Alex Mason and the Smoky forest Read online

  “So he got one too did he?” Grinned Ben.

  “Yeah He got some. Red.”

  “Ha!”

  “Yeah right.”

  They looked up at professor Zipplezack. He had a long flowing golden cloak. His sticks [All Professors had two sticks] were crossed on his back. Suddenly there was a loud boom and everyone was silent.

  The feast

  Breakfast was lovely. Elves, pixies, gnomes, baby trolls, and fairies served you food. And every so often a troll, fairy, gnome, elf, or pixie would ask “More sausage sir?” Or “Napkin sir?” And a thousand sausage’s or napkins held by fairies or pixies come flying towards you. Then you would say, “One please.” And one would stay and millions would turn and go.

  It was nice in the hall as there was mistletoe and 20 Christmas trees! On the trees hung stockings, candy, candles, presents, stars, bells, real snowflakes, crystals, teddies, and love hearts! He hurried his breakfast.

  “Ben” Alex whispered urgently.

  “Yes?” Answered Ben with his mouth full.

  “Look.”

  “What?”

  “There”

  “Where?”

  “Where’s professor Belooko?”

  “Oh?”

  They gazed in shock at the empty chair.

  “He’ll have gone to the forest”

  Ben’s big brother looked down at him.

  “Scared, Ben? “

  “No!”

  “You bet. Tell you what.”

  “What?”

  “I will come with you.”

  “Wow Charlie! Really?”

  “Yeah.”

  Charlie twiddled his thumbs.

  “The Well Not Much Company is here.”

  “You mean W.N.M.C!”

  “Yes”

  “What’s that?”

  “The W.N.M.C is a company which wants our magic.”

  “Why?”

  “Because the ministry of fighting needs it.”

  “Why?”

  “Well they have power, they now need strength.”

  “Ok.”

  “And the only thing better than fighting is more fighting.”

  “So?”

  “So they need strength and skill to get it.”

  “Ok I’m with you.”

  “Professor Zipplezack says that the forest is…”

  “…Forbidden to the W.N.M.C.” Charlie continued.

  “So are we going?”

  “Yes!”

  “Yes!”

  “Let’s go!” Alex whispered.

  They crept out the hall and down some stairs that led to a small cave like passage made out of stone. The water rushed underneath the stone. They got out at the other side at a junction.

  “Which way?”

  “That way.” Charlie pointed to an overgrown path filled with thistles and nettles. They stumbled over them until they arrived at a tree. And another one. Soon the path was full of trees. They saw the professor. They saw a unicorn. They saw a rainbow. They were too dazed to do anything.

  The unicorns

  They looked glum as the professor came nearer. He seemed to glide on the air.

  “Have one.”

  “Professor?”

  “Have one.”

  Alex, Ben and Charlie all mounted a unicorn. So did professor Belooko.

  “Yours Alex is called Goldie. You can tell by its horn.”

  Goldie tossed her golden horn and silver mane.

  “Thank you professor.”

  “Yours Ben is called Sparkles.”

  Sparkles horn sparkled as her cheeks went red.

  “Thank you professor.”

  “And Charlie, yours is called Angel.”

  Charlie patted it carefully.

  “All students over 13 can have one.”

  “But sir…”

  “Yes I know! But it seems you can have this lot.”

  “But where do we keep them?”

  “Here of course! In a hut in the forest.”

  “Who looks after them?”

  “Belquick of course.”

  “So he works here?”

  “Yes.”

  “Ok.”

  “Shall we have a ride?”

  “Ok!”

  “The unicorns are very special”

  With that professor Belooko kicked his unicorn, Jewel. They all kicked the unicorns and the unicorns raced off. The wind did not take their ears off, it warmed them. The frost did not bite them; it melted into warm water on their cheeks. Their unicorns neighed to each other and tossed their heads. They loved racing around theriver bank.

