Alfie Bloom and the Secrets of Hexbridge Castle (18 page)

 

Alfie stood in the minstrels' gallery with Madeleine and Robin, gazing down at the Great Hall in awe. The twins had finally started to relax around him again since he had stopped talking about Murkle and Snitch, but it was horrible to feel as though he couldn't trust his cousins while they were under the headmistresses' influence. Alfie's insides were tying themselves in knots. It was the morning of the school play – the day Murkle and Snitch would be exposed and stopped before they could carry out their crazy plan to open the trapdoor and bring dragons back into the world. Classes had been cancelled so that everyone could rehearse at the castle. Ashford had just reopened the hall after declaring it off-limits for two days.

The transformation of the Great Hall was unbelievable. The long dining table had disappeared and row upon row of ornate gold-coloured chairs faced a grand stage now reaching from wall to wall at the far end of the room. A thick velvet curtain of the darkest blue hung from the ceiling, screening the performance area. In the already grand Great Hall the whole set-up looked even more impressive than a real theatre.

The two large brass spotlights attached to the rail suddenly flared into life, creating a circle of light on the centre of the curtain from behind which Alfie could hear a distant trumpet fanfare building in volume. The curtains suddenly swooshed aside to reveal Ashford in the centre of the stage. The fanfare he was playing filled the hall. He ended it with a flourish and bowed to the assembled chairs.

“Just testing the acoustics,” he called as the twins applauded loudly. “I'm also on lights and curtain duty today.” He gestured proudly at the stage around him. “Well? What do you think of your performance arena?”

Alfie thought the stage looked amazing. The cut-out trees and houses that had filled the art rooms had been positioned carefully in order of size to give the impression of depth. It was perfect.

“I take your silence as the highest of accolades,” announced the butler, aiming a small device at the spotlights and switching them both off with one click.

“Who helped him to do all of this?” asked Madeleine.

Alfie shook his head as he watched Ashford cheerfully straightening chairs and moving suits of armour to stand at each side of the stage like proud sentries. He had shared his plans with the butler, who had promised to be on hand to help. He felt comforted by that promise. Whoever Ashford was, Alfie was glad he was on his side.

 

The day rolled on and all of the teachers and pupils involved in the play began arriving at the castle. The stage had been built in front of the Abernathy Room, which had been converted into a dressing room that could be accessed from the wings of the stage. Some of the sixth-formers had claimed half of the room for hair and make-up and were currently busy applying beards, wrinkles and scars to the boys playing the parts of older men. Alfie noticed Madeleine hanging around looking for an opportunity to steal some hairy rubber warts.

Mr Ramdhay had got the school band set up in the minstrels' gallery. Alfie couldn't believe the noise as the hall filled with a chorus of instruments being tuned and drums and cymbals being bashed and clashed. All around him, the actors were practising fighting with cardboard swords – Miss Reynard had drawn the line at using real swords from the castle.

After his stage make-up had been applied, Alfie changed into his squire outfit and tucked the purple bottle of potion into the leather pouch on his belt. Most of his role would be performed in the first half of the play so he had offered to help Gertie Entwhistle serve refreshments during the interval. When Murkle and Snitch came over for a drink, he would be the one to serve them. He had perfected hiding the bottle in the palm of his hand so that he could pour the liquid into their cups unnoticed.

Emerging from the narrow passage that led from backstage to the bustling hall Alfie saw that the headmistresses had arrived. He ducked back behind the curtain, both relieved and terrified to see them. If they were planning on stealing the talisman from him again they didn't stand a chance. He was ready for them. He gritted his teeth as Granny took them a tray of tea and cake. He couldn't wait to show everyone the truth.

Seven o'clock drew closer and Alfie began to feel very nervous. All performers were herded backstage as the hall started to fill up. He kept checking that the purple bottle was still in his pouch as he helped Cormac Feeney to strap on his breastplate. He hoped that by exposing the sisters in a hall full of people they could be stopped without any real danger – but if they could threaten children and change peoples' memories, who knew what else they were capable of?

A hush fell over the busy dressing room as Miss Reynard clapped her hands. “OK, actors and actresses, the curtain goes up in three minutes! Line up in the order we rehearsed. Those entering from stage left follow Mrs Salvador – stage right, follow me.”

The room was filled with commotion as everyone rushed to their correct places.

