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| Mystery at the Chalet School updated 28/12/2008 http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=4445 |
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| Author: | Chair [ Thu May 01, 2008 12:19 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Mystery at the Chalet School updated 28/12/2008 |
I can't take the credit for this drabble. My SLOC, whom has never read a Chalet School book in his life, decided to write a short drabble set in the Chalet School. He borrowed a few character descriptions from the books, but please excuse any unintentional errors! Here is Part One: It was the beginning of a new term for the chalet school. Three fresh faces were settling into their new dormitory. Mary, a slight girl of 11 with fair hair, freckles and a gammy leg; had been sent by her wayward, elderly aunt – a benevolent lady of 94 who had oodles of money stashed away in a Swiss bank account. Jane, a plump twelve year old of undistinguishable features, who had only been in the dorm for 11.4 seconds but was already known as “Plain Jane” and finally Sarah, a nearly 11 year old with an athletic frame and snowy white, short hair; not to dissimilar to one of the headmistresses. The Head Girl - a tall and slim girl with bright black eyes set in a pale pointed face – stood at the end of the dorm and issued forth that dinner was ready. She was promptly barged out the way by the other girls in a rush for the door, a scene that would not be out of place in a St. Trinian's novel. The 3 new girls with their backs to the wall looked on with puzzled expressions at the Head Girl who asked: “New here are you?” “Oh yes, rather” they chorused “Just follow the crowd, head for the noise and you won't miss dinner. It's tripe and onions today!” “Oh golly” said Mary “What a splendid feast!” With that the girls skipped off to dinner, happy in the knowledge that meals would be better here than at their last boarding school. In fact anything would be better than stale bread and gruel. The headmistress with eyes that never needed glasses swung around in her chair on hearing the three new girls enter. “Ah, let me look at you” she said whipping out a huge magnifying glass. “Mmm not bad, a bit on the small side but we’ll fatten you up in time!” “Hello Daddy” shrilled Sarah “Don’t call me that” hissed the headmistress. Then in a sweet voice that could melt butter at thirty paces added “I’m sure you’ll all be happy here. Tell me what are your favourite sports, girls?” “Oh golly, I don’t do sports” replied Mary; “Nor me” added Jane “Tennis?” asked the head “No” “Netball?” “No” “Hockey? You must play hockey girls” “No, I much prefer needlework!” replied Mary “There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a girl thrashing her stick about on the field of play. Needlework indeed, what is the world coming to? Now run along girls or you’ll be late for your first lessons” As they passed along the corridor to the classroom Mary whispered to Jane, “That was a trifle unusual.” “What do you mean?” asked Jane “Well for a start Sarah called the headmistress Daddy” “Yes it was a little odd wasn’t it” “And did you see what the head was wearing? Tweed plus fours, a hunting jacket with a baby fox sitting on her lap” “I say, it was cute wasn’t it!” “Yes, but is it normal for a lady to have a bushy beard as well?” “Don’t be beastly about Father, ermm I mean the Headmistress” said Sarah as she caught up with the pair, correcting herself quickly. “It’s not her fault all the razors are broken at home.” Suddenly the bell sounded for change of lessons and Sarah ran off down the corridor. Mary and Jane looked at each other knowingly; something was definitely fishy here! “Have you seen the three new girls anywhere about” said Joey to Grizel, “they're supposed to be in class by now” “No, I suppose they've got lost again as most new students do” “Yes but there's only one floor with all the classrooms on it, where can they be?” “Don't be to hard on yourself Joey, I'll get some of the other girls to look for them, perhaps Freida or Marie would be willing to search.” “No need” said Joey “I can hear first years approaching and it has to be them – they're talking about Ponies!” “Oh golly, not the P-word” replied Grizel “Matron will string them up if she hears that word uttered, and then we shall not see them again. Just like poor Rosalie and Althea last term, here one day and gone the next” “Yes, which is why I have to stop them talking like that. It's one thing to be new, quite another to vanish into thin air” With that the three new girls came into view talking excitedly in the way young school girls the world over do. “Hello you three” said Grizel, “There's a little matter myself and Joey need to talk to you about. You see as much as we'd all like to have a pon....” “Miniature