Chapter 34
The next two hours dragged by. I sat in front of the witchscreen, and stared at Mum on Celebrity WitchWatch. Milking a two-headed grinthog to earn treats for the cave. Bossing a cavemate about in the kitchen. Yelling at the glittery witchman for stealing her lipstick.
But watching Mum made me miss her much more. Made me wish and wish and wish she was here. So I switched off the witchscreen, and went to my bedroom.
I tidied it. The whole thing.
Crawky would untidy it all, I knew he would, soon as he was awake. But it was something to do. Something to try and stop myself thinking.
Thinking about the Shudders – the swirling fog, the flapping, the crashing, the cackles, the screams. And those hooves…
Thinking about the Haggfiend – was she real? Was she out there, somewhere in the woods, somewhere in Haggspit? I just didn’t know.
I went to the kitchen, got myself a shivershake, then huddled down on the sitting-room sofa.
I stared at the magic mirror, still set to Roaming. Stared at the pictures.
At mermaids leaping in Haggspit Harbour. At fruit-picking imms working in the sloping skrumpel orchards. At goblins juggling, entertaining the crowds in South Siren Square…
And then – there they were. The Whispering Woods. One small picture Roaming through the woods, Roaming down a path I knew. The path to Kika’s house. To Kika’s garden.
And Kika was there. At the bottom of her garden, with her mum.
I jumped up and waved my hands at the picture. It zoomed in, and filled the screen.
Kika’s mum was pointing her spellstick. And slowly, slowly, a shimmering magicreation was taking shape.
A cosy campsite.
A tent with big windows and, through the open tent flap, three soft sleeping bags lined up inside.
A cooking pot, hanging over a flickering fire. Blankets and cushions and little log seats scattered all around it.
Kika started beaming, and gave her mum a big hug. Then her mum left.
I sat there, more miserable than ever, and stared at Kika. She was wearing a new top – a Clubbie top. I heard them talking yesterday, planning to go to Genkel and Glimms. Planning to get matching tops.
Now Kika was pinning on her Clubbie badge. Then she looked up. She must have heard something.
She had.
Lily. She came walking down the garden. Wearing her Clubbie top, her Clubbie badge.
And I realised something. Both of them – they were looking very serious. Starting to talk. Shaking their heads. Looking cross.
I didn’t think I could feel worse, but I did. Because I knew what they were talking about, what they were cross about…
Me.
Me – and all the things they thought I had done.
Now Ferocity was there. Walking down the garden, her Clubbie top in her hand. And Lily and Kika were walking towards her.
No.
I waved my hand at the magic mirror. Got rid of the picture. I did NOT want to see Camping Clubbies begin. See all the fun stuff they were doing.
Then I heard a voice behind me.
“Flo,” it said. “My big moment is almost here! The most important day of my life! The day I reveal Ariadne Von Trinkpott for the villain she is!”
Grandma was ready. Standing in the doorway, eyes gleaming with excitement. She had her best velvet robes on. Her smartest pointy hat, a green feather tucked to one side. She looked pleased. Proud. Thrilled.
I felt a lurch in my insides. I ran over to her. I did NOT want Grandma to go. But how could I say that? Spoil her big moment? I couldn’t. Just couldn’t.
I knew how much this meant to Grandma. How important it was. And it was just a few hours. A few hours, that was all – and she’d be back.
“Good luck, Grandma,” I said, giving her a hug. And then, I just couldn’t help saying, “But please, please, come back soon.” And I hugged her tighter.
Grandma hugged me back. Then she pushed me away. Stared at me. Peered through her specs. Frowned. “Flo. Something is wrong,” she said. “I can feel you tremble. Sense your fear.”
She peered closer. “Are you … scared?” she said. “Is there something you wish to tell me?”
“Yes… No… I don’t know,” I said.
Malinka came in, carrying a big bag. Grandma’s bag, with the Dossier poking out. “Dorabel,” she said. “Look at the time. You must go.”
But Grandma stood there, staring at me. As if, suddenly, she was realising something. “Flo, you are truly worried,” she said. “Truly fearful. I can see it.”
“Grandma, it’s OK,” I said. “There is something I want to talk to you about. But it can wait until you get back.”
And it could. Now was not the time to tell Grandma how scared I was. That the Haggfiend might be real, might be back. That I saw her with my Shudders.
Not just as Grandma’s big moment was here.
But now Grandma was shaking her head. Looking cross – cross with herself. “Flo,” she said. “I have been a foolish old witch. Selfish. Too busy with my own arrangements to notice you. You – with no mother here, no Henrietta. I have neglected you. Failed to pay you attention.”
She patted me on the shoulder. “When I get back, we shall sit and talk,” she said. “You shall tell me of your fears. And we shall bake together, a feast of iced kringels. You and me. Then we shall sit and eat them, cosy and warm in front of the fire.”
I watched Grandma and Malinka from the sitting room window. Both out in the back garden, Grandma clambering on to her broomstick, Malinka standing close by.
Then I saw them – grizzelhumps.
Grizzelhumps, in the woods, the Whispering Woods.
Not just one grizzelhump, but two, three, four, more… Grizzelhumps gathering. Gathering in the trees, in the woods – our woods.
Grizzelhumps…
I thought of Magical Myths, of “Haggfiend Horror” – of what it said…
“For the Haggfiend gathered around her flying humped creatures. Mild of manner and simple of brain – and bewitched by one stare from the Haggfiend’s eyes.”
I felt chills creeping through me.
Grizzelhumps … flying humped creatures… Why were grizzelhumps gathering? Why now? And why here? Why so close by?
I watched Malinka helping Grandma with her bag. Saw her urging Grandma to hurry.
And – out of nowhere – Mervikk’s voice started echoing round in my head…
“… she’d be in disguise … some ordinary witch, a lovely witch. One you’d never suspect.”
I thought of my walk in the woods this morning. Of that smell. The hoofprints. The windsniffer. And, once more, I could hear Mervikk’s voice…
“She’ll have to change back into her own shape some of the time…”
And I thought of Malinka. Malinka, at the kitchen table this morning, pushing the big bowl towards me. What she’d said…
“Wild glimberries. Picked fresh from the woods this morning.”
The woods – Malinka had been down in the woods. Earlier this morning.
Then I heard something. The sound of a door handle rattling on the other side of the house. My bedroom door handle. Rattling and rattling and rattling, as if something was trying desperately to get out.
Something did. I heard scampering paws. Paws slipping and sliding and slithering on the wooden floor of the hallway. Paws heading towards the sitting room – fast.
And there he was. Crawky. Bursting into the sitting room. Growling and hissing, fur all on end. Leaping at the window. Scrabbling at the window. Scrabbling harder and harder and harder. Desperate to get out…
Then Grandma’s broomstick started to take off. Started to slowly lurch up into the sky.
And Malinka turned. Looked back towards the house.
The look on her face – it made the hairs on the back of my neck all stand up on end. A look full of malice. A gloating gloating look.
She started to walk up the garden. Malinka, in her big clompy shoes…
Walking faster and faster. Up the garden. Up towards the back door. Up towards the house.
Towards me.
And that was when I realised.
It was her…
Malinka.
She was the Haggfiend.