The sun streamed in through the window. Martin never really noticed before but the walls were painted a pale yellow. The room took on a golden glow. Somehow, it felt like being inside an egg. Martin frowned. The room also felt empty - like when he used to come home from school to the apartment in the city..... like when his mom got back late from work sometimes because of the traffic. He could always feel when no-one was home as soon as he opened the front door. Well, this was exactly how this room felt - as if no-one was home. Martin turned to go back downstairs, maybe being shipwrecked up here wasn't such a good idea after all. Maybe he would go and play in the tree-house instead. Yeah, that would be much better!

"Leaving so soon, my dear?" A familiar voice said from over his left shoulder. Martin nearly jumped out of his skin, but he tried not to look surprised as he turned around. His heart was pounding but he forced himself to act calm. The monster was hanging by its tail from the rafter, just as before, its face level with Martin's.

Curiousity got the better of fear and he stared at the creature. With its shaggy face, huge yellow eyes and long stiff whiskers it looked like some sort of weird sheepdog or cat. That was until you noticed the big sharp claws on the end of its stumpy legs, and the fact that it was actually covered in bright orange feathers. It stared back at Martin without blinking.
"Where were you?" Martin suddenly burst out without thinking.
"Out, my dear," replied the monster, "But I'm back now and that's all that matters."
"I got your note," said Martin, beginning to feel a little confused.
"I know," came the smug reply.
"How did you know? How did you even know I was coming up here"
The creature smiled at him, a big sharp-toothy smile that made Martin feel very uncertain about the whole situation. "Wh-What are you?

The creature finally blinked at Matin, then rolled its yellow eyes and shrugged its shoulders, although that looked rather odd as it was upside down. It began ticking off each point on its long claws, "Firstly, I knew you were coming up here because I was that rather handsome fly sitting on the bannana in the fruit bowl. Secondly, I am a Chippetuck and thirdly, what is a chocolate chip cookie?"
"What is a Ch-Ch-Chippetuck?" Stammered Martin.
"Uh-uh," the Chippetuck waggled his claw at Martin, "I asked you first."
"What...?" Martin's brain was buzzing.
"The cookie, my dear," said the Chippetuck with another very toothy smile.
"Oh, w-w-would you like one?"
"Why yes, thank you, my dear. How gracious of you to offer." And with that, the Chippetuck took the whole box and popped it into his mouth and munched contentedly till it was finished, then he spit out the wrapper in one neat ball saying, "Delicious, my dear, but the shells are nasty." Martin could only gape at him, open-mouthed.

* * * * * * *

"And your name is Chippetuck?" Martin was sitting on the rug feeling more and more confused. The Chippetuck had curled itself on and around the old easy chair and was spinning an apple on one of its claws.
"That's right, my dear, I'm Chippetuck the Chippetuck." He seemed a lot less scary now. The sort of monster you could really be friends with......
"So where do you come from?" Was Martin's next question.
"Chippetuck."
"You keep saying that."
"Well, my dear, that's because I'm Chippetuck, the Chippetuck, from Chippetuck."
Martin scratched his head, "And all the Chippetucks are called Chippetuck? How do do you know which one is which?"
The Chippetuck seemed surprised, "We all look different, of course."
"Oh," Martin thought this over for a while as the Chippetuck began to nibble at the apple he had been spinning. "Where's Chippetuck?"
The Chippetuck looked at him for a moment and then, with a twinkle in his eye, said, "Seven worlds from this one." Martin felt more and more curious with each new answer, then he remembered the part about being the Chippetuck being a fly down in the kitchen...... "So how come you can change into other things?
The Chippetuck finished the first apple and started spinning the second one.
"Are you a genie?" Asked Martin hopefully. He suddenly wondered if he might get three wishes.
"No, I am a Chippetuck."
"Is that like a genie?" Martin still felt hopeful.
"No, that is like a Chippetuck."
"Then how come you can do tricks?"
"Tricks?" The Chippetuck seemed a little surprised, "I do not do tricks, my dear. I do magic."
"Magic....?" Martin felt his face getting red as his heart began to beat a little faster, "What sort of magic?"
"What sort of magic did you have in mind, my dear?" Enquired the Chipptuck, licking his lips as he finished the second apple and began to eat the muffin.
"An adventure!" Said Martin firmly. "I would like to have a really good adventure....."
"Hmm. I see," the Chippetuck clicked his claws dramatically and, in the next moment, Martin was nowhere to be seen.
"Oooh," said the Chippetuck, "Two sandwiches!" He licked his lips again.