This story was written unaided by my 8 year old
GHOSTS IN HUNTING
By Lottie
I went to an ordinary school in Shortlands. My sister, Sophia went to a school in Chislehurst. This is what she told me everyday in the car. “Ella, I want to be at your school so I won’t have to get in the car every single school day. Anyway mummy wanted me to go to your school because mine is ranked number three whereas yours is one and the windows are polished and the doors aren’t rotting wood,” Sophia moaned. She was speaking the truth. My school, Jacksy junior school was in a lovely condition. The windows always reflected the sunshine and the doors were beautiful light wooden ones.
However, my sister’s school, Rink primary school was dreadful. My school smelled of fresh Mr Kipling buns and sometimes soap, but my sister’s school smelled of the bacteria covered taps. Her windows had lots of bird poo on them and her school doors were dark wood with a tiny piece of plastic stuck to them. The dark wood used to be nice clean wood but then the cleaner died and they never found another one. The dark wood wasn’t nice. It was rotting.
My sister and I and my mum, Jenny, knew why the cleaner had died. The cleaner was called Monique and was twenty-two when she died. The school had only had her for two months. Monique had died when she had just hatched out a baby girl. Monique’s blood had gone in a fizzy when the baby popped out. Monique hadn’t even decided about the baby’s name yet. Monique was very friendly. She was a black haired woman who spoke with a Spanish accent and wore navy trousers and a plain white apron with a special red sweater and little lacy trainers.
The baby wasn’t dead yet though. But Sophia had seen the baby and it looked in a dying condition. The baby’s name had been decided. Her name was Miranda Piklins. Sophia absolutely loved babies, especially little tiny ones that cry all the time. I don’t usually think that little babies are that interesting and I never really like the way they start crying and make a loud noise. I knew that Miranda had an illness. I could tell from the way Sophia acted strangely when she came home. This Saturday, I felt it was time for Sophia to reveal the illness. She didn’t reply. I tried asking the next day. “Sophia! Come out of your room. I know you want to look special for your drama show of princess and the frog but do tell me what’s wrong with Miranda?” I asked her. “SHUT YOUR CAKEHOLE! I will not tell you what’s wrong with her. You’re just being rude and wanting to laugh at cute Miranda!” Sophia shouted back. “I’m telling mother that you said ‘cakehole’!” I said through the keyhole.
I didn’t actually tell mum. I knew Sophia would stop putting her glittery red lipstick on and start hopping round the room with tears swelling in her eyes. I knew she didn’t like being told off because once Felicity Daniels at Sophia’s school told on Sophia for eating smarties in the classroom. This incident happened when it was Sophia’s second day in year one. Sophia was nearly in year three now. I was nearly in year seven. Felicity used to be Sophia’s second best friend. Sophia is not good at making friends again. They’ve not been friends for about a year. Felicity was now friends with two girls, Molly and Launa. Sophia was best friends with a girl called Angie. Felicity’s stupid gang played shopping games and even brought as much makeup as they could to school. Angie and Sophia played games like combing each other’s hair and running tiny races. Felicity’s hair is so hard to comb. It’s long, curly and a gingery brown. Molly’s was just shoulder length, blonde, straight hair. Launa’s was black and was usually in little separated plaits. Angie had hair that was most interesting. Red spiky hair usually put into a sideways ponytail with a black elastic band. Sophia had short mousy kind of hair. Mine was the same. My best friend was called Harmonica. I was always worried about Harmonica. Dora in David Copperfield dies because she’s so delicate and it’s as if she’d faded away. I always thought that someday Harmonica would fade away too. Last week Harmonica wasn’t at school. She was sick and had tonsillitis for the whole week but she’s recovered now. I thought that Harmonica had started fading away on Monday and actually vanished on Friday. Lucky I saw her walking down the street today.
