The Dragonsitter Takes Off Read online

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  A Sneak Peek of The Dragonsitter’s Castle

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  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Monday, October 17

  Subject: Bad news

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  I know you don’t want to be disturbed, but I have to tell you some very bad news.

  Ziggy has disappeared.

  Mom says he was asleep on the carpet when she went to bed, but this morning he was nowhere to be seen.

  I’m really sorry, Uncle Morton. We’ve only been looking after him for one night, and he’s run away already.

  He must hate being here.

  Actually, he did seem depressed when you dropped him off. I bought him a box of malted milks balls as a present, but he didn’t eat a single one.

  I’ve been reading your notes. There’s lots of useful information about mealtimes and clipping his claws, but nothing about what to do if he disappears.

  Should we be searching for him, Uncle Morton? If so, where?

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Monday, October 17

  Subject: Still missing

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  We’re back from school and Ziggy still isn’t here.

  While we were walking home, Emily said she saw him having a snack in the café.

  I was already running to fetch him when she yelled, “Just kidding!”

  I don’t know why she thinks she’s funny, because she’s really not.

  Mom called Mr. McDougall. He said he would row to your island first thing tomorrow morning and look for Ziggy. He can’t go now because there’s a storm.

  I’ll let you know as soon as we hear from him.

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Monday, October 17

  Subject: READ THIS FIRST!

  Attachments: Closet

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  Don’t worry about my other two e-mails. We have found Ziggy.

  He was in the linen closet. I suppose he’d crawled in there because it’s nice and warm.

  Mom was actually the one who found him. You would have thought she’d be pleased, but, in fact, she was furious. She said she didn’t want a dirty dragon messing up her clean sheets. She grabbed him by the nose and tried to pull him out. He didn’t like that at all. Luckily, Mom moved fast or he would have burned her hand off.

  I think she’s going to charge you for repainting the wall. There’s a big brown patch where he scorched the paint.

  I still think he might be depressed.

  We had mac and cheese for dinner. I saved some for Ziggy and left it outside the linen closet. When I checked just now, he hadn’t even touched it.

  But at least he’s here and not wandering the streets.

  Love,

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Tuesday, October 18

  Subject: Ziggy

  Attachments: Show-and-tell

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  I just wanted to tell you nothing has changed.

  Ziggy won’t move from the linen closet.

  He still hasn’t eaten a thing. Not even one malted milk ball.

  I’m really quite worried about him.

  To be honest, I’m also a bit annoyed, because I had been planning to take him to school today.

  When I told Miss Brackenbury why I hadn’t brought anything for show-and-tell, she just laughed and said I could do it next week instead.

  I hope Ziggy will have come out of hiding by then.

  Eddie

  From: Morton Pickle

  To: Edward Smith-Pickle

  Date: Wednesday, October 19

  Subject: Re: Ziggy

  Attachments: The yoga retreat

  Hi Eddie,

  Sorry I haven’t replied earlier, but we’re forbidden from using any electronic devices at the retreat.

  I have sneaked down to the village to read my mail.

  Please tell your mother that I’m very sorry about her linens and will, of course, buy her a new set of everything. And don’t worry about Ziggy’s appetite: If he gets hungry, he will eat.

  Thanks again for looking after him. I would never have been able to come here otherwise.

  The retreat is exhausting and strangely wonderful. We are woken at five o’clock in the morning and spend four hours sitting in silence before breakfast. The rest of the day is devoted to yoga, pausing only for a meal of vegetable curry and rice. My mind is clear and my body contorts into shapes that would have been impossible only last week.

  Love from your affectionate uncle,

  Morton

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Thursday, October 20

  Subject: Important question

  Attachments: Egg

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  Are you sure Ziggy is a boy?

  I think he might be a girl.

  I mean, I think she might be a girl.

  You’re probably wondering why I’m thinking this, and the answer is very simple.

  She has laid an egg in the linen closet.

  Now I understand why she likes being in there. Not only is it nice and warm, but she’s built herself a nest from Mom’s clean sheets and towels.

  The egg is green and shiny and about the size of a bike helmet.

  Do you think I could take it to school next week for show-and-tell?

  I promise I won’t drop it.

