It’s not fair! ... that we can’t stay
It was the summer holiday, and the most perfect one ever. Kitty’s parents had rented a little cottage in the heart of the country. It wsn’t big or grand : a sitting room, a kitchen, two littel bedrooms, and a bathroom under a tatched roof – that’s all. But Kitty loved it.
She and Daniel had to share a room, which normally they hated – but that couldn’t spoiler their holiday. They hardly ever quarrelled – not here.
For two whole weeks she and Daniel ran wild, like little squirrels – climbing trees, playing hide and seek in the big garden, going for long walks in the woods with Mum and Dad.
“ I’ve never had such a lovely time,” Kitty said.
But now it was the last day. Dad was sweeping the stone floor of the little kitchen, and Mum was upstairs, packing their bags. It was over. And Kitty couldn’t bear it.
Dad found her sitting by the sitting-room window, looking out across the fields, witha very sulky look on her face.
“Mum’s calling you Kit”, he said. “You’ve to go and start packing your toys”. Kitty said nothing. “Come on, what’s the matter?” asked Dad. “Doan’t wanna go back, noffair”, she mum-bled without turning round. Dad laughed “What are you complaining about now?”
Kitty swung round to face him, andfolded her arms. “I said it’s not fair we can’t stay,” she said, crossly. “I don’t want to go back to our boring old house, in the boring old town, and go to boring old school. I want to stay here ever and ever.” “But you cna’t Kit,” said Dad. “I know, and it’s not FAIR,” shouted Kitty, bursting into tears and running out of the room.
An hour later Dad carried the suitcases downstairs, and put them in the car. Daniel was helping. Mum was tigying the sitting room. But there was no sign of Kitty. “Kitty!” Mum called, sounding worried. “What’s wrong?”, asked Dad. Mum rushed past him, and looked into the downstairs toilet. “Oh where is that girl?” she said.
They looked everuwhere – under the beds, in the bathroom, in the wardrobe, behind the sofa, under the tables, even in the wicker basket on the landing. But there was no sign of Kitty.
Daniel called her name loudly. “Oh...she wouldn’t off and get lost, would seh?” Mum asked, in a very anxious voice. “Noway”, said Dad. “She knows that would be wrong and silly, and I know she’d never do it. No – she’s hiding, that’s all. Seha doens’t want to go home”.
“Well, she’s found a really good hiding place,” said Daniel, rather pleased at the thought that his sister was going to get into trouble. “So how can we get her out of it?” ,ur,ered Dad. “Hmm... maybe I’ve got a plan...”
At the moment Kitty was sitting in the one place they hadn’t thought of looking : tha little lean-to shed where old deck-chairs were kept. Or at least – Mum had just looked in the door. There was a spider’s web over a hole in the glass. “Ugh Kitty would neevr go in there,” she thought.
But Kitty hid behind two stacked deck-chairs, feeling very pleased with herself. “Now they won’t be able to go”, she said to herself. Juast than she heard Dad calling. “We’re off now, Kit” he shouted, “So if you don’t want to come with us, you can stay here.” “Goodbye,” shouted Mu, and Daniel. “Ha, if they think I’d fall for that one...” smiled Kitty. But then she heard the car doors slam, then the engine start, and then the sound of the car driving away. She waited for a while, not believing waht seh had heard. It was quiet, very quiet. Something rustled at the back of the shed, and a spider ran across the floor. Kitty decided she had been in there long enough.
She scrept from her hiding place, and stood listening. Not a sound. The holiday cottage that had been full of family noise was now silent and empty, and Kitty didn’t like it. Bue she knew she had to be brave. “Right then, I’ll go and read my book in the sittng room... the I’ll go for a walk, then...” she said, in a small voice.
It was very quiet. Slowly she walked up to the back door and pushed it open. It was funny – she had neve
