The Spider Gnomes

by Linda Chapman

  “OOF!” gasped Black Legs, crashing to the ground. His jaws clicked together menacingly. “You’ll pay for that!”

  Inside the town hall, Sophie could hear loud arguing going on. Nobody was paying any attention to what was happening outside. “Yeah, and who’s going to make me?” she demanded, reaching inside her rucksack for the lemon polish.

  “Me!” gurgled another voice.

  Sophie gasped as bristly legs grabbed her from behind. She’d forgotten about Long Fangs! As she kicked and struggled, Black Legs leapt forward. Holding his hands up, streams of sticky cobweb flowed from his palms. In seconds, Sophie was bound up so tightly she couldn’t move.

  “That should hold you!” snapped Black Legs. “Now if you’ll excusssse us – we’ve got a gem to get!”

  “Sam, watch out!” shouted Sophie as the two Spider Gnomes started climbing up the building.

  “What did you say?” came his muffled voice back. “Sophie, I’ve almost got it – just a few more tugs—”

  Argh! Gritting her teeth, Sophie called her superstrength to her, straining against the sticky strands. Harder… harder…! At first, nothing happened, and then all at once the cobwebs ripped away. Yes!

  Grabbing the furniture polish, Sophie jumped at the wall, using her superstrength to climb up the brick as fast as she could. The Spider Gnomes were far above her. “Sam!” she called again as they reached the top. “Watch out!”

  A faint red glow lit the air. “Sophie, I’ve got the gem – mmph!” she heard Sam cry.

  “We’ll take that!” crowed a triumphant voice. “Thankssss very much!”

  Sophie put on a burst of speed and reached the top, hopping nimbly over the railing. But it was too late. Black Legs and Long Fangs were already gone, scuttling away down the other side of the building. Sam was just sitting up, looking dazed.

  “Sophie, I had it! And then the Spider Gnomes appeared out of nowhere—”

  “I know, I was trying to warn you!”

  Racing to the other side of the little dome, Sophie peered down. She could just see Black Legs and Long Fangs far below scuttling towards the Shadow Woods. A red light shone between them. The Spider Gnomes had the gem!

  “We have to stop them!” cried Sophie. But at the same moment, her Guardian powers faded. She clutched the railing, feeling woozy from being up so high. “Whoa!” she gasped.

  “Don’t worry,” said Sam. “I’ve got you! Here, hang on!” And with Sophie clinging to his back, he scrambled down the tower.

  Sophie and Sam raced through the empty streets. With his new spider speed, Sam was able to outrun Sophie, until finally she felt her body start to tingle again as the Guardian powers returned. They were catching up with the Spider Gnomes! But would they reach them in time?

  Grandpa! remembered Sophie suddenly. He was already there in the woods, getting the cobweb for Sam. Maybe he could help! Taking out his phone as she ran, Sophie tried the number programmed under Emergency. But the call went straight through to voicemail. Sophie stared at the phone worriedly. What did that mean? Was Grandpa OK?

  First things first, she thought grimly, tucking the phone away again. We have to get that gem back – no matter what!

  Chapter 9

  A Cobwebby Encounter

  Sophie and Sam reached the Shadow Woods and charged along the overgrown path. The woods were even darker now that it was night-time, with only the moon shining down through the branches for light. The trail led them all the way to the same massive trees they’d seen before. The giant cobweb looked ghostly as it hung from the branches.

  “Now what?” Sam whispered as they stopped in front of it.

  But before Sophie could reply, Sam tensed. “They’re coming! I can hear them!” He was gone in a flash. Before Sophie could react, the two Spider Gnomes dropped from the trees beside her.

  “It’s her again!” snapped Black Legs.

  Long Fangs scuttled closer to him. “She’ssssss come for the gem!”

  The Spider Gnomes stood shoulder to shoulder with their glittering red eyes, waving legs and big round bellies.

  Sophie glared at them. “That’s right. I’ve come for the gem. Give it to me.”

  The Spider Gnomes cackled. “She thinks she can tell us what to do!” hissed Long Fangs.

  “Never. The gem is oursssssss.” Black Legs pulled a gleaming red gem out of the rags of clothes on his body and held it up triumphantly. “King Ug shall use it to open the gateway!”

