Bombs exploded all around the three as they dashed through the streets of London.
KABOOM!
Dust and debris were hurled into the air. The only light that illuminated their way home was the flickering red-yellow light of the fires from the bombs. Homes, shops, pubs were all ablaze, with firemen and local people fighting to put them out. Thick black smoke billowed into the sky.
London must have looked so strange to Gertrude, especially on a night like this. So, as much as the gorilla hugged Eric, he hugged her right back. They stayed close to the edges of the buildings, stalking in the shadows, keeping out of sight.
“Nearly there!” hissed Sid when they turned the corner into his road.
“STOP RIGHT THERE!” came a voice behind them.
The three froze in fear.
Eric turned round.
It was an air-raid warden, immediately recognisable by her round tin hat, which looked like an upside-down pudding bowl. The warden was not to be messed with. She had a sour face that made her look like she was sucking on a wasp. An official-looking badge on her chest read NINA MISRA.
“What are you three doing out on the streets after blackout? You must have heard the air-raid warning. You should be in a shelter. There’s been no all-clear signal yet!”
The three said nothing, so she flicked on her torch to give them a closer inspection.
“A little boy, an old man and…
a gorilla!
What are you doing with a gorilla?”
Eric and Sid shared a look.
“Well?” demanded Nina.
“It’s not a real gorilla, Mrs Misra,” lied Eric, reading her name badge.
“Miss Misra!” she corrected. “Well, it looks like a real gorilla to me!”
“It’s someone dressed up as a gorilla,” said the boy. “We were coming from a fancy-dress party! I was going as a small, wet boy, and… er…”
“I was going as a zookeeper!” chipped in Sid.
The air-raid warden approached to get a closer look. She shone the light of her torch right at Gertrude’s face, who squinted.
“It’s an incredibly good gorilla outfit!” Nina remarked.
“She won’t scrimp on gorilla outfits!” lied the boy. “Only the best will do!”
“Who won’t scrimp exactly? Mmm? Tell me, who is under there?”
She put her face close up against the gorilla’s and stared her in the eye.
“PFFFT!”
Gertrude blew a raspberry. Gorilla spittle flew all over the warden’s face.
SPLURGE!
“She does that sometimes,” remarked Eric. “My Aunt… um, erm, Bernard!”
“Bernard?” scoffed the warden. “Funny name for an aunt!”
“Bernard’s a funny aunt!”
“Well, if you don’t mind, Mrs… I mean, Miss Misra,” began Sid, a hint of panic in his voice, “we should be getting home. My house is just over there, you see,” he said, pointing. “And there are still Nazi bombers in the sky, so you can’t be too careful.”
With that, Sid led Gertrude and Eric across the road to his house.
“STOP RIGHT THERE!” came a bark behind them.
The three froze like statues in the middle of the road.
“Your Aunt Bernard walks exactly like a monkey too!”
“Technically, gorillas are not monkeys – they’re apes,” corrected Eric, unable to stop himself when it came to animal facts. “But, yes, she does like to get into character for fancy-dress parties! Goodbye!”
The warden marched over to the three of them. “YOU’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE UNTIL I SEE WHO IS UNDER THERE!”
The lady put her hand on top of Gertrude’s head, who by the look on her face didn’t like it one bit.
“What are you doing?” asked Eric.
“I am going to pull her mask off!” said Nina, grabbing the tuft of hair on top of the gorilla’s head.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you!” exclaimed Sid.
“Why not?”
“Aunt Bernard likes to stay in character the entire time!” explained the boy.
“What utter nonsense!” proclaimed Nina. With that, she yanked on the gorilla’s hair.
“YEEE!” yelped Gertrude in pain.
“STOP!” pleaded Eric.
“The mask won’t come off!” said the warden, pulling harder this time.
“YEEE!”
“PLEASE STOP!” Eric pleaded again.
“Or what?”
“YEEE!”
“Or Aunt Bernard might—”
But, before Eric could say whatever he was going to say next, the gorilla picked up the lady and raised her high above her head.
WHOOMPH!
“PUT ME DOWN!” protested the warden. “PUT ME DOWN!”