Hi all,

You can review the shortlisted and winning entries here:

Story Starter

It was while they were exploring the old house that Rafi and Simone found the suitcase, stuffed into the back of an cupboard.

“This looks old,” said Rafi, trying to find a way to open the lock.

“There’s something inside,” said Simone. “It rattles when you move it.”

They laid the case down on the floor, and eventually Simon discovered that if you pressed the clasp softly, the suitcase clicked open, the lid rising into the air. A sudden cloud of dust made the children cough, but once they had waved it away with, they saw what was inside. There were three very old looking toys, lying on a bed of crumpled tissue paper. A clockwork bird, with a key sticking out of the back. A tin soldier, with a brightly painted uniform, beginning to rust. And a funny old doll, made of corn tied together with ribbon.

“Hey!” said Rafi. “Someone’s left a note on top.”

It was as old as the suitcase, if not older. In spidery ink, on yellowing parchment, it read:

Touch one, just for fun.
Touch two, that will change you.
Touch three, to come and see me.

“Who do you think wrote that?” said Simone.
“What shall we do?” said Rafi.

Sophie Mann, Berrywood Primary, Shortlisted Primary entry

“I know!” exclaimed Simone. “We should do what the note says!”

“Are you sure?” Rafi asked nervously.

“I’m sure, I’m sure! This is one of the best ideas i’ve ever had!” Simone fixed a stern stare at Rafi, then turned back to the box.

“Come here Rafi, and touch this clockwork bird.” Simone ordered. With trembling fingers, he reached out and tapped the bird. It made a clink sound, and the rusty key shot out the back.“See! That’s not too bad, is it Rafi?” Simone nudged his shoulder and reached out a hand. As she touched the bird, a door slammed shut on the far side of the room.

“Yeah, it’s really not that bad, is it?” Rafi muttered.

“I heard that.” Simone quickly let go of the bird and turned back to Rafi. “How about we touch the tin soldier at the same time? It might stop you from trembling so much.”

“O-o-o-ok.” He stammered. Slowly, they reached out their hands and touched the rusty tin soldier.

“See! I told you it would be alri-” Simone was cut off by a loud scream.

“I told you so.” Rafi murmured. Rapidly, Simone jerked her head around to meet Rafi’s gaze.

“It’s just a scream, Rafi. Stop being so scared. Anyway, we still have to touch that weird old doll. Are you up for it?” Simone asked.

“S-s-sure.” Rafi stammered. Together, they reached out a hand and tapped the doll.

“It’s fine, Rafi. Look! Nothing is happening to us!” As soon as Simone said those words, one of the windows flung open.

“Simone, do you think now is a good time to run for our lives?” Rafi asked in a terrified voice. Simone didn’t answer. Her gaze was locked on the door. It had swung open, and in the frame stood a tall, skinny human with amber eyes. He held a box in his arms; it was the same one that held the three toys.

“Touch one, just for fun. Touch two, it will change you. Touch three, to come and see me.” The man repeated the words over and over, until Simone’s eyes had glazed over. Rafi smacked his hand into Simone’s face. She didn’t react.

“Little child, you don’t know what’s happening, do you?” The man questioned. Without waiting for an answer, he carried on. “She’s under my control now. And next, it will be you. Simone, attack him. Now!” Instantly, Simone leaped onto Rafi and punched him in the face, pinning him down. The man came over, and whispered into Rafi’s ear. “Touch one, just for fun. Touch two, it will change you. Touch three, to come and see me.”

