Copper Smith & the Battle of the Bands

By Caspian Ashworth

This highly original fantasy adventure focuses on the natural world set against an undercurrent of superstition and folklore. It can be read as a childrens musical mystery, full of suspense and intrigue, or as a modern adult crossover tale of the interplay between music, nature and mankind. The story follows the young heros thrilling escapades at school and across the planet, as he deals with espionage, kidnap and a terrifying enemy in a desperate race against time before the decisive Battle of the Bands. It is a question of honour versus dishonour, harmony versus disharmony, order versus chaos - but who will win the final Battle?

Caspian Ashworth trained as a choirboy at Bath Abbey before gaining a PhD in Animal Physiology at Cambridge. He is a member of the RSPB and WWT in West Sussex. The illustrations were created by his brother Neil Ashworth.

The book to read - not a book that thinks for you but one that makes you think. H.Lee

In order to see the birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence. R.Lynd

Some birds arent meant to be caged, their colours are just too bright. M.Freeman

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Dec 27, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477250723

Caspian Ashworth

Caspian Ashworth trained as a choirboy at Bath Abbey before gaining a PhD in Animal Physiology at Cambridge and working in the healthcare industry within the field of Endocrinology. He is a keen cricketer and naturalist and is also a member of the WWT and RSB in West Sussex, UK.

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© 2013 by Caspian Ashworth. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 01/01/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4772-5071-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-5072-3 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

1 Prologue

2 New School

3 The Bell

4 News Spreads

5 Auditions

6 Pursuit

7 Concerts

8 Cliffhanger

9 Grand Canyon

10 Judges Decision

Acknowledgement

This book is dedicated to the Mouse, PG & the Goose

who are my reason & inspiration

1

Prologue

Everyone has had a dream about flying. The red-haired schoolboy gazing out of the classroom window was no exception. He had just imagined himself sprouting wings and flying away through the open window to escape his scary mathematics lesson.

Smith! Stop day-dreaming and pay attention! screamed the teacher in black.

This was the eleven year-old boy’s first day at his new school. His father was a scientist and the company he worked for had relocated the family back to England from Switzerland after Christmas. It was never easy starting a new school. Especially when your first day was at the beginning of the Spring term almost halfway through the academic year.

The small boy looked anxiously around at his new classmates. He had spent most of his young life changing schools leaving him with no real friends at all. But at least he was a Smith. Smith was the most popular surname in the English-speaking world, so in a way he had friends all over the world. He was also familiar with the German Schmidts, the Swedish Smeds, the Czech Šmíds, the Belgian Smeets and his posh English cousins; the Smythes. Unfortunately his classmates did not seem that friendly and his gaze soon returned to the view through the window.

The rain had stopped. A Robin alighted onto a nearby bench and was puffing out his red breast as he joyfully sang his happy song. The schoolboy had always identified with the Robin as they both shared the same copper-red colouring that his parents had named him after. Young Copper Smith began to miss his family and he suddenly started to feel very lonely.

Oh, I wish I could just fly away! despaired Copper. The exasperated teacher in black overheard the schoolboy and followed his miserable gaze out through the window.

Smith, a wish made on the first Robin of spring may well be granted! Now, for the last time, get back to your work! hissed the teacher as he hovered menacingly above the schoolboy.

2

New School

The next day dawned with a deep indigo sky. Mrs Smith had cooked a full English breakfast as Copper was going on the school bus for the very first time.

How was your first day at the new school? asked Copper’s father over his bacon and eggs.

Well, I didn’t make any new friends! sighed the boy and his hazel eyes began to well up with emotion.

The Smith family lived in a small thatched cottage in a leafy corner of the English county of Sussex. Copper was an only child. His parents were usually too busy to play with him so he read a lot and had consequently developed an enquiring mind and a very vivid imagination. He loved the challenge of a mystery book where he needed to unscramble a puzzle in order to solve the crime.

Copper, what do you want to be when you are older? asked his mother, trying to cheer him up before the school day started.

I want to be a detective! declared Copper with obvious pride.

Oh really, why? enquired Mr Smith.

Because detectives get to solve mysteries and they also have moustaches that they can twirl! replied a triumphant Copper, his misty eyes expanding to golf ball proportions.

It was a cold and crispy day so both mother and son put on their winter coats. Mrs Smith made one final adjustment to his bright green school tie and then tried in vain to flatten his short, tufty red hair. Together they walked hand-in-hand to the nearby bus-stop at the end of the road. His new school was an independent school for boys and girls aged eleven to eighteen. Most of the pupils arrived by car but Copper joined a small waiting queue just as the bright green bus pulled into view. The bus screeched to a halt and the side doors flew open to welcome the excitable children on board. Mrs Smith duly kissed Copper on his pale white cheeks and waved goodbye as he stepped onto the bus.

