Free Class Is Not Dismissed! by Gitty Daneshvari Page A

five minutes of returning to their room. Theo didn’t even
     bother to do his usual mental goodnight to his parents and siblings. Tonight he simply closed his eyes and snuggled up to
     the snoring bulldog.
    Unfortunately, the girls were not so efficient in falling asleep. But one must remember that they had both Hyacinth and Celery
     to contend with. The prospect of sleeping alone in her room had pushed Hyacinth into a state of absolute hysterics.
    “Please,” Hyacinth said with big buglike eyes as she dropped to her knees in front of Lulu, “just let me sleep on the floor.
     You won’t even know I’m here. Celery and I don’t snore or talk in our sleep. We’re so quiet we’re almost invisible.”
    “No way, kid. I have had more than enough of you and that ferret today.”
    “Lulu, perhaps we’re being a tad harsh,” Madeleine said. “She
is
only ten.”
    “Yeah, I’m only ten and I’m immature for my age, so really it’s like I’m eight. Who would make an eight-year-old sleep alone
     in a strange old house while a burglar is on the loose and that other weird guy, Abernathy…”
    “Lulu,” Madeleine said firmly, “we simply cannot leave her alone.”
    “Fine,” Lulu acquiesced. “You can sleep in the doorway. That way, if the burglar comes back, he’ll trip over you first.”
    “Lulu, is that morally correct?” Madeleine protested. “Using a child as our alarm system?”
    “It’s totally fine. We’re in the gray area between right and wrong. Nothing to worry about, Maddie, I promise.”
    Hyacinth and Celery laid their pink sleeping bag in front of the door as Madeleine put on her night veil and crawled into
     bed. Lulu watched Madeleine closely, remembering the days when she insisted on wearing the veil everywhere. They really had
     come a long way since last summer. Perhaps there was something to Mrs. Wellington’s methods after all.
    Early the next morning, Theo cracked open his sleepy brown eyes, unsure exactly what was happening. He couldn’t put his finger
     on it, but something was terribly wrong. He attempted to call for Garrison, but he couldn’t. There appeared to be something
     wedged in his mouth. Theo’s mind immediately jumped to the burglar.Was it possible that he had been tied up without ever waking? But wait, his arms and legs were wholly unrestrained. Theo lifted
     his left arm slowly off the bed. His stomach began to rumble as his hand neared his mouth. As Theo’s fingertips grazed something
     rough, similar to a wool sock, the boy began to perspire. He started to pull the object out of his mouth. Seconds later, he
     recognized what it was—a ferret.
    Theo sat up as he dragged Celery’s head across his lips. With tears in his eyes he looked at the ferret’s face and tried to
     scream, but Celery had left far too much fur in his mouth, silencing his bloodcurdling howl. As Celery scampered off Theo’s
     bed, the disturbed boy turned to Garrison, who was still conked out. Deciding that Madeleine and Lulu would be more helpful,
     he dashed through the bathroom into the girls’ room. Lulu and Madeleine were both fast asleep when Theo barged in.
    “Help! Help!” Theo groaned hoarsely. “I think I have ferretitis!”
    “Theo, what is happening?” Madeleine said groggily as she sat up in bed. “And what is that on my foot?” she screeched, throwing
     back the covers. It was none other than Hyacinth Hicklebee-Riyatulle.
    “Morning, Mad Mad!”
    “Good morning, Hyacinth. Would you mind terribly explaining why you are in my bed?”
    “I’m pretty sure my question takes precedence, Maddie!” Theo said firmly. “Why did I wake up with your ferret in my mouth?”
    “Wow, that is… hard-core,” Lulu stammered while pushing the hair out of her face.
    “Celery sometimes does that when she’s cold. I sleep with my mouth closed, so it’s not a problem for me.”
    “I can already feel the ferretitis taking over,” Theo moaned as he grabbed his throat. “I could go