Casper Candlewacks in the Attack of the Brainiacs! Read Free Page B

jolly songs until he ran out of breath, and then he went blue because he forgot to breathe in again, so Casper had to remind him.
    The road bent round and Casper caught his first sight of High Kobb – an ugly mass of grey towers and belching chimneys scarring the beautiful landscape like a scab on a princess.
    As the country roads became paved streets, Casper longed to be home again. The endless dusty concrete and nose-to-tail traffic made his heart sink. Luckily he saw no alligators in the guttersand the people walking the streets looked like businessmen, not murderers. But their business might have been murdering people, so Casper didn’t fully relax.
    The tractor turned a corner and rolled up through a pair of massive wrought-iron gates, grinding to a halt inside a drab concrete playground full of pupils dressed in black blazers and yellow ties.
    â€œMy new kingdom!” screeched Anemonie. “Move outta the way, I’m getting off first.” She barged Ted Treadington aside with a well-placed elbow, and the rest of the kids scurried out of the aisle to let her pass.
    Anemonie jumped down the steps and landed with her arms outstretched on the tarmac. “All right, boys and girls, listen up or I’ll spread youon my toast. The name’s Anemonie Blight and I’m in charge here.”
    The High Kobb kids ran about, skipping and jumping and paying absolutely no attention.
    â€œI SAID LISTEN!” Anemonie’s face swelled redder.
    Casper, Lamp and the bolder Corne-on-the-Kobb kids tiptoed off the carriage and stood behind Anemonie.
    Sixteen older kids whooshed past after a football, creating a small hurricane that blew over Milly and Milly Mollyband.
    â€œYOU BOYS. STOP IT! I’M ANEMONIE BLIGHT! I’M ANEMONIE BLIGHT! LISTEN TO ME!”
    A scruffy little boy came flying through the air and crunched to the ground at Anemonie’s feet.

    Anemonie screamed.
    Casper dashed forward and shoved Anemonie out of the way. The boy looked pretty dazed. “Are you OK?”
    â€œCasper,” gasped Lamp, “did you see that? They can fly in big boys’ school!”
    The boy had short, shaven hair and a bony little face. His uniform was made of faded baggy hand-me-downs and there was a cut on his lip. He blinked a few times and then his eyes focused on Casper. “I’m f-f-fine. Just playing r-rugby.”
    Casper frowned. “Then why were you—”
    â€œI was the b-ball.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œNot my f-f-favourite position,” the boy said. “The B-brewster b-brothers chose it.”
    â€œThe Brewster brothers?”
    â€œYou’re n-not from r-round here, are you?” Wincing, the boy made his way to a standing position. “My name’s S-snivel. I know what you’re finking. S-stupid name.”
    â€œIt’s not that stupid,” said Casper. “He’s called Lamp.”
    Lamp waved.
    â€œAnd I’m Casper.” Casper went to shake Snivel’s hand, but he jumped back, terrified. “Don’t worry, I only wanted to shake hands.”

    Snivel stared at Casper’s hand. “Yeah, s-s-sorry. I’m n-not used to…”
    There was an awkward shuffling while everyone worked out where to put their hands. Casper put his in his pockets and Lamp put his in Casper’s bag, but then Lamp wanted them back and couldn’t remember where he’d left them, so Casper had to take off his bag to find them for him.

    All the while at the side of the group, Anemonie was desperately screeching commands at three girls and a skipping rope. The three girls and theskipping rope just laughed and carried on skipping.

    â€œW-what’s wrong with her?” Snivel pointed at Anemonie.
    â€œShe’s used to being in charge,” sighed Casper.
    â€œY-yeah, sh-she’s not got a chance here. Not with the B-b-brewster b-brothers around.”
    â€œBut who are the Brewster brothers?”
    A look of fear