Chapter Two – Grandfather's gift

The two hour car ride to Grandfathers house was one big headache for Mr and Mrs Heubler, Devon was throwing a tantrum as he could not pack his games console. He had taken his giant book and smacked Olli with it which did not go down well at all. The two boys arrived at their Grandfather's house both puffy-eyed and sniffing from their arguments in the car. Mrs Heubler had seriously regretted leaving the boys when they hadn't even reached Grandfather's doorstep and they were again arguing.

'You pushed me!' Devon wailed.

'Did not!' Olli protested.

'You did! You made me drop my book in the mud!'

'OLLI! DEVON! SHUT UP!' shouted Mr Heubler who was reaching the end of his tether. None of the family had noticed the door opening and their Grandfather standing in front of them looking very stern indeed.

'I thought I heard you boys.' He said sounding very disgruntled. 'Well don't just stand there. Come in!' He left the door wide open leaving the family on the doorstep. This was normal behaviour for their Grandfather; he was not very comfortable with the boys and was never very friendly. No one understood why.

Mr Heubler and his wife bid farewell as they had a plane to catch and the boys stood in the foyer. Grandfather's house was enormous. It covered three floors and he had acres of land out the back.

'Well, let's put those bags away shall we?' came a familiar voice from the kitchen. Mrs Harrison Grandfather's housekeeper entered the foyer with a plate of chocolate cookies and two glasses of lemonade. 'Go on through to the lounge boys; I'll take these bags upstairs.'

The boys thanked her and followed her instructions. Their Grandfather sat in the Lounge in a large brown armchair which sat by an open fire. His dog George, a black Labrador lay beside his feet. Olli and Devon sat on the vacant chairs beside their Grandfather Devon still clutching his very muddy gianormous monster book.

'What's that you've got there Devon?' he asked.

'It was my gianormous monster book. But Olli pushed me in the mud now it's all ruined!' Devon sulked.

His elder brother was not impressed with the accusation at all and stated very loudly, 'I DID NOT PUSH YOU! OR MAKE YOU DROP YOUR BOOK!'

Devon got off his chair quicker than Olli's temper had risen and took a dive at his brother. Grandfather pulled both boys apart and gave Devon a very firm telling off. After a few moments and many sniffles from both boys, they sat back down in their chairs; George, who had cowered to avoid the fight, sat himself beside Olli. Their Grandfather chuckled to himself.

'You know, my brother and I were just like you boys.' He said smiling. 'Always arguing, fighting and driving our parents crazy. That must be where you boys get it from I guess.

The boys were shocked.

'Mum never told us you had a brother.' Olli said sounding half worried and half intrigued.

'We still don't speak. That's why Mum and Dad wanted you two to get along,' Stated Grandfather who sounded resentful.

The old man got up off his chair and walked over to the old dresser in the corner of the room. He pulled out two items, a pen and a book. Both looked very old and very boring. The book had blank pages and the pen looked as though it had been chewed.

'Here,' he said passing the pen to Olli and the book to Devon. 'Now I want you both to work together to create a story.'

Both boys looked at each other with raised eyebrows. It was a very odd request to make of them.

'We'll look after them, won't we Devon?'

Devon agreed with his elder brother. Although neither of the brothers mentioned their Grandfathers suggestion that they work together.

That evening when the boys had been fed, washed and given delicious hot chocolate and marshmallows they went upstairs to bed. Devon entered the room to find Olli drawing in the book which Grandfather had given Devon.

'That's my book!' Devon proclaimed stamping his foot.

'Grandfather gave me a pen but nothing to draw in, he said we should work together, that means sharing!' Olli said abruptly however he didn't take his eyes away from the book.

'It also means you have to ask before you take my stuff!' cried Devon.

His elder brother was paying no attention. Devon peered over his shoulder at the forest Olli had been drawing.

'Where's the cave, with the big monsters?' He asked. 'You need dragons, and evil monsters to fight!'

'No you don't! It's a magical world where you make friends with different creatures, and you explore new lands and find new things.' Olli protested.

Without warning Devon made a grab for the book, whilst Olli was still drawing, which left a big ink mark across the page. Olli made a grab for the book but Devon wasn't letting go. The two boys argued over the book pulling it in a tug of war, the book was surely going to rip.

It happened so suddenly neither of the boys could prevent it. The book was torn in half, what happened next was very bizarre indeed. The room started to spin faster and faster round and round both boys become very dizzy and sick. Olli decided it was best to lie down and close his eyes until it was over. He could hear Devon screaming for their Grandfather, but then, it all went silent and still.