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I
had the whole of my spine, head included, pressed like a sardine up
against the cold clammy wall. My breath was turning into jets of steam as
it met the rays of light that shone from the window. My fingers were cold
and all the joints in my body felt stiff. It seemed an age before I turned
and looked into the window.
And
then I did it.
My
heart was in my mouth. Standing in front of me was a big black figure
towering over above me, with a hand and only one leg. I must have squealed
or something to upset Simeon because he fell into me and found himself
looking as well.
I
don't know who began laughing first. I think we started both together. It
took about thirty seconds to realise it wasn't a big black monster at all
but a tailor's dummy placed right in front of the window. Out laughing
became louder and louder and I kept pushing Simeon on the shoulder and
giggling, then he'd do the same to me. It was all so silly.
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But
then Simeon's laugher stopped and his expression changed. I didn't notice
this at first because I couldn't see what he could see over my shoulder
through the window. I kept giggling and pushing him, but his forehead had
furrowed and his face, pale enough in this light anyway, seemed to have
become starved of blood, and in a short moment his eyes seemed to have
turned to slits. I gradually got the gist that something was up and felt a
cold shudder up my spine even before I turned round and saw it. I twisted
my neck round, swivelling my gaze to catch a peek of what Simeon could see
in full glory. It was a white ghostly figure floating down the bare floor
boards of the room towards the tailor's dummy and towards us. All I can
say is that this had the same effect upon me as a super powered laxative.
Suddenly I was running.
But
it was not so easy to leave as it had been to arrive. Blackness descended
upon us. The window light had been obliterated - and the moon was no help
as it was |