The Strange Noise: Chapter 1
Eustace Truffle was having a bad night’s sleep. Every time he moved to get comfortable in bed, he could hear the strangest rattling noise. After much tossing and turning, he eventually woke up his wife, Victoria Truffle, who was not best pleased.
“What on Earth are you playing at Eustace?” she grumbled, half-asleep. “It’s the middle of the night!”
“I’m sorry, dear” sighed Eustace, knowing full well he was in his disgruntled wife’s bad books (as usual). “I keep hearing the oddest of sounds whenever I settle down to sleep. It’s driving me mad.”
“Well, your floundering around in bed is driving ME mad. Now get to sleep or go into the guest room!” snapped Victoria, rolling away from her husband. He sighed again, and got himself out of bed, rattling with every movement. “And for peat’s sake, do be quiet! It’s only taken me half the night to get the children to sleep” she hissed as Eustace slunk out the bedroom, grabbing his clothes as he left.
Eustace tip-toed across the hallway, trying to be as quiet as possible, but the rattling noise followed him with every step. Step. Rattle rattle. Step. Rattle rattle.
‘What is going on?’ He wondered to himself, as he continued to creep around the house. But poor Eustace Truffle had not been as quiet as he had anticipated. Soon the cries of his three children began to fill the corridor, and he wished the floor would open and swallow him whole. Anything was better than the wrath of Victoria!
“What on Earth are you playing at Eustace?” she grumbled, half-asleep. “It’s the middle of the night!”
“I’m sorry, dear” sighed Eustace, knowing full well he was in his disgruntled wife’s bad books (as usual). “I keep hearing the oddest of sounds whenever I settle down to sleep. It’s driving me mad.”
“Well, your floundering around in bed is driving ME mad. Now get to sleep or go into the guest room!” snapped Victoria, rolling away from her husband. He sighed again, and got himself out of bed, rattling with every movement. “And for peat’s sake, do be quiet! It’s only taken me half the night to get the children to sleep” she hissed as Eustace slunk out the bedroom, grabbing his clothes as he left.
Eustace tip-toed across the hallway, trying to be as quiet as possible, but the rattling noise followed him with every step. Step. Rattle rattle. Step. Rattle rattle.
‘What is going on?’ He wondered to himself, as he continued to creep around the house. But poor Eustace Truffle had not been as quiet as he had anticipated. Soon the cries of his three children began to fill the corridor, and he wished the floor would open and swallow him whole. Anything was better than the wrath of Victoria!
He stepped into the children’s nursery to try and soothe the little ones before the sound of crying travelled all the way to his wife. Charlie Truffle, Susan Truffle, and Felicity Truffle were all sat in their cot, sobbing.
“I’m sorry” apologised Eustace as he comforted his brood. After a quick cuddle and a kiss, they all seemed to settle down, ready for sleep. As he turned to leave the room, the dreaded rattling noise happened again. Rattle rattle.
The eldest of the three children, Charlie, sat up and pointed to his father’s stomach, yelling “Daddy rattle!”
Eustace looked down at himself. “What do you mean? You want your rattle?” he said, confused by the boy’s statement. “No, daddy rattle!” Charlie pouted, whilst waving his arm frantically at his father’s tummy.
Still confused, Eustace looked at his son, completely blank. Charlie rolled his eyes and clambered out of the cot, and then rummaged through the toy box. He found his favourite and best rattle, and thrust it at his dad. “Rattle, rattle!” he exclaimed.
“I’m sorry” apologised Eustace as he comforted his brood. After a quick cuddle and a kiss, they all seemed to settle down, ready for sleep. As he turned to leave the room, the dreaded rattling noise happened again. Rattle rattle.
The eldest of the three children, Charlie, sat up and pointed to his father’s stomach, yelling “Daddy rattle!”
Eustace looked down at himself. “What do you mean? You want your rattle?” he said, confused by the boy’s statement. “No, daddy rattle!” Charlie pouted, whilst waving his arm frantically at his father’s tummy.
Still confused, Eustace looked at his son, completely blank. Charlie rolled his eyes and clambered out of the cot, and then rummaged through the toy box. He found his favourite and best rattle, and thrust it at his dad. “Rattle, rattle!” he exclaimed.
Eustace held the rattle in his hand, and shook it from side to side. Rattle rattle. Charlie nodded with glee that finally his father was beginning to understand. Was this what all the commotion was during the night? A child’s toy?
“Oh Charlie, I’ve been wondering what that noise was all night. Thank you!” He smiled at his clever little boy, and put the rattle back in the toy box. “Now let’s get you to sleep before I get into even more trouble with your mother” he said, scooping Charlie into his arms. And as he did, the rattling noise came back. Rattle rattle.
Eustace finally understood what Charlie had been trying to say. It was him that rattled. “Oh bother,” he said, as he put his son down to rest.
Oh bother indeed.
“Oh Charlie, I’ve been wondering what that noise was all night. Thank you!” He smiled at his clever little boy, and put the rattle back in the toy box. “Now let’s get you to sleep before I get into even more trouble with your mother” he said, scooping Charlie into his arms. And as he did, the rattling noise came back. Rattle rattle.
Eustace finally understood what Charlie had been trying to say. It was him that rattled. “Oh bother,” he said, as he put his son down to rest.
Oh bother indeed.
