9 Blethingwood Hall - An Original Story By Stephanie Poppins

Adam was disorientated.

He was sitting on a bed of softest moss,

Which he rightly assumed grew outside,

Yet the air was hot enough to be inside.

He opened his eyes slowly and looked up.

It was dark,

But he could see everything.

Arcing over his head,

A large valerium was formed of thick emerald roots entwined in fine latticework.

It was pumping life into thousands of tiny red berries,

Which hung like iridescent droplets waiting to fall.

The moment they reached perfection they were caught by the fire sprites,

Darting backwards and forwards with their tiny wicker baskets.

But how does that work?

He said to himself.

Adam was no expert,

But he was pretty certain berries did not grow out of the roots of a tree,

Especially without any noticeable source of light.

Some team,

He thinks,

Daisy,

With elderflower buds,

If you'd be so kind,

And gooseberry tarts will not go wrong with gooseberries,

I find.

It was the Oosa Magoose,

And shielding his eyes from the dazzling light,

Adam realised it was he who was the source of the light energy.

Where are we?

In the new world?

Adam's manners were clearly in no better shape than William's,

But given the circumstances the Oosa Magoose decided to let it go.

We is under the new world meadow,

To be precise.

To meet you,

Young Adam,

Is being most nice.

The Oosa Magoose pulled the light back into himself,

And relieved,

Adam took his hand away from his eyes.

Who'd have thought a bird could produce such bright light?

He said to himself.

But the Oosa Magoose was far from impressed.

A bird,

He is calling me,

He is calling me a bird.

I is never indeed hearing anything more absurd.

Adam could have kicked himself.

He'd forgotten the Oosa Magoose was telepathic.

Sorry,

I didn't introduce myself.

I'm Adam,

William's brother.

I is knowing precisely who you is.

This retort slapped Adam's cheeks with fingers of fire,

So he said nothing more.

Instead,

He ran his fingers along the thick roots cradling him.

What little furniture there was had been carved from them,

The numerous cubbyholes borne from them.

This place was unlike anything Adam had ever seen,

And he loved it.

Almost ready,

Almost done,

Said Daisy,

Busying herself with an elaborate network of metal rods and hooks as the fire's theatrical rendition began.

Adam watched her closely as she dropped autumnal blossoms into a large copper kettle.

She was a snow-white person of large gait and pronounced waddle,

Almost as bizarre as the Oosa Magoose.

But Daisy emitted no light,

And from what Adam could see,

She used her strange-looking feet to get her from A to B.

He took off his shoes and dug his bare feet into the soft mossy floor.

Pockets of buttercups and celandines sprung up as he drank in the warm air.

It reminded him of lazy Sunday afternoons,

Cups of tea with buttered toast and everything else that makes a home a home.

I'm starving,

Something smells great,

He exclaimed as sweet-smelling liquids sang through the kettle's polished spout.

And in response,

Daisy hurried over with a tray of warm cinnamon buns.

I don't want to go back,

Adam declared suddenly.

It had taken just one mouthful for the truth to come out,

But this was not something the Oosa Magoose wanted to hear.

Your brother and sister is being in need,

For them your return is essential indeed.

Essential?

For what?

It's hell in that place,

I can't go back.

You is having strength enough,

Of that I can see.

Then all at once Adam was overcome.

It was a private affair,

The sort of gentle but wretched sob you keep to yourself when you feel all hope is lost.

I never wanted any of this and I don't know why I'm here.

The words were honest and for once unashamed,

And sensing a change in his energy,

The Oosa Magoose floated over from his large nest to drop a single red feather into Adam's lap.

This put Adam instantly at ease.

He had not even considered how the Oosa Magoose knew his name or indeed why he'd ended up in this underground house at all.

He just seemed to accept it as he accepted the celestial glow that seeped through his shirt,

Down his shoulders and across his back.

The Black Army is underestimating you as I knew they would.

You is embracing your fear as nature intends you should.

Easy for you to say,

Thought Adam bitterly.

It's not like I had a choice,

Is it?

This is not being the easy path for any of us,

Yet is something we cannot shun.