horse” barked Joey cutting off Grizel in mid flow. “Thanks. Yes girls the p-word cannot be uttered in polite company, or in fact anywhere in this school. Matron has a thing about, umm, p-o-n-i-e-s” said Grizel carefully spelling out the final word so as not to attract attention. Which of course failed in its intended action of stopping Sarah from repeating the word in full and at high volume. Only the sudden hand wrapped around Sarah's mouth by Joey stopped the word escaping further than the end of the corridor. “Girls and yes Sarah this does mean you! The p-word is not allowed to be spoken by anyone, lest you wish to vanish like so many girls before you. Miniature horse or not-quite-as-big-as-a-horse-but-bigger-than-a-baby-horse, Yes! Pony, No!” “So” said Joey gently relinquishing her grip on Sarah's jaw “now you know about Matron I hope you can appreciate the dilemma this places all girls in. One false slip of the tongue and you're never seen again” “Oh, by the way Joey” added Grizel “I nearly forgot to mention, Matron wished me to pass on to you that a policeman rang a short time ago and said a German prisoner of war has escaped from the camp across the fields and may be headed our way. There's even a reward in it for whoever turns him in.” “Oh terrific” exclaimed Sarah, “a real prisoner on the run, what wizard fun” Joey and Grizel exchanged puzzled looks as Sarah continued; “I bet he's looking for somewhere to hide, before fleeing across the countryside into the night sky!” With that Sarah took off like a soldier, swiftly moving down the corridor, an imitation gun in her hand checking out each room as she passed. The other girls looked on in amazement at the scene unfolding in front of them, and stood flabbergasted as Sarah danced around a corner and out of sight. |
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| Author: | PaulineS [ Thu May 01, 2008 12:43 pm ] |
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Your SLOC has an interesting imagination. This is a different start. |
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| Author: | Liz K [ Thu May 01, 2008 1:43 pm ] |
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| Author: | abbeybufo [ Thu May 01, 2008 4:52 pm ] |
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definite influence of St Trinians here, too! |
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| Author: | leahbelle [ Thu May 01, 2008 5:15 pm ] |
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Maybe we could set our SLOCs a drabble challenge  !!
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| Author: | Jenefer [ Thu May 01, 2008 5:16 pm ] |
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What is Matron's problem with ponies? |
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| Author: | LauraMcC [ Thu May 01, 2008 8:38 pm ] |
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I love your SLOC's imagination here!
What's wrong with Miss Annersley, and why does Matron hate ponies so much? Is he planning on continuing, or was this just a once off? 
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| Author: | linda [ Thu May 01, 2008 10:04 pm ] |
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| Author: | Elle [ Fri May 02, 2008 7:33 am ] |
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*splutters madly* Is your SLOC going to write some more? Please! Please! Please! |
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| Author: | crystaltips [ Sat May 03, 2008 1:42 pm ] |
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More please *sends pb treats to Chairs SLOC* |
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| Author: | Billie [ Fri May 09, 2008 10:05 pm ] |
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*adds to pile of bunny treats.* This is really intriguing. I too thought "St Trinians." More please, Mr Chair. |
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| Author: | Chair [ Sat May 17, 2008 11:35 am ] |
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My SLOC says thank you for all the comments. Keep the pb treats coming please - chocolate is always welcome! Here is Part Two: The Speisaal was full to bursting and enough noise to deafen anyone foolish enough to try entering. The three new girls sat together in muted contemplation, food passing silently to their lips as, or so it seemed, every girl around them talked animatedly and louder than the person next to them just to be heard. A creaking door silenced the entire hall, from it spoke forth an accent totally unlike one heard anywhere else in the school. “Vere am I?” “Oh” said Mary, “don't you know. This is the Chalet School!” “Vot I should haf said is, vere exactly am I?” “Oh that's easy” replied Jane helpfully, “you're in the broom cupboard!” This being not quite the answer the stranger was looking for he