Snake hippo

Chapter 1

It was a bitter foggy January night, as water dripped from the gutters of Berkeley school and the streets were as silent as a mouse. Street lights flickered, as snow started to fall on the ground.  Shadows of soldiers, guarding the ghetto, moved quickly in the glint of the light.

Tyson Jackson ignored the cold. He stared at the border, hoping to get through with his Greek armour delivery. It weighed a lot and he was struggling to hold on to it.

He approached the horrible black, thick titanium wall which usually scared him but today it did not. He walked up to it, feeling confident as he stood in the queue. People were turned away by the greedy soldiers. He needed to get through this time: his Dad needed the money to help his family live.

” Next,” shouted the guard.

“I am doing a delivery for my dad,” exclaimed Tyson

“Get here,” snapped the soldier and Tyson started to edge forward as slow as a snail. “Hurry up your filthy animal,” shouted the guard as he punched Tyson in the arm and threw him and his package through the door to get out of the ghetto.

Tyson picked up his stuff and slowly trudged down the streets dripping with water. Everything was different on this side: Flash cars roamed the streets, people wore nice new clothes; and buildings casted shadows over other houses. There was no litter on the road and it looked like heaven.

Tyson was struggling to keep in his anger. It was not fair that they had this. They were humans but they were still treated differently. If only he lived in this area. If only he had this. But they were treated differently because of the colour of their skin.

Something was not right.  Suddenly, a man ran into him and pulled Tyson into the darkness.

“Give me that now,” shouted a man, holding a sniper rifle.

“Get off me you fat filthy animal,” shouted Tyson kicking him in the shins, trying to scramble free.

He tried to grab the man’s gun but it was too hard.  He struggled to run away from the him because all of his nerves were weighing him down. He skidded into an alley but found another man with a gun.

There was no way out. He was surrounded. He tried to think what to do but his mind went blank.  The muggers were closing in and there was nowhere to go. Then he saw a faint window smudged with dust. Without thinking, he jumped into the window and it shattered and he fell into the other side.

Chapter 2

Outside, rain battered houses as thick fog clung to the flickering light of the lamp posts. Inside, Tyson watched leaves glide around as a tree filled the space of the abandon building, hoping he could hide there. Old rocks were scattered across the floor, broken machinery was piled high and   smashed TVs were ripped to pieces and forgotten. To his terror, he could go nowhere, only the way he came. Tyson was trapped.

Behind him the two muggers shot a window and began to climb into the building. The threat was near. Without warning, a hiss deeper than a growl, exploded into the air like a siren in the night. Out of nowhere, yellow eyes appeared, and began to sliver to the muggers with a deep hiss that echoed through the room. It was as long as the room and it began to sliver back to Tyson. He was petrified, because he could not run like the muggers, and he was standing next to an adult snake with a hippo face.

What was this thing? The snake like hippo knelt by his legs, like he was the leader, a slice of red was smudged on to the black silky scales. Red trickled down his side as fast a stream of blood. He sat by Tyson, trying to get help.

Then he spoke. A voice, sharper than a knife scraping across a rock, echoed through the building. “I need your help, “hissed the snake. “We are not safe here.” Tyson nodded. He wanted to help this creature because he was beautiful. He would do anything to save this snake’s life. The snake began to sliver to the window and Tyson happily followed. After anxious walk, they found the place. It was cold and damp next to Berkeley power station. Rumours said that ghosts ruled the power station because it was abandoned. They found a spot in the building and the snake fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

Chapter 3

Tyson woke with a start; the snake was still asleep. Outside loud sharp voices snapped at people. Spying through a gap, he could see tough men with TNT trying to break in the power station. Tyson shook the snake, trying to get him awake. He lay awake on the floor trying to get up. Loud voices snapped commands; the snake hissed; Tyson’s heart, skipped a beat. Crawling across the damp floor, Tyson and the snake silently ducked under a broken desk. Pulling some cold liner over their heads. Without warning, the TNT exploded, causing the wall to collapse and something slipped in. Shadows loomed across the floor, and started to   destroy things, with loud crashes. Silence flooded the room, even the sound of footsteps was lost. Torches blurred the room, footsteps echoed, and guns glinted in the torch light. The search began. Risking a look, Tyson spied large ragged shadows cast darkness over the room. He felt as cold as an icicle a could barely move. Goosebumps flooded Tyson’s body and he was petrified. He could here footsteps next to him and he had to stay still. ‘He had to do it,’ thought Tyson, he had to get out of here.