  Ziggy still isn’t eating. Mom says she was ravenous when she was pregnant with me and Emily, but maybe dragons are different.

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Friday, October 21

  Subject: Crack!

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  There is a tiny crack in the egg. I’m sure it wasn’t there yesterday.

  Mom says I have to go to school, but I don’t want to. What if the baby comes when I’m not here?

  She’s calling me. I’ve got to go.

  It’s so unfair!

  If you get this, please, please, please will you call Mom and tell her someone needs to stay with the egg?

  E

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Friday, October 21

  Subject: Cracking

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  I’m glad to say the baby hasn’t arrived yet.

  When Mom picked us up and brought us home, I went straight upstairs to the linen closet.

  The egg was still there.

  It has changed, though. It’s covered in more cracks.

  Also, it keeps shaking and shuddering as if something is stirring under the surface.

  I’m not going to sleep tonight.

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Saturday, October 22

  Subject: It’s here

  Attachments: His first step; Birthday boy

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  This is the most amazing
day of my life. I have just watched a baby dragon being born.

  I didn’t stay up last night. Mom made me and Emily go to bed.

  I tried to sneak out of my room, but she heard me and sent me back.

  Then I tried to stay awake in my bed, but I must have drifted off, because when I next opened my eyes, it was 6:43 a.m.

  I got out of bed and tiptoed down the hallway to the linen closet. I thought I would have missed everything, but there was the egg, still in one piece.

  It had changed again, though. It was covered in hundreds of little cracks.

  I must have stood there for at least half an hour, watching and waiting, but nothing happened.

  I was just about to go downstairs and grab some breakfast when the shell cracked open and a leg popped out.

  I stayed absolutely still. I don’t think I even breathed.

  The little green leg wiggled and waggled. I could see the four miniature claws stretching and flexing as if they were trying to find something to hold on to.

  I thought Ziggy might get involved, but she just sat there, watching.

  Suddenly, more of the shell shattered and another leg popped out.

  Then a bit of a body. And a head.

  There it was.

  A baby dragon about the size of a small pigeon.

  It pulled itself out of the egg and rolled onto the pillowcase, leaving a trail of broken shell.

  If I had picked it up (which I didn’t), it would have fit in the palm of my hand.

  That was when Ziggy finally seemed to notice her baby. She leaned over and started licking it.

  I ran downstairs and grabbed some food from the fridge. Ziggy is still refusing to eat, but the baby seems to be hungry. So far, it’s had a bowl of milk and eaten two cold potatoes and half a sausage.

  I wanted to give it some chocolate as a treat, but I don’t know if candy is good for baby dragons.

  I wish you were here to see it.

  Love,

  Eddie

  From: Morton Pickle

  To: Edward Smith-Pickle

  Date: Sunday, October 23

  Subject: Re: It’s here

  Attachments: Beware of the dragon

  Hi Eddie,

  I was overjoyed to get your e-mail and the beautiful pictures. What wonderful news! I’m delighted, and a little jealous. One of my greatest ambitions has always been to witness the birth of a dragon.

  I also feel very stupid. It had never occurred to me that Ziggy might be female. I could have checked, I suppose, but I know a man who lost three fingers doing that, so I’d never tried.

  Which reminds me: Don’t touch the baby! It might bite.

  I have discussed my circumstances with Swami Ticklemore, and he recommended that I not leave the retreat early. Would you mind taking care of Ziggy and her child for a few more days? I should be able to leave, as planned, at the end of the week.

  Morton

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Sunday, October 23

  Subject: Arthur

  Attachments: Happy baby

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  You don’t have to worry about the baby biting. He’s very friendly and sweet. All he does is play and eat and sleep.

  He poops, too, but his messes are very small, so I don’t mind cleaning them up.

  Emily says he’s the cutest thing she’s ever seen.

  I have named him Arthur. I hope you like the name. If you would prefer something else, please let me know ASAP.

  Obviously, I don’t actually know if he’s a boy or a girl, and I’m not going to try to find out, but he looks very boyish to me.

  If he ever lays an egg, could you change his name to Gwendoline? That was Emily’s choice, and I promised she could have it if he turned out to be a she.

