Alice Parker's Metamorphosis (Book 1 of the new adventure series for children) (10 page)

Alice breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Thanks,’ she sighed, sounding exhausted.

‘
Any time,’ said Sarah as she jumped down. ‘But you’ve got to learn to control your temper. Lucinda deserved whatever you were going to do – I’d love to see her get a good slap! But you need to remember these wings.’

‘
I know,’ said Alice quietly. ‘You’re right. But it makes me mad when she’s so nasty! She shouldn’t get away with it.’ Nor should her father – though she thought it best not to tell Sarah about Brian Rowbottom until tomorrow. Even she might lose her cool when she heard about the kidnapping.

‘
Do you want to swap shirts?’ asked Sarah. ‘Your mum will be suspicious if you lose another one this week. I can tell mine I caught my back on something.’

‘
Oh, yes please,’ replied Alice gratefully. ‘That
would
save some explaining, thanks.’

Eventually, they both emerged from the toilets and Alice opened the door to thank Sebastian for keeping watch.

‘
Everything alright now?’ he asked. Alice nodded, though wondering how she would get through the rest of the day. Sebastian smiled and rushed off.

‘
Sorry about that Sarah. Are you still OK for tomorrow, I haven’t put you off coming to the village, have I?’ asked Alice.

‘
Of course you haven’t. Nothing will surprise me any more where you’re concerned. I think I’m lucky, there can’t be many people who have a friend with wings.’

‘
Don’t you believe it,’ said Alice. ‘Just wait and see.’

Chapter 8

Another Transformation

Alice felt quite peeved that Sarah took to the tree lift immediately. Thomas was with them – it had been useful to tell their parents that he would walk into town with them. As a rule, he slept for most of the day on Saturdays, but used the excuse of Christmas shopping to leave the house with the girls this morning. A far cry from Alice’s initial mistrust of the lift, when she held on until her knuckles were white, Sarah was thoroughly enjoying herself, as if on a ride at the fair.

‘
I can hardly believe this!’ she declared, smiling, her eyes darting everywhere as they travelled below ground.

‘
Stop it,’ said Alice, annoyed. ‘You look an idiot, grinning like that. You’re supposed to act like a mature, responsible friend when we get there.’

‘
Alright, alright. I’m new to this. You have to admit though, it is brilliant, a lift inside a tree. Give me that.’

‘
Oh, I suppose so,’ replied Alice, wishing she could be as laid-back as her friend. Perhaps Imogen and Fay were right to think that Sarah was a positive influence. She certainly had been a good friend lately, there was no denying that.

At first Sarah hadn’t believed Alice when she told her about Theo being kidnapped by Lucinda’s father.

‘
NO WAY!’ she screeched. ‘No wonder you went for her yesterday! I’ll never be able to look at her in the same way again.’

They stepped out into the corridor and Alice sent the lift back up for her brother, who was waiting. There wasn’t room for three people in there.

Sarah looked around, studying everything in detail. ‘Incredible,’ she declared. ‘All this down here and we’ve been walking over it every day without knowing.’

‘
I know what you mean,’ agreed Alice, beginning to feel quite proud to be part of it.

The lift arrived and Thomas stepped out.

‘
Greetings, earthlings!’ he said in his very best alien voice, waving his arms in a welcoming gesture. ‘Let me take you to our leader!’ Alice rolled her eyes and shook her head at his daft behaviour. He pushed in front of them and led them to the door of the library.

‘
I’ll leave you to it,’ he said. ‘You don’t need me this morning. I’m going to let my wings out and see what’s to eat. Good luck.’

‘
Wait! How do you make your wings come out?’ asked Alice. ‘When you want them to, I mean.’

‘
Rather than in the loo at school?’ joked Thomas. ‘Imogen will show you a quick and easy way for now. The other method takes a while to master.’ He disappeared into the changing rooms.

Alice took a deep breath and knocked on the library door. Imogen called them in. She stood up to greet them and held out her hand to Sarah.

‘
Very glad to meet you,’ she said. ‘I’ve heard a lot about you.’

Sarah shook hands. She couldn’t take her eyes off Imogen’s exquisite robes and fantastic lilac-streaked hair.

‘
Why haven’t you got your wings out today, Imogen?’ asked Alice, disappointed that her friend couldn’t see them.

