You Would Not Believe. (The next instalment of 'Be True to the Broom.")

Griselda was more than miffed, as The Broom was well aware. Witch La Boo had kept the Living Cake on its leash, and wandered over to the pad of Pippa the Perfect. There she borrowed Pippa's old wire pet cage for her brand new pet cake. Pippa looked decidedly annnoyed, more than slightly astounded by Witch La Boo's magical enchantment skills. But she agreed to let her rival witch know via swamp flies if she heard when Professor Plumpy was due in the realm of Wonder Woods.

As Witch La Boo meandered back to her quaint cottage, The Broom appeared, flying only one foot above ground level. Smiling for once, it told her, "Now I might be happy. Griselda's going to ditch the witch. She's all frocked up in a tiara and net skirt. Always the drama queen."

"You're imagining things," she told her broom.

But by the time the Witch and her Living Cake arrived back, hauling the pet container behind them, Griselda was about to start hopping away to her future. She left behind a flyer, brightly coloured. The Broom told Witch La Boo to read it to him aloud.

"Come one, come all. This is your lucky break. You can be a star. Halloween Productions need a new face of magical pets. You too can be the face of the future of magic."

"Oh. that is terrific news." The Broom was already planning ways to enter himself and the Living Cake. "Change means progress."

Griselda had read all about the prizes. She could win a year's supply of dragon flies, as well as a lifetime lease on her own golden lily pad. Witch La Boo led the Living Cake to its wire enclosure, added some old frocks to munch on, saying to The Broom as she shut the cage door, "Come on, top speed. We've got to bring Griselda home."

"Why bother? She wants to be free..."

But Witch La Boo clambered aboard her only form of transport, listening as The Broom suggested, "Best buy some store-bought for the Witch Inspector. He is not called Plumpy for nothing. He'll want a decent meal."

"For once, that is helpful suggestion."

Before finding her hot actress toad, she took a trip along the aisles of their neighbourhood grocery, sourcing some hearty meals for that much feared Professor Plumpy. Then the fond pet owner and The Broom entered the audition waiting room.

Witch La Boo widened her eyes at the range of strange assortment of magical pets, all wannabe stars of the screen. One magnificent peacock was exhaling glitter, which sparkled up the dreary chairs. One cat somehow had three floating heads. Witch La Boo panicked, but Griselda sat quietly, remaining calm and unbothered.

"Best put on that silk bow, toadie. You've got some stiff contest here." The Broom was realistic. Finally, Griselda's turn came, she was Contestant Number 50. Behind a modern plexiglass giant desk sat two eccentric judges, both mature aged women. Grey hair, thick pebble like glasses, strange flowing drapes for robes.

Fortunately for Griselda, the room where the auditions was buzzing with bothersome stray magical bugs, trying to sting the older ladies. Griselda changed her plans for girlie stage show fun, and ate each bug as fast as she could. The directors of Halloween Productions were thrilled and amazed, no longer bored.

"We'll definitely let you know about a call back. Thanks for coming, now thanks for going"

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

The Broom expressed his immediate disappointment. "Oh, we'll have to take the toad home. They would not let me a late entry to be a star."

Witch La Boo popped the leash on Griselda, who hopped along at ground level, led by her pet owner aboard a very low flying The Broom. The fat ugly toad's tiara was slightly over her bulging eyes. As she hopped, she waved as if she was already the queen of television land.

"She looks happy enough," Witch La Boo thought aloud.

The Broom replied, "Wonderful. I shall lay down a red carpet when that toad grows up and finally leaves home. Yah!" Even he sounded annoyingly chirpy.

"But there's still what to do to impress Professor Plumpy, to renew my Witch License. This is my vocation."

"Team work is dream work. We must join talents for the higher power of magic."

"Yes, O Broom of mine." The Witch La Boo was going to need some troops so that she could ever become Witch of the Woods.

"When are you buying me a new wig.? My twigs are falling off. This is too much activity."

As Witch La Boo was settling in back home, relaxing, the dust bunnies were gathering on the slanted floorboards. Then, dramatically, Professor Plumpy hammered his iron-toed boot against the crooked oak front door.

Inside, half asleep, Witch La Boo tripped her rogue cauldron, her sarcastic broom groaned from the corner, while Griselda rolled her suspicious eyes. The magical Living Cake shrieked in panic as it tried to hide at the back of its cage.

Witch La Boo ran in a frantic circle, waving her wand like a conductor on a sugar high. Sparks of flashing neon pink and blue sputtered from its tip, as she accidentally singed the fringe of a nearby armchair.

"You're holding your wand upside down again. Sparkle up!" he whispered loudly. The Broom pointed her towards the pantry.

"Where is my humility tea?" Witch La Boo was trying to yell quietly. She tore open the door. Immediately a pantry shelf sneezed a cloud of dried beetle eyes into her face.

"The Witch Inspector is here. Is he early or late? I need more time."

"Time is only a construct of you humans. You are not alone. Get a grip." The Broom was ready on stand-by.

In walked Professor Plumpy, bumping into a faded velvet foot stool. He was holding his clipboard of doom.

"Your broom looks like an absolute walnut," he said, glaring around the cosy dwelling, and at Witch La Boo's companions. "I've starving. What's for dinner here? Got any refreshments, to keep me going?"

He patted his plump belly, and sank into the largest floral chair.

Witch La Boo hastily lunged for the store-bought cakes on the coffee table. Her foot stumbled on The Broom, who went flying to land on Professor Plumpy's lap.

"Great, witchy, great." The Broom remarked, as Witch La Boo hauled it back across the room. "Nothing says, 'competent magic' quite like splinters in the Inspector's trousers."

"I like the look at that cake over there!" The demanding Professor spoke.

The Living Cake's two wide, terrified raisin eyes and frosting grin trembled in horror.

"This is a total disaster," Witch La Boo said.

Shrugging, The Broom suggested, "Let him eat that cake. Save the drapes."

Magic to be continued......