The Charlotte Square Beastie

This is the Charlotte Square Beastie as created at the Edinburgh International Book Festival from the utterly brilliant suggestions of :-

Ailsa, Amy, Angus, Anna, Annie, Ben, Chloé, Donald, Eilidh, Grace, James, Kirstie,  Lauren, Maddie, Megan, Molly, Orla, Rachel, Rory, Rose and Sam.

Background information :-

OK, first thing’s first. This Beastie is scary. It doesn’t look scary. It looks as if it’s smiling at you … until you mouse over the picture to turn it upside down and then ... argh ! It’s getting ready to grab you … SCARY!

Every day, unsuspecting tourists wander through Charlotte Square Gardens looking for a picnic site. Hanging from the branches and camouflaged amongst the leaves, the Beastie waits. As a visitor passes by, they are seized by razor sharp claws, dragged into the treetops and gobbled up. The tourist never gets his picnic. He IS the picnic !

When full, the Charlotte Square Beastie waits until night falls before flying unseen to one of the nearby office roofs. Its skin colour changes to match the building’s stonework and there it sits, like a gargoyle (the perfect disguise) … until the next time he is hungry !

Things to spot : –

1. Ears look like hands and are useful in gripping scrabbling tourists.
2. The upside down smiling / snarling mouth.
3. Tartan skin that changes colour to whatever surface it is on at the time.
4. Whiskers and hair look like leafy twigs and are superb camouflage.
5. Long claws for easy gripping of tourists to ensure they can’t escape.
6. Wings like thick leafy branches – perfect for hiding behind.
7. Massive, sharp teeth for chewing tourists up into small pieces.
8. Long tail for extra grip when dealing with struggling victims.
9. It’s the size of a 9 year old child but three times as strong as a man.