I am stuck in my room because I have been grounded – all day.  It’s so not fair because I was supposed to go London Zoo with Annabel (who is my BFF by the way), but mum said after what I did last night that I’d be lucky if I ever left the house again.  No way am I staying in this house forever.

I suppose, as I have nothing better to do, I might as well tell you what happened. Last night I pretended to go to bed at the normal time but then I re-dressed and waited until it was nearly nine o’clock.  Then I crept downstairs and tip toed straight past the lounge where mum and dad were watching the telly and out the back door and into the garden.  It was easy peasy really.

I was the first one at the den so I felt really pleased with myself.  James came next, then Harry, who looked like he had already been asleep.  His hair was all messy and he was still in his pyjamas.

‘You really don’t look like a secret agent dressed like that,’ I said.

‘Shut up, Stacey or I won’t let you be in the club anymore,’ he said.

‘Can’t do that you made a promise.’

‘Don’t care.’

‘Don’t care,’ I mimicked back.

‘Pack it in you two, we’ve got a job to do remember,’ James said.

We had agreed to sneak through the front gate of number 35 and hide somewhere in the garden.  When we got there, we found a good spot between a broken old greenhouse and a big barrel and we all managed to squeeze in together.  It felt like we waited a long time and I’m sure Harry fell asleep as he was snoring.  His head fell on my shoulder so I nudged him in the ribs.  Just then, a light came on in the house.

‘I think they’re here,’ I whispered.

We couldn’t see much from where we were hiding.

‘Let’s spread out and get a closer look,’ I said.

‘Who said you could be in charge of this club?’ Harry said. ‘Since you joined all you’ve done is boss us about.’

‘I’m not bossing, I got this information and this was my plan that’s all,’ I said. ‘Anyway you two are rubbish.  You didn’t find out anything.’

‘Yes we did, we found out lots of things, we just didn’t tell YOU.’

That was when I realised we were both standing up, facing each other and almost shouting.

‘Excuse me, what do you think you are doing in my garden at this time of night?’

When we heard his voice, Harry and I both froze.

‘This is your entire fault,’ Harry said, poking me in the chest.

‘No it’s not, you started it,’ I snapped back.

‘No you started it.’

‘Liar.’

‘Liar.’

‘When you’ve quite finished, would one of you like to explain what this is all about?’

I looked at Harry and we both turned to face the man, who we presumed was Brian.  I clutched my cross tightly and hoped that Harry’s garlic breath would be bad enough to save us both.

‘We…we lost our ball in your garden and when we came in to look we couldn’t find it and then we…he started arguing because Harry was the one who threw it in here but he said that I threw it in but I didn’t so…’

‘What are you doing out at this time of night? You should be in bed.  Do your parents know where you are?’

‘Yes,’ I said.

‘No,’ Harry said, so I nudged him in the ribs.

‘Idiot,’ I whispered.

‘Well we better go find out which one of you is telling the truth then shan’t we?’ Said Brian.  He took us both by the arm and started to drag us out of the garden.  I looked all around for James but he was nowhere to be seen.

‘Don’t be worrying about your ball,’ said Brian, ‘whatever lands on my property becomes my property and I don’t want to ever see you two in here again or you will become my property as well do you understand?’

I nodded.

‘Please don’t eat us,’ Harry said.

‘What are you talking about,’ said Brian, ‘blooming kids.’

Brian marched us over to Harry’s house first. He explained to Mrs Smith that he had found us in his garden and could she please make sure that her child does not escape the house in the future and that if he ever trespassed on his property again he would not be so understanding.  Mrs Smith looked so shocked that all she could do was nod.

At my house, the same thing happened, but as soon as Brian left and I was inside, mum and dad went ballistic.

‘What are you doing sneaking out of the house at this time of night?’

‘Why were you in the garden at number 35?’

‘You’ve got no idea who that man is. Don’t you know anything about stranger danger?’

These were not questions that they expected me to answer they just threw them at me one after the other until both felt they had said everything they needed to say.  Then they just looked at me.

‘At least you know who Brian from number 35 is now eh?’  I said.

That was when I was grounded and sent to my room.

 

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