(Matilda's POV):
"That's a stupid idea," I exclaim angrily after James explains his idea.
He proposed for me to slip inside the sack and have the three of them carry me out of the house.
"Well, it's the only way you'll be able to help us find Dani."
"If you think I'm getting in that sack, you've got another thing coming."
"We'll be real careful. Promise."
"You know, we could just sneak out without the bag. My mom's a little ditzy, so I doubt she'll notice me sneaking out. She'd notice much more if you three were carrying a body in that sack. She'd think you offed me."
"But would she care?"
I ponder this for a moment.
"Well, she doesn't care enough to get my first name right. And especially since she gets it wrong on purpose. But I'm not leaving without the bare necessities."
Quickly I snatch my notebook of ideas, a pencil, the basket with the Wonka bars so we can keep up with the competition, and the Matilda book.
"What about the kit?" James asks.
"Are you nuts? That thing would break in there."
Carefully I step inside and position myself.
"Speaking of things breaking," I say glaring at James.
"If you hurt me in anyway, I'll break every single bone in your body."
(Sophie's POV):
Carefully we creep down the stairs. Charlie and James hold the bag on one end while I take ahold of the other. As soon as we get to the bottom, James peeks around the corner. He leans over and whispers something to Charlie. After a small exchange, they motion for me to follow. We take the bag to the front with an occasional raspy cry of pain from within.
"It doesn't look like her mom's here," I remark in a whisper in case I'm wrong.
"Must've gone shopping or something," James says.
"Shouldn't we let her out?"
"What she doesn't know won't hurt her."
I give him a glare. I'm not as threatening as Matilda can get with him, but I try. After a minute, he gives a groan of defeat.
"Fine."
As we set the bag down on the floor to let her out, I feel a pinch of worry inside of me.
"Careful. Careful," I keep telling the guys.
Suddenly James hands slip. I hear a loud thump and a yell of pain from Matilda followed by semi-quiet, angry mumbling as if she's trying to keep herself from swearing aloud.
"What did I tell you?" I growl at him.
"It was an accident," he claims.
"Sure."
The three of us untie the bag to let out a gasping Matilda.
"Thank goodness!" she exclaims.
"I can breathe again."
Suddenly the stillness and silences catches her off-guard.
"Wait. Where's my mom?"
Matilda runs over to the window to check the street.
"Went out shopping, I suppose?" James asks innocently.
Slowly she turns to him with glaring hawk eyes and steps towards him. Every step she takes towards him, he takes two back.
"You mean to tell me that I huddled in that bloody sack for nothing?"
"Well, I didn't know if your mom was still here."
She begins to twitch a little.
"You say that your hand slipping was an accident?" she growls, her voice rising in volume.
"I'll show you an accident, you dodo!"
She prepares to lunge at him and I realize that if something isn't done, things are going to get messy.
"Hey!" I snap.
The three of them look at me in shock. I'm shocked myself. Normally I'm kind of soft-spoken. Nevertheless I press on.
"Fighting isn't going to get us anywhere. The more time we spend fighting, the less time we may have to find Dani and get her back safely."
"She's right," Charlie exclaims.
"Who knows when Matilda's mom will be back? If we keep fighting, we could still be here when she does and then where would we be?"
"Now do you two promise that you won't fight as long as it takes to find Dani?"
The two of them glare at one another and then sigh, turning back to face me.
"We promise," they each tell me reluctantly.
Matilda bends back into the sack and picks up what she left inside.
"Good. Then let's get going."
As I turn my back, I hear a small thud and an "Ow!" from James.
"Matilda!" I exclaim.
She groans in frustration.
"At least I wasn't trying to break his neck."