spoke again. “Perhaps I should make myself clear. I am looking for somevere to lay low for a couple of veeks, vould siz place be good for me??” “Oh I should say so. We're miles from anywhere and high up in mountains where the locals can't even say dinner properly without spitting three tons of saliva at you!” “Ah, zen I am safe. Vould you girls be kind enough to give me something to eat, I am rather peckish” “Ok” said Mary slowly, “but first we need to know who you are, why you talk funny and you'll need to tell us a funny joke. Otherwise Peggy will scream very loudly and you'll get dragged away kicking, screaming and very deaf indeed!” The room was a hushed silence as the door creaked open some more and out stepped a uniformed man in his 30's, unshaven and with fair hair and blue eyes. “I am Otto von Dryer, I am an escaped German Prisoner of Vor and I vish for something to eat, as I haff been running from my captors for five days now.” “Wow, a real escaped prisoner” exclaimed Sarah, “This is jolly exciting. Now the joke please otherwise we'll let Peggy loose on you”. The german officer stood in front of them, his uniform slightly torn down one sleeve and began his joke: “God appeared to Noah vun night in hiz dream. 'Ah, Noah' he said, 'I vant you to build a second ark, but zis time I vant you to build it viv many floors and fill it viv only carp of all sizes, shapes colours and patterns.' 'Oh', said Noah, 'I see. So you vant me to build a multi-storey Carp-ark!'” Stunned silence once more filled the room, every mouth fell open and a pin could be heard dropping at the far end of the dining hall. That was just before every girl in the hall groaned at the enormity of a very bad joke indeed. “Ok, ok I admit zat vaz a bad joke, but ve Germans haff no sense of humour” said the officer shrugging his shoulders. “Quick someone, give him some food” said Mary “that might make him shut up, we don't want any more jokes like that tonight.” With the German POW safely tucked back in his broom cupboard and happily munching on sourkrout, the girls filed out of the hall, all except Mary, Jane and Sarah. Their conversation rested on the What-shall-we-do-about-the-escaped-prisoner? And Should-we-tell-anyone-about-him? Just then Grizeal walked past the dining hall door. “You girls should be in the common room by now, not hanging around in here” “We're just going” said Jane, making as if to leave. With Grizeal out of sight she whispered to the broom cupboard door, “Stay here and you'll be safe. We'll get food to you each meal time as long as you tell us a joke, and we'll get hold of the resistance for you to get you home.” “Zank you, you are very kind little girl. Zis charity you show me vill not be forgotten” the girls skipped off to the common room and the hall once more fell silent but for the humming of a German tune from the broom cupboard. The three new girls chatted quietly as they passed the Matrons' office, the door open and a smell of carbolic soap wafting out. At the open door lay a small yellow book, tattered at the edges and with handwritten notes scrawled in a childish hand. “I wonder what that is?” remarked Sarah, stooping down and sweeping up the tatty book in eager hands. Turning it over the cover had a picture of ponies frolocking in gay abandon, in a summer meadow with bees buzzing and lazy clouds lapping the edges. “Looks like some sort of notebook” replied Mary, “look there's writing about ponies in it” as Sarah leafed through the book. Page after page of gymkhana reports littered with childish sketches of ponies, horses and competition fences. Sarah read aloud from a random page: Pendleshoot Gymkhana (Age: 7 3/4) My pony Misty reared up after hearing something from the crowd, where Mama and Papa were standing. I got thrown off and landed in the mud by the second fence. Mama said I was lucky not to be thrown behind Misty because she lifted her tail and deposited an offering on the ground. Came last in the competition (and it wasn't my fault!!!!!) “Oh poor girl, but surely that can't be why Matron doesn't like ponies?!” said Mary. “No look there's more” said Sarah thumbing through a couple of pages more: Treacle Field Gymkhana (Age: 8 1/2) I was going over the third fence, it had red and white stripes on it, when Lord Montague (my pony) bolted making me have to grip on or fall off. He wouldn't stop, just kept galloping straight through the crowd. The judges wouldn't let me re-take the fence so I came last. Mama said I shouldn't cry as it was only fair the vet put down Lord Montague after he grazed his knee, when the brick wall stopped him running into the club presidents' car. “Oh dear!” whispered Jane, tears welling in her eyes, “they put down a pony, that's terrible!” “I know” replied Sarah “but it gets worse. Listen to this:” Sticky Bottom Horse and Pony Trials (Age: 10) Almost completed