“Quietly!” hushed Miss Reynard, straightening Merlin's hat and rearranging the line. As the cast filed up the stairs to wait silently in the stage wings, Alfie wondered if Orin had ever worn a pointy hat.

The muffled voices from the hall suddenly went silent as the school band struck up the opening score. In the darkness of the wings, Alfie could feel the tension of dozens of nervous performers around him. His own heart pounded against his chest. He had been so preoccupied with confronting Murkle and Snitch that he had forgotten to be nervous about acting in front of a hall full of people. At this moment he wasn't sure which thought scared him the most.

The music reached its climax then faded into the soft violin solo that marked the start of the play. The curtain went up as Mr Ramdhay put on his most impressive voice and began narrating, taking the audience back in time to an England of noble heroes, brave knights and dastardly foes – of wizardry, superstition and a land in need of a king. Hearing their cue, the cast filed out on to the stage and began to sing about the mysterious sword in the stone.

The first song ended and the singers stepped back to become an audience to the tournament taking place centre stage. The knights threw themselves into their roles, performing the graceful fight choreography Mr Ramdhay had spent hours teaching them. Alfie squinted to see past the glare of the spotlights into the audience as he watched the tournament with his fellow squires. To the right of the front row he could just make out the smiling faces of his dad, aunt, uncle and granny. At first he thought that there was an empty chair in the middle of the group, but two glowing green orbs revealed that Galileo had acquired a front row seat of his own.

“Squire, fetch me a weapon that I may show these lumbering clods the grace with which a real knight wields a sword!”

Alfie snapped back into character and delivered his one line with a nod, “At once, Sir Kay.” He did his best to look as if he was searching for a sword as the knights continued sparring. The band began to play softly as he approached the sword in the stone at the side of the stage. The music grew in volume and the audience cheered as he pulled out the sword in slow motion and held it aloft. Alfie heard Ashford play the trumpet fanfare he had been practising as he was crowned king in the centre of the stage.

Smoke machines at the sides of the stage spewed out a swirling mist, screening the cast from view. The villagers filed quickly offstage as stagehands rolled away the houses and replaced them with trees and rocks. The knights lined up facing the front of the stage, screened from the audience by the smoke. Cormac took the centre spot and Alfie handed him the crown before hurrying from the stage just as Mr Ramdhay announced, “Scotland, ten years hence.”

With a roar, the knights charged through the smoke towards the audience, led by the older King Arthur. Reaching the edge of the stage, they turned sharply and began to fight the screaming Saxons charging out from the wings. Thunder effects rumbled over the war cries as flashing stage lights created lightning.

“This is brilliant!” whispered Jimmy as they stood in the wings behind a large fan that was making the mist swirl around the battlefield. Alfie didn't reply. He could see Murkle and Snitch sat smirking in the front row. He knew they wouldn't head to the cellars yet. Not while he had the key. He was sure they were going to slip away in the commotion after the play ended, hiding in the castle until everyone else had gone. Well, they wouldn't have the chance. He was ready for them.

“Back to the dressing room, boys,” Mrs Salvador whispered loudly as she led the Saxon reinforcements into the wings behind them. “Hurry-hurry. No hanging about during the performance.”

As Jimmy opened the dressing-room door, Alfie headed for the passage along the side of the stage.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“Just making sure Mrs Entwhistle can find everything she needs. Catch you at the interval.”

Alfie slipped through the kitchens to help Gertie set up the refreshments table in the entrance hall. He was ready to take on Murkle and Snitch. At intermission, he clasped the little bottle in the palm of his hand and handed out glasses of juice to the performers and audience, all the time looking out for the headmistresses. He hoped that they would ask for juice, otherwise he'd have to find a way to slip it into the mulled wine Gertie was serving to the adults.

“Wonderful performances, my little thespians,” said Granny as she swept up to the table with Madeleine and Robin.

“I didn't realize you were so talented,” said his dad as he joined them. “You were the best actor up there!”

“Dad!” hissed Alfie, checking to make sure none of his school friends had heard. “I only said four words.”

“Well you said them with conviction,” said his dad proudly.

“Have either of you seen Murkle and Snitch?” Alfie asked the twins as his dad and Granny headed back to their seats.

“No, I haven't seen
Miss
Murkle or
Miss
Snitch since the interval started,” said Madeleine, placing extra emphasis on their titles.

“Why are you looking for them?” asked Robin.

