Haydn, Sache’e, Todd and Joan had holidays after school, and they were staying at their uncle’s house for the holidays because their mother was busy taking care of their pet rock, which had to go to the cement doctor because the car ran over it and snapped it in half.

Their uncle’s house looked very intimidating, towering over them. The chimney was very old, and got blocked up a long time ago; the roof looked as though a thunderstorm could send it crashing down, but the most impressive thing about the house was the cold, granite gargoyles on the ledge. It was a very old house, and tourists always tried to camp on the garden but since they got Jack, the Rottweiler they just went away.

The party of four nervously knocked on the door, and peered through the hazy glass. A person with a silhouette tall and spiky opened the door. “Hello, children, I’ve been expecting you. I’m Uncle Max” said man. There was a mumbling of hello, good morning and they got let in. “Unpack quickly, lunch is almost ready.” the voice of Uncle Max rose up. They unpacked quickly and bounded downstairs, for they were very hungry. The next few days were uneventful, until they explored the garden, and found a strong, sturdy oak, that looked young and old at the same time. Attached to one of its branches, was a tire swing. Joan went on the swing, while Haydn, Todd and Sache’e climbed the big tree. Joan was swinging, swinging when she slipped through the hole.

Joan was falling, but she landed, not on the grass underneath the swing, but in a big pile of snow. She climbed out of the cold, uncomfortable mound and in the middle of a clearing, stood a lonely light bulb, hovering in the air, next to the light bulb stood a Play-doh Ninja®, with a big leaf to protect it from snow, but instead of wearing warm clothing, he wore a T-shirt and shorts; it was very strange.

The ninja spotted Joan and said, “Who’s there?”

Joan came out from the shadows and said, “I’m um…, Ann. Who are you?”

“Hi, Ann. We got to be quiet. The King might come at any moment. I’m Summut. Come to my house, I have a fire and food.” replied Summut.

Joan followed, because she was hungry and cold, there was a part of her that screamed ‘Stranger Danger!’ very softly. They had cucumber sandwiches, sushi and Coke, while sitting beside a heater. She learnt that Summut was the evil-clone of another Play-doh® Ninja called Summit, and that he worked for the White King, Omoht. She also had some polite, boring conversation but this is how the interesting bits of the conversation went;

“Are you a Human?” asked Summut

“Yes, can’t you tell?” replied Joan, surprised

At this point Summut stood up and started crying. Joan saw he had an onion in his hand.

“I’m such a bad ninja.” He wept, “I’m working for the White King.”

“Huh?”

“He said to bring any child to him, to add to his waiting list.”

“What’s that?”

“I don’t know. It sounds horrid, though.”

“What matters is that you’re not going to kidnap me no right?”

“Er…yeah I still am. Beggars can’t be choosers, a job is a job.”

Summut abruptly stood up with a net. Joan screamed and threw the contents of a bottle of vinegar from the sushi platter at his eyes. “Argghhh…” Joan kicked him in the shins and ran away. She went back through the tire hole before the ninja came, the portal closed with a slurping noise. Nobody seemed to notice that she nearly died, possibly. She tried to tell them but they just laughed at them.

They would, later. But that’s another story.