Wait a sec. I was trying to find out about Miranda wasn’t I? I’ll ask tomorrow. Damn! I forgot. Angie’s coming round tomorrow. I can’t make my little sister sad when her best friend’s here. Okay. I don’t have to get to squeaky now do I? Angie will be coming the day after too. But today is just a bonus. Angie will only be here for ten minutes anyway. Tomorrow will be worse. Angie will be here for an actual sleepover. God I NEED, NEED, NEED the answer to my poorly Miranda question. I am such an idiot. I know I shouldn’t say swear words. Mum once caught me with Felicity and I was calling her a Sly Smokey botty belly. Oh, flip its home time. Need to get miffy the rabbit bag. I forgot I need to grab a sweetie from Alexia’s birthday sweetie’s bag. I didn’t care what lollipop and drink I got. I had a coke flavoured lollipop and a bottle of coke. Angie was already waiting for her mummy. I found Sophia easily but she backed away from me. “I KNOW YOU’RE GOING TO ASK ME! QUIT ASKING YOU’RE NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, GOING TO FIND OUT! SO SHUT UP, CLEAR OFF AND EAT YOUR STUPID FOOD IN PEACE! DON’T BLAME ME WHEN YOUR TEETH GO BLACK AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE TEETH ATTACHED HAT THINGIES! Sophia screamed. “Fine. I’ll ask Angie then!” I shouted. I hated my stupid sister Sophia. Every time I asked Sophia something that she knew, she would tell me straight away. I soon saw Angie’s mum running through the gates in hideous athlete clothes. A black t-shirt, black skirt and stupid flat black shoes. Now honestly I need to swap her pumps for my school trainers. I didn’t want to go home with mum.
I always got very naughty with Angie and then mum would say ‘hold my hand’ and then Angie and Sophia would treat me as if I wasn’t eleven but two instead. I ran all the way home. When I was at home, I had time for three slabs of ice cream. One slab of chocolate, one slab of vanilla and one slab of strawberry. I heard the door creaking. I ran upstairs and locked myself in my bedroom. I switched on my music player as loud as it could go. I listened to my favourite song, now I had a friend who said. The front door opened and giggles travelled through it. “ELLA! TURN THE MUSIC DOWN!” mum shouted at the top of her voice. I was in trouble. I drooped down the stairs. I opened the door to the front room, hoping that no one was playing on my DS or the WII. But a terrible sight met my eyes. Angie was frantically taking photos on my own DS of things that she thought were fashionable. I absolutely hate Angie. I saw that my sister was choosing bowling on WII SPORT RESORT. Well I don’t actually mind Sophia playing on the WII. It wasn’t actually my own WII. Sophia and I were given the WII for a Christmas present. But I did mind about my DS. Angie was constantly ruining the battery. I felt like telling Angie that it took a very long time to charge the battery. “ANGIE! Who did you ask to go on that DS?” I asked.
“Oh, it’s Sophia’s and she let’s me play on any of her toys,” Angie replied. “Did you know that that is my own DS? That I spent a long time charging yesterday!” I screamed at Angie. I took my DS up to my room and decided Totty’s composer. Totty is my own, new kitten. Totty’s a Siamese kitten. I heard Angie bursting in to tears. Well I didn’t care. She deserved it. “Look Angie. That actually is Ella’s DS. It took a whole hour to charge it. I’m not cross with you. You didn’t know. Just remember that when you come tomorrow use the WII instead of the DS, Okay?” Sophia explained. Angie nodded. Angie’s mum rushed into the living room. “What’s wrong with my pussy puss kins?” she asked in the most gentle way, that always made me sick. “Mummy, Ella was mean to me!” Angie said, nesting in her mum’s chest. “How about going to play outside in the paddling pool?” asked Angie’s mum asked. Angie nodded and had a go on everything outside. Soon Angie went home and Sophia came into my room. “Never ever invite Angie here again Sophia!” I shouted. “Look I’m sorry. I didn’t know your DS meant so much to you. I’ll give you a sorry present. I’ll tell you what’s wrong with Miranda. Miranda has cancer. I don’t know what kind though, night, night Ella!” Sophia said. I put my zebra pyjamas on and lay on my pink daisy duvet.
Next morning I walked to school. Today it was Sophia’s second day at my school. Unfortunately, Angie had managed to grab a space too. I knew Sophia was workbook monitor for her class.
This is when the shock began.
