Chapter One

We were in Grandad's cellar when the storm started - just me, my sister Kirstie and our dog Lizzie. All we heard was the distant rumble of thunder, at first - and that didn't bother us. Why would it? But we started to get nervous when the lights began to flicker like in those old movies. They gave a sort of flash. Flicker...flash... flicker...flash...over and over.
And then they went out.
We couldn't see a thing. It was as black as treacle down there.
'This is so annoying!' said Kirstie. 'I've probably lost all the work I've done today on the laptop. How will I ever finish my novel if things like this keep happening? It's so not fair!'
'Calm down, sis. It's a power cut, not the end of the world. It'll come back on in a few minutes.'
'Maybe.'
'We could go up to the kitchen, if you like.'

      
The truth was that Kirstie, who pretended to be sooooo grown up, knew that if she crossed the cellar she might walk into some of those droopy cobwebs that hung from the ceiling, they might cling to her face and spiders might drop on her. She'd squeal like ten pigs - I just knew it. Creepy-crawlies were not her thing.
'Right then,' I said. 'We'll wait here.'
We didn't speak for a while. I was thinking about my amazing new ammonite when Kirstie suddenly yelled, 'Oh my God! What if the storm brought down the power line to the cottage? What will we do, Ally?'
My sister always thinks the worst. 'Don't panic,' I said. 'We'll manage.'
'If Dad was here, he'd know what to do, wouldn't he? He'd get the lights fixed.'
'Well, he isn't here,' I said. 'He'll be on the mainland by now. Don't throw a wobbly, Kirstie. The storm will blow over and the lights will come back on any minute. OK?'
I heard her give one of her dramatic sighs and we waited for several minutes. I tried to look at my watch but I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face.