LITMIR.BIZ

      The next thing Sophie knew, she was being picked up in Grandpa’s arms.

      “Oh, dear. The poor duckie,” Mrs Benton fussed around them. “She must be coming down with something. Anthony, don’t open the rest of your presents until Sophie’s back downstairs.”

      “But that’s not fair!” Anthony protested. “Just ’cos Sophie’s ill, why can’t I open my presents?”

      “It’s all right, Mrs B,” Grandpa said quickly. “He can open them. I’ll just take Sophie upstairs and keep an eye on her.”

      Despite feeling ill, Sophie was astonished. “It’s OK, Grandpa,” she mumbled. She knew Grandpa would far rather be with Anthony, watching him open his presents. “No, I’m going to look after you,” Grandpa’s voice was firm.

      As he carried her up the stairs, he stared at her intently. It was almost as though he was seeing her properly for the first time. “So, it’s you,” he muttered.

      “What?” She wondered if she’d heard him right.

      Grandpa reached her bedroom and placed her on her bed. “Have you got a tingling in your arms and legs?” he asked.

      She nodded.

      “And you’re feeling shivery? Dizzy? Seeing stars?”

      Sophie stared. How did Grandpa know all that? “Y-yes,” she stammered.

      Grandpa frowned and shut the door. “Sophie, I’ve got something very important to tell you.” He sat down beside her. “Do you believe in goblins and boggles and trolls – creatures like that?”

      She blinked. “What?”

      “Do you believe in goblins, boggles and trolls?” Grandpa’s face was deadly serious. “Imps, sprites, gnomes and hobgoblins?”

      Sophie shook her head. “Of course not! Things like that don’t ex—” She’d been about to say exist, but Grandpa cut her off.

      “They do exist. They’re real.”

      “Real?” She sat up, gaping at him.

      “Yes.”

      “But they–they can’t be!” Sophie stammered.

      “They are,” Grandpa said.

      Sophie stared at him, her head still swimming. Maybe I’m dreaming this, she thought dazedly. Grandpa was behaving so oddly. Creatures like goblins couldn’t be real – they were just in books and fairy tales. She hadn’t believed in them since she was about five!

      She frowned in confusion. “You’re joking, Grandpa—”

      “Do I ever joke, Sophie?” he interrupted.

      Sophie slowly shook her head. Grandpa was definitely not the joking type.

      “Believe me, child. All those creatures live in a dark, frightening place called the Shadow Realm, which lies within the Shadow Woods. Someone has to protect our world against them. That person is known as the Guardian of the Gateway.” Grandpa took a deep breath. “And Sophie…”

      “Yes?” she said faintly.

      Grandpa’s blue eyes bored into hers. “From today, that person is you!”

      Chapter 3

       The Shadow Files

      Sophie stared at Grandpa.

      Had he really just said that she was supposed to protect the world against goblins and trolls? “This–this isn’t real,” she stammered.

      “It is.” Grandpa looked very serious. “I know it feels impossible to believe, Sophie, but in the woods deep behind this house there is a magic gateway that leads into the Shadow Realm. The person who is Guardian must stop that gate from ever being opened – because if it is ever opened, then the shadow creatures will invade our world.”

      Sophie swallowed. Grandpa’s face was so earnest that she almost found herself believing him. “What would happen then?”