Bats, rats, snakes and spiders... Araminta Spookie simply loves those things! She has a nice, spooky house and a really good friend, like Wanda... But when Aunt Tabby sends the two girls in a school trip, Araminta is horrified! She hates school trips... They are so boring! But this new trip turns out to be quite interesting... Classmates disappear, the teacher feels sick (watch out, she might lose her mind!) and strange noises come from bushes... Araminta is going to find out something really surprisingly... Are you ready to have a fright with Araminta in this story?
Chapter one – Some Horrible News
Dear Diary,
My name is Araminta Spookie. I am ten years old. I live in a spooky house with my aunt, Tabitha (or Tabby, for short), and my uncle, Drak (he is half human, half vampire). All three of us live in a BIG, spooky house. We have tons of rooms: three bathrooms (one for me, one for Aunt Tabby and one for Uncle Drak), two kitchens (one with Aunt Tabby’s favorite kitchen instruments and one with Aunt Tabby’s un-favorite kitchen instruments), a HUGE guest room, a comfortable living room, seven rooms (they are mine and I use one for every day of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday), two rooms for Aunt Tabby (one for sleeping and one for trying out clothes) and a tower for Uncle Drak (he has a lot of bat friends, so Aunt Tabby made the tower so she wouldn’t wake up one morning with a bat tangled up in her hair!).
You know, you might wonder: why do I live with my aunt and my uncle? Well, that’s a very good question! When I was three years old, my parents took me to Aunt Tabby and Uncle Drak and they went in Transylvania (Romania). They never came back...
Anyway, I ENJOY my house! I have a really nice life! Last year, I even had a quite big surprise... Who could have thought that sooner or later we are going to live with a new family? Not ME, that’s for sure! This new family is called... Mag: Barry (father), Brenda (mother) and Wanda (daughter). Wanda is my best friend! Sometimes, she can be a completely FOOL, but I still like her... It’s the only friend I got, if you really want to know... All my other classmates think that I’m a strange... But I try to ignore them. And sometimes Wanda helps me when I am in trouble... :)
Wait a second... When I said that Wanda is my only friend, I meant “human friend”! No, seriously, I’m telling the truth!!! I have some... ghost friends... Their names are Edmund and Sir Horace. Edmund is a ghost boy and Wanda likes him... EEK!!!Anyway, Sir Horace is much better than Edmund! He was a soldier. He was protecting a royal family. Edmund was his faithful page. They both died in the same day and in the same place... They were stuck in a cave and, well... This story makes me sad, so I shall not continue anymore... Sir Horace is now five hundred years old! He is a moving armor (his face and all the rest of the body are invisible)... Believe me: having a house with ghosts is super-awesome! I’m so lucky to live in my dear old Spookie House!
Yep, I’m a cool girl... But today, something terrible happened!!! Let me tell you everything, part by part... I was having breakfast with Wanda. Aunt Tabby was in the kitchen with her un-favorite instruments (I don’t know why...). Suddenly, Wanda and I heard a big explode from the other kitchen! Aunt Tabby came to our table... She was dirty because of the big BOOM. I guess Aunt Tabby’s “best friend” (the boiler) made all of this... “Curse that stupid boiler!” Aunt Tabby said. “That was a big KA-BOOM, Aunt Tabby!” Wanda said. I rolled my eyes. Yep, that’s how Wanda is: a really talkative girl... Aunt Tabby sighed, took a napkin and started to clean herself. She sat at our table. “Oh, by the way, girls, I have some wonderful news for you!” Aunt Tabby said. Wanda made two big eyes, but I remained calm. That’s how I am... “I just talked with your teacher. She wanted to tell me that she organizes a summer trip, in three days. I said that you could come. Aren’t you happy, my dears?” Aunt Tabby said. “YESSSS!!!” Wanda said. “NOOOO!!!” I said. Aunt Tabby and Wanda looked at me surprised. “Aunt Tabby, you know that I SUPER hate school trips! They are 100% boring!” I said. I wanted to scream!!! Scream, I tell you!!! I was soooo desperate!!! I wanted to go in my room and hide under my bed for the rest of the week!!! But that meant that each day I had to go in a different room! Darn it! “Oh, don’t be silly-billy, Araminta! Do you remember that in the first grade you went in a school trip and you liked it?” Aunt Tabby said. “Yes, Aunt Tabby, I liked it, because it rained almost everyday, so I could stay in my hotel room doing EVERYTHING I wanted!!!” I shouted. Right then, there was a knock on the door. It was Uncle Drak! He was coming from work (I told you that he is half human and half vampire). He sleeps at day and works at night! “Oh, Tabitha, dear, my eyes hurt! There is a big sun out there!” Uncle Drak said. “Yes, I’m sorry to hear that, dear... But I’m positively sure that this sun is going to be perfect for the girls’ trip!” Aunt Tabby said. “What trip?” Uncle Drak asked. “Uncle Drak, please tell Aunt Tabby to send only Wanda in this school trip! I do not want to go!!! Why is it so hard to understand???” I said. I wanted to tear up Aunt Tabby! Just then, Barry and Brenda came into the kitchen (great!). “A school trip? Why, Wanda simply loves going in school trips!!!” Brenda says. “WHY ISN’T ANYONE LISTENING TO ME???” I screamed like a crazy girl. Everyone looked at me with wide eyes. I blushed... I felt horrible! I ran away in my Thursday room. I threw myself on my bed and started to cry...
