by Sue Bentley
‘That was really weird on the bouncy castle earlier, wasn’t it?’ Gayle said.
Jessica shrugged. ‘I guess so,’ she said.
Gayle was watching her closely. ‘I don’t know what happened, but I bet you had something to do with it. I didn’t think you had it in you,’ she said with a grudging respect.
Jessica looked at Gayle in surprise and wondered whether she could actually be quite good fun underneath it all.
‘You just loved seeing me making a fool of myself, didn’t you?’ Gayle commented.
‘Well, it was quite funny,’ Jessica said and then wished she hadn’t. Gayle scowled and the familiar mean look came over her face. She wasn’t being friendly at all now – perhaps she had just been pretending.
‘You think you’re so cool, don’t you?’ Gayle spat. ‘Well, no one makes fun of me and gets away with it! Just remember that!’
As Gayle stomped off, Jessica looked down at Storm in dismay. ‘What do you think she means?’
Storm frowned up at her from the bag. ‘It sounded as if she is going to try and get her own back.’
‘Well, let her just try!’ Jessica said.
‘We’ll be ready, won’t we?’
She reached into her bag to stroke Storm’s smooth warm fur and didn’t notice the concerned look on his tiny face.
Chapter
SIX
‘There it is! That’s our balloon!’ Jessica cried early the following morning, pointing to a bead-sized blue dot high in the sky.
Storm sat on Jessica’s lap in the back of the The High Flyers’ support car. Kim, who owned the car, was driving. Jessica’s mum was in the passenger seat with a map and instruments on her lap.
They were carefully tracking the balloon, so that they would be in exactly the right spot to help with the landing.
‘Grr-uff! Grr-uff!’ Storm barked a challenge, as he jumped up on to his hind legs and poked his nose out of the open window.
‘Careful, Storm. Watch you don’t fall out,’ Jessica cautioned in a whisper.
It was 6.30 a.m. and conditions were perfect for ballooning. The clear blue sky overhead seemed filled with layers of balloons of all shapes and sizes.
‘Just look at that one!’ Jessica said, pointing to a giant rabbit that seemed to be waving its paw. She could see a can of soup and a big smiling head wearing earphones, but her favourite was a crocodile eating a packet of crackers.
‘They are like giant creatures that roar and spit flame and chase each other!’ Storm yapped. He still hadn’t got used to the burners. A tiny growl rumbled in his throat whenever the hissing roar of one of them echoed on the still air.
‘They’re just dumb old sacks of hot air. They won’t hurt you,’ Jessica soothed, stroking his tense little body.
Storm gradually started to relax as Kim headed out into the countryside and drove through villages and hamlets. By the time they were nearing a patchwork of open fields, Jessica could see that The High Flyers’ balloon was beginning to drift downwards.
‘They’ll be coming down in the fields somewhere over here,’ Mrs Tennant judged, pointing at a map with her pencil. ‘We should go right at the next crossroads.’
‘Will do,’ Kim said, concentrating hard.
‘This is the tricky bit,’ Jessica whispered to Storm. ‘Landing can be dangerous because of power lines and stuff. Sometimes the ground wind’s too strong and the basket tips over and the balloon drags it along.’
‘That is not good. Someone could get hurt,’ Storm woofed worriedly.
‘Yes, but Dad’s a brilliant pilot. You’ll see. Here they come! Look!’ Jessica waved to her dad, who was just a tiny figure in the basket at that moment.
Minutes later, Kim stopped the car and everyone got out. Jessica and Storm followed her mum and Kim across an unploughed field.
Suddenly, a huge black wolf balloon rose up from behind some tall trees and began descending rapidly.
Jessica ducked instinctively. ‘It’s The Cloud Racers! They’re going to land too, but they’re a bit close to our balloon!’
Storm gave a piercing whine of terror. He streaked forward and hurtled across the field in a blind panic.
‘Storm!’ Jessica gasped. He must have thought that the monster balloon was about to attack him.
‘Where did that puppy come from?’ her mum cried.
Jessica realized that Storm was so scared that he must have forgotten to stay invisible. He wouldn’t be able to use his magic to save himself without giving himself away!
