Free Facing the Hunchback of Notre Dame by Zondervan

Funny, I Never Pictured a Mad Scientist Looking Like That
    I t had to happen sooner or later. Close calls are like that. “Someone’s coming up the steps!” Walter hissed as he shot up from his seat. “Quasi, quick! Sit in the beanbag chair.”
    Quasi complied, and the footsteps got louder as Uncle Augustus made his way down the hall. They were a clunk-clunk kind of footstep, not Aunt Portia’s click-click variety. And they were slower too, as if the person were ambling down the boardwalk in Atlantic City, or walking along the shop fronts with his hands in his pockets.
    “Hurry!” Walter grabbed a heap of Linus’s dirty clothing that had been tossed in a corner.
    “Sorry, Quasi,” whispered Ophelia as the first armful fell in his lap.
    “It’s all right,” he whispered back as they piled more clothing on top of him.
    This was one time when Linus’s propensity to procrastinate (tendency to put off until another day or time) doing his laundry actually served a good purpose. Normally, I wouldn’t recommend such tactics with one’s personal linens. They sit in the corner and broadcast all sorts of unhealthy microbes, spores, and germs—you can be sure of that. If you should ever fall ill because of it, you have only yourself to blame. You have been forewarned, leaving me forever off the hook (not responsible) for your overall state of health
.
    As the doorknob turned, Ophelia dove back onto the bed andpicked up her book, Linus pretended he was looking through his desk drawer, and Walter dropped to the floor and started doing push-ups.
    “Ah, well then!” Uncle Augustus stepped into the room. “Look at you young people! You are industrious and model citizens even on your own time. Very good!”
    “Thanks, Uncle Auggie.” Ophelia yawned and stretched. “Oh man. You can really get stiff if you lay in the same position for too long.”
    Walter stood to his feet. “That’s right, Ophelia. You should do push-ups with me next time.”
    “I agree,” said Linus.
    Ophelia flipped the pages of the paperback like a deck of cards as a nervous laugh escaped. “That’s us—ever the responsible ones!”
    “I say,” said Walter. “What brings you here to see us, sir?”
    Could we be acting any less normal?
thought Linus. Thankfully, Uncle Augustus was already preoccupied with his next party. “What do you think about the theme for my next gala: “A Whale of a Tale Water Party.” Guests wear their bathing suits or come dressed as a character from
Moby-Dick
. I’m unsure about the name, though. And do you think I can borrow enough sprinklers to add some water to the mix?”
    “But Uncle Augustus,” Ophelia said, glancing nervously at the pile of dirty clothes. “People can’t sit around in bathing suits eating seafood. I mean, what sane person would want to see such a thing?”
    “Well, it isn’t until next month,” Uncle Augustus replied. “But I wanted you to be thinking up some good ideas. Children have such wonderful imaginations. Anyway, here’s the picture of Cato Grubbs that you requested.” He held out a yellowed photo, a formal portrait that looked to have been taken in the 1920s. “Enjoy. If you can.”
    Linus took it from him.
    Uncle Augustus turned to Walter. “Walter, are you spending the night with us?”
    “Oh no, sir. I’ll just stick around for a little while longer. Until all the snacks are gone.”
    Uncle Augustus chuckled and left the room, closing the door behind him. Ophelia let out a blustery sigh just as he popped hishead back into the room. They all jumped a bit. “Oh, and Linus, I think it’s time for you to do some laundry. Tomorrow. Chop-chop.” He pointed to a pair of leather shoes peeking out from the bottom of the pile. “And return those shoes to the wardrobe room. The party is over, after all.”
    Ophelia sighed again after Uncle Auggie had closed the door a second time. “Oh my goodness! That was nerve-racking.”
    “Sorry about my feet.” Quasimodo pushed