Tale Teller Club Music: bedtime stories

Showing posts with label bedtime stories. Show all posts

Nov 29, 2024

The Rat Gang Crew and The Overgrounders, Chapter 9: Scarlett’s Secret Mission

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Nov 27, 2024

The Rat Gang Crew and the Overgrounders, Chapter 6: Wings in the Night.

The Rat Gang Crew and the Overgrounders, Chapter 6: Wings in the Night.

Tommy Smith sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the coded message in his hands. He had read it three times, each pass revealing a new layer of meaning. Scarlett’s words painted a picture: stars, diggers, night flyers. It wasn’t a message—it was a plan. And Tommy knew it was up to him to bring it to life.

His room was a typical boy’s haven: posters of animals, a clutter of books about nature, and jars filled with carefully labeled specimens of leaves, rocks, and feathers. Tommy reached for one of his jars, plucking out a single dark feather. “Bats,” he whispered to himself, grinning. “Of course.”

Downstairs, the faint hum of the television mixed with the sound of his dad’s snoring. Tommy tiptoed out the back door, his flashlight in hand. He had a destination: the old stone chapel near the edge of town. It was abandoned, but every spring and summer, the bats filled its rafters with the flurry of wings and quiet, high-pitched chatter.

As he walked through the cool night, his mind raced with ideas. Scarlett’s note had been careful, but the meaning was clear: bats swarming the construction site would draw attention—especially if they showed up in numbers.

When Tommy reached the chapel, he slipped inside through a broken window, landing lightly on the dusty floor. He shone his flashlight upwards, illuminating a sea of tiny, beady eyes staring back at him. The bats hung upside down, undisturbed by his presence.

“Hey there,” Tommy whispered. “I need your help.”

He reached into his backpack, pulling out a small device—a handheld ultrasonic bat caller he’d built for a school project. It could mimic the echolocation calls of different bat species. He adjusted the dial and pressed the button, sending out a series of high-frequency sounds.

The bats stirred, rustling like dry leaves in the wind. Tommy grinned. “That’s right. Follow me.”

Back in Ratropolis, The Burrow was a hive of activity. Ivy was poring over her rubbings, her brow furrowed in concentration. Amelie and Scarlett watched anxiously as Atlas tried to patch a crack in the ceiling caused by the earlier tremors.

“These carvings,” Ivy said finally, “they’re a mix of symbols and numbers. I think it’s a map, but it’s not just about where to go. It’s about when.”

“When?” Scarlett echoed, her ears twitching.

Ivy nodded. “The elders used to talk about the cycles of the moon. These symbols match up with those phases. If I’m right, there’s a specific time we’re supposed to follow this map.”

“And if you’re wrong?” Atlas asked, his tail flicking skeptically.

“We won’t get another chance,” Ivy said quietly. “The construction is speeding up. If we don’t act, Ratropolis won’t survive.”

Amelie stepped forward, her voice firm. “Then we trust the map. Whatever it takes, we follow it.”

Scarlett sighed. “Fine. But if this leads to nothing, I’m holding you responsible, Ivy.”

“I’ll take that risk,” Ivy said, her eyes blazing with determination.

At the construction site, the air was thick with the smell of diesel and the rumble of idling machinery. Tommy crouched behind a pile of wooden pallets, his bat caller in hand. He adjusted the frequency and pressed the button again.

Above him, the first bat swooped down, its wings cutting through the air like a shadow. Then another. And another. Within minutes, the night sky was alive with dozens of bats, their erratic flight patterns creating a mesmerizing dance.

Tommy couldn’t help but smile. Scarlett’s plan was working. The bats swirled above the construction vehicles, their presence eerie and unexpected. He just needed to make sure the right people noticed.

Grabbing his phone, Tommy snapped a few photos and started typing a message. **“Endangered bats swarming construction site. Need to act fast. Can’t let this happen.”** He sent it to every environmental group he could think of, adding the photos for proof.

The response was almost immediate. Messages flooded in, promising action. Tommy slipped away, his heart racing with excitement.