Without a second thought, Jessica shot across the field after him. Her heart pounded as she ran and her trainers ate up the muddy soil. The Cloud Racers’ enormous black balloon seemed to blot out the entire sky and the huge basket was barely five metres above her head. Glancing upwards, Jessica caught a glimpse of horrified faces looking down at her.
Storm froze. He didn’t seem to realize that he was right in the balloon’s path. His midnight-blue eyes were like saucers and his hackles stood up along his back.
In desperation, Jessica threw herself forward. Her fingers brushed Storm’s brown-and-white fur. Yes! She grabbed the tiny puppy and held him to her chest and then rolled over and over with him, as she’d been taught to do in gym lessons at school.
Just as she came to a halt beside the hedgerow at the side of the field, she bashed her knee on a large half-buried stone. ‘Oh!’ she gasped as a sharp pain took her breath away.
‘Look out!’ Jessica’s mum and Kim were running across the field frantically waving their arms at the huge black balloon.
Jessica heard a shout from overhead. The powerful burners roared out and the monster wolf balloon slowed. For an agonizingly long moment, it seemed to hang in the air and then it rose just high enough to sweep over her and Storm and skim the hedge into the next field.
Jessica lay there, holding the shocked puppy. Her entire leg seemed to be aching and she couldn’t move.
She saw her dad steering their balloon to a safe landing, thirty metres away across the field. Kim ran to catch the anchor rope, while Jessica’s mum ran to where Jessica lay.
‘Jessica! Are you all right?’ Mrs Tennant shouted anxiously.
‘I’m OK, Mum. Just a bit shaken up,’ Jessica cried.
Storm whined and reached up to lick Jessica’s face. ‘Thank you for saving me. You were very brave.’
‘I wasn’t really. I didn’t think about it, but I just knew that I couldn’t bear anything to happen to you. Quick, you’d better become invisible again. Mum’s almost here!’ Jessica said, wincing.
‘You have hurt yourself! I will make you better,’ Storm woofed.
Jessica felt the familiar tingling down her spine as Storm opened his mouth and huffed out a cloud of tiny gold sparks as fine as gold dust. The glittering mist swirled around Jessica’s leg. The pain in her knee felt very hot for a second and then it turned ice cold and completely drained away like water gurgling down a drain.
‘Thanks, Storm. I’m fine now,’ she said, quickly putting him on the ground and getting to her feet just as her mum reached her.
‘You silly girl! Whatever made you run after that puppy? You could have been badly injured!’ Mrs Tennant scolded, looking all red-faced and shaky. ‘Where is the little mite, anyway?’
‘It… er… ran away through the h-hedge,’ Jessica gabbled hurriedly. ‘It must have been a stray. Anyway, I’m all right, Mum. Don’t fuss!’
‘Jessica Tennant…’ her mum said darkly, looking as if she was about to make a very big fuss indeed.
Jessica swallowed and decided that it might be sensible to change the subject. ‘Hadn’t we better go and help Dad and the others?’ she said hastily.
With Storm haring after her, she marched across the field to where Kim, her dad and the others were dealing with the balloon.
Chapter
SEVEN
That evening, the weather was perfect and the balloons were flying. Jessica decided to stay behind with Storm this time. She found
a stall selling candyfloss and then one selling pet food and bought him a dog treat.
They went over towards the old pavilion, where it wasn’t so crowded, to sit on the grass and eat.
‘When do we go back to your home place, Jessica?’ Storm woofed around a crunchy mouthful.
‘Tomorrow. There’s another race at 6 a.m. and then the prize-giving. After that we’ll set off home,’ she replied. ‘I can’t wait for you to meet Sheena. She’s going to love you!’
‘I am sorry, Jessica, but you cannot tell anyone about me. Not even your friend.’ Storm’s big dewy blue eyes were serious.
‘Oh.’ Jessica felt disappointed that she couldn’t even tell her best friend about Storm, but if that would keep him safe, she didn’t mind too much.
Jessica ate the last of her candyfloss. She licked her fingers and stood up. ‘Finished?’ she said to Storm.
