Alex Mason and the Smoky forest Read online

“I don’t know…”

  “Hi everyone!”

  “Sophia?!”

  “Yep!”

  “You…”

  “Yeah! I missed some bits of term.”

  “Why?”

  “I was studying dragon caliber when my mum and dad were… murdered!”

  “By who?”

  “S-S-Salusa!”

  “Oh no.”

  Salusa was creeping round a cave. “Bat ears.”

  “Yes Salusa, master.”

  There were two men. One had big round eyes and a big nose. The other was short and stumpy and had small pokey eyes and big ears. Both wore black boots and black robes.

  “We did it.”

  “We did master.”

  “We killed the cleverest people on earth.”

  “The girl lives…”

  “She will be a push over.”

  “Yes master.”

  “Now. Scorpio, Kill…”

  “Alex!”

  “What, what?”

  “Your eyes went red!”

  “Oh.”

  Alex went to potions. He sat with Kate, Sophia and Ben. They made acident broth and bumps heal. They both helped little bumps and bruises.

  “Now class.” Said miss potions.” You must make the water potion. It turns the drinker so he/she can breathe under water. Page 20. Go!”

  Alex got some seawater and lava and beetle heads with lizard legs. He dropped in lava and seawater. He stirred 2 times clockwise. Then he added beetle heads and 5 bats ears and frogs heads. The he blew the fire and added lizard legs and a gallon of lava, along with toad’s breath. He then moulded it into a small blue and pink tablet. Ben had a red one and Sophia had a pink and purple one. Kate had the same as his.

  “Time is up!” Shouted Miss. Potions.

  Kate, Ben, Alex and Sophia all took they’re tablets to the desk. “Swallow hard!” Shouted Miss Potions.

  Alex jumped into a pot of water. He was breathing! Ben was too. So were Kate and Sophia. He saw Patrick laughing at some who had gone purple. He got out and left.

  He then went to fighting. Professor Balsa was there. “Get in pairs!” He yelled in his dazed voice.

  Alex was against Patrick! He bashed his stick and waved his wand, Healing himself and hurting Patrick. “Draw!” Yelled professor Balsa.

  Home for Easter

  Ben had said that they were going to his aunty Tallies and Alex could not come. He looked at a letter that TACKY had brought. It said,

  Dear Alex,

  I heard you were staying at home for Easter. Does your Nan or granddad like cats, dogs or owls? I just thought you need to keep them quiet. I am very curious to see how they react. Tell me please!

  From Belquick.

  He just realised that neither of them liked any animals and Sid detested them and Elly was petrified of them. He felt A bit scared. And worried. What would happen?

  What are they?!

  He got on a fish and sailed across the lake. The fish were flipping and tossing all over. It was hard to stay on. The spray from the fish was in the air. The naturally black river was normally silent as a rule. But now? None cared or thought for it. At last they reached the soggy green grass at the other side. Not snow, but frost, Clung to the tops of the grass. It was very cold and they huddled like penguins to keep warm.

  When Alex got on the snow white birds He flew gracefully upwards towards the sky. Higher and higher until they could see the clouds, higher than the clouds and then… POP!!! They popped above the clouds, sweeping and sawing through the mist and coldness.

  When they at last got off those birds Alex trotted off down the old street.

  He was now once more in the dingy old street of Sword swipe ally. They passed Lizzy’s ink shop. It was a small, blue, wooden shop. There were inkpots of all colours stacked up like a pyramid in a small dark window. When they went in it was as dinky and old as the outside.

  Quills and pots lay or stood everywhere as he wiped his feet on the small blue mat. Alex walked to the counter. A Big girl who you could tell had been to Cross Swords was writing with a blue quill and blue inkpot with blue ink. She was also counting.

  “Five bronze. Only five! And this… One two three four five six seven eight nine ten. Ten pieces of silver! Just ten! And what is this? One two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve thirteen. Now there is the right number! But what… I have five pieces of wood! Cheaters and liars! Scum and nonsense! Some people have such nerve!”

  She was screaming at the wood and waved her wand so violently she nearly dropped it. Now I’ll do a spell to see who did it! Lacy, Cinders, Padder, Pawas! Come and sit. Now, Warnaco wanna, wossina, tunny, Tammy, WA wa, weena, wasparo, shantola, sheesha, mini, carna, Parko, Pow!” She drew a chalk circle on the ground and two black cats and dogs came and ran into the circle.

