The Ulridge Kids and the Golden Key by Meghnaa Sonkar (essential reading TXT) 📕

Chapter 1

The children find a key

Beautiful like a sunrise, Brindenland was shining with fervor that pretty midsummer day. Gloria, the twelve year old, little lady who lived with her loving and caring parents in it was playing crosswords with her brother and cousins in her room.

“Children!” came a voice from downstairs. “Come and have your breakfast”

“Whoa! Breakfast , breakfast , breakfast” chanted the little young children and scurried down the old wooden staircase of Princeton House.

It was no matter of surprise that Gloria was a favorite child of many people. Everybody loved her because of her generous , kind and cheerful nature. Her brother, Charles was more the naughty type who liked to play tricks on strangers, but even he was good-hearted and full of life. Their cousins Annabelle and Robert were friendly and a wee bit more talkative than the other two. However, Annabelle was very proud of her cute little cat called Timsy and took great care of her lest she fall ill. Robert was a really brave boy and knew martial arts and that was what set him apart from most other boys. Charles and Robert had a few angry moments at times, but mostly they were ego fights that the girls knew how to calm down pretty well.

At the breakfast table the children quickly gulped down glasses of fruit juice, crispy brown toasted bread and yellow jelly-like omelette. Soon enough, they were ready to go out and explore the town.

“You children better take care of yourselves”cried Mrs Ulridge as the bright chatterboxy children climbed down the Princeton house stairs out into the big wide world outside. She’d handed them a bagful of sandwiches and creamy tarts. How happy and gleeful the children were!

Gloria, the leader of the pack, jumped across the marshmallow fields with quick and brisk steps, and called after the others “You people, better walk faster. I want to go to the other end of the town and back by sundown. C’mon!”

“Bless you Gloria! You are such a funny person. You are making us walk down these mushy fields and expecting us to walk quickly!” yelled Charles.

“Okay!Let’s walk” bellowed Robert from behind Annabelle. Occasionally, he pretended to be the black sheep of the group. But, he was actually the dark horse.
Annabelle, the quiet, demure, clumsy one with her darling little cat on her shoulders mused over all that was said and done. She squirmed at a snide comment and shivered at an angry word. But, strangely, she had a strange way with words that no one else had , and often came to the group’s rescue when they were in trouble. Her brains would start working tremendously fast at unexpected, emergency times and she could solve almost any puzzle in the world. Nevertheless, she was the apparently silly one.

“Anna” squealed Charles from way up front” Are you crazy walking like a little ant!”
“I’m not an ant!”retorted Annabelle firmly. She was not going to be bullied by her newfound cousin. But, inwardly, she really admired Charles for his active, bright and never-say-die attitude.

“You guys” stormed Gloria suddenly. She stopped suddenly, huffing and puffing in the middle of the field, as if lightening had struck her. “What in the world…”
The others paced in behind her, a little tired, but extremely curious.What had Gloria seen?
There, in the middle of the the clingy, slimy, rain-touched field lay a small golden key.
“Wow” whispered the children as Robert digged it out of the mud. “This is crazy” he murmured, as it beamed in the morning sunlight.

“Look!It’s growing bigger” shouted Annabelle as the pretty little curvy key started to shine and expand in the middle of the field and almost fell out of Robert’s hands.
Then, the majestic golden key grew more and hung as if suspended in the air and the children eyed this whimsically. Way too much wind was blowing around it and it was surprising how the few other people , in the field were not paying any attention to this spectacle up in the middle. How strange!

Suddenly , the key started to talk
“ Too many children
Found me today
The one who finds the treasure
Will go away!”

Gloria, Charles, Robert and Annabelle eyed the key in utter amazement. Then, she looked at each other wondering how a key could ever talk.
“Mister Key, well, How is it that you can talk?” asked Charles. Although, Gloria had forced the others to think she was the leader, it was actually Charles who was the eldest and the actual leader

“Well, it’s a long story. But, regardless of that, I want to tell you that whoever drew me out of this sticky, atrocious muddy crap is the person who owns me..” the carved, bejeweled, top of the key softly touched Robert’s shoulders.

“Wha-what!” blurted Robert, rather, nervously.

“Yes, you!Stand straight and try not to fidget.Ah! A strong, clever , adventure-loving boy, I love that you are my owner. And now for the task the Ley has assigned you”

“Task? What task?” interrupted Gloria, her brows furrowed, her mouth round with inquisitiveness.
“Well, it has always been the case. He who finds me is the one who shall open the gates of Yonder Cave.” Replied the dignified and strong musical voice of the key.

“And…and…where in the world is that?” sneaked in the quivering voice of Annabelle, the shy 7 year old.

“There…yonder…behind the trees in the far north corner of the field” the key wobbled and then pointed towards the scraggly northward bundle of trees and bushy area.

“Super!”cried Robert”So, you mean, we’ve got to get into some cave behind the trees? And what then?”
“Soon you’ll find the answer” said the key.

The very charming key then suddenly swirled in the wind. The clouds fell towards it and they danced together singing a queer song the children had never heard before

“The people who use me
The beautiful key
Will soon find what’s hidden
In their destiny!”

The clouds banged against each other and , suddenly, it started to drizzle.

“Let’s go back home” escaped low, sobbing words from poor Annabelle’s mouth.

“Please! Let’s go inside the Yonder Cave and let’s see what it has in store for us.”said Charles emphatically.

“Let’s vote!” said Robert.

But, before the children could vote the sky turned a deep purple and it started to look like it was going to rain. Then, one by one they were lifted up by the wind and transported over the treetops and dumped down on the ground in front of a dark brown gate hidden behind tall bushes and ivy.


Chapter 2

The children got up and brushed and dusted the dust off their clothes.

"Wow!" cried

Text: Meghnaa Sonkar
Images: Meghnaa Sonkar
Editing: Meghnaa Sonkar
Publication Date: 03-01-2013

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