1. GEORGE HAS A PERFECTLY WRETCHED TIME

Chapter 15 - I TOLD YOU THIS WOULD BE DARKER THAN THE FAMOUS FIVE BOOK

George managed to get a copy of the keys to the mansion without Roland noticing and he told Liam the whole story and what he was planning to do. They had grown even closer in the past few weeks and had fallen in love completely. Liam decided that he wanted to search the mansion instead of George

''You really don't have to do it for me, I want to do it'' George told him

''I want to do it, I don't want you to put yourself at risk. You can keep guard outside and call me on the smartphone if anyone comes back while I'm there. one of us needs to do that don't they''

''Yeah ok I guess' George still wanted to go in himself but if Liam wanted to do it then he could ''Just make sure you search the place from top to bottom''

''I will I promise''

They made their way to the mansion feeling nervous and waited for Joanna to go out and then Liam made his way inside. George waited outside in the copse to keep guard.

Liam started searching the rooms but there was nothing there to find.

Outside George was watching the mansion intently and didn't notice when Roland came up behind him and hit him over the head, knocking him out. Just like George didn't notice when Roland took his smartphone and installed tracking software and then put the phone back without him even knowing it was gone. It really was incredible to Roland how in the year 2021 people were still deluding themselves that they had privacy in the age of smartphones and social media. People were still underestimating the power of technology and the increasingly intrusive ways to track people and see what they are doing.

Furthermore, it was incredibly naive of George to think that Roland wouldn't find a way to keep track of his movements, not now that George had followed him and found the mansion. He had this idea that George would return to search the mansion and might even make a copy of the keys. So he had left the keys where they were particularly easy to find. George, Georgina, whatever this wretched child's name was, she/he was clever but not as clever as Roland.

Inside the mansion, Liam was about to give up the search, there seemed to be nothing to find. He was standing in the lounge room when he realized his shoelaces needed tying so he bent to do them up and leaned against the wall, to his surprise the panel moved and opened up to reveal a hidden doorway behind it. Excited and intrigued Liam open it and there was a flight of stairs into total darkness. Using the torch on his smartphone he went down into what appeared to be some sort of secret passageway under the mansion. He walked along the passage, it seemed quite long. Eventually, he came to a locked door, the key was hanging on a hook next to the door and he opened it and went in.

What happened next shocked and horrified him. There was Mr. Kirrin, George's father, Liam recognized him having met him at George's school a few times. He was chained to a wall and looked completely wretched. it didn't look like he had had a wash or a shave or eaten much for weeks. He looked pale and scared

''Mr. Kirrin?'' he whispered, terrified ''It's Liam, George's friend from school. What is happening here?''

''It's Roland, the man insane. He is going to kill me so that he can be with my wife '' Quentin replied rather feebly, he didn't seem to have a lot of strength ''How did you get in here anyway?''

''Never mind that now, we need to get out of here, I will unchain you and we'll go and get help''

Liam started to try and release Quentin but he was very shocked and scared and his hands were shaking.

''LIAM LOOK OUT'' Quentin suddenly cried, but it was too late. Roland came up behind Liam and put a hand around his throat, he was holding a knife in his hand which he put to Liam's throat.