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Chapter five

A body in the moonlight

Howard lay alone in the cellar below the house. He felt tired. But he felt better because he could remember the true story. It was like living through the story again, the fears, the terrible moments, like the moment when the police stopped him– ‘Yes,’ he thought, ‘I remember–’

Very late that night he had taken the dragon back to Miss Blake’s house. He had put it into his bicycle bag and had started to ride through the silent streets in the moonlight. Moonlight - that was unlucky. It had been dark earlier. Well, he couldn’t do anything about that.

He had turned into Primrose Avenue– and there was a police car! The two officers in the car were immediately suspicious of this lonely cyclist in the early hours of the morning. They stopped him and asked what he was doing.

‘I’m going to my mother’s,’ said Howard. He was shaking inside. ‘They phoned me and said she was ill.’

The police officer wanted to help. Leave your bicycle,’ she said. ‘We’ll drive you there.’

‘No, no,’ said Howard. He was feeling hot and uncomfortable. ‘She’s– my mother’s house is just here, around the corner. But thank you. Thank you very much.’

He got on his bicycle and rode away. He heard the police car’s engine. He didn’t look back. The sound of the police car moved away. Howard breathed normally again.

A few minutes later he found Miss Blake’s house. It looked strange and frightening in the moonlight. It seemed to be waiting for him. Was it a trap? For a moment Howard wanted to turn back but he told himself not to be silly. It was late. The old lady was asleep. He didn’t need to be afraid.

Freddy had told him that he had dressed like a window cleaner and had climbed up his ladder to a balcony - The balcony led to the upstairs hall. He had planned to break a window but he found the window was open.

Now Howard saw the same window. He had no ladder but there was a drainpipe. He could climb it. Soon he was inside, and he was standing at the top of the stairs in the moonlight. He was looking down. He mustn’t wake Miss Blake. He must leave the dragon somewhere. Perhaps on the table in the hall? He could see it below him. Then his heart froze in his body.

There was someone lying at the bottom of the stairs! A body– a real body– and the moonlight was shining on the pool of blood.

And then he had run– back to the open window, to the drainpipe– The dragon was still in his hand! He started to throw it away with a wild cry. He slipped. The air was rushing past. The dragon was falling with him. Its eyes were staring, its mouth was open and its teeth were shining… Was it screaming, like him?