Alfie the Werewolf 6: Werewolf Secrets

by Paul van Loon

  ‘Relax,’ Noura whispered. ‘You’ll manage.’

  Alfie felt the sweat running down his neck and sighed. He was almost through the rope. There was just one thin thread left. Suddenly Mooma groaned in her sleep and moved her head. Her eyes opened and stared at Alfie. Alfie was so frightened he growled at the top of his voice.

  ‘WROW!’

  36

  WROW!

  ‘I can’t see a thing down that hole!’ Dad lay on his stomach and peered into the dark tunnel with one eye. ‘No, nothing at all,’ he said. ‘And I can’t hear anything either.’

  The rain was getting heavier and heavier. Mum pulled an umbrella out of her shoulder bag and looked at her watch impatiently.

  ‘What’s keeping our boys now? It’s already ten minutes since Alfie crawled into that hole.’

  Dad scrambled back up on to his feet. ‘Relax, sweetheart. Give them some time.’

  Mum nodded, opening the umbrella. ‘You’re right. But I don’t want anything to happen to them. And not to Noura either, of course.’ She looked up at the full moon. ‘And where have Leo and Grandpa Werewolf got to? They’ve been gone for a very long time. Why are they looking for a trolley?’

  Dad shrugged. ‘It’s full moon and you know how that affects werewolves. They do things ordinary people like us just don’t understand. Things we can only dream of …’ He sighed deeply. ‘Oh, if only I could change into a werewolf just once! That would be so super cool. That’s really different.’

  Mum smiled. ‘Dear, how often have I told you? As far as I’m concerned, you don’t need to be a werewolf at all. So stop complaining. Otherwise I’ll box your ears.’

  Dad raised his hands to protect himself. ‘OK, I won’t say another word.’

  He looked up at the black rain clouds with a worried expression.

  ‘I wonder where my beautiful statue is. Maybe it’s wandering aimlessly and alone through the rain. Or maybe thieves have stolen it and it’s lying in the back of a lorry somewhere.’ He sighed again and pulled a prickle out of his chin. ‘All that work in vain. All my hacking, all my grit, sweat and tears for nothing.’

  Just then there was a loud growl, far away in the underground tunnel.

  ‘WROW!’

  37

  Anger

  Horrified and too scared to move, Alfie looked straight into Mooma’s big yellow eyes.

  It’s over, he thought. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I’ve blown it now. Mooma will get me too. We’ve all had it …

  It seemed like Mooma was staring at him for minutes. Then her eyelids drooped and she started snoring again. It had only been a couple of seconds.

  Alfie couldn’t believe it. That was close!

  It gave him new strength. With one slash he cut through the last bit of rope. Noura was free. Then he cut Tim’s rope easily.

  ‘Quick, Noura, Tim, get out of here,’ Alfie whispered.

  Noura shook her head. ‘First the orphans! They’ve been stuck here a lot longer and they’re all frozen half to death.’

  Alfie looked at Igor, who was sitting next to Tim with his teeth chattering.

  ‘Wrow, OK.’ He handed the torch to Tim. ‘Can you give me some light, Tim?’ Holding his knife, Alfie bent over Igor, who looked at him with big eyes.

  ‘Don’t be scared,’ Alfie whispered. He cut the rope and helped Igor up. Mooma was still snoring as loud as ever.

  ‘Quick, to the opening,’ Alfie whispered.

  ‘Th-thanks,’ Igor growled, still shivering. Tim lit the way with the torch and Igor climbed out through the hole.

  ‘Wrow, perfect,’ Alfie growled. ‘Now the others.’ He carefully cut Inouk’s rope then Ashanti’s. ‘Wrow, it’s going well,’ he growled softly. ‘I’m cutting as well as a … um, butcher.’ One after the other he sent the orphans over to the opening until finally there was just one left: Olga. She alone was still tied to Mooma’s thick, hairy ankle. The others had all crawled up the tunnel.

  Tim and Noura were waiting. Looking at Olga, Alfie felt anger in his stomach. It’s all because of her, he thought. Otherwise we’d be happy and free now, running around under the full moon. He was sure that his eyes were turning a deep red.

  ‘Wrow, Olga. You betrayed Noura. And Tim and me too. That wasn’t very nice of you.’

  Olga looked at him desperately. ‘Please cut me free too, Alfie. I’m so sorry. I … I didn’t want to betray you. But I was so scared … of the icy cellar. Of having to stay here for ever.’

