‘Just what is the meaning of all this noise? The film is about to begin. Mr Allen is waiting.’ A loud voice interrupted them and the group turned as one, to gaze at the teacher who stood in the doorway. ‘Well?’
‘Oh, Miss! Look what someone’s gone and done. And there are footprints too.’
‘My nightdress has disappeared.’
‘And so has mine!’
Each girl rushed over to her bed, flinging back the top sheet, only to discover that every article of nightwear was missing.
‘Well I’m sure someone is having a prank. If it’s one of the boys they’ll be in deep trouble having come into a girls’ dormitory. Now settle down and we’ll soon get to the bottom of it.’
‘But Miss. No one came in here during the film. I was sitting right next to the door and no one could have come in without me noticing, honest.’
There was a pause as sixteen pairs of eyes swivelled to Miss Watson.
‘Look the footprints lead to the bathroom,’ Tamsin paused, and then in a whisper continued. Perhaps they’re still there!’
Everyone went silent and looked to where she was pointing.
‘Well we’ll soon see about that, won’t we?’ snapped Miss Watson. ‘We’ll soon get to the bottom of this.’
Her heels clacked as she walked the length of the room. Opening the bathroom door, she peered inside. Sixteen girls followed her with open mouths and eyes wide in fear.
‘Nothing here. Whoever it was has gone.’
‘Miss, Miss! Look at the footsteps. They go over to the fire escape door. They must have gone down there!’ Becky pointed with an accusing finger.
‘The door’s still locked. Don’t be silly. Look the key is in the glass box.’ After giving the door handle a try, Miss Watson turned to confront the girls. ‘This is most irregular. Someone is playing a very silly game with us.’
‘What if there were two people. One person to unlock the door, then return the key into the box, while the other person went down the stairs.’
‘The glass would have to be broken. It’s a safety thing. The key has to remain in the box, so as not to get lost. No. That is not the answer. I think there’s a much more simple explanation and that is that one of you or someone from another dorm is playing a practical joke. I will inform the head, who no doubt will expect the joker to own up by breakfast tomorrow morning. Now let’s have no more melodramatics and go back to enjoy the second half of the film.’
With a last stern look of warning she left the gaggle of girls clustered in the bathroom and began to make her way down the middle of the bedroom towards the doors at the end. As she approached the far end, the doors on the wardrobes opened simultaneously. She stopped and the girls who by now were following her, crowded into each other, jostling for space.
‘Look!’ squealed Tamsin pointing a shaking finger. Everyone turned as at the opposite end of the room the other two wardrobe doors opened at the same time. Apart from the clothes hanging from the rack the wardrobes were quite empty. Sixteen girls all screamed at once.
‘But we’ll get into awful trouble,’ whispered Diana. ‘I’ve already crossed swords with Mr Allen for sliding down the bannisters.’
‘What? You didn’t tell me! You’ll have to tell me all about it later. Right now we have to sort this other matter out. We’ll get into far more trouble if we don’t have an explanation for the Head in the morning.’ Becky argued.
Diana gave a deep sigh. ‘Okay. Let’s do it then.’
Together, they tiptoed down the dark dormitory. Gentle snores arose from either side of them. Diana, not yet familiar with the layout bumped into a chair, and Becky hissed a warning at her. Diana could see her frowning at her as her face was illuminated from an outside street lamp. ‘Sssh!’
Nodding, Diana went around the chair and followed Becky into the bathroom. Once they’d closed the door they stole over to the fire escape.
‘Better use a towel to muffle the noise,’ Diana said picking up a discarded damp towel lying on the side of the bath and handing it to Becky.
She nodded, wrapped it round her fist, and then taking aim punched out the glass. There was a small tinkle and the key was exposed. Dropping the towel, Becky seized the key and fitted it into the lock. The key turned with no pressure and the door swung open. Ahead, there lay a deep, black and cavernous hole.
‘There must be a light-switch somewhere, have a feel around,’ she said as the space was suddenly flooded with light. ‘Oh! You found it.’
The stairs were clean. There was no trace of any talcum powder.
‘No one’s been done here at all then,’ said Diana in relief.
‘No. Let’s go down anyway. I’ve always wanted to know what’s at the bottom.’
‘Do we have to?’
‘Come on, sissy. I’ll go first if you like.’
The two girls slowly edged their way down the winding staircase. Upon reaching the bottom they both looked at each other in astonishment.
The door was firmly shut, with the fire bar in the “locked” position and unable to be opened from the outside. The space was empty, except, lying on the floor in a heap was a pile of sixteen assorted night clothes.
