The Jewel Thief

Home Sick

When we arrive home Monday after school, I don't feel so well. My stomach hurts and I feel a bit woozy. I lie down in bed for a bit and start to feel slightly better. When it's dinnertime I don't eat anything. I go to sleep after and don't wake up until morning.

We have school again the next morning, but I am still not feeling so good. I tell Maddie and she takes my temperature. I have a fever. Maddie goes to tell Uncle and he says that I will have to stay home but he might be able to come home a bit earlier to take care of me. He and Maddie leave for work and school.

"Bye Elizabeth! Get well soon! Don't be too bored!" shouts Maddie.

"Goodbye Elizabeth. If anybody knocks at the door before two o'clock at the earliest, certainly do not answer it. Look out the window if you are not sure." Uncle warns me.

"Okay, Uncle. Thank you. Have a good day."

They leave and I get up to watch them drive away. I sigh. Maddie was wrong. I was going to get very bored very quickly.

I take out my sketchpad and start to draw a cat. Yes, I like drawing. Mostly cute animals. But when I get the cat's whiskers all wrong, I cross the cat out and frown.

I put down my sketchpad and sigh. Maybe I should write a letter to Molly.

'Dear Molly,

I am sick today so I thought I would write to you. I am sorry I haven't written since March, I have been very busy with school and things.

No developments in the mystery, sadly. Maddie things we should 'cease the casework' but I don't really agree with her for once.

Keep in touch,

Elizabeth'

I roll over. The best thing to do when you are sick is to have a sleep. I pull out Mr. Bearface, pat him, and settle under the covers, falling asleep immediately.

I am awoken by the sound of the door creaking open downstairs. I still am half asleep and have sleep dust in my eyes, so I can't read the clock very well. Maybe Uncle decided to come home early to take care of me! I wipe my eyes and look at the clock. It is only eleven. Uncle's words ring in my ears. "If anybody knocks at the door before two o'clock at the earliest, certainly do not answer it."

But it wasn't a knock. They just barged right in, presumably using the spare key under the fake rock!

Oh no. This is bad. Who could it be? A burglar? A kidnapper? The thief???

I hear them coming upstairs. Please let this be a dream, please oh please!

Or maybe Uncle just decided to come home really early giving how terribly sick I was! But Uncle would shout upstairs to let me know it was really him. And I'm not that sick.

The figure is coming upstairs. I pull the covers over my head and try to look as flat as possible. But then I get a better idea and hide under the bed.

I am scared, I am scared, I am scared, I am scared. What do I do? Jump out the window???

This is not good, and me being sick!

Oh my goodness. The figure is opening the door to my room. What if it is Maddie? Or Uncle? I pray with all my might that it is.

I look out under the crack between the floor and the sheets hanging off the bed. I see shoes. They look about the same size as the footprints we saw under the attic window!

The figure bends down. I am more than scared. Who is it? Who is it? Is it Uncle? But Uncle... he....

The person's head is covered in a black sack. With eyeholes. And a mouth hole. Big eyes... those big eyes... Uncle doesn't have big eyes. I checked. And the person is far too young.

The figure reaches their arms out towards me.

"Well, well, well. What have we here? Is this cute little girl frightened?"

Then I black out.