Myuncl
eandaunthadmadeawaywi
t
hal
l
mypar
ent
s’
pr
oper
t
ywhi
l
e
pr
ov
i
ngmei
nsane.Ev
ent
hepat
i
ent
sher
ei
nt
hi
smadhousehadr
eal
i
zedby
nowt
hatIwasnotoneoft
hem,
butt
hesewar
dens,
wel
l
,
br
i
bedoest
hatt
o
peopl
e.
Iwentbackt
ot
hewi
ndowagai
n,
andseei
ngt
hehei
ght
,
cr
awl
edt
omybed
andsl
ept
,
t
hi
st
i
me,
dr
eaml
essl
y
.
Iwokeupear
l
ynextmor
ni
ngwi
t
hanewdet
er
mi
nat
i
on,
anewpl
an!
Iwal
kedoutsi
l
ent
l
yi
nt
hecor
r
i
dorasIunl
ockedmyr
oom doorwi
t
haspar
e
hai
r
pi
n.Notasi
ngl
eshadowl
ur
kedi
nt
hepassageway
.Andi
twasst
i
l
l
dar
kout
si
deasIj
umpeddownt
hest
ai
r
sandunl
ockedt
heasy
l
um door
wi
t
ht
hesamehai
r
pi
n.Ev
er
y
t
hi
ngwashappeni
ngsof
astt
hatIdoubt
edi
fI
wasnotbei
ngwat
ched.Butgi
v
i
ngi
tashot
,
It
i
pt
oedt
ot
hesl
eepi
ngguar
d
i
nmyst
r
i
pedasy
l
um uni
f
or
m,
barcap,
andwav
edahandi
nf
r
ontofhi
s
ey
es.Hedi
dn’
twakeup.
Thegat
ekey
swer
edangl
i
ngbyhi
swai
st
-
bel
t
.Maki
ngsur
eagai
nt
hatIwas
notbei
ngseen,
Iwentf
ort
hekey
s;
t
hesl
eepi
ngmansnor
edl
oudl
yasI
t
uckedt
hem out
.
Ther
ewer
e4key
s,
It
r
i
edeachoneoft
hem,
t
r
y
i
ngnott
omakeanynoi
seas
myhandshook.Noneoft
hef
i
r
stt
hr
eewor
ked.Taki
ngadeepbr
eat
h,
It
r
i
ed
t
he4t
h
one,
i
tt
ur
nedandcl
i
cked!Ial
mosty
el
pedwi
t
hj
oyasmybl
ood
r
ushedwi
t
hexci
t
ementandmyhear
tr
aced.
I
twassoeasy
!Iwonder
edwhyIhadwast
edal
l
t
hoset
i
mest
r
y
i
ngt
ocl
i
mb
upt
heasy
l
um boundar
ywal
l
!Thi
swassodamneasy
!Tr
y
i
ngt
osubduemy
exci
t
ement
,
Ist
eppedout
,
butassoonasIdi
d,
ahandgr
abbedonmy
shoul
der
.If
r
oze,
shocked!Ihadn’
thear
dany
onecomi
ng,
engr
ossedi
nt
he
l
ockasIwas.Sl
owl
y
,
It
ur
ned.Theheadwar
denst
oodt
her
e,
st
ar
i
ngatme
r
epr
oachf
ul
l
y
.Myshoul
der
ssl
umpedheav
i
l
y
.Icoul
dal
mostseemy
sel
f
bei
ngdr
aggedagai
nt
ot
hathat
ef
ul
cubi
cl
ebyt
heguar
d,
bei
ngpushed
r
oughl
yt
ot
hef
l
oorbyt
hewi
ckedwi
ng-
war
denandbei
ngl
aughedatby
ot
heri
nmat
esl
i
keaci
r
cusj
oker
.Butwhatf
ol
l
owednextwast
hemost
uni
magi
nabl
et
hi
ng.
12