distracted with their ablutions, the door back to the dormitory closed, starting with a grinding noise and ending with a thunderous bang. All the heads that were bowed over their individual wash basins jerked up, the children wondering why they'd been so suddenly cut off. They were aware of mysterious noises behind the door, and a sound as if of machinery moving objects around. They ducked their heads back down and concentrated on sluicing their faces, feeling as if the only correct thing was to be conscientious and not to be caught being curious.
Muko noticed one thing in particular, however: the boy with the bell was no longer there. He guessed he must have slid past the door while none of them were looking.
At length the strange noises in the next room ceased, and the door began to swing open again, creaking on its hinges in a way that suggested they'd never been oiled in a million years. As if drawn by a magnet, the children headed back through the door into the space where their beds had been. But there were no beds! They had all vanished! In their place were tables spread out across the room, each with four chairs grouped around them. On the tables were the necessaries for a meal: plates, cutlery and mugs, all for four, and food. It was a welcome sight to Muko, who was feeling hungry, but his anticipation couldn't quell his