*
Daisywas in the kitchen. Yesterday had been the worst day of her life, with three ofher children missing, but she wanted to busy herself by making everyone a friedbreakfast. Her philosophy in life had always been about things looked brighterafter a hearty slap-up meal, and the worse the situation the larger the meal,so today required something enormous.
*
Opheliawoke up in Rosie’s bed to the enticing smell of sausages, bacon and mushroomssizzling downstairs. The Vita Dantis had worked and she was back to hernormal self. The insidious voice was no longer plaguing her mind, but she wasstill aware of a brooding presence buried, sleeping, somewhere within her. Itwas a terrifying feeling. When she got out of bed she was surprised to find herjoints were aching badly. What was more shocking was the small clump of hairthat came out in her hand. Ophelia tried her best to stop crying but tears ranfreely down her cheeks. She thought of Professor Jareth, with her sparse hair,walking stick and bent back and realised with a sinking heart that it was avision of her future self.
*
Billwas in an old-fashioned study, filled heavy dark wood furniture. Gas lights wereflickering in brass sconces on the walls. It was very late at night and he wassitting beside a large fireplace, gazing at the glow of dying embers. He waswearing very strange clothes – a black frock coat with high-waisted trousersand starched collar that was very uncomfortable around his neck. Suddenly thedoor was flung open and six burly men, each with earnest faces and huge sidewhiskers, came rushing into the room. Bill was manhandled roughly, dragged tothe floor, kicked and beaten. Through swollen and brushed eyes, he saw one ofthe men stand over him, grasping a shotgun. A moment later it was blasted intohis chest...
Bill woke up with a start. It took hima few moments to realised he’d been having a terrible nightmare. As he lookedaround the room and as he became fully awake the memory of those mysterious menfaded. He realised he was in one of the Small’s spare rooms – a sparselyfurnished attic room with white washed walls and boxes of stored old junk. Thebed was a camp bed.
He got up, got dressed and wentdownstairs into the kitchen. Arthur, Jim and Ophelia were sitting around thekitchen table, eating large plates of food. Daisy was by the Aga, clatteringabout with a heavy frying pan.
“Perfect timing my love,” she said,giving him a plate piled high with bacon, mushrooms, egg, sausage, fried breadand tomatoes.
“Thanks Mrs. Small,” said Bill,accepting a steaming mug of tea and a knife and fork.
“She cooks a lot when she’d worried,”explained Jim.
Arthur waved a cat off a chair andBill sat down, still feeling half asleep and not sure if he could manage such amountain of food. “Good morning. How is everyone?”
“We’ve been up nearly half the night,me and Daisy,” said Jim, “trying to work out how to get our kids back. We’vebeen over all angles, racked our brains for all they’re worth. It hard ‘cos westill don’t know what to do.”
“I don’t think Jimmy and Davy wantto come back Dad,” said Arthur, “Something wicked's got inside their heads.”
“And did you see that terrible look onRosie’s face?” said Daisy joining the table with her own breakfast. “It wasn’tour little Poppet. He’s right is our Arthur. Something wicked's got into thepoor kids, possessed them like.” She stopped, trembling and was about to burstinto tears, so to control her emotions she stuck a fork into a large sausageand began eating.
“Arddhu Og’s in their minds,” saidOphelia. “I know all about it. Trust me!”
“At least we know that medicine doeswork. You seem okay – after last night,” said Jim.
“You seem to know a lot about thisoccult stuff,” said Daisy. “How did you get cursed like our kids?”
“Well, it's a long story. A friend ofmine is a witch and got mixed up with things, and got me involved. I thought Iliked the idea of being a witch at the time, thought it was cool, but not anylonger.”
“I see,” said Daisy, eyeing hersuspiciously. “But you need to keep taking that medicine. Last night you tookRosie’s dose.”
“Yes, but there's more. Enough forRosie, and the others.”
Daisy swallowed her sausage and gaveOphelia a hard stare. “But you’re one of 'em, something wicked inside your headI mean, and you’re not wanting to attack us. You don’t have that horrible lookabout you.”
“Well, Vita Dantis-” saidOphelia in a faltering voice.
“I hope you don’t think I’m rude, butare you safe to be with?”
“Hey mum,” said Arthur, “she’s cool.She took a whole load of Vita Dantis last night. Our Professor Jarethtook that stuff for years and never harmed a fly.”
“Really?” said Daisy looking a littlemore relaxed, then her face clouded over as she added, “But why didn't ourRosie touch the stuff? Maybe if we’d have stopped her jumping out that window,made her take her medicine like a good girl.” Daisy’s lip quivered so she tooka big bite of her sausage.
“Come on Love,” said Jim, “it’s donenow. She was all confused, didn’t know what was good for her, did somethingstupid. That’s kids for you.”
Daisy ate another sausagethoughtfully, and began to look hopeful. “So if we can just make themtake this Vita medicine they’ll be back to normal in no time.”
“I think you have to want totake it,” said Ophelia. “I mean want a normal life. They’re in the grip of Og,can’t think for themselves. It took me all my will power to take it, but she'djust a kid. That’s why she didn’t have any. I’m sure she would otherwise.She'll have gone up to the Manor to
