-- CHAPTER 2 --

THE PROPHECY

When Alleliuas got home he began to tell his mother about the odd new boy he had met while his mother was making tea. Mrs. Pengreen wasn't really listening, but suddenly something Alleliuas said made her physically jump with a start.

"What was that Al?", she looked nervously around, "who said what to you when?"

"A strange boy at school told me that I'm the boy to help save the world from ancient prophecy becuase of a duplicate snowflake!"

"That's really strange dear", started his mother slowly, "I'm not sure if I should tell you this, but an old, very odd man came up to me in the street today and told me a similar story."

They both looked at each other for a short while, and then they both smiled and said at the same time.

"Camera Bamera!"

Camera Bamera was a television programme; it wasn't one of their favourites as in it nasty, cruel and often painful tricks were played on unsuspecting victims and then replayed on the telly for the amusement of millions of people. However the victims were normally rewarded with something nice, like a fantastic holiday or a new car. While they didn't exactly like the programme, it was compulsive viewing, and the host whilst a slimy sort of a guy was very funny, even if he did have a 'perma-tan' orange glow.

With great relief they tucked into pudding, a gorgeous treacle pudding. Soon after Alleliuas' father, Wesley Pengreen, came home and the whole family soon started to laugh when he began telling the story of a beautiful but distintly strange lady who came up to him in the street trying to tell him about Alleleiuas and some kind of duplicate snowflake!

"Oh dad, mum and I think it's Camera Bamera!" giggled Alleliuas.

Wesley started to laugh too. "Of course!", he beamed, "and I was nearly taken in by him too!"

That evening extremely happy, Alleliuas told his mother and father of the classes he had, how much he enjoyed them all and went to bed very tired a little early to be good and ready for his second day at school. However, when he came down to breakfast the next morning both his parents were looking a little fidgety and somewhat sullen at the kitchen table.

"What's the matter, Mum... Dad?"

"I'm afraid you've been suspended from school Al," began his father. He waved a letter in front of him. "This was hand delivered this morning and says that you weren't properly registered at birth, and until mum and I sort it out, you don't exist so they can't teach you!"

"Dad," replied Alleliuas knowingly, "it's Camera Bamera remember?"

"No love this isn't." continued his mother, "I phoned the headmaster this morning and he swore to me this wasn't a game. He knows nothing about the snowflake business, and to be frank now thinks we're all rather mad! This is apparently a big mix up. They sent the new registrations to the council after the first day and they, the council, didn't have you listed on their central register for children in the borough. The council and school both then checked with the registrar of births and deaths, and they didn't have you either. So, until we can fix it, the school can't accept you. Apparently it's an insurance risk..."

Both of Alleliuas' parents took the day off work and phoned many official council, hospital, education and government departments trying to prove that Alleliuas existed. Neither had any luck and no-one could prove that Alleliuas had ever been born. The following morning Professor Sparks, Alleliuas' form master, sent over a letter for him, he wrote, "Please find following a little something to occupy you in the coming days and some school work so you won't fall behind when you return to school whenever this dreadful situation has been resolved."

Later that afternoon a van arrived with a huge box for Alleliuas. It took two men all their strength to carry it up the garden path. In the parcel was enough work for a year! Thirty or forty books, most of them not on the curriculum and on all kinds of subjects that most first years never have to study. As well as his Mathmatics, English and History text books he had been sent: "The weird history of the unexplained", "Goosebumps - things that go bump in the night", "Saint Nicholas, Fact or Fiction", and many others including books on the Phareohs, Druids, British Wildlife, books on ancients legends & myths and much, much more. Another letter was enclosed was a school revision & reading timetable and a personal letter from Professor Sparks.

Dear Allelius,

As you can see I have taken the liberty of including the school revision lists and a suggested reading timetable. If you keep up with your studies I am sure that a young man of your obvious intellect will have no trouble keeping up with, or indeed excelling, the work rate of your classmates.

You will also notice a number of books that aren't part of the core curriculum that I have enclosed that I hope will be of interest and value to you. May I suggest that you read "Saint Nicholas, Fact or Fiction" to begin. I shall be in touch again in due course.

Yours truly,

Professor Euclid G. Sparks

Alleliuas showed the letter to his mother and father who were still off from work trying to prove his existence legally.

"Look, all at all of these weird books on the paranormal and stuff. Look at this one, on Father Christmas, and this one, "Ice Sculpture for fun and profit! The school is in on it!"

"No dear," began his mother. "We've had a letter from Professor Sparks too. It's rather hard to believe, but I think it explains a lot."