Trouble Next Door

by Chris Higgins

  CONTENTS

  Moving House

  Inside the Cottage

  Bedtime

  A Nice Surprise

  Raspberries and Rhubarb

  Just Like Home

  Exploring

  Babcia to the Rescue

  Time for a Break

  Thinking it Over

  Nothing to do

  Many Hands

  Too Many Cooks

  In the Doghouse

  Good Intentions

  Ghost Hunt

  In the Attic

  The Ghost

  Afterwards

  MOVING HOUSE

  Bella thought the new house looked strange. She stood in the overgrown garden with scratchy grass up to her knees and stared at it with Sid.

  Something was wrong.

  ‘‘It’s not a new house, it’s an old house,’’ she said.

  “Yes,” said Mum. “It’s a very old cottage. It was built hundreds of years ago.”

  “But you said we were moving to a new house!”

  “Oh dear!” Mum looked sorry. “I meant it was new to us.”

  “It’s got a face,” said Sid.

  Her little brother was right. The house did have a face.

  Its roof was a hat with a crooked chimney poking up from it like a feather, and its gutters, covered in moss, were untidy eyebrows. Beneath them two dark bedroom windows peeped out at them sleepily.

  “It’s pleased to see us,” said Sid.

  “Yes,” smiled Mum. “It’s glad a family’s come to live in it again. It’s been empty for a long time.”

  Sid liked the house but Bella wasn’t sure. She’d thought she was moving to a nice new house in the countryside, by the sea.

  This house looked like it was about to fall down.

  And the countryside smelt of poo. Cow poo. The field in front of the house stank of it.

  And there was no sign of the sea.

  “Let’s go inside and take a look,” said Dad.

  He took a key out of his pocket and turned the lock.

  Slowly, the door opened with a loud creaking noise.

  INSIDE THE COTTAGE

  Inside, it was dark and dusty.

  “I don’t like it,” said Bella. “It smells funny.”

  “It just needs a good airing,” said Mum. “It’s been shut up for a long time.”

  Bella looked around. It wasn’t a proper house at all, just one big room with a low ceiling and black wooden beams running across it. There was a wooden door at the back leading to the kitchen, a huge fireplace and a staircase in the far corner.

  Sid stuck his head up inside the fireplace. “Look at this, Bella! It’s ENORMOUS!”

  “NORMOUS ... ORMOUS ... ORMOUS,” echoed the fireplace as soot dropped down at their feet.

  “Careful!” said Dad. “It probably hasn’t been swept for years.”

  Bella peered up the chimney. It smelt of burning and was so dark you couldn’t see the top.

  “In the olden days they’d have sent kids like you up there to clean it,” remarked Dad.

  “Wicked!” said Sid.

  He shot upstairs to explore but Bella hung back.

  “What’s up, sweetheart?” Mum knelt down in front of her and her face was kind and soft. This made Bella feel worse.

  “I want to go home,” she whispered.

  “I know, darling,” said Mum gently. “But this is your home now. You’re going to love living here.”

  “No I’m not. I hate it!” said Bella, which wasn’t really true.

  Mum gave a big sigh and got to her feet. “Come on!” she said, holding out her hand. “We’ll go and choose your bedroom.”

  Upstairs was a landing leading to three bedrooms and a bathroom. A set of rickety old steps disappeared around a corner.

  “What’s up there?” asked Bella.

  “The attic!” said Sid, appearing beside her. “Let’s take a look.”

  Bella shook her head. She didn’t want to see a mouldy old attic. She wanted to choose her room.

  The first bedroom was too big and bare.

  The second was too small and cramped.

  Bella sighed. She was never going to like it here.

  “Let’s take a look at the third bedroom,” said Mum.

  With a long face, Bella pushed the door open.

  Bright yellow sunshine streamed across the polished floorboards. The window dropped almost down to the floor and it had a cushioned seat. Through it she could see the field opposite, the lane and into next door’s front garden.

  Bella’s face lit up. “It’s just right!”

  Mum beamed. “I thought it would be. We should have called you Goldilocks.”

  Bella couldn’t wait for night-time so she could go to sleep in her new bedroom.

  BEDTIME

  Bella lay in bed, clutching the duvet up to her neck.

  Now it was bedtime, it wasn’t sunny in her new bedroom any more. It was really dark. She’d never known it to be this dark before. Dad explained it was because there were no street lights.

  “You’ll be able to see the stars,” he said, tucking her in.

  When he went downstairs, she got out of bed and looked through the funny little low-down window. Dad was wrong. There were no stars tonight. There was no moon either. They were hiding behind a blanket of cloud.

  Which meant it was pitch black. Inside and out.

  “Bella?” called Dad. “What are you doing out of bed?”

  “I’m not!” she fibbed, scurrying back before he caught her.

  “Night, night,” said Dad firmly, tucking her in for the second time.

  As soon as he’d gone, Bella got back out again, switched the light on and peered under the bed.

  Then she looked in the wardrobe.

  Then she poked her head out of her bedroom door and stared at the rickety old steps in the gloomy corner of the landing.

  The steps that led up to the attic.

  There was nothing there.

