Ursula Crangle

Here is just a very small segment of a book that I am currently writing and I would please welcome any comments and advice that you may want to leave. All comments have my thanks.

Ursula Crangle

By

Paul Underwood

Spindly pale and scarred fingers reached for the glass rod and began stirring the luminescent yellow concoction contained within a vial on an old oak desk. Dark eyes seemed to pierce an ancient wooden wall clock as the students were twitching with great nervousness, knowing their fellow pupil was on his way to impending punishment.

     Ursula Crangle was not a teacher that would accept any lateness in her class, and patience is not something she is accustomed to. Two of the children sitting in front of the class knew this, as they had once suffered with pig snouts in place of their real noses for a whole two months after being just five minutes late. Even now their real noses were back again, their sense of smell never returned to normal.

     The hairy wart on Miss Crangles neck seemed to almost have a life of its own as it began to throb faster with the increasing sound of pitter-patter from the corridor. As the footsteps became louder, all eyes were now directed at the door with some students wondering what was contained within the vial on the desk. Others were afraid whilst some were excited by the inevitable potion that was doomed to be drunk.

     The door crashed open and a boy straggled into the class, wearing ragged purple robes and a limp hat, almost collapsing and breathless. The boy tried to speak but Ursula held one finger to her moss green lips. She then spoke: “NOT a word, not a single word. You obviously have a problem with listening so you’ll drink this and maybe you’ll all learn something.”

     The boy reluctantly took the glass vial and hesitantly put it to his lips, knowing from experience that the alternative to drinking the liquid would be very much worse. Wincing, the boy drank the whole potion in one swift tilt. It was only seconds later, when he began to scream in agony, holding his ears tightly as Miss Crangle just gave a huge grin, rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

     By this time, the boy was cowling on the ground with ears swelling to a point that they were swelling larger than his hands. It was only moments later that the boy sat there weeping whilst everyone was now gawping at his, what now appeared to be, elephant ears.

     Ursula said nothing more. She turned to the board with a piece of chalk in hand, books were opened throughout the class and the boy with enormous ears very uncomfortably sat down, trying to adapt to his new ears that now seemed to be getting in the way of many basic things.

     About five minutes had past when the classroom door swung open and a tall thin balding man sporting a huge crooked nose stood there looking a little annoyed before he spoke with a high monotone voice. “Didn’t Horace tell you that the Elder wants to see you and that it’s extremely urg…” As he was about to finish, he noticed two large ears sitting on a chair and all at once, realised what must have happened. Clearly unimpressed he gave a tut and continued “…urgent. Edwina will be taking your class today and’ll be here in five minutes. I’ll hold class until she arrives, but you’d seriously better hurry.”

     Ursula narrowed her eyes in disgust, huffed and left the class, head held high and her dark patchy robes trailing behind. After walking a little way, Miss Crangle decided this was just too slow so stood up on her toes and began to float at a much faster speed along the lengthy corridors. Mutterings could be heard from the various rooms and aromas of all kinds wafted in the varying sections until at last, she had almost reached the Elders door; there was the sound of a thunderous crash.  Ursula froze with eyes now transfixed at the grand mahogany door that stood several feet before her. She didn’t have to hear anything more to sense that something was coming toward the Elders door from within. Quickly, she waved her hands over herself and began to shimmer, like ripples of water before becoming invisible. At the same moment, footsteps were heard coming down the corridor behind her. She silently floated to one side until she was against the wall in the hope of avoiding detection. One of the voices spoke, “What in Hoven was that noise?”

     The Elders door burst open and three bright red lightning bolts cackled down the corridor, just inches from where Ursula was floating. It became obvious they’d hit their target as the stench of burning flesh hit Ursula’s nose and the hall fell deathly silent.

     Ursula closed her eyes slowly, holding her breath in the hope she would not be detected. When she began to hear the sound of heavy claws scratching along the marble floor getting closer, a sickening feeling entered her throat. It was clear that it was coming from the direction of the Elders door as she could hear a deep raspy breathing getting closer. Suddenly Ursula could feel and smell the warm putrid breath against her neck, she remained still with her eyes firmly shut.