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The Old Ways · Strand 004
The Small Door
Patrick FontaineThe Kinnears' new rental has a small door under the pantry shelves, painted shut. The landlord says not to open it. Then the first frost comes.
12 documents
The Old Ways 004 001 · 1 of 12
Tenancy Inventory - 14 Bracken Row
Tenancy Inventory
Ground floor
Kitchen
Sitting room
Utility room
Pantry
One small timber access door located at skirting level beneath