Deep below, the Rat Gang Crew felt the vibrations of the bats’ wings through the earth, a strange rhythm that seemed to resonate with the ancient carvings Ivy had uncovered.

“Do you feel that?” Amelie asked, her voice hushed.

“It’s… like a pulse,” Atlas said, pressing his paw against the wall.

Ivy looked up, her eyes wide. “The warnings in the walls. They’re responding. The bats must be triggering something.”

Scarlett’s whiskers twitched. “You’re saying the bats are part of the carvings?”

“I don’t know,” Ivy admitted. “But it’s all connected. I can feel it.”

As the Crew stood in awe, a faint glow began to emanate from the carvings, illuminating the chamber in a soft, golden light. The symbols pulsed in time with the vibrations, casting long, shifting shadows across the walls.

“What’s happening?” Atlas whispered, his voice barely audible.

“I think,” Ivy said, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and wonder, “we just activated something ancient.”

Above ground, the bats continued their mesmerizing display, drawing a small crowd of curious onlookers. Tommy watched from a distance, feeling a strange sense of triumph. He didn’t know what was happening underground, but he knew one thing for sure: the fight for Ratropolis had only just begun.

To be continued. To subscribe to our bedtime story channel pop over to https://www.iservalan.com/
See you there everyone.

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Nov 22, 2024

Rat Gang Crew and The Overgrounders Chapter 4 Convincing Tommy Smith

The Rat Gang Crew crouched behind a bush near the old oak tree, their hearts pounding like tiny drums. Tommy Smith didn’t look like much of a hero. He was sitting cross-legged on the ground, meticulously sketching something in a worn notebook. His messy hair flopped over his eyes, and his backpack was covered in patches with slogans like Save the Planet and Nature is Home.

“He doesn’t look like someone who can stop diggers,” Scarlett muttered. “He looks like someone who’d tell us not to litter.”

“Give him a chance,” Amelie whispered back. “He might surprise us.”

The crew exchanged nervous glances, then stepped out of the bush. Amelie took the lead, walking right up to Tommy’s scuffed sneaker. “Excuse me!” she called in her clearest, most confident squeak.

Tommy froze mid-sketch. His pencil hovered in the air as his eyes darted down. When he saw the group of rats staring up at him, he blinked a few times but didn’t look scared—just curious.

“Talking rats,” he said, his voice calm. “That’s unusual.”

“You’re not afraid?” Amelie asked, her whiskers twitching.

“Why would I be?” Tommy asked, tilting his head. “You’re just animals. Animals are great. Humans are the ones who ruin everything. I have always been able to communicate with animals. I am very special. I have Aspergers. Ask me anything about animal, go on.”

Atlas had a burning question, "Why can't I keep a giraffe in my bedroom?'

"Your bedroom is too small and you need a special licence. Giraffes grow to around eighteen feet tall and it would be cruel to keep one in your bedroom. You should not keep wild animals indoors, unless they are sick of course."

“Okay, I like him,” Scarlett muttered, folding her arms.

“We need your help,” Amelie said. “Your dad’s company, Smithies Construction, is planning to destroy our home—and the tunnels that support Ratropolis. If the diggers start tomorrow, everything will collapse.”

Tommy’s expression shifted. “Ratropolis?”

“It’s the underground city where we live,” Ivy explained, holding up a small, hand-drawn map. “It’s right below your dad’s construction site.”

“Humans don’t think about what’s below the surface,” Tommy said quietly, staring at the map. “They just build wherever they want. I hate that.”

“So… will you help us?” Atlas asked, stepping forward.

Tommy didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he opened his notebook and flipped through pages filled with intricate drawings of animals, plants, and diagrams of ecosystems. Finally, he looked back at the crew. “I don’t like what my dad does. But I don’t know if I can stop him.”

“You don’t have to stop him completely,” Amelie said. “Just slow him down. Buy us time to come up with a bigger plan.”

Tommy nodded slowly. “Okay. But only if we can do it without hurting the environment. Deal?”

“Deal!” Amelie said, her tail twitching with relief.