‘
We shall be going outside shortly,’ she explained. ‘We can let our wings out afterwards.’

They sat down opposite Imogen on a large, brown leather sofa. This room was new to Alice too and they both looked around in awe. The ceiling had wooden beams, possibly just for decoration, and the wooden floor was adorned with three vast patterned rugs. Around each rug were three sofas and four small tables, upon which tall glass lanterns with real flames were positioned to light the room. Everything was arranged symmetrically, which Alice liked. On the two longer sides were bookcases from floor to ceiling and at the end of the room where they were sitting, a wonderful open fire. Botanical drawings adorned the walls and were also embroidered on the cushions.

‘
As you have gathered, Alice, you have a very important role here,’ began Imogen.

‘
Is this to do with finding Theo?’ Alice interrupted. She didn’t want Imogen to beat around the bush.

‘
Yes...I suppose your grandad guessed? John’s very sharp, he doesn’t miss a trick!’

Alice nodded.

‘
In Finwip communities we look after each other. The safety of every one of us has a direct impact on all of us. For example, if the police were involved, questions would be asked and secrets discovered.’

‘
Surely that’s a good thing?’ asked Sarah, puzzled.

‘
Not if you’re a Finwip. They would want to know why he was kidnapped, why he has a special ability and then tests may be carried out. They might discover his wings and then our communities. Our peaceful Finwip society would be finished, we would be treated as mutants.’

Alice was stunned, that hadn’t crossed her mind. ‘I still don’t see why you can’t ask someone else, who’s not a Finwip,’ she protested.

Imogen frowned. ‘If an outsider were caught trespassing, they would be ‘dealt with’, shall we say, by Brian’s heavies. If that person went to hospital and the police asked questions, would they hold their tongue? No, because they’ve nothing to lose. They would tell them we sent them and the secret would be out. The only alternatives are your grandma, who couldn’t get an invitation, and Daniel, who won’t risk his job at the castle. We also considered another member of Theo’s family, but his daughter won’t allow it. You can understand her fear.’

Alice nodded. ‘What if
I
get caught?’ asked Alice, horrified. ‘Will I be ‘dealt with’ in the same way?’

‘
I think even Brian would draw the line there,’ replied Imogen.

‘
And if Theo isn’t rescued?’

‘
Brian is making too much money too quickly - greed is clouding his judgement. People have noticed how many businesses and properties he has bought recently. They are already asking questions.’

‘
What do I have to do?’ Alice asked miserably.

‘
Well, the first step, as I said before, is to become friends with Lucinda Rowbottom.’

Alice’s face fell. ‘That’s not going well,’ she admitted.

‘
I’d say that’s an understatement,’ added Sarah.

‘
Well, one way or another, you need to be invited to the Rowbottoms’ Christmas party at the castle. You haven’t got long - it’s taking place on Saturday evening and you finish school on Wednesday. That gives you three days to work on her.’

‘
Oh, blimey...I just don’t see how. She’s rich, fashionable, horsey...I don’t even know how to ride!’

‘
That won’t be an issue,’ Imogen assured her. ‘I think we’ve got something that Lucinda won’t be able to resist.’ She stood up and fetched a camera from the drawer of a very grand, ornate wooden dresser at the far end of the room. ‘Follow me,’ she said with a smile.

She led them to the stables, which they were dismayed to find empty, apart from a stable hand who looked suspiciously like a pixie.

‘
The animals only come down here at night, for safety,’ he explained when he saw their disillusioned faces.

Oddly, there was natural light in here coming through small shafts in the ceiling. Imogen opened some double doors which Alice had assumed housed a store cupboard. She stepped inside a pleasantly spacious lift and beckoned them in. It was big enough for a horse.

‘
I much prefer this to the tree lift,’ said Alice in approval. The exit was not as pleasing, however. They stepped out into a dingy timber stable building in the corner of a field and could see the horses outside wearing their winter blankets. Imogen went to the door then turned to the girls.

‘
Please stay calm. These creatures are very sensitive to emotions and don’t like any upset.’ She cupped her hands around her mouth and gave an unusual, low-pitched whistle. One of the horses, wearing a fancy headdress with a plume, trotted over obligingly. The other two looked over, but went back to grazing. Imogen led her into the stable then removed her blanket to show off her pure white coat. It was the smoothest, whitest hair imaginable. Where the winter sun touched it through the open door, it sparkled. She was the most stunning horse the girls had ever seen.

