The Boudicca Parchments

Chapter 61

“We can eat the schnitzels as long as we leave the chips,” said one of the twins to the other.

The man had brought them a tray with mini chicken schnitzels and chips and several packets of ketchup, just as they had requested, as well as two plastic bottles of water.

“But I thought we need the oil.”

“Yes but the chips have more oil than the schnitzels. And anyway, I’m hungry.”

“Okay then I’ll eat mine too.”

They ate the schnitzels quickly and then set to work.

“I’ll do the floor,” said May, tipping out the chips onto the floor and squidging them around. Meanwhile Shir was tearing off the corners of the packets of ketchup. When they had finished Shir took up her position while May set up the skateboard and covered it with a blanket.

Then they looked at each other nervously.

“Ready?” asked May

“Ready” said Shir, closing her eyes.

May splashed some water from one of the bottles onto her face. Then she ran to the door and started banging frantically.

“Help! Help!”

She banged again.

“Help! Please help!”

They heard footsteps approaching the door.

“Stop that!” said a voice from the other side of the door. “No one can hear you!”

“Please help! It’s Shir… she’s hurt.”

“What do you mean hurt?”

He sounded nervous.

“We were playing… and she fell and hit her head. I think she’s dead.”

They heard the key being turned in the lock and Shir — who had opened her eyes out of curiosity — closed them quickly before he entered.

The door flew open and the man with beard looked into the room and saw Shir lying on the floor, her head covered in blood. May was standing looking at her. But from the profile view of her face, he could see that she was crying.

Realizing that he had to check he strode briskly into the room, stepping on the raised blanket on the floor without really thinking about it. But as he took his next step he noticed something happening to his balance. He didn’t know that under the blanket was the skateboard or that under that the floor had been covered in oil and grease and squidgy chips. All he knew that his foot and leg were flying backward and his body was flying forward.

Hearing the noise, Shir opened her eyes and saw him about to fall on top of her. She quickly drew her knees up, curled up in a ball and rolled away just as the bearded man landed on the floor with a sickening thud and a blood-curdling cry of pain.

“Quick Shir!” said May, running out the door and holding the handle, Shir ran to the door in three steps and straight out. May closed the door behind her and locked it with the key that the man had left in the lock, while Shir wiped the ketchup off her face with her sleeve. Then they ran to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. And they could hear the man shouting angrily from inside the room at the end of the corridor.