Read Online Charlie Bone and The Blue Boa (Children Of The Red King, Book 3) by Jenny Nimmo - Free Book Online
Authors: Jenny Nimmo
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bit it off," Billy observed.
"No, no, no! Tail still there," whined Blessed. "Squashed. Squeezed. Hurt."
"Honestly it's not there," said Billy
"Liar!" cried Blessed. "Tell Cook."
Billy didn't like the sound of this blue snake. He decided to give Mr. Ezekiel a pass. He would go and look for Cook instead.
Billy would never forget his eighth birthday He didn't get a card or a present. He didn't even reach Cook in her kitchen. Something happened on his way there. He was walking across the landing above the entrance hall when the new girl, Belle, appeared. She came from the small door that led to the music tower. Almost at the same time, Mr. Boldova walked out of the green coatroom at the other end of the hall.
The girl and the art teacher stared at each other for some time. All at once, Belle said, "Good evening, Samuel Sparks."
The art teacher said, “And you are . . .?"
"No prizes for guessing who I am," cackled Belle. Her voice was old and deep.
"Yolanda," the teacher whispered as if he was afraid of the name.
"Yesssss!" The girl flung out her arms, and as she did this a veil of gray like thin smoke, began to swirl around her body "Now you see me, now you don't," she snickered.
"I can see you, unfortunately" muttered the art teacher.
"Sad Samuel. You've come to find your little brother, haven't you? Well, you never will." Belle was changing shape. White hairs drizzled into the blonde curls, her pretty features stretched and sagged, and she was growing taller and taller. Now she was an ancient woman with yellow skin that hung in folds beneath her chin and a huge crag of a nose.
Billy didn't want to go on watching, but he couldn't help himself. He sank to his knees and peered between the oak railings.
Mr. Boldova approached the hag. He pulled something out of his pocket and opened his fist. A cluster of small stones lay in his palm; gradually they began to glow, and then fierce red sparks flew out of the teacher's hand.
Billy gasped, his spectacles slid off his nose, and he only just managed to catch them. The people below were too intent on each other to notice him.
"Those won't help you, Mr. Sparks," sneered Yolanda. "Ollie was a wicked boy; he had to be punished. And now I've got to punish you."
"We'll see about that!" Mr. Boldova raised his fist and flung the burning stones at the old woman. She screamed as her hair and bits of gray clothing began to smolder, and then, in a deep, chilling voice, she said, "You've done it now!"
She stared at the teacher. Stared and stared. He took a step toward her and faltered. He took another and stopped. His face was white and his eyes looked frightened and faraway Desperately he felt in his pocket, searching for more sparkling stones, but he couldn't withdraw his hand. He couldn't move. He seemed almost to have stopped breathing.
"That'll teach you," said Yolanda. She patted her hair and the scorch marks on her dress, and then she turned on her heel and disappeared through the door to the music tower, leaving Mr. Boldova as still and silent as a statue.
Suddenly with a loud squeak, a black rat jumped out of Mr. Boldova's pocket and ran across the hall. He began to leap up the stairs, and when he got to the top he came racing up to Billy
"Help!" squeaked the rat. "Help! Help!" He gazed up at Billy imploringly "Help Rembrandt," he wailed. "Help master."
"I'll try," said Billy He picked up the rat and walked slowly along the landing. The art master hadn't moved. Billy descended the wide staircase. The burning stones lay scattered across the hall and Billy had to step between them. The stones were losing their color now; some were already ash-gray like dead coals.
Mr. Boldova didn't appear to see Billy The white-haired boy moved closer and said, "Sir, your rat." He held Rembrandt out to him.
"What?" Mr. Boldova stared at Rembrandt. "What's that?"
"Your rat, sir," said Billy
"I haven't got a rat."
Rembrandt gave a squeak of distress.
"Honestly it is yours, sir. It's
"No, no, no! Tail still there," whined Blessed. "Squashed. Squeezed. Hurt."
"Honestly it's not there," said Billy
"Liar!" cried Blessed. "Tell Cook."
Billy didn't like the sound of this blue snake. He decided to give Mr. Ezekiel a pass. He would go and look for Cook instead.
Billy would never forget his eighth birthday He didn't get a card or a present. He didn't even reach Cook in her kitchen. Something happened on his way there. He was walking across the landing above the entrance hall when the new girl, Belle, appeared. She came from the small door that led to the music tower. Almost at the same time, Mr. Boldova walked out of the green coatroom at the other end of the hall.
The girl and the art teacher stared at each other for some time. All at once, Belle said, "Good evening, Samuel Sparks."
The art teacher said, “And you are . . .?"
"No prizes for guessing who I am," cackled Belle. Her voice was old and deep.
"Yolanda," the teacher whispered as if he was afraid of the name.
"Yesssss!" The girl flung out her arms, and as she did this a veil of gray like thin smoke, began to swirl around her body "Now you see me, now you don't," she snickered.
"I can see you, unfortunately" muttered the art teacher.
"Sad Samuel. You've come to find your little brother, haven't you? Well, you never will." Belle was changing shape. White hairs drizzled into the blonde curls, her pretty features stretched and sagged, and she was growing taller and taller. Now she was an ancient woman with yellow skin that hung in folds beneath her chin and a huge crag of a nose.
Billy didn't want to go on watching, but he couldn't help himself. He sank to his knees and peered between the oak railings.
Mr. Boldova approached the hag. He pulled something out of his pocket and opened his fist. A cluster of small stones lay in his palm; gradually they began to glow, and then fierce red sparks flew out of the teacher's hand.
Billy gasped, his spectacles slid off his nose, and he only just managed to catch them. The people below were too intent on each other to notice him.
"Those won't help you, Mr. Sparks," sneered Yolanda. "Ollie was a wicked boy; he had to be punished. And now I've got to punish you."
"We'll see about that!" Mr. Boldova raised his fist and flung the burning stones at the old woman. She screamed as her hair and bits of gray clothing began to smolder, and then, in a deep, chilling voice, she said, "You've done it now!"
She stared at the teacher. Stared and stared. He took a step toward her and faltered. He took another and stopped. His face was white and his eyes looked frightened and faraway Desperately he felt in his pocket, searching for more sparkling stones, but he couldn't withdraw his hand. He couldn't move. He seemed almost to have stopped breathing.
"That'll teach you," said Yolanda. She patted her hair and the scorch marks on her dress, and then she turned on her heel and disappeared through the door to the music tower, leaving Mr. Boldova as still and silent as a statue.
Suddenly with a loud squeak, a black rat jumped out of Mr. Boldova's pocket and ran across the hall. He began to leap up the stairs, and when he got to the top he came racing up to Billy
"Help!" squeaked the rat. "Help! Help!" He gazed up at Billy imploringly "Help Rembrandt," he wailed. "Help master."
"I'll try," said Billy He picked up the rat and walked slowly along the landing. The art master hadn't moved. Billy descended the wide staircase. The burning stones lay scattered across the hall and Billy had to step between them. The stones were losing their color now; some were already ash-gray like dead coals.
Mr. Boldova didn't appear to see Billy The white-haired boy moved closer and said, "Sir, your rat." He held Rembrandt out to him.
"What?" Mr. Boldova stared at Rembrandt. "What's that?"
"Your rat, sir," said Billy
"I haven't got a rat."
Rembrandt gave a squeak of distress.
"Honestly it is yours, sir. It's
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