Horrid Henry and the Demon Dinner Lady

Horrid Henry and the Demon Dinner Lady “ You're not having a packed lunch and that's final, " yelled Dad. “ It's not fair! ” yelled Horrid Henry. " Everyone in my class has a packed lunch. ” “ N-O spells no, " said Dad. “ It's too much work. And you never eat what I pack for you. "

“ But I hate school dinners! " screamed Henry. “ I'm being poisoned! ” He clutched his throat. " Dessert today was--bleeeach- fruit salad! And it had worms in it! I can feel them slithering in my stomach -uggghh! ” Horrid Henry fell to the floor, gasping and rasping. Mum continued watching TV. Dad continued watching TV. “ I love school dinners, ” said Perfect Peter. “ They're so nutritious and delicious. Especially those lovely spinach salads. ” “ Shut up, Peter! ” snarled Henry. “ Muuuum! " wailed Peter. “ Henry told me to shut up! ”

“ Don't be horrid, Henry! ” said Mum. " You're not having a packed lunch and that's that. ” Horrid Henry and his parents had been fighting about packed lunches for weeks. Henry was desperate to have a packed lunch. Actually, he was desperate not to have a school dinner. Horrid Henry hated school dinners. The stinky smell. The terrible way Sloppy Sally ladled the food splat! on his tray so that most of it splashed all over him. And the food! Queueing for hours for revolting ravioli and squashed tomatoes. The lumpy custard. The blobby mashed potatoes. Horrid Henry could not bear it any longer.

“ Oh please, " said Henry. “ I'll make the packed lunch myself. " Wouldn't that be great! He'd fill his lunchbox with four packs of crisps, chocolate, doughnuts, cake, lollies, and one grape. Now that's what I call a real lunch, thought Henry. Mum sighed. Dad sighed. They looked at each other. " If you promise that everything in your lunchbox will get eaten, then I'll do a packed lunch for you, ” said Dad. “ Oh thank you thank you thank you! ” said Horrid Henry. “ Everything will get eaten, I promise. " Just not by me, he thought gleefully. Packed lunch room, here I come. Food fights, food swaps, food fun at last. Yippee!

Horrid Henry strolled into the packed lunch room. He was King Henry the Horrible, surveying his unruly subjects. All around him children were screaming and shouting, pushing and shoving, throwing food and trading treats. Heaven! Horrid Henry smiled happily and opened his Terminator Gladiator lunchbox.