Oh, I haven’t seen you before! Are you one of the new boys? asked the young lady bus driver.

Copper was aware that the other children were all now looking at him. He nodded timidly and sat down directly behind the bus driver as his mother returned home. The young lady driver appeared to be very tall with striking blonde hair that flowed elegantly over her fluffy snow-white coat. She had a long slender neck and wore shiny black boots that matched her twinkling dark eyes. The school was barely a mile away from Copper’s home and sat at the top of a densely wooded hill. It was not long before Copper could see the impressive Gothic school building looming up before him. Copper was fascinated by the single lofty tower that seemed to reach right up into the sky.

"Okay children, time to leave! Don’t forget to study hard and play hard!" boomed the bus driver and she gave an encouraging ‘whoop’ as Copper passed her on his way out.

The children were greeted at the grand entrance of the school by an important looking figure. He was a small distinguished man with round, black-rimmed glasses and he stood beneath an arched stone doorway with the words ‘St. Aves Academy’ etched in gold. His resplendent orange jacket was complemented by his silver hair and gave him an almost regal air. The man screened the incoming pupils closely as if he were inspecting their bright green uniforms for blemishes.

Ah, you must be one of the new boys! Copper Smith, isn’t it? demanded the man in a high-pitched voice as the eleven year-old schoolboy approached.

Er… Yes sir! replied Copper awkwardly.

Well, I am Mr Monarch your new headmaster! Welcome to St. Aves!

The immaculately dressed Headmaster appeared unusually clothes conscious and obviously demanded a similarly high fashion sense from his pupils.

Smith! You will do well to remember that I expect my boys to look smart with more than a dash of colour! lectured the Headmaster, Your grey jersey is too bland! Please make sure you wear something brighter tomorrow. A colourful waistcoat perhaps?

Yes sir, I promise! replied Copper.

Right, hurry along to your class now, I need to speak to Mr Drongo, the school caretaker!

Copper walked through the stone archway. Suddenly he heard a distant bell ring from high up in the enchanting lofty tower. He wondered what the chime was for as it was still over five minutes before lessons were due to start. Copper glanced back at the Headmaster and saw that he was now talking to a man dressed in a blue-black suit who looked twice the size of Mr Monarch. The Caretaker had produced two large feather dusters and was proceeding to energetically pick off fluff from the Headmaster’s splendid orange jacket.

Copper continued on through the magnificent vaulted hallway past several adjoining rooms before he finally reached his classroom at the end of the ground-floor corridor. The classrooms at the end were for the youngest and presumably most noisy pupils. Copper made his way to the same window seat of the previous day. There were fifteen children in his first year class and he noticed that the boys did seem more flamboyantly dressed than the girls. This appeared strange as it was the opposite to what he had seen in his previous schools. The girls were wearing calm and neutral colours under their green blazers whereas the boys wore bright jerseys and waistcoats. One boy in particular had an orange waistcoat and jet black hair and was now gazing directly at Copper from his nearby seat.

Hello, Smith! I saw you on the bus this morning! My name is Finch! said the boy.

Copper smiled back at the boy just as their strict form teacher walked in.

Good morning first years! greeted the teacher, Today you have Maths and English with me followed by Science and Humanities and a relaxing afternoon of Music and Classics!

The form teacher was called Mr Black. He was tall and dark and always wore a black suit which was in sharp contrast to his bright orange-rimmed glasses. Mr Black had a melodious speaking voice and was known for his perfect phrasing, which was not always evident if he became annoyed when teaching his pupils. Fortunately, Copper was more attentive in class than the previous day, and, as a result, the Maths lesson was less scary. When he finally found time to look out of the window he was disappointed to see that there was no Robin in the school grounds. The rest of the morning passed without incident by which time Copper was more than ready for lunch.

The school dining hall took up most of the first floor of the School. It was a long stately room with a glass domed ceiling at the far end which allowed the pupils to see up to the sky. The walls were adorned with paintings and photographs of what looked like the previous and present staff of St. Aves Academy. As the class walked across the dining hall, accompanied by their form teacher, Copper recognized a portrait of the unmistakable blonde bus driver he had met earlier that morning. Beneath the painting was an inscription with the words ‘Miss Hooper’ followed by some Latin in italics that read ‘Cygnus cygnus’.

Sir, why are there portraits of the school staff on all the dining hall walls? asked Copper.

Well, hesitated Mr Black, The school staff all live together at the school. Our separate living quarters are on the second floor but this hall is also the dining room where we have all our meals, including our lunchtimes with you!

The class joined the bustling queue to receive their lunch. When Copper finally arrived at the gold-trimmed serving hatch he came face to face with a small, slender lady. She was wearing a light brown dress topped off with a yellow-crested hat, like a hussar from the Napoleonic Wars.