  Alex ran out, whatever magic she was doing it was too magic for him. He muttered a string of magic words he had learned in class and disappeared into thin air. He appeared at the door of his Nan and Granddad’s house.

  Elly ran in at that moment too. She was wearing: one leather cardigan on top of a pink silk dress and pink shoes with black leggings and pink socks and pink bows in her hair. She was holding a sharp stick.

  Sid was there too. He was wearing: one silk top with a man’s leather top and jacket and leather pants and leather shoes and socks. He had a sword at his side and a stout stick as well.

  Elly had gone to a harsh boarding school and Sid a fighting school. Both had whacked Alex. Sid with the flat of his sword and Elly with her stick. He waved his stick at them. Sid picked up a stick and mimicked him. Elly laughed.

  Alex knew there was no law or school rule about fighting outside school. So why not have some fun…

  He made Sid bow to him and Elly ran away. Then he went in and got some bread and water and a candle and then went to bed on the floor. He blew out the candle and slept. Flash! Bang! Thud! Yell! Scream! Flash! Bang! Thud! Then he heard nothing.

  Home is not heaven

  Alex woke up. He shook his head and looked for some clothes. His puppies and kittens ran around him. TACKY hooted hungrily. Alex found cat food and dog food and owl nuts. He then went downstairs in a pair of baggy blue trousers and a too-big black top.

  “Here at last.” Sighed Nan Ely.

  “Sid and Elly aren’t here.” He snorted.

  “Well, Well. Can’t always be early.” She argued.

  “Yeah, I'll make you bow to me too!” He yelled, holding up his stick. Grandma Ely shivered. She motioned him to a seat. He still ate just a bit of bread and butter and water.

  Then Sid came barging down, Elly trotting after him. Alex looked up. Grandma suddenly snatched his stick and locked it in a glass box with 50 locks on it! “That will be there until term time.” She snarled.

  “What!?”

  “Now, I’ve got a list of things to do in the garden, Get going!”

  She snapped at him with her cane and then did her knitting.

  Alex put on a coat and boots and found a shovel, broom, Bin bag, a pair of hedge clippers, a lawn mower, 3 planks of wood and the list. He marched into the garden.

  The garden was small and crowded. Weeds crawled all over the place. A small rotting bench stood in the corner. The grass was long and straggly. Not a flower grew; no vegetables were large, only small and weedy. Mud slopped all over everything in autumn, frozen ice in winter, mud in spring and hard mud in summer.

  Alex set to work. He mowed the lawn, clipped the beastly green hedge, cleaned the patio, remade the bench and cleared the mud. He planted new vegetables and wild flowers could now be seen.

  Now it was dark. Alex headed in. WHACK! Grandmas’ cane smacked him. “You’re LATE!” She cried. Granddad smacked him too. “Go to your room at ONCE!!” He bawled. Alex hurried to his room. He tidied it very neatly.

  He then changed into his sleeping clothes [He didn’t have pyjamas] and slid into his rags. He slept wi
th an aching back.

  Days pass

  Alex felt horrible as he got up. His back ached and his jaws felt like they were cold as ice. His feet were covered in bits of ragged skin and his face was like an ice block. He staggered when he got up and at last collapsed onto the floor.

  He blacked out and felt hands smoothing his hair and heard voices. He opened his eyes and saw Mrs. Besloo. Kate was sponging his face and monkeys were putting bandages on his legs.

  “Where… What happened?” He asked.

  Kate looked at him and said “You’ve got amosis raga. But a bad, bad case of it. Caused by over work.”

  He looked up and saw he was in Ben and Kate’s room. A gorilla was pounding a rock and Raccoons were carrying bits of rock for grinding. An elephant was stomping on the bits of stone making it into a powder. Squirrels mixed the powder in water with ripped up herbs and leaves. It then was put into a cup and Alex drank it.

  It tasted funny. Not ‘HA HA!’ funny but weird. It tickled his tongue and warmed his throat. His legs felt wobbly and he could only just sit up. Ben explained. “When you collapsed your grandma? Yes? Ok. Your grandma must have given you a hiding! Then your granddad? Yes? He whacked you with his stick and that caused your softened bones to break. Your legs and your wrist. So we came [We can tell if another person has amoisis raga.] And took you here.”

  He could only drink that powder which was now warming his wrist and legs. Kate said it was finding fragments of bone luing’ them together.