 

 

Leila KALSI- Razaq, Middle Park Primary School, Shortlisted Primary Entry

‘We should touch three!’ said Simone.
‘Are you sure?’ said Rafi nervously.
‘Absolutely because then we can see who wrote the note…I wonder who we will meet…’ thought Simone and with that both the sisters touched all three toys gently. As they did so they suddenly heard somebody say ‘don’t you dare’ in a mysterious voice. Both sisters looked around them quickly shivering with fear.
‘Who said that?’ whispered Simone
‘I don’t know ‘ whispered Rafi back. Rafi was the younger of the two sisters but just as courageous and determined as her older sister. Rafi loved her older sister more than anything and now with the war going on she only felt safe with Simone. Suddenly the mysterious voice spoke again ‘Why are you tampering with my suitcase?’ and there with a puff of rainbow coloured smoke appeared a little creature that looked very much like a Koala and panda but had a reptile tail which curled in a spiral behind him, a bit like a cinnamon swirl. Simone had this thought and suddenly her tummy growled for hunger.
‘I beg your pardon sir’ said Simone when she found her voice, ‘ we weren’t tampering, we found this note and we just thought that maybe we would like to see who it belonged to..’
‘very well’ said the small creature. He was actually friendly and very cute and cuddly but his voice was very serious, like a Doctor. ‘My name is Rupert. I am a time travelling scientist. I have come very far from future but there is a time in history that we need someone to help us with. It is a sad time where no one is allowed out of their house’.
‘You mean like the war? We are not allowed out now either’ said Rafi sadly.
‘Yes just like the war’ said Rupert ‘but this time in history needs your help to save people from a virus. Will you help us?’
‘the sisters looked at each other for a moment. Simone knew that her little sister wished her parents were with them now. But the war had taken them. Maybe they could help others. Afterall they were only playing with toys now. Simone and Rafi said ‘yes’ together holding each other’s hands tightly. Suddenly with a puff of smoke they were in the time of dinosaurs!

‘erm I think I am a little bit scared right now’ said Rafi when a gigantic diplodocus plodded past.
‘WOOPS! We have gone too far back in time. We need to go to the year 2020’ then Rupert pressed two toys and together they all pressed three of the mysterious toys. So off they went travelling speedily through colourful lights and landed with a bump on grass under a big blue sky. and soon they saw something they hadn’t seen before, a little girl playing on some sort of jumpy thing with a younger child. They were laughing and jumping high. Rupert looked at Simone and Rafi and said ‘let’s meet her’.
‘What?!’ said Rafi shocked and confused.
But Simone and Rupert had already started to walk to the girl and the younger child on the jumpy thing.
‘Hello. ‘Said Simone smiling. Simone was the smiley type. Rafi wasn’t. ‘We are here from the past to-’
suddenly she felt an elbow plonk her. It was Rupert ‘you can’t say that she won’t believe you!’
The girl and little boy stopped jumping and looked in amazement at Simone and Rafi. They could not see Rupert. ‘Where did you come from?’ asked the girl who had curly dark hair and was dressed in a vest and shorts. Beside her the smaller boy said ‘hello ‘I’m Arjan’.
‘This is my baby brother . I am Leila. You are not allowed to stand this close because of the coronavirus. You have to stand two metres away’.
‘She can’t see me’ said Rupert. I have a magical shield that makes me invisible. Tell her that you are here to help everyone.’
So Simone said what Rupert told her to say and Leila and Arjan looked shocked.

 

 