  “Oh, no, he won’t!” Sophie put her hands on her hips. “Because I’m going to stop you from giving it to him!”

  “And how exactly are you going to do that?” demanded Black Legs, tucking the gem away again.

  Sophie pulled the furniture polish from her rucksack. “Like this!” she said, spraying it all over them!

  The Spider Gnomes hissed in horror and retreated, half falling over. “Ugh! Lemonssssss! Argh, ick!”

  Sophie advanced, still spraying the polish. Long Fangs crumpled to the ground, gasping and choking. Then there was a spluttering noise as the polish ran out. Sophie caught her breath. What now?

  Black Legs seemed to be recovering. “Problemsssss, little girl?”

  “You wish!” Throwing the can aside, Sophie spun round, her legs whipping through the air. Her feet smacked into Black Legs’s chest, sending him sprawling backwards. The red gem spilled out of his pocket and tumbled across the ground. Sophie lunged forward, her fingers closing over it.

  “Oof!” The wind was knocked out of her as Black Legs leapt at her.

  “Give me that gem!” he snarled. She saw his pointed teeth, the dark tunnel of his throat. As his fangs descended, she threw herself to one side, rolling over. Black Legs jumped after her, but suddenly there was a loud crack and the Spider Gnome was thrown backwards, hit by something swinging from the trees.

  “Geronimo!” yelled Sam as he swung past on a web rope that seemed to come from his hands. He landed in the tree opposite. “Got him!” He turned to Sophie with a grin. “That’s another good thing about almost being a Spider Gnome – I can make web now!”

  Sophie jumped up with the gem.

  “No!” Black Legs hissed as he spotted it in her hand.

  “Let me see… um, yes!” Sophie teased, holding it out before snatching it back.

  “Behind you, Soph!” shouted Sam. But it was too late. Long Fangs was running at Sophie from behind. Suddenly spiderweb hit her from two directions as Black Legs and Long Fangs both blasted her.

  “Are you all right, Sophie?” yelled Sam.

  “Mmpph!” Sophie couldn’t reply, the sticky web was all over her. This was even worse than before! Calling her superstrength to her, she struggled as hard as she could. The web didn’t budge.

  The Spider Gnomes looked up at Sam. “We’ll get you in a minute, boy,” snapped Black Legs. “First, the gem!”

  Black Legs and Long Fangs closed in on Sophie. With a battle cry, Sam swung down fast through the trees again and kicked out, knocking both of them to one side this time.

  Finally Sophie tore free of the web. “Come on, Sam!” she gasped. “Let’s get out of here!”

  “You might want to think twice about that!” snarled Black Legs as they turned and raced down the path. “Haven’t you wondered where your grandfather is?”

  Sophie stopped and swung round, an icy feeling running down her spine. “What do you mean?”

  With a cackle, Long Fangs pulled back the curtain of cobwebs, and to Sophie’s horror, she saw a person-sized cocoon made of web, swinging from a tree. Two blue eyes stared out desperately.

  “Grandpa!” Sophie cried.

  Chapter 10

  Run For Your Lives!

  Long Fangs gave an evil grin. “Yessss, we were on our way to King Ug when we found him snooping around… and so we decided to stop and have a little fun.”

  “Want him back, do you?” said Black Legs, his eyes glinting meanly.

  “Then you’d better give us the gem!”

  So
phie looked at Sam in despair. “What are we going to do?” she whispered. “We’ve got to rescue Grandpa!”

  Sam shook his head. “But how? We’ve run out of spray!”

  “If only we had something that would really frighten them,” Sophie groaned.

  Sam’s eyes suddenly widened. “That’s it, Soph! Keep them talking! I’ve had an idea!” Before Sophie could say anything, Sam grabbed something from her pocket. “I’m out of here, Soph!” he yelled loudly so the Spider Gnomes could hear. “You’re on your own!” And, jumping into the bushes, he was gone.

  The Spider Gnomes cackled. “Desssserted!” sneered Black Legs.

  “Left all alone!” cackled Long Fangs. “Though he’ll be back when the venom has finished its work. Then he’ll be one of us. Now give us the gem, little girl, or we and your friend will have your grandfather for ssssssupper!”