a fault free round, when in front of the judges, my pony Lovely Lady stopped dead, lifted her tail and broke wind! I was sooooo embarrassed, it smelt bad too! Then after going over the final fence a bigger horse (called Big Boy) jumped into the ring and started following us about. I tried shooing it away but it wouldn't listen, so I tried pushing him away and then my pony stopped and Big Boy tried to jump over my pony from behind but couldn't make it. I nearly got crushed before Papa ran into the competition area and pulled Big Boy away. I was disqualified !!!!! I'm never riding a pony again!!!!! The girls stood open mouthed on hearing this and probably would have stayed like that for longer had it not been for Jo's voice wafting round the corner. “Quick, drop the book and lets get out of here” exclaimed Jane, “this is why Matron hates ponies, she must think they hate her!” Dropping the book on the floor the three first years dashed down the corridor and out of sight as Jo and the new Headmistress walked up to the Matron's room, Jo scooping up the book with ponies on the cover and placing it on a shelf just inside the door as Matron came sweeping up the corridor. “Ah Matron” said the new Headmistress, “I wish to speak with you sometime my dear. I'm thinking of holding a gymkhana in the grounds to welcome our new board of Governers...” Jo thrust her fingers in her ears at the precise moment the Headmistresses words were cut short by the scream from the Matron. Window panes rattled in their frames, three glass mugs in the canteen were smashed and five miles away an elderly cow called Gladys was woken from her afternoon nap. Such was the intensity of the scream. The Headmistress looked at the Matron rather puzzled and said “So that's agreed then, I do love Gymkhanas!” |
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| Author: | LauraMcC [ Sat May 17, 2008 3:35 pm ] |
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So Matron's secret is out! I loved Otto's joke - it's the sort of thing that appeals to my silly sense of humour. His German accent is wonderful.
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| Author: | Fiona Mc [ Sun May 18, 2008 9:37 pm ] |
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Your SLOC has a weird and wonderful way of writing. I onlyt wish my SLOC would write the drabble he's always taklking about. Thanks Chair's SLOC. This is hilarious |
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| Author: | crystaltips [ Tue May 20, 2008 3:02 pm ] |
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Absolutely brilliant!!
*sends lots of choccy pb treats* |
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| Author: | Chair [ Sat Dec 06, 2008 10:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Mystery at the Chalet School |
My SLOC has asked me to post this instalment on the board and the next one will be ready to read soon! “Juliet creates a sensation!” read Mary aloud from the sixth formers newspaper. “It says here she was wearing nothing but black silk stockings, pink high heels and a green wig. Save for her modesty of course by a sheer white blouse and an uncomfortably high short skirt.” “Well really”, exclaimed Jane, “The lengths some girls will go to to get attention!” “There's more,” continued Mary, “it says here when asked why she wasn't wearing regulation school uniform she replied in a gruff male voice “Ooohh, vere am I zen, I sought zis vaws zee chalet for zee fancy dress ball?!” The other girls in the common room sat around with their mouths flapping free in the wind. Suddenly a long drawn out creak filled the room and the shape of Otto appeared within the cupboard. “Ack that sounds like Helmet” he exclaimed. “How did you get in that cupboard?” asked Jane, “We thought you were in the cupboard in the dining room!?” “So did I”, replied Otto, “But ven I opened zee door you vere all sitting avound talking and I couln't help hearing your little amuzink story. I zink I know who you are talking about, hiz name is Helmet Onna-Mine-Head, and he's in ze same regiment as me” “Golly!” cried Daisy, “That sounds jolly interesting. Do go on!” “Vell, ze last I heard of him he vaz avvested for parading around in vomens undervear and nothing else. You could say he's a bit of a character!!” The girls in the common room remained silent as Otto leafed through a pamphlet on the table, the information he had just imparted would take some time to filter through, especially to the ginger object at the end of the room. When Otto next spoke he had the undivided attention of every girl in the room. “Do any of you like ponies?” “Shhh!!!!!” every girl in the room stage-whispered back. “You cant mention the P word incase Matron should hear it and if she does someone's in really big trouble!” “Zen perhaps I should ask it again?” “No there really is no