Midnight Feast Read online

  ‘Twink Flutterby, have you been listening to a word I’ve said?’ demanded the pretty young teacher.

  Twink started. She had been gazing out of the window, dreaming of the Dingly Dell. ‘Oh – yes, Miss!’ she said hastily.

  Miss Petal smiled sweetly at her. ‘Good. Then perhaps you’d like to come and demonstrate how to help this poorly buttercup.’

  Oh, wasps! Twink glanced at Bimi for help, but her friend just shrugged and looked away.

  Twink’s stomach tightened. Bimi had hardly said a word to her since the night before.

  ‘Now, Twink – not next solstice,’ said Miss Petal.

  Someone snickered. Mariella, of course! Reluctantly, Twink rose from her mushroom seat and fluttered to the front of the branch.

  The buttercup sat in a walnut-shell pot, its leaves and petals drooping pitifully. Remembering her Flower Power lessons from last term, Twink put her hands on the flower’s leaves. Closing her eyes, she sent the buttercup happy thoughts as hard as she could.

  My birthday’s today. My friends are having a midnight feast for me, and we’re going to the Dingly Dell! Smiling, Twink opened her eyes – and then gasped in dismay. The flower hadn’t changed at all!

  ‘You weren’t listening,’ chided Miss Petal. She tapped her yellow wings together. ‘I was just saying that buttercups are very relaxed flowers. Happy thoughts don’t invigorate them – they need rousing thoughts. Going for a mile-long flight, that sort of thing!’

  Twink nodded, red-faced. ‘Sorry, Miss. I–I was thinking of something else.’

  ‘Ooh, I wonder what?’ whispered Sooze loudly. A giggle ran through the class. Twink grinned despite herself at the look of cross confusion on Mariella’s face.

  ‘That’s enough, girls!’ said Miss Petal. ‘You can sit down now, Twink.’

  When Twink took her seat again, Bimi was gazing out of the window, ignoring her. Twink’s heart sank.

  ‘Bimi, what’s wrong?’ she murmured as Miss Petal put the buttercup away.

  One of Bimi’s wings lifted coldly. ‘Why don’t you ask Sooze?’ she muttered back.

  Oh! Twink let out an angry breath. She knew Bimi was hurt that she was being friendly with Sooze, but it was so unfair! Sooze was planning a party for her – of course Twink was going to be friendly to her. And why couldn’t she have two friends, anyway?

  Scowling down at her petal book, she didn’t look at Bimi again for the rest of the lesson.

  At dinner that night, Twink and Bimi sat apart for the first time since the new term had begun. Telling herself that she didn’t mind, Twink made a point of laughing and talking with the others.

  Sooze nudged her with a wing. ‘Don’t eat too much, Opposite! You want to save your appetite.’

  ‘Save it for what?’ asked Mariella, drawing her eyebrows together.

  ‘Oh, I heard there’s going to be an extra-special breakfast tomorrow,’ said Sooze seriously. ‘We want to save some room for it!’ Somehow everyone managed to keep a straight face.

  Just then the school butterflies streamed into the Great Branch, their jewel-coloured wings glinting brightly. Some of them swooped down over the tables, clearing up dishes and crumbs, while others delivered letters to the fairies.

  ‘Oh!’ cried Twink as three butterflies fluttered in front of her, struggling with a large leaf-wrapped package held between them. Twink Flutterby, Glitterwings Academy, said the label in her mother’s handwriting.

  ‘It’s a package from my family, for my birthday!’ exclaimed Twink as the tired butterflies dropped the parcel in front of her and flew away.

  ‘Glimmery!’ Sooze flapped her wings. ‘Open it now!’ Everyone at the table leaned forward, craning to see.

  Twink glanced at Bimi. On impulse, she said, ‘Bimi, would you help me open it?’

  Bimi looked startled, and then slowly smiled. ‘All right!’

  Twink let out a relieved breath as her friend helped her to untie the strings of plaited grass. Maybe everything would be all right between them after all.

  The oak-leaf wrapping fell away, and a gleaming walnut chest sat on the table. Twink creaked open the lid and yelped. ‘Look, everyone! It’s chock-full of food that my gran made! There’s dandelion juice, and sweet seeds – and look, a giant honey cake with my name on it! It’s just perfect for tonight!’

