Awful Auntie

The excitement at slowly becoming free filled her tired body with an electric energy. Soon she was rolling faster and faster, and waggling her arms and legs frantically. As soon as her left arm was free she grabbed the end of the bandage with her hand.

It was unravelling at speed now.

Next her right arm came free. Now she could push the bandage down and soon she kicked her legs free.

For a moment she lay on her back on the floor of her bedroom. The epic struggle was over. The bandage was curled up next to her, like a snake she had killed with her bare hands.

Stella’s bedroom was two floors up. In her nightdress she crawled over to the window. Looking down to the snow-covered lawn she realised she was far too high up to jump.

A huge white figure loomed at the end of the long sloping garden. It looked like a snowman, but it was nearly as tall as the house. A ladder leaned next to it. What was it? Stella was transfixed by it for a moment, but darkness was descending. And there was no time to lose.

But there was a problem.

The only way out of her bedroom was the door, and it was locked.

There was only one key.

On the other side of the door.

VIII (#ulink_167e9946-bd2d-50f6-bd9a-a034403f01b9)

The Great Escape (#ulink_167e9946-bd2d-50f6-bd9a-a034403f01b9)

Stella had a plan. Racing over to her desk, she grabbed a pencil and a piece of paper. There was a small gap at the bottom of the heavy wooden door. Stella slipped the piece of paper through it. Then, using the sharp end of her pencil, she gently poked the key through the lock. Poke it too hard and it would miss the paper, and land with a loud CLANG on the wooden floor. That was sure to alert Aunt Alberta.

This had to be done very slowly.

Little by little the key passed out of the hole. CLUNK.

Stella caught it with the sheet of paper below.

Next she pulled the paper back under the door. Her face lit up as she saw the key pass through the gap. She clasped it to her chest as if it was the most precious thing in the world. Her hands shook in anticipation. She put the key back in the lock, and like a master criminal cracking a safe turned it very gently.

CLICK.

The door was unlocked.

The little girl turned the big brass handle and opened the door. At first just a crack. She peeped through the gap, checking that the coast was clear. The long, empty corridor stretched out before her.

Stella was still barefoot and in her nightdress. There wasn’t time to dress properly. Alberta might come back to check on her at any moment. She had to make her escape right now, while she still had the chance.

Having lived at Saxby Hall her entire life, Stella knew the house inside out. Without even thinking she was aware of where every creak in the floor was. Tiptoeing along the corridor, she artfully dodged every squeak. Creeping around like this, she felt like a burglar in her own home.

Finally Stella reached the landing, and peered through the balustrades at the top of the stairs. From there she could just see the huge oak front door of Saxby Hall.

When it came to creaks or squeaks the stairs were even more treacherous than the corridor. The little girl descended the first flight with extreme caution.