‘Ha!’ Sooze’s face was a thundercloud. ‘I bet she never even set it at all. She really doesn’t like me, you know. And she hasn’t been too happy with you lately, either, for being my friend. What a great way to get back at us – just leaving us out here in the dark!’
Twink swallowed. Could Sooze possibly be right? From the expressions on the faces around her, she knew the others thought she could be.
‘Well – well, I don’t believe it,’ she said, clenching her fists. ‘She’ll be here soon. She has to be! She just set her clock wrong, that’s all.’
Sooze smiled, but it wasn’t a very pleasant smile. ‘Shall we take bets?’
‘Come on, there’s no point arguing about it.’ Pix’s face looked worried and pale in the moonlight. ‘We’ve got to find a way in! How about one of the windows in the Great Branch? Maybe one of them is open.’
The fairies flew down the side of the tree, circling about the dark trunk until they reached the Great Branch. Its windows all looked dark . . . and very firmly closed.
‘Come on,’ whispered Pix. ‘I’ll start with these windows; the rest of you spread out and start checking some of the others. Even if they look shut, try them anyway! Maybe one of them isn’t locked and we can get it open.’
Her heart pounding, Twink flew down the length of the Branch. The huge oak leaves rustled around her as she tried the window nearest her, tugging hard at the wooden frame. Wasps! It didn’t budge.
Dodging leaves as she flew, Twink worked her way down the Branch, trying window after window. They were all locked tight! Twink fought back stinging tears. Bimi couldn’t really have done this to them, could she? They’d be stuck out here all night!
‘Over here!’ hissed Sooze’s voice from the other side of the Branch. ‘I’ve found one open!’
Twink gasped. Zooming over the top of the Branch, she found Sooze hovering beside an open window. The others arrived from all directions, their faces awash with relief.
‘Oh, hurrah!’ cried Sili softly. ‘We’re saved!’
Pix started to say something, but stopped. She usually thought Sili was far too dramatic, but this time Sili wasn’t exaggerating!
The fairies squeezed through the window one by one, dropping lightly on to the floor of the Great Branch. Twink shivered as she looked around her. The Branch, so grand and impressive when lit, now looked shadowy and frightening. Oh, wasps, she could hardly wait to get back to Daffy Branch!
Finally they were all in. Pix fluttered up and locked the window. ‘Right, let’s go!’ she whispered. ‘And don’t make any more noise than you can – ack!’
A glow-worm lantern had suddenly come on, flooding light into their faces. And holding it, standing not three inches away from them, was Mrs Lightwing!
The first-year head wore a dandelion-fluff dressing gown, her sky-blue hair tumbling loose across her shoulders. Her white wings tapped together as she stared hard at the girls. They shrank beneath her gaze.
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‘Would one of you care to explain why I was woken up by the sound of whispers outside the Great Branch, discussing various ways to break into it?’ asked Mrs Lightwing.
Twink’s wings felt like ice. ‘I – we – we got stuck outside,’ she blurted.
‘I see,’ Mrs Lightwing nodded. ‘That would be outside, after glow-worms out, when you should have all been asleep in bed – correct? Would you be so good as to tell me where you went?’
Twink squirmed at the sarcasm in Mrs Lightwing’s voice. They were all in for it now! She glanced at the others, and they looked back at her, wide-eyed. Nobody spoke.
‘The – the Dingly Dell,’ whispered Twink.
‘The Dingly Dell,’ repeated Mrs Lightwing. ‘Yes, of course. How silly of me. For a midnight feast, I assume?’
Twink hung her head. Oh, why had they been so daft as to leave the school! It had seemed like such a wonderful idea at the time.
‘But, Mrs Lightwing, it’s Twink’s birthday!’ Sooze stepped forward, her expression pleading. ‘She was feeling sad about being away from her family, and we just wanted to make it special for her.’
There was a long pause. Twink held her breath.
‘Get to bed, all of you,’ snapped Mrs Lightwing finally. ‘I’ll deal with you in the morning!’
‘Look!’ hissed Sooze when they got back to Daffy Branch. ‘It’s just like I said – there she is, snoring away!’
Twink’s heart sank. Sooze was right. Bimi was clearly asleep, her dark form gently rising and falling with every breath.
