gems before the shadow creatures did.
She readied herself in a fighting stance. “Watch out, flaky butt, here I come!” she muttered, picturing King Ug, leader of the Ink Cap Goblins.
Pushing off, she brought her leg around and kicked her foot out hard, imagining it knocking the king over. This time she did the move perfectly, landing without a single wobble, her fists up by her face.
“Yay!” she whooped, punching the air.
“You know, you are seriously weird!”
Sophie swung round. Her twin brother, Anthony was standing in the doorway. He looked like Sophie, with thick blonde hair and a tall, slim build, but his eyes were blue and cold, not green and friendly like Sophie’s. He mimicked her, putting on a high silly voice. “Yay!”
Sophie frowned. “Go away.”
Anthony rolled his eyes. “How did I end up with such a loser for a sister?”
“Get out of my room.” Sophie spoke through gritted teeth.
Anthony deliberately took a step further into her bedroom. “No.”
Sophie’s temper snapped and she leapt at him, but as she did so she felt a familiar tingling surge through her. Her Guardian powers – there must be a shadow creature nearby! She didn’t have time to stop herself. Her superstrength made her leap further than she had intended and she barrelled into Anthony. He flew backwards and crashed into the wall opposite.
Sophie scrambled to her feet. “I’m… I’m sorry, Anthony! Are you OK? Here.” She tried to help him up, but he pushed her away, his face bright red with humiliation.
“Leave me alone, you freak!” he howled. Going to his bedroom, he slammed the door.
Sophie looked all around her. There was only one reason why she could be feeling like this. There had to be a shadow creature close by. But where?
Then she caught her breath. There, peering in at her bedroom window, was the small squashed-up face of what must be a shadow creature!
Sophie raced to her window, but before she got there whatever it was had vanished. She scanned the garden below. All she could see was the neatly trimmed lawn, the shed and the Shadow Woods beyond the fence. What was that thing? It had to be a shadow creature, but it had been so small! Hardly bigger than a squirrel. She decided to go and check the garden out and hurried on to the landing. But just as she did so, Mrs Benton, the housekeeper, came to the top of the stairs.
“Sophie, what are you doing still in your uniform?” she said. “Go and get changed.”
“But, Mrs B—”
“No buts.” Mrs B shook her grey head. “I haven’t got time for extra washing this weekend. Not with the village fête tomorrow. Get changed, please, Sophie.”
Sophie felt like stamping her foot. It was hard being the Guardian of the Gateway when you were also ten years old and expected to do as you were told. But she knew there was no point arguing with Mrs B. The housekeeper did all the cooking and cleaning and helped look after Sophie and Anthony. Their parents were archaeologists and often worked abroad, and when they went away, Mrs B took care of the twins along with their grandfather.
Running back into her bedroom, Sophie felt the tingling feeling fading – the shadow creature must have gone away. She slowed down and pulled on her jeans, a t-shirt and the black fishing waistcoat her grandfather had given her when she had first taken over as Guardian. Grandpa had been the Guardian before her and now he helped and advised her. She wished he was there, but he’d just gone out for his daily run. Sophie checked the clock. At least Sam was due to come around at any moment. She could tell him about the creature she’d seen.
She pulled out an old leather journal from under her bed. Tucking it into the deepest pocket of the waistcoat, she went down to the kitchen. There was a delicious smell wafting from an array of cookies cooling on wire trays. Sophie reached out for a biscuit.
“Leave them alone,” Mrs B said, bustling around. “They’re for the fête tomorrow. Josie, Margaret, Marion and I are running the refreshments stall. You and Sam will help us, won’t you, duckie? There’ll be lots to do.”
“Of course we’ll help,” said Sophie. The village fête was always fun. There was a pet show and a best blooms competition. “Are you going to enter Nigel in the pet show, Mrs B?”
“I’ll be far too busy with the cakes.” Mrs B went to a large cage in the corner. “Though I’m sure if Nigel was to enter, he’d win.”
The grey parrot in the cage bobbed up and down on his perch. “In the bin!”
“No, I said win, not bin,” Mrs B corrected him.
“Win. Bin. Win a bin!” cackled Nigel.
Sophie giggled. Nigel was staying with them while his owner was away on holiday. Sophie hoped that he’d never have to go home again. He was ace!
Anthony came in, a hopeful look on his face. Sophie waited for him to say something sarcastic to her as usual, but instead he sidled up to the housekeeper. “Mrs B…” he began in a wheedling voice. “You know it’s the pet show tomorrow and I’ve got some money saved… well, can I buy a pet? Just a hamster or something.”
Mrs B shook her head. “I’m sorry, Anthony. No pets. That’s the rule.”
“But there’s the old hamster cage in the garage and all my friends have got pets to take in the show and I haven’t. It’s not fair! I’ve wanted a pet for ages. Why can’t I have one?”
“We’re not having pets in the house,” replied Mrs B.
“I’ll get a rabbit and keep it outside then?” said Anthony quickly.
“No. You can enter Nigel in the competition if you want though.” Mrs B went to the cage. “Come on, Nigel, say hello to Anthony.”
Nigel screeched. “Hello, Pants-a-ninny!”
“No, no,” Mrs B said hastily. “His name’s Anthony.”
“Pants-a-ninny! Pants-a-ninny!” cackled Nigel.
Sophie bit back a grin. Result! She and Sam had been teaching Nigel to say that for the last few days.
“Stupid bird!” Anthony stomped out. “I’m not entering him in the show! He’d be a total embarrassment.”
There was a knock on the front door, and Sophie went to answer it. It was Sam, standing on the doorstep, wearing a coat and scarf and rubbing his arms. “Wow, it’s freezing out here!”
Sophie stared out of the door.