need”, exclaimed Jocelyn “We're all frightfully fond of P's, why is it that you ask, Otto?” “Ahh vell at ze camp vere I hav escaped from, zere are many P's all in a Q every mornink and it seems a shame none of zem are ever ridden. I just thought you vood all like to ride them some time?!” “Oh would we!” exclaimed Ruey, “That would be the spiffingly best thing in the whole wide world” “Zats settled then, I vill arrange viv mine friends in ze camp to bring over plenty of P's in zee mornink” With that Otto disappeared back inside the cupboard, the door creaking steadily behind him. Joey beckoned the Mary and Jane over to a corner of the room, where a harsh wicker chair stood menacingly. “Have either of you two seen where Sarah has got to, none of the staff have seen anything of her for a frightfully long time.” “Well I did hear her talking to the Headmistress with eyes that never need glasses” answered Mary. “Funny thing though the Headmistress kept looking at her with a huge magnifying glass and calling her my Great Son and Sarah was standing oddly” “Yes that's one of life's great mysteries, I heard exactly the same thing earlier today from Frenchie. What do you mean standing oddly?” “Well, for a start she was wearing trousers and standing in a manly pose! I'd have thought with all the pretty frocks in brown we get to wear that she'd be perfectly happy. Then when she spoke she kept calling the Headmistress.....” “Yes, what did she call the Headmistress??” “Umm well it's a bit strange Joey.....” “Spit it out girl or you'll never make prefect!!” “Well, she called her.....Daddy!” The stunned silence of Joey filled the corner of the room and spread around the common room filling in all the gaps where normal conversation should be. “Did I hear you correct Mary? You did say Daddy didn't you?!” “Oh yes Joey, I could hardly believe it myself. Jane was standing right next to me at the time and heard it too.” “Is this true Jane,” asked Joey “and you'd better be telling the truth Mary” “Yes Joey it is”, said Mary her eyes fixed on the wood panelled flooring, “we think Sarah might be....a.....umm.....boy” Gasps filled the air from the assembled girls, at least those who hadn't fainted from the shock. Joey glanced around for Grizeal or at least one other prefect, however, not finding one her gaze fell back onto the two first years before her. “Very well” exclaimed Joey, “desperate measures are called for. We shall have to root out this imposter who calls herself Sarah and find out just what is going on here. You two are coming with me!” “What about the Headmistress?” asked Mary in a hushed voice, (her eyes still glued to the suddenly very attractive floor). “You leave the Headmistress to me girls, I think that's a job for prefects. We may need to find the real Headmistress Who-Never-Needs-Glasses!” At that a thousand cheers rang out as Mary and Jane accompanied Joey on their quest to the Headmistresses office. Had it not been for the fox cub sitting on Grizeal's face in the corridor, she too would have whooped with joy, as it was she had to hold her breath for fear of passing out – whomever knew foxes could whiff so! |
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| Author: | Fiona Mc [ Sun Dec 07, 2008 7:41 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Mystery at the Chalet School |
| I'm wondering where all this is going to lead to. The mind boggles
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| Author: | Chair [ Sun Dec 14, 2008 2:41 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Mystery at the Chalet School updated 14/12/2008 |
Here is the next instalment, Chapter 4: And so they marched with a purposeful air to the Headmistresses office. Mary and Jane in the striding shadows of Joey, her head held high and purposeful, the air whipping off her like a mountain breeze. As they rounded the corridor to the front of the building the three girls came to an abrupt halt, there ahead of them lay the prone body of Frenchie. Her mouth tightly shut and a foxes calling card splashed over her cheeks. The three girls on their quest all held their noses as Joey bent down to Frenchie, lightly brushing away the yellow water from the poor girls' face. “Frenchie, wake up this minute” ordered Joey, shaking Frenchie by the shoulders. Frenchie opened her eyes and on seeing Joey let out a gasp as she opened her mouth, the colour flooding back into her cheeks. “Oh Joey I am glad it's you, that fox whiffed rather a lot. I had to hold my breath in the end, I thought it would never get off?” Joey organised Mary and Jane on an arm each and they helped the shaken and bruised Frenchie onto the bench beside her. “Now,” asked Joey “what happened her for you to end up with a fox on your face?” “Well,” replied Frenchie “I was gaily skipping towards the German class when I saw one of the new girls talking to the