I stayed for one hour in my room, but nobody came... I was feeling a bit lonely, but I didn’t want to talk with anyone, either! Suddenly, there was a little knock on the door. “Go away!” I said. I was surprised to see Sir Horace! “Oh, I’m sorry, Sir Horace. I didn’t know it was you. Please, come in!” I said. Sir Horace closed the door gently and then, sat beside me on the bed. “I heard about the school trip...” Sir Horace said. I didn’t say anything. Sir Horace’s voice sounds like a tiny echo, so it was annoying and irritating to hear the same question for three-four times... “You know, Miss Spookie, when I was the same age as you, I was sent by my parents in a school trip. Believe it or not, but I hated school trips, too!” Sir Horace said. I looked at the ghost. “Are you telling the truth?” I asked. “Why, certainly, Miss Spookie. I would never lie to a friend! Yes, all the school trips were boring! I was always trying to convince my mother that going in a trip is stupid... Until, one day...” Sir Horace said and made a long pause. He is old, what do you want from him? He usually does this when he talks a lot. I got used to it! I waited for Sir Horace’s story in complete silence (why, Aunt Tabby’s “how to be polite” lessons had been very useful, indeed!). “My teacher took my class to an old castle. I was saying: “Another boring visit! Great!” But I was wrong. The visit to the castle was great! I learned a lot of interesting things. We also had a lesson about soldiers. It fascinated me, so that’s how I became a soldier of the royal family...” Sir Horace continued. I thought for a moment. Two questions popped in my mind: 1) How does Sir Horace remember his childhood (I forgot what I did two days ago!)? and 2) Why did Sir Horace tell me this story? Soon, I found out the answer to question 2... “Miss Spookie, I told you this story, so you can realize that sometimes school trips aren’t boring... I think a summer trip will be perfect! Have you ever gone in a summer trip?” Sir Horace said. “No...” I said. “See? Give it a chance, Miss Spookie, I’m sure you will love your trip! You’re going to have fun with Miss Mag, right?” Sir Horace said. “Yeah, maybe... I guess you’re right... Thanks, Sir Horace!” I said and a smile appeared on my face. “I’m glad I can help! But now, if you will excuse me, I have to go. Edmund is with Wanda. If I’m not going to hurry, maybe Edmund is going to ask Wanda’s hand!” Sir Horace said. I laughed. How silly! “Yeah, you’re right! And we will be bridesmaids at their wedding! A spooky wedding, indeed!” I said and then, Sir Horace started to laugh, too! Our laughing was interrupted by a big BANG! It was Sir Horace’s head, which fell down (Sir Horace’s armor is rusty, so that’s why some parts of it fell...). “Oh, my goodness! Here, let me help you!” I said. I took the head and put it back to its place. “Thank you very much, Miss Spookie. Goodbye and have a nice day!” Sir Horace said. “Bye, bye!” I said. Sir Horace got out of the room and, again, it was silence.
