1
Jasper McPhee looked at the door. It looked just like a normal classroom door. But he knew that on the other side of it was a room that was anything but normal.
Jasper pushed open the door and stepped inside the pitch-black room, flinching slightly as the door swung shut behind him. He knew what was waiting for him in the dark. It took all his willpower not to run straight out of the room again.
His eyes had adjusted to the gloom now.
He could just make out the Quiddlesquawk slinking towards him. It crept low along the floor. It was close enough for him to see the glowing red slits of its eyes in the darkness. Jasper took a deep breath and shook the fear from his body.
The trick was to stay still and not panic.
Jasper could feel a buzz of excitement beginning to shoot through his body. The monster moved even closer. But Jasper wasnât frightened anymore. He was ready.
Jasper could feel the weight of the rope in his Hunt belt. He went into Hunt position. Legs slightly bent, arms spread, every muscle quivering in readiness. He clenched his teeth and then leapt, springing up and over the monsterâs head.
He landed squarely on the monsterâs back, his head facing towards its tail. He wrapped his arms around its slimy scales, trying to move into a better position. But before he could get a proper grip, the monster rolled, pinning Jasper underneath it.
Jasper had learnt enough about Quiddlesquawks in Species Studies to expect it to roll. But learning about a monster and actually catching one were two very different things.
As the monster got ready to suffocate him under its blubbery bubblegum-like stomach, Jasper snaked his arm towards its eye socket. He didnât want to think about its eyes. Monster eyes always freaked him out. And he knew that fear was exactly what the Quiddlesquawk wanted him to feel.
Jasper poked his finger sharply into the monsterâs eye. It squawked angrily, twisting its head around and snapping its razor-sharp beak at his hand. The shift in the monsterâs weight was just enough for Jasper to slip out from under it.
Within three seconds, Jasper had grabbed the rope from his Hunt belt and bound it around the monsterâs beak. He strapped its beak to its body, then flipped the monster onto its back.
He couldnât help feeling just a little bit cool.
A glowing exit sign appeared in the dark.
âYour score is eighty-four per cent,â Stenkaâs severe voice announced over the intercom. âProceed to the exit.â
Stenka was Jasperâs homeroom teacher. Of all the teachers at Monstrum House, Jasper reckoned Stenka was probably the scariest. It was not a good idea to get on her wrong side.
Eighty-four per cent, thought Jasper, wiping the slime from his hands. Not great â but not too bad .
He already knew where he had gone wrong.
He hadnât thought about the slipperiness of the monster when heâd leapt.
âProceed to the exit,â Stenka ordered again.
Jasper bent down to inspect the monster. He almost felt sorry for the thing. After all, he knew the Quiddlesquawk had been trained by the teachers. And really, what kind of life was it, battling annoying kids all day long?
Jasper forced himself to look it in the eyes. One eye looked sore and bloodshot.
âSorry, fella,â he whispered. He loosened the rope heâd tied around its beak.
The monster blinked and for a second its empty eyes took on a deeper glint of understanding. Then it opened its mouth and spat a long line of slime over Jasperâs face. Jasper gagged.
âNext time you should do as youâre told,â said Stenka smugly over the intercom.
Jasper glared at the monster. There was a foul fishy taste in his mouth and his eyes stung like they were full of soap.
âThanks a lot,â he mumbled darkly, and left the room.
Jasper had been at the Monstrum House School for Troubled Children for about six months.
Monstrum House was not like any
Jasper McPhee looked at the door. It looked just like a normal classroom door. But he knew that on the other side of it was a room that was anything but normal.
Jasper pushed open the door and stepped inside the pitch-black room, flinching slightly as the door swung shut behind him. He knew what was waiting for him in the dark. It took all his willpower not to run straight out of the room again.
His eyes had adjusted to the gloom now.
He could just make out the Quiddlesquawk slinking towards him. It crept low along the floor. It was close enough for him to see the glowing red slits of its eyes in the darkness. Jasper took a deep breath and shook the fear from his body.
The trick was to stay still and not panic.
Jasper could feel a buzz of excitement beginning to shoot through his body. The monster moved even closer. But Jasper wasnât frightened anymore. He was ready.
Jasper could feel the weight of the rope in his Hunt belt. He went into Hunt position. Legs slightly bent, arms spread, every muscle quivering in readiness. He clenched his teeth and then leapt, springing up and over the monsterâs head.
He landed squarely on the monsterâs back, his head facing towards its tail. He wrapped his arms around its slimy scales, trying to move into a better position. But before he could get a proper grip, the monster rolled, pinning Jasper underneath it.
Jasper had learnt enough about Quiddlesquawks in Species Studies to expect it to roll. But learning about a monster and actually catching one were two very different things.
As the monster got ready to suffocate him under its blubbery bubblegum-like stomach, Jasper snaked his arm towards its eye socket. He didnât want to think about its eyes. Monster eyes always freaked him out. And he knew that fear was exactly what the Quiddlesquawk wanted him to feel.
Jasper poked his finger sharply into the monsterâs eye. It squawked angrily, twisting its head around and snapping its razor-sharp beak at his hand. The shift in the monsterâs weight was just enough for Jasper to slip out from under it.
Within three seconds, Jasper had grabbed the rope from his Hunt belt and bound it around the monsterâs beak. He strapped its beak to its body, then flipped the monster onto its back.
He couldnât help feeling just a little bit cool.
A glowing exit sign appeared in the dark.
âYour score is eighty-four per cent,â Stenkaâs severe voice announced over the intercom. âProceed to the exit.â
Stenka was Jasperâs homeroom teacher. Of all the teachers at Monstrum House, Jasper reckoned Stenka was probably the scariest. It was not a good idea to get on her wrong side.
Eighty-four per cent, thought Jasper, wiping the slime from his hands. Not great â but not too bad .
He already knew where he had gone wrong.
He hadnât thought about the slipperiness of the monster when heâd leapt.
âProceed to the exit,â Stenka ordered again.
Jasper bent down to inspect the monster. He almost felt sorry for the thing. After all, he knew the Quiddlesquawk had been trained by the teachers. And really, what kind of life was it, battling annoying kids all day long?
Jasper forced himself to look it in the eyes. One eye looked sore and bloodshot.
âSorry, fella,â he whispered. He loosened the rope heâd tied around its beak.
The monster blinked and for a second its empty eyes took on a deeper glint of understanding. Then it opened its mouth and spat a long line of slime over Jasperâs face. Jasper gagged.
âNext time you should do as youâre told,â said Stenka smugly over the intercom.
Jasper glared at the monster. There was a foul fishy taste in his mouth and his eyes stung like they were full of soap.
âThanks a lot,â he mumbled darkly, and left the room.
Jasper had been at the Monstrum House School for Troubled Children for about six months.
Monstrum House was not like any
Similar Books
