Whoever it was knew my name. Strangely my phone read, ‘no-caller,’ so I had no idea who it could have been. I decided to find Aunty M. It’s not normal to keep hearing things is it? No, I must be losing my marbles. I ran to find her.
“Hello Aunty M, am I interrupting you?”
“No not at all dear. Are you Ok? Fancy that coffee now? I’m desperate.”
“Yes, me too. I’ll go and put the kettle on.”
I walked down to kitchen and felt safer there. My imagination was running wild. I decided not to tell Aunty M about finding the attic. I wanted time to explore more and if she knew she might stop me. I also decided not to say anything about the noises. She’d think I was attention seeking or something. I knew I must not be a nuisance. Probably just better to pull myself together and stop being silly.
My curiosity was getting the better of me. Later, I went back up to the attic. The photo album turned out to be full of old photos of Aunty M and my mum when they were little. There were also photos of my mum on the beach or playing in the garden with a dog very similar to Biggles. That must have been Ranger. I had heard my granny talking about him. There were lots of photos of people I did not recognise and I guessed they must be friends of the family. Then, towards the end of the album, there were some wedding photos. The man in the first photo was very tall and dark. I’d never seen him before and yet somehow he looked familiar and I couldn’t think why. I was just about to turn over to the next page, when I heard Biggles’ nails scraping on the wooden floor of my room. I had to get down because Biggles meant that Aunty M must be around. The last thing I wanted was for her to find me in the attic. There was a lot more investigating to do up there. I had just pulled the hatch down and got down the steps when Aunty M appeared in the doorway.
“There you are Biggles, come on let’s go walkies. Are you coming too Florence? Darling, I do think you ought to make your bed in the morning. There’s nothing worse than getting into an unmade bed. Very uncomfortable.”
Feeling a bit shaken by the close shave, I looked at the room in disbelief. I had to think quickly.
My bed, which I had made that morning, was completely messed up. The duvet was on the floor, the pillows trampled on and stuffed under the bed. Not only that, but the curtains were drawn and every drawer and the wardrobe doors, were open. It looked like I had been burgled. I had only been in the attic about half an hour. I walked through my room before I went up and my room was tidy. All this happened while I was up there. But what was more to the point, whoever had done this, did it, silently just under me, to get me into trouble.
“Aunty M, I am so sorry. I just forgot to make my bed and tidy up earlier. I couldn’t find my iPod and I became frantic because mum would murder me if I lost it. I won’t let it happen again. Mum would go mad if I did this at home.”
“All forgotten darling. My mum, your granny, used to tell me off constantly for being untidy so I know what it’s like! I just want you to have a good night’s sleep and you can’t do that in an untidy bed. Let’s go.”
We walked on the beach and the sea air cleared my head. I didn’t remember untidying my bed. I knew I had not. I can’t have forgotten to tidy my room. I always make my bed and close drawers because if I don’t my Mum goes off on one of her rants and I avoid those at all costs. Perhaps the sea air is fuddling my head, I thought.
That night as I lay in bed, I tried to piece everything together. The phone call, the untidy room, the thuds upstairs and the voices “What’s going on?” I whispered to myself. Then I suddenly thought. Someone is trying to contact me but who?