Children of the Red King #4: Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors by Nimmo Jenny

Author:Nimmo, Jenny [Nimmo, Jenny]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Young Adult, Childrens, Adventure, Mystery
ISBN: 9780545520942
Goodreads: 17297407
Publisher: Orchard Books
Published: 2005-06-06T07:00:00+00:00

Charlie ran almost all the way to the Pets’ Café. He had Runner Bean’s leash in his pocket and an excellent plan in his head. The city was full of Saturday shoppers and this slowed Charlie down.

He turned onto Frog Street at the same time as Dorcas Loom and her two older brothers. Albert and Alfred Loom were broad, pugnacious-looking youths. They enjoyed robbing backpacks, tormenting cats, and tripping up skateboarders. They were also the proud owners of four rottweilers, which gained them admission to the Pets’ Café. Dorcas usually waited on a bench outside. She was afraid of animals, and Charlie often wondered how she managed to live with two such aggressive creatures — not to mention the rottweilers.

With a quick “Hi!” Charlie dashed ahead of the Looms and bounded into the Pets’ Café.

“What’s up, Charlie?” said Norton. “Are you being chased by the headless horseman or what?”

“You’ll find out in a minute,” said Charlie.

He saw Emma’s blond head in the distance, and leaving Norton to face the Looms, he made his way over to her. He was surprised to find that the table was full. Lysander and his parrot, Homer, had turned up. Tancred sat beside him with one of Gabriel’s gerbils, and Gabriel was feeding Billy’s black rat, Rembrandt.

“Charlie, sit here!” Fidelio made space for Charlie, as his deaf cat clung to his shoulder.

As soon as Charlie sat down, Runner Bean, who’d been asleep under the table, leaped onto his lap, giving the table such a shake it tipped to one side, sending several plates and glasses crashing to the floor.

There were cries of “That dog!” “Can’t you control him, Charlie?” “I was enjoying that cake!” “There goes my juice!” while Charlie yelled, “No one told me Runner was under the table.”

Almost simultaneously, the Loom boys arrived, causing an even greater commotion with their rottweilers. The four big dogs began snapping at any small creature that had the bad luck to be within biting range.

The noise in the café was so loud that Mr. Onimous had to jump on a table and shout, “Quiet, please! Unruly behavior is not acceptable in this establishment.”

Homer, Lysander’s parrot, squawked, “Well said, sir!”

At which Alfred Loom shouted, “What’s your problem, darling?”

Mr. Onimous stared at the youth in disbelief. “I beg your pardon?” he said.

“I said, ‘What’s your problem?’” Alfred repeated.

Pulling himself up to his full height of four feet eleven inches (plus the table, which made him six feet five inches), Mr. Onimous replied, “Consider the smaller animals, sir. You can see how frightened they are. Your dogs create mayhem every time they bring you in here.”

“It wasn’t us, it was him.” Albert Loom pointed at Charlie. “Him and that crazy yeller dog. He’s bigger than ours.”

Runner Bean gave a deep-throated bark and rushed at the rottweilers, while Homer squawked, “Get ’em!”

A terrible fight ensued. Several other dogs couldn’t resist joining in and the uproar was deafening. Screeching birds flew up to the ceiling, cats shrieked, snakes practically strangled themselves, donkeys jumped on strangers, and an iguana ran out the door.

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