  Suddenly the castle was in sight! Alex tried to scream but he couldn’t. They headed into a small archway and then they swerved over to the lake away from the castle. They seemed to glide across the lake [But they just jumped] where the fish were waiting for end of term, to take ‘first UN’s’ across the lake. The lake was too waiting, for a fish to bob up and down, to hear the talking of students and staff.

  A small willow tree rustled and the lake stirred as the unicorns came over to drink. The fish woke up and shuffled. Then they dozed off peacefully. When they met Belquick he looked different. He was skinny, pale and lean. He wore thick black robes. He also wore thick black socks with thick black boots. And he wore a thick black scarf around his neck. On his head he wore three big thick black woolly hats. His ears had three pairs of big thick black earmuffs, followed by some black fluff.

  They left him after drinking some Banana juice and eating some rock cakes. They stumbled to the great hall. They had been so long that it was already bedtime since the clock had long since struck eight times. It was an old grandfather clock. It had no dust but it was an ultimate black. Its handles were pure gold. Its wood was smooth. They pulled themselves to the door. It was locked!

  “Oh no!”

  “What?”

  “It’s a question door!”

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s were you have to answer a question to get past!”

  “Oh no.”

  They waited. They knocked. A dreamy voice said” How old is cross swords?” Alex wondered.

  “1274 years old, 1275 this year.”

  “Correct, you may pass.”

  The door swung open.

  “Wow ben!”

  “I found it in cross swords: A nation.”

  In the room some portraits snored.

  “Hey sonny! You’re up late!”

  “Sorry to disturb you.”

  “No, it’s a pleasure!”

  “What?”

  “No one is awake now, sonny.”

  “So?”

  “So, sonny, I am very lonely. Everyone’s…”

  “…Asleep?”

  “Correct, Sonny.”

  “My name is Alex.”

  “Mine is Botembex.”

  “Night Botembex!”

  They crept out the room and bounced into bed. Ben immediately fell asleep. Alex was trying to rack his brains. He could remember something. A big gust of wind. Yes. Like on Goldie in the sky! And a flash! Yes! A flash of gold light! Like the colour of Goldie’s horn! And a streak of white. Yes! Like a wand shape!

  But in a second he too was asleep. Asleep dreaming of Goldie, Wands and flash’s

  Potions… And

  Explosions

  In the morning Alex awoke. He looked gloomily for his timetable. Potions? He imagined smoke… wait a minute! That was not possible! That was unimaginable.

  Even if it was true, it surely could not be for first years…

  He was still wondering as they looked at a map.

  “I wonder who teaches potions.”

  “I don’t know. Lizzy won’t spill anything.”

  “Who?”

  “Lizzy. My big, big, big sister.”

  “What year is she in?”

  “She left school. She’s 20. Run’s an ink shop.”


  “Where?”

  “Sword swipe ally.”

  They headed down a long corridor.

  Then Alex and Ben sped into a small cosy room. Thirty or more cauldrons were set out on 15 or more black, rich tables with red tablecloths.

  “Welcome to your first lesson.”

  All the class stared at two cats like eyes at the darkest bit of the candle lit room. A professor came slinking out of the dark. She put out the light. Nearly everyone screamed.

  “Listen.”

  “What?”

  “Lizzy let slip that potions were cool.”

  “Wow!”

  “Yes.” Said a creepy voice from behind them.

  Now he was led to a cauldron. He got out his potion ingredients. He pulled his book out of his black with two crossed swords book bag.

  “Now. You shall be attempting to make a…”

  “Please miss!”

  “Yes Miss Levengry?”

  “The fire potion.”

  “Yes. Does anyone know what it does?”

  “Please miss.”

  “Yes Miss Levengry.”

  “It lets the drinker to pass through fire.”

  “15 points to Chello chore.”

  “Thank you miss.”

  “Now, the fire potion is on page 12. Hurry!”

