Baba Yaga Next Door

There’s a brown-haired boy sitting right at the top of the stairs, on the top floor of this block of flats, his head in a book. That’s Andy. He moved here recently with his mum, his dad, and his little brother. He hasn’t yet had much time to make friends here, but he isn’t too bothered about it.

Andy learned how to read before he went to school, and very quickly he got hooked on books. He loves fables, myths and legends, and tales of mystery and magic. He reads whenever he possibly can – at break time, during lunch, and before bed, of course. If you ever meet him on his way to or from school, he’s certain to have his nose buried in a book!

Sometimes, when he’s at home, Andy slips away from the rest of his family and sits at the top of the stairs with his latest comic book or novel. It’s quiet – no one bothers him there. Only one elderly lady lives on the top floor, and she doesn’t go out very much. Andy doesn’t even know her name. He’s only ever seen her through the window, coming back from the shops.

One day last week, Andy was completely immersed in a tale about a witch called Baba Yaga. Outside, the autumn wind was blowing gustily and rain and sleet were hammering against the window. It was beginning to get dark.

Out of the blue, something brushed against Andy’s leg. He jumped out of his skin and almost fell down the stairs. Looking around in the half-darkness, he saw a black cat padding along the stairs by his feet, purring. He breathed a sigh of relief and gave it a friendly rub behind the ears. The cat watched him for a while with…