Ah, Miss Fly! Can you fix up young Smith with something suitable? asked Mr Black, nodding suggestively at the red-haired boy beside him.

The lady behind the hatch looked Copper up and down and eventually made her educated decision.

You look like you could do with some fruit, young man! and she promptly passed Copper a bowl of wild figs and berries.

A somewhat perplexed Copper joined his classmates on a table at the end of the hall. He looked down dejectedly at his bowl of fruit. Whatever happened to the sausages, chips and beans that had been his regular lunch for the past five years? He gazed around at his classmates who all seemed to be tucking into something far more appetizing. Copper sat down next to the boy with the orange waistcoat who was also staring at his lunch in disbelief. He had been given a bowl of muesli.

I think I prefer your lunch! sighed Copper.

You can have some of mine if you like! moaned the boy, My first name is Bill, by the way! I’m a new boy too!

Thanks! I’m called Copper!

So what do you think of the school so far? asked Bill.

Well… gulped Copper, "I’m not sold on the school dinners yet!

No, nor me! laughed Bill, Is there anything normal about this school?

Copper agreed with his new friend but he knew from experience that it always took a while to adjust to a new school. Every school had its own peculiarities. After lunch they made their way to the music classroom. Copper looked around the class but noticed that there were no musical instruments in the room. Not even a piano. Eventually a small unobtrusive man with light brown hair walked in dressed in a brown suit and grey waistcoat.

Good afternoon, class! the man announced in a rich and beautifully modulated voice.

Good afternoon, Mr Knight! dutifully replied the children.

There was something about Mr Knight that Copper found absolutely fascinating. The teacher reminded him of someone or something but he could not remember exactly who or what it was. Mr Knight noticed Copper’s fixed stare and then glanced at Bill sitting nearby. The teacher’s eyes widened as if something had just dawned on him, but he let the moment pass. Mr Knight was the Head of Music and he explained what they would be doing in the Music class for the rest of term. The focus seemed to be on singing and listening to the great composers. It sounded fun to Copper even though he knew he had no obvious music talent. He had always been told that his singing voice had a somewhat dull and metallic quality. The Classics class was also taken by Mr Knight so Copper had the pleasure of his company for the whole afternoon. At this school, Classics was a combination of folklore, literature and learning Latin.

This school day seemed to set the pattern for the whole term’s schedule. Typically Copper would study Maths, English, Science and Humanities in the morning followed by Music and Classics after lunch. The only exception was Wednesdays when he would have Religious Education instead of Humanities, followed by Sport all afternoon with Mr Hobby the games teacher.

Copper soon began to feel settled at the school having accepted the unusual lunch and dress code. It was obvious that Miss Fly was tailoring to their individual diets for their own benefit, and their respective evening meals at home more than made up for the measly helpings at school. Bill lived just around the corner from Copper and their relieved mothers established a routine of dropping them both off at the bus-stop before Miss Hooper whisked them into school. Copper and Bill Finch quickly became inseparable. The unusual school now seemed normal to Copper after all. In fact it felt better than normal, as he had hopefully made a real friend at long last.

3

The Bell

The dark thundercloud exploded. Within minutes, the inevitable downpour descended in merciless torrents. A mobile phone then sang out its frenzied, electronic warning and serenaded the deserted bus-stop in Sussex. But the bus-stop was not entirely uninhabited. For braving the deluge, like scarecrows in a flooded field, stood two small male figures.

Copper and Bill were waiting for the school bus having been dropped off too early by their mothers. Upon hearing the phone, Bill dived into his school bag wondering whether he had accidentally packed his mother’s mobile. He searched in vain and looked back at Copper who was staring in wonder at a Starling perched high upon a telephone wire. The speckled-brown bird was not singing his natural wheezy birdsong. Instead, the Starling was perfectly imitating the sound of a mobile phone in his inherited voice of the new digital age. Copper smiled as two passing Crows cried out with a harsh, grating, ‘caw, caw, caw’. It was almost as if they were mocking Bill’s earlier mistake and were smugly satisfied at the excellence of the Starling’s electronic mimicry.

Oh well, sighed Bill, Expect the weather to be fair when crows fly in pairs!

How did you know that? asked Copper.

Mr Knight taught it to us last week, don’t you remember? replied Bill.

A soaked Copper glared ruefully at the heavens as he recalled the old wives’ tale and remembered another rhyme that Mr Knight had also taught them in the Classic class;

One for sorrow, Two for joy,

Three for a girl, Four for a boy,

Five for silver, Six for gold,

Seven for a secret never to be told!

In fact this rhyme was written about Magpies and not Crows, but Copper and Bill had completely forgotten that small detail. The schoolboys consequently pondered their expected ‘joy’ whilst looking at the brooding, overcast sky. As Copper lifted his gaze, a black