I waited for five minutes and then, Wanda came in my Thursday room with a cheese and onion chips bag (my favorite!). “What’s up? Are you feeling better?” Wanda asked. “Give me the bag!” I said and took the cheese and onion chips. I gobbled up all of them. “You’re such a pig!” Wanda said. I threw a pillow in Wanda’s direction, but I didn’t get to hit her. Wanda giggled. “So, are you coming in the school trip?” Wanda asked. I thought for a moment or two and then, said: “I guess I have to. If not, I will get in trouble with Aunt Tabby! You know her BAD punishments...” I said. “Oh, yes!” Wanda said and we both started to giggle. “We have to pack.” Wanda said. “Oh, come on! The trip is in three days. It’s on Sunday, right?” I said. “Yes, but the trip will last for another three days. We will meet our class on Sunday morning and we will be back home on Tuesday evening. We will only stay outside, in the nature, and we will camp out, under the stars! Isn’t it great, Araminta?” Wanda said. I smiled to Wanda. I know that sometimes she can be a strange girl, but still, she is my friend. Maybe a little sister... “Yes, Wanda! It’s great!” I said (with half voice). I didn’t want to talk about the school trip anymore, so I came up with a brilliant idea... “Gosh, it’s eleven o’clock! Do you know what that means?” I asked. “Um... No!” Wanda said. “It’s the laughing hour! Yesterday, I found an old book with jokes. We can read them until lunchtime. I think there are over one thousand!” I said. “Cool! We can read jokes every single day! Hooray!” Wanda shouted. We sat on my bed. I opened the joke book. We laughed for hours. We had a lot of fun! It was like Happy Hour! :)
I will be back soon... I will have to pack a lot (I hate this part!)... Ciao! ;)
Chapter two – NON-STOP Packing!!!
Dear Diary,
As you know, I hate packing! But when Aunt Tabby gives you The Fiendish Stare, what can you do? Listen to her, of course! Wanda has packed a lot of clothes and shoes (seriously!). Edmund helped her (as usual). Sir Horace was with us, too! He and I laughed behind Edmund and Wanda. My dear little friend was watching Edmund with two big eyes. Man, she doesn’t have good tastes on choosing a PERFECT ghost friend! I do! :D “Araminta, what on Earth are you doing??? We definitely MUST take the joke book! We MUST have a Happy Hour in our trip!!!” Wanda said, snatching the book from my hands. “Wanda, you need to cut your nails! They are very sharp!!! You just scratched me, like a... a...” I said. “A scary animal?” Wanda said. “Which happens to be a ghost?” Sir Horace said. “Lions and tigers and bears... OH MY!!!” Edmund said and all of us started to laugh like we were bananas and nuts!!! :) This sentence (said by Edmund) is from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum. It’s one of my favorite books! Edmund, you steal sentences from other stories! You’re a bad boy! :D
For some minutes, there was silence in my Saturday room. Wanda broke the silence (as usual): “Why don’t you want to come in our trip, guys?” “I would love to!” Edmund said. “Misses Spookie and Mag, aren’t the other kids afraid of... you know... ghosts, like us?” Sir Horace asked. “I don’t know... Maybe yes, maybe no... Anyway, Aunt Tabby would KILL us if she would see us with two ghosts, wandering inside and outside! But don’t forget: Wanda and I will always be your best friends!” I said. Edmund and Sir Horace looked at each other and then, smiled. “Yes, you’re right! Anyway, I’m sure that my dear page and I will have fun at home.” Sir Horace said. I smiled. “Yes, but be careful what you do; you don’t want to scare Barry, Brenda, Uncle Drak... or even worse, Aunt Tabby!” I said. Sir Horace chuckled. “Yes, don’t worry, Miss Spookie. Everything is going to be all right! You better take care of your luggage.” Sir Horace said, pointing at my empty rucksack. “Yeah... But you know I hate packing so, Wanda, you will have more to do!” I said and I laid on my bed. “Hey, that’s not fair!” Wanda said and threw my rucksack in my direction. She hit me right in the face. Curse you, Wanda! :)) My friends and I started to laugh. It turned to be a good night after all... I didn’t mind the packing... so much... :) Ciao! ;)
Chapter three – Some Unexpected Surprises
Dear Diary,
So you can know: Aunt Tabby is the WORST “wake up” caller. She sings “Wake Up In The Morning” while she enters your room!!! I mean, how stupid is that??? I wish she could sing better (she sings like a sick bird!)... Aunt Tabby woke up Wanda and I at six o’clock in the morning! Our teacher wanted us in front of our school at eight o’clock. Wanda and I had a quick breakfast. We said goodbye to Barry and Brenda, we hugged Uncle Drak (who just arrived from work) and we waved for a thousand times goodbye to Edmund and Sir Horace. When I got in the car, I opened the window and looked once again at my wonderful haunted house...