It seemed like hours until the guards left. It was night and probably the best time to help the Snake. But first he needed to know   what was happening.

“Snake,” said Tyson “what are we doing and what is your real name?”

“We have to get to the gateway to get to my home world so I can stop being hunted for eternity,” hissed the snake “and my name is Leo Valdez.” “The gateway is marked one of the oldest structures here,” Hissed Leo

Tyson knew where it was. Berkeley castle was one of the oldest places in Berkeley. Maybe it was in the arch at the front door because it was quite old. But the castle was massive and they can’t just poke around in there. Anxiously he checked Leo’s cut. Red still blurred across his scales. Could the snake make it to the castle?

Tyson knew his family would be scared, but he had to help Leo get to the castle to get to his home. They weaved between checkpoint and dodged soldiers and finally after a long walk they made it to Berkeley castle.

Chapter 4

The castle walls -which had stood strong through centuries- towered the dark sunset, casting colossal shadows over roads. There were 3 roads that led out of Berkeley   and Tyson knew all of the ways. One led to the A38, one led back to the ghetto and the one they had to go, was the one to the castle. Over the years, the arch at the top of the gateway started to crumble, every time losing a bit of power.

As the stars hung in the sky, the only movement in the street was Leo and Tyson slowly making progress. Tyson -who was beginning to worry- looked at Leo’s cut, which still bled. He was moving so slowly now, it would had been quicker for Tyson to carry him.

As they approached the ornate gateway, Tyson heard barking of blood hounds. The threat was closing in. They were being watched. Slivering slowly, the nimble snake slivered up to the majestic gateway . The golden gateway glimmered like moving salt water. Its ruby handle   shimmered as possibilities hung in the air around it, like a barrier of magic. Tyson -who waited with nerves- watched Leo edge forward slowly, ready to go through. Beyond the gateway, glittering fires lit up the world with radiant glows. Stars hung low in the sky like the space was falling down. Then the sky dimmed: fire danced on the spot; fireflies clung to the air; and the river of light exploded into stars that hung in the jet-black sky.

Suddenly, guard and blood hound shot out of the hedge. Quickly, Tyson slipped his full body amour from his back pack. Grabbing his sword out of his belt, Tyson and Leo emerged from the gateway destroying everything is their path; Slashing blood hounds, destroying soldiers and making them back away. Leo let out an almighty moan. So did Tyson. The guard were stunned.

“It’s time my friend,” he spoke, and together they turned around and faced the golden gateway.

The fires shot radiant glows through the sky and up above, stars gleamed brightly in the jet-black sky. Fireflies hovered in the flickering light of the fire. Then -with one almighty hop- he was gone, slivering through the field of light and into infinity.  Exploding into golden dust, he slowly hovered into the sky. Then he was nowhere to be seen. Tyson was miserable. He already missed him.

Then he watched the golden gateway close and all he could see was Berkeley castle.

Tyson was almost blinded by the light. And when he turned the corner, the sun was blazing in the sky, with no clouds to be seen. It was beautiful. He turned away from Berkeley castle and slowly trudged back to the ghetto. The guards -who had run in fear- left the guns, and some blood hound blood still remained on the floor.

On the way back, Tyson noticed some things that were different. Wild garlic started to grow on the road sides and at the ghetto there were no guards to be seen. He slowly walked in and he knew Leo would be with him.