The Plan

Back at The Burrow, the Rat Gang Crew and Tommy brainstormed. Tommy’s encyclopedic knowledge of nature and his sharp focus proved invaluable.

“We could clog the machines,” Scarlett suggested, “just enough to stall them.”

Tommy shook his head. “No. That’s dangerous, and it could cause more harm than good. But we can use nature itself to slow them down.”

“Like what?” Ivy asked.

Tommy opened his notebook and pointed to a page labeled Endangered Species Laws. “If there’s evidence of an endangered species on the site, my dad will have to stop construction. He’s terrified of bad publicity.”

Scarlett’s whiskers twitched. “Endangered species? You mean… fake it?”

“No,” Tommy said firmly. “But we can give nature a nudge. There’s an abandoned bird’s nest near the site. If we move it to the digger’s path and make it look like it belongs to an endangered bird, they’ll have to stop and investigate.”

“That’s brilliant!” Amelie said.

“Of course it’s brilliant,” Tommy replied matter-of-factly. “I thought of it.”

Atlas smirked. “I think I like this kid.”

Operation Nest Move

Under the cover of darkness, the Rat Gang Crew and Tommy crept to the construction site. The diggers loomed like sleeping giants, their yellow frames casting eerie shadows in the moonlight.

Tommy led the way, his movements deliberate and focused. “The nest is in that tree,” he whispered, pointing to a scraggly branch.

Scarlett and Atlas climbed up the tree, retrieving the nest with surprising ease. Meanwhile, Tommy rummaged in his backpack, pulling out feathers, twigs, and bits of fluff. He began carefully arranging the nest to mimic the home of a rare bird he’d read about.

“This looks convincing,” he said after a few minutes. “Now we just need to place it.”

They found the perfect spot—a cluster of bushes directly in the diggers’ path. Tommy placed the nest gently, then added a few strategically placed feathers.

“Are you sure this will work?” Ivy whispered.

Tommy adjusted his glasses and nodded. “It will. Humans take paperwork seriously. If there’s even a chance this belongs to an endangered bird, they’ll stop everything to avoid trouble.”

The Aftermath

The next morning, the Rat Gang Crew watched from their hiding spot as the construction workers arrived. Tommy lingered near the site, pretending to study a plant.

“What’s that?” one of the workers shouted, pointing to the nest. A small group gathered, and soon the foreman was on the phone.

“Endangered species?” he barked into the receiver. “We can’t afford a lawsuit. Shut it down until we get an expert out here.”

Tommy shot a subtle thumbs-up toward the bush where the rats were hiding. Amelie squeaked softly in triumph.

As the workers packed up for the day, Tommy walked over to the bush. “That should buy you a week or two,” he said. “But you’ll need a bigger plan. My dad won’t give up that easily.”

Amelie nodded. “Then we’ll be ready. And… thanks, Tommy. You’re not so bad for a human.”

Tommy shrugged. “I just like nature more than people. Rats included.”

Atlas grinned. “Fair enough.”

As the Rat Gang Crew scurried back to The Burrow, Scarlett turned to Amelie. “We’re going to need all the help we can get.”

“And I think we just found it,” Amelie said, her whiskers twitching with determination. “Because Tommy’s not just any human—he’s one of us now.”

To be continued…

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Rat Gang Crew and The Overgrounders Chapter 3: The Overgrounders’ Warning

Rat Gang Crew and The Overgrounders, Chapter 3: The Overgrounders’ Warning

The Rat Gang Crew sat huddled in their hideout after their daring exploration of the tunnels. Scarlett was pacing back and forth, her whiskers twitching with determination, while Atlas and Ivy reviewed the map of the burrow system.

Amelie, however, was unusually quiet. She kept thinking about the voices they had overheard and the plan to flatten their home. “We need allies,” she said finally, breaking the silence. “If we’re going to stop those diggers, we can’t do it alone.”

Scarlett stopped pacing and tilted her head. “Allies? Like who? The squirrel scouts? They’re too busy collecting acorns.”

Amelie shook her head. “Not the squirrels. The Overgrounders.”

The room went silent. Ivy dropped her pencil, and Atlas nearly choked on a cheese puff.

