Consider me gone

Opening the bedroom door, Adam emerged onto the landing.

From the kitchen below, he could hear Margaret and Alice talking, snatches of their conversation carrying up the stairs.

Margaret saying "...followed by the police..." was one phrase that stood out. This was closely followed by "...can't be sure they're on their side, though..." and some more discussion that he couldn't quite make out.

The kitchen door must hare opened wiser then, because suddenly he heard the next exchange very clearly. "Look, Molly could be anywhere. We can't rely on her for guidance, but I'm certain she'd agree. We can't let Adam out of our sight; he's got to stay here indefinitely."

This was not what he wanted to hear. But looking down the stairs, he saw why the kitchen door had opened - the front door had blown open.

Adam thought fast. In a few short steps, he could be out of here and on the street; he'd be gone before they realised. And officially, no-one had told him he had to stay, had they.

It didn't take him long to decide. Some ill-defined notion of danger was no competition for acute boredom.

Without turning back, Adam went silently down the staircase and slipped out of the front door of the Wee Hoose.



Part Two begins here.