Читать книгу Amelia Fang and the Bookworm Gang – World Book Day 2020 - Laura Ellen Anderson, Laura Ellen Anderson - Страница 8

CHAPTER 1

BRAINWASHED FLAMINGO FROGS

It was a dark and gloomy Friday night in Nocturnia. Young vampire Amelia Fang was engrossed in her favourite Nocturnian tale, The Pumpkin Whisperer. It was reading hour at Catacomb Academy and everyone was enjoying their favourite books.

‘I love this book,’ sighed Amelia, stroking a picture of a glowing white pumpkin. ‘I wish I had magic like the Pumpkin Whisperer. I’d be able to heal poorly pumpkins with the touch of my hand.’

‘THAT WOULD BE PRETTY COOL,’ said her friend, Florence Spudwick, a large and very rare breed of yeti. ‘YOU’D BE LIKE A SUPERHERO, JUST LIKE TOADSTAR!’ Florence waved her comic book around and prodded at a page with a picture of a caped toad wearing a mask. ‘IN THE “BATTLE OF THE POND BEYOND” ISSUE, TOADSTAR DEFEATS A WHOLE ARMY OF BRAINWASHED FLAMINGO-FROGS!’

‘Those comics scare me!’ squeaked Grimaldi, Amelia’s little grim reaper friend, as he floated around, scythe in hand.

‘I don’t think they’re scary!’ said Prince Tangine La Floofle the First, flicking his glittery hair. ‘Although I don’t understand why more books aren’t about me ! I AM half vampire-half fairy, and the most fabulous of them ALL.’

‘CAREFUL, I FINK YOUR BIG ’EAD IS GONNA ROLL OFF IN A MINUTE!’ said Florence as the others giggled.

The sound of the Catacomb Academy bones rattled through the classroom, marking the end of the school night.

‘FINALLY, IT’S THE WEEKEND. ZOMBIE TAG TIME!’ bellowed Florence, slamming her comic book shut. ‘HURRAH!’

‘CLASS!’ called Miss InSpine, the skeleton headteacher. ‘Before you go chasing zombies around the graveyard, I have some homework for you.’

‘Ugh!’ Tangine threw himself across the desk dramatically.

A dreary groan resounded across the room. Even the walls groaned.

‘This homework will count towards your Hallows Eve exam at the end of the school year,’ Miss InSpine continued. ‘I want you all to write your own stories . . . and then share them with everyone in Abominable Assembly on Monday night.’

As the bizarre bunch of creatures left the classroom, Miss InSpine tapped Amelia on the shoulder and smiled. ‘I can’t wait to hear what you come up with, Miss Fang!’

Amelia grinned and embraced her copy of The Pumpkin Whisperer. Amelia loved writing stories just as much as she loved PUMPKINS!

Outside in the Catacomb Academy graveyard, Squashy pa-doinged over to Amelia happily, waggling his stalk from side to side.

‘Hello, you!’ Amelia said, as the little pumpkin jumped into her arms.

Florence waved her Toadstar comic around excitedly in her large hairy paw. ‘I’M TOTALLY GONNA MAKE UP MY OWN SUPERHERO STORY! WHAT ARE YOU GUYS FINKIN’ OF WRITING ABOUT?’

‘I don’t know for sure yet,’ said Tangine in deep thought. ‘But I do know that it WON’T end happily. A tragic story with a hint of LOVE.’

‘Not sure about tragedy, but the “love” bit sounds nice,’ said Grimaldi. ‘I might write a nice story about sugarplums or something . . . How about you, Amelia? I bet you’ve got LOADS of good ideas!’

Amelia tapped her chin and pondered for a moment. ‘I’m not sure yet,’ she said. ‘But I do love writing stories, so I’m sure I’ll come up with something.’

Amelia skipped to the Fang Mansion with Squashy bouncing behind her all the way. She was very excited to get back to her room and start writing.

Later that night, the grandfather clock BONGED time and time again as the hours passed by. The moon began to set, but Amelia still had NO idea what story to write . . .