Such is the price of survival,

O chosen one.

Chosen one?

This was the last thing Adam wanted to hear.

You've made a mistake.

I'm not who you think I am and I'm no different from anyone else.

Why am I here anyway?

Was it you that saved me?

And what's up with those stupid feridaw?

I is not saving you.

You is being difficult to kill.

When hitting the wall,

Your will is stronger still.

Adam looked down into the swirling mists of the liquid he'd just been given.

I didn't want to leave the others.

I just want to get out of here.

We all do.

Yet now you must be staying and staying to fight when the light is coming longer than the hours of the night.

Adam felt as if he'd done more than enough fighting for one day.

Fight who?

The forgotten master against whose wishes we survive and the Black Army,

Who he's hating,

To see us alive.

Adam was getting frustrated.

There were just too many riddles.

The Black Army?

Okay,

So I suppose they're the birds,

But who the hell's the forgotten master when he's at home?

Once friend to the New World,

Both honest and true,

His anger he abuses as Adam.

So does you.

Adam looked away,

But there was no avoiding the truth.

He was angry,

Most of the time.

The hall at Blethingwood is once our home,

The Oosamagoos continued.

But twenty-five old world orbits ago,

There is being a great battle,

And now the pods is alone.

It is those to us you must bring home.

What are the pods?

Our infants sleep there till come what may,

The great sun is rising on summer solstice day.

Okay,

Adam was beginning to get it.

The pods,

They contain the New World young,

And they're trapped at the hall,

Right?

But that means they've been there for nearly twenty-five years.

The growth of our infants is slow indeed.

But without them,

Young Adam,

Our future cannot be seen.

Adam had seen firsthand what the Black Army were capable of,

And he knew the pods would be destroyed if he didn't agree to help the Oosamagoos.

But what can I do?

There's so many of them.

I can't see how it's possible.

When the great sun is rising,

The Black Army hides,

For the army cannot remain in the light.

When the great sun is setting,

They is most alert.

It is then they are seeking to leave the estate.

On summer solstice day,

When the sun is longest in the sky,

Then you is having much more time.

But why me?

Why us?

You,

Young Adam,

Link the old and the new.

You are the pathway between deception and the truth.

The gifts you three possess,

They is being most rare,

To see,

Hear and feel this new world here.

Adam thought long and hard.

If he was honest,

The whole thing was making him feel kind of special.

And he was sure Penny and William would be excited too.

So return on winter solstice,

You three must,

Continued the Oosamagoos,

To make plans for the rescue,

Both fair and just.

I've no idea how we're going to get back at Christmas,

If that's what he means,

Said Adam to himself.

At least it's something to look forward to,

I suppose.

And reading his mind once again,

The Oosamagoos said,

Worry not young Adam,

It is time to take stock for friends is being everywhere,

If you just know where to look.

And feeling strangely reassured,

Adam took one last sip,

Then lent back as the thick roots cradled him into a calm,

Relaxing sleep.

The next morning found the Great Hall alive with a raucous chatter only a school breakfast service can bring.

Heavy rain lashed against the windows,

Removing the stain of the night before.

And Penny felt safe in the knowledge such an historically sound building could protect her from the elements.

She looked out over the grounds,

Her view underlined by rows of black waterproof coats standing regimentally upon each windowsill.

Unfazed as large droplets ran down their beaks,

The Ferridor were a permanent fixture,

There was no choice but to come to terms with that.

But her first night in the dorm had passed smoothly enough,

So she was strangely optimistic for the term ahead.

She watched as William pulled up a chair,

Then in came Adam,

Considerably brighter than the day before.

William waved at him wildly,

But Adam was unimpressed.

Do you have to be quite so obvious?

I've got some news about Dad.

I think he's in trouble.

He's in the paper,

Jason said.

But of course Adam had already heard about this.

Dad's nothing if not controversial in his ideas,

He said,

And this is not the first time he's been in the paper,

Is it?

Penny,

However,

Was much more concerned.

We need to see what's happened to him,

She said,

And without hesitation Adam replied,

All right then,

Tomorrow night,

The dragon will have a copy in our office for sure.