The twins were wearing the same slightly glazed and guarded expression Alfie had noticed on their faces whenever he had mentioned the headmistresses since the afternoon in the tunnels.

“I just realized that I haven't thanked them for looking after me yet,” said Alfie, trying as hard as he possibly could to sound genuine. “They're my heroes.” He thought he might have overdone it a bit, but the twin's faces immediately broke into smiles.

“Oh, how nice,” said Madeleine.

“I'm sure they'd appreciate that,” said Robin. “If we see them we'll tell them to find you.”

“No need,” said Alfie quickly. “I've got a gift for them and I want it to be a surprise.” He didn't like lying to his cousins, but he didn't want Murkle and Snitch to suspect a thing.

The audience took their seats and the band played the opening music to the second act. Alfie gazed despairingly at the potion in this hand – he had missed his chance. The headmistresses would have to return to the Great Hall before the end of the performance to make a speech, but how could he possibly get them to drink the potion in front of everyone? Then it hit him – maybe they didn't have to drink the potion the usual way. He rushed to the kitchen, opened the stopper and carefully poured the contents of the purple bottle into two special containers he took from the kitchen drawer. When they were full he tucked them safely into the back of his belt.

“Shouldn't you be backstage with the others?” asked Gertie, rolling a trolley full of plastic cups and dirty wine glasses into the kitchen.

“Just on my way now,” said Alfie. He began to follow her out of the kitchen but something caught his eye. The door to the undercroft was ajar.
Murkle and Snitch must be down there already. But why? They didn't have the key. Had they figured out a way of getting through without it? He opened the door and paused at the top of the stairs. This wasn't what he had planned, but he had to know what they were doing down there. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed his dad's heavy rubber torch from the shelf by the door and rushed down the steps.

 

Alfie raced through the cellars. He hadn't brought the keys, but he didn't need them – the heavy reinforced door that led to the lower levels was wide open. His shoes echoed loudly as he started down the stone steps, so he took them off and continued the descent barefoot and silent. Even the dimmest setting on the torch seemed too bright, so he removed the woollen neck cloth from his costume and used it to cover the beam, leaving just enough light to see where he was going.

Tiptoeing through the larger chambers, he noticed a flickering orange light coming from the far corner where he had found the huge seal. He switched off the torch and was about to creep towards it when a hand clamped over his mouth and he felt himself being pulled backwards.

“It's me, don't make a sound,” Ashford whispered, dragging Alfie behind one of the stone columns. “Don't go any closer. You made quite a racket running through the upper cellars; they may know you're down here.”

“What are they doing?” mouthed Alfie as silently as possible as the light intensified. He ducked back behind the pillar as a wave of heat stung his eyes.

“Trying to burn the trapdoor open,” Ashford whispered back. “I don't know what they're using, but it won't work. That seal is impenetrable. It would be easier to dig through the rock around it with a plastic spoon.”

Alfie was surprised Ashford even knew about the seal. The light died away and a growl of frustration echoed through the cellars. He wondered how the sisters could stand the intense heat.

“It's no use,” called Snitch's voice. “We won't get through like this. We need the key.”

“Come on,” whispered Ashford. “They can't open it – not unless they find you down here.”

“Sister?” called Snitch, as Alfie and Ashford crept towards the steps. “Answer me! Or make yourself useful and get upstairs and find the boy.”

There was a dull thud in the darkness. Alfie turned around and tripped over something large and soft. As someone grabbed his neck and dragged him to his feet he realized that Ashford was lying unconscious on the ground.

“No need for that, sister,” snarled Murkle, dragging Alfie back through the cellars with ease as he kicked and struggled against her. “He wanted to save us the trouble.”

There was a peal of laughter from Snitch. “Well bring him quick,” she called. “We've waited hundreds of years to bring about the new Age of Dragons. I won't wait a minute longer!”

Alfie went cold at Snitch's words. He had brought the key straight to them like a complete idiot. But how could they have waited that long? Were they not human?

“You set the school stage on fire, didn't you?” he panted, struggling against Murkle's grip on his neck. “You did it while you were away so that no one would ever think it was you. You could have killed people! Do you even care?”

“We knew we could rely on your generous nature. So good of you to offer an alternate venue when you thought we were out of the picture. How else would we get a chance to wake the rest of our brothers and sisters?”

“You think dragons are your brothers and sisters? You're mental! What about Jimmy? He nearly died!”

