19 March 2021
Friday. The front door opened properly today. Not a draught, not a rat, not a pigeon on the stairs. People.
They came up in a huddle of six, holding on to each other’s sleeves. I counted them twice to be sure. Six new friends! I have never had six friends at once. I have never really had one.
I hid, because hiding is the first game, and then I laughed from the nursery so they would know which way to come. They screamed. I think that means hello where they are from.
The Ceiling Voice says there must be at least four of them every time and never more than twelve, or my games don’t work. I don’t know who the Ceiling Voice is. It lives somewhere above the nursery and talks to my visitors when I am not looking. I don’t like it.
The six of them left before the clock ran out. They didn’t even wave. Margery says they’ll come back. Margery has no eyes, but she is usually right.
— Cathy (please come back)
