Diary of a 6th Grade Spy - Book 1 - Zero to Hero Read online

  Chapter 2 – Gardinia...

  Questions are buzzing through my mind about where I am and how did I get here? What has happened to the library? The only thing I have with me from the library is the browser stick and my 3D glasses. Another look round the scene tells me I am definitely not in the library.

  Wait a minute, something is walking down the path and it is coming towards me! I squint through the glasses again and see that the creature coming towards me is a wolf.

  For real! A large, white, wolf.

  A flash-back image to the movie I saw reminds me that animals bow down to more important or stronger animals - the leader of a wolf pack is no exception.

  I bow down really low and wait holding my breath. After what seems like hours (well maybe minutes) I feel the hot breath of an animal on my back and hear the sounds of the wolf sniffing. He sniffs me from top to toe. I wait trembling and not sure of what will happen to me.

  Finally I hear a low growl and a voice says, “Welcome to Gardinia, I can tell that you are a friend. You smell good.”

  Oh no, how crazy is this I think to myself. There is a wolf, a huge white wolf, talking to me!

  Curiosity gets the better of me and I lift my head up slowly and respectfully. I see I am looking up into the face of a wolf. It has a kindly expression and beautiful eyes, but it talks!! How can that be? I must be dreaming. I take the 3D glasses on and off a couple of times but without them I can only see a few blurry outlines. The 3D glasses allow me to see this place the wolf calls Gardinia.

  Gardinia looks rather neglected but must have been beautiful once. What a lovely name.

  Now what! I think to myself. How do I answer a wolf? I clear my throat and say.

  “Err it is nice to meet you, Mr Wolf. My name is Sam, Sam Greene and I got here by accident.”

  Wow, how weird is that! Me - talking to a wolf. Maybe these 3D glasses are more powerful than I thought. Thank goodness mom forgot to take them out of my movie treat box.

  “My name is Cannis Lupis Arctos,” says the wolf. “You can call me Lupa. I am chief of the home-guard in Gardinia. Why are you here?”

  “Well actually I was looking for some information on growing herbs,” I answered quietly. “I want to help my mom have fresh herbs in her garden and I was in the library at school and suddenly I found myself here in your beautiful land.” I think saying nice things is a good idea even if this wolf looks friendly and kind, he is still a wolf!

  “You have actually come at a bad time,” says Lupa. “Our beautiful land is feeling the sorrow of the King and Queen of Gardinia. There is a dark shadow creeping over the land and we do not know how to control it.” “Grrrrrr...” he growls under his breath.

  “The worst sadness of all is Princess Gazania, the King and Queen’s only daughter, has been missing for several days. No one knows where she could be. Princess Gazania just disappeared without a trace.”

  Oh no, disappearing, that sounds familiar. I wonder if there is a connection between our missing librarian and the lost Princess. Oh and my disappearing read-athon points I should be at the top of the chart by now.

  I want to talk to Lupa a bit more but he beckons with his head for me to follow him along the road towards the castle. Walking slowly next to him I feel safe and look around at the gardens and the path leading to the castle. There is something missing from the sounds of the garden and the feeling of deep sorrow surrounds everything. There are a few flowers but their heads are bowed down and their color seems rather dull.

  “What season it is in Gardinia right now? “ I ask Lupa.

  “It should be summer” he tells me. “but we are not getting the sunshine we need. Clouds are coming over from the dark side. Then for some reason the bees that used to pollinate our flowers are not coming to the gardens. Summer was always filled with buzzing bees and bright colors. We were so grateful for summertime. Many bees have left their hives and their honey and pollen has gone too.”

  The castle steps are in front of us and we are walking up them before I get a chance to discuss the importance of bees. There are two rows of white wolves standing on either side of the steps and as we walk up they bow down with respect to their leader Lupa. I walk with Lupa up the steps and have an uneasy sense of being watched and checked by the wolf guard. Lupa growls under his breath and I presume he is telling the wolves that I am good person, not to be feared.

  At the top of the stairs we are met by an old man with a very long beard.

  He bangs on the floor and all the wolves lie down. Wow that was so cool...but I am glad I am with Lupa and considered to be a friend.

  The man with the beard says, “Who goes there?”

  “Sam Greene, a visitor to see the King,” says Lupa with confidence.

  “On what business?” asks the old man.

  “He comes to seek advice on growing herbs,” says Lupa. “I have brought him to meet the King.”

  “Hummmmm,” the old man looks up at the sky and down to the ground and towards the castle and finally he says, “That may be a good diversion for the King, he loves to talk about his gardens.”

  The old man bangs on the floor again and the door opens to reveal the large entrance hall and opening into the castle. Lupa leads the way and we walk into the King’s castle...the castle of Gardinia. We are on our way to meet the King and I can hardly take all this in. Is it all for real? I pinch my arm and confirm that this is really happening to me. Soon we will meet the King of Gardinia.

  Lupa indicates with a nod of his head again that I should bow my head when I meet the King.

  Lupa introduces me and we wait for the King to look up and acknowledge us. Slowly the King does so but he looks tired and very, very sad.