Antonia Alicanté and the Case of the Sinister School

The two children mysteriously appeared out of the gloom, like smoke out of a fire. “We can’t do this,” muttered the boy anxiously.” We’re not meant to be here, please can we just go home?”

“Shut up,” grunted the girl, “we’re here now, and we’re staying. A crow cawed loudly, startling them both. The boy panicked and ran off. Suddenly, his piercing scream shattered the night.

Antonia Alicanté crept apprehensively down the steep, crooked steps into the school playground. Looking back, she noticed a small figure rushing towards her. “Antonia, wait,” her brother Nigel called.

“What did you run off for you idiot, you frightened me to death! His sister replied. Embarrassed and ashamed, Nigel thought of the events that had brought them there…

On Tuesday morning there had been a commotion at school. The children and staff had come in and found what appeared to be pools of blood all over the building. Nigel had been horrified. He’d been hiding in the cloakroom when he’d heard his sister and her best friend LeToya Lockkete engaging in hushed conversation. “I’m sure it’s true,” his sister had hissed. “It can’t be, I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous. I mean there’s no such thing as vampires,” LeToya had grumbled aggressively.

As soon as Nigel had seen the look in his sister’s eye he’d known that he’d be forced to investigate, (and probably get into huge trouble as well.) However, no one could guess how terrifying that night could be…

The two children cautiously approached the year six entrance to the school. They darted in side. Antonia tossed her long, coal black hair as she looked this way and that. “Well what do we do now?” whispered Nigel shakily, his pale arms covered in goosebumps. “I dunno, just search around I suppose,” his sister replied. Suddenly, they found themselves outside the science lab. Peering in, all they could see was darkness. They walked in. Nigel’s torch flickered to life. Abruptly, Nigel gave a loud yelp. “Aieeee!” he screamed as he slipped over and threw the torch away. “What’s happened?” queried Antonia nervously, scanning the darkness blindly. “‘Slipped over in something wet,” her brother replied. Nigel raised his hand over his face and in the dim moonlight saw its reddish hue. He gasped. “Oh come on, we’ve got to find a way out,” his sister commanded gently. So they slowly began to find a way out.

Antonia crept apprehensively past workbenches and test tube racks, searching for the other door. However, she nudged a large, glass cylinder and it fell on the floor and smashed. But it did pay off; as the shattered glass bounced off the very door they were looking for! “Yes,” she exclaimed, and her and her brother exited the lab.

“Did I mention my hand is covered in blood?” Nigel asked shakily as the two children crept down the winding corridor. “Wow, that’s great!” his sister loudly exclaimed.

“Oh thanks,” he muttered miserably.

“No, no I just mean I’m excited because we’re getting closer to solving this mystery,” Antonia cackled dramatically. “Yeah, well I don’t appreciate it!” proclaimed Nigel. “Actually-"

“OK whatever,” his sister rudely interrupted.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling noise filled them with terror. A horrifying spectre appeared soundlessly out of nowhere. Nigel fainted. “Oh no, what have I done now?” thought Antonia as she gently picked him up. She could feel all the thin bones in his arms. Then she remembered the monster. Picking up a chair, she heroically threw it at the terrible beast. “Run!” she yelled and half-carrying, half-dragging her brother exited the lab.

As Antonia carried her brother past the cavernous school hall, she realised that she had always been getting her brother into trouble; it had been her fault that he’d almost drowned in mud when they’d been camping, and she’d just laughed as she’d left him to flounder in the marsh when they were on holiday, and all those other times when he could have been seriously hurt. Suddenly, her brother awoke. She gave sigh of relief. But there happiness did not last for long. As they snuck past the

PE cupboard, the sound of someone glugging a drink startled them. “I think it’s the vampire,” breathed Antonia excitedly. “What vampire?” asked Nigel shakily.

“Don’t be silly I was only joking-’’

Abruptly, the curtain twitched…

Slowly, an unknown figure emerged from the shadows. You could practically feel the tension crackling in the air. Gradually, the dim moonlight revealed the figure of someone nobody would have expected. It was like a trick of the mind. “Hello children,” squawked the dinner lady.

“So it was you all along!” gasped Antonia with a sigh of relief. “Yes, you see I’m also a cleaner and I was tidying a cupboard when I found this ribena- it just tasted so good I just couldn’t stop myself.”

So I’m guessing you started spilling it all over the school, huh?” Nigel squeaked.

“Oops. Did I”? The dinner lady replied apologetically.

Just then, Antonia glanced at her watch, and noticed it was past midnight. Grabbing her brother, she sprinted for the exit, leaving the dinner lady in a state of dazed confusion. “Well that’s a relief,” gasped Nigel.