 Tamsyn Sayles, Four Marks Primary School, Winning Primary Entry

Their hearts pounded like a poorly-played drum, minds buzzing with endless thoughts. Neither had expected to be in this situation, not at all. They had merely been exploring. This derelict, abandoned house had the peculiar power to lure people inside, the sense that adventure was lurking.
“I guess…” Rafi whispered, “We do what the parchment says?”
Simone bit her lip. Her hands were clammy with sweat and her body shook slightly.
‘Why am I SCARED of toys?’ She thought.
Simone glanced at the suitcase with the chipped, silver paint. She stared at the toys that had clearly suffered years of abandonment and neglect. She nodded slowly- curiosity had got the better of her.
Rafi smiled reassuringly at the pale face of Simone. She did not smile back.
Rafi, holding his breath in anticipation, reached for the tin soldier. He gingerly clasped his fingers around the soldier’s cold, tin back, before hurriedly holding it at arm’s length.
Nothing.
Rafi inspected the chipped, colourful uniform before making the soldier march around in circles. Surprised, he found he was enjoying himself.
Simone let out a sigh of relief, the usual flush of colour rising back in her cheeks.
“You looked so scared!” laughed Rafi.
Simone scowled. “I did NOT! Ok… Maybe a little. But, seriously, why would I be scared of some ancient, rusting toys?” Determined to not let him see how terrified she really had been, Simone grabbed the rough, scratchy corn leg of the strange doll.
“About time!” the doll exclaimed, “You have no idea how cramped it is in there!” the doll wearily shook her head whilst brushing down her lacy dress.
“You‘re too right Millie, too right.” agreed the soldier.
Both Rafi and Simone squealed in fright and flung the toys across the room, where they landed with an almighty clatter.
Like a crab, Simone scuttled backwards, while Rafi’s eyes bulged.
The doll stood up, walking to the petrified children. Consequently, they shuffled back. This carried on for a while, but before long, Rafi and Simone were hunched against the cobweb-strewn, rotting, wooden wall, the doll closing in on them.
She eyed them beadily. “How would YOU like it if you were hurled across the room?” she demanded in a motherly fashion.
Simone, understandably overwhelmed, tried to stammer a reply but no sound came out of her mouth. Instead, a small river of tears slid down her cheeks.
“Ah, dear. Don’t cry, now. There, there pet.” The doll clambered onto Simone’s lap and tried to hug her. This eventually proved difficult, due to the fact that the doll’s arms were not long enough to reach fully around Simone.
Meanwhile, the rusting tin soldier had marched over to Rafi. “It is understandable,” began the soldier in his creaky voice, “If you do not wish to. But shouldn’t you let out Coocoo?” he indicated to the clockwork bird lying on the bed of crumpled tissue paper. “I must say, it is rather cramped in there- not an enjoyable experience, not at all.”
Rafi laughed. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined he would be sitting on floorboards with a thick pile of dust gathering upon them. He, Rafi had never imagined a soldier, made out of rusting tin, would be urging him to do something.
“This. This has changed me.” Rafi thought.
“Yes, yes well… what did you expect?” the soldier said impatiently. Rafi blinked, not realising he had said it out loud. The soldier fumbled in his trouser pocket and withdrew the parchment, wrinkled and yellowed with age.
“2. This will change you.” the soldier read, glaring at Rafi. “Now we’ve gotten over the fact that what the parchment says happens, happens- are you going to let out Coocoo or not?” the soldier blasted out, all in one breath.
Rafi scrambled to his feet and made his way towards the lifeless bird. Simone and the doll followed, watching as though it was the beginning of an entertaining movie.
Rafi cupped his hands beneath the bird. As soon as he did so, it became considerably heavier, warmer, a gentle heartbeat thumping in it’s chest. The bird ruffled its feathers before spreading out its colourful wings, then bursting into beautiful song.
“For years I’ve been trapped,
Not able to fly,
But now I am able to see the sky!”
The bird flew to the broken window, sighing happily.
“And who am I to thank for this great thing?
Who allowed me to break free and sing?
I remember years ago,
When our dear poor Hannah died,
Us three wept and cried,
But we did not know…
We were whisked away,
Never again to see the light of day,
For toys are toys,
And toys,
Need the love,
of happy girls and boys…
But who would want, let alone touch,
Abandoned toys,
Not cared for much?
So it was then,
After decades, centuries more,
We were left,
Rusty.
Dusty.
Poor.
But now to our great joy,
Here stands before me a girl,
And a boy!
Hello my dear Millie,
And ah,
There is Constable Billy…
But now it is time,
I shall end my rhyme,
For our dear Hannah shall rise again!
Our dear Hannah…
Shall rise…
Again.”
The smiles were quickly wiped away off Simone’s and Rafi’s faces.
“Who’s Hannah?” Simone whispered to the doll, Millie.
“Our old owner,” Millie replied. “She… died. She also wrote the instructions on the parchment. And, thanks to you, our Hannah’s coming back!”
Lime-green, toxic-looking smoke burst out from the suitcase. It stunk of mould, rot. Or perhaps that was merely the stench of the rest of the house.
The smoke was whizzing in a crazy frenzy of circles, like a green tornado. It made the children’s eyes water, choke as they inhaled. The toys, however, looked perfectly calm.
The swirling slowed; the vibrant green became dull. A pearly-white figure rose from the centre of the mist. She had a messy ponytail at the back of her head. The girl had wide, blinking eyes and her lips in a grumpy pout. She wore a frilly night dress, reaching down to her ankles. She was strangely magnified, towering over the relaxed toys and quivering children.
Simone grasped Millie so hard that the poor doll’s sandy coloured face went an alarming shade of purple.
“Hannah!” spluttered Millie once Simone’s grip had loosened.
Hannah’s eyes swivelled down towards Millie.
“You woke me up.” Hannah hissed. Millie blinked. This was not the welcome she’d been expecting.
“Well… my apologies, love. But surely you have had enough sleep to last a lifetime?”
Without warning clear, chalky-white tears erupted from Hannah’s eyes. Her nose wrinkled and mouth screaming, her pretty appearance quickly becoming rather ugly.
Coocoo stopped flying joyous, continuous circles around Hannah’s head and simply stared, shocked. The tin soldier, however, wore an angry expression, fists clenched.
“No ‘hello’ then Hannah? Just a usual tantrum. It is to be expected, isn’t it? From an ungrateful child like you anyway.”
Hannah’s cries were deafening, growing louder still. Millie shook her head warningly, but the soldier ignored her.
“Look! You are my owner! Now we’re re-united, I would’ve hoped for something more than this!”
Hannah screamed, louder, louder, as Simone and Rafi clasped their hands around their ringing ears. Coocoo shot a concerned look at the furious toy, whispering “Billy, don’t!”
The paint seemed to peel off the soldier’s body at rapid speed in anger, although it may have been the children’s imaginations.
The fuming soldier however, took no notice.
“Not even a thank you, no? These generous children-” he gestured to the pale faced Rafi and Simone, “Have followed your instructions which you have wrote, and NOW you are crying? WHY ARE YOU CRYING?” he yelled after no response came.
Millie blinked. “Both of you! Billy, how DARE you shout at her! And Hannah, young lady, Billy is actually perfectly right!”
“L- l- life!” Hannah stammered through her tears, “YOU! You said ‘lifetime!’ And-” She took a deep breath, “Well, i don’t have a life, do I? So don’t act alike you’re the nice, fair one because YOU started it!”
Hannah resumed her screeching, looking rather like an overgrown baby. Millie meanwhile had red patches forming on her face, eyes shining with tears.
“Don’t cry!” Simone said, shocked.
It was at that moment when Hannah looked down at Simone and Rafi, as if seeing them for the first time. Her wailing came to an abrupt halt, eyes widening.
Hannah swiped at Millie, tugging the struggling doll out of Simone’s grip. She then whisked up Billy the soldier who had been in deep conversation with Rafi. The disgruntled Billy and the dumbfounded, weeping Millie were locked in Hannah’s arms as she clasped her hand around Coocoo and tugged him down despite the desperate flapping of his wings.
Simone closed her eyes, breathing
In
And
Out
In
And
Out.
Here she was, feet glued to the floor, watching the most insane scene she’d ever seen.
Rafi on the other hand, was focusing on the fact that he was he was in the presence of a ghost. A ghost that was eying walking, talking toys suspiciously. He imagined excitedly telling his friends about this… but then disappointment filled him… who would believe something this bazar?

