She ducked as the plate smashed against the wall behind her. She turned around to see the angry face of Professor Van Heed. He reached out to grab the lid of the garbage can but Sophia was too quick. She threw back a broken piece of the plate he had thrown at her earlier. The hit was dead on target. It hit him on the back of his hand. Blood started dripping from his hand and onto the pavement of the dark alleyway. He cried out in agony and pain.

Then she woke up sweating. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness of her room. She recognised the scene, it was a replay of her encounter with Professor Van Heed. Two days ago she had broken into the laboratory of the Professor. Her older sister Niceta had hacked into the security system of the laboratory, her older brother, Max, had gone in through the main entrance to cause a distraction and it had been her job to steal the secret papers. She hadn’t been alone of course, her best friend, kelly who was also her cousin was at the secret base with Niceta directing her to the laboratory. She got the papers and had made it out safely but it was a narrow escape. She was lucky to still be alive and safe in her own bed. She looked across the room to see her sister still asleep in her bed. She felt safe and secure with her sister just across the room and Sophia gradually drifted to sleep.

The next morning she awoke in her bed feeling much better about life. She sniffed the air, was that pancakes she could smell? Just then her sister quietly crept into the  room “Good morning sleepy head.” she said softly.
“What’s the time?” Sophia asked and then sat up in bed. Niceta looked at clock on the wall and replied “Quarter to nine,” she paused before saying “Dad’s in the kitchen cooking pancakes for breakfast,”


Melanie Aitken