  Phew! Bella breathed a big sigh of relief and got back into her lovely soft bed and snuggled down happily. Soon she could feel herself drifting off to sleep.

  Mmm … soft and squashy … squishy-squashy … fluttery-flappy …

  Fluttery-flappy? Bella raised her head. What was that sound? It was coming from the attic.

  What sort of creature would flap around in the middle of the night frightening people?

  Quick as a flash, the answer came to her.

  A GHOST!!!!!!!!!!!

  “Mu-um!” she whimpered. But there was no answer.

  “MU-UM!”

  she called louder.

  Footsteps stomped up the stairs and the light snapped on. “There’s a ghost in our attic!” shrieked Bella. “I heard it flapping.”

  Mum sat on the bed and listened. “I can’t hear anything. It’s probably a bird. We’ll look for it in the morning.”

  Bella could tell she didn’t believe her. “Look for it now!”

  “No. It’s too dark.” Mum tucked her in so tightly she could hardly breathe. “Now close your eyes and go to sleep!”

  Bella lay still in the darkness, concentrating. She was sure she could still hear it up there, fluttering about.

  She’d never get to sleep like this! Then she had a brainwave.

  She wriggled out of her tight bed and tiptoed over to her case, which was waiting to be unpacked. Rummaging through it in the dark, Bella found just what she was looking for. Her fluffy earmuffs and her favourite woolly hat.

  They should do the trick!

  Bella jumped into bed and pulled her hat down over her ears, her earmuffs over her hat and her pillow over her head.

  Then she listened as hard as she could.

  Nothing!


  At last, Bella fell fast asleep.

  A NICE SURPRISE

  Bella was sitting on the front doorstep feeling grumpy.

  It wasn’t fair. She’d told Sid there was a ghost in their attic and he wanted to see it. But Mum said there was nothing there and they should go out to play, even though she’d promised they would look for it in the morning.

  Mum and Dad were really busy. Dad was laying a new carpet in the living room and Mum was scrubbing and polishing every available surface.

  Bella was bored. It was all right for Sid. He was happy poking a stick around in the earth but Bella didn’t know what to do. She wished she had someone to play with.

  “Hello,” said a voice, and she looked around. There was no one to be seen. “Hell-o-o!” persisted the voice. “I’m here!”

  Bella and Sid sprang to their feet. The voice seemed to be coming from the cottage next door. But when they peered over the wall there was nobody there. Just a messy garden with a jumble of wild flowers and grass and a big, sprawling tree, thick with leaves.

  “Look up!” commanded the voice. It was coming from high up in the tree.

  Two bare legs appeared, then a pair of dusty pink shorts, a rather grubby white T-shirt with a mermaid on it and, finally, a head. A girl dangled from a branch for a second, arms outstretched, then she raised her legs and started swinging, higher and higher. Suddenly, she launched herself into the air, did a backward somersault and landed the right way up, arms straight, like a gymnast.

  “Wow!” said Bella.

  “Wow!” said Sid.

  “Hello,” she repeated, dusting herself down. “I’m Magda.”

  “I’m Bella and this is Sid,” replied Bella. Then she remembered her manners. “How do you do?”

  “How do I do what?” asked Magda. Her voice sounded different.

  “That’s what you say to be polite,” said Bella.

  The children examined each other curiously.

  Bella thought that she would like to have long fair plaits and bright blue eyes like Magda.

  “I like your plaits,” she said.

  “I like your curls,” replied Magda. “And his.” She pointed to Sid.

  Sid grinned at Magda. “I’m five,” he said. “How old are you?”

  “Eight.”

  “I’m eight too,” said Bella, pleased.

  “Twins!” said Magda, and Bella was even more pleased.

  “Do you live here?” she asked.

  “I do now,” said Magda. “I used to live in Poland.”

  “Where’s that?”

  Magda shrugged. “A long way away.”

  “I used to live a long way away too,” said Bella sadly. “I don’t know anybody here.”

  “You know me,” said Magda. “Can I come and play in your back garden? It’s got raspberries in it.”

  RASPBERRIES AND RHUBARB

  Bella and Sid hadn’t been in their back garden yet. They went out of their front gate and followed Magda around to the back.

  Their garden was huge and very untidy! Magda knew all about it.

  She showed them where the raspberries were growing wild on tall, thin stems.

  “Mmmm,” she said, popping one into her mouth. And another. And another. Then she said generously, “Help yourselves.”

  Bella picked a big fat one and bit into it. It burst on her tongue in an explosion of juice.

  “I never knew raspberries grew in gardens,” mumbled Sid, cramming them into his mouth as fast as he could. “I thought you bought them in a shop for a special treat.”

  “You’re funny!” laughed Magda and Sid laughed too but Bella knew he wasn’t joking.

  “You’ve got blackberries as well,” said Magda.

  “Where?” Sid couldn’t believe his luck.

  “Over there.” Magda pointed to the hedge. “But they won’t be ready till the end of summer. Here’s some rhubarb. That’s ready to eat now.”

  Magda pointed to some flat, green leaves. Bella snapped one off and felt its rubbery surface.

  “Just the stalks, not the leaves,” warned Magda. “They’re poisonous.”