  Tears rolled down over her muzzle. The torch flickered again in Tim’s shaking hand. The light was a lot weaker now.

  ‘Alfie, hurry up,’ Noura whispered. ‘Cut her loose, fast. She’s sorry.’

  Alfie looked up and tried to pull himself together. For a moment he was shocked by his werewolf rage. He hadn’t known he could feel so furious. Slowly the red haze in front of his eyes faded. Quickly he cut Olga’s rope.

  ‘Hurry up, Olga, get out of here.’

  Olga jumped up and ran to the opening. After she’d disappeared, Noura crawled into the hole.

  ‘Come quickly, Tim, Alfie,’ she said quietly.

  Alfie looked at Mooma, who was still snoring away, the cut ropes dangling from her wrists and ankles.

  ‘You first, Tim. Then me.’

  Tim nodded, handing the torch back to Alfie.

  ‘Don’t dawdle, huh, Alfie?’

  ‘Wrow, go on.’

  Quickly Tim crawled into the hole. Alfie saw him disappear in the faint light of the torch. Then he couldn’t see anything any more. The torch had gone out for good now and it was pitch black. He noticed something funny too. The snoring had stopped.

  It was quiet in the cellar. Dead quiet and very dark. He searched for the opening in the wall. Fortunately his werewolf eyes adjusted to darkness quickly and he could soon make things out. The entrance to the narrow tunnel was right in front of him. He stretched out an arm.

  Suddenly he heard a shuffling sound behind him. Then footsteps: Stomp, stomp. Alfie’s hair stood on end. A flickering light cast shadows on the wall. Slowly he turned around.

  38

  Found?

  Mum and Dad were outside waiting at the entrance to the secret tunnel. The full moon was half hidden behind a black cloud that was softly raining on Dad’s kangaroo tea cosy. Mum was sheltering under the umbrella. Together they gaped as the young werewolves crawled out of the hole, one after the other, until they were all standing shivering in the drizzle, six wet werewolves huddled together. They seemed a little bit scared of Mum and Dad. Dad pinched his nose shut.

  ‘Poo, they smell like wet dogs.’

  ‘Don’t be silly, dear,’ Mum said. ‘The poor wet … um, werewolf children. Come here under my umbrella. This rain keeps getting heavier.’ She pulled four of the sopping-wet orphans towards her. Dad took off his kangaroo.

  ‘The others can take cover under my tea cosy. I’ll squeeze my nose shut. It’s too bad the car’s upside down, otherwise we could get into that.’

  The other two orphans looked at him anxiously, shrugged, growled something under their breath and shook their heads.

  ‘You don’t have to if you don’t want to. It’s up to you, you know.’ Dad let go of his nose and put the tea cosy back on his head. Meanwhile Noura had climbed out of the hole with Tim just behind her.

  ‘Hi, Mum. Hi, Dad,’ he called.

  ‘Hooray, there they are!’ Mum shouted. ‘You’re saved. Alfie’s done really well.’

  Dad nodded. ‘Fantastic! But where is our hero?’

  Tim wiped the rain out of his eyes. ‘Alfie was going to follow behind us. What’s keeping him?’

  Bright white lightning flashed through the sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder.

  ‘Uh-oh!’ Mum looked up. Dark clouds had gathered overhead like a flock of black sheep, blocking out the moon almost completely.

  ‘Now we’re in for it,’ she said as the rain started to pour down harder and harder.

  Noura was kneeling at the secret
entrance.

  ‘Alfie!’ she called. ‘You coming?’

  There was no answer. Alfie didn’t appear.

  Behind them they heard panting and a squeaking noise and everyone turned around. Leo and Grandpa Werewolf were just emerging from a curtain of rain on their way up the hill. Leo groaned. His overalls were sopping and rainwater was dripping from the legs. A thick rope ran over his shoulder to a wobbly trolley with squeaky wheels. Standing on the trolley was a big black statue.

  ‘This be one heavisome trollipop!’ Leo called. ‘With a super-heavy lump of rockstone.’

  Dad jumped for joy and threw his kangaroo tea cosy up in the air. ‘My statue! My dear beautiful statue. They’ve found it!’ Overcome by excitement, he jumped up and down in a puddle of water. But then he suddenly stopped. ‘Or … or did they steal it?’