~~~~~
A tear-faced Tamsin sat wanly on the edge of her bed. ‘I’m scared,’ she wailed.
‘Whatever for? Don’t be such a baby.’ Becky scolded. ‘Somehow, those night things got put down there. My guess is someone has a spare key.’
‘But the glass was unbroken and Miss Watson said there is only one key.’ Tamsin sobbed. ‘I want to change my dorm; I don’t like it in here anymore.’
‘Oh for goodness sake, shut up! Nothing nasty has happened. It’s just someone’s idea of a jolly jape. We’ll sort it out.’
Diana was busy thinking. Perhaps David and Lorna knew something. They certainly had plenty of other secrets. Voicing her thoughts she said, ‘What about David and his sister? They might know how it happened.’
Becky turned a puzzled face towards Diana. ‘Which David?’
‘You know, he’s small about ten. His sister is called Lorna.’
‘Don’t know who you mean.’
‘But you must do. They run all over the grounds together, he said his dad was headmaster here.’
‘Mr Tapper? I don’t think so. His kids are all grown up and live in England. I think you’re either muddled or your David was having you on.’
Tamsin sniffed into her sodden hankie. ‘You’re new so you’ve probably made a mistake.’
Diana looked from one to the other. There was
no
mistake, they didn’t believe her, and she was now beginning to doubt her own memory. Had she met two children yesterday? Had they shown her around? Of course they had, how else would she have known where to find the netball court and playground.
‘They showed me…’ She stopped. She had been about to divulge the secret glade hidden within the jungle.
‘What? What did they show you then?’ Demanded Becky.
‘Oh nothing, just the netball court and swings.’
Sounding exasperated, Becky swung away saying, ‘It’s not difficult finding those they’re just past the surgery.’ Standing up she glanced around the empty dormitory. ‘I’m going out. Everyone’s having fun down in the pool, except us. Are you coming, Di?’
Diana thought for a moment. ‘In a minute. I need the bathroom first, and then I’ll be down.’
‘Okay, see you down there.’ Becky and a sniffing Tamsin strolled from the room.
Deep in thought, Diana wandered down to the bathroom; she needed to clean her teeth as she’d forgotten earlier. Last night’s shenanigans had made her forget.
The tap water ran tepid as she brushed her teeth. Shaking the drips from her brush, she turned to replace it into her sponge-bag and was startled to find David and Lorna standing just in the open doorway.
‘Hello! We thought you might like to explore some more with us. We’ve got masses more to show you.’ David began.
‘David! Lorna!’ So they did exist. She had not imagined anything.
‘What?’
‘Did you come in here last night? Was it you who spread talcum powder all over the beds?’
David paused. ‘Why? What happened?’ He flashed a look towards Lorna, who hid behind him.
‘Come on, tell me. How did you do it? How did you get past everyone and come into our dormitory? And do you have a spare key to the fire escape door?’
David laughed gleefully. ‘You’ll never guess! I’ll tell you later. Come on let’s go. We’ve something we have to show you, and it has to be today.’
Whirling round he grabbed Lorna’s hand and without making a sound ran with her down the length of the dormitory. Shaking her head, Diana followed more sedately in pursuit, her sandals slapping on the polished wooden floorboards.
Reaching the doorway she went through just in time to see David and Lorna disappearing down the stairs. Exasperated she followed.
Downstairs the hall was deserted and Diana supposed everyone had taken advantage to cool off in the swimming pool. It was hot and horrible today. David gave a quick peek into the staff room situated behind a rather imposing desk and then edged his way round to the under hang of the stairs.
The hallway staircase was huge, high, steep and very imposing. Under the stairway there was a mirror hanging on the wall. It was a massive mirror with a thick bamboo frame, and the whole thing measured about eight feet by twelve. Under the mirror there was a shelf resting at about Lorna’s height. Taking hold of the shelf, David gave it a pull. For a moment nothing happened, so he gave it another tug. The mirror moved and swung out. Mystified, Diana moved nearer to get a better look and peered into the dark hole in front of her. It was almost a room.
‘Look. A perfect hideaway, ‘David said. ’Let’s go in.’ Without waiting for Diana to answer he helped his sister in over the wall and then climbed in after her. ‘Come on, what are you waiting for?’
‘Why? It’s just a hole.’ Diana replied, shaking her head.
‘No it’s not. Just wait and see. Come on.’
‘What if we’re caught? ‘She asked looking around her.
David gave a sigh. ‘You won’t. It’s only for a minute anyway.’
Giving a sigh of her own, and not enjoying this one little bit, Diana climbed in to join them. David swung the mirror door shut behind her and with the sudden darkness, Diana gave a start.