What would you think when a letter from the QUEEN arrives in the post asking for YOU to join one of THE HIGHEST ranked agencies IN THE WORLD. Well this happened to 13 year old Lottie Lawson alongside her companion and partner on the killer-case and...
"When in overwhelmingly dull situations, reading a book is essential to awaken the mind." Lottie had found herself in a difficult situation. "The Rat" or Mrs Pratt, her minuscule Physics teacher, was unimpressed with her reading of Undercover Agent in the middle of her class. Lottie couldn't help but protest her reasons for reading. But this had gone the wrong way. Mrs Pratt was offended. Lottie's sharp tongue had run away from her and "the rat" felt deeply hurt.
"So my lessons are 'dull!'"Mrs Pratt cried,"Why?" Lottie fidgeted with her hair tie. She hadn't a clue what to say back. They were dull. Actually more than dull. It was like there was a lethal disease that caused everyone to fall into a hour long sleep. She rubbed her palms together while "The Rat" mournfully whined on about working for hours on the lesson plan but Lottie found this very unlikely. Mrs Pratt often started rambling on about her latest pair of Wellington boots instead of talking about "the eye" or "how electricity flows through wires" but both were as painfully boring as each other and Lottie hadn't the heart to listen to either of them. What was the point in wasting her time on a useless teacher. If she'd got a better one, maybe she would pay attention. Lottie rolled her eyes. That was very unlikely.
"Are they?" said "the rat" again with wide child-like eyes. She looked so sad that it was like someone had murdered her most loved pet. Lottie hated the sight of those tearful eyes so she quickly made a desperate grasp for one of her "excuse me I must leave" notes which came in very handy in these types of situations. Nervous, Lottie thrust the little note into Mrs Pratt's hand. Mrs Pratt eyed the note suspiciously. It wasn't a pleasing site. In her head, Lottie was the child that was not to be trusted.
"I must go," said Lottie glancing at the clock. Mrs Pratt looked at her curiously, debating whether the child had permission to leave at such and odd time. Lottie forced a bewildered smile and faked studying her watch with a panicked expression on her face. Mrs Pratt's face turned from sad to furious as she read the note. Lottie swallowed, hard. It looked like Mrs Pratt didn't like her feeble excuse and didn't like being labelled 'boring.'
The note read:
Dear Lottie's teacher,
Today Lottie has a dental appointment and has to leave five minutes early. Apologies from the slight inconvenience,
With love,
Mrs Lawson xxx
The kisses at the end clearly irritated her as it looked as if her eyes were about to burn through her head when she finished reading.
"WHY?! YOU MEDDLING CHILD!" Lottie took several quick paces back looking longingly at the door. "The Rat" was going to explode. Or that's the way it seemed.
Mrs Pratt punched the air, her face a flaming red, and ripped the note that seemed like a tiny innocent mouse that just come across a massive cat. Lottie almost felt sympathy towards the useful tool. She'd have to make another one. Next came the screaming fit, which caused the hairs on Lottie's legs to stand up. Fear crippled her confidence and she stood in shock behind the furious figure of Mrs Pratt. Who knew someone so small could be so.....scary? thought Lottie nervously. The teacher began to cry like a tiny, frustrated child without a toy and Lottie was stuck, like a leech, behind her with no means of escape. The door was the only obstacle blocking Lottie's escape. But Lottie didn't know the code so she couldn't open it...
That stupid code. If she knew it she could get through that door and out...then maybe she could find that car place, Big-Better-Cars. AND THE QUEEN! She shook herself hard and pieced together her confidence in order to approach the situation properly.
she had to do this.
She would.
She must.
"Right, possibilities," she said to herself aloud," The year the school was founded ,1943." She punched the numbers in and yanked the door handle down. She sighed. "Nope," she said, disappointed,"The year the school was rebuilt? 1975?" She entered the numbers quickly and received yet another unfortunate result. "backwards?" Incorrect. "the year we won the best sporting school award?" Yet again, incorrect. Lottie turned to see Mrs Pratt breathing deeply and beginning to calm down. If she saw her....she'd be dead meat under the angry teachers wrath.
Lottie entered all the possibilities she could think of in seconds. All incorrect. She was close to giving up. She'd never do it. She could never be a successful agent. Why did the Queen even want her? All she'd do was fail. Lottie sighed and became on the verge of tears. Her dream seemed to come crashing down before her.
Maybe she wasn't destined to be an agent.
Lottie sat down in a heap beside the door. She felt like crying. She didn't stand a chance.
"The School will never be the winner of Wenslydale's best school of the year with me,"mumbled Mrs Pratt, sitting down, "I'm just the school's greatest failure. I shouldn't have students getting bored and reading in class." Then she gave a small smile. "I should go back to my quality gardening. They'll find a replacement easily."
Lottie's mind hadn't quite fully processed what Mrs Pratt had actually said. Then she sat up with a jolt. Wenslydale's best school of the year!" She punched the air and jumped to her feet in a flash. Why hadn't she thought of that before? Lottie slapped herself for over-thinking such a simple subject and laughed as she punched the numbers into the keypad. She could simply leave whenever she wanted to now.
Lottie had her hand on the handle when....
"Excuse me, young lady, where are you going?"
Lottie sighed. Great. Office Staff member back from her break. "Appointment Miss," Lottie answered, forcing a quick smile.
"Where?" the teacher narrowed her eyes, "And you don't seem to have a note."
Lottie dropped her bag and shoved her hand into the 'excuse me I must leave,' notes pocket.
She pulled out another note, hoping it said the 'correct' thing and wasn't a sick note instead.
She didn't actually know what each note said. They were all different excuses and Lottie had scribbled her mother's signature on every single one.
"Doctors appointment then," said the teacher, "Where is your mother?"
"meeting me at the end of the road in her car."
"Really?"
"YES."
"Be off with you then," said the teacher, signing Lottie out.
In a flash, Lottie had her bag over her shoulder and ran, laughing and grinning the whole way.
She'd be an agent.
She'd work on cases.
She'd have fulfilled her childhood dream.
Lottie smiled.
"OF TO BE AN AGENT!" she yelled.
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~small feature~
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