  Alex pulled out some radish like things and some beetle heads. He got his knife and chopped the beetle heads, then plucked some lizard eyes and dropped in some exploding cherries. In he dropped a whole carton of lava and the radish like things. He stirred it up twice clockwise and let it boil. He put in the lizard eyes and got some mellopol moth, mashed it up and poured it into the cauldron. Also he put some salamander blood into the potion, blew the fire and stirred 5 times anti-clockwise. It had turned a medium red. Ben’s was pink as his nose. Sophia’s was the same as his. Smoke came whirling from the back of the room where someones table had caught fire!

  “Wow!”

  “Cool Alex!”

  “Thank you!”

  “20 points to chello chore!”

  “10 Points from Tellapore.”

  “Noooooooooooooooo!”

  Ring, ring! No! Stupid bell!

  “Seems you like potions, Alex. Fame is clearly all it seems, Isn’t it?”

  They rushed away.

  “That was Miss Potions.”

  “What?”

  “Yes.”

  He thought of swirling mists again. Whirling galaxies. Twinkling stars. The deep blue sky…

  Battles and triumph

  They rushed into the great hall. The giant Christmas trees were being took down. Yes, by hand. What’s more, it was only two hands. Yep. It was Belquick. He was thin as a stick in winter, not helped by his black clothes. For some reason he simply took them down. Pulling them! His lips were purple when he managed a small smile to say ’hello.’

  “Leave him.”

  “Yeah, ok”

  Then they looked at their timetables.

  “Ugh.”

  “What?”

  “We got professor Balsa.”

  “Who?”

  “Balsa.”

  “What does he teach?”

  “Battles. Fighting.”

  Alex shivered with excitement. Now he imagined big sticks clashing and bashing… No wait! That was impossible. That was even unimaginable. Even for this strange, wonderful school.

  They rushed down a corridor and into a big, light room. It was not a normal room, it was a stage. Two stages. With a pile of books on the right.

  A loopy looking professor with a big mop of brown hair was looking down at them. Yes, he was balancing on a railing, jazzy blue with yellow spots, he wore long, flowing robes, bright yellow with bright green dots, and had dark blue eyes. Dazzling.

  They all watched as he jumped, like a cat, onto a third, smaller, stage. “Who’s first?” He asked in a dazed sort of way. Lots of people put their hands up.

  “You there!”

  “Yes sir?”

  “Step up young man.”

  A small boy with black hair came up. He had dull brown eyes and black robes.

  “Let me see, and… Mason! Yes Alex.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Step up now.”

  Alex went up on the stage.

  “Right.”

  “Yes sir?”

  “Yes sir?”

  “Sticks at the ready. Now, fight!

  Alex ran forwards and struck the boy with a blow to the arm. Smoke came from his stick as they clashed, wood to wood. At last the boy was struck so hard he fell over.

  “Well done, Alex.”

  “Thank you sir.”

  “And for your excellent performance, Alex…”

  “Go on!”

  “I award Chello Chore 30 points!”

  A lot of cheering went around.

  Some boys sulked in a corner.

  “And for that, Mr. Yactmouth I take 30...”

  “No!”

  “…Points from boozy!”

  “Noooooooo!”

  Ben got 20 points and the girl got 20 points.

  The attack

  “Hi!” She called to them “My name is Sophia.”

  “I’m…”

  “Why your Alex mason of course!”

  “Well, yes…”

  “Said may-s-en.”

  “Yes…”

  “Is it true you have that scar on your leg?”

  “Yes…”

  “Cool! There are plenty of books about you…”

  “Ummm.” He grunted.

  “…And all about…”

  She was cut off by a loud bell and screams of ‘Inside quickly!’ and ‘Come on! This way!’ Suddenly some monsters with a million eyes and huge, ugly, bulging stomachs. They had vulgar wings with horrible scales that changed colour.

  “Come on!” called a strict looking woman with big glasses.

  “We should get going.” Whispered Sophia.

  “What are those beasts?!” Cried Ben.

  “Eyelasses!”

  “WHAT?!”

  “Oh come ON!”