Storm nodded. He leapt to his feet and set off across the well-kept grass.
An old crisp packet blew about and Storm’s bright eyes sparked with mischief as he pounced on it.
Tossing his head from side to side, he tore around with the packet in his mouth.
Jessica smiled at his cute antics. Sometimes it was hard to believe that the cheeky pup was really a majestic young silver-grey wolf who would one day lead his pack.
Suddenly, Storm stopped. He stood there quivering with concentration for a few seconds and then gave a loud yelp of terror and bolted straight into a flower bed.
Jessica stiffened. But she couldn’t see what had frightened Storm. Whatever could be wrong? She raced over to the flower bed and began peering beneath a flowering bush.
‘Storm? Where are you?’ she called anxiously.
At first she couldn’t see any sign of the little puppy, but then she spotted him. He was tucked into a tight ball in a space between two drooping branches.
‘Is this a game or something? Oh, I get it. You’re playing a trick on me!’ she said, smiling, but then her face straightened as she saw that he was trembling all over.
‘I saw a huge dog over by that tree. I think Shadow has used his magic to turn it into a wolf and send it after me!’ Storm whined.
Jessica felt a clutch of fear. If Storm’s enemy had found him, the tiny puppy was in terrible danger.
She glanced anxiously towards the tree and saw a woman with a big German shepherd dog on a lead. The dog saw her looking and its tongue lolled in a friendly doggy grin.
‘Those dogs look a bit like wolves, but that one seems gentle,’ Jessica whispered uncertainly as the woman and her dog came closer. ‘How will I know if it’s under a magic spell?’
‘It will have fierce pale eyes and extra-long sharp teeth,’ Storm whined nervously.
Jessica looked at the German shepherd again. ‘It doesn’t look like that. I think it’s OK.’
Storm crawled forward with his belly close to the ground and his tail between his legs. He peered through the drooping branches at the big dog and Jessica saw him gradually relax.
‘You are right. I am mistaken this time. But if Shadow finds me, he will use his magic to hunt me down.’
Jessica felt a surge of protectiveness. She bent down and picked Storm up as he crept out from under the bush. She could feel his little heart beating fast against her fingers. ‘I hope that horrible Shadow never finds you and then you can come home with me and stay forever!’
Storm looked up at her. ‘One day, I must return to my own world to help my mother and become leader of the Moon-claw pack. Do you understand that, Jessica?’ he yapped gently.
Jessica nodded, but she didn’t want to think about that right now. ‘You’ve had a nasty scare. Let’s go back to the camper and spend some quiet time together,’ she said, changing the subject.
Storm reached up to lick her chin. ‘I would like that,’ he barked.
Jessica carried Storm to the car park. As they came in sight of their camper, the door opened and a girl peered out. After a quick look around, she climbed down and hurried away.
‘That was Gayle. What’s she doing in our camper?’ Jessica wondered.
Storm frowned. ‘I do not know.’
‘Maybe Mum came back to fetch something and Gayle was chatting to her,’ Jessica said, knowing how Gayle was always careful to be on her best behaviour around adults.
But when she went inside, she saw that the camper was empty.
Storm stood with his head on one side.
‘What is it?’ Jessica asked him.
‘Something is different…’ Tiny gold sparks began twinkling in Storm’s fur and his wet brown nose began to glow like a gold nugget. With a triumphant woof he jumped up on to the back seat and began rooting about behind a cushion. A moment later, he emerged holding something in his mouth.
It was a gold necklace with a blue, heart-shaped stone.
Jessica recognized it. ‘That’s Gayle’s new necklace. She must have put it there. But why?’
‘I think I know why!’ Storm barked and then he pricked up his ears. ‘Someone is coming!’ He picked up the necklace and dashed out of the open door with it in his mouth.
Puzzled, Jessica followed hard on his heels. ‘Storm? What’s going on? Where are you go–’ she started to ask and then stopped herself quickly as she saw Gayle and her mum standing there.
Mrs Young was wearing a frilly blue dress and high heels. She had one arm round Gayle, who was dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.
‘I want a word with you, young lady!’ Mrs Young said at once. ‘Gayle’s lost her new necklace and she thinks that you might know something about it!’
