Chapter 4

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Amelia dreamed. A voice whispered, she recognised it, but she couldn’t figure out who it belonged to. She was chasing the voice, reaching out for it. As the voice calmed it was more understandable. Her mothers. Amelia gazed around searching for her, she had last seen her when she was only five, but she still remembered her sweet smile. Her voice like fluffy clouds. She felt like a part of her was complete, a jigsaw puzzle , finished.

She woke up with a start. The morning light shone through the shattered glass. Amelia realised it was a dream. Ella was still dozing, but Stella was cleaning her ginger-bread coloured fur. She stopped, licking her now snow-white paw and stared at Amelia, her emerald green eyes shining. Amelia opened one of the card-board boxes in the corner, the brass key was hidden under piles of paper. Then glanced out of the shed window, to check nobody was coming, and woke up Ella. All three of them turned the key and swung open the door. ‘’By all the ticks and tocks, it’s time to get back what is rightfully yours.’’ Stella squicked, ‘’I saw the professor early this morning, they were getting their airship ready.

Seconds later, the gang of three not-so-known musketeers scrambled over the wall, near the shed, running towards the airship. The crackling fires screamed and the balloon filled rapidly. They watched as the professor carried a small wooden box, the right side for a locket to fit inside, on board and gently placed it in a case with a padlock.’’He really does not want anyone to get it,’’ Ella whispered. As the professor strode back to Manor House, Amelia mumbled, ‘’come on, this is our chance’’.

crawling across the grass, Ella searched for the nearest and easiest path to the ship, the children and the mechanimal just behind her. Although when they all arrived at the chest there was a code instead of a keyhole.’’How are we going to get the code?’’Stella protested. Amelia tried the date of when her father finished the spreadsheet. The padlock fell like a tower of cards. Inside was the macguffin with John Brown’s designs.

“Grab them, they are thieves, ‘ roared the professor, running towards the metal airship, tripping over his stained lab coat. Without thinking, Amelia pulled the long, trailing rope, releasing the ship from the ground, and tugged at the hook.

Straight away the airship took to the air, getting higher and higher. Below them the professor was shouting and shaking his fist. Tired and out of breath, he spluttered insults at the three, but by now they were so high, they could n’t hear what he was saying.

Just as they thought they were safe, muffled shouting and struggling echoed through the deck. As they searched the ship the sound got louder when they got closer to the cabin. John Brown sat there tied up with thick rope. Amelia leaped onto him and told their adventure so far.

‘Let’s go,’ he said, taking control and stearing the ship. ‘We will find someplace to land the ship and find a police station. I do not think he will be bothering us any more’’.

Amelia and Ella gazed at the world going by, houses were now like grains of rice, all the roads like pieces of string. Stella curled up at Amelias feet as she buttoned up her fur coat. A few odd snowflakes pirouetted in the sky and kissed her cheek. It was nearly Christmas and this one she would spend it with family and friends.