Aunt Tabby drove us to school. All the other classmates were there, too! Our teacher, Miss Dynamite (ha, what a silly name!) was talking non-stop: “Are we all here? Yes? Is Jimmy going to be late? Okay, we will wait for him. Emily, stop slouching! David, don’t pick your nose, it’s not polite! Kate and Mary, don’t fight anymore!” etc. Aunt Tabby blew kisses in the air to Wanda and I (I was feeling that some kids were watching us...) and then, left. “Have fun in the trip!” my aunt said. Yeah, right, I’m sure that we will have fun! I had to carry a heavy tent (you know, for the campfire and for sitting out, under the stars) and five bags of cheese and onion chips for Wanda (seriously!)! It’s fun, right?
After a while, Miss Dynamite (every time I say this name, I laugh!) started to talk: “Good morning, my dear pupils! I’m glad you could come in this lovely trip! We will visit a museum about animals and then, we will have walks in the nature! As you know, the trip will last for three days, so we will camp out for two nights! I’m sure that you will never ever forget this experience! You will have the chance to see how it is to sleep in the wild!” Miss Dynamite said. Wanda smiled (I didn’t) and all the other classmates cheered (I didn’t). “Come on, class, let’s start our splendid journey right... NOW!” Miss Dynamite said. I sighed. Yep, it’s going to be “great”!
The museum was quite interesting, but I felt horrible when Diana (accidentally!) spilled her apple juice on my clothes (curse you, Diana! I don’t care it was an accident!!!). Some of the kids started to laugh (great!). Luckily, I had some change clothes, so I went in the museum bathroom to resolve the problem. When I returned, Miss Dynamite asked: “Are you okay, Araminta?” “Yes, Miss Dynamite!” I said. Wanda came next to me and gently patted me on the back. “Good, then let’s go! And Diana, be careful what you are doing!” Miss Dynamite said. Diana looked at the floor. Serves her right!
Right now, I am in the middle of the jungle surrounded by crazy monkeys, poisonous snakes and ferocious tigers... Just kidding, I am in the tent with Wanda. We just had a campfire (we ate some hamburgers and marshmallows – yummy!) and Wanda and I also ate a bag with cheese and onion chips (we shared the bag – grrrr!). To tell the truth, I feel pretty good in this trip... I guess Sir Horace was right... Maybe going in a school/summer trip isn’t so bad after all... But, wait, it isn’t over! Who knows what might happen...
The next morning, a shriek woke up Wanda and I. It was Miss Dynamite! She was in her pajamas (a white one with black spots – like a Dalmatian! :D). “Miss Dynamite, what happened?” I asked. “It’s horrible! Absolutely horrible!!! Half of your classmates had disappeared!!!” Miss Dynamite said with a 100% loud voice. I remained silent. How could have this happened? Who could have kidnapped fifteen kids? This was a really strange thing... “I’m going to get killed. There is going to be a new story for the newspaper: “FIFTEEN KIDS KIDNAPPED. A CRAZY TEACHER CAN’T TAKE CARE OF HER CLASS...” Oh, please, someone help me!!!” Miss Dynamite said. The children who were left came next to Wanda and I. We didn’t know what to do... “Calm down, Miss Dynamite. Maybe the fifteen kids had gone for a little walk. Maybe they woke up earlier than us and they got bored, so they decided to explore the surroundings...” Wanda said. “Fifteen, all of a sudden? That’s pretty strange... If there were two or three kids gone, it would be something else, but fifteen kids?” Miss Dynamite said and sat on a rock, next to her tent. She was very terrified. For a moment, I felt really sorry for her... Believe me: being a teacher with, let’s just say, thirty (naughty) kids is SUPER-HARD!!! Suddenly, I came up with a pretty good idea... “Miss Dynamite, we can make, I don’t know, a search party, so we could find the “kidnapped” kids...” I said. It’s curious though that we didn’t hear anything during the night. If it really was a kidnapper, how come the kids didn’t scream or something like that? I might be courageous when it’s about haunted houses (with ghosts, vampires etc), but when there is a “kidnapping-trouble”, you can say goodbye to Araminta Spookie, the cool girl, who isn’t afraid of anything... “Why, Araminta, that’s a brilliant idea! We can make the atmosphere happier if we do a search party. Come on, everybody, let’s not panic! Maybe we’re going to have luck on finding our other classmates (Amy, Charlie, David, Diana, Emily, Gina, Henry, Jimmy, Kate, Lauren, Mary, Percy, Peter, Sarah and Thomas). Let’s pick up all your rucksacks and tents and let’s go!” Miss Dynamite said. She turned to me and winked. I felt really good... To tell the truth, I was ready for a crazy adventure... Ciao! ;)
Chapter four – An Underground World
Dear Diary,
Things have turned out from bad to worse! Our search party didn’t have any success; we didn’t find any clue... But the bad news is that, during our searching, another ten kids disappeared. Miss Dynamite didn’t even realize; actually, NONE of us did... Man, this kidnapper surely knows how to, um, kidnap someone in complete silence! Miss Dynamite was... well, kind of dead, finished and so on...