  Grandpa Werewolf waved his umbrella. ‘Sorry, but we had to steal your statue, father of Tim. You would never have given it to us, but we need it.’ Panting, he stopped in front of Mum and Dad. ‘We’re not too late, are we?’ he growled.

  There was another flash of lightning. Somewhere far behind the werewolf orphanage they heard a loud werewolf’s howl.

  ‘Woo-hoo-oooo!’

  39

  Mooma’s Armpit

  Mooma was standing in front of Alfie with a burning candle, her yellow eyes glowing in its light. She laid a paw on Alfie’s shoulder and bent her big werewolf head close to his. Alfie got goosebumps all over. That seemed very strange for a werewolf, but he had no time to think about it.

  ‘Who are you?’ Mooma growled. ‘Does Mooma know you from somewhere? You look familiar.’

  Alfie held his jaw clenched shut.

  ‘Where are Mooma’s orphans?’ Mooma demanded.

  ‘U-um …’ Alfie stammered. Mooma’s paw was heavy on his shoulder. Her eyes went to the hole in the wall.

  ‘Oh, Mooma understands.’

  For a moment her eyes took on a look of intense sadness.

  ‘You … you helped the werewolf orphans to escape. You sent them back into the cruel world.’ Mooma shook her head and Alfie saw tears gleaming in the corners of her eyes. ‘Stupid of you, you poor werewolf cub. It’s a shame. A terrible pity. You shouldn’t have done it. They should have stayed here with me for ever. The werewolf orphans and Mooma. Away from all pain and sorrow. Now Mooma can’t save them. You’ve ruined everything!’

  With these last words, Mooma’s voice turned mean and grating again. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She seemed to be pondering something. Alfie was too scared to speak. Her heavy paw was still pressing down on his shoulder.

  Mooma opened her eyes and sighed deeply. Alfie saw a tear running down her werewolf cheek.

  ‘Then we’ll do it differently,’ Mooma said. ‘Mooma’s not going to wait any more. You’re the only orphan Mooma has left, so Mooma’s going to save you, whether you want her to or not!’

  ‘Wrow, I’m not an orphan. I’ve been adopted by—’

  ‘Shut your trap, orphan or not!’ Mooma grabbed Alfie and clamped him under her arm.

  ‘Wrow, wait, please, Mrs Big Box, um … Mrs Mooma,’ Alfie squeaked. It was hard to breathe squashed under Mooma’s arm and the pong was something else.

  ‘Where are we going?’

  Mooma glared at him. ‘We’re on our way to the end …’

  40

  The Chasm

  Alfie held his breath, trying to block out the smell of Mooma’s armpit.

  What is she doing? Where is she going? he thought.

  Mooma walked up the stairs, bashed the door open and took the next staircase. Then she stormed down the hall to the kitchen. Like all the other doors and windows, the back door was covered by a roll-down metal shutter. Alfie saw Mooma press a button and the shutter rattled up. Mooma opened the back door and stepped out into the howling wind and splashing rain. Alfie looked around. They were at the back of the orphanage, somewhere he’d never been before.

  A path with big rocks on either side led further up the hill. Black clouds swirled past the moon like frightened sheep. The rain clattered on the rocks. The wind blew through the trees.

  Alfie caught snatches of the song wind’s song.

  Long, long ago Armando was young

  In love with life, in love with blood …

  Mooma just kept stomping up the hill. She mustn’t hear the wind, thought Alfie as the rain spattered on his glasses.

  ‘Wrow, Mrs Mooma, where are we going?’ he called. ‘What is the end?’

  Mooma didn’t answer. A lightning bolt lit up the surroundings with bright white light. Alfie saw the rocks and trees as a black-and-white photo. He tried to wriggle loose.

  Mooma ignored the lightning and Alfie too. She held him tight and pushed on against the storm.

  This is all going wrong, thought Alfie. I don’t want this to be the end!

  He tried to squirm out of Mooma’s grip but her arm was wrapped around him like a steel clamp. The trees were bent over in the blasting wind and the rain was pushing the bushes flat to the ground.

  Nothing can stop Mooma, thought Alfie. Not even wind, rain and storm. What can I do now?

  Finally Mooma reached the top, where the path stopped. Alfie looked up at Mooma anxiously. She raised her head in the air. The moon was half visible behind the black clouds.

  ‘Wrow, what have we come here for?’ Alfie asked, shivering. ‘It’s cold and wet and windy. You’ll catch a cold here, you know! And so will I.’