  After a day he was alright and stayed at Ben’s house. Then he could eat proper food. Only 3 weeks until term time! Alex was exploring with Kate, Ben and Sophia, Who had come for the holidays.

  One day they pushed at a big rusty door. “Oh bother!” Cried Kate, as she forced the door open with the help of an elephant. It was opened at last!

  They saw big bookcases and cabinets and trophies. Big medals and gold! Sophia scanned the bookshelves. “Potions and Lotions by Raman Stamp, How to train a dragon by Fira Potts, A beginners guide to M.O.N.F.'s by Elliot Pazz!” She chucked books down as she said the names.

  Patrick rushed in. His hair was lopping over his eyes. “Two words, Sophia. Shut Up!”

  Sophia jumped at him and he ran out. She and Kate jumped onto narrow shelves until Callum and Callum came in. “Cool wicked!” Cried Callum.

  Then a big bell rang deeply. “Dinner!” Shouted Mum. Everyone went downstairs. “Hurry up yah’ Scalps!”

  “David, Sit down.”

  “Not yet. I have an announcement.”

  “What Dad?”

  “Jessica.”

  “Yes David.”

  “We do not take in sick… MONF’s.”

  “He is not a MONF!”

  “He was raised by MONF’s!”

  “Alex goes to Cross swords!”

  “Yes but…”

  Mrs. Besloo Sent sparks flying towards him. Big red sparks. Mr. Besloo jumped out the way.

  “ Ya’ wanna’ do tha’? Have it your way!”

  He sent a big spiral of pink dust towards Mrs. Besloo! It hit her right in the face and she had warts and boils all over her Head! She sent great fireworks at him and they hit his legs. He went zooming all around the room and fell onto the cooker, which was cooking bacon.

  He stood up and flailed his arms because a lion grabbed him and cheetahs tossed him and he ran to his room. Alex ate his breakfast silently suddenly…

  “Massssterrrr?”

  “Yes Bat ears.”

  “The Boyyyyy…”

  “For the last time Bat ears, He is too well protected!”

  “But weeeee need to killlll offff more…”

  “Not yet! Wait and we shall wait there.”

  “Whereeeeeee?”

  “The smoky Forest.”

  “Whennnnn is he goinnnnng to goooo thereeee?!?!?”

  “Be patient Bat ears. Now fly us there.”

  “Yessssssss massssterrrr.”

  “Alex!”

  Alex shook his head. Sophia was looking at him. He had fallen into a dream.

  “Salusa… Smoky forest… Bat ears!”

  “Oh no.”

  Mrs Besloo looked worried. She hummed a few magic words, “Camalya, Humango, Secretiyleve and WILLIMAT!!”

  A big bubble went round the house. Smaller ones circled them and then… Pop! They all disappeared.

  Alex went up to Patrick’s room and knocked on the golden door. “Enter!” Alex went in. Patrick looked at him once and screamed “Out! Out! Get out! Scram! Boise bubo!”

  Alex felt himself being pulled up and pushed out the door. It slammed in his face.

  When he went to sleep after a day of broom riding he heard a hoot at the door. He opened it to see TACKY! He saw that she had a chain of two Puppies and two cats! Of course! Lucky, Luckette, Tabo and Taba! They must have been left behind!

  He scrubbed them and rubbed them and at last they were clean. He gave them they’re food and went to sleep on the elephant. What a day!

  School again

  The next weeks went by quick. Soon Alex found himself packing for school. “Jumper, Cat food, Dog food, Owl Nuts, Owl nuts and Owl nuts! TACKY!”

  Tacky looked like she was grinning in her big, golden cage. Tabo, Taba, Lucky and Luckette were all in their travelling cages and Alex was checking what he’d [With a little help from TACKY] had packed.

  Alex trudged down the stairs. “Hurry up Alex!”

  Called Mrs. Besloo. “You’ll be late!” He pulled his suitcase over to the door. Kate, Sophia, Patrick and Ben were all waiting at the door. “Ready?” Asked Mrs. Besloo.”Let’s go! BOOM!!!” The walls disappeared!

  Suddenly they heard a CRACK! Sword Swipe ally appeared! They walked along the cobbled road until they saw the first shops. Then they saw Lilly’s ink shop. “Go in Alex, Please. I need some golden ink.”

  Said Mrs. Besloo.

  Alex stumbled into the shop. Lilly stood up at the counter. She did not move. “C… Can I have some golden I…Ink please?”

