The Bamboo Mirror

by Faith Mortimer

  ‘David? Lorna?’

  Nothing answered, neither of the siblings, or birds or insects. The thicket was in complete silence.

  ~~~~~

  ‘And I’m Becky and this is Tamsin.’ The plump dark-haired girl sat down next to Diana on her bed. ‘We’ve already been here over a year now, why didn’t you come before?’

  ‘Because at first my mum and dad thought that a school in England would be better. But I hated it. So they decided the send me here. I can easily go back home to KL from Singapore on the train. And it’s more fun.’

  ‘Yeah loads of us travel down each term. I go all the way to Ipoh with some of the others.’

  The girls were interested in Diana and her things. They sat and watched while she unpacked her trunk, alternately admiring and smirking at her clothes and other belongings.

  ‘I like your hipster skirt. Mum wouldn’t let me have one. She said I looked like a sack in one. Do you wear a bra yet? How much pocket money are you allowed each week? Are you getting the full lot? Tamsin is, but my dad says he can’t afford three dollars each week for me and I have to make do with a dollar-fifty. Talk about mean.’

  Diana finished refolding her shirts and put them away in her cupboard. She smiled at Becky who never seemed to wait for an answer to her questions as she prattled on. They’d had high tea earlier and afterwards they’d spent an hour writing their weekly letter back home to their families. Diana thought it silly that she’d had to write one as she’d only just arrived that day. But the teacher said it was good practice and Diana supposed she could take the opportunity to tell them all about her new boarding school and her friends. So far, she’d not had time to ask any of the girls about David and Lorna.

  ‘Tonight we’re lucky. We’re watching a film. It’s called “Whisky Galore!” and it’s supposed to be really funny. You have to be quick to get a good seat. We usually try and sit near the back, near the boys. Tamsin’s got a boyfriend and they sit and hold hands when it’s dark and the teachers aren’t looking. Have you got a boyfriend yet?’ Becky peered at her hopefully.

  Diana shook her head. ‘No I haven’t.’

  ‘Shame you could have told us what he’s like.’ She tossed her head. ‘Never mind, I expect you’ll get one soon, you’re quite pretty and I noticed the boys nudging each other when you went to collect your tea from the kitchen. Mum says I have to lose some weight before I get one. But I’m not too worried. I like me as I am, and I’m not stopping eating sweets, even if they do make you spotty. Do you think I’ve got too much puppy fat?’

  Diana looked more worried than Becky. Her new friend was chubby, but she didn’t want to hurt her feelings, and she needed some friends at her new school.

  ‘No, of course not.’

  Becky looked pleased. ‘There, I knew it. Just my mum being fussy as usual. Come on let’s go and grab a seat, you can share my crisps if you like.’

  The film was good and while Mr Allen changed reels the girls took the opportunity to visit their dormitory and go to the bathroom.

  Switching on the overhead lights in the dormitory, Becky gave a gasp of shock that turned to annoyance.

  ‘What? Look at that! Some cheeky blighter has thrown talcum powder all over my bed. What a mess.’

  The other girls crowded in behind Becky and Diana.

  ‘Mine too.’

  ‘And mine.’

  Looking around the room, it soon transpired that every bed had a fair sprinkling of talcum powder peppering the coverlet.

  ‘Whoever did this?’

  Diana bent down and sniffed the talc. ‘Lily of the Valley! I know that scent anywhere, my mum uses it.’

  ‘Sonja! It’s your talc,’ said Becky with a look of accusation written all over her face. Everyone turned to look at a red-faced Sonja.

  ‘Oh come on! I’d hardly waste my own talc now, would I?’

  There was a general muttering as they all agreed.

  ‘Look footprints. One set is bigger than the other.’ One by one the girls traipsed over to get a better look, making a right racket as they did so.

  ‘Just what is the meaning of all this noise? The film is about to begin. Mr Allen is waiting.’ A loud voice interrupted them and the group turned as one, to gaze at the teacher who stood in the doorway. ‘Well?’

  ‘Oh, Miss! Look what someone’s gone and done. And there are footprints too.’

  ‘My nightdress has disappeared.’

  ‘And so has mine!’

  Each girl rushed over to her bed, flinging back the top sheet, only to discover that every article of nightwear was missing.

  ‘Well I’m sure someone is having a prank. If it’s one of the boys they’ll be in deep trouble having come into a girls’ dormitory. Now settle down and we’ll soon get to the bottom of it.’

  ‘But Miss. No one came in here during the film. I was sitting right next to the door and no one could have come in without me noticing, honest.’

  There was a pause as sixteen pairs of eyes swivelled to Miss Watson.

  ‘Look the footprints lead to the bathroom,’ Tamsin paused, and then in a whisper continued. Perhaps they’re still there!’

  Everyone went silent and looked to where she was pointing.

  ‘Well we’ll soon see about that, won’t we?’ snapped Miss Watson. ‘We’ll soon get to the bottom of this.’

  Her heels clacked as she walked the length of the room. Opening the bathroom door, she peered inside. Sixteen girls followed her with open mouths and eyes wide in fear.

  ‘Nothing here. Whoever it was has gone.’

  ‘Miss, Miss! Look at the footsteps. They go over to the fire escape door. They must have gone down there!’ Becky pointed with an accusing finger.

  ‘The door’s still locked. Don’t be silly. Look the key is in the glass box.’ After giving the door handle a try, Miss Watson turned to confront the girls. ‘This is most irregular. Someone is playing a very silly game with us.’

  ‘What if there were two people. One person to unlock the door, then return the key into the box, while the other person went down the stairs.’

  ‘The glass would have to be broken. It’s a safety thing. The key has to remain in the box, so as not to get lost. No. That is not the answer. I think there’s a much more simple explanation and that is that one of you or someone from another dorm is playing a practical joke. I will inform the head, who no doubt will expect the joker to own up by breakfast tomorrow morning. Now let’s have no more melodramatics and go back to enjoy the second half of the film.’

  With a last stern look of warning she left the gaggle of girls clustered in the bathroom and began to make her way down the middle of the bedroom towards the doors at the end. As she approached the far end, the doors on the wardrobes opened simultaneously. She stopped and the girls who by now were following her, crowded into each other, jostling for space.

  ‘Look!’ squealed Tamsin pointing a shaking finger. Everyone turned as at the opposite end of the room the other two wardrobe doors opened at the same time. Apart from the clothes hanging from the rack the wardrobes were quite empty. Sixteen girls all screamed at once.

  Chapter 2.

  ‘But we’ll get into awful trouble,’ whispered Diana. ‘I’ve already crossed swords with Mr Allen for sliding down the bannisters.’

  ‘What? You didn’t tell me! You’ll have to tell me all about it later. Right now we have to sort this other matter out. We’ll get into far more trouble if we don’t have an explanation for the Head in the morning.’ Becky argued.

  Diana gave a deep sigh. ‘Okay. Let’s do it then.’

  Together, they tiptoed down the dark dormitory. Gentle snores arose from either side of them. Diana, not yet familiar with the layout bumped into a chair, and Becky hissed a warning at her. Diana could see her frowning at her as her face was illuminated from an outside street lamp. ‘Sssh!’

  Nodding, Diana went around the chair and followed Becky into the bathroom. Once they’d closed the door they stole over
to the fire escape.

  ‘Better use a towel to muffle the noise,’ Diana said picking up a discarded damp towel lying on the side of the bath and handing it to Becky.

  She nodded, wrapped it round her fist, and then taking aim punched out the glass. There was a small tinkle and the key was exposed. Dropping the towel, Becky seized the key and fitted it into the lock. The key turned with no pressure and the door swung open. Ahead, there lay a deep, black and cavernous hole.

  ‘There must be a light-switch somewhere, have a feel around,’ she said as the space was suddenly flooded with light. ‘Oh! You found it.’

  The stairs were clean. There was no trace of any talcum powder.

  ‘No one’s been done here at all then,’ said Diana in relief.

  ‘No. Let’s go down anyway. I’ve always wanted to know what’s at the bottom.’

  ‘Do we have to?’

  ‘Come on, sissy. I’ll go first if you like.’

  The two girls slowly edged their way down the winding staircase. Upon reaching the bottom they both looked at each other in astonishment.

  The door was firmly shut, with the fire bar in the “locked” position and unable to be opened from the outside. The space was empty, except, lying on the floor in a heap was a pile of sixteen assorted night clothes.