You can be the lookout,

Penn.

Then he rose to leave,

Eager to join Thomas Fink and behave as normal as possible,

Despite what had happened the night before.

But William had questions.

Did you see it then,

In her office?

Jason said you were in there this morning.

Oh,

Did he now?

He watches everything,

That kid.

What's going on?

Said Penny.

Was there trouble in the dorm last night?

I was in the infirmary.

What?

Another attack.

Oh,

No.

Penny was distraught.

Does Mum know?

No.

Adam's mind raced back to the night before.

He wasn't sure how he'd managed to get back from the new world.

Only that he'd ended up in Blethingwood Hall before he knew it.

And luckily for him,

Matron had been there to save the day.

With wild curls caught up in an old blue headscarf,

Matron was the only reason he wasn't now languishing in the bowels of the admin block.

Her weather-worn hands had held his trust and given him reason to hope.

Even if the woman wasn't someone who was easily trifled with.

Here,

Breathe into this,

Sweetheart,

She'd said,

Handing him a brown paper bag as he stood at the infirmary window,

Gasping for oxygen.

You'll be all right.

You'll see.

Then she turned to the figure slouching in the doorway and added,

It's asthma.

Gold only knows what he was doing out there on his own in the dark.

He's asking for his mum,

Poor chap.

Can't you get her for me,

Alfred?

But Alfred,

Of course,

Had been no help whatsoever.

Although he had made Adam smile in the process.

Sorry,

Matron,

It's more than me job's worth.

I mean,

What you gonna do?

They's everywhere,

Those blummin' Feredore.

I can't even have a whizz in peace.

All right,

All right,

Enough of that,

Matron spat.

She was not about to have what she saw as a vulnerable child corrupted on his first night in the infirmary.

Don't mind him,

Me handsome,

She said.

The light's on,

But no one's home,

If you get my meaning.

Well,

Get word to your mum somehow,

Never fear.

There's friends everywhere,

You just gotta know where to look.

And accepting her broad wink,

Adam felt a spark of excitement.

Wasn't that what the Oosa Magoose had said earlier?

But that excitement was not to last.

Adam Darlington,

I've heard reports of your gross misconduct,

Out in the grounds at night no less.

What have you got to say for yourself?

Quite where the dragon had materialised from,

Nobody knew.

But she was there,

And now Adam was in trouble.

He's sick,

Said Matron,

Stepping in between them.

Can't we just let it be for tonight?

I'm sure it'll make more sense in the morning.

But the dragon's steely stare sliced Matron's words in two.

And as they dropped to the ground,

Matron set about busying herself with sweeping up.

Tomorrow,

7am in my office,

Adam Darlington.

Then the dragon turned on her heel and left as quickly as she had arrived.

I'm not surprised you had an attack after being out in the freezing cold,

Said Matron when she was out of earshot.

What the devil were you doing out there,

Kid?

Adam looked at the floor and said nothing.

The last person he wanted to lay to was this kind soul.

Albert over there found you asleep by the swings,

She continued.

Lucky for you he did.

Them ferret all don't take kindly to no one out in their gardens at night.

Downright territorial they are.

Terrible things have happened in the past.

Taint right the old they've got over this place.

But Lady Muck won't do nothing.

She says they're protected or something.

She loves them.

There's not that much difference between the two of them if you ask me.

Only that which takes your freedom,

Not your stuff.

As she cackled,

The long strip light in the infirmary caught the twinkle in her eyes.

They steal things then,

The ferret all,

Said Adam.

Oh yeah,

They're well known for it.

Keep anything special hidden away,

I would.

Now it's best you get some rest,

Young man.

You'll have to be up nice and early for your inquisition,

And you're going to need all the strength in the world for that.

Despite such an eventful evening,

Adam had slept better that night than he had since they'd arrived.

With whitewashed walls and a strong smell of bleach,

The infirmary should be the last place he would feel comfortable.

Yet Matron had a way of making even the most frightened person feel safe.

I'll deal with that witch before she gets her claws into him,

Matron said to herself.

There's no way I'm going to let her pick on a kid just for having asthma.

I would have thought she'd know better.