Suddenly, our teacher started to feel sick. “Help me... Please!” she said and fainted. There were only five of us (Edward, Molly, Rosie, Wanda and I – ha, only one boy!). We immediately took Miss Dynamite from the ground and put her under a tree. “Let’s do something! And quickly! We don’t want Miss Dynamite to get angry and explode with fury...” Molly said. “Like dynamite!” Edward said and laughed, but nobody paid him any attention. “Molly is right... I know: I have some medicine from my mom (you know how moms are: “Take some medicine with you. You don’t want to feel sick or to get hurt, don’t you?”). Maybe it’s going to help Miss Dynamite...” Rosie said. Rosie took her rucksack and opened it. She took out some medicine for headaches or “feeling sick” moments... After five minutes, Miss Dynamite opened her eyes and looked at us. “Where am I? Who am I?” she said. “What the -?” I said. “No... This isn’t happening! It’s absolutely-positively NOT happening!” Wanda said. “I’m sorry, Wanda, but it already happened...” Edward said. “Yes... Miss Dynamite is... unconscious!” I said. I felt totally sorry for Miss Dynamite... “Was she hit by a rock or something? You don’t get suddenly unconscious...” Molly said. “Well, let’s say that Miss Dynamite was hit in the head with a rock... But how come we didn’t hear anything? Seriously, guys, nobody can be so silent to kidnap some innocent kids and to hit a teacher...” Rosie said. She had a point! But, wait a moment! I am Araminta Spookie! I’m not going to let anyone to hurt my class! Never ever (even though some classmates don’t remember my name!)! “Edward, Molly, Rosie! Look, over there!” I said, pointing to some footprints. “Wanda and I will follow the footprints track. You can take care of Miss Dynamite. You can call your parents and tell them what had happened... But, tell them to keep calm! Wanda and I will try to resolve this problem, okay?” I said. Edward, Molly and Rosie nodded and then they turned to Miss Dynamite and said: “Miss Dynamite, can you please stand up and come with us?” “Miss Dynamite? What kind of a name is that?” our teacher said. She stood up... Right then, I saw a rock. I took it and looked it, while Miss Dynamite left with Edward, Molly and Rosie. “Good luck!” the three kids said. “Thanks! You, too!” Wanda said. I was still examining the rock... I found something quite surprisingly... “Wanda, come over here a bit!” I said and in one second, my friend was right next to me. “Wanda, I found the rock which hit Miss Dynamite’s head...” I said. “How come you recognized it?” Wanda asked. I didn’t respond; I showed her the rock and she found out the answer... “Beware... or else!” was written on the rock... Wanda seemed a little bit scared. “Araminta, are we going to be all right? I mean... Almost the whole class is kidnapped and Miss Dynamite is NOT Miss Dynamite...” Wanda said. I patted her on the back. “Don’t worry, Wanda, we are going to be safe... Come on, we have a mission to complete!” I said. Wanda and I took our rucksacks (I had to take the heavy tent – again!) and followed the footprints track...
We had a pretty long walk. We heard some strange noises coming from bushes. There were like whispers, which said: “Turn back or you will get into BIG trouble!” But I couldn’t turn back right now... I had an important thing to do, even though my legs hurt... Luckily, we still had some sandwiches from Aunt Tabby (and let’s not forget about Wanda’s cheese and onion chips bags!). Poor Wanda was completely tired! I gave her a cheese sandwich and she felt better after...
