Amelia Fang and the Memory Thief. Laura Ellen Anderson

occupied.

      Since the Kingdom of the Dark and the Kingdom of the Light had become friends, Catacomb Academy had introduced a variety of new Kingdom of the Light themed lessons, to educate the Creatures of the Dark. Alongside Pumpkinology and Slime Skills, Amelia and her friends now also studied Angel-Kitten Singing, Cloud Crafts, Glitterology and History of the Bug Blossoms.

      ‘Good evening, class,’ said the headmistress, Miss Inspine, as the students settled on to their plinths. ‘Firstly, I’d like to welcome the fairy exchange students from the Kingdom of the Light. I appreciate you may be a little sleepy while you get used to the time difference,’ said Miss Inspine, addressing the fairies.

      Five fairies of varying sizes waved shyly from the back of the classroom, not looking remotely alarmed that their new headmistress was a skeleton. One teeny weeny fairy with a puffy dress had fallen asleep inside a test tube and was snoring loudly.

      ‘Now class, you may remember I asked you all to put together a presentation on a subject of your choosing, to introduce our visitors to the Kingdom of the Dark,’ Miss Inspine continued. ‘Tangine, I believe you’re up first – what is the title of your presentation?’

      Tangine stood up and strutted to the front of the classroom.

      ‘May I present to you, MY LIFE . . . IN SONG,’ said Tangine straightening his bow tie.

      Amelia, Florence and Grimaldi looked at each other wide-eyed, trying not to laugh.

      ‘Um . . .’ began Miss Inspine. But before she could continue, Tangine bellowed:

      ‘FELLOW CLASSMATES AND FAIRIES FROM AFAR!’

      ‘Oh, he’s actually doing this . . .’ said Amelia, a little surprised. She’d never heard Tangine attempt to sing before.

      ‘Thiiiiiis story of sadness, this tale of delight . . .

      Is one of the Creatures of Dark and of Liiiiiight.

      For both lived in fear of the other for years,

      Led by stories of beasts—’

      ‘I AM NOT A BEAST!’ Florence blurted out, causing the snoring fairy in the test tube to wake with a start.

      Tangine glared.

      ‘UH, SORRY . . . NEVER MIND,’ said Florence sheepishly.

      Clearing his throat, Tangine continued theatrically.

      ‘. . . led by stories of beasts and unicorn tears!

      Two Kingdoms divided by terror and lies,

      But soon they’d be in for a pleasant surpriiiiise!

      One twilight, the King of Nocturnia met,

       A fairy?!

      Oh dear!

      But she was not a threat . . .

      She was kind, a true beauty, the love of his life,

      And this fairy became King Vladimir’s wiiiiiife!’

      ‘Wow,’ Amelia whispered to her friends. ‘He’s actually really good!’

      ‘And soon baby Tangine was born . . .

       Yes, that’s MEEEEE!

      The most handsome baby you ever did see.

      With the fangs of a vampire, but fairy wings too?!

      Nobody could find out – who knows what they’d do?

      Then suddenly, one dusk, my mother was gone,

      The king wondered if he’d done something wrong.

      He searched every night, every day, all year through,

      And the older I got, the more distant he grew . . .’

      Tangine then got down on one knee and cast his hand across his forehead dramatically.

      ‘I was spoilt, I was lonely, and then I started school,

      But I acted a bit like a silly young fool!

      I stole a pet pumpkin and took someone’s chair,

      But a special friend showed me how that wasn’t fair.’

      Tangine looked over to Amelia and blushed.

      Amelia beamed back, happy that she and Tangine were now such good friends.

      ‘She found out my secret, but she wasn’t scared,

      And that’s how I knew that my friend really cared.

      We went on a journey to find my lost mum,

      To the Kingdom of the Light in the dazzling sun!

      But little did we know that the unicorn lords;

      Those mighty horned horses their citizens adored . . .

      Had kidnapped my mother! Oh yes, you heard right!

      So, we grabbed our baguettes and we put up a fight!’

      ‘HEH HEH.’ Florence chuckled at the memory of brandishing bread baguettes and baked goods as weapons against Alpha Unicorn and his unicorn lords.

      ‘The truth was revealed – and my mother was freeeeeeed!

      The Creatures of the Light and the Dark all agreed,

      We’ve no need to fear one another anymore,

      Together we’ve so much to learn and explore!

      So, the King of Nocturnia is now full of glee!

      (Even though he was briefly turned into a bee. Yes really.)

      And that’s the tale of how two

      kingdoms made amends,

      And how the Creatures of the Light and the Dark

      became frieeeeeeeends!’

      Tangine threw both arms in the air, and sent glitter flying across the whole classroom. Once upon a time this would have terrified his Creature of the Dark classmates, but now everyone cheered and clapped and twirled round in the glittery rainstorm.

      Amelia stood up, chanting Tangine’s name, followed by Grimaldi, and then Florence. The fairies appeared to be crying sparkly tears of joy.

      ‘Tangine La Floofle,’ said Miss Inspine with a look of shock on her skull. ‘That was quite possibly the best presentation any student has ever given in my class. TOP MARKS!’

CHAPTER 3

       SUBLIME

      After lunch, Amelia and her friends made their way to the Coughing Classroom, in the deepest recesses of Catacomb Academy, for a brand-new lesson.

      ‘I WONDER WHAT OUR NEW LESSON IS?’ said Florence.

      ‘I hope it’s more fun than Zombie Social Studies,’ said Grimaldi.

      Amelia giggled. ‘I’m excited to meet our new teacher,’ she said. ‘I heard it might be someone from Glitteropolis!’

      Amelia