George Adamson Lives with Apes

The Librarian The Witch And The Wardrobe

One cool clear night in the middle of September George and Ruby were both struggling to sleep. They had learnt to communicate at night using Ruby's powers so they weren't discovered by the teachers. George would think of something, Ruby would intercept his thought using her magic and then she would tap on the bars of her bed Once for no, Twice for yes. Miss Bank's hearing was second to none, as one of the ruder children at the Castle had put it she could hear a spider fart. If any of the children dared to speak while she was on corridor duty she would be inside the room escorting them to the dungeons before they knew what had happened. Bank was on corridor duty tonight and had already been into the dorm twice to remove children for making noises in their sleep. George thought about the library, Ruby tapped twice in response. The young boy waited patiently. Ruby tapped another three times, and George made his way down the ladder to his bunk as quickly and as silently as a blink. Grabbing Ruby by her cold tiny hand the children sped along the corridor. Slipping silently into the shadows to escape any patrolling teachers until they finally reached their favourite bolthole. Just as they finished selecting a few of their favourite books and some new ones they had never read before. Ruby grabbed her friend forcefully by the arm and pulled him to the floor. She motioned to him to be quiet, her eyes had grown wide with shock. George obeyed unconditionally. A clip clop of footsteps could be heard along a row of books at the rear of the library. Ruby looked confused as she tried to use her magic, but for the first time in her life at Slaven it failed her.

"What's wrong?" Whispered a concerned George.

Ruby shook her head, "Not Sure." She whispered back. "I can't see anything about the person here. It's like they are blocked from me."

George swallowed hard. Ruby had never failed to keep them safe with her powers before, she was frightened and he could see it in her wide eyes. The young girl kept trying to engage her sight but each time her eyes would return to their normal colour and she would fail. The shoes clip clopped closer and closer, something about their pace was not right, as if the person walking was dragging one of their feet slightly. Whoever it was had now reached the end of the long corridor and was now just around the corner. Ruby turned to George and shook her head. George knew if he didn't act quickly they would be discovered. The children were directly in sight opposite the only entrance and exit in the first room of the giant library. The young boy bit down on his lip then motioned towards the door. The stranger in the room was almost upon them. The duo scrabbled to their feet and staggered to the door. They almost made it but George stumbled at the last moment and knocked a stack of books, scattering them to the floor. Ruby was so caught up in trying to read their pursuers thoughts that she failed to see it coming and was powerless to help as George grew pale at the crescendo.

"Who's there?" Called out a stern but eloquent voice from behind them, the children froze. "I said who's there? I see both of you clearly and if you don't answer me immediately I will give an accurate description of you to Miss Grimm and have her ferret you both out." She advised them irritably.

The children sighed, and clasped each other's hands in support. George nodded, smiling his megawatt smile. "George Miss." answered George. "Ruby'' said the small girl. "George Adamson?" The woman asked. "Yes," Replied a confused George, how did she know who he was? "Then turn around to look at me." The children obeyed, turning around slowly to look at their captor. The young woman in front of them had brown hair which fell to her shoulders in waves. She wore a smart lilac suit dress and sensible low heeled shoes that had made the wonderful clip clop sound upon the parquet flooring, she had painted her lips a dusky rose. George thought that she looked kind and a little bit sad, he felt more confident then he had before.

"What are you doing here children?" The young woman asked.

"We like to read Miss," said George. " but we are never allowed to come here so we sneak up at night."