Headmistress who never needs glasses. Her head turned and I saw her running her fingers through what looked like a moustache above her top lip??” “Go on” encouraged Joey. “Well, that was when I looked away sharply and was about to carry on when I noticed a cute little fox cub playing with my shoes. As I bent down to stroke it, it...it....” “Yes?” said Joey her voice trailing off as she bent into Frenchie until their eyes were level and she could smell the remains of the fox on Frenchie. “It...ran round me and knocked me over then sat on my face and started to leave its calling card on me” “Eeewww!” chorused Mary and Jane in unison “That's so terribly horrid.” “Well next thing I know I'm talking to you, Joey, so I must have passed out” Joey looked around and could see no evidence as to where a fox cub may have gone, or indeed come from? Just as Daisy and Rosalie rounded the nearest corner deep in conversation. So deep in fact that had Frenchie still been splayed on the floor they surely who have joined her. Joey managed to get their attentions only after standing across the corridor blocking it completely. Daisy raised her eyes to Joey's her mouth finally shutting and plunging the corridor into silence. “Good” said Joey, “Now you two have finished talking kindly take Frenchie to the nearest wash basin and help her get cleaned up.” The girls departed with the whiffing Frenchie as Sarah appeared then swiftly disappeared back into the doorway she had started to come through. “Quick, there she is” exclaimed Jane “let's follow her” Jane ran towards the rapidly closing door to be met by a small fox cub. “Oh no you don't!” screamed Joey as Jane instinctively bent down to pat it. “We don't need any more girls looking and smelling like Frenchie. Get away from that cute fox cub and come back here.” As Jane ran back to Joey the fox growled a menacing growl and turned heel zipping away. Joey beckoned the girls close to her and the three proceeded towards the open door. Carefully pushing open the door the three girls peered in to a small broom cupboard. “Curious. Perfectly curious.” Nothing but brooms and buckets stared back at her (and most of those hadn't seen active service for quite a time) “Where has she gone?” asked Mary, a puzzled look on her face. “Well wherever it is, there's only one person who might know and the last time we saw him, he came out of our common room cupboard.” “You mean Otto don't you, and I suppose he'll try telling us another joke like last night in the dining hall?” Mary's face dropped a mile at the memory of the terrible event. “Yes you're right Mary, I do mean Otto, he seems to find ways into cupboards none of us have even dreamed of.” The girls trooped into the empty dining hall and opened the broom cupboard. The Otto type space was filled with an antiquated broom and definitely no Otto! “Curious! Perfectly Curious!!” remarked Joey as Jane and Mary peered in around her. “He was here last night but now there's not even a single cobweb out of place, as if he was never even in here?!” said Jane. The Matron's voice filled the rest of the dining hall. “What are you girls doing in here? It's well past lunch and no girl I've ever known willingly goes into a broom cupboard!” The three girls looked sheepishly to the floor and ceiling desperately looking for an answer. “I'm waiting!” bellowed the Matron, her bosom swelling to dangerous limits. “Well...” started Joey “Yes Head Girl!” interrupted the Matron, sounding each capital letter as if it had personally offended her. “We were looking for a mop and bucket for Miss Harland, she asked us to find one as Margot had had a little accident” replied Joey desperately making up a whopper of an excuse. “That's very likely, that girl is accident prone whenever Miss Harland is around. Well jump to it girls can't abide messes on the floor.” With her speech over the Matron swept out, the doors flapping behind her till silence once more descended upon the hall. “Joey. Are we really going to help Miss Harland?” enquired a puzzled Jane. “No Jane, we're still looking for Otto and Sarah. Now lets get going.” The girls crept along the corridor, every creek from the floor boards filling them with dread. As they crept past the French classroom a softly muffled whimper came from behind the closed door. “What do you think that is?” whispered Mary. “Well it's either a fox or someone with sticky tape over their mouth” replied Jane, pushing open the classroom door and revealing a distinct lack of foxes. “There it goes again” exclaimed Jane, “a muffled help like someone with a taped up mouth. The two first years excitedly opened every cupboard door until a tied up and heavily bound woman fell out of the stationery cupboard. The girls stood with open mouths as Joey whipped the sticky tape off of the woman's mouth. “Oh girls what a relief” said the freed