  ‘Perfect for tonight?’ said Pix. ‘What do you mean?’ The clever red-haired fairy widened her eyes in warning, motioning towards the end of the table.

  Mariella! Twink felt colour sweep her face. How could she have forgotten? ‘I – I just meant that I’ll share it out in the Common Branch tonight,’ she stammered. ‘There’s plenty for everyone!’

  .

  .

  She looked sideways at Mariella, and was relieved to see her talking to Lola. Phew! Perhaps she hadn’t overheard after all. Twink sat down happily, gazing at the chest. Her family hadn’t forgotten her. How could she have ever thought they would?

  ‘Oh, I wish I had a pen with me!’ she said. ‘I could write to my family right now and thank them.’

  Sooze lifted her violet eyebrows. ‘Well – I was going to save this for later, but –’ She reached in her bag and pulled out a present wrapped loosely in a bright pink petal.

  ‘Here you go, Opposite.’ She slid it across the table to Twink. ‘Many happy returns, and all that!’

  Twink tore the wrapping off and gasped in delight. ‘A snail-trail pen! Oh, Sooze, thank you! I saw one on my hols, but I didn’t have any pocket money left to buy it with!’ She uncapped the pen and tested it on her hand, smiling at the sparkly silver ink. ‘It’s perfect!’

  She stretched across the table and hugged Sooze tightly. Sooze laughed. ‘My uncle gave it to me, but I already had one, so I thought of you!’

  Bouncing back on to her seat, Twink’s smile faded. Bimi was staring at her new pen, her expression stiff and strained.

  .

  .

  Oh, not again! thought Twink in exasperation. Wasn’t Sooze allowed to do anything nice for her?

  With dinner finished, the fairies began drifting out of the Great Branch, chattering and laughing. Mariella and Lola were the first to leave the Daffodil Branch table – Mariella with many suspicious frowns.

  ‘Good, they’re gone!’ said Pix. She glanced at the teachers’ platform and lowered her voice. ‘We need to finalise our plans for tonight, everyone. We still haven’t decided who’s going to stay behind and open the window.’

  Bimi cleared her throat. ‘I’ll do it.’

  Pix grinned. ‘Thanks, Bimi, that’s really glimmery of you. Now, who else will volunteer, so that Bimi only misses half the party?’

  ‘No, that’s not what I meant,’ said Bimi in a tight voice. ‘I mean I’ll just stay behind. Nobody has to miss any of it.’

  Twink gaped at her. ‘But – but don’t you want to go at all?’

  Bimi looked away. ‘No, I don’t feel very well. I’m sort of tired.’

  There was a surprised silence. Sooze lifted an eyebrow, looking sceptical. Finally Zena said, ‘Well – well, if you’re sure, Bimi.’

  ‘I’m sure,’ said Bimi coolly. ‘It’s OK, I don’t mind.’

  ‘But –’ Twink started to protest again and then fell silent, her lips tightening. Oh, why did Bimi have to be like this? She was supposed to be Twink’s best friend! She wasn’t tired at all – she was just jealous of Twink doing anything with Sooze. She probably wished that Twink wasn’t even having a party, because Sooze had thought of it and she hadn’t!

  Twink’s wings felt hot. Fine, she decided. If that was the way Bimi wanted to be, it was all right with her!

  The plan that night went off perfectly. Just before midnight, Sooze crept about Daffodil Branch, waking up everyone who had fallen asleep.


  Twink’s eyes flew open when she felt Sooze touch her shoulder. At last, it was time! She climbed quickly out of bed, her wings tingling with excitement. Soft sounds filled the air as everyone got dressed in the moonlight, keeping as silent as they could.

  Someone stumbled, bumping against the door. ‘Hush!’ whispered Sooze. ‘Don’t wake up Mariella and Lola!’

  At that, a loud snore erupted from Mariella’s bed. The fairies clutched their mouths to stifle their giggles. ‘We’d need an earthquake to wake her up!’ hissed Sili.

  ‘Come on,’ said Pix softly. ‘Let’s go!’

  Twink’s heart pounded as they tiptoed across the room. One by one, they flew out into the shadowy, moonlit tree trunk. Twink shivered. Glitterwings at night was very different from the daytime. It seemed larger, somehow, and much more mysterious.