Suddenly, the footprints track had finished... in front of a cave! I didn’t even realize that we walked through a forest (so fast!) and got next to some mountains with a cave at the bottom of them... “Come on, Wanda, let’s enter the cave.” I said. There was a big rock at the entrance. Wanda and I pushed it really hard until we could enter. In the cave there were a lot of bats (this reminded me of Uncle Drak’s tower full of bats) and some stalactites and stalagmites (this reminded me of a Geography lesson).
Wanda and I walked for fifteen-twenty minutes and then, stopped. Some bright lights were coming from... a big, golden door. “Whoa!” Wanda said. I didn’t say anything... Where were we going through that door? I had to find out... I touched the door handle, turned it and, believe it or not, but Wanda and I were in an underground world! It was absolutely amazing!!! There were real people there! Their sun was the diamonds from the cave walls! At a distance, Wanda and I saw a palace. “Wow, a king and a queen! Maybe some princes and princesses! Let’s go!” Wanda shouted happily. “No, Wanda, wait!” I said, but my friend was already far away from me. I ran towards her... Man, Wanda can run really fast! I had to go through the big crowd... I had to be careful where Wanda was going; I couldn’t lose her right now!
After a long run, Wanda and I got in front of the big palace. Some muscular guards were at a golden gate, the entrance to the palace. They approached us (gulp!). “What are you two doing here? Spying?” one of the guards asked. “No, absolutely not! I... I mean, we were... um...” I said, but I didn’t get to finish my sentence because the two guards caught our hands tightly (ow!) and took us inside the castle. “The king will know what to do with you: to keep you alive... or dead!” the second guard said and then, both of them started to laugh. Wanda and I looked at each other with two big eyes. We were, let’s just say, 99,9% scared!!! In that moment, I had only one wish: to say goodbye to Aunt Tabby, Uncle Drak, Barry, Brenda, Edmund, Sir Horace, Big Bat (my favorite bat!) and to all my class (including Miss Dynamite), because I felt that... (sniff, sniff!)... my life was ending right here! Ciao! ;)
Chapter five – Four Quests, Two Courageous Girls
Dear Diary,
Do you like quests? Yes? Well, that’s a good thing, because I like quests, too! But not the ones given by old, grumpy people (like the king we just met!)... Yes, the guards really took us in front of the king (it looked like this world didn’t have any queens, princes or princesses – this made Wanda rather sad!). The king was wearing some wonderful royal clothes and he had a big, shiny crown on its head. Seriously, I don’t know how royal people can have on their heads such heavy crowns with all the diamonds, rubies and so on... I wonder if they need to massage their heads after such a long day... Anyway, let’s get back to our story... Yes, so the king looked at us with two big eyes and then, said: “I know you two! You’re from the school trip!” the king said. I wanted to kill or to do something bad to that king, but, because I have manners, I talked to him with “Your Highness”, “Your Majesty” and so on... “Your Highness, you’re right: my friend and I are from this school trip you are talking about... But I want to ask you something: did you do all this? You know, kidnapping some of the kids and hitting our teacher with a rock, which had “Beware... or else!” on it?” I asked. “Oh, give the little girl a prize... Yes, you’re right, my dear: I did all of this! You might wonder why... Well, that’s a good question! It’s a long story, but I will make it short: as you can see, I rule over an underground world... When I was up there, where the real sun shines like a wonderful star, I was, well, very happy! But when some kids came over my kingdom and destroyed my palace, I got every angry, so that’s why I went in the underground... From that day, all the kids are my enemies (except for the kids from my kingdom!)!” the king said. “But, Your Majesty, how could some kids do something like that, to destroy your castle? And why did they do that?” I asked. It didn’t make any sense... “Well, there was Science Week, and many kids had done crazy inventions and so on... With their blowing-up experiments, they destroyed almost everything! Imagine: your beloved kingdom to be “attacked” by some kids (who say that they’re scientists, geniuses and so on)? I can’t afford something like that!” the king said. “Weren’t the kids in their schools, doing the experiments?” Wanda asked. “No, they were out, in the fresh air... There was a school which was pretty close to my old palace...” the king said. “Your Highness, I’m sure that what the kids did was an accident... Have you ever thought of this? Why would some kids try