  ~~~~~

  A tear-faced Tamsin sat wanly on the edge of her bed. ‘I’m scared,’ she wailed.

  ‘Whatever for? Don’t be such a baby.’ Becky scolded. ‘Somehow, those night things got put down there. My guess is someone has a spare key.’

  ‘But the glass was unbroken and Miss Watson said there is only one key.’ Tamsin sobbed. ‘I want to change my dorm; I don’t like it in here anymore.’

  ‘Oh for goodness sake, shut up! Nothing nasty has happened. It’s just someone’s idea of a jolly jape. We’ll sort it out.’

  Diana was busy thinking. Perhaps David and Lorna knew something. They certainly had plenty of other secrets. Voicing her thoughts she said, ‘What about David and his sister? They might know how it happened.’

  Becky turned a puzzled face towards Diana. ‘Which David?’

  ‘You know, he’s small about ten. His sister is called Lorna.’

  ‘Don’t know who you mean.’

  ‘But you must do. They run all over the grounds together, he said his dad was headmaster here.’

  ‘Mr Tapper? I don’t think so. His kids are all grown up and live in England. I think you’re either muddled or your David was having you on.’

  Tamsin sniffed into her sodden hankie. ‘You’re new so you’ve probably made a mistake.’

  Diana looked from one to the other. There was no mistake, they didn’t believe her, and she was now beginning to doubt her own memory. Had she met two children yesterday? Had they shown her around? Of course they had, how else would she have known where to find the netball court and playground.

