As Stephanie opened her uncles book and began to read, she remembered a time that seemed so long ago, on one of the occasions that she had visited the house in which she was now sitting, alone. She had been left there by her Mum and Dad whilst they were in town, and was now sitting in Gordon's living room, watching a cartoon on the TV.
A short while beforehand, Gordon had excused himself from the room, saying that he had 'business' to attend to. As she watched the animated characters battle on-screen, she had pondered over this. Gordon never wrote whilst she was over, preferring to play hide and seek throughout the old house, or tell her some story about swashbuckling pirates or kings from far off lands.
Curious, she had switched off the TV and quietly crept up the stairs towards Gordon's study. She had turned 10 the week before and had mastered the art of sneaking from the game of Hidey Tig that she, Crystal and Carol had been forced to play. After she had won for the eighth time in a row, the two other girls had went off in a sulk, after grabbing back her birthday present.
She had reached his study door. As quietly as she could, Stephanie tiptoed over to the closed oak door. She gently peered into the keyhole.
She could see his dimly lit room, and in the middle of it, his desk. But she could not see Gordon- only the back of his chair was visible, his head slightly visible above the swivelling furniture. He was turned in against the wall, and a strange, repetitive slopping noise was emitting from the chair. She listened to the wet, quick pattern of the rhythm for a while, lulled by it, and pondered over its origin.
But as she pondered, her foot knocked gently onto the large study door and the slight sound made the spinning chair wheel around. It took all of Stephanie's strength to stop gasping. Her uncle was completely naked.