Hannah was holding Coocoo by the neck, screaming, “YOU PREFER THEM, DON’T YOU?”
Coocoo let out a strangled cry. “What? No! Didn’t you hear my song? For years I’ve been-” The bird was thrown across the room where he lay in a heap, massaging his painful neck with his wing.
Hannah’s eyes were swivelling madly in all directions before they came to a rest on Simone and Rafi.
“You!” she whispered, her voice gruff from yelling, “Get out! NOW!”
Rafi and Simone stumbled backwards. There was no way they would leave! But it seemed they had no choice.
This time, cherry-red smoke burst from the battered suitcase that Rafi and Simone had long forgotten was there. Through the blur of red, Simone watched Millie wriggle out of Hannah’s grasp and fall instead towards Simone, as the doll desperately clung on to Simone’s little finger. The smoke swirled, whizzed and whooshed in the miniature red tornado, the children and Millie stuck in between. The smoke did a final twirl before Millie, Simone and Rafi fell suddenly, the musty rotting room and the glaring ghost disappearing out of view.
*****
Sunlight tiptoed across the carpet through the curtains that stood slightly ajar. The birds twittered and chattered in the early morning. A breeze gently swept through the open window, crisp and fresh. The grass outside was illuminated with liquid diamonds, shining in the light of the sun.
It was then Rafi woke with a jolt. He had had the strangest dream- or was it a nightmare? It had seemed so real… the cold tin of a toy on his hands, the stench of decay…
Simone rolled over, breathing in the welcome smell of freshly washed sheets.
“Simone! Simone!” Rafi shook her impatiently.
“W- what?” she sleepily croaked. Rafi gasped and pulled a ragged figure out of Simone’s arms. It was a strange doll made out of corn and tied together with ribbon wearing a frilly, dainty dress. Its hair was short, tangled, dirty blonde.
Simone stared.
Rafi stared.
Neither spoke.
“Oh my. It wasn’t a dre-” Simone whispered.
“No. No it wasn’t.” finished Rafi, eyes transfixed on the smiling doll.