Mum and I came to collect Sophia from school. We saw everybody else rushing out of the classroom door to their mummies and daddies. All except Sophia. We waited for a whole hour for her to come out of school. “Ella, we can’t just wait here for over two hours. Dad will be worried,” mum said, panicky after an hour and a half. “Mrs Kackteen, when will Sophia be outside?” Angie asked, wanting to start the sleepover activities. “I’m going to ask the teacher where Sophia is, you girls stay outside,” mum said and disappeared into the classroom. Miss Jamilla was marking some work. “Miss Jamilla, I’m a bit concerned about Sophia. Do you have a rough idea of where she is?” mum asked. “I’ll tell you the whole story. Well Sophia was handing out those reading record books. You know those little blue books with a caterpillar on the front. She knew that it was her last day of being workbook monitor with Jack. When she’d finished handing them out she asked me if she could go to the toilet. I said yes and she scuttled off and that’s when she disappeared,” Miss Jamilla said, sorrowfully. Miss Jamilla obviously thought that Sophia was doing well at school.
Angie, mum and I had a thorough look for Sophia. We couldn’t find her anywhere.
“Angie, I am really very sorry but I’m going to have to drive you home and tell your parents about Sophia,” mum said. Angie cried. Sophia had told me about Angie loving sleepovers more than stay overs and going round to houses for a few hours. When we were at Angie’s flat on Hill Street, she gave her mummy a giant cuddle. “Well you obviously thought that Angie was too young for a sleepover. And where’s Sophia?” asked Ms Lay, Angie’s mummy. “You see, Sophia has mysteriously disappeared and we don’t know where she’s got to,” mum explained. I felt guilty. I had a feeling that Sophia had gone to the toilets to sort out anger or to have a little cry.
Ms Lay thought about the mysterious subject and closed the door. Mum walked down the flat’s stone steps and opened the silver Mercedes. Mum drove us home in twenty minutes. I found that the front door was open and I walked inside. I wasn’t at home. I was in an imaginary world filled with woe and dead people. I looked behind me. The door had disappeared and mum was nowhere to be found. Nor was Sophia. Or dad. I looked up at the sky. It told me what a horrible place this was. The shining sun that I had played in earlier wasn’t there. It had been swapped for flashes of lightning and grey rain clouds. I immediately recognised this place. The place that was in Sophia’s dreams and the place that she feared most. Sophia had described this place to me. She said there was a muddy path leading up to a haunted house where the whole thing came alive. I remembered the words Sophia had said. I travelled back in time to two months ago.
TWO MONTHS AGO…
Sophia came into my bedroom, crying. “Sophia, whatever is the matter?” I asked her. “I dreamt a whole new world. A world that is the factory of nightmares and the place where horrible imaginary things such as zombies come alive. The sky is grey and the grass turns brown and there’s a mud path making people walk on it into a haunted house where the whole thing starts. There are vampire paintings on the red walls being a symbol of death and the vampires step out of the walls and creep up on you and then they tap you on the back and then they take you to the dusty attic and then they put you on a tray and put tape on your mouth and put a blindfold on so you can’t see what’s happening. They bite into your neck until you are dry and then they take you to a room with a sign on the bottle green door saying ‘Zombie Department’. They push you in and lock the door and then the zombies take your brain out from your nose and then they guide you downstairs to the ‘Ghost Room’ which is the worst bit of all three apartments and then one of the ghosts takes the dead soul out and into the alive soul and then it controls you and then you pick up a knife from a shelf and kill yourself. Then they push you into a see through suitcase and shut the lid so you’re in a glass coffin and then they give you a funeral and basically they don’t cry but they laugh and pull party poppers and have a disco and have a feast of mouldy food and they bite fungus. Need to go to the bathroom!” Sophia said and coughed at the same time. She held her neck and ran to the bathroom. I heard her being sick.
BACK TO WHERE WE STARTED…
I remembered Sophia’s speech. I can’t walk up to the house. Sophia knows every secret of this world. I thought in my head, trying to convince myself that the house wasn’t a good place to stay. I had a feeling that I should put my hands in the air and think of nice memories. I slowly lifted my hands in the air, scared of what could happen. But as my hands lifted above my head a big stream of light poured out and I fell over and I was in bed with Sophia looking over me.