“You think we'd lose sleep over one less brat?” spat Murkle. “He's lucky we sounded the alarm. We wouldn't want to burn the whole school down – it has been our home for so many, many years. It's just a shame it's always infested with children.”

As Murkle began to rant about the many things she detested about children, Alfie recognized the cool air and mossy smell of the chamber where Robin had fallen into the pool. Barely stopping to think, he swung his torch upwards as hard as he could. There was a crunch as it connected with Murkle's chin, cutting her off mid sentence. She stumbled and loosened her grip. Alfie kicked out sharply, knocking her into the dark water.

“Quick, sister,” she screamed as she tried to splash her way out of the pool. “Head him off!” Her sentence ended in a gurgle as the current caught her, dragging her down below the surface.

Snitch's footsteps echoed behind Alfie as he ran through the darkness. He knew he was going in the right direction when he tripped over Ashford for the second time. He wanted to stop but had no choice but to run for the steps, hoping that Ashford would be OK until he could send help. Snitch burst out of the shadows and made a grab for him. He dodged. Her nails raked his calf as he started up the stairs. She hung on tightly to his ankle, but he yanked his leg loose, kicking out with both feet. Her eyes seemed to glow yellow in the darkness as she snarled up at him, revealing long, pointed teeth. He threw the dead torch as hard as he could in her direction and scrambled up the stairs.

The heavy door swung shut behind him as he reached the upper cellars, silencing a shriek from Snitch. It was almost as if the castle was trying to help him by slowing her down. “Thank you!” he shouted over the noise of Snitch throwing herself against the door. It finally burst open with a bang just as he safely reached the stairs up from the undercroft. He bolted up them and into the kitchen, only to find his path barred by Hugo Pugsley's barrel chest.

“You should be in the hall,” smirked Edward over his friend's shoulder.

“Out of the way!” shouted Alfie, frantically struggling to get past as he heard Snitch crashing through the upper cellars.

“Mrs Salvador sent us to find you,” said Hugo, dodging around to block Alfie's path. “You're supposed to lead the cast onstage at the end of the play.”

“Move!” yelled Alfie, bowling them out of the way.

“You'll be in even more trouble when we tell her you did that,” Edward called after him as Snitch burst into the kitchen.

“Miss Snitch,” said Edward gleefully as he realized she was chasing Alfie. “We tried to tell Alfie he was supposed to be in the Great Hall, but he just shoved me out of the way.” Alfie glanced back. Edward's smile had disappeared as he saw the savage look on Snitch's face.

“Run, you idiots!” screamed Alfie as he raced from the kitchens. There was a crash behind him but he barely had time to feel sorry for the two boys – a dripping Murkle had burst through the castle door. She screeched in anger as she made a grab for him. He nimbly dodged her charge and raced into the Great Hall, straight past the confused cast waiting at the back. Some of them ran along behind him while the others looked around, unsure what to do.

“Stop, Alfie!” hissed Robin grabbing at his tunic. “The play isn't over. We're not supposed to go up yet!” Alfie could hear whispers spreading through the confused audience as he pulled away from Robin and sprinted down the central aisle. Cormac sat up from his deathbed looking confused as Alfie invaded the stage, turning to see Murkle and Snitch bowling children out of their path as they charged after him.

“Listen, everyone!” Alfie shouted over the sudden uproar. “Murkle and Snitch have got everyone believing their lies. There's something wrong with them – you can't trust them. They're the ones that burned down the school hall!”

“Shut up and get down from there, boy!” screamed Snitch.

“This child attacked us!” roared Murkle as she turned to face the stunned audience. Alfie looked to his family as they looked from him to the headmistresses.

“He also stole something from us,” said Snitch, as she looked out over the audience. Her eyes had taken on the same yellow colour they had in the cellar. Her voice became much lower and calmer. “A necklace … it was ours and he stole it.”

A murmur went through the audience. “He stole from his teachers? Alfie's a thief?”

“Don't listen to them!” Alfie yelled as he saw the familiar glazed expression begin to spread across all of the eyes in the hall in response to Snitch's tone and snake-like stare. “Don't look at them. They're hypnotizing you!” A couple of people started to boo him.

“He should give it back,” added Murkle, adopting the same eerie tone as her sister. “He stole it and he should give it back.”

“They're lying!” Alfie yelled, looking around for someone, anyone, that wasn't falling under his teachers' spell.

