The Christmas of Adventure

©2015 June E.

Philip, Dinah, Jack and Lucy-Ann are excited at the prospect of spending their first Christmas together, but by Christmas Eve all their plans lie in ruins. Things get even worse when a severe snowstorm brings the country to a standstill and leaves Bill snowbound, hundreds of miles away. Forced to fend for themselves in Bill's remote moorland cottage, rumours abound of a strange and terrifying creature lurking in the woods nearby... and with a ruthless thief on the loose, striking at night and stealing birds from the local Sanctuary, the scene is set for a frightening and perilous adventure. Can they stop the thief before it's too late? Or will Kiki be the robber's next victim?

Chapter 18: 'Let us in, quick, it's after us!'

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Lying face down on the snowy ground, with Dinah trembling beside him, Jack thought quickly. He had no idea what kind of creature Dinah had seen, but it might be dangerous. He certainly didn't want to risk meeting it in the middle of a lonely wood. But there was a good chance it hadn't noticed them – if so, all they had to do was find a hiding place until it the coast was clear and the creature passed by.

Looking behind him, Jack could see that the ground fell away quite steeply for about ten feet, as it dipped down to the bed of the stream. Beyond the stream, the ground levelled out a little, and then gave way to a clearing of rocks and boulders. Beyond that, the wood became dense with trees once again. He knew that if they scrambled down the bank they would be out of sight; then they could cross the stream and find a hiding place amongst the boulders until the creature passed by.

Jack grabbed Dinah's arm.

'Keep close to me,' he whispered. 'Stay down low so you won't seen, and back up slowly.'

Still lying face down in the snow, Jack slithered and scrambled backwards, keeping his body as low as possible. Dinah followed, keeping as close to Jack as possible. She felt sure that if she raised her head, the creature would see her. Then suddenly, they both had a nasty shock – they had forgotten how close they were to the stream, and now they were crawling backwards through the ice cold water! Instantly the freezing water soaked through their clothes and even into their boots. As they crawled, it felt like their hands and knees were being lashed by icy, stinging whips. Dinah's teeth started to chatter, and she was dripping wet. She shivered, though she was not sure if she was shivering through cold or through sheer terror.

'It feels as if that icy water has soaked through into my very bones,' she said to herself.

The sharp pebbles of the stream bed made it painful to crawl, but they pressed on steadily – anything was better than being caught by that strange woodland creature!

Safely over the stream, Jack and Dinah continued to scramble across the snowy ground, still keeping as low as they possibly could. Jack pointed to some boulders, and together they crept behind the largest one where they would be well hidden; at last they could sit up and catch their breath. Sitting still, with their backs against the boulder, they both listened hard. Then Dinah's eyes darted to Jack's cold, pale face. Seeing his alarmed expression she knew that he heard it too – slow, heavy footsteps in the distance, and every now and then the sharp snap of a twig or fallen tree branch as if the heavy creature's great feet were tramping and crashing through the forest.

'I'm going to take a look – I need to see what this thing is – and where it is,' whispered Jack. Then, taking the utmost care, he peered around the edge of the boulder.

'I can't see it,' he whispered. 'At least... I'm not sure. There is a huge brown shape a good way beyond the stream, but it might just be a boulder.'

'Let me see', whispered Dinah. Jack moved back to let Dinah take a look. Half a second alter she pulled back her head sharply.

'Phew!' she whispered softly. 'That was close. It nearly saw me. It's over the other side of the stream, as you said, and now it's tramping about on the bank – it seems to be going round in circles... no, wait, it's looking at the footprints and tracks we made in the snow!'

Jack looked alarmed.

'I'm afraid it won't be long before it realises we crossed the stream, and then it will pick up our trail easily. We made huge tracks as we crawled through the snow, and they lead directly to this hiding place.'

Jack and Dinah stared at each other, wondering what on earth to do. Once again, Jack thought quickly.

'We'll have to make a run for it,' he whispered doubtfully. 'I really don't know what else we can do.'

Dinah peered out once again, and this time she looked happier.

'It's sitting down on a tree stump with its back to us,' she said, sounding relieved.

'Then this is the best chance we have to get away unseen,' said Jack, feeling more confident.

Dinah hesitated.

'Hang on for just a minute,' pleaded Dinah. 'Sixty seconds, that's all I ask.'

And to Jack's amazement, she started to rummage in her coat pocket, quickly pulling out Lucy-Ann's camera! Before Jack could protest, Dinah peered out from behind the rock once more. Quick as a flash she whipped out the camera and click! Then she darted back behind the rock with a horrified expression.

'The creature's jumped to its feet and is looking around,' she whispered, hardly making a sound. It must have heard the click of the camera! Oh Jack, I'm so sorry.'

Dinah slipped the camera back into her pocket and grabbed Jack's arm, looking at his face enquiringly. Taking his courage in both hands, Jack mouthed forcefully, 'We have to go now! Quiet as you can.'

Crouching low, the two friends kept under the cover of the boulder and headed back into the forest. They dared not to look behind – they just pressed on as swiftly and quietly as they could. Only when they were well hidden in a clump of dense trees did Dinah take a good look back.

'The creature's on the move!' she hissed. 'I think it's picked up our trail. It's coming this way! Jack, we've got to run!'

Taking her hand, Jack started to run full pelt, no longer concerned about being heard by the creature, for it was too late for that. Dinah struggled to keep up, but her terror kept her going, and she bounded through the snow, sometimes slipping and falling, but instantly leaping up and plunging on once more. Behind them they could hear rustling and cracking of twigs, and occasionally a sound like a heavy footstep, as if the huge creature's enormous feet were pounding the ground.

The children had the advantage of being swift runners, but even so, the effort of running in deep snow soon took its toll. Their pace slowed, and their breath came in great painful gasps. But still they pushed on – using every bit of the energy and strength – for they simply couldn't risk being caught by the furry woodland beast.

Then, just when their energy was almost gone, Jack spotted the sanctuary's boundary fence.

'Open the fence!' he yelled – or tried to yell – but he didn't have enough breath left, he couldn't make more than a hoarse, desperate whisper.

Philip and Lucy-Ann got the shock of their lives when he appeared out of nowhere, with Dinah close behind, and fell upon the wire fence.

'Let us in, quick, it's after us!' he begged.

As fast as he could, Philip pulled open the two cuts edges of the fence, and an exhausted Jack and Dinah lunged at it, stumbling and staggering inside.

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