Chapter 3
The Letters From No One
Jack had walked up to the door and gathered the mail that had just arrived. He sorted through the stacks of envelopes and was surprised to find one was addressed to him.
Mr. J Frost
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
Jack examined it carefully as he walked into the kitchen while everyone sat at the table and ate breakfast. The envelope was heavy, and the seal had a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding the letter H. Jack handed the remaining stack to his uncle but did not take his eyes off the thick envelope.
"Hm…looks like my sister is ill." Dingwall mused, but was suddenly interrupted by Wee.
"Jack has a letter!" He announced, snatching the envelope from Jack.
"Hey!" Jack protested. "That's my letter!"
"Yours?" Dingwall asked curiously. "Who would be writing to you?" Maudie leaned over and put a hand over her mouth, a very worried look in her eyes. The couple looked at each other.
"What is it?" Wee asked.
"I want to see it!" Emma joined in.
"I want to see it!" Jack added. "As it is mine!"
"Children, please leave the room. Dingwall and I must talk." Maudie urged.
"But-" Jack began to protest.
"Please, listen to your aunt!" Dingwall raised his voice. "Leave, now!" The three curious kids were ushered out of the kitchen, left with unanswered questions.
Later that evening, Maudie tried to convince Jack that the letter had been sent to him by mistake, and that he should not worry about it. But Jack couldn't help it. He had been curious about that letter and wished he had gotten the chance to read it.
The next day, his wish seemed to come true. When the mail arrived, he discovered another letter addressed to him. Before he had the chance to read it, Dingwall quickly snatched it and burned it. As they days continued, multiple copies would arrive, and Dingwall had to guard the door to prevent any nosy children from attempting to snatch the letters. He even resolved to nailing a wooden plank over the mail slot. But the letters kept coming and were left on the front porch. Owls began to sit around the house. Emma was excited for the owls, and even began to name all of them.
On a peaceful Sunday morning, the family gathered in the front room to relax. Dingwall was quite relieved that there was no post on Sundays, and he didn't have to deal with letters that day. Maudie however, still looked worried, and even sickly. She had been losing sleep over these letters.
But their quiet Sunday didn't last long. Letters suddenly began flying out of the fireplace and burst past the wooden plank over the mail slot. Jack desperately reached out for one, ignoring his aunt's pleas not to. He had snatched one, but it was grabbed from his hand by Dingwall.
"That settles it!" He snapped. "We need to go away! On vacation!"
~jb~
The family had found a nice hotel. When the children began to unwind and jump on the beds, Dingwall was shocked to find a letter sitting on one of the night tables.
Mr. J. Frost
Room 17
Railview Hotel
Cokeworth
He quickly threw it out the window before Jack could take notice. He expressed his concern to Maudie, and the family once again, took off.
"We decided for Jack's birthday tomorrow," Maudie announced. "we are going to spend the week in a cabin!"
"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Emma asked. Though a week in a cabin sounded fun, she could tell something was suspicious.
"It'll be fine!" Dingwall insisted.