  Mooma held him in her arms like a baby and looked at him. Her eyes were watery. Or was that just the rain?

  ‘We’ll never catch anything again, little werewolf orphan. This is the end of everything.’ She was silent for a moment, then growled, ‘Plus you helped my poor orphans to escape. You have to suffer for that!’

  Alfie gulped. ‘W-where is this end, Mrs Mooma? Do you mean the end of the path?’

  Mooma shook her head. ‘Too late, poor werewolf orphan! Sweet little orphan. Naughty, troublesome orphan. Look!’ Mooma held Alfie in front of her with outstretched arms.

  He looked down in fright and his stomach turned. There was nothing under his feet, just a black chasm. So deep he couldn’t see the bottom.

  ‘Down there,’ Mooma said. ‘The end of everything is down there. And that’s where we’re going. You and Mooma … No more sorrow.’

  Tears poured down over her werewolf cheeks. She opened her mouth wide and howled at the full moon. ‘Woo-woo-wooooo!’

  41

  A Procession

  It’s going to happen now, thought Alfie. Mooma is going to leap into the chasm. And she’s going to take me with her. I don’t want to!

  Alfie screwed up his eyes. In his thoughts he saw Tim, Noura, Mum and Dad’s faces. Leo and Grandpa Werewolf flashed by too. He even heard Leo saying, ‘Cuz wolf, what you be doing now?’

  I’ll never see them again, Alfie thought, before his fear grew too enormous. So big that it started to numb him.

  I’m going to fall any second now, he thought with a smile. It’s kind of funny! Then, from far away, he heard a familiar voice.

  ‘Mooma!’

  That … that’s Grandpa Werewolf’s voice, thought Alfie. Am I dreaming? He opened his eyes. I’m still alive, he thought. And I’m not dreaming!

  Mooma turned around. In the distance Alfie saw a whole procession approaching with one figure after the other emerging from the falling rain. His heart leapt.

  Grandpa Werewolf was leading the way, bent over under an umbrella. Leo, Tim and Noura were pulling a trolley on which a large black figure was standing. The orphans were pushing the trolley from behind and Mum and Dad were walking next to them.

  ‘Mooma, don’t do it!’ Grandpa Werewolf called, waving his umbrella.

  Alfie was still dangling over the chasm. He kicked desperately and held Mooma’s arms tight.

  ‘Wrow, please don’t drop me, Mrs Mooma! I don’t want to fall.’

  Mooma looked at the approaching procession
.

  ‘Too late,’ she said. ‘Mooma has had enough.’ She turned her back on them and shuffled forwards. Her big, hairy feet were already sticking out over the edge of the chasm.

  ‘No!’ Noura screamed.

  ‘Mooma, don’t do it!’ Alfie heard Grandpa Werewolf again, his voice even mightier this time. ‘He’s … your grandson!’

  A bolt of lightning split the night, lighting up Grandpa’s werewolf muzzle.

  42

  Armando

  Huh? thought Alfie. What does Grandpa Werewolf mean?

  ‘Huh?’ said Tim.

  ‘Huh?’ said Mum and Dad.

  ‘Really?’ said Noura.

  ‘Grimbeard!’ Mooma said. ‘Is that you? It’s been a long time. A very long time!’

  Alfie gripped Mooma’s arms in terror. He saw the astonishment on Mooma’s face as she looked back at Grandpa. She seemed to have forgotten all about Alfie.

  Don’t drop me! he thought.

  Mooma smiled sadly. Her gleaming white fangs sparkled in the moonlight.

  ‘You’re lying, Grimbeard … Mooma has no grandson. Once … Yes, once there was a human child. But that’s a very long time ago …’ She shook her head furiously. ‘No! That was just a dream, wasn’t it?’ Mooma brought one paw up to her head, sobbing quietly. ‘Stop it, Grimbeard! Mooma has no one and nothing!’

  Grimbeard? thought Alfie. Wasn’t that the young man in the photo?

  Grandpa Werewolf took off his hat. The rain ran down past his ears. It was the last drops. A gentle breeze was blowing away the thunderstorm. Grandpa Werewolf stared at Mooma and shook his head.

  ‘That’s not true, Mooma,’ he said softly. ‘You do have someone. I’ve brought him here for you. Someone you’ve had to do without for a very long time. Look …’