The Goblin King. Linda Chapman

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      “Dimwits, numskulls, worm brains the lot of them!” he crowed. “But not me. I knew it was the right time to try to steal it. Ug’s not King of the Ink Cap Goblins for nothing. Ug’s the cleverest and craftiest goblin in the world!” He puffed his chest out. “Ug got the key to the gate. Oh, yes, he did!” His coal-black eyes shone gleefully. Now the shadow creatures’ fun could really begin!

      Chapter 2

       Anthony the Annoying

      Sophie stared out of her bedroom window. It was getting late and beyond the garden fence the woods were very dark. She hadn’t told Grandpa yet about the key being lost. He had been out all day with Anthony, and she was still hoping the key would turn up before he discovered it had gone.

      Maybe I’ll find it tomorrow, she thought hopefully.

      Tomorrow. Sophie felt a rush of excitement. Tomorrow was her tenth birthday. Being ten sounded so much older than being nine. What presents would she get? She’d love a new skateboard! And a football, and some games for her DS...

      Her bedroom door opened and Anthony strolled in. He looked quite similar to Sophie, with thick, blonde hair and a slim, athletic build, but his eyes weren’t green and friendly like hers. They were pale blue and smug.

      Sophie frowned. “Hey! Don’t just come in without knocking!” She went to the door and pointed to the notice she had stuck there. “Private. Keep out. Or you’ll be sorry!” she read.

      “Ooh, I’m so scared.” Anthony rolled his eyes mockingly. He started examining the things on her desk. “I thought you might want to know about my day with Grandpa,” he said, flicking through the pages of a tae kwon do book.

      “Well, I don’t,” answered Sophie.

      “Really? ’Cos we had a brilliant time,” gloated Anthony.

      Sophie and Anthony were being looked after by their grandfather for a couple of months. Their parents were archaeologists and often had to go away to work. When that happened, Grandpa moved in. He often took Anthony out to do ‘boy-stuff’, leaving Sophie at home with the housekeeper, Mrs Benton. Most of the time, Sophie didn’t mind. She loved Mrs Benton and she had much more fun playing with Sam than she would have had being with Anthony and Grandpa.

      “You’d have loved it,” Anthony went on. “We went climbing on the rocks in the Outwoods and went on the rope swing there. Then after that we had burgers and ice-cream sodas for lunch.”

      It did sound fun, but there was no way Sophie was going to admit it. “Big deal,” she said airily.

      But her brother wasn’t finished yet. “Before we came home we went to this big outdoor shop. Grandpa bought me a backpack and penknife, a torch and some rope—”

      “What?” Sophie burst out, unable to stop herself. She loved stuff like that – and Anthony knew it. “Did Grandpa get me anything too?”

      “No.” Anthony laughed. “But I guess that’s ’cos you’re just a girl.”

      Sophie clenched her fists angrily.

      Anthony grinned. “I reckon Grandpa’s planning on taking me camping. You’ll get to stay here and have a lovely time doing lots of girly things with Mrs Benton,” he sniggered. “You could play tea parties together or bath some ickle-wickle baby dolls…”

      Sophie gave an enraged yell and leapt at him.

      Anthony scrambled over the bed, grabbing a football card from her bedside table as he did so. “Hey, thanks, I need this one!”

      “Give it back!”

      But Anthony just darted round the bed, past her and through the door.

      Sophie glared after him. She wanted to go to his bedroom and snatch the card back, but she’d be bound to be the one who got into trouble. Anthony was very good at making it seem as if she started any row between them.

      There was the sound of footsteps on the stairs, and then Mrs Benton came in with a tray. On it was a glass of apple juice and a peanut butter sandwich. “I thought you might like a bedtime snack, Sophie-duckie. You didn’t eat much at teatime. You’re not missing your parents, are you?” the housekeeper asked anxiously.

      “Thanks, Mrs B. I’m OK,” Sophie replied. The reason she hadn’t eaten much was she had been worrying over Grandpa finding out about his missing key. She wished she could tell Mrs Benton about it, but she knew Mrs B would make her tell Grandpa. Sophie felt sick at the thought.

      “Maybe it’s just excitement about your birthday then.” Mrs Benton smiled fondly at her. She had round, pink cheeks, and had been cooking and cleaning for the Smith family since the twins were babies. “I can’t believe you’ll be ten tomorrow, Sophie. You won’t be too big for a cuddle, will you?” She opened her arms.

      Sophie grinned and hugged her. “I’ll never be too big for that, Mrs B.”

      When the housekeeper had gone, Sophie shut her door and got into bed with the sandwich and a book. When she finally got sleepy, she brushed her teeth, turned off her light and snuggled down under the covers.

      For a moment, the missing key popped into her head. She forced the thought away and concentrated instead on her birthday.

      I hope I do get a new skateboard, she thought. Her parents knew it was the only thing СКАЧАТЬ