“Thief!” someone called.

“Stealing is wrong. Give it back, son,” said his dad in a monotone voice as he stood up and turned to Alfie with a blank expression.

“They're lying, Dad,” said Alfie, before raising his voice and shouting to the whole room. “They're liars, I can prove it!”

Murkle and Snitch scrambled up on to the stage and stormed toward him.

“Give us the talisman key!” they demanded. Their eyes bored into him, seeming to gleam yellow. He realized that they were trying to control him, but the hypnosis trick they had pulled on everyone else wasn't working. Could the talisman be protecting him from it, or maybe it was the magic inside him? Alfie reached around to the back of his belt, pulling out the two water pistols he had filled with Orin's potion. The two women roared with laughter.

“A strange time to play games, little boy!” cackled Murkle. They lunged towards him. Alfie aimed at their faces and pulled the triggers, trying to spray as much of the potion as possible into their screaming mouths.

“See this behaviour,” Snitch called out to the audience, wiping her face as she grabbed one of Alfie's arms. “First he steals from us, then this horrendous show of disrespect!”

Alfie's blood ran cold as the audience got to their feet, booing and yelling at him. Even his family looked as though they were about to join in. Murkle and Snitch's hypnosis had held. Why hadn't the potion worked? He realized that even if they admitted everything right now, it would be no use in front of this audience. He couldn't see any way back from this moment. Soon they would drag him down to the cellars, and no one would do a thing to stop them, not even his dad or the twins.

A crumpled programme hit Alfie in the face as Murkle and Snitch dragged him from the stage to a chorus of taunts and jeers. He wondered if he could get away from them and hide in Orin's study – but as he twisted and tried to wrench himself free he realized there was no getting away this time.

“Move boy, or I'll ask your father to help us,” said Snitch.

“Maybe your grandmother would like to help too,” giggled Murkle. “Shall we ask her…?”

A loud yowl interrupted her taunt, silencing the baying crowd. Alfie looked down to see Galileo standing in the aisle. His tail was puffed up like a chimney brush as his fur rose into a spine along his arched back. He yowled and hissed at the two women.

“What is wrong with that creature?” said Snitch, grabbing a programme and launching it at the cat. Galileo sprang out of the way and continued to hiss. Snitch suddenly doubled over as though she had been struck in the stomach.

“Your face, sister,” shrieked Murkle. Snitch's features appeared to be melting in and out of focus. Murkle clutched at her own face, which was also distorting. Alfie saw his chance and pulled away from the sisters.

“He did something,” she cried, launching herself towards Alfie. “What did you do to us?” Alfie leapt back as Murkle dropped to the floor. He watched in horror as their bodies began to contort along with their faces. The potion was only supposed to reveal the truth. Had he just poisoned his headmistresses in front of everyone?

Alfie stared. Murkle and Snitch had gone, and in their place stood two men. They were a similar size and shape to the two sisters and just as mean looking.

“Mr Smeadon? Mr Lurcher?” said Granny, getting up and looking at the men in surprise.

“What have you done, boy? Stop this now!” the two men demanded, their mouths moving together as they spoke in exactly the same voice. The rest of the crowd started to come out of their trance as the two figures began to contort and change again, briefly settling on a new form.

“That's Miss Craggs and Mr Fargle,” said Hexbridge's oldest resident, Ernie Wilmslow, rolling down the aisle in his wheelchair. “Ain't seen those two for over eighty years but I'll never forget the hidings they gave me – couldn't sit down for a week!”

The changes became faster, different clothing and faces flickering across the two forms. Their faces became twisted and distorted – strange green-tinged parodies of human faces.

“What did you do, Alfie?” shouted Holly in horror.

“I … I don't know.” shouted Alfie over the screaming of people scrambling to get out of the way of the horrifying transformation. “I only wanted to show you all what they're really like. I had to stop them!”

A terrible gurgling came from the two bodies as they blurred into one mass and began to grow. The gurgling turned into a deep rasping laugh as something huge materialized, right in front of everyone's eyes.

Alfie staggered back in horror at the creature looming over him. Murkle and Snitch weren't controlling the dragon, he realized at last – they
were
the dragon. And he had invited it in! People were screaming and scrambling over chairs to get away from the creature that had appeared in their midst. The two heads were pulling in different directions as the dragon seemed to be deciding who to eat first. Alfie knew he had to lure it away from the castle.