“Sophia!” I said, reaching out to cuddle her. But my hand went straight through her. There was no skin at all. Just wrinkled and lumpy arms and legs. Her hair was floating past her knees; she looked like a sixteen year old, she was wearing a floaty white dress, a blue crystal necklace and a matching bracelet and ring and her feet were in black lacy shoes which were falling apart. She looked at me. She was looking very worried about me. “Ella, I am very sorry to tell you that a ghost visited the real world in the toilets and killed me. Bur I managed to fight him or her off before they killed me fully. Only my closest person in the entire world can save me,” Sophia said in a fading voice. “Is that going to be Angie?” I asked as tears stung my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. “Angie is not the closest person to me in the entire world. I do not love her more than anybody else. There is one girl whom I love better,” Sophia said as she wiped a tear on her thin, buttoned sleeve. “You love me?” I asked. “Indeed, I don’t know how you can save me. I only know the first step. Click your fingers and return to that awful dream place. Go inside the house with a piece of garlic and a knife. Show the vampires the garlic and stab the chief zombie with the knife. The chief will be wearing a blood red crown. Then say this to the ghosts. GO BACK TO GOD INHEAVEN AND STAY THERE,” Sophia told me. She didn’t say anymore. She faded back to heaven in moments.
I suddenly had a feeling that the whole thing that had happened was a dream. Everything was a dream. Soon it would be dawn and I’d go down to the breakfast table and Sophia and my family would be munching their bacon and eggs. But no, that was the dream. Sophia and the whole death lark had really happened. I thought to myself that I’d better follow Sophia’s instructions right away. I crept down to the kitchen and took a bit of leftover garlic bread. Who cares if you get garlic bread? At least it’s covered in garlic. “Knife, knife, knife, where are the knives?” I murmured. “For god sake, where the heck does mum keep them?” I asked myself. Did mum know that ONE, ONE stupid knife could get us one step closer to saving Sophia? I grabbed my dining chair and stood on it and reached the highest cupboard. “Aha!” I whispered, knowing that if mum woke up and saw me reaching up here she wouldn’t understand that I was saving Sophia’s life. Dad wouldn’t either. He’d understand more than mum though but he’d probably say ‘Stop playing your game babe, knives are dangerous, go back to bed’. I got a sharp knife. I closed the cupboard and put the chair back in place so mum and dad wouldn’t suspect a thing. I got one of my mum’s little bottles and filled it with fresh water. I brought an apple in a plastic bag too. Then I clicked my fingers and was back to the dream world.
I walked up the path and into the crumbling, haunted house. I pushed the door open. It was stiffer than I thought, but eventually it opened with a creek. I always thought that I was never scared. Now I felt extremely scared and freaked out that I wanted mum to be behind me and I could run back to her but then she disappeared in a puff of green smoke. It was just like that. But I was here because of my sister. I couldn’t let her down. I couldn’t let the awful ghosts kill her forever. I had to keep going. I stared at the pictures on the red walls. There were the vampires which my sister had described. They had their mouths open, showing their fangs. Their hairs were midnight black and they were all knotted and tangled. Their hoods had fallen off their heads and they had rotten nails. They had two holes in their necks, EACH! They were all women, very young women. About twenty two. They all wore long, red dresses and midnight black capes. I walked up the stairs, sensing one of the vampires creeping up on me, ready to tap me on the shoulder. I trembled with fright, my teeth chattered and my lips and hands turned a frosty light blue. I felt one of the vampire’s rotten nails tap me on the shoulder. I turned around. There was a vampire with their teeth bared. I screamed. I wanted to show them the garlic. But I had to do that when I was put on the tray. The vampire clenched my night dress and dragged me to the attic. I saw loads and loads of vampires in the attic. Not just women, but men and little boys and girls. I felt courage pacing inside me from head to toe. “Look here guys! You might think I’m useless but I gotta piece of garlic bread!” I shouted. It was the vampires’ turn to tremble in fright. I hadn’t even shown them the garlic and they faded away two seconds after they heard these words.