 

 

 

 

Maisy Middleton, Purbrook Park School, Shortlisted Secondary Entry

“What should we do?” said Rafi.
Simone examined the toys with curious eyes, pondering the question. “I’m not sure. Would it be right to touch these? They aren’t ours.”
Rafi sighed in frustration. “Don’t tell me you’re backing out now. Do you know why we’re here?” Simone guiltily averted her eyes. “We need to find out what happened to HER. We’ve been through this entire house and this is the only thing we’ve found that could give us any answers.” Simone hesitated, before lifting her gaze back to Rafi.
“No, you’re right, we need to do this.” Nodding in approval, Rafi went back to examining the dusty toys. His attention was drawn to the doll first, twisted into the vague silhouette of a lady, held together by a thin red ribbon. Cautiously, he scooped up the doll, hearing Simone’s sigh of relief when nothing happened.
“I mean, it did say ‘just for fun’,” Rafi chuckled, turning the peculiar toy in his hands. His smile faded as quickly as it appeared. “Elsie would have liked this one.”
“Yeah, she always loved dolls,” Simone mumbled, reluctant to dwell on more memories of their old friend. “Just grab another one…” Rafi delicately placed the corn dolly back in the case, the tin soldier catching his eye next.
Before he could touch it, he nervously asked Simone, “Could you touch it too? At the same time?” Simone, though cautious, slowly shuffled closer. The second the children’s fingers touched the soldier’s worn uniform, immense dizziness overtook their senses. Rafi shook his head in an attempt to wake out of his dancing daze, looking to Simone for consolation only to find that she shared his confused, wide-eyed expression. He looked around the room and his bewilderment only increased. The dull, drab colours of the bedroom had been replaced with a vibrant colourful glow, filling even the darkest corners of the room. It looked like all the furniture in the room had been sliced into sharp fragments, floating in the air. It was as if the house had been twisted like a kaleidoscope.
“What in the world?! ” Simone cried out in alarm. She shrieked again and pointed at the tin soldier, that had hopped onto its own two feet and was marching across the floor. “What’s going on?!”
“I-I have no idea… but we can’t turn back now,” Rafi stuttered. Their eyes fell upon the final toy. The children shared a frightened glance before approaching the clockwork bird. A bronze owl, eyes devoid of light, the metal lacking any shine after years of age. The silver key lodged in its back, however, shimmered in almost an inviting way, as if it was waiting to be turned. Interlocking their trembling hands, Simone and Rafi, with their hearts in their mouths, extended their reach towards the key.
They didn’t even need to turn it – the moment they touched it, it began to twist on its own. The wings twitched with movement for the first time in many years and began to flap. “Where is it going?” Simone asked, watching it fly clumsily out the door and along the corridor. Instead of answering, Rafi stood up and followed after it. As they walked down the hallways, they noticed that the soldier’s strange magic that had deformed the bedroom had done the same thing to the rest of the house – everything was contorted and glowing in the same dizzying manner. The bird led the children through the house for some time, before fluttering to a stop at a dead end. Rafi’s confused face twisted into one of anger.
“Was this all just a wild goose chase?! Just a waste of time?!” he spat in rage. He spun around and went to stomp back to the case, but Simone seized his wrist.
“Wait a moment Rafi,” she reassured him, not tearing her eyes off the scene taking place in front of the clockwork bird. Rafi’s eyes widened like hers, as several of the flying fragments gathered before them. They span around before assembling like a puzzle, creating a tall cupboard, the doors wide open. “It’s the same one we got the case from…” The iridescent glow that filled the house illuminated from within the doors. Before either of the children could question it, the clockwork owl once again rose from the ground and swooped through the cupboard doors, vanishing into the light. Rafi and Simone gulped, trying to push down their nerves. Their fingers linked, taking one step, two steps, three steps forward as they ran and threw themselves into the cupboard.
Rafi and Simone collapsed onto the other side of the doors. Rafi rubbed his head, groaning in pain. Despite being nowhere in sight, the mechanical flapping sounds of the clockwork bird’s wings could still be heard. Lifting his head, he gasped. He grabbed onto Simone’s arm and shook her, urging her to look up to. Her heart stopped. The bronze owl was in front of them, circling a figure that stood in the centre of the room. She had messy blonde hair, tattered clothes, and the same stunned expression they had.
“… Elsie?” Rafi breathed.
A single tear fell from her eyes, an overjoyed, relieved smile blessing her cheeks.
“You made it, guys. You actually made it.”
Ethel,  The Woodroffe School, Shortlisted Secondary Entry