woman, her hair in a splendid mess and her clothes smelling of a foxes den. “Do you not recognise me Joey? Oh and two of my new girls. Let me see umm, Mary and Jane if memory serves me correctly!” “How do you know us?” asked Mary. The woman rapidly brushing her hair into a tight bun, her back turned from them. She swung round and Joey gasped loudly. “The Headmistress Who-Never-Needs-Glasses” Joey hoarsely whispered, her voice nearly running out. “Yes it is I” replied she, “I was locked in there by a frightful man with far too many foxes, wearing tweed plus fours and smoking a disgusting pipe.” “So if you're in the cupboard” pronounced Mary (slowly and carefully) “who's in the Headmistresses office in place of you??” pointing her finger toward the newly released Headmistress. “That would be a big mystery indeed, would it not!” said Joey. “Certainly and I look forward to finding how just who is pretending to be me” replied the Headmistress. With that the four of them strode off to the Headmistresses office. |
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| Author: | Elle [ Fri Dec 19, 2008 8:49 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Mystery at the Chalet School updated 14/12/2008 |
Oh dear! I am loving the fox! |
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| Author: | Chair [ Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Mystery at the Chalet School updated 14/12/2008 |
Here is Chapter 5: It was breakfast time and as usual every girl had descended on the dining hall with military precision at 8.45am, each wanting their chosen breakfast NOW!! Over the clatter of cereal bowls, plates and mugs brimming with hot, sweet tea the Head Girl surveyed the scene. It was shortly after she got back up having been swept aside by the rushing in of 20 late first years that she spied a row of ponies outside the window on the front lawns. In fact so many ponies that there was hardly any grass left. Joey banged on the table loudly with a ladle to attract something like silence, something like silence appeared and looked at her with hundreds of pairs of eyes. Spoons, forks and mugs half way to mouths – whatever the Head Girl was about to say had better be worth it, eating had ceased! “Girls,” commanded Joey, “if you would care to look outside onto the lawns I think our prayers have been answered”....... ......”Matron!” exclaimed the Headmistress. “You've done it I am so proud of you! A whole row of ponies for my Gymkhana! What a splendid surprise” The Matron's face mushroomed into view around the Headmistresses door. “What do you mean ponies?! I never ordered one of those retched creatures” retorted the Matron, “let alone a whole shipment of them. What are they doing on the schools lawns?” “Eating the grass by the looks of it!” “Well someone should stop those infernal monsters, they've no right to be there at all!” With that the Matron swept back out of the Headmistresses office. “Well I think they're positively beautiful” said the Headmistress totally ignoring the Matron's protestations, “what we need is some bunting, a marquee and lots of cakes.” “You do realise she's gone haven't you. I mean talking to yourself is all very well father, but what if it gets out??” “Child how many more times? Someone might hear?!” “Oh come on” replied Sarah, an agitated annoyance in her voice. “It's all sorted. I've positioned sweet little fox cubs on all the corridors leading to your office. Not a single girl can resist bending down to stroke something so small, cute and adorable. And when they do they always end up with a whiffy fox sitting on their face!” “Yes, so far Sarah it's working but that nuisance Head Girl knows something. I'm sure of it!” “Headmistress” spelt out Sarah, so sickly, sweetly. “She's no match for me. One girl against my highly developed boyish mind. It'd take her too long to figure out what's going on and by the time she had this place will be a boy's school.” “Oh and another thing” continued Sarah, “How much longer to I have to wear these silly frocks? And I'm totally fed up with this name! I mean calling oneself Sarah is fine for a while but I much prefer Cuthbert any day!” “Cuthbert....I mean Sarah” said the Headmistress quickly correcting herself, “walls have ears you know, we can't be too careful. Once the gymkhana is underway and every girl is outside enjoying the ponies (And what girl can't resist?) We will transfer in the boy's school from across the mountains and those silly girls will be evicted from these fine surroundings.” “Oh father what a splendid plan. That common room will make a wonderful Billiards room and we can turn the Hockey field into the finest Rugby pitch it Switzerland!!” “Sarah. Don't get carried away! We must be vigilant, and you're still a girl remember. So do try and show an interest in the ponies.” “Oh, and one last thing” said the