I took a long time to sharpen my pencil, until I could tell Mum’s patience was running out again. With a nice point ready to go, and my tongue sticking out in its thinking hard and writing position, I made a start.

David did a lot of things to make him a good king when he grew up. What you do when you are a kid shows a lot about what you will be like when you are grown up. My mum is always telling me I am limiting my choices because I don’t do as I’m told, and I’m pretty sure David knew about this from his own dad when he was small. So to be a good king he did all the family washing on Saturdays, never argued with his brothers and sisters, which I think would have been hard because he might have been Catholic and they have quite a big number of children. And he did very well in Ye Olde Worldy Union Exams ever year.

I was actually pretty pleased with myself about this answer. It made me forget about Mr Johnson for a minute, but then I saw him in my thinking and my guts went all squirmy again. Mum finished helping Caleb colour in the story of Joseph and the coat of many colours. I would quite like to have helped with that because I enjoy colouring in and I am very good at it. She then checked Ruthy’s work and told her it was outstanding. I was actually looking forward to her reading mine, because I thought I might have nailed it.

When Mum read my work, her face changed colour to a bright red that clashed with her auburn hair. She grabbed me by the ear and dragged me outside. She smacked me on the backside and pushed me into the laundry and told me to stay there until my dad came home. She turned the key and took it out of the lock from the outside, so I was trapped. I sat on the stool in the corner, worried about what Dad would say. I also hoped Ruthy wouldn’t write about this in her notebook for Daniel to read. I think he would be particularly sad if I’d made a mistake that concerned the Bible.

After a while Caleb came out and spoke to me through the hole under the handle of the wooden door.

‘Are you or-right, Dorcas?’ he whispered.

‘Yeah. It’s really good in here. Better than being out there. There’s a kitten and a little green and white bird here to play with. It’s the best really.’

‘Aw. No there isn’t, Dorcas … is there?’ he asked, and I saw his eye through the hole in the door, trying to check out the animal story. ‘Anyway, I’m sorry you got into trouble. Ruthy read your answer and she said it was quite well-written for you. Here’s an orange snake you can have. I’m sorry it’s an orange one but I ate all the others.’