At Somersby-Too Far from Home

[makesthings]

The wind was blowing from the South and Sameth wished he could change it, but the Charter wasn't even there

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[wordofa_sayre]

"Well, you look glum."

Nick's leaning against the doorjamb, hands in his pockets and a frown on his face as he studies Sameth.

[wordofa_sayre]

"You say that now, but I learned from a chap that Uncle Edward met through the club--"

Nick breaks off there, distracted by something in the distance over Sam's shoulder.

"--blast. Come on, before he sees us!"

[makesthings]

"Yes, but I've..who?"

He turns to see what Nick's looking and starts heading towards the tower,

"Charter, its Cochrane, this way."

[wordofa_sayre]

"It's the wrong way," Nick argues, but that doesn't stop him from dashing after Sameth -- especially since Cochrane's looking out toward the cricket ground and would surely spot them if they headed that way.

"You just know he'd call us out for 'malingering.'" He makes an attempt at mimicking the bad-tempered tones of the Games Master as he growls,

"If you can't find something better to do with your time on your own, gentlemen, I'll find an occupation for you!"

[makesthings]

"Of course he would, he's been wanting to put something on me all day. Through here."

They've rounded one of the older parts of the school and are nearing the bell tower which is at a slight angle. Sameth considers the door which is unhelpfully locked and pushes on it.

[wordofa_sayre]

"Won't work," he informs him, with a dolorous air. "Marks started locking it after he tossed me out."

Nick's crouching down now at the corner of the tower, peering cautiously out in Cochrane's direction.

"I don't think he saw us--"

[makesthings]

"Should be a way in. Do you have any wire on you?"

He's kneeling down to look at the lock, there must be a way through it.

[wordofa_sayre]

"On me? No--"

He digs in his pockets anyway, coming up with a ball of lint, a few coins, an old jumble, and a nail.

[makesthings]

"I might be able to get through the lock. Is there a window or something that we could go through?"

[wordofa_sayre]

"Marks nailed all the shutters closed," Nick admits, a little guiltily.

"But hang on, we may be in luck-- look there!"

A beat, in which Cochrane starts waving at a student on the other side of the ground. As the teacher starts toward the distant figure, Nick darts a mischievous grin at Sameth.

"Although it seems like Hopkiss is about to have a time of it."

[makesthings]

"He nailed the shutters closed? Just as long as he doesn't know its us."

After some searching in his pockets, Sam finds a bit of wire and starts working at the lock.

[wordofa_sayre]

"More like as long as he can't prove it's us," Nick points out, watching this process with real interest.

"He'll be suspicious anyway."

[makesthings]

"He's Cochrane. I think I've almost got it."

He concentrates and then grumbles,

"Too far from the Wall."

Though the lock obligingly opens.

[wordofa_sayre]

Nick doesn't bother to correct him, as it's no wonder Sam's got Cochrane on his mind.

Instead --

"Brilliant!" he exclames, as the door swings ajar. "Well done, old chap."

"Now come on, before we're spotted."

[makesthings]

Sam looks behind him as he ducks inside and starts to call up the Charter and instead moves to look for a candle,

"We need some light."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Not for long," Nick assures him. "All we've got to do is get up the steps, and they go around the edge of the wall -- can't miss them--"

Evidently he can still trip over them in the dim light, though, as he promptly demonstrates upon finding the first riser.