BooksBarbecue
Back The Chalet Save as PDF
Chapters (75)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise for The Chalet
  3. Dedication
  4. PART ONE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. PART TWO
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. PART THREE
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. Epilogue
  71. Acknowledgements
  72. Keep Reading …
  73. Prologue
  74. About the Author
  75. About the Publisher

I was sitting on the floor by the door with Teddy, crying and shouting for Mama. I’d been shouting for so long that my throat hurt. I fell silent as I heard the voice. It sounded kind. But Mama always told me that almost no one was kind, that even people who seemed nice and friendly could change in an instant, and that I had to be very careful about who I trusted.

I stood up. ‘I’m hungry,’ I wailed. ‘And I haven’t got any food.’

‘Oh dear,’ said the voice. It was a lady’s voice. ‘Is your mummy there?’

‘No.’

‘Your daddy?’

‘A long way away.’

‘I see. Where’s your mummy?’

‘I don’t know. Maybe she went to the shops, but she didn’t come back.’

‘OK, dear. Don’t worry, we’re going to sort this out. You and me together. How long have you been there on your own?’

‘I don’t know. Quite long.’

‘Can you open the door for me?’

‘I’m not allowed. There might be bad people. And it’s stuck. I wanted to go to the shops to get some food because I haven’t got any left, but I couldn’t make the door open and now my tummy hurts and …’

It was hard to speak I was crying so much.

‘Shhh dear, don’t cry. I’m going to help you. We’ll get you out and get you some food and find your mummy. I’m going to call someone now who can help us open the door and then I’m going to stay and talk to you until they arrive. Does that sound OK?’

I nodded, forgetting that the nice lady couldn’t see me.

‘Does that sound OK, dear?’

‘Yes.’

‘You stay there while I pop back into my house to call someone. I’ll be straight back, I promise. Can you do that for me? Be a brave girl for two minutes?’

‘Yes.’

‘Good girl. I promise I’ll be back as quick as I can.’

The lady went away and I sat by the door clutching Teddy tight. I hoped the lady would come back soon. My tummy was really hurting. I didn’t have to wait very long though until the letterbox opened again and the lady was back.

‘OK, dear, the police are coming. They’ll be able to open the door to let you out and help you find your mummy.’

‘Can I have something to eat?’

‘Of course, poppet. They’ll give you some food as soon as they can once they get you out – they said on the phone that they don’t want me to give you anything yet. A doctor needs to take a little look at you first. But I’m sure that won’t take long. Now, would you like to play a game while we wait?’

‘Yes please. Or we could sing a song?’