a surprised Brown owl looked at him.

  “You got a Tackle owl!”

  It hooted delightfully.

  “Hey you should send Belquick a message back!” Cried Ben

  “Ok” Alex answered.

  So he found a piece of paper and wrote, “Dear Belquick, Yes I do like it here. I made a friend called Ben Besloo. Thanks for your gift. I called it TACKY. It hoots awfully loud though. Ben says it’s a tackle owl. That’s why it’s called TACKY. It’s always making itself a terrible mess of feathers. That’s why there’s

  Some feathers on and stuck in the seal. From Alex.”

  “Yes that’ll do.” Said Ben

  ‘I Hope so.’ Alex thought

  The next present was a soft one.

  “Oh no. Mum has been knitting again. “Said Ben warningly.

  His present was a pink jumper with a B on and some pink socks with a B on them and some pink gloves with a B on them and a pink scarf with a B on It and a pink hat with a B on it. Alex got the same only blue with an ‘A’ on them.

  “Cool.” Said ben.

  “Thanks and yes the air is cool!” He joked back.

  “Ha, ha … Brrr… It is cold!”

  “Come on we’ll be late for lunch!”

  The two boys raced into the great hall. They took a seat at the blue table. Then TACKY flew down and dropped a letter. She then put her head into a nacho bowl. Alex read the letter. It said, “Dear Alex, I like the sound of this Besloo boy. Is he nice? What else did you get? If so what makes was it? I know Ella Systole got a snowy owl and Evan Mycore got a Barn Owl. They are in Chellochore too! I know Ben Besloo got a Brown Owl! I hear you got some clothes! Ha, ha, ha, Nice are they? Well she sent me some! Yes with a B Q on it. Mine were red. Humph. From Belquick.”