I walked out of the room and found the zombie room easily. I walked inside. The door locked behind me. “Why ain’t you brought by a vampire?” asked one of the zombies. “Because I killed them all by showing them garlic bread,” I said. I felt even more courage now. The zombies put their hands over their mouths, except the chief. “Well it doesn’t matter if they didn’t bring you, you brought yourself!” the chief snarled. “You won’t be cackling for long!” I yelled. I stabbed the zombie in the heart. He clutched his chest hard. The other zombies did too. They all fell to the floor and blood sprayed out of them and then the dead bodies vanished. I lost some of my courage. It was time to go to the ‘Ghost Room’. Sophia had said it was the worst room of all.
I walked out of the room and went in a whirlwind of green smoke and wind. I ended up in a bathroom type of place, staring at a clean, shiny mirror. I couldn’t see my reflection. I saw a woman’s reflection. Well not woman exactly. A woman like Sophia. Her black hair was floating past her knees; she wore the same dress as Sophia, and black lacy shoes. I wondered why she didn’t have any jewellery on like Sophia had. Before I even had a chance to think up a reason, I heard the sixteen year old looking woman speak. “Who are you?” the woman asked. “Who are you?” I asked. “I’m Daughter,” the woman said. “Daughter, is that your real name?” I asked. I didn’t have an answer. Daughter just smiled. “I’ll have to ask you again, won’t I little girl? Who are you?” Daughter asked. “E-l-la,” I stammered, starting to get a bit freaked out by Daughter. “I think you know who I am. I’m the ghost that had a go at getting rid of your silly, horrible sister Sophia!” Daughter cackled. I tried to talk about it more but she clicked her fingers and sent me back to reality.
I was at the breakfast table. Mum was trying to find the garlic bread to see when it would go off. “Ells, do you know where the garlic bread is?” asked mum. I shrugged my shoulders, knowing that I’d be grounded if I spoke the truth. “Ella, I heard a lot of bumps in the night. And when I came to see you in bed, you weren’t there. Honestly, speak the truth. Is it about Sophs?” mum asked. I burst into tears. Mum didn’t understand how important it was that I had my hands on JUST, just a bit of garlic bread. Why was mum acting like she was flirting with the stupid garlic bread? Oh yeah right. That’s normal. She’s always concerned about bits and bobs no matter if they are rubbish. “Stop being nosy per-lease,” I moaned, just wanting to talk mum out of the garlic bread matter. “Ella, please tell us about the garlic bread. We won’t get cross and by the way, where’s the knife?” asked mum. “No idea. But I do know about the garlic bread,” I blurted out, accidentally. “Tell us!” mum said. “Well, I crept downstairs at midnight and took the garlic bread and then clicked my fingers and-. The rest has to remain secret,” I started. “Tell us more,” mum begged. “Nope, I SAID SECRET. Do you have any idea of what that means? By the way I need to go to Harmonica’s house, need to get dressed!” I remembered. “Ella, why have you got blood on your hand and dress?” asked mum. I didn’t answer. I just ran upstairs, into my bedroom and pulled on a lilac skirt, red t shirt and white trainers. I took my DS too. I had just enough time to sort out my DS before I had to go to Harmonica’s house. I mean Bungalow. Harmonica would yap, yap, and yap at me if I hadn’t deleted Angie’s photos. I deleted every single photo and turned the DS off.
I walked peacefully to Harmonica’s bungalow. I walked up the step and rang the doorbell. The door opened at once. “Hi Ella!” Harmonica greeted me. “I brought my DS,” I said proudly. “Come on in!” Harmonica said. “Do you want to go on the computer? Mum gave me an account on Star doll yesterday! Isn’t it exciting? Let’s go on right away! Afterwards we can go on your DS and then on my password Journal!” Harmonica said in a very squeaky voice indeed. “Er, Harmonica what’s your mum cooking?” I asked. “Oh, just cheese and tomato pizza and hot chocolate and fruit salad,” Harmonica said, desperate to show me Star doll. I let her drag me through a series of rooms and into the study. The study was a public library. Only four people could go in at a time. Harmonica logged us on to her computer, which was password protected, but her mum allowed Harmonica to tell me the password too. It was Acor4536. Harmonica had the biggest house on Star doll. She had five tellies. She had a lot of clothes too. Harmonica’s doll was called Veronica and her doll was wearing a pink summer dress and white high heels. Veronica’s hair was cool too. A short bleached blonde style with a pink streak through the left side starting from the middle. “Harmonica, can we try and look for Sophia today?” I asked. Mum had sent a letter to Harmonica’s mum saying Sophia had gone missing. Harmonica shook her head. I thought she’d do that. Harmonica showed me around Star doll for half an hour and then I asked to show her my DS. “Well, basically you can stroke that kitten using this pen and can you look at me and smile ‘cause I’m going to take a photo of you. Now you take a photo of me,” I said, Harmonica took a photo of me. “Let’s go on my password journal,” Harmonica said. “Oh! It’s out of battery, better do something else,” Harmonica said, disappointed. “Girlies! Could you come to the kitchenette now?” Harmonica’s mum shouted. Harmonica’s family use kitchenette a lot. I think it’s because they’re American. There’s always a twist in Harmonica’s voice. Harmonica led me to the kitchenette. “I’ve made you’ lunch for you girlies,” Mrs Jones said. I stared at the meal. Can’t they give more to me?
