Mumbersons and The Blood Secret, The by Mike Crowl, Celia Crowl Page A
Authors: Mike Crowl, Celia Crowl
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me.’
Billy and Olivia leapt out of the car and scrambled through the bushes again. They heard Mrs Mumberson shout, ‘Be careful, children!’ They pushed at the door...and pushed again. It wouldn’t open. ‘What’s happened?’ said Olivia.
‘They must have remembered it was here,’ said Billy. ‘Now what?’ He bashed at the door with his feet, hoping that it might suddenly move. It didn’t. ‘We’ll have to climb over the wall, then,’ he said. ‘We’ll have to risk being seen.’
Olivia was up and away in a moment, pushing back through the bushes. ‘Mrs Mumberson!’ she shouted, ‘can you move the car right up against the wall? We’re going to climb over.’ Mrs Mumberson protested, but the children persuaded her it was the only way they were going to get in. Billy wasn’t too sure his father would appreciate him climbing on the car, but there were more important things at stake here.
Mrs Mumberson backed the car up then drove forward carefully, hoping she wouldn’t scratch Jerry’s shiny Fiesta. She parked as close as she could to the wall. Stevedore leapt out and had to be told to get back in.
‘I don’t know why I’m letting you do this,’ said Mrs Mumberson. ‘I hope it’s not going to end in disaster.’ She helped the children up onto the car because Olivia kept sliding off when she tried on her own.
Once the children were balanced on the top of the car, there was nothing more Mrs Mumberson could do except watch and hope they didn’t fall and break something. Stevedore stood on the car seat with his head out the window panting furiously.
Billy leant forward until he could hold onto the top of the wall, which, though it was made of bricks, was rounded and mostly smooth. He put one leg over. He wasn’t quite sure how he was going to manage from there. It was two or three metres to the ground on the other side. His heart was beating fast, and he felt sick in his stomach. ‘Hurry up, Billy!’ shouted Olivia. He took a deep breath, spread himself out along the wall, held on tight and slid his other leg over. He closed his eyes and hoped he wouldn’t break a leg. Or both legs.
He let go, slithering down the wall - grazing his knees in the process - and tumbled into a heap at the bottom. When he stood up, he seemed to be intact, though his rear end was sore.
Olivia was already on the top of the wall, ready to slide down. She was shorter than Billy and before he could worry that she might hurt herself, she was on the ground - legs and arms and body all mixed up. Two seconds later she was up and running towards the building.
This time they went straight round the front, because it seemed unlikely Lavitch was guarding the door if he was also trying to keep an eye on three people at once; Slaggard didn’t look as though he’d stop a feather blowing away.
It was just as well they didn’t go straight through the revolving doors. As they arrived a procession came down the stairs inside. At its head was Venska. Behind her were Lavitch and Slaggard, no longer in the police uniforms. They were leading both the Mumbersons and Adiblo by a long cord attached to more cords wrapped around the trunk and arms of the three men. ‘They’re prisoners!’ whispered Billy. Behind them came several of the Which Sisters in their suits, diamonds sparkling from earrings, pendants and brooches in the late afternoon sun shining through the low windows.
Venska led everyone towards a corridor off to the left of the stairs. ‘We need to follow them,’ said Olivia, ready to spring through the revolving doors.
But before she could do so, a voice spoke behind them, making them jump. A woman was standing there, a woman they recognised. It was Ligula, the Sister who’d shouted at Venska. Her earrings jangled in the breeze.
Another one of the Sisters stood beside her, a wand ready in her hand.
Chapter 11 - In the dungeon
‘Our guests
Billy and Olivia leapt out of the car and scrambled through the bushes again. They heard Mrs Mumberson shout, ‘Be careful, children!’ They pushed at the door...and pushed again. It wouldn’t open. ‘What’s happened?’ said Olivia.
‘They must have remembered it was here,’ said Billy. ‘Now what?’ He bashed at the door with his feet, hoping that it might suddenly move. It didn’t. ‘We’ll have to climb over the wall, then,’ he said. ‘We’ll have to risk being seen.’
Olivia was up and away in a moment, pushing back through the bushes. ‘Mrs Mumberson!’ she shouted, ‘can you move the car right up against the wall? We’re going to climb over.’ Mrs Mumberson protested, but the children persuaded her it was the only way they were going to get in. Billy wasn’t too sure his father would appreciate him climbing on the car, but there were more important things at stake here.
Mrs Mumberson backed the car up then drove forward carefully, hoping she wouldn’t scratch Jerry’s shiny Fiesta. She parked as close as she could to the wall. Stevedore leapt out and had to be told to get back in.
‘I don’t know why I’m letting you do this,’ said Mrs Mumberson. ‘I hope it’s not going to end in disaster.’ She helped the children up onto the car because Olivia kept sliding off when she tried on her own.
Once the children were balanced on the top of the car, there was nothing more Mrs Mumberson could do except watch and hope they didn’t fall and break something. Stevedore stood on the car seat with his head out the window panting furiously.
Billy leant forward until he could hold onto the top of the wall, which, though it was made of bricks, was rounded and mostly smooth. He put one leg over. He wasn’t quite sure how he was going to manage from there. It was two or three metres to the ground on the other side. His heart was beating fast, and he felt sick in his stomach. ‘Hurry up, Billy!’ shouted Olivia. He took a deep breath, spread himself out along the wall, held on tight and slid his other leg over. He closed his eyes and hoped he wouldn’t break a leg. Or both legs.
He let go, slithering down the wall - grazing his knees in the process - and tumbled into a heap at the bottom. When he stood up, he seemed to be intact, though his rear end was sore.
Olivia was already on the top of the wall, ready to slide down. She was shorter than Billy and before he could worry that she might hurt herself, she was on the ground - legs and arms and body all mixed up. Two seconds later she was up and running towards the building.
This time they went straight round the front, because it seemed unlikely Lavitch was guarding the door if he was also trying to keep an eye on three people at once; Slaggard didn’t look as though he’d stop a feather blowing away.
It was just as well they didn’t go straight through the revolving doors. As they arrived a procession came down the stairs inside. At its head was Venska. Behind her were Lavitch and Slaggard, no longer in the police uniforms. They were leading both the Mumbersons and Adiblo by a long cord attached to more cords wrapped around the trunk and arms of the three men. ‘They’re prisoners!’ whispered Billy. Behind them came several of the Which Sisters in their suits, diamonds sparkling from earrings, pendants and brooches in the late afternoon sun shining through the low windows.
Venska led everyone towards a corridor off to the left of the stairs. ‘We need to follow them,’ said Olivia, ready to spring through the revolving doors.
But before she could do so, a voice spoke behind them, making them jump. A woman was standing there, a woman they recognised. It was Ligula, the Sister who’d shouted at Venska. Her earrings jangled in the breeze.
Another one of the Sisters stood beside her, a wand ready in her hand.
Chapter 11 - In the dungeon
‘Our guests
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