Sooze flitted across the room. ‘And look at this,’ she said, her voice shaking. She grabbed the petal from Bimi’s cricket clock and held it up, clearly visible in the moonlight. Seven o’clock was written on it in Bimi’s handwriting.
Twink stared at it in dismay.
‘Wasps,’ whispered Pix. ‘It looks like she really did leave us out there on purpose!’
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.
Sili and Zena said nothing, looking grim. Twink bit her lip. No! she wanted to cry. But the petal spoke for itself.
Bimi stirred sleepily and rubbed her eyes. ‘Are you all back already?’ she murmured.
‘Already!’ burst out Sooze. ‘It’s after three o’clock – and thanks to you, we’re all in trouble!’
‘What?’ Bimi’s eyes widened. ‘But – but I set my clock!’
‘Yes, we see!’ Sooze waved the petal in front of Bimi’s face. ‘Thanks a lot!’
Bimi turned on her glow-worm lamp and looked blankly at the writing on the petal. ‘But I don’t understand!’ she cried. ‘I didn’t write that – I set it for two o’clock, I really did.’ She stared at them in confusion. ‘How did you get back in?’
‘When you didn’t show up we had to sneak into the Great Branch, and we got caught by Mrs Lightwing,’ said Pix flatly. ‘But listen, everyone, we should go to bed now. We don’t want to bring Mrs Lightwing up here and make it worse for ourselves!’
‘What’s all the noise?’ demanded a grumpy voice. Across the branch, Mariella stirred. ‘Some of us are trying to sleep!’
‘Oh, be quiet!’ snapped Sooze, turning on her. ‘This has nothing to do with you!’
Lola had awakened too, and sat up. ‘What’s going on?’ she squeaked.
‘Something about Bimi setting her clock,’ yawned Mariella, brushing back her silvery-green hair. ‘Anyway, Bimi, you did set it – I heard you tell it seven o’clock as usual. So can we all go to sleep now?’
‘There, see!’ cried Sooze. ‘Honestly, Bimi, I really wouldn’t have thought it of you – even if you don’t like me!’
‘But I didn’t! That’s not what happened!’ Bimi was near tears. ‘Twink, you believe me, don’t you?’
Twink hesitated. She didn’t know what to think. The handwriting on the petal was Bimi’s – and she knew how very angry and jealous her friend had been.
‘I – I don’t know,’ she said miserably.
Bimi stared at Twink with wide, hurt eyes. ‘Well – well, maybe I did do it in that case!’ she said. ‘And maybe you all deserved it!’ She flopped on to her side with her back to them all, and pulled the covers up over her pointed ears.
‘Oh!’ breathed Sooze. ‘See, she did do it!’
‘GIRLS!’ boomed a voice. Mrs Lightwing stood in the doorway, looking incensed.
‘Oh, I knew it!’ moaned Pix.
‘WHICH PART OF GO TO BED DID YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?’
The fairies scrambled for their beds, leaping into them without another word. Mrs Lightwing surveyed them coldly.
‘I do not want to hear another single sound from this branch,’ she said. ‘And those of you who woke me up earlier, I’ll see you in my office at eleven o’clock! Now, glow-worms out!’
The bra
nch plunged into darkness. All was quiet – at first a stiff, angry silence, and then gradually the soft sounds of snores filled the air.
Even though she was exhausted, Twink lay awake for a long time, clutching the petal covers tightly around her. Tears stung at her eyes, and she wiped them away with a trembling hand.
How could Bimi have done such a thing to us? she thought wretchedly. How?
.
Chapter Five
‘Our next three free afternoons gone!’ moaned Sooze. ‘And if that isn’t bad enough, we have to clean all the windows in the school! It’ll take us ages!’
‘Since you’re so fascinated by windows.’ Zena made a face as she imitated the first-year head. They had just left Mrs Lightwing’s office and were now flying glumly to their Dance lesson, her words still ringing in their ears.
Twink kept quiet. Secretly, she thought that Mrs Lightwing had been fair to them. Sneaking out at midnight was really very serious, even if they had only gone to the Dell.
