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When he woke the silver moon lay high in the sky shooting bright beams down through his window highlighting the toys on his floor. He sat up and shook off his sleep with a small smile creeping up to the corners of his face like a jack o lantern. He swapped his noisy boots for slippers and put on black clothing to blend in with the shadows so he could be stealthy as he snuck through the halls. He opened his door slowly, cringing as the hinges sent sounds echoing down the dim hallway. He hadn't known his door make sounds when opened, but now it sounded like the clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen after mealtime. He moved down the hallway silently to his sister's room. Her door seemed to squeak even louder, if possible, and he thought for sure that it would disturb her slumber. Poking his head inside, he saw that she was still fast asleep. She lay in her frilly pink pajamas. Her dolly, with its ragged red hair, lay there clutched in her arms. This might prove harder than he had thought. How was he going to get that doll without waking her? Then he saw a fluffy little teddy bear, of a similar size, lying against the bed post. Its beady soot black eyes gleamed out at him through the diaphanous bars of moonlight stacked across the room through shuttered windows. He jumped forward and grabbed it before its stare could glue him down any longer. It had one of those smiles you couldn't be sure about. Was it a, hey there chap, what's for on for supper? Or a, yes that's right, I'm smiling at you and you'll find out why in a minute.
He stuffed the bear into his armpit and slid across the hardwood towards the headboard. There she lay softly snoring. He was tempted to scream to wake her up in a panic; but his plan would be much better than that. Her pale little face held such a peace, it made him sick. He clutched the bear in his right hand, getting a nice firm grip of the doll's hair in his left. He gave it a quick tug and out she came. He shoved the bear under his sister's arm as soon as the doll's petite feet swung out. She did not wake. Now to get back to his room and figure out what to do next.
He crept towards the door and began closing it, even though he was sure it would wake her. He knew everyone would guess it was he who came into her room and stole her doll if the door was left ajar. This way she might think it had simply been misplaced. He heard nothing on the other side as the door closed. Feeling a burst of exhilaration, he ran back down the halls to his bedroom. He still had no plan, but he did have the doll. He decided to stuff the doll under his pillow and sleep on it.
Little Willie's Revenge Page 2