I stared at the pocketknife in disbelief. The perfect tool for escape had fallen into my hands!

I skirted past the lifeless animals in grotesque poses and really looked at the door. The hinges were on the inside! I started at the bottom, using the knife blade as a screwdriver to twist the long hinge pins free. It took much longer than I imagined. My wrists cramped, my neck cramped, but finally it slid out. I worked on the top hinge. It was much harder, I was at a bad angle, reaching, and it took twice as long.

I was sure glad to see those piles of books again! Relief flooded through me as I stumbled over them toward the infamous door standing between me and my freedom. I could just hear Kitty’s voice, and smell her homemade bread!

The good thing about old doors is that they have old doorknobs. Old knobs are secured with a long faceplate that covers the locking mechanism. It was easy to remove the plate and wriggle and twist at the lock until it clicked. Success!

“Kitty! Boys!” I ran to find them.