 

“Well, I don’t know if touching them is a good idea…” said Simone cautiously.
“Yes, but it could be fun!” Rafi whispered excitedly, before Simone’s matter-of-fact gaze smothered his enthusiasm.
“But, firstly, touching someone’s property without their permission is, quite frankly, rude! Secondly, I’m older than you so I am in charge -” She started –
“Only by two minutes!!” Protested Rafi incredulously.
“- and thirdly, who knows what might happen…” her eyes glittered darkly and the walls of the room seemed to crouch nearer and nearer. Rafi’s toes curled at the thoughts that rushed through his mind…curious children went missing when they did bad things. Or they simply lived their lives holding terrible secrets, secrets that saturated them of hope and joy. Rafi gulped. Maybe Simone was right.
“We’d better put this away and forget about it,” concluded Simone. “and remember not to go looking in creepy old suitcases!” But Rafi did not laugh, and his expression remained stony.
That night Rafi tossed and turned in his rusty old trundle bed. The pillows were too scratchy and the mattress was gravelly. He hated this stupid new house – why on earth had Mum and Dad chosen it?
He glanced grumpily at the sleeping silhouette of his dreaming sister. His annoyance was replaced with longing…
“She’s so perfect…” he thought. “I wish I were more like her. Sensible, smart, popular…” His eyes sparkled with tears. He’d never be like her. Never. Because he was plain, strange, unwanted Rafi.
And suddenly, from out of the darkness, the trill of a bird tweeted out to him. Rafi sat up and strained his ears… yes… definitely a bird…
Rafi’s inquisitivity burned brighter than it had ever done before, and he slipped out of the trundle bed and into the lurking shadows.
Before he knew it, he was facing the suitcase cupboard and was reaching out for the handle. He turned it, unafraid. He took the suitcase. Soon, it was open, and the reflections of the clockwork bird, the tin soldier and Victorian dolly gleamed in his deep, hazel eyes.
He was adamant that the clockwork bird had been calling him, but how could it have been? It wasn’t as if it were alive, just cogs and wheels and oily old springs!
He looked closely at the toys and noticed that each had a word embossed onto their chests. ‘Innocence’ – the bird. ‘Freedom’ – the soldier. ‘Passion’ – the doll. An unfamiliar feeling slithered into his mind and urged him to speak:
“Touch one just for fun…” Rafi whispered, and with a flick of his wrist, he had the metal bird in his grasp. An audible ticking rang in his ears, and his heart ticked in time with it. His mind wandered into oblivion and he forgot all about his slumbering sister, whom he had always admired and loved…
“Touch two, that will change you…” He found the tin soldier and clasped it to his torso. He said it clearer than before and his eyes blazed with ferocity… and to his utmost horror he felt his heart stop beating and something bang angrily at his chest, as if a prisoner was trying to break through his chest. He didn’t want to say it, but an invisible force kindled his wonder…
“Touch three, to come and see me.” Rafi grasped the doll and screamed in torment, as all his happy memories were ripped from him, the passion, the innocence, the freedom…