  She tugged them into a corridor. They grabbed for a torch. Alex found it first. It was a lantern. Yes, the sort you light with a match. Ben and Sophia’s conversation had been a silly one. In it Ben’s cloak had been pulled by a claw and Sophia’s hair had been pulled upwards and looked static.

  Alex found he was in a sort of trophy cabinet. The strict looking teacher came up as silent as a mouse.

  “Hello.”

  “Arghhhhhhh!”

  “Shhhhhhh!”

  “Who are y…y…y…you?”

  She smiled a pursing smile.

  “I am Miss potions.”

  “But...I...er...”

  “Yes, me.”

  She seemed to hiss like a snake.

  “Shame.”

  “What?”

  “To have such an old bell.”

  “Why?”

  “Why? Why? Because Alex mason hears it!”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “We need at least gold! Pure gold!”

  He walked after her, quickly.

  “But why do they attack?”

  “Because.”

  “Why?”

  “Because we have one thing they don’t.”

  “What?”

  “The smoky forest.”

  “The what?!”

  “The power of the Hemi’s!”

  “My stick…”

  “It is very, very rare.

  She jumped in fright as they were nearly scorched by fire. A hole was made in the wall as an ‘eyelass’ creature started pulling up statues. And trees. They were the stupidest and ugliest things in the world.

  “So, why can’t we get a gold bell?”

  “Cash. We NEED cash!”

  “OK…”

  “And gold, and …”

  She tailed off and started guiding
first years around.

  Alex was helped to his dormitory. People were already helping plaster a hole in the side of the room. TACKY’s cage had been blasted onto his bed. Alex went and put it back on to his chest of draws. Then he got changed and into bed.

  The twins

  Alex, Ben and Sophia raced down the corridors, through passages and down staircases. Then into the great hall for breakfast.

  An elf called out “You! Bon appetite!”

  “Not if te dons Ned.”

  “Par espite Con.”

  “Cull on ma ton go”

  “Astral, Monfazz, Comearch, Samoa. Stop!”

  “Elf langue, Alex.” Sophia whispered.

  They ran to a table and sat down.

  “Look!”

  “Where?”

  “There!”

  “There!”

  Owl’s hooted, Crows cawed, Ravens sawed, blue birds twittered. ”The mail’s came!” Someone shouted. A great brown owl soared through the air and landed in the spicy salsa pot, Jumped into the air and a small, fat letter fell to Bens knees.

  “Oh no!”

  “Ohhhh, Noooooooo” Mimicked a big boy.

  “Itsy Benny bonny scared of a fat little letter?” Teased his twin.

  “Callum, Callum!”

  “Yeah, Itsy bonny Benny with no brain.”

  “Shut up!”

  “Urrrrrrrrr! I’m a tiger! Run!”

  “Stop it!”

  “Shut up Callum.” Charlie said fiercely.

  Alex felt scared. He looked at Callum and Callum. Both had black hair like Charlie and Ben and all of them had yellow laughing eyes with slit pupils like cats and pokey white ears like elves with pale purple lips and long skinny white legs and small white heads with small white noses and long white necks.

  Ben opened the letter but it was shouting.

  “BEN BESLOO!!!!! Your father and I are so glad you are in Chello chore! Do you like my knitting?

  Love from,

  Mum and dad.

  P.S Tell Alex he can come to our house for Christmas holidays, they are next week. Remember?”

  Ben looked at Alex. ”Do you want to come?” He asked. “Yeah! Cool!” This was too good to be true!

  One strange house

  Soon he was at the house. It had stonewalls and glass windows with blue wooden shutters. The entire roof [Which was at least 99km up] was blue.

  A woman with dark Black hair and starlight earrings was standing at the crystal-made blue door with a shining gold knocker with a small red ruby in the middle, She was wearing a small blue dress with a pair of tight blue leggings, blue socks with blue ribbons, blue shoes with blue crystals, one on each shoe, and her long hair was tied with a blue and gold ribbon. She also had her slit like yellow cat eyes and purple lips and pokey ears.