Katy Parker and the House that Cried by Margaret Mulligan

Author:Margaret Mulligan
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781472908797
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2015-11-11T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

Friend or Foe?

Sunday arrived and Katy realised with some surprise that they had completed a full week in 1942. After supper, Charlie called round and they all lounged on the floor in the parlour, listening to their favourite radio programme. Afterwards, Charlie got out a pack of cards and they played a game called ‘Chase the Ace’.

They were just beginning another game, when they became aware of the now familiar sound of enemy aircraft flying overhead. Katy and Patrick had quickly learnt to recognise the droning noise that the bombers made as they passed over Knutsburry on their way to bomb the Liverpool docks.

“Come on, quick,” shouted the twins, leaping up and racing to the attic stairs to get a better view of the action. At first this ritual had scared Katy and Patrick. They were afraid a bomb would be dropped on Willow Dene by a passing plane. But Charlie had quickly reassured them, saying, “Nothing worth bombing in Knutsburry. Most exciting thing to happen here was when a German plane dropped loads of leaflets saying we should surrender – that an invasion was imminent.”

They watched from the attic window in excited silence as the sky above Liverpool blazed with light. Brilliant white flashes from anti–aircraft fire lit up the night sky like a Christmas tree, filling it with an eerie orange glow. Suddenly, the sound of the aircraft changed.

“What’s that? Listen you lot. Shush,” called out Charlie urgently.

From their vantage point the children could see a plane; it seemed to be faltering, losing speed and height. It had clearly been left behind the rest of its squadron.

“It’s coming down – look! I don’t believe it,” shouted Frank in amazement. Charlie and Harry both cheered, going wild with excitement. Patrick and Katy looked at each other, unsure of how to react.

“What’s that? Can you see it?” shouted Charlie. “It’s an airman! He’s parachuted out!”

They watched in astonishment, as the man seemed to float gently down to earth, like a descending angel of doom. Next, they heard a distant thud, as the aircraft hit the ground in a nearby field. The children stood staring at one another in a stupefied silence.

Quickly, Charlie sprang into action. “They’ve come down in Mossop’s field! If we take the shortcut through the woods we can get to them before anyone else arrives. I bet we’ll find some cracking souvenirs to trade at school!”

“We could take the pilot prisoner and hand him to the police,” agreed Frank

“Let’s do it,” cried Charlie and Harry in unison. “We’ll be heroes!”

“But what about Mrs Graham,” said Katy nervously. The last thing she wanted to do was upset Mrs Graham after she’d been so kind to them. “Won’t she worry if she finds we’re all gone?”

“Don’t worry about Mum – she’s giving Susie a bath and putting her to bed. A routine that’s taking longer and longer since you’ve arrived Katy! She doesn’t like going to bed while we’re all still up – she thinks she’s missing out on fun.

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