  ‘They showed me…’ She stopped. She had been about to divulge the secret glade hidden within the jungle.

  ‘What? What did they show you then?’ Demanded Becky.

  ‘Oh nothing, just the netball court and swings.’

  Sounding exasperated, Becky swung away saying, ‘It’s not difficult finding those they’re just past the surgery.’ Standing up she glanced around the empty dormitory. ‘I’m going out. Everyone’s having fun down in the pool, except us. Are you coming, Di?’

  Diana thought for a moment. ‘In a minute. I need the bathroom first, and then I’ll be down.’

  ‘Okay, see you down there.’ Becky and a sniffing Tamsin strolled from the room.

  Deep in thought, Diana wandered down to the bathroom; she needed to clean her teeth as she’d forgotten earlier. Last night’s shenanigans had made her forget.

  The tap water ran tepid as she brushed her teeth. Shaking the drips from her brush, she turned to replace it into her sponge-bag and was startled to find David and Lorna standing just in the open doorway.

  ‘Hello! We thought you might like to explore some more with us. We’ve got masses more to show you.’ David began.

  ‘David! Lorna!’ So they did exist. She had not imagined anything.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Did you come in here last night? Was it you who spread talcum powder all over the beds?’

  David paused. ‘Why? What happened?’ He flashed a look towards Lorna, who hid behind him.

  ‘Come on, tell me. How did you do it? How did you get past everyone and come into our dormitory? And do you have a spare key to the fire escape door?’

  David laughed gleefully. ‘You’ll never guess! I’ll tell you later. Come on let’s go. We’ve something we have to show you, and it has to be today.’

  Whirling round he grabbed Lorna’s hand and without making a sound ran with her down the length of the dormitory. Shaking her head, Diana followed more sedately in pursuit, her sandals slapping on the polished wooden floorboards.

  Reaching the doorway she went through just in time to see David and Lorna disappearing down the stairs. Exasperated she followed.

  Downstairs the hall was deserted and Diana supposed everyone had taken advantage to cool off in the swimming pool. It was hot and horrible today. David gave a quick peek into the staff room situated behind a rather imposing desk and then edged his way round to the under hang of the stairs.

  The hallway staircase was huge, high, steep and very imposing. Under the stairway there was a mirror hanging on the wall. It was a massive mirror with a thick bamboo frame, and the whole thing measured about eight feet by twelve. Under the mirror there was a shelf resting at about Lorna’s height. Taking hold of the shelf, David gave it a pull. For a moment nothing happened, so he gave it another tug. The mirror moved and swung out. Mystified, Diana moved nearer to get a better look and peered into the dark hole in front of her. It was almost a room.

  ‘Look. A perfect hideaway, ‘David said. ’Let’s go in.’ Without waiting for Diana to answer he helped his sister in over the wall and then climbed in after her. ‘Come on, what are you waiting for?’

  ‘Why? It’s just a hole.’ Diana replied, shaking her head.

  ‘No it’s not. Just wait and see. Come on.’

  ‘What if we’re caught? ‘She asked looking around her.

  David gave a sigh. ‘You won’t. It’s only for a minute anyway.’

  Giving a sigh of her own, and not enjoying this one little bit, Diana climbed in to join them. David swung the mirror door shut behind her and with the sudden darkness, Diana gave a start.

  ‘David…’

  ‘Sssh! be quiet, they’ll hear you.’

  Diana closed her mouth and listened…

  Within seconds of David’s statement, an almighty sound seemed to fill the space where the three children stood. Diana thought she heard gun shots and yelling in the distance. This was followed by running feet, of heavy boots tramping up the stairs above them. A burst of gunfire, frantic shouting and then the screaming began…

  …Unable to believe what she was hearing, Diana covered her ears with her hands and realised she was shaking with fear. What was happening?

  David and Lorna were huddled together. Lorna was sobbing and David whispered in her ear whilst rocking her back and forth in his arms. The dreadful noise continued. They heard more boots and Diana thought she heard vehicles drawing up on the driveway as more gunshot ripped through the air. Then there was quiet.

  Diana lowered her hands, and looking at David opened her mouth to say something, but David shook his head and held a finger to his lips. Voices filled her head. Men gabbling in a foreign tongue were just the other side of the bamboo-framed mirror, just beyond where they lay hidden. Another voice joined the commotion, a harsh and imperious voice that seemed to be barking orders and someone replied with what sounded like:

  ‘Hai!’

  A silence fell and Diana quaked as she waited for them to be discovered.

  After a short time, other sounds filtered through to them. Diana could hear frightened, babbling
voices that she recognised as Chinese, and then she distinctly heard the clipped upper-class tones of an Englishman. Relief flooded through her –he would sort all this out.

  The Englishman spoke in a strong voice, demanding by what right these soldiers had to enter this property that possessed diplomatic immunity. She heard a sharp thwack followed by a dull thud. A woman began to wail and stopped when a single shot was fired. The Englishman raised his voice in protest, which turned to his begging for clemency for his wife and servants.