Chapter 5

There was one person who knew the answer to Sarah’s question. Her name was Studio Head. She was a tall woman who dressed in black, with her hair done in a plait curled on the top of her head. Her face was bright green, which was odd because her hands and arms were white.

She was sitting in her office, a dark place in which several small television sets were blinking their lights. Around the walls were photographs of famous television stars, all pictured with Studio Head. None of the stars were smiling. But there was an unpleasant smile on her face as she watched the screen of the television set on her desk. Then she laughed loudly and pressed a buzzer.

Almost immediately a man bounced into the room. He was tall and his muscles bulged through his red long-sleeved T-shirt. He wore blue tights and around his waist a large leather belt fastened with a gold buckle. His eyes were bright blue and he was extremely handsome.

“You called,” he said in a deep voice.

“Ah yes, Superhero,” said Studio Head.

Superhero flexed his muscles and smiled. The light from the television set glinted on his teeth.

“I am a Superhero,” he said. ‘‘I’m here to fight for truth and justice and the good things in life. I bring criminals to justice and use my superhuman powers to defend little children and animals, especially endangered species.”

Studio Head tapped a pencil impatiently on her desk.

“That was before,” she said, “when you were a cartoon person. Now you work for me.”

“Of course,” said Superhero. “1 forgot. Now I fight for the airwaves and the TV ratings.” He moved across to the desk and sat on one corner, looking at the television set. “How’re things going?”

Studio Head leaned back in her chair. “Beautifully,” she said. She gave her ugly laugh again. “Look at those dreadful people in Studio Nine, fading away, fading away... “

“They certainly are,” said Superhero, ‘‘just like you said they would.”

“When my plan is complete,” said Studio Head, “never again will boys and girls be able to read and watch television at the same time. They’ll be my captives. They will watch all my shows, my music videos, my cartoons. They will never again waste time looking at books.” Her laugh echoed round the office, and reached a microphone which had accidentally been switched on. She noticed her mistake and quickly turned off the switch; but that ugly laugh had already gone into Studio Nine over the loudspeakers. Everybody heard it.

Julie shuddered. “That was horrible. What can it be?”

Aladdin sat up. “It could have been my genie. He can laugh loud like that.” His face brightened. “If that’s my genie then the lamp can’t be far away.”

But Sarah and Julie both felt that the laugh came from something much worse than a genie.

Just then, two very well-dressed children came in through the door marked “Studio Eight”. They were both the same height and were dressed in designer jeans with smart shirts and trainers.

“How did you get in here?” asked Sarah.

“Through the door, of course,” said the boy.

“But it’s locked,” said Julie.

“Not on the other side,” said the boy.

“What’s in there?” asked Julie.

“The forest where we live,” the girl told her.

“Forest?” Bo-Peep came hurrying across. “You didn’t happen to see any sheep in there, did you?” she asked anxiously, “or ... or wolves?”

“Why?” asked the boy.

“I’m Bo Peep,” the shepherdess explained, “and someone has stolen my sheep.”

“I thought they were supposed to,” said the girl.

Bo-Peep sat down and started to cry again. She was becoming sick and tired of the way people always got her story mixed up.

“Don’t cry,” said Princess Briar Rose. “I’m sure that Sarah and Julie will find your dear little sheep, as well as my spindle and Jack’s beans and everything else.” Gently she touched Sarah on the arm. “I really need my spindle, because I’m starting to feel awfully tired. I’m not myself without it.” Then she turned to the well-dressed children. “Who are you?” she asked them. “We are all fairytale people - except for Sarah and Julie of course.

Are you from the real world, or from a book?”

The boy’s face split into a grin. “We’re fairytale people all right,” he said. ‘‘I’m Hansel...”

“...And I’m Gretel,” said the girl. She gave little curtsy.

“How can you be?” said Jack. “You’re supposed to be poor, like me.”

“We used to be,” said Hansel. “But some kind person sent a cheque to Dad. It was big enough to pay off the mortgage, set us up in food and drink, and wood for the fire. There was even enough left over to go into the bank. Now we can live happily ever after on the interest.”

“It’s made our father a very happy man,” added Gretel.

“As for Mother, she’s over the moon: She’s got a washing machine, a microwave oven, and a diamond necklace.”

“We’ve got the latest I-phone and tablet and every video game they ever made.”