  Lilly reached into a locked cupboard and brought out a small, golden bottle. “Five gold please.” She said quietly. Alex handed her five pieces of rounded gold.

  He went out and handed Mrs. Besloo the bottle. “Thanks dear!” She cried. “Snap!!” Alex turned and saw Lilly head towards Mrs. Besloo.

  “Hello mum.”

  “Hi darling! How’s the shop?”

  “Somebody cheated me.”

  “How awfully dreadful! How?”

  “Gave me wood for gold, Silver and bronze.”

  “Oh dear, how Despicable is that?!”

  “Goodbye mother.”

  Lilly walked back into the dust and gloom of her shop. Alex was hustle into shop after shop, Getting more laden with presents by the second!

  At last they reached the golden airport. Alex climbed onto a bird. “Be good!”

  Called Mrs. Besloo. Alex sat on a clump of

  Feathers. He sat with Kate, Ben, Sophia and Patrick.

  They ate they’re pack lunches of cheese and ham sandwiches, A bottle of orange juice and an apple. Once they had eaten all they could [Because the food kept coming back] they saw the castle, Lake and forest! They zoomed through the air, landing near the lake.

  Alex saw Belquick! “First un’s to the lake. Elders to the track!” Belquick bellowed. Alex got on a big, red fish and they rode to the shore. When he walked up the marble steps to the hall he felt more tired than anything!

  Professor Zipplezack Shouted “Silence!” No one listened. He Bellowed “SILENCE!!!” And everyone was still, red in the face and silent. “Let me make note that the smoky forest is very unsafe but you may go there guarded by an adult unless you are an elder.” Patrick prodded his badge excitedly. “You may also be guarded by an elder, your house common room elder.”

  Patrick’s face brightened. Candles were flying through the air. “Meanwhile, Let the feast begin!”

  The golden dishs, plates and bowls filled
with oh, such lovely foods! Alex ate, Ate and ate his dessert again and at last he could eat no more!

  “First years follow me to the common room!” Called Professor Belooko. He took the line of sleepy first years up to a door. He took a golden key with a red ribbon attached to it out of his pocket with his thin, bony fingers. The whole of him was thin and bony and his red eyes gazed at Alex, Who was at the front of the line.

  He turned the key, opened the door and left. Patrick took charge. “Bed by 8, Stay down here until 6 go to the dormitory at 7 and please, no messing.”

  Everyone rushed about, dragging suitcases. Surprisingly, Patrick said “ Lift em’ with ye’ wands!” Every wand was drawn, Suitcases lifted into the air. Common room 10 was filled with Bang’s, crashes, and giggles!

  Eventually, everyone dragged their suitcases to Dormitory 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 or 10. Alex and his friends were in 10. The outer wall was all window and the other walls had pictures of the school with students playing and eating, on one of the other walls it had inside the forest, unicorns and small dragons and on the door wall there was the lake, fish tossing over the water and dolphins leaping over the small but monstrous waves.

  Alex found a bed on the forest wall. He stepped towards it but his feet sank into grass and earth! He saw the unicorn come and nuzzle his hand! He climbed onto his bed that grew leaves and big palm leaves, Flowers as well!

  They had a different dormitory on their first term, but every other year it was the same. Alex ran over to what should have been his chest. Instead, there was a big stone with a flat top. He pulled at a small stone ledge on it and a little dragon pulled it open. He put all his clothes in the stone.

  On top of the stone, he put two velvet blue and red hankies, which turned to moss. He was not alarmed. He put his alarm clock on the moss, his photo of Lucky and Luckette, Tabo and Taba. However, most important was a picture of him and his friends.

  He then heard a loud bell. Ding Dong! “Get into bed!” bellowed Patrick. Alex climbed up the ladder and into his bed. A large palm tree was growing over his head. Somehow, the unicorn was lying next to him, the dragon snuggled up to Alex’s pyjamas and Alex slept.

  Nevertheless, strange thoughts flew tohis dreams. “Weeeee arrrrrrreeeee atttt theeeeee Smmmmmoky foressst massssterrrr.”

  “Good bat ears. Most helpful.”

  “Thankyouuuuuu massssterrrr.”

  What is the secret?

  Alex got up and slid out of his bed. He pulled on the rock and Spiro [Which was what he called the dragon] pulled out the drawers. He got dressed in the dazzling sunlight that came from the window.