  Right now, he is snuggling up with Ziggy in the linen closet. Mom is cooking a big spaghetti bolognese for all of us to have for dinner, dragons included.

  Love,

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Monday, October 24

  Subject: Help!

  Attachments: Him; Mom fights back

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  You’ve got to help us. There’s a ginormous dragon in our yard, and he won’t go away.

  He arrived just before bedtime. Mom was running the bath when we heard a terrible bang.

  Mom thought the roof had collapsed. I was worried an asteroid had crashed into the house.

  We ran outside to have a look.

  The first thing we saw was the satellite dish lying in the middle of the yard.

  About twenty shingles from the roof had fallen down there, too.

  Then we saw why.

  An enormous dragon was sitting on our house. Smoke was trickling out of his nostrils, and his tail was flicking from side to side, knocking more shingles off the roof.

  Ziggy must have heard the noise, too, because she came outside to see what was going on.

  As soon as she saw the dragon, she breathed a huge burst of flames in his direction. I thought it was her way of saying hello, but I soon realized she was telling him to get lost.

  It didn’t work. The big dragon flew down and charged toward her, gushing flames from his nostrils as if he were planning to roast her alive.

  Ziggy sprinted back into the house, pushing Arthur ahead of her.

  The big dragon actually tried to follow us inside, but Mom chased him out.

  She bashed him on the nose with a broom.

  I said she should be careful, but Mom said she wasn’t scared of some silly dragon, however fierce he might look.

  She just called you seven times. I said you weren’t listening to your messages, but she kept leaving them anyway.

  If you get this, please call us ASAP.

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Monday, October 24

  Subject: Good-bye????

  Attachments: I hope he’s not hungry

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  The big dragon is still here. He’s lying on the patio, watching us through the windows, as if he’s waiting for the perfect moment to smash through the glass and come inside.

  He has scary eyes.

  Do you think he could be Arthur’s dad? Is that why he’s here? Has he come to see his son?

  But why won’t Ziggy let him?

  Can dragons get divorced?

  Mom says I have to go to bed now.

  If you don’t get any more messages from me, it’s because I’ve been eaten by a huge dragon.

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Tuesday, October 25

  Subject: I’m still here

  Attachments: Chummy Mummies

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  We’re all still here. Including the other dragon. He spent the night in the yard. There’s not much left of Mom’s plants.

  I think he’s been trying to talk to Ziggy. He’s certainly been breathing a lot of fire in her direction and making some strange barking noises.

  She must be able to hear him, but she pretends not to. She’s just been lying in the kitchen with her head in Mom’s lap.

  I don’t know why they’re suddenly such good friends.

  When I asked Mom, she said, “Female solidarity.”

  I’ve got to go to school now. I’m taking Arthur for show-and-tell. He’s coming with me in a shoebox. I hope Miss Brackenbury likes him.

  Love,

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Tuesday, October 25

  Subject: Stuck

  Attachments: No exit

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  It’s me again.

  We couldn’t leave the house. The big dragon blocked our way.

  Mom told him to step aside, but he refused.


  They stared at each other for a long time.

  You know how fierce Mom can be, but the dragon didn’t even blink.

  One of them had to move first, and it turned out to be the dragon.

  He breathed a sizzling jet of flame in our direction.

  Mom shoved me and Emily back inside, then slammed the front door.

  We tried to sneak out twice more, but he was always waiting for us.

  So we can’t go to school, which is cool.

  Maybe this big dragon isn’t so bad after all.

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Tuesday, October 25

  Subject: Homework

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  I was wrong. Staying at home is even worse than going to school. Mom made us do homework all morning. She’s going to make us do more this afternoon.

  Luckily, I’ve got an idea for how to get out of here.

  I remembered what you said about once taming a big dragon in Outer Mongolia with a backpack full of chocolate.

  I’m going to try the same trick with this one.

  Wish me luck!

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Tuesday, October 25

  Subject: Chocolate

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  It didn’t work.

  Mom saw me heading for the front door with an armful of candy and confiscated it all.

  Now she and Ziggy are sitting on the sofa, watching TV and sharing a box of malted milk balls.

  I told Mom she was eating our only chance of escape, but she just laughed.

  I think we’re going to be stuck in here forever.