The Twelve Chimes of Maligna Manor

The Big School Rules

But the longer he stayed in his dad's old room, the more uncomfortable he became. With a bit of hesitation, Ben crept out into the corridor and began to sneak downstairs.

It was still dark outside, and Ben slipped out of his room plunging into the inky darkness of the late autumn morning. For a second Ben felt the darkness wrap around him like a net sprung from the ceiling. It was fortunately short-lived, as Ben quickly found the light of the living room shining bright in the darkness.

The closer he got to the harsh glow of the living room lights, he found himself flinching away from the jagged dance of his Tia's shadow that dogged his steps down the stairs.

Ben had become well-practised at sneaking his way through their old darkened flat and these skills were put to good use. He was down the stairwell and sneaking around the living room door without so much as a squeak.

It hadn't really been his intention to sneak up on his Tia. Ben had fully intended to make his presence known with a knock on the door or a clearing of his throat. When he slipped into the room, however, uncertainty took him, and he refused to let go. Tia Maggie was sitting in her chair with a laptop open bathing her in pale blue light. Whatever it was she was working on it was clearly important because her fingers never left the keys.

Was she working this early? Ben wasn't fully sure what Tia Maggie's job was, but it would have to be something she could do from inside. That probably meant it had to be on a computer and surely nothing else would take this much of her concentration. She probably shouldn't be disturbed. She might get angry. Maybe he could sneak up the stairs back to his room. But what if she heard him leave? Then she would think he had been spying on her. Was he spying on her? He was just standing in the doorway looking at her. But that wasn't spying because he intended to make himself known. Unless he decided not to of course but then....

"Ay Dios." Tia Maggie said with a start.

The laptop nearly slipped to the floor as Tia Maggie recovered from the shock of suddenly seeing her nephew standing silently in her doorway.

"Ben, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that," said Tia Maggie. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

With the suddenness of getting caught, Ben found himself unable to straighten his mind into creating coherent sentences. Any attempt for words to leave his mouth simply sputtered out into silent stammers.

Tia Maggie's initial shock softened on her face as she lowered her laptop screen.

"Lo Siento Ben," she said. "I startle easy. I know you didn't mean to scare me."

A smile spread across Tia Maggie's face, but it wasn't without concern.

"I'm guessing you couldn't sleep?" asked Tia Maggie.

Ben wanted to say something, but he couldn't quite raise a voice. He settled for nodding. That was enough for Tia Maggie who patted the sofa cushion closest to her.

"Come on," she said, "the more flour, the more dough."

Ben hesitated for a moment until he caught the concerned glint in his Tia's eye. She might actually want Ben to sit with her. What an odd thought.

Ben crept up to the sofa and pulled himself up onto the cushion. Tia Maggie smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"I can put the TV on if you'd like?" she asked. "I'm not sure what I'd have that's appropriate, most of the kids' stuff we have here is in Spanish, maybe I could take a look in the cupboard. I think there was some more in there, but I haven't really looked in..."

"I'm okay," said Ben.

"Are you sure?" said Tia Maggie. "You don't have to sit quietly because of me. I'm not doing anything important."