Headmistress whilst playing absent-mindedly with the magnifying glass “Try and talk about the Ponies as much as possible whenever you see the Matron. It does wind her up splendidly!” With that the Headmistress walked softly out of the room softly, followed by Sarah (or perhaps Cuthbert? Certainly confused whatever he/she was feeling.) The dust in the room fell as a creak issued forth from the airing cupboard's floor boards. The walls quite rightly did have ears, in this case attached to Officer Von-Dryer who was breathing as slowly as possible in the airing cupboard, which now also smelled heavily of fox calling cards. Mary, Jane, Frenchie, Grizel and Joey looked longingly out of the windows (along with every other Chalet School girl) on the marvel that was eating the grass, on the front lawn. “There's so many of them!” exclaimed Frenchie, the excitement levels in her voice reaching fever pitch “Where do you think they've come from?” “I'd guess Otto might know something about this. Let's just hope Matron doesn't see them before we get a chance to get out to them” replied Joey, her eyes transfixed on the swishing tails and shining coats. A creak of the broom cupboard brought all the girls to their senses. However, not for long as one of the ponies neighed and normal pony watching procedure was resumed. Otto Von-Dryer stepped out of the broom cupboard and stood in the middle of the hall. “I have somethink you all should know!” and when this totally failed to get a response he continued a little louder “Zee Headmistress is a fake and vishes to close zis school and turn it into a Boy's School!!” That had the desired effect! All eyes and quite a few heads swivelled around slowly to meet the German Officer standing in front of them. Mouths falling open as the enormity of what had been said sank in. “What did you say?” enquired Grizel. “Exactly az you heard me. Zee Headmistress Who-Never-Needs-Glasses iz an imposter. She is a HE. And zat girl Sarah is not Sarah!” explained Otto. “Well who is she then? I think we'd all like to know what's going on here?” “I heard it mine self not two minutes ago vilst standing in ze airing cupboard in ze Headmistresses Office. Vilst I cannot tell you who ze imposter iz. Sarah is in fact Cuthbert. A Boy!” “Then you two, Mary and Jane, were quite correct,” remarked Joey swivelling the two first years to face the assembled school. “Sarah is really a boy called Cuthbert. And Otto is correct, myself and these two fine girls in front of me found the real Headmistress Who-Never-Needs-Glasses yesterday evening, tied up in a cupboard in the French classroom” Cheers, whoops and joys rang out, breakfast had been totally forgotten about as Mary and Jane were carried off by their joyous classmates. “Where do you think they're taking them?” enquired Grizel to Joey. “I'd rather not think too long on that. Can any of us truly know where first years' go to at the end of lessons? They always appear in groups of one-less-than-you-expect.” replied Joey. “Otto you look as if you have something you want to tell us” Said Joey fluttering her eyelids and shasaying up to him. “Vell my dear” said Otto, his eyes meeting Joey's properly for the first time “I hav a joke for you” “Ohhh doooo tell!” cooed Joey “Vell zere are zees two Parrots sittign on a perch, vun turns to zee uzzer vun and says 'Can you smell fish?'” Stunned silence followed. And perhaps could not have been broken any more eloquently than by Joey gently breathing out. “I vill go and get help I sink you vill need it soon!” said Otto breaking away from Joey's loving gaze and retreating to the safety of the broom cupboard. “Joey!” exclaimed Grizel, her mouth open in a look of shocked-awe. “You've got a thing for him haven't you!!!” “No!!” said Joey far too quickly, blushing heavily with it. “You have” giggled back Grizel “ Ohhh doooo tell!! Soooo sweet the way you fluttered you're eyelids at him!” “That's not fair Grizel I only....I only....” “You like him, don't you” replied a condescending Grizel “admit it! And I thought you only had eyes for Dr Maynard!!” “Well...” started a blushing Joey, desperately trying to compose herself, her cheeks deep crimson. “...You must admit he is rather dishy!” Sweeping aside and nearly tripping over as she rushed out of the dining hall, Joey was quickly followed by a giggling Grizel. |
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| Author: | Elle [ Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:18 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Mystery at the Chalet School updated 28/12/2008 |
*splutters hysterically* |
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| Author: | Fiona Mc [ Wed Dec 31, 2008 3:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Mystery at the Chalet School updated 28/12/2008 |
'Chokes'
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