The Stone Witch by Benjamin Hulme-Cross, Nelson Evergreen Page A

there.
    Edgar sighed with relief and put his hand against one of the walls.
    Above him, something slipped and crashed to the floor.
    Everyone jumped.
    Edgar gave a shout of terror and pointed. The thing that had fallen was a human skull.
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    They all looked up. There were more bones lying on a ledge above them. And there was a rough stone statue of a witch. Words were carved on the rock under the ledge.
    Tick tock
    Tick tock
    Bone to stone
    Stone to bone

    â€œWhat does that mean?” asked Dr Hawkins.
    â€œThe witch put her magic in that statue,” said Mr Blood. “We must destroy the statue to stop her.”
    â€œBut the statue is made of stone!” said Edgar. “How can we destroy it?”
    Mr Blood didn’t have time to reply. They heard shouts of fear from outside the cave. They ran out into the light.
    The villagers were all standing around the very old man. He was sitting on the ground. A woman began to scream.
    Edgar looked closer, and gasped with horror. The old man had turned to stone.
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Chapter 4

Bone to Stone
    â€œWhat is going on?” shouted Dr Hawkins.
    Edgar looked over at him. Dr Hawkins seemed much older.
    â€œWhat is it?” Mary asked Mr Blood.
    Mr Blood turned to face Edgar and Mary. His face seemed older too.
    â€œAre you alright?” said Edgar.
    There was more screaming. “The witch is coming for us!” howled one woman.
    Another old man had turned to stone.
    The people began to run back down the slope.

    â€œTime is passing too fast!” said Mary.
    Edgar looked over at her. She was standing next to Mr Blood.
    Mr Blood looked old. He was stooping. But Mary had grown. She was almost as tall as Mr Blood.
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    â€œQuick!” said Mr Blood. “The witch has put a time curse on us. We are all growing old very fast. And when we get too old, we turn to stone!”
    Dr Hawkins leaned against a rock, panting. He looked very old.
    â€œWhat do we do, Mr Blood?” Mary asked.

    â€œGet young people to help,” he said. “They will have the most time left. And you must get the stone statue from the tomb.
    â€œThe witch will grow stronger every time one of us turns to stone. She is feeding on our lives.”

    Mr Blood went on, “There is no time to destroy the statue. So you must find a place to put it where no living person can survive. Then the witch will die as soon as she comes back to life.”
    â€œThe stream!” Edgar shouted. “Nobody can live under water!”

    â€œGood!” said Mr Blood. “Throw the statue in the stream.” Then he turned to Dr Hawkins. “Go and call for help!” he shouted.
    But Dr Hawkins had turned to stone.

Chapter 5

Older
    Edgar ran for help.
    Mary and Mr Blood went back into the tomb.
    The statue had moved a little way along the ledge. It was moving towards the mouth of the cave.
    Mary looked at Mr Blood and gasped. His hair was white. His skin was pale and wrinkled.
    Mr Blood said, “The witch’s statue is starting to move. Her magic is working. You have to get her to the water before she comes to life. After that it will be too…”
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    He stopped talking. His skin went grey.
    Mr Blood had turned to stone.
    Mary ran outside and looked down to the village.
    Edgar was running back. He was pulling a barrow with him, but he was alone.
    He ran up the slope. All around him there were people who had turned to stone before they could get home.
    How can Edgar run so fast with a heavy barrow?
Mary thought.
    As he got closer, she noticed he had a beard.
He’s a man now
, she thought.
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    â€œYou look different, Mary,” said Edgar in a deep voice.
    â€œSo do you,” said Mary. “Hurry, or it will be too late!”
    They pulled the barrow into the tomb.
    â€œMr Blood!” Edgar cried, seeing the statue.

    â€œCome on, Edgar! There’s no time to lose!” Mary shouted. “We have to get the witch statue