The Ancient Starship by Cerberus Jones

Amelia and Charlie panted as they ran. There had been some kind of crisis at the hotel that morning – the phone had been ringing and ringing long before dawn, and between each call, Dad and Mum kept having this hurried, whispered discussion. By the time the sun was up, it felt like everyone had been awake for hours. In fact, when Charlie’s mum Mary had looked at the clock and screeched, ‘You’re twenty minutes late!’ Amelia was surprised it wasn’t already lunchtime.
    So here they were, sweaty and puffed and still half a block from school.
    As they got closer, though, Amelia realised that there might be some sort of crisis at school, too. Thudding along the pavement, swinging around the signpost and racing down the driveway into the school grounds, Amelia heard kids shouting at one another. Not just the usual loud, playful shouts, but angry yells. The school bell rang on and on, but no-one paid any attention.
    She glanced at Charlie, but he looked as confused as she was.
    Slowing to a jog, they passed the school buildings and reached the playground at the back. Kids were swarming under the old crabapple tree.
    â€˜It’ll be the start of World War Three!’ yelled Callan, a panicked look on his face.
    â€˜No it won’t!’ Erik snapped. ‘Don’t you know anything? It’s the start of a new world order – a new world peace!’
    â€˜What on earth …’ Charlie murmured, his eyes moving from one kid to the other. He found any sort of chaos very cheering.
    Ms Slaviero was in the middle of the playground, the old brass bell in one hand, but she’d given up using it. With her other hand, she put two fingers in her mouth and whistled.
    For an instant, the playground was silent. The arguing kids stood frozen, stunned and staring at one another before turning to face their teacher.
    â€˜What is all the noise about?’ Ms Slaviero asked. ‘I could hear you from inside the supply cupboard!’
    The quiet broke abruptly as six or eight kids shouted their explanations at Ms Slaviero over the top of everyone else. She held up her hands.
    â€˜Stop, stop, stop! One at a time, please.’ She waited until they were all quiet again. ‘Right. Thank you. Now, Sophie T. How did this begin?’
    â€˜Oh, miss! Not her –’ Erik blurted out.
    Ms Slaviero held up a hand again and looked steadily at Sophie T.
    â€˜Well,’ Sophie T said, ‘it all started because of the aliens.’
    Amelia and Charlie glanced at one another.
    â€˜I beg your pardon,’ said Ms Slaviero.
    â€˜Because of the aliens they found in Egypt,’ said Sophie T.
    Amelia let out a breath she hadn’t even known she was holding. In Egypt – phew. Nothing to do with the gateway, then. Nothing to do with me or my family at all.
    Ms Slaviero laughed. ‘Ooo-kay. Aliens in Egypt. I’ve got to say, I haven’t heard that one before.’
    â€˜It’s true!’ said Erik. ‘It was on the news and everything.’
    Charlie grinned at Amelia. ‘No way!’ he whispered.
    â€˜Are you sure it was the news, Erik?’ said Ms Slaviero. ‘And not one of those funny internet videos?’
    â€˜It was on the radio, too,’ said Callan.
    â€˜It’s a hoax!’ Sophie T scoffed. ‘You guys are so gullible.’
    â€˜It’s not a hoax,’ said Callan, eyes widening. ‘It’s a conspiracy. My brother told me all about it!’
    â€˜If that was true, we’d be blown to bits already!’ Erik shot back. ‘They’ve come in peace.’
    â€˜It’s an invasion!’ Callan shouted. ‘It’s been going on for centuries. Wake up and learn the facts before it’s too late, you drone! The whole world has been run by a secret society of giant space lizards since 1776.’
    Amelia gasped aloud. It was surely just a coincidence, wasn’t it? Callan couldn’t possibly know