  Sophie swallowed hard. Grandpa was struggling, trying to shout, but the web was wrapped tightly round his whole body and head. He looked like an Egyptian mummy.

  “Bring it here!” Black Legs beckoned her with one bristly leg.

  Sophie walked slowly forward. How could she possibly free Grandpa and escape with him and the gem? And where had Sam gone? Keep them talking, he’d said. He obviously needed some time for something. But what?

  She stopped in front of the Spider Gnomes.

  “The gem,” Black Legs hissed.

  “Get my grandpa down first,” said Sophie, trying to stay calm.

  Black Legs nodded at Long Fangs, who scuttled in through the cobwebs. In seconds he had scuttled up the tree and sheared through the cobweb rope holding Grandpa with his teeth. Grandpa fell like a stone, but luckily the cocoon cushioned him. Sophie could hear him trying to shout as he bounced on to the forest floor.

  “Now give us the gem,” said Black Legs.

  Grandpa desperately shook his head. Sophie hesitated as the Spider Gnomes took a step closer to her. She could try and fight them, but what if one hurt Grandpa while she was fighting the other?

  Think. Think.

  “The gem!” Black Legs’s voice grew angrier. He nodded at Long Fangs, who grabbed Grandpa and bared his fangs. He brought them down to Grandpa’s neck.

  “No, don’t!” Sophie gasped. Whatever Sam’s plan was, it was too late. “You can have the gem! Here!” But even as she pulled the gem out of her pocket, a faint screeching noise could be heard, high up in the trees.

  Nigel! Sophie thought instantly. But how could it be? Even with his new spider speed, Sam couldn’t have reached her house, got the parrot without Mrs B noticing, and returned by now. It was impossible!

  Both Spider Gnomes tensed and looked up. The screeching sound was getting louder with every second. It sounded like a parrot was flying through the trees – and not just any parrot, but a giant one!

  “There’s a bird coming!” yelled Black Legs.

  Long Fangs started to run round in panicked circles. “A massive one!”

  “Quick! Take cover!” Sophie shouted. Maybe she didn’t know exactly what was happening, but she knew this was her chance to rescue Grandpa! “It is a bird! I’d know that screech anywhere. It’s a Greater African Spider Catcher!”

  “ARGH!” both the Spider Gnomes shouted.

  “A Giant Greater African Spider Catcher!” cried Sophie for good measure. “They eat rats and foxes, but most of all giant spiders!”

  “EEEK!” shrieked the Spider Gnomes as the screeching came closer.

  “Run!” Sophie shouted to them. “Run for your lives!”

  The noise was so loud now, Sophie almost expected to see a real giant bird swooping in. “There it is! I can see it!” she pretended, pointing through the trees. “It’s coming!”

  “Nooooooooo!” yelled the two Spider Gnomes. Dropping down on to all eight of their legs, they began to scuttle away.

  “The Spider Gnomes are over here, bird!” shouted Sophie.

  The Spider Gnomes yelled louder and picked up even more speed. Their shouts gradually faded as they disappeared into the depths of the woods.

  Sophie covered her ears with her hands as the bird shriek grew even louder. For a moment she saw something flash and then suddenly Sam came swinging down to the ground on a rope of web, clutching Grandpa’s silver mobile phone. And out of the phone came the sound of a parrot screeching!

  Sophie gasped. Of course! The mobile was playing the recording she had made of Nigel on the day Mrs B had first collected him! She’d completely forgotten about it.

  Sam landed beside her and hit the off button.

  The screeching stopped. “Ha! I think my idea worked!”

  “Oh, wow!” Sophie was so stunned she could barely get the words out. “That was a totally brilliant plan, Sam!”

  “You made me think of it! It was when you said that you wished we had something to really frighten them – I remembered how terrified I’d been when Nigel screeched in the kitchen. I knew I didn’t have time to go back and get him, but then I remembered about this.” Sam held up the phone. “I was hoping just the sound of it with the volume all the way up would be enough to scare the Spider Gnomes away.”

  “And it was!” Sophie exclaimed. “I was just about to give them the gem, but you frightened them off. You saved the day, Sam!”

  Sam looked delighted. “Hey, I wasn’t useless for once.”

  “You’re never useless,” Sophie told him, beaming. “You’re the best!”