‘Me?’ Jessica said, almost speechless.
Gayle grinned slyly. ‘Don’t try and look innocent,’ she sniffled. ‘I know you took it.’
Jessica couldn’t believe her ears. ‘I couldn’t care less about your stupid necklace. I didn’t take it!’ she burst out.
‘Huh! You would say that!’ Gayle sneered. ‘I bet you’ve hidden it inside the camper. Come on, Mum, let’s go inside and look for it.’
‘Now wait just a minute!’ said a deep voice behind them.
‘Dad!’ Jessica gave a cry of relief as her dad stepped forward.
‘I heard all that,’ he said. ‘And I can assure you that my daughter’s no thief. If Jessica says she didn’t take the necklace, I believe her.’
Mrs Young gave him a charming smile. Her teeth were very white against her bright-pink lipstick. ‘In that case, you won’t mind if we come into your camper and have a look.’
‘I certainly do mind! Gayle’s probably dropped that necklace somewhere. I suggest you go and look for it, before you come here making wild accusations,’ Mr Tennant said calmly.
‘Well! If that’s your attitude,’ Mrs Young said indignantly, drawing herself up. ‘You haven’t heard the last of this, I assure you. Come along, Gayle.’
Gayle looked as if she was about to protest, but she turned and hurried after her.
As Mrs Young stalked towards her motorhome in her high heels, she suddenly stopped. ‘What’s that glinting in the grass?’ she said, bending down to pick something up. She turned to Gayle. ‘It’s your necklace! You must have dropped it, just like Mr Tennant said.’
‘But I don’t get it! I put it under… I mean… I… um… didn’t…’ Gayle stammered in confusion.
‘You’ve made me look a complete idiot!’ Mrs Young fumed, marching Gayle up the steps of the RV. ‘What have you been up to? And you’d better tell me the truth, or you’ll be grounded!’
The door closed firmly and silence fell. Jessica guessed that Gayle was getting a really severe telling-off. She turned back to her dad. ‘Thanks for sticking up for me, Dad.’
‘No problem,’ he said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. ‘You haven’t got a mean bone in your body, Jessica Tennant. But it was a good thing we got back here in time.’
Just as her dad went into the van, Storm came out from underneath the camper and lolloped up to Jessica.
‘Thanks, Stor
m. That was a brilliant idea to drop Gayle’s necklace over by the RV. It really turned the tables on her!’
‘You are welcome, Jessica. I do not think she will be making any more trouble,’ he yapped happily.
Chapter
EIGHT
Jessica woke up early on Sunday morning. Pale lemon sunlight was just pushing through the crack in the camper’s curtains.
Storm was lying next to her. He wagged his little tail as she stroked him, and snuggled back under a fold of the warm duvet with a contented sigh.
Jessica felt wide awake. Leaving Storm lying there, she carefully climbed over him and dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. After boiling the kettle, she took her mum and dad a cup of tea in bed.
‘Thanks, love. You’re an early bird today!’ Mr Tennant sat up looking sleepy-eyed and with his hair all tousled. ‘You’re not making breakfast too, are you?’ he asked hopefully.
Jessica took the hint. ‘Eggs on toast?’
By the time they were clearing away the cups and plates, the other High Flyers had arrived. Kim had bad news.
‘It’s going to be another no-fly day,’ she announced. ‘So the winning times have been worked out from Friday’s and Saturday’s flights. We’re in second place. The Cloud Racers are first.’
Mr Tennant nodded. ‘Ah well, that’s how it goes,’ he said good-naturedly. ‘It’s a shame we won’t get a chance for another flight. But there’ll still be a balloon tether before we pack away for good.’
‘That’s when the balloons are roped to the ground and just hover a few centimetres in the air. No balloon monsters high in the sky to scare you today then,’ Jessica explained in a whisper to Storm.
Outside in the enclosure, cars and trailers had drawn up and the grass was already covered with acres of brightly coloured nylon. Jessica could see that The Cloud Racers’ basket lay on its side. The burners were going and the huge black wolf face was almost fully inflated.