Alfie the Werewolf 3: Silvertooth
Page 8
Valentine’s face dropped. ‘Oh, sorry. I’ve done something stupid again, of course. I guess that’s why I never make any friends.’
Mum walked over to him. ‘Wait a second. I’m glad you’ve come, Valentine. It’s given me an idea. We can bury those teeth in the garden. Then we’ll have done with Silvertooth for ever.’
Everyone thought it was a good idea, even Valentine. Tim’s father had an old cigar box to put the silver teeth into.
‘I bet he’d like that,’ said Tim, ‘he was always smoking those foul smelling cigars.’
Dad looked round the garden for a good spot and ended up digging a hole next to where Tim’s dead goldfish was buried. Everyone stood around the grave while Alfie carefully lowered the box into it.
‘Rest in peace, Silvertooth,’ said Tim’s father. ‘Best wishes from the bug-eyed blue-crested nincompoop. And hopefully you never come back as a vampire.’
Mum nudged him with her elbow. ‘William!’
Dad smiled. ‘I was just joking. If you’re burying a couple of teeth, surely you’re allowed to joke around.’
When everyone was back inside, Tim couldn’t bear it any more. ‘When are we going to finally tell Alfie? About the surprise.’
Mum and Dad looked at each other. ‘You tell him, Tim.’
Alfie didn’t understand at all. What was going on? It was making him nervous. Tim walked over to him and wrapped an arm around Alfie’s shoulder. ‘Alfie, we’ve adopted you.’
Alfie’s mouth fell open, Valentine groaned, Noura gasped.
‘What did you say?’ whispered Alfie.
‘We’ve adopted you for real,’ Dad said. ‘With all the documents. We should have done it a long time ago. Now no more crazy uncles can come and take you away.’
Mum nodded approvingly. ‘From now on, we’ll kick those crazy uncles straight out the door.’ She gave Alfie a kiss.
Tears were pouring down Valentine’s face. ‘How beautiful,’ he sniffed. ‘I wish someone would adopt me. Preferably someone who works at a blood bank or in a hospital.’
The grin on Alfie’s face seemed to be stuck there permanently. A lovely warm sensation flooded through his veins and wolf fur started to appear on his arms and face. His ears and nose grew, his hands and feet turned into paws.
‘What’s happening, Alfie? It’s not even full moon!’ Tim exclaimed.
‘Wrow, I know, but I’m so happy I’m changing anyway.’
He gave Noura a gentle lick on her nose, then ran out of the house. Everyone walked back into the garden.
‘Alfie, where are you going?’ called Tim.
‘Wrow! I’m going to tell Grandpa and Leo.’ The next moment he was jumping over the gate, howling with joy. Everyone felt happy and glad. Valentine raised a hand.
‘Bye-bye, Alfie the Werewolf’s family. I’m off.’
They waved goodbye, as he rose up into the air above the garden.
‘Cool,’ said Dad. ‘I wish I could do that. Maybe being a vampire would be something for me.’
Valentine was already floating up above the roof.
‘Drop by sometime,’ called Dad.
‘Gladly!’ Valentine called back. ‘Maybe next time you can adopt me too?’
There was no answer and when Valentine looked down he saw that the garden was suddenly deserted. They had all hurried inside, quietly closing the door behind them.
‘Hmmm,’ said Valentine. ‘Maybe that was asking a little too much.’ He flew on, floating in front of the moon like a shadow. From somewhere in the depths below him, he heard joyful howls in the woods.
‘Bye, Alfie the Werewolf,’ called Valentine. ‘See you later, friend.’
Turn the page for a sneak peek at WOLF WOOD, the next Alfie the Werewolf adventure …
1
Werewolves
It was quiet in Wolf Wood and the full moon was looking down over the trees. The sky was already turning a slightly lighter blue. Dewdrops were glistening on the moss and the birds were about to wake up.
Suddenly there was a loud roar. ‘WROW!’ Followed by a voice. ‘Grandpa, careful, there are werewolves here.’
Grandpa shot up, his hat tumbling to the ground. ‘What? Werewolves? Where? Who?’
‘Here, Grandpa, us two. You and me.’
Grandpa peered at a white hairy face with a cheerful grin. A face with two pointy ears and round glasses.
‘Alfie,’ he smiled, baring his sharp teeth. His yellow eyes gleamed as he bent down to pick up his hat. ‘Of course, you’re right again. How silly of me. It’s us, you and me.’ He put his hat back on his black wolf’s head. ‘Practical joker. I suppose you thought I was asleep.’
Alfie growled and sniggered at the same time. ‘Wrow.’ His white tail swished over the ground.
Grandpa Werewolf was sitting next to Alfie with his back against the trunk of an enormous tree. Grandpa rapped on the bark. ‘Did you know that my tree is the oldest tree in Wolf Wood, Alfie?’