‘Anyway, the party was worth it, wasn’t it?’ Sooze bumped against Twink as they flew.
Twink’s eyes shone as she nodded. ‘It was the most wonderful party ever!’ she said. And it had been . . . she just wished that Bimi hadn’t played such an awful trick on them.
They landed in the circle of mushrooms where their Dance lessons were held. The rest of Daffy Branch was already there, waiting for them in the sunshine. Bimi looked away when she saw them, her mouth tight.
‘What is this? You are all late!’ cried Madame Brightfoot. Her vivid purple hair was piled atop her head, with loose wisps and curls falling down here and there.
‘Sorry, Madame,’ said Pix. ‘We had to see Mrs Lightwing.’
‘Ah!’ Madame’s long cobweb sleeves fluttered as she waved her arms about. ‘You have all been bad fairies, no doubt! Bad, bad fairies who make my life a misery. Come now, get into a circle and join hands!’
The fairies fluttered into a circle, facing each other. Sili ended up beside Bimi, and she moved instantly, flying over to stand beside Twink instead. Bimi bit her lip, colouring up.
‘What now? Why do you move?’ snapped Madame.
Sili shrugged, not looking at Bimi. ‘I just like it better over here.’
‘I’ll stand beside her,’ said Sooze suddenly. Her eyes had a wicked gleam in them.
‘Good girl! Come along, Sooze,’ said Madame.
Sooze took Bimi’s hand. Nobody else seemed to want to stand beside Bimi, but finally Lola was jostled into place beside her, and took her other hand with obvious reluctance. Bimi looked stiff and miserable. Glancing across the circle at her, Twink felt a pang.
But it’s her own fault! she thought angrily. She shouldn’t have locked us out. She must have known how furious everyone would be with her!
Madame flitted to the centre of the circle and clapped her hands. ‘We will do the new dance I just taught you, where we make the wind blow! Ready? One, two, three, and we begin!’
Had Bimi locked them out, though? Twink’s mind felt jumbled as they started to dance. Could she really have done such a thing? But if she hadn’t, then what on earth had happened?
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.
Slowly, Twink’s thoughts faded as the dance continued. The magic was gathering around them: tiny gold sparkles that glinted in the sun. She heard the wind coming, and felt it begin to rustle her long pink hair.
‘Oh!’ screeched Sooze, hopping on one foot. The magic vanished with little popping noises.
‘What now?’ demanded Madame, her hands on her hips.
‘Bimi trod on my foot!’ Sooze tried to take a step and grimaced, fluttering her wings. ‘Ooh, it really hurts!’
‘I did not!’ cried Bimi.
Madame sighed and patted her purple hair into place. ‘Bimi, try not to be so clumsy. Girls, get in a circle again. From the start!’
But the same thing happened over and over. No sooner had the magic started to gather than Sooze would stop with a yelp, insisting that Bimi had trod on her, or jostled her, or tripped her up.
‘Oh!’ cried Madame at last, throwing her arms into the air. ‘I do not know what to think! Bimi, you are disrupting my class – you can leave, please!’
Bimi flew off without a word, her face on fire. Twink watched her go and felt a lump in her throat as a few of the girls snickered.
I don’t believe it, she thought suddenly. It’s not true. Bimi wouldn’t do such a thing, no matter how angry she was! Relief rushed through her. She was right, she just knew it.
But the wrong time had been written on Bimi’s petal. With a worried frown, Twink looked across the circle as they started dancing again. Mariella was smirking broadly as she dipped and twirled, looking even more pleased with herself than usual.
A chill trembled across Twink’s wings. Mariella! Of course!
‘Don’t be such a wasp brain,’ said Sooze crossly. ‘Bimi did it, all right. She practically admitted it, remember? Hold that bucket still.’
The girls were hovering high up in the air, washing the school’s windows until they shone. Twink’s arms ached as she held up the heavy walnut-bucket of soapy water for Sooze. Far below them, the flying field and pond looked tiny.
‘But Sooze, Mariella could have done it,’ insisted Twink. ‘And you know it’s the sort of thing she would do.’
‘Could have and would have, maybe, but didn’t.’ Sooze flung her cotton wad back into the bucket with a splash. A robin sat on a branch beside them, watching with keen-eyed interest.
