I was in position now. All I could do was read my book and wait for Mother’s return. When she opened the door, everything would become clear and I would finally know the truth. Even if it killed me.

Chapter 12

The grandfather clock struck six o’clock, droning the hour in its loud, rough voice. The sound tugged me out of my book. I looked round at its hideous face and wondered where Mother was. She rarely stayed out this late.

I re-read my last paragraph. Mary was about to show Colin the secret garden. I couldn’t wait to see Colin’s reaction. With a jarring shudder, it occurred to me that I might not live to read on and see it. I might never find out how the story ended. I would never know if Mary Lennox ended up happy.

Then I heard it. A crunchy growl of wheels. A grumbling engine. The slam of a door. She was right outside, right now.

My heart flip-flopped and I placed my book on the floor beside the rocking chair and stood up. It was too late to turn back.

The front door clicked and I jumped as it inched open and a band of light raced towards me across the floorboards. As the door opened wider, the band grew, stretching across the floor and lengthening, running diagonally across the narrow hallway towards the living room door and me. The light was white. My eyes tingled but I fixed my gaze on that ever-growing light.

The door stood open about a hand’s width and remained in that state. The light had not yet reached my feet. I looked down at my bare toes. They were an inch away from the band of sunlight. All I had to do was lift one foot and take a step forward and I would know. But fear was my enemy and sucked my courage away. I stood, frozen to the spot. Behind me the rocking chair still rocked, creaking on and on and on as if it could creak on, moved by some unseen presence, for all of eternity.

A bag flew through the front doorway. I stared at the brown paper bag as it tried to stay upright, then flopped onto its side. A red apple rolled across the floor, escaping the collapsed bag, only stopping when it hit the wall to my left.

Mother will kill me when she sees me standing here.

Not if the light kills you first.

Clarabelle’s voice came from above sending loud, frightened cries through the ceiling, cries that pierced my heart and gave me courage.

Another bag and another thumped onto the floor and the door drifted open a little further.