4. Beware! There’s a loose stone on the step

The step. The dodgy step. I know there’s a loose stone, so usually use the back door, but visitors, occasionally, discover the loose stone themselves. The stone itself isn’t a problem, but when it’s moved, it – sometimes – and I must emphasise sometimes – opens the trap door on the step, delivering visitors to the Sitting Room quicker than they anticipated.

The next visitor discovered the loose stone, but, fortunately for them, the trap door didn’t open. Fortunately for me as well, I hasten to add.

“Lameadventures!” Radiated Miss Duncan, with all the finesse of a Formula One racing car starting up on a frosty winter’s morning.

The Cloaked Figure sat back after flicking away the odd flake of plaster from the cloak (which, incidentally, had fallen from the ceiling as the Head Maid was speaking).

The Cloaked Figure: Who?

Miss Duncan: Lameadventures.

The Cloaked Figure: Lameadventures?

Miss Duncan: Lameadventures.

The Cloaked Figure (looking at Lameadventures): Are you Lameadventures?

Lameadventures, thinking: Of course, creep, I’m Lameadventures.

Lameadventures, saying: No.

The Cloaked Figure: Did you come all this way to make alterations within this sphere?

The Cloaked Figure gestured madly around their person, creating a huge circle with both arms.

Lameadventures: This sphere?

The Cloaked Figure made an even larger circle.

The Cloaked Figure: Yes.

Lameadventures: No.

The Cloaked Figure: No?

Lameadventures: No.

The Cloaked Figure: Not even in a far-fetched way?

Lameadventures: Nothing far-fetched about this: I’m not crossing the pond to find myself creeped out by all the freaks and geeks roaming the Grinds!

The Cloaked Figure: Yet here you are.

Lameadventures: So it seems.

The Cloaked Figure: Lucky that the Gathering finished early then.

Fair alibi from my point of view, I’ll say. I’m used to the Grind-dwellers, but sometimes they can take one by surprise!

Miss Duncan seemed to float in, and ‘helped’ Lameadventures to her feet, before gently persuading her to leave the Sitting Room via the staircase she had revealed under a hidden flap beneath the carpet…