After lunch I thought Harmonica would be feeling different, so I asked her if we could search for Sophia. “No, we need to do that dancing we agreed about, remember? We haven’t got time to search for Sophia,” Harmonica said. “FINE! I’m the guest we can do the dancing the next time I come here! Sophia is my sister; you haven’t got a clue of how important she is to me!” I yelled. The one problem about Harmonica is that every time I’m the guest at her bungalow she acts as if she’s the guest, not me. Then she’s the guest at my house and it’s so unfair. “Don’t get all stroppy with me! You wanted to do that dancing so I didn’t make you! GO BACK HOME BABY!” Harmonica screamed. She pushed the front door open and shoved me outside into pouring rain! I clicked my fingers and disappeared back to Sophia’s dream.
I found a bush in the dream world and discovered a door under it. It led to a cave. The door locked and a freezing hand pushed me onto the stone cold floors. I fell backwards and bad memories whirled inside my brain. My head hit the floor and I became unconscious. I couldn’t feel anything. I was asleep lying on the floor and witches crept over me. Wait a minute, only ghosts can get through walls can’t they? I couldn’t think properly. Best not to think about anything. I should just lie there, until help came. I was waiting for an hour and no help had come. But suddenly I heard the door unlock and people came through it. I felt scared. I tried opening my eyes. They didn’t open. Damn! Someone must have tried super gluing them together. I heard the soft padding of shoes. It might be Sophia or it might be Daughter. “Diana, help me carry her,” said a voice. It sounded like Sophia’s voice. Good! Sophia had brought a friend and they were trying to rescue me. My eyes opened. I blinked. They weren’t super glued together. It was Sophia. Except she was with another girl. A blonde haired girl. But this time she had the jewellery. I guessed that this was the Diana I had heard Sophia talking about. “Ella, we are going to get you out of the cave and take you to reality and mend your head in a hospital with Diana’s medicine. It doesn’t taste bitter. It tastes like apple juice. Ella, you must be wondering why some ghosts don’t wear jewellery. The reason is that every ghost who wears jewellery is a good ghost. Every ghost like Daughter who doesn’t wear jewellery is a bad one. But there are men ghosts. They don’t wear jewellery. But look at their wrists, if there’s a big blue polka-dot there that means they are good. Okay!” Sophia said. We all walked out of the cave but Sophia mysteriously was pulled back in. “Ella, I’m going to give you the medicine now,” Diana said. I opened my mouth wide and let Diana let a drop of medicine swim down my throat. My head felt better.
