The Christmas of Adventure

©2015 June E.

Philip, Dinah, Jack and Lucy-Ann are excited at the prospect of spending their first Christmas together, but by Christmas Eve all their plans lie in ruins. Things get even worse when a severe snowstorm brings the country to a standstill and leaves Bill snowbound, hundreds of miles away. Forced to fend for themselves in Bill's remote moorland cottage, rumours abound of a strange and terrifying creature lurking in the woods nearby... and with a ruthless thief on the loose, striking at night and stealing birds from the local Sanctuary, the scene is set for a frightening and perilous adventure. Can they stop the thief before it's too late? Or will Kiki be the robber's next victim?

Chapter 12: 'I know there was something there, and I'm going to prove it.'

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Lucy-Ann and Dinah were perishing cold, shocked and tired, so Philip took charge immediately.

'Dinah, go straight upstairs for a hot bath; Lucy-Ann, take your wet things off and when Dinah has finished her bath, it's your turn to have a hot soak. Jack, make a big jug of cocoa and make sure everyone has a mug as soon as possible – and put plenty of sugar in. I'll stoke up the fire in the sitting room and get the room nice and warm.'

Then, seeing the others were still standing in the hall in kind of a daze, he raised his voice a little, 'Come on, quick now or we'll all have pneumonia by morning.'

In the sitting room, Philip drew the heavy curtains against the cold, unfriendly darkness outside. Then he put some big logs on the fire to burn. Kiki was glad to have company again and fluttered about, squawking loudly, 'Don't forget to blow your nose!'

'I can hardly feel my nose, let alone blow it!' laughed Philip. 'But we'll soon thaw out, now the fire is roaring.'

At last the exhausted children were assembled by the blazing fire, all bathed and warm in their dressing gowns and pyjamas, sharing a fresh jug of steaming cocoa and an enormous pile of hot buttered toast.

'I think we need something quick and comforting,' Philip had said. 'Toast is just the thing.' And the children were glad of it.

At last, feeling safe and warm, and cheered by the hot drink and food, they began to feel more like themselves.

'I just want to say sorry again,' said Jack quietly, looking shamefaced.

'Oh Jack, let's forget that part,' said Dinah kindly, for she was fond of Jack.

'Ok, then let's talk about what you saw in the woods,' said Jack.

Dinah shuddered. Taking a deep breath she said, 'I just glimpsed it as it passed between two trees. It was very big, bigger than a man I think... and light brown all over. Brown fur, I think. I couldn't make out a face or anything. I just don't know what it was.'

'It couldn't have been a ... a...' Lucy-Ann hardly dared say the word, in case it made it more real. Finally she said in a whisper, '...a bear? Was it a bear?'

'That occurred to me at the time,' said Dinah, 'but there aren't any wild bears in England these days.'

'No, there aren't,' said Philip firmly.

'Could one have escaped from a zoo?' persisted Lucy-Ann.

'The news reports would have gone crazy if a bear had escaped from a zoo,' said Jack confidently. 'It's not something a zoo could keep quiet about. No, I'm sure it wasn't a bear.'

'Dinah,' said Philip hesitantly. 'Do you think you could have imagined it? After all, Fred did put some strange ideas into our heads.'

'No!' Dinah shouted angrily. 'No! I know I saw something! If you dare to accuse me of making things up I'll make you sorry, Philip!'

Dinah jumped up and looked as if she was about to box Philip's ears. Jack intervened.

'Dinah, please calm down,' he said firmly. 'Philip wasn't accusing you. This is not the time for fighting amongst ourselves.'

Dinah took a deep breath and sat back down, still looking angrily at Philip.

Then she said slowly and determinedly, 'I know there was something there, and I'm going to prove it.'

Dinah's next words took everyone by surprise.

'Lucy-Ann, please will you open your Christmas present from me?'

'Oh, but I thought we'd agreed not to open any until Bill arrived,' said Lucy-Ann hesitantly.

Then seeing Dinah's determined expression, she decided not to argue.

'Well, I will if you really want me to... but will you come with me to get it from under the tree?' she asked, a little afraid to go into the dark conservatory all by herself.

Within a minute the two girls had returned, Lucy-Ann carrying a small parcel wrapped in shiny red paper, and tied with a green bow. She untied the bow and carefully unwrapped the parcel.

'Oh Dinah, a pocket camera! What a wonderful gift!' she exclaimed.

'I'm glad you like it,' said Dinah briskly. 'Now I would like to ask if I may borrow it. Because I intend to go back into that wood – no matter what. I'm going to return to the place where I saw that creature'.

The others gasped.

Dinah continued in a brave, determined voice. 'It must have left footprints. I'm going to photograph them and prove to you all that I don't make up stories'.

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