Chapter 18

In her bedroom, Natalie stopped sobbing when she heard strange voices. She dried her eyes and listened hard. When she realised they were coming from Jake’s room curiosity consumed her and she went to investigate.

She opened her bedroom door and crept slowly and silently long the corridor. When she reached Jake’s bedroom she heard the voices again. They were muffled and certainly did not belong to anyone she knew. The door was closed so she put her ear to it and listened intently.

“Just give me the USB stick,” she heard someone say in a voice that was silky and oily. It was a voice that Natalie instantly disliked. She imagined Jake was in trouble, so she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

“What do you want?” demanded Jake.

He stood in front of the computer so she couldn’t see what was on the screen

Natalie was so shocked at the appearance of the two weird strangers that she didn’t answer him.

“I said: what do you want!” insisted Jake.

Natalie was afraid of the strangers but she was in her own home, so she felt brave enough to challenge them.

“Who are these people Jake?” she demanded.

Moody, although surprised by Natalie’s sudden appearance, soon recovered the initiative. “My dear, let me introduced myself,” he said, smiling a smarmy smile. “I’m Oberon Moody, maker of the finest Halloween masks in the world, and this is my assistant, Dobbin.” He pointed a long, pale finger at his assistant who bowed his head slightly.

Natalie looked closely at Dobbin:

“He’s got funny ears,” she said. “Is he an alien?”

Dobbin was beginning to hate being out in the world, and he tried to pull his hat over his ears. He thought that maybe Moody was right, and it would have been horrible living with a real family.

But Moody cut into his thoughts as he said: “His state of origin is not quite clear, but he is a great worker.”

Natalie went closer to Dobbin and inspected his ears even more closely, so closely in fact that Dobbin began to blush with shame.

“It’s okay,” said Natalie, “you shouldn’t be ashamed. I think they’re quite cute. It wouldn’t surprise me if you were an elf.”

Dobbin felt his heart lift. If that were true, it would give a rational explanation for his ears - and his shortness. “Do you really think so?” he asked, ripping of his hat and exposing his pointy head as well.”

“I’m sure you are,” said Natalie. “You look just like the pictures I have in my fairytale books.”

Jake gave a snort of laughter. “Pictures in fairytale books, that’s a laugh. They’re drawings, not photographs, not like the ones I have on my USB stick.”

Natalie was even more annoyed. “You don’t believe in anything do you?” she snapped.

“I don’t believe in stupid things, like Santa Claus and elves,” Jake snapped back.

Mr Moody’s face took on a shocked look. “You surely don’t believe in Santa Claus,” he said to Natalie, “I am surprised. You look much more intelligent than that.”

He said it in such a slick and oily way that it made Natalie even angrier than had been before.

“I’m intelligent enough to know that you’re not a nice person and that you don’t tell the truth,” she said. “So just mind your own business and butt out.”

Jake gasped. Natalie was never rude like that.

But there was worse to come.

“What are you doing in my house anyway?” she demanded. “And what’s Halloween masks got to do with Christmas?”

“Natalie!!!” said an astonished Jake. “I’m going to tell Mum what you just said. It was very rude.”

“Tell Mum all you like,” said Natalie defiantly. “And while you’re at it you’d better tell her how these people got in to the house. I’m sure she’d like to know. Does Dad know they’re here?”

Jake shook his head and Natalie looked horrified.

“I’m going to tell him,” she said and ran from the room.

“Quick,” said Jake, “we have to stop her.”