I clicked my fingers. I was lying on the living room sofa. I heard mum was chopping Spring Onions in the kitchen. I heard dad clicking the mouse in the study. I walked up to my bedroom. Dad heard me and opened the study door. “Hey! Don’t tell me you’ve had a break up with Harmonica!” Dad said. I ignored him. I tripped into the bedroom and hurt my knee. I realised I’d stepped on a life watch. Life watches tell you how long you have to save someone. I looked at the watch. Good God! Is that the time? Three days! Three days! I had to return to the dream world. I clicked my fingers. I wasn’t in the dream world. I was in the toilet! THE SCENE OF THE CRIME! I looked inside the cubicles. I didn’t find anything particularly interesting. But when I looked at the piece of wall above the dryer I saw a note blue tacked to the wall. It said: You need to go to the dream world by nodding your head. Once you are there, you will find a spade parked outside the haunted house. Then dig a hole under the path and you will find a cardboard box. Look inside it and there will be a pet dog who can tell you every single step into saving your sister. Blood Signal Sixty Seconds Till I’m fully dead. Blood Signal Sixty Seconds Till I’m fully dead. Blood Signal Sixty Seconds Till I’m fully Dead. Blood-
DVK
I stared at the note. Who had written it to me? Was it Daughter trying to trick me? Or it could be Diana. I wished that Diana was called Kate so I could tell them apart when they only used their initials. I nodded my head; I was back to the dream world. I did indeed find a spade parked outside the house. I took it and started digging a hole in the path. I made a small hole so I could easily fix it up again. Yey! Diana had written the note to me. Wait! Diana is fully dead. Right? Now I’ll know when Daughter writes notes to me. Because when you are fully dead you can’t do anything. I found a cardboard box and opened the brown tape. A Dalmatian puppy leapt out at me and barked right in my face. I found that I had to climb further down the hole, clutching the puppy. I held on to him and slid down the hole. I saw a vertical tube leading upwards and I climbed up it with the puppy following me.
I was led into a very pretty room with pink roses, green ivy, a red sofa and a white table with a pink flowery embroidered table cloth over it. And on that table was a delicious looking cake. Like a wedding cake. For a moment I thought I’d climbed back to the flat mum and dad lived in when they went on their honeymoon, way back before they had me and Sophia. But I was not in my mum and dad’s flat. I saw a woman in hologram form on the sofa. She wore a pink dress with magenta rose embroidery and white, satin ankle boots. I thought she was trying to help me. But a shock awaited me. I realised it was Daughter in disguise; Daughter had tricked Diana by dressing up as Sophia and telling her about the dog and the room. Anyway, I could now tell when Daughter wrote to me. That was one of the good sides about Diana’s full death and the trap. The lights flickered, they flickered again and all of a sudden they switched themselves off. Then Daughter switched a little pocket torch on and shone it right in my eyes. “Well, well, well. Look what we have here. Wasn’t it fun pet, when we tricked Diana and then she very sadly and unexpectedly died? But now that girl over there will think about the good sides of misunderstood death. BUT! You don’t really want to be with Ella? Do you lovey?” Daughter asked the puppy. Oh why oh why did I go to the dream world? Daughter really had tricked Diana. Just by putting her own pet dog in the germy soil and then left me with no companion at all. I found that there was a little lump under the tablecloth. I lifted it out and gasped at what it was, SOPHIA’S LIGHT UP TIME LIGHT! How did the light get here? I tried turning it on. Blast, the batteries are dead. “Well you won’t be getting away with Sophia’s light when it’s not working will you?” Daughter asked, sarcastically. She was wearing a rose ring on her finger. The actual ring was the same shade of green as the ivy was but the rose decoration was dark pink. A bright light whizzed out of the rose decoration and attacked me and made me unconscious yet again. I fell on to the floor and heard Daughter cackling as she disappeared. Who in the world was going to get me? I opened my eyes. Lucky no one had super glued them together. I actually stood up and walked down the muddy tunnel.
I arrived back at home for some weird reason. Mum was knitting herself some mittens seeing as it was autumn and nearly winter. Dad was taking my swing down so it wouldn’t get leaves, ice and snow on it. If there was any snow or ice. But there would definitely be leaves. Dad grew all sorts of trees in the garden. Mum heard my sneakers pad inside. “Where on earth have you been young lady? Look at all this mud on your shoes. What do you have to say for yourself, I’m astounded! Although you’re in year six and nearly year seven you always have to let me know where you are! You’ve missed dinner! It was your favourite dinner. A barbecue. Special cooked sausages and mashed potatoes. All you’ve got now are coleslaw sandwiches!” Mum said. Who cares if I miss dinner? Well Mum was correct about it being my favourite dinner but just now it was important that I found Sophia. “MUM! Don’t you understand that I was trying to look for Sophia?” I asked, shaking her by the shoulders. I disappeared and went to Harmonica’s bungalow, hoping that she’d let me inside and have any suggestions for the crime of my disappearing sister. “Mum, I’m off to Harmonica’s house!” I shouted. “You, Missis are not going out in the evening, you are going tomorrow at daytime!” Mum said. “But Mum, I told you where I’m going. You said I’d be allowed if I did!” I insisted. “Oh very well,” Mum said, but she wasn’t really happy about it. I skipped out of the house, leaving the door ajar.
