Clickety-Click

By Mandy Eve-Barnett

Its eyes widened as it grew closer and closer to her face. Alice was paralyzed with fear, clutching her bedcovers with white knuckled fingers. The creature’s mauve skin glistened with slime and drops fell onto its spindly pointed claws. Alice opened and closed her mouth willing her voice to sound in the dark bedroom. The claws clicked together... as the monster’s jaws opened.
Click. Click. Clickety-Click.
What future awaits Alice? Are her guardians who they seem? Will the monster reveal itself? These questions and more are answered as Alice realizes a secret kept for generations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dream Write Publishing
• Release date: Nov 5, 2016
• ISBN: 9781927510933

Mandy Eve-Barnett

About the author – Mandy is a fairly new Canadian resident, who has a wealth of experiences to draw from for her writing. She has lived in South Africa, England and Canada and the uniqueness of each continent has left its essence within her. An avid reader her whole life, it wasn’t until she joined a local writing group, the Writers Foundation of Strathcona County, that the writing ‘bug’ gripped her. Now Mandy Eve-Barnett writes with an all-encompassing passion and is deeply involved with the foundation and its members. Writing in various genres, Mandy is published in anthologies, on numerous web sites and in the local newspaper as well as regularly blogging about her writing journey. She has successfully completed two National Novel Writing Month challenges in 2009 and 2010 and the subsequent volume of work has resulted in two novels. In September 2011, she released her first kid's book "Rumble's First Scare."

Book preview

Clickety-Click

Mandy Eve-Barnett

Illustrations by Linda J. Pedley

Dream Write Publishing Ltd.

P. O. Box 57083 RPO Eastgate

Sherwood Park AB T8A 5L7 Canada

2016 © Mandy Eve-Barnett

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without written per- mission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. The characters and situations in these stories are the creation of the author. Dream Write Publishing and the author are committed to providing quality literary products.

General Fiction: Young Adult and General Audience

Clickety-Click

ISBN # 978-1-927510-93-3

Cover image and illustrations by Linda J. Pedley

Look for this book in print at www.dreamwritepublishing.ca

Library and Archives Canada Cataloging in Publication

Clickety-Click

Eve-Barnett, Mandy (b. June 18, 1958-) Sherwood Park AB

Pedley, Linda J. (b. April 3, 1957-) Sherwood Park AB

E-Book Available on Smashwords and its retail affiliates

Dedication

To my writing group the Writers Foundation of Strathcona County and its members without whom I would not have found my passion for the written word. Their friendship and support have given me the courage to publish my stories. Tales based on my own love of the magical, mystical realms, and encouragement from my parents to use my imagination from an early age.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

About the Author

Chapter One

Its eyes widened as it grew closer and closer to her face. Alice was paralyzed with fear, clutching her bed covers with white knuckled fingers. The creature’s mauve skin glistened with slime and drops fell onto its spindly pointed claws. Alice opened and closed her mouth willing her voice to sound in the dark bedroom. The claws clicked together as the monster’s jaw opened. Click. Click. Clickety-click.

Alice’s scream woke her. She was drenched in sweat; her heart beat so fast it hurt her chest. She had no idea how long she screamed but her throat was sore. Shortly after waking, she heard her uncle’s thundering footsteps coming up the stairs. The noise drowned out her aunt’s voice, full of concern, and Alice’s fear induced tears.

The bedroom door flew open and Alice’s uncle stood in the doorway, looking around the room before rushing to the bed and to embrace Alice.

There, there girl, what was it? A nightmare?

Alice tried to stop her crying in an effort to answer him as her voice croaked and her body shuddered.

It was a monster, a huge mauve monster with sharp claws and dripping slime. Uncle Gregor, I was so frightened.

What a horrid dream, my girl. You are perfectly safe now.

Alice’s aunt walked into the room, slightly out of breath, with a panicked look on her face.

Oh, my, you poor dear. Just look at you. I think it would be best if you had a nice glass of milk and then left the bedside light on. Her aunt’s warm hands grasped Alice’s shaking ones as she came to the side of the bed.

Thank you, Aunt Cattrine. I am feeling better now you are both here, but a nice glass of milk does sound good. I can come down to get it.

Not at all, let Uncle stay with you. It won’t take me long.

Her aunt stroked Alice’s hair before exiting the room giving her husband a quick wink as she left. With her uncle’s strong arms around her, Alice felt safe and calmed down as her heartbeat resumed a normal beat.

Once she finished her milk, her aunt and uncle left her to sleep the rest of the night with the small lamp lit. They told her to call them if she had another bad dream. Alice drew her bedclothes up as far as she could and curled into a ball. She watched shadow branches on the wall closest to the door for some time before her eyelids grew heavy and sleep claimed her.

*****

Click. Click. Clickety-click.

His claws tapped together as he sat in the corner of the room watching her. He delighted in the way she moved as she spun the threads back and forth. The aroma of boiling meat filled the room, making him drool. She turned and grinned; she was as hungry as he looked. This would be a good feast.

In the morning, Alice slipped out of the covers and curled her toes when they touched the cold wooden floor. She pulled her legs up and reached for her thick woolen socks. Once her feet were enclosed in the soft warmth of the wool, she wrapped a large dressing gown around herself and walked downstairs. She found her aunt and uncle busily cleaning the kitchen counters. She thought it was odd as breakfast was not on the table, but their smiling faces pushed the thought away.

There she is. You do look better this morning, rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes. No more horrid nightmares, I guess. Now what do you fancy for breakfast?

Whatever you and Uncle Gregor are having is fine, thanks Auntie.

Well, I think after such a dreadful night you should choose. I haven’t begun anything yet.

Why were they cleaning so thoroughly if they haven’t eaten yet? Her uncle’s large hand on her shoulder made Alice dismiss the thought. She turned and smiled up