Chapter 15

While Julie was busy with her crayon, Sarah and Oz were creeping through the dark mysterious passageways of the studio. There were doorways with red lights on them that said “On air” and everywhere television sets projected images of different shows from different channels. They went through doors that led to bedrooms that turned into kitchens and gardens made from plastic. Once Sarah thought she was going to fall down a deep hole, but it was only a shadow created by a light in the ceiling.

“This is a peculiar place,” she muttered, watching her step carefully. “You never know what’s going to happen next.”

“Just remember,” said Oz, “it’s all done by trickery.”

He turned down a particularly dark corridor.

“Are you sure this is the way?” asked Sarah, looking fearfully into the darkness.

“Positive,” said Oz. “Except that it was much lighter the last time I came down here.”

In silence they crept along the corridor until they came to a door with a pale light shining under it. The door looked extremely strong. It had steel studs embedded in it and seemed even stronger than when Oz first saw it.

“If that’s locked we’ve had it,” said Sarah. “We’d never be able to break it down.”

“Oh yes we will,” said Oz. “Look.” He tapped the door. “You try,” he said.

Sarah rapped on the door with her knuckles. “Why, this isn’t wood at all,” she said, “it’s just polystyrene with plastic studs stuck on it. I could easily pick it up and lean it against the wall. It’s not real”

“We’re in a television studio,” said Oz. “Nothing is real.”

“Studio Head must be extremely wicked to try to make everybody do nothing but watch television,” said Sarah. “It would be awful if children never had books. Why can’t she see that?”

“I’m afraid people like Studio Head are too selfish and greedy to see anyone else’s point of view,” said Oz.

Sarah was about to make another point, but she stopped and listened hard instead.

“What is it?” asked Oz.

“Shhh. I thought I heard something.”

“What?”

“Something mechanical.”

“Give a whistle,” said Oz.

He looked so serious that Sarah did as she was asked. When she stopped a metallic voice said: “You rang?”

“Motor Mogul,” said Oz. “I had a sneaking suspicion it might be him. Studio Head must know where we are.”

Motor Mogul tooted and then began to speak in a peculiar voice. “You will not pass,” he said. “I will ex-ter-min-ate all tres-pass-ers.”

“That’s a funny way to talk,” said Sarah, who wasn’t afraid of the strange looking metal creature.

“Studio Head has turned him into a TV monster,” said Oz.

“How can she do that?”

“She puts a USB stick into his works and re-programmes his circuits,” said Oz.

“This town ain’t big enough for both of us.”

“Now he’s playing at cowboys,” said Sarah.

Motor Mogul changed yet again. “You dirty rat,” he said, sounding like a gangster from a black-and-white movie.

“I know what’s happened,” said Oz. “He’s been programmed with old, late-night TV movies.”

“Oh,” said Sarah, who was always in bed when late-night movies were on.

“Whatever it is,” said Oz, taking a screwdriver from his pocket, “I’ll soon fix him.” He moved quickly towards Motor Mogul, who turned to face him. “Don’t touch me, you dirty dog,” said the metal monster.

Oz leaped quickly behind Motor Mogul and opened the door to his control panel. He jammed in the screwdriver then jumped back quickly.

Motor Mogul stood still for a second, then started to whirl round and round, getting faster and faster until both his metal arms flew off into the darkness. His toots became fainter and fainter.

“I’m done for,” said Motor Mogul in a voice that sounded as if it was coming from an iPod with run-down batteries. Then he came to a stop, with yellow oil oozing from where his arms had been.

Oz watched the monster settle into silence, while Sarah stood open-mouthed.

“Now,” said Oz, in a businesslike tone, “Let’s get the door open, and go into the props room.” He went to the door and tried to open it. “It’s locked!” he said. “It wasn’t locked when I left.”

“But it’s only made of polystyrene,” said Sarah. “Why don’t you just break a piece off?” She went up to the door and made another discovery. Not only was it not a real door, but it wasn’t attached to anything either. It was just standing there in the middle of the passageway. She looked behind it on both sides.

“It’s a fake door,” she said. “It doesn’t go anywhere. We’ve been tricked.”

“How many times do I have to tell you?” said Oz. “Never believe everything you see.

“I’m going to walk all the way round it. That’ll show you!” Sarah said.