  Quickly, they flitted to the secret knothole and passed out food and drink for everyone to carry. ‘Here, Twink, you get to carry the cake, because you’re the birthday fairy!’ grinned Sooze.

  Laden down with their goodies, they flew to the window nearest to Daffy Branch. It was just large enough to squeeze through, if they kept their wings tucked in. Twink hung back as Sili, Zena and Pix wormed their way through it, laughing at the tight squeeze.

  ‘Right, now it’s our turn!’ Sooze’s eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

  ‘What time will you be back?’ asked Bimi, hovering beside them in her nightdress.

  ‘Three o’clock!’ said Sooze. ‘We want lots of time to have fun.’

  ‘No, two o’clock,’ said Twink. ‘That’s plenty of time, Sooze – we don’t want to get caught.’

  Sooze flapped her wings and groaned, but agreed. Bimi crossed her arms over her cobweb dressing gown. ‘All right, well – I’ll set my cricket clock, and let you back in at two.’

  Twink thought her voice sounded forlorn. Suddenly she felt sorry for the angry thoughts she had had earlier, and she squeezed her friend’s arm.

  ‘Thanks, Bimi,’ she whispered.

  ‘That’s all right,’ Bimi whispered back. She sounded like she meant it, and Twink’s spirits lifted. Oh, it would be so glimmery if things could be all right between them again!

  ‘Come on,’ said Sooze, fluttering in front of the window. ‘This stuff is heavy!’

  With a quick goodbye to Bimi, Twink ducked through the window, holding in her wings. A pinch and a pull, and she was out in the moonlight! The others were waiting for her, hovering under the stars.

  ‘At last!’ said Pix with a grin. ‘All right, everyone, let’s get going. To the Dingly Dell!’

  Hidden by the shadows, Mariella pressed against the open door of Daffodil Branch. She frowned, straining to hear the whispered conversation taking place across the trunk.

  ‘All right,’ she heard Bimi say. ‘I’ll set my cricket clock, and let you back in at two.’

  Mariella smiled smugly. That was all she needed to know!

  Silently, she flitted back to her bed and pulled her petal duvet up around her ears. Her silvery-green hair spilled across the pillow as she closed her eyes, pretending to be deeply asleep.

  A moment later, she heard Bimi return to the branch and slip back into her own bed. A slight chirrup sounded as she set her clock.

  Mariella lay quietly until soft snores came from Bimi’s side of the room. Now! She pushed back her covers and crept to Bimi’s bedside. The cricket blinked at her in the moonlight, crouching on Bimi’s bedside table. Two o’clock, and keep very quiet! was written on a scrap of petal in front of him.

  Oh, it was almost too easy! Mariella took the petal and crumpled it up, slipping it into the pocket of her nightdress. Taking another petal from Bimi’s bedside drawer, Mariella imitated her looping handwriting. Seven o’clock, she wrote.

  ‘She’s changed her mind,’ she whispered to the cricket, tucking the note under its foot. ‘She doesn’t want to be woken up until morning.’

  The creature looked relieved. Yawning, it tucked its head under its leg.

  Mariella returned to bed, smirking broadly. Ha! That would teach Bimi to show her up in front of the whole Flight class! The others would be furious with her now. They’d think she had left them stuck outside on purpose, and would probably never speak to her again.

  And better yet, they’d get into trouble, too. Mrs Lightwing would be livid when she found out about their midnight feast at the Dell. Mariella grinned to herself. It had been a good night’s work, all right. She could hardly wait to tell Lola what she had done!

  Still smiling, Mariella drifted off to sleep.

  .

  Chapter Four

  The fairies’ wings gleamed in the moonlight as they skimmed lightly over grass and flowers. A warm summer breeze rustled Twink’s hair. Up above, the stars glittered like diamonds.

  ‘Oh, this is just glimmery!’ breathed Twink, cradling the cake to her chest.

  ‘You haven’t seen anything yet!’ said Sooze. She led the others down a hill, around a stream, and finally – there it was! The Dingly Dell.

  ‘Oh!’ cried all the fairies. It was the most magical little dell imaginable, with a gently tinkling stream, a silvery waterfall and carpets of summer flowers. The moon shone brightly, casting wavering shadows.

  ‘Watch this!’ said Sooze with a grin.