  Bella dropped the rhubarb leaf in horror and rubbed her hand on her jeans, trying to get rid of the poison.

  “They can’t hurt you if you touch them. Only if you eat them,” explained Magda, who seemed to know everything.

  They picked some more raspberries and sat down to eat them. Soon their hands and faces were stained bright red with raspberry juice.

  “Our house is really old,” said Bella, gazing up at it.

  “I know,” said Magda. “Mine is too.”

  “Our house has got a GINORMOUS fireplace,” said Sid, stretching his arms as wide as he could.

  “Can I see it?” asked Magda.

  “OK,” said Sid, and led the way proudly into the house.

  JUST LIKE HOME

  Inside, there was a nice surprise. Dad had finished laying the new carpet, which was a lovely soft pink, Bella’s favourite colour. Mum had finished polishing and all the furniture was in place. Even the television was plugged in ready for action, and the books and ornaments were neatly arranged on the shelves.

  “What do you think?” asked Mum.

  Mum and Dad looked hot and tired after all their hard work but very pleased with themselves.

  “It’s just like home!” cried Bella.

  “Only cleaner and tidier,” said Sid.

  Mum smiled. “Who’s this?”

  “Magda. She lives next door.

  Can I put my shorts on?” said Bella, who wanted to be exactly like her new friend.

  “When we’ve unpacked them,” said Mum. “Magda, does your mother know you’re here?”

  “She’s at work,” explained Magda. “Babcia’s looking after me.”

  “Who’s Bahp-cha?” asked Bella, because that’s what it sounded like.

  “Grandma.”

  “Does she know where you are?” asked Mum.

  Magda shrugged. “I guess. I often come here to play. In the garden, I mean. Because of the raspberries.”

  “Tell you what,” said Mum. “I could do with a nice cup of tea after all our hard work. I’ll ask her to join us. Then we can all get to know each other properly.”

  “Good idea,” said Dad. “I’ll put the kettle on.” And he went off to the kitchen to make the tea.

  “Won’t be long,” said Mum, looking excited at the thought of making friends with the neighbours. “Bella, you’re in charge!”

  Bella drew herself up to her full height as Mum, with one more satisfied look around her sparkling new room, disappeared out of the front door.

  EXPLORING

  Bella liked being left in charge. It made her feel grown up and responsible.

  “Look at our fireplace,” said Sid. “Isn’t it enormous?”

  “Wow! It’s much bigger than ours!” said Magda, and Sid and Bella grinned proudly.

  Magda ran over and stuck her head up inside it.

  “Hello-o!” she shouted, and the echo shouted back, “Hello-o … o… o!”

  Tiny particles of soot fell into the grate.

  Sid stuck his head up too. “I can see you!” he bellowed.

  “See you … you … ou!” bounced back his voice, and Magda and Sid burst out laughing. Their laughter rang back and this made them laugh even louder.

  More soot fell down the chimney.

  “Careful!” warned Bella, but they weren’t listening. Magda had spotted something.

  “Look!” she said. “There’s a little ledge up there. I wonder what it’s for.”

  “Climbing,” said Sid. “My dad said they used to send kids like us up the chimneys to clean them in the olden days.”

  “Awesome!” said Magda and before Bella could stop her, she’d put her foot on the ledge and hauled herself up into the chimney.

  “Magda!” cried Bella in alarm. “What are you doing?”

  “Climbing up to the top!” she called back. “It’s easy. Ther
e are little footholds. Oops! Missed one!”

  A rush of soot fell down on to Sid’s face. Bella tried to clean him up with her sleeve. She could hear Magda coughing inside the chimney.

  “It’s stinky up here,” she complained.

  “Come on down then!” yelled Bella.

  “I can’t!” said Magda, her voice muffled. “I’m stuck!”

  Outside Bella could hear voices. Oh no! Her mum was coming up the garden path with Magda’s grandma.

  Sid’s face was still smudged with black and there was a smattering of soot on the new carpet. Quickly, Bella rubbed it with her toe but only made it worse.

  Mum would go bananas if she caught Magda up the chimney!

  Bella peered up anxiously and could just make out Magda’s foot.

  “Magda! Come down this minute!”

  “I’m trying!” said Magda. “I think if I wriggle about a bit I might be able to get myself loose …”

  From inside the chimney Bella could hear Magda twisting and grunting as she tried to free herself.

  Suddenly, she gave an almighty yell and tumbled down, landing with a thud on her bottom. She sat up immediately, coughing and spluttering, black from head to toe.

  And then, just as though someone had turned on a tap, soot poured down the chimney. Bella and Sid jumped back in horror as it bounced off the hearth and billowed around the room like smoke, filling the air with black, choking fumes.

  Mum opened the front door and gazed with horror at her once spotless new room, now swirling with soot.

  “What on earth?” she asked in a high, squeaky voice.

  And then she opened her mouth wide and roared, “BELLAAAA!”

  BABCIA TO THE RESCUE

  Thank goodness for Babcia, that’s all Bella could think.

  Babcia was round and wrinkled like an old apple. She looked like a sweet old lady but looks can be deceptive.