The lid of the trunk opened, and Harvey climbed out. His face beamed happily at seeing the cat. “Have you come to play with me?” Junket ran up and rubbed around Harvey’s legs before jumping inside the trunk; Harvey climbed in after him and closed the lid. It was well into the afternoon before Junket was missed, Sally looked everywhere for him; usually he would spend most of the day snoozing on her bed or in a sunny spot in front of a window, but he wasn’t any where to be seen, he still had another two or three days before he was allowed out into the garden, so he had to be somewhere in the house. James was in his room sorting things out for school when Sally ran in. The holidays were almost over and they were due to start at their new school in a few days, James was feeling nervous and wanted to be completely prepared. He looked up, annoyed at being interrupted. “Have you seen Junket?” asked Sally breathlessly, looking around the room. “Not since this morning,” he said uninterestedly as he gathered his books together. Sally hesitated before running back out into the hallway. He must still be up stairs in the attic, she thought. Sally made her way along the hall to the door that opened onto the attic stairs; she opened it, hesitating briefly before placing one foot onto the bottom step. Sally looked up through the darkness to the attic door. Her stomach flip- flopped slightly, and then gritting her teeth she walked the rest of the way up to the top and opened the door. “Junket, are you in there?” her voice seemed overly loud as she peered around the door. She stepped inside; everything was normal, apart from the chill that is. “Junket, where are you?” she whispered hoarsely. The door behind Sally closed quietly, completely unnoticed by her as she walked into the room. She walked across to the trunk and saw that the padlock was hanging open. “Junket, are you in there?” Grasping hold of the heavy lid, Sally managed to heave it open; there was no sign of anyone inside, she was about to close it when a faint meow came from beneath the blankets, and a voice asked. “Have you come to play with me?” Another faint meow answered. Without thinking Sally climbed up and into the trunk, as she sank down among the blankets Harvey said. “Hello, have you come to play with me as well?” Sally screamed and fainted as the lid closed… trapping her inside the trunk.
Chapter Four Vicky was preparing dinner when James came into the kitchen helping himself to a biscuit from out of the biscuit jar. “Hey, dinner’s nearly ready,” said Vicky slapping his hand. “Just one Mum, I’m starving, by the way, did Sally find Junket? “I didn’t know he was missing, he didn’t go outside at all did he? It’s too soon.” “Who’s missing?” asked Bruce as he entered the kitchen. “Junket, Dad, Sally’s looking for him, or at least she was, I haven’t seen her for a while either. “Well, I’m about to put dinner out so if you two could round her up, I would appreciate it,” said Vicky, straining the potatoes ready for mashing. “Okay luv,” said Bruce turning around to go back out the door. “James you run and check upstairs and I’ll scout around down here, okay?” “Sally, dinners ready,” called James as he raced up the stairs two at a time. His father meanwhile searched all of the ground floor before going outside to look in the garden, ten minutes later they met back in the kitchen… without Sally. “When was the last time you saw her?” Bruce asked his son, worry etched across his brow. “A couple of hours ago, she came into my room looking for Junket.” “Are you certain you checked everywhere?” asked his father. “Yes…except.” “Except what?” “I didn’t check the attic,” fear flickered across James’ eyes. “The attic was the last time we saw Junket. I’ll bet he got locked up there this morning when we left, and that’ll be where Sally went to look for him.” “Two hours ago?” said Vicky looking concerned. James turned and ran out of the kitchen, his face white,” Come on!” he yelled, as he raced into the hall and up the stairs, running along the corridor past the bedrooms, heading towards the door at the bottom of the attic stairs, his parents followed anxiously behind. Reaching the top of the stairs, James hesitated, then took a deep breath and opened the door; pushing it wide before walking inside; Vicky and Bruce were right behind him. “She’s not here,” said James as he looked around. He shivered as the cold air hit him, feeling frightened he walked across the room
to the trunk. “Look.” James pointed to a piece of pink materiel poking out from under the lid of the trunk. His mother touched it, “It’s from the dress she was wearing this morning; it’s caught under the lid of the trunk. Bruce leapt forward and grabbed hold of the padlock trying unsuccessfully to break it open. “She can’t be in there, there’s no way she could have opened it, climbed in and then locked it again,” he said, panic making him angry as he tried once more to force the lock. “Maybe Sally had some help,” said James quietly. His parents both looked at him. “What do you mean?” asked his father. James then told his mum and dad about Harvey, his face pale as he described what happened the day before. His parents stood there in disbelief before Vicky, getting herself under control, sprang into action. “Fetch the crowbar Bruce, I’m calling the police and ambulance.” Vicky turned and raced back out of the door and down the stairs. A few minutes later Bruce came back into the room carrying a small crowbar. “The police are on their way, and so is an ambulance,” said Vicky, following her husband back up to the attic. James stood watching as his father fitted the crowbar into the U of the lock and twisted; the padlock was thick and heavy, resisting Bruce’s attempts to break it open. Bruce tried again, this time wrenching the lock, still intact, along with part of the lid, and breaking them off the trunk together in one piece. Dropping the crowbar to the floor Bruce threw open the lid, a strong smell of lavender assailed his senses. At the same time the police and ambulance sirens could be heard coming along the road before turning into the driveway. “Sally! Sally!” screamed Vicky. Sally was lying on top of the old blankets not moving. Bruce lifted her out, laying her gently on the floor and started to give CPR. James meanwhile ran down to let the police in; the ambulance had also pulled up alongside the police car. The paramedics raced up the stairs following James and took over from Bruce. “She was locked inside the trunk,” gasped Bruce, as he anxiously watched the paramedics go to work on his daughter. The police meanwhile started to look through the trunk, a loud meow of protest sounded from beneath the blankets and Junket jumped out startling them. 16