The Mysteries of Brambly Hollow

worry.” Were his prophetic words of wisdom. “At least working from home you can suit yourself about start and finish times, and get really stuck in.”
    Cal was displaying his usual lack of understanding. Yes of course she could try to stop worrying, and yes, she could suit herself about start and finish times; after she saw to the kids and dog, after she cooked the meals, did the laundry, ironing and housework, changed the beds and everything else she had to do. Too weary to point all this out, she picked up her fork and stuffed the cold chip in her mouth, placating herself with the thought that she could always bring it up another time, when she was feeling more feisty.

Chapter 16

    “ What is that infernal racket?” Cal groaned, jamming his pillow over his head.
    Beside him Meli was just stirring, waking from a bizarre dream where she was being chased by rifle totting squirrels, who were taking pot shots at her, peppering her backside with pellets. Focusing her mind she tried to make out what the noise was. It sounded like a wolf howling and yapping. “Wolf,” she yawned. Half registering that there weren’t many wolves in Devon, she changed her assessment and put the blame on a dog. “‘spect it will stop soon,” she mumbled, rolling over, blearily confident that whoever the owner was they would soon shut it up. But they didn’t. Meli tried Cal’s tactic, and rammed a pillow over her ears, but it was useless. In the end she threw the pillow across the room, just missing David’s head as he opened the door. He watched it whiz over his shoulder. Lifting a hand he rubbed at sleep blurry eyes, as though not quite sure what he had just seen.
    “Quassi has got out,” he informed them.
    “Quassi?” repeated Cal, emerging from the pillow as he rolled over.
    “Yeah, he’s outside, can’t you hear him hollering?”
    Meli was inches behind Cal as he scrambled from the bed and hot-footed it to the window. Sure enough, Quassi was visible, standing on a small grassy knoll with his head back howling for all he was worth at the heavens, where a full round moon posed like a prize cheese on a diamond studded velvet blanket. Beside her, Meli felt Cal’s body droop despondently.
    “Come on, we’ve got to shut him up before he wakes the entire village,” Meli ordered, taking command. Yanking on her own dressing gown, she hurled Cal’s at him as he hunted down his slippers. One after the other, they raced down the dark staircase.
    The front door was open. Both parents stiffened, and Meli gave Cal a look which clearly said I told you so. They both glanced beyond the doorway, into the blackness. Who had opened it? Cal picked up a walking stick that had sat in the corner gathering dust and cobwebs since they moved in. Thankfully several lights were now on in the house, spilling into the darkness from every orifice. Stepping outside he shivered as he headed for Quassi. He cursed when he stepped in a cowpat, feeling the cold inner gunge puddle up as his foot broke through the crusty topping and seeped over his slipper. Lifting his foot sideways, he gave it a good shake. The racket outside was terrible. With gathering speed he closed on Quassi, who’s body was crouched low to the ground, his neck elongated as he bayed wolf-like at the moon that was suspended on the upturned limbs of the black trees. He shivered again, this time an icy shiver of fear. Guardedly he swivelled his eyes, surveying the immediate vicinity, his fingers tightening automatically on the carved handle pressed into his palm, ready to beat the living daylights out of any skulking nocturnal creatures. Nothing else moved. Reaching Quassi he grabbed him unceremoniously by the collar, choking off the unearthly din so violently that the ensuing silence was startling, and within it, Cal swore that he actually heard the moonlight gasp. Paws scrabbling over the dry earth, Quassi struggled to free himself from the tight hold as he was hauled back towards the house.
    “What do you think you are?” Cal growled at him in a low throaty voice as they breached the doorway, “A bloody Werewolf?”
    Safely inside, the front door securely locked, the curtains drawn like shutters against the ethereal beauty of the full moon, Quassi achieved the impossible (something that Meli had long given up on achieving): he united the entire Noble family together as they gathered in the living room to witness his crazed behaviour. Like something possessed, he tore around