to “blow-up” your whole kingdom?” I said. The king remained silent for a moment. “I told you: to see your kingdom destroyed all of a sudden is pretty unexpected! No, I will never forget what had happened that horrible day! I curse all the kids who are close to my kingdom!!!” the king shouted. He looked at Wanda and I and then, said: “Take those two girl in the palace jail!” “No, you can’t do that! Oh, come on, we’re just innocent kids! Please, don’t send us to jail! Please! PLEASE!!! We’ll do everything!!!” Wanda and I shouted like some maniacs. Gosh, this king was SUPER-CRAZY!!! “Everything? Did I hear you saying “everything”?” the king said, turning to us. “Yes, we will do everything! Just please, don’t sent us in a cold and dusty place!” I said. The king thought for a moment. “Well, if you say so... I have four quests for you...” the king said. “Four quests? Are you insane?” Wanda said, but I gave her a fierce look, so she shut up. The king looked at Wanda angrily and then, turned to me. “Yes, there are four quests. If you do them, you are free.” the king said. “And the kidnapped kids?” I asked, looking right into the king’s eyes. He looked into mine, sighed and said: “Oh, all right! But I warn you: if other kids are close to my kingdom, death is prepared!” “All right. What are the quests?” I asked. “Oh, yes! The first quest is to find a sword that belonged to my great-great-great-great Uncle Rodrick. The second one is to bring some frogs from an aquarium. The third one is to catch a vampire. And the fourth one (which is the last one) is to catch two naughty ghosts. If you really want to know, those quests are quite simple for two girls like you. You don’t want to know what I have given to others...” the king said. “Thank you, Your Majesty. Where shall we start?” I asked. “At the back of the palace. There is a BIG garden there. There you have to find the sword and the frogs (there are ten). The vampire and the two ghosts are in the palace dungeon. A guard will take you there, after you finish your first two quests.” the king said.
To tell the truth, the quests were really easy-peasy, simple-pimple! Wanda and I were really courageous... I found the sword
and Wanda caught the frogs (she and Barry have some frogs as pets).
In the dungeon we caught the vampire
and the two ghosts (with some rope and an intelligent mind like mine).
It is a pity though that I couldn’t take the two ghosts with me (they seemed friendly and it wouldn’t hurt some company for Edmund and Sir Horace)...
The king was quite surprised when he saw that you’ve done absolutely everything. “We’re professional catchers and seekers, Your Highness! We have a haunted house and we have wonderful adventures there!” I said. “Quite interesting, indeed! You’ve done an excellent job! I wish I could kill those little brats (the kidnapped kids), but a deal is a deal!” the king said. “Hey, Your Majesty! We’re kids, right? We helped you, right? Maybe the children aren’t so bad, after all. I think you should change your mind when it’s about kids. We are good little brats!” Wanda said and winked to me. The king made two big eyes. I felt that he had realized something quite important... I looked at Wanda. Believe me, she is one “strange” girl... :)
The guards released the kidnapped kids. All my classmates were soooo pleased to see Wanda and I. They clapped and cheered. I felt like, you know, a heroine... Like a good friend... I was very happy!
Ciao! ;)
Chapter six – A Happy Ending
Dear Diary,
What can I say about the king? I think he changed... Who knows what has in his mind... Anyway, the GOOD news is that the kids had returned to their parents! Everyone found out about the kidnapping and so on... But the important thing was that everyone was now safe! Even Miss Dynamite got well (I heard that Edward, Molly and Rosie had done something with her, but I don’t know what... Anyway, they did a good job, that’s for sure!)!
You can’t imagine how happy Aunt Tabby, Uncle Drak, Barry and Brenda were to see us! They heard that we saved the class. They were proud of us! “But how did it happen? Tell us!” Aunt Tabby said. “Oh, Aunt Tabby, I think it’s too difficult to understand the story... Let’s keep it as a secret... Or maybe we should just forget about it! There was no big thing! We were glad to help our class!” I said. Wanda and I looked at each other and smiled.
I hope my classmates will appreciate me (I mean, come on, I saved them!). Anyway, I CAN’T wait to tell Edmund and Sir Horace about the trip and all the adventures we had! We will be back sooner than they expected, so it will be quite surprisingly for them!
Before I say BUH-BYE to all of you, I want you to know one teeny-tiny thing... ARAMINTA SPOOKIE RULES!!! Buh-bye/Ciao! ;)
The End
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