‘Oh, flap off!’ Sooze snapped at it. It huffed and flew away. ‘Honestly, Twink, what’s wrong with you?’ she demanded. ‘You should be the one who’s angriest about this. Bimi was supposed to be your best friend!’
Twink shook her head stubbornly as they flew to the next window. ‘I know,’ she said. ‘But, Sooze, I just don’t think she did it.’
‘Well, you’ll need proof to convince everyone,’ said Sooze. She washed the window clean and made a face at her reflection. ‘Because they’re not going to believe you any more than I do!’
Sooze was right, realised Twink with a sinking heart. She needed proof. How, though? Mariella wasn’t very likely to confess to her!
Lola, thought Twink suddenly. She tightened her grip on the bucket. That was it! If she could get the pale little fairy on her own, away from Mariella, she might be able to get her to talk.
But before Twink did anything else, she knew she had to apologise to Bimi. When the last window of the day had finally been cleaned, Twink sped off to find her friend.
Bimi didn’t seem to be anywhere – not in the first-year Common Branch, or Daffy Branch, or anywhere outside. Finally she found the blue-haired fairy alone in the library, hovering high up beside the shelves. Twink took a deep breath and flew up next to her.
Bimi glanced at her and then quickly away again. She pulled out Sparkle Bright: A True History of Fairy Dust from the shelves and started flipping through it.
‘What do you want?’ she asked in a trembling voice.
‘Oh, Bimi, I’m really sorry!’ burst out Twink. ‘I know you didn’t lock us out on purpose. I’ve been such a wasp brain!’
Bimi stared down at her petal book, looking close to tears.
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Twink touched her arm. ‘Bimi, didn’t you hear me? I’m so sorry! I know you would never do such a thing. I don’t know how I ever thought you could have!’
‘Well, I know!’ cried Bimi. She shoved the petal book back into place. ‘I’ve been just awful to you. Oh, Twink, I’m sorry too – I was so jealous of Sooze! It was just that she took over your party, and –’ Bimi stopped, her face reddening.
‘Took over my party?’ repeated Twink in confusion. ‘What do you mean? It was her idea, wasn’t it?’
Bimi shook her head. ‘No, it was mine,’ she said tearfully. ‘I didn’t want to tell you – it seemed so petty to make a point of it! But it was my idea, only then Sooze thought of having it at the Dingly Dell, and she knew where to hide all the food and everything . . . by the time you found out, everyone had forgotten that I had anything to do with it.’
‘Oh, Bimi!’ breathed Twink. She didn’t know what to say. How awful!
Bimi made a face. ‘I know it was stupid of me to mind. But then Sooze gave you her present, and . . . well, just look.’ Pulling a small package from the daisy bag she wore over one shoulder, she handed it to Twink.
‘Oh,’ breathed Twink. The present was beautifully wrapped in a yellow petal, with a burst of tiny golden flowers for a bow. She unwrapped it carefully.
‘A snail-trail pen!’ she exclaimed.
‘I know, you already have one,’ said Bimi sourly.
Twink shook her head. ‘Not as nice as this one.’
Bimi stared at her. ‘They’re exactly the same!’
‘They’re not,’ insisted Twink. ‘You gave me this one, and you’re my best friend! It’s the nicest present I’ve ever got.’
‘Really?’ whispered Bimi, her blue eyes wide and hopeful.
Twink nodded vehemently. ‘I love it! I’ll use it all the time, Bimi, really.’
Bimi traced the title of one of the books with a finger. ‘I – I couldn’t believe it when Sooze gave you hers,’ she admitted. ‘It felt like she had ruined everything then. That’s when I decided to not even go to the party. I’m really sorry, Twink.’
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‘That’s OK,’ said Twink. ‘I suppose I’d have felt pretty awful too, in your boots! But, Bimi, you don’t need to be jealous of Sooze. I like her, but it’s not the same thing at all. You’re my best friend!’
Bimi smiled, wiping her eyes. ‘You’re mine, too,’ she said. ‘I’ll try not to be so jealous – I know it’s daft of me.’ The two fairies hugged in the air, their wings fluttering brightly.
Midnight Feast Page 4