So when a dark, shadowed figure knelt beside his ragged body, Rafi seized the skeletal hand that emerged from the cloak and welcomed the stranger gladly.
Rafi didn’t care what would happen to him. He felt… well, nothing. He didn’t have a fierce desire to live any more. He wasn’t full of life. Or love.
He was not Rafi any more.

 

 

 

Ava Burdett
The Grey Coat Hospital

Winning Secondary Entry

 

Simone started anxiously cracking her knuckles, “Don’t do that! You know it makes me feel sick!”
“Sorry, habit.” The two looked at the case and the array of unlikely objects inside and then again at each other. They often did things like that; it was like twin telepathy. The case was old and frail and looked as if it would fall apart at any moment, a rather similar style to the house they were in, Grandpa’s house. The toys inside were in no better state. The doll’s paintwork was chipped in every place possible except for her face which looked up at the kids as if it were egging them to touch her fragile, pink cheeks. She was all lumpy from the corn which made her look misshapen in some places and she was missing her right arm. The tin soldier looked as if it had once been the greatest fighter of all the land. He was sturdy and still with a look of pride on his face however, brown rust crept up his right leg and his neck seemed to have disappeared into his shoulders altogether! The clockwork bird, however, was the most beautiful thing either of the children had ever seen. Her wings were encrusted with tiny stones, each a pool of hope and adventure and her beak seemed to sing a silent song of joy to the young children. Her eyes blinked up- wait, no- looked up, clockwork birds couldn’t blink, and her tail dragged along the floor behind her, like a majestic peacock.
“What do you think happens if you touch them? Where do you go?”
“My moneys on a dragons lair, with an evil warlock that tames the dragon to eat children…” Rafi laughed mischievously.
“What? No way! It’s probably just a prank. One of uncle Lewis’ jokes.”
“You don’t sound to sure!” quipped the young boy.
“Actually no.” Simone’s expression suddenly changed to one of realisation, “I was reading a book the other day that I picked out the library downstairs about evil happenings that lost souls play to those that deceived them in their living days,”
“Obviously.” Simone gave Rafi a stern glare.
“There was a section on bewitched toys, but the pages were ripped out.”
“So, we need to find someone who has read the book!” Rafi smiled as if he had made the revelation that could save them.
“I know. Let’s take it to mum; she might know what it is, it was her house after all. Their might have been a secret we don’t know about. If we hurry, we could make the next train to London and be back before Grandpa wakes up!” Simone stood up and headed for the door.
“No way! You know what she’s like! She’ll take it off us, sell it to some old guy at the school fair and that’ll be the end of it! No, I have a much better idea.” Rafi smiled that smile you see toddlers do when they’ve got away with something they shouldn’t have.
“Here we go…”
“Madame Calypso, that fortune teller, she’s at the fair in the town hall right now! Maybe we could get her to tell us what these are and what they do.”
“You really believe those people can actually tell the future? Your mad.” Simone shook her head at the utter stupidity of her brother.
“Well, maybe she can’t tell the future but think of all the time she must spend with magical objects! Maybe she has seen something like this before, or would you rather take your chances on these toys with a strange note that we’re pretty sure no one has seen before?” Rafi hurried to the door. But Simone, eyes glassy and fixed, was ever so slowly reaching out her hand to the clockwork bird…