  Setting her food down on the grass, she flitted towards the stream. A wayward leaf was floating in the water, and Sooze touched down on it lightly. Instantly, it took off into the current. Sooze shrieked with laughter as she rode the leaf through the swiftly moving water, keeping her balance with her wings.

  ‘I want to try that!’ cried Twink. She left her food beside Sooze’s and grabbed a leaf of her own. It was harder than it looked! She shouted as her leaf spun out into the water, twisting and bucking through the current.

  Soon all the fairies were laughing and shrieking, surfing across the water on their leaves. Zena squealed as she tumbled into the stream, and emerged dripping, her yellow hair plastered to her back.

  ‘Oh! It’s cold!’ she spluttered, laughing.

  ‘Look, there’s slides, too!’ pointed out Pix. She ran for the reeds, flitting lightly on top of one. Bouncing to a sitting position, she shot down the reed like a raindrop, tumbling away with a somersault just as she reached the water.

  When they grew tired of playing, the fairies stretched out on the grass, bathing their wings in the moonlight. ‘Time for food!’ said Sili, rubbing her hands together. ‘I’m starving.’

  Everyone was. Twink parcelled out the goodies, and soon they were all munching happily. ‘Twink, your gran makes the best honey cake in the world!’ said Sooze, taking another slice. ‘This is just glimmery.’

  Twink chewed a sweet seed slowly, savouring every bite. It tasted different in the moonlight – sweeter, and even more delicious. Oh, this had to be the best birthday that any fairy had ever had!

  But it got even better. When they finished eating, the others gave her their presents. Twink exclaimed with delight as she unwrapped a new bottle of sparkly wing polish from Sili, a woven-grass hair-clip from Pix, and a beautiful rose-petal notebook from Zena. The notebook was especially fine, with golden flecks of pollen dust glistening across its pages.

  ‘I asked my mother to send it from home,’ explained Zena earnestly. ‘She makes them herself, and I knew you’d like it.’

  ‘Thank you!’ Bouncing to her feet, Twink hugged her friends tightly. ‘This has been the best birthday ever. I’ll always, always remember it!’

  ‘We’d better get going,’ said Pix. She glanced at the moon. ‘It’s almost two o’clock!’

  Sili nodded, fluttering her wings as she stifled a yawn. ‘But let’s do this again soon! I’ve had the best time ever.’

  The fairies flew back to Glitterwings, tired but happy. The way home s
eemed much longer, somehow, and Twink gave a contented sigh when she saw the black silhouette of the oak tree rising up against the sky. Soon she’d be snuggled up in her moss bed!

  They flew up to the window opposite Daffodil Branch. Twink cupped her hands around the glass and peered in. The dark school showed no signs of life.

  ‘She’s not here yet,’ Twink whispered to the others.

  The fairies hung in the air, their wings fluttering as they watched the window. The minutes crept by, and still Bimi didn’t come. After a while they flew to a nearby branch, resting their tired wings.

  .

  .

  ‘Where is she?’ wondered Pix, staring worriedly at the window. ‘She said she’d be here at two! That’s not like Bimi at all.’

  Sooze shrugged. ‘Maybe she changed her mind.’

  ‘She wouldn’t do that!’ said Twink fiercely.

  Sooze made a face. ‘I bet she would! She’s been sulking for days about the party.’ She dived off the branch. ‘Anyway, I’m going to fly around to the Daffy Branch window and look in.’

  ‘Good idea!’ said Pix. ‘I’ll come with you.’

  Twink watched as the two of them sped off around the tree. Bimi wouldn’t just change her mind, not when it was so important. Something must have happened. Maybe Mrs Hover had looked into their branch, and seen them all missing. Twink’s wings chilled at the thought. Wasps, they’d all be in trouble then.

  Soon Sooze and Pix were back, looking grim. Twink bit her lip, already dreading whatever they were going to say.

  ‘Well?’ demanded Sili, standing up.

  ‘She’s asleep!’ announced Sooze. ‘Snoring away like anything. We tried knocking on the window, and she just rolled over and ignored us.’

  Twink’s heart felt like it had fallen to the ground. ‘But – but that doesn’t make any sense!’ she cried. ‘Bimi wouldn’t just forget about us. She must have set her clock wrong, or something.’