‘Really?’
‘Yep and it’s in the exact middle of the wood. My good old tree.’ Suddenly Grandpa Werewolf gave an enormous yawn. ‘Oowaahh. Sorry, Alfie. How’s the Scoffle?’
‘Fine, Grandpa. It’s still in the cage in our garden.’
‘It hasn’t eaten anyone lately?’
‘No, thank goodness. As long as we feed it on time, it’s not dangerous. I think it’s sweet.’
Grandpa Werewolf nodded. ‘Good. Of course, the Scoffle is still a wild animal. It belongs in a forest, really. But maybe it feels at home with you too, seeing as you’re a werewolf.’ Grandpa blinked and looked up at the last rays of moonlight. ‘Oops,’ he exclaimed.
2
Voices
‘What is it, Grandpa?’ Startled, Alfie looked at Grandpa Werewolf, who was pointing at the moon with his walking stick.
‘You have to go home, Alfie, it’s got very late. Or rather, it’s become very early, almost morning. We’ve been sitting here far too long. Time always flies when you’re having fun. The sun will come up soon and in a little while you’ll turn back into a boy again.’
Alfie nodded. ‘In a few hours I have to go to school, that’s the worst part. I’ve been up all night. Hopefully I won’t fall asleep at school. That’s already happened a couple of times. The teacher kept me in.’ He opened his jaws wide and yawned. ‘I’m exhausted.’
Grandpa Werewolf struggled to his feet. ‘It’s a shame. I was just about to tell you the big secret.’
‘You were going to tell me a secret?’
‘Yes, the secret of Werewolf Wood. But it’s too late for that now.’
‘A big secret? What big secret?’
Grandpa Werewolf shook his head. ‘No, Alfie, not now. You have to take your time for a big secret. You have to sit down and relax. The two of us, you and me, werewolves together. And then you have to tell it at your leisure.’ He winked. ‘Next time.’
‘Ohhh.’ Alfie was burning with curiosity. ‘Can’t you just tell me a little bit now?’
‘No, you have to race off home.’ Grandpa’s yellow eyes gleamed. ‘I think I’ll climb up into my wolf’s nest and hit the sack.’
Alfie looked up at the rope ladder hanging down from the tree. Hidden carefully between the leaves and the branches was a fantastic treehouse.
Wolf Wood was actually a Werewolf Wood, but that was something only werewolves knew. Grandpa was a werewolf the whole time, both day and night. He was able to do that because he was already very old.
Alfie only changed at full moon when, for three nights in a row, he would turn into a small white werewolf with glasses on his snout. As soon as the sun came up, he changed back into an ordinary little boy.
Grandpa Werewolf patted Alfie briefly on the head, then grabbed the rope ladder. ‘See you soon, Alfie. Run off home now.’ Quickly, he climbed up the ladder.
Grandpa’s amazing, thought Alfie. He’s as agile as a young monkey.
When he’d made it to the top, Grandpa Werewolf looked down grinning. ‘D
on’t dawdle anywhere, Alfie. Morning’s coming. I’ll tell you the secret next time.’
‘Goodnight, Grandpa.’
Grandpa winked at Alfie, pulled up the rope ladder and disappeared behind the branches.
‘Wrow, time to race home.’ Alfie dropped down on to all fours and tore through the forest. Soon it would be light. He thought about what Grandpa Werewolf had said. The secret of Werewolf Wood … What could it be?
Suddenly he froze. His ears quivered. He stuck his nose up into the air and sniffed.
Branches snapped. Leaves rustled.
Alfie sniffed again. The wind was carrying strange smells towards him. Unknown smells. Trouble.
‘Owahhh.’ Alfie couldn’t suppress a yawn. He clapped a paw over his mouth in fright. What was that over there? A beam of light between the trees. Was that a torch? A patch of light danced over the trunks. Then he heard strange voices. People! What were they doing in the wood this early? Had they heard him? Alfie dived behind a bush and kept as quiet as a mouse. He yawned again, but silently this time.
The people came closer. Now their deep voices were loud and clear.
‘Can you picture it, Rattlebones? Beautiful blocks of flats, the smell of asphalt. Smell it? Lovely! Plenty of parking. At most a couple of football pitches, otherwise no green. Bah.’
‘That’s right, Boss. Get rid of those sloppy trees. Flatten the lot. We’ll make it nice and flat for some nice new flats.’
‘Exactly. Very wise, Rattlebones. If you want to build, you have to flatten something first.’
‘Absolutely, Boss. And we’ll sell the wood for a tidy little profit on the side.’
Alfie didn’t get it. What were they talking about? A flat wood?
Suddenly a light swept over his face, catching him full in the eyes and momentarily blinding him. He dived deeper into the undergrowth.
To be continued in
Wolf Wood
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