I opened the door of Harmonica’s bungalow and saw that Harmonica was enjoying a dinner of mashed potato with melted cheese on top; she had a bowl of fruit mixtures too. “Harmonica, Harmonica? What the, let me check your ears to see if you’re not deaf,” I said. “SHUT IT! Anyway you can’t just burst into the bungalow like that, it’s well rude,” Harmonica said. “Look here, per-lease can we search for Sophia?” I asked, already suspicious about what the answer was going to be. “No way, me and my mum are going to watch CBBC on the telly,” said Harmonica. “Harmonica, do you ever read the TV times? CBBC is not on until seven am,” I told her. “CITV then,” Harmonica said. “Not on,” I said. “Well we’ll just have to watch Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief,” Harmonica said. “You are literally the worst hostess I could possibly imagine, you go to Brownies don’t you? If you do, I bet you won’t get that hostess badge,” I said, laughing. “I have actually got that badge and anyway I’m the Kelpie Sixer, ha. I bet you are the baby in your Brownie six and unit,” Harmonica said, coolly. “Oh my days Harmonica, I’m a Girl Guide and though I’m a young one I’ve got a billion badges, including the trefoil,” I showed off. “You know that film ‘prove it’ on the telly, you have to prove that you’re a Guide,” Harmonica grinned. “Easy peasy lemon squeezy, but first you have to show me your hostess badge and your sixer badge,” I said, it was my turn to grin now. “Can you do me a favour by walking into my bedroom?” asked Harmonica. “Yep,” I said. Harmonica opened her posh white wardrobe that she always showed off to me and she showed me her piggy banks of money. Just to say that Harmonica is richer than I am. Very much richer than I am. She pulled out her Brownie Sash and although it was covered in badges, I scanned the hostess and sixer badge down but I didn’t see the hostess badge but I did see the sixer badge. “You need to be called Mya Liar,” I said. “Now you need to show me your Guide uniform. “No way, watch your stupid Percy Lightning film; I’m going to the corner shop to buy Coca Cola and a packet of Monster Munch, ha!” I said. “I’m coming too, I’m getting Blackcurrant Ribena and a tin of Pringles,” Harmonica said. We raced to the corner shop and bought our goodies.
I sneaked up into my bedroom and took out my secret stash of Jammie Dodgers, lively lemon flavour. The next day I regretted having Coca Cola, Monster Munch, the Jammie Dodger, Red wine and a Kit Kat. I was sick and couldn’t eat my mum’s homemade cornflakes and drink the milk from the local farm in town. “You’d better be off school,” said mum. I nodded my head and there it was, the absolutely horrible dream world. “Ella! Daughter and her team are getting ready to battle you. The way to win the battle is to talk to them and love them. Not actually show you love them but love them right inside your heart,” said Sophia, she was turning a bit more human. The other team came out of the haunted house and prepared to talk to me. “You’re stupid aren’t you? You just keep trying. You all know that good triumphs over evil so why not give up? I AM GOING TO WIN! Daughter, listen to me. I know the secret that kills you. There never was a woman called Daughter. Tell me your story,” I said. “I was a real girl. I lived in a horrible rich family where they didn’t love me and respect me. They always said ‘Naughty, Naughty’ to me and then I found a knife, stabbed myself all because of my family,” Daughter explained. “What was your real name, surely you weren’t called Daughter?” I asked. “No, I was called Delia Hammond and I will restore Sophia for you,” she said. Daughter chanted a spell. “I killed the wrong one, restore them and give peace to the land,” she chanted.
I was back to reality, it was Tuesday, and Sophia and I were dressed in our cardigans, white blouses, and our skirts. Sophia was munching some toast with Peanut Butter on it.
WE WERE TOGETHER AGAIN!