“The Overgrounders?!” Atlas sputtered. “You mean those rats? The ones who live above ground and think they’re better than everyone else?”

“Not all of them are like that,” Amelie argued. “And they know the humans better than we do. If anyone can help us figure out how to stop the construction, it’s them.”

Scarlett folded her arms. “And how do you propose we convince them? Last time I saw an Overgrounder, he tried to steal my scarf.”

“Let’s at least try,” Amelie pleaded. “We don’t have time to argue. The diggers are coming tomorrow.”

Later that evening, the Rat Gang Crew emerged cautiously from their hidden entrance into the bustling streets of Ratropolis. The overground world was noisy and bright, with streetlights casting long shadows and humans bustling in the distance. The Overgrounders had claimed an abandoned pizza shop as their headquarters. The smell of stale cheese and tomato sauce wafted through the air as they approached.

Two large rats with shiny fur and polished claws stood guard at the entrance. They eyed the gang suspiciously.

“What do you lot want?” one of them sneered, his tail flicking like a whip.

“We need to speak to your leader,” Amelie said, standing tall despite the quivering in her paws. “It’s urgent.”

The guard chuckled. “Urgent, huh? And what makes you think King Basil will waste his time on tunnel rats like you?”

“Because if he doesn’t, there won’t be a Ratropolis anymore!” Scarlett snapped.

The guards exchanged a glance, and after a tense moment, they stepped aside. “Follow me,” one of them said. “But don’t touch anything.”

King Basil, the leader of the Overgrounders, was lounging on a throne made of discarded pizza boxes when the Rat Gang Crew was ushered in. He was a sleek black rat with piercing eyes and a golden ring hanging from his ear.

“Well, well,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “What do we have here? A group of scruffy tunnel rats looking for handouts?”

“We’re here to save your home as much as ours,” Amelie said boldly. “The humans are sending in diggers to flatten the burrows.”

King Basil’s smirk faded slightly. “Digger trouble, you say?”

“Yes,” Ivy said, stepping forward nervously. “And they’re starting tomorrow. If they destroy the tunnels, they could collapse the entire foundation of Ratropolis.”

The Overgrounders murmured among themselves. King Basil tapped his claws against his throne, his sharp mind clearly at work. “I’ve heard rumors about Smithies Construction,” he said finally. “They’re relentless. Once they start, they won’t stop.”

“That’s why we need your help,” Amelie said. “You know the humans. Maybe you can talk to them or… or scare them off!”

King Basil laughed. “Scare off humans? My dear, you give us too much credit. But perhaps there’s another way.”

He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming. “There’s a human boy—Tommy Smith. He’s the son of the company’s owner. Rumor has it, he’s a bit of a troublemaker and doesn’t always agree with his father’s plans. If we can find him, maybe we can convince him to stop the diggers.”

The Rat Gang Crew exchanged hopeful glances. “Do you know where to find him?” Scarlett asked.

King Basil nodded. “He likes to hang out at the park after school, near the old oak tree. But be warned—humans aren’t as easy to deal with as rats. You’ll need to be clever.”

“Clever is our middle name,” Atlas said with a grin, though his twitching tail betrayed his nerves.

King Basil waved a paw dismissively. “Then go, and don’t say I never did anything for you. But if you fail, don’t come crawling back here.”

The Rat Gang Crew left the Overgrounders’ headquarters with a renewed sense of purpose. As they made their way to the park, Scarlett whispered to Amelie, “Do you think we can really trust King Basil?”

“We don’t have a choice,” Amelie replied. “If Tommy Smith is our only hope, then we have to take the risk.”

Under the glow of the moon, the crew reached the park and spotted the old oak tree. Sure enough, a young human boy was sitting beneath it, fiddling with a slingshot. His messy hair and scuffed shoes suggested he wasn’t exactly a fan of authority.

“Alright, gang,” Amelie whispered. “Let’s make this count.”

As they approached the boy cautiously, Scarlett muttered under her breath, “I hope he speaks rat.”

To be continued…

Books by Author Sarnia de la Maré FRSA