Page 79 - English_Spark_5

At last Larry, having finished, fetched the cigarettes from the

drawing room, and lying back in his chair he put one in his
mouth and picked up the matchbox he had brought.

Oblivious that the end of my happy days was about to

come, I watched my eldest brother interestedly as,
still talking loudly, he opened the matchbox.

Now I insist to this day that the female

scorpion meant no harm. She was nervous
and a little annoyed at being shut up

in a matchbox for so long, and so she
seized the first opportunity to escape.

She pulled herself out of the box with
great rapidity, her babies clinging on

desperately, and scuttled on to the back

of Larry’s hand. There, not quite certain
what to do next, she paused, her sting

curved up at the ready. Larry, feeling the
movement of her claws, glanced down to see

what it was, and from that moment things got increasingly confused.

He uttered a roar of fright that brought Roger out from beneath the table,
barking wildly. With a flick of his hand he sent the unfortunate scorpion flying

down the table, and she landed midway between Margo and Leslie, scattering
babies like confetti as she thumped on the cloth.

And with that there was a rapid change from peace to chaos; thoroughly enraged
at this treatment, the creature sped towards Leslie, her sting quivering with

emotion. Leslie leapt to his feet, overturning his chair, and flicked out desperately
with his napkin, sending the scorpion rolling across the cloth towards Margo,

who promptly let out a scream that any railway engine would have been proud
to produce.

rapidity — moving or reacting with great speed; confetti — small pieces of coloured

paper traditionally thrown over a bride and bridegroom after the marriage ceremony;
quivering — trembling

English-5 79