Page 49 of A Brambleberry Manor Christmas
‘Where the aliens await us,’ says Bob.
‘What’s that about aliens?’ asks a voice, and we turn tofind Noah and Fergus right behind us.
‘You’ll see,’ says Rhoda, winking at them. ‘With a bit ofluck, Melanie should be coming face to face with our extra-terrestrial friendsvery soon.’
I quicken my step, eager to see what she’s talking about.But mainly because my face is suddenly awash with heat at Noah’s suddenappearance.
We’re crunching along a path through some trees at the footof the lawn when we hear Wilbur start to bark. Catching up with Melanie, who’shurrying after the puppy, she hears our footsteps and turns, stopping to catchher breath. And I notice her eyes light up when she sees that Noah has joinedus.
‘Hi, there! We’re trying to catch Wilbur.’
At that moment, we all pile through an open gate into alarge field, and everyone stops, frozen in their tracks by the sight thatconfronts them.
‘Oh my God, it’s aliens,’ shrieks Melanie in alarm, hervoice piercingly loud in the still night air. She grabs hold of Fergus andtries to hide behind him, peering out in horrified awe, as if her end isdefinitely in sight. ‘What the hell do we do?’
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
I stare in amazement, my heart racing. The scenebefore us is the spookiest I’ve ever set eyes on, the effect even more dramaticbecause it’s so utterly unexpected. Even though I knew Rhoda and Bob were up tosomething, I never imagined anything likethis…
The field, once flat and empty, is now populated by asinister army of alien beings with glowing red eyes. Dazed, I count two rows,five in each row. Spaced out at even intervals like spooky watchmen. All facingtowards us.
Each one is mound-shaped, around three feet high, and they’reidentical, like an alien race of cloned beings. They’re also eerilyfeatureless, apart from those devilish eyes that burn like coals where theirface should be.
The effect is just as Melanie described.
Aliens have indeed landed…
I glance at Rhoda and Bob. They’re holding hands, leaningtogether and smiling, observing everyone’s reaction – and Noah is the first tosuspect they might not be an alien race after all.
‘Hang on. This is what you were talking about! It’s one ofyour art installations, isn’t it, Bob?’ he asks, swinging round. Catching Bob’sgrin, he whistles. ‘Amazing.’
Melanie is staring at Bob as if she can’t believe it. ‘Youdid this, Bob? But how? When?’
‘Oh, an hour here and an hour there. I quite enjoyed it.Rhoda helped. We’re calling it “Invasion of the Alien Snowmen”.’
Melanie grins, looking much calmer, although she’s stillholding on to Fergus. ‘Okay, you got me. An art installation terrified me todeath. I owe you a tenner.’
‘Don’t worry about that,’ says Bob with a grin. ‘Yourreaction was pure gold.’
‘How did you do those evil-looking eyes?’ I ask, unable totear my eyes away from them.
‘They’re just LED lights.’
‘Well, they’re very effective,’ says Noah. ‘I’m not normallyeasily spooked, but my legs turned to jelly when I clapped eyes on thesesinister fellas.’
‘It’s a shame it’s made of snow and it’ll melt,’ points outMelanie. ‘It’s such an incredible work of art.’
Wilbur, who’s been sniffing around, chooses that moment tolift his leg and relieve himself on one of the alien snowmen, and everyonehowls with laughter.
‘Yes, good for you, Wilbur,’ chortles Rhoda. ‘You can spot aphoney art work when you see it, can’t you, boy?’ She wipes tears of laughterfrom her eyes and says, ‘Well, I enjoyed that, Bob. But I’m freezing. I thinkI’ll head back to the house.’
We all start trudging back to the house. I fall into stepwith Noah and he says, ‘Miss Scarlett with the lead piping in the conservatory.Fending off a vicious attack by alien snowmen.’
I laugh, and Noah says, ‘I hear your car is off the road?’
I nod ruefully. ‘It’s being fixed.’
‘How are you getting home?’