“But this is all wrong,” said Julie. “Your parents are supposed to be poor so they can leave you in the woods to get lost and be captured by the witch.”

“That’s how it used to be,” said Gretel, “but now we’re no longer poor, someone else can do all the hard work. Have you any idea how heavy that old witch was? It wasn’t easy pushing her into the oven.”

“But you must be poor,” insisted Sarah, “otherwise there’s no Hansel and Gretel story.”

“Well, why worry?” said Hansel. “There are plenty of others. It’s no fun being poor, you know. Life’s great now, no stomach pains from being hungry, no rags for clothes, no rushing off into the woods.”

Cinderella, who had been listening intently, suddenly gave a groan and sank to the floor.

“What’s wrong with her?” asked Hansel.

“Somebody stole her glass slipper and she doesn’t feel well,” Sarah told him.

“Oh dear,” said Gretel. Then her face broke into a smile. “Why doesn’t she come to town with us? We could buy her a new pair of slippers.”

‘‘I’m afraid not,” said Cinderella sadly. “They were made by my Fairy Godmother. They were model shoes.”

Sarah picked up Cinderella’s wrist and felt her pulse in quite a professional way. “1 think we should get her to a doctor,” she pronounced.

“Maybe Dr Foster lives in the town,” said Hansel.

“Only if the town is Gloucester,” said Julie.

“I’m just trying to help,” said Hansel, looking at his expensive gold solar powered watch. “We have to be off now; we have a heap of shopping to do.”

“You ought to pay more attention,” said Sarah, “because if somebody is doing these strange things and spoiling stories you could be in serious trouble.”

“We’re not giving up the money,” Gretel said quickly.

“Just think about it,” said Julie. “If Hansel and Gretel are rich, there is no story - so where does that put you? You were created as part of a story, and if there is no story any longer then you have no reason to exist.”

Cinderella looked up, her blue eyes looking paler. “You’ll fade away, just like me,” she whispered.

“Of course, that’s what’s happening!” Sarah was suddenly excited. “That’s the answer. Someone is trying to kill off the fairytales. Look at you all. You used to be painted in bright colours, but now you’re all pastel shades.”

“You’re just making this up,” said Hansel. “We can’t fade away, not after all these years. Maybe the stories are being changed, modernised.” He looked at his watch again. “I’m sorry; we really don’t have time to discuss it now. We have to go to town.”

“Where is this town?” asked Briar Rose.

“Why, over the hills and over the dales on the other side of the mountain,” said Gretel.

“I think I might go there and visit the beautician,” said the first Beautiful Sister, “My hair needs doing; how about you?” she asked her sister, who agreed to go with her.

“Are there any bazaars in town?” asked Aladdin.

“I expect so,” said Gretel.

“Then I’ll come as well,” said Aladdin, “because if my lamp is going to turn up anywhere it will be in a bazaar.”

As he finished speaking a thunderous laugh rang through the air. Aladdin looked upwards and shook his fist. Once more he thought it must be his genie.

“Don’t you think you’re getting away with this!” he shouted.

Blinky Bill and Snugglepot and Cuddlepie came over to Hansel.

“Is this town in Australia?” asked Blinky Bill, slowly. “Will there be gum trees?” asked Snugglepot?

“I expect so,” said Hansel. “There’s usually everything you need in a fairytale town.”

“When you get there,” said Sarah, “see if you can hire a detective, someone who could help us to track down the thief.”

“What’s a detective?” asked Aladdin.

“Sherlock Holmes - even Mr Plod the Policeman - anybody from a book.”

“We’ll do what we can,” said Hansel, marching towards the door marked “Studio Ten”.

‘‘Just a minute,” said Sarah. “Do you mean to say that the town is through that door?”

“Where else?” said Hansel, “We just came in the other door.”

“You won’t be able to go to town then,” Julie told him, “because that door is locked.”

“Nonsense,” said Hansel, taking hold of the handle and pulling the huge door open.

Sarah and Julie watched in amazement as Hansel stepped out, followed by Gretel, the Beautiful Sisters, Bo-Peep, Jack, Puss, Aladdin, Princess Briar Rose, Blinky Bill and Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.

“This gets more mysterious by the minute,” said Julie. “I know that door was locked, because I tried it. Maybe there is a witch in here somewhere.”

Sarah didn’t say anything because, although she didn’t believe in witches generally, she too was beginning to wonder.