  She heard a muffled shouting noise behind them. “Grandpa!” Running over, she started to pull off the web, but now that her powers were fading it wouldn’t budge.

  “Here, let me!” said Sam. Crouching down, he used his pointed teeth to rip the cobweb away. Grandpa began to fight his way out.

  “I’m free!” he gasped.

  “Oh, Grandpa!” Sophie flung her arms round his neck. “I’m so glad you’re OK. What happened? How did they catch you?”

  Grandpa ran a hand over his head. “They heard me coming through the woods. They pounced on me before I had a chance to defend myself.” He shook his head. “I didn’t stand a chance. I should have thought it through more.”

  Sophie couldn’t resist. “You know that’s your problem, Grandpa; you’re always just rushing in without thinking.” She gave him a cheeky grin.

  Grandpa fixed her with a don’t-push-your-luck look. “Is now the time to tell you off for using my mobile to make recordings without asking, Sophie?”

  “Hey, look at me!” Sam interrupted them.

  They turned. Sam’s stomach was shrinking, his teeth were turning back to normal and the grey tone was fading from his skin.

  “It’s the web!” said Grandpa. “You must have eaten some of it when you were freeing me. The antidote’s working!”

  Sam punched the air. “Hooray!” He tried to jump, but only managed a normal height. “Oh, dear, looks like Mr Fergus has lost his star basketball player!”

  “What are you going to do about that?” Sophie asked. “He’s going to notice if you’re suddenly not as good as you were.”

  “I just won’t go to the club any more. I’ll say I’ve decided it’s not my thing.” Sam grinned. “It’ll be cool. If I never play it again, no one will ever find out I’m not actually a basketball ace after all.”

  Sophie smiled. Astonishingly, it really did look like everything was going to be fine. The Spider Gnomes had gone, Grandpa was free, Sam was turning back to normal and they had the red gem. Its red light winked at her as she tucked it into her pouch, and then she linked arms with both Sam and Grandpa.

  “Come on,” she said happily. “Let’s go home.”

  There was no trace of the Spider Gnomes as they made their way through the woods. “I doubt we’ll see them again,” said Grandpa as they reached the house and went into the kitchen.

  “And if we do, the Giant Greater African Spider Catcher will soon scare them away!” said Sophie.

  Grandpa rubbed his short hair. “Right, I’m off to take a shower. I still feel stic
ky from the web.” Heading for the door, he stopped and turned, his eyes suddenly serious. “You two should be very proud of yourselves,” he said. “Even without a chance to plan, you were a real team today. If it hadn’t been for both of you, I might not be here now.”

  Sophie felt a warm glow. Embarrassed, she said, “Anytime you need saving, Grandpa, just call on us!”

  “I’m not planning on making a habit of it.” Grandpa smiled, his eyes catching hers. “Thank you, child. I mean it.”

  “You know, I don’t think he wishes Anthony was the Guardian any more,” said Sam after Grandpa left the room.

  Sophie breathed out in a happy rush. “And now there are just three gems left to find.”

  “We’ll get them,” declared Sam.

  Sophie nodded. “Yeah. If we can defeat the Spider Gnomes we can defeat anything. Nothing’s going to stop us!”

  Sam held up his hand and Sophie met it in a high five. Catching sight of the parrot’s cage, she went over. “I’m so glad you thought about using Nigel’s screeches today.” She lifted the cover.

  “FIRE!” Nigel shrieked.

  Sophie grinned. “Parrots are so cool.” She scratched Nigel’s head. “What do you think?”

  “You stink!” the parrot cackled at her.

  Sam burst out laughing.

  “You stink! You stink!” Nigel screeched, bobbing up and down on his perch. “I think you stink!”

  Sophie hastily threw the cover back over the cage and Nigel subsided.

  Sam grinned. “Parrots really are cool.”

  Sophie laughed and nudged him. “So are adventures and I want another one! Let’s go and get The Shadow Files and see if we can find another clue. Come on!”

  Giggling together, they charged up the stairs.

  Chapter 11

  In the Woods…

  In a clearing, hidden deep in the heart of the trees, King Ug sat on his throne made out of a mouldy tree trunk. His crumbling skin was covered with dark blotches and he wore an old tattered black cloak. Three Ink Cap Goblins were bowing over and over again in front of him.