‘
This is Guinevere,’ Imogen announced. ‘You can stroke her gently, if you like.’

They certainly did like. Her coat was softer than velvet.

‘
Why the plume?’ asked Alice. ‘Has she been in a show?’

‘
Good gracious, no!’ replied Imogen, laughing. ‘She’d hate that. She has to wear it when she’s above ground, unfortunately. Remember what I said, no shrieking please, this may come as rather a shock.’

Turning her back to the girls, she unfastened Guinevere’s headdress, removed it carefully and stepped aside. Sarah stumbled backwards and managed to grasp a trough to prevent herself from falling over. Her eyes were wide and bulging. Alice gasped but then couldn’t stop smiling.

‘
She’s a unicorn!’ she whispered.

‘
Indeed she is,’ said Imogen. ‘But no one else needs to know that, do they?’ She stroked Guinevere’s nose and replaced her headdress before getting the girls to stand next to her for a photograph. ‘Smile!’ she said needlessly, ‘This one’s to show Lucinda! Even with her horn covered, she will be the most beautiful creature she has encountered. You can tell her she belongs to you, Alice, but is in a secret location due to her value. That’s not untrue, she belongs to all of us and she is priceless.’

‘
What if Lucinda wants to see her?’

‘
That’s the whole idea. She’ll be so desperate to see her, she’ll do anything to be your friend, I’m sure. You’ll just have to keep her waiting.’

‘
I see,’ said Alice slowly, not exactly thrilled at the prospect of deceiving two members of the Rowbottom family.

‘
Brilliant!’ enthused Sarah.

‘
I’ll leave it to you to explain how you came to own her,’ Imogen added. ‘Back down to the village, then.’

The pixie-looking stable hand was replacing Guinevere’s blanket as they waved goodbye from the lift.

‘
So, what’s next on the agenda?’ asked Alice as the doors closed.

‘
Whatever it is, it won’t top that!’ said Sarah, ecstatic about meeting a unicorn.

‘
You will have your robe fitted, Alice, while I print that picture,’ replied Imogen. She led them back through the underground stables and along the corridor to the door labelled ‘TAILOR AND FITTING ROOMS.’ She knocked on the door and peeped inside. ‘Here they are, Freya!’ she announced, showing them in. ‘I’ll see you in a few minutes,’ she said as she backed out of the door.

Freya introduced herself to Sarah as she scurried around the room as quickly as she could, gathering up the fabric that was strewn all over the place. ‘Ooh, you’re going to love this, Alice,’ she said as she disappeared into a walk-in wardrobe. The girls chose two chairs from a row of half a dozen alongside an enormous mirror and sat down. There was an old-fashioned sewing machine on a table and several changing rooms with velvet curtains. Sarah was in raptures, her eyes trying to take in the detail of all the wonderful outfits hanging around the room.

‘
My sisters would be so jealous!’ she whispered. Alice’s thoughts were elsewhere, imagining what a double dose of Rowbottom revenge would involve.

Freya reappeared and breezed into a fitting room. ‘I’ve left it in there for you, Alice,’ she said. ‘I hope you like it.’

‘
Thank you,’ replied Alice, wandering in and closing the curtain behind her. It seemed Sarah was far more excited that she was. She could hear her feet tapping in anticipation, and Freya said,

‘
I’ll make one for you as well. We can’t have you wearing jeans when we’ve got special clothes, can we?’

‘
Will you, really?’ asked Sarah, scarcely able to believe her luck. ‘Thank you!’

After a few minutes of rustling fabric, Alice pulled back the curtain and emerged shyly from the fitting room. Sarah’s mouth fell open. Even Freya was temporarily speechless. Alice turned to look in the mirror and barely knew herself. Gazing back at her was a girl who could easily be mistaken for a medieval princess. Not the awkward schoolgirl who was uncomfortable with her image, but the most striking girl she could wish to be. The long, powder-blue dress fitted perfectly and the beads on the bodice glittered in the dancing light of the lamps. It was made of the same remarkable fabric as Imogen’s dress, only a different colour. Intricate swirls of silver embroidery and sparkling stones flashed on her navy blue velvet cloak as she stared, trying to take it all in.