Read Online Katy Parker and the House that Cried by Margaret Mulligan - Free Book Online Page A

kiss. She remembered when she was younger, both her mum and dad would come upstairs to tuck her in and say goodnight. She would lie in bed, listening to the sounds of them bustling around in the kitchen. Music from the radio and their muffled conversations would drift up the stairs. But since her dad had started travelling so much for work, things had changed.
    Mrs Graham turned out the light as she left the room. Filled with dread and unable to stop worrying about what tomorrow held in store, Katy tried to get comfortable but even the bed felt different. There were no comfy quilts here but sheets tucked in tightly, with a scratchy blanket on top. Now the light was out, the room was plunged into darkness. Katy remembered learning about the blackout and special curtains in history lessons. It looked nothing like night-time at home, where all the streetlights meant it never became truly dark.
    Patrick whispered through the darkness to Katy, “You OK? You seem a bit upset.”
    â€œWell that’s hardly surprising, given the circumstances. I think ‘upset’ would be considered normal by most people. But then you’re not most people,” Katy huffed in annoyance.
    Ignoring Katy’s temper, Patrick continued, “What do you think of the twins? How weird is it meeting the younger version of Charlie? It’s so strange – I love it! I wonder what’s going to happen next. I can’t wait to find out.”
    Forgetting her annoyance, Katy found herself replying, “Well, the twins seem nice but I want to tell them that I’ve got a letter from them in the future and that they live in Filey.”
    â€œWell don’t say anything yet,” urged Patrick. “They’ll just think you’ve lost the plot! We can’t prove anything – no one will believe our story. We can’t risk being sent away from Willow Dene. It’s our only link with our future.”
    â€œI hate to admit it, but I think you’re right,” replied Katy sullenly. “We’ll just have to play along until we can figure this thing out. Do you agree?”
    Silence.
    â€œPatrick,” hissed Katy but no reply came.
    Typical
, thought Katy to herself.
He’s fallen fast asleep, as if this sort of thing happens to him all the time! I bet I lie awake all night.
    Yawning heavily, she closed her eyes and rolled onto her tummy, thoughts of what tomorrow might bring looming large.
    Â 
    Chapter 5
    Old School
    A strange noise woke Katy early the next morning and for a few moments she panicked, unsure of where she was. Slowly, the events of the previous day came flooding back as she looked around the unfamiliar bedroom. Her stomach sank; it hadn’t just been a bad dream.
    What on earth was that terrible noise? Katy quietly crept out of bed and tiptoed over to the window. Pulling the thick blackout curtains to one side, she peered nervously out. In the distance, at the bottom of the garden, she spied a hen house. Upon the roofstood a large cockerel, crowing loudly. It must have still been early as no sound came from anywhere else in the house. Looking at her watch, Katy saw it was still only five o’clock in the morning. Relieved, she crawled back under the covers, pulling them over her head. She lay there thinking of all that had happened since yesterday morning.
    She must have fallen back to sleep as the next thing she knew, Susie was jumping up and down on her bed. “Wake up, Katy, breakfast is ready. Mummy says you need to hurry up.”
    Rubbing her eyes, Katy sat up, stretched and then did a double take when she caught sight of Susie, who appeared to have been in the dressing-up box already. She wore what looked like one of her mum’s frilly nighties, with several long necklaces around her neck; her lips and cheeks were smeared with red lipstick. Over her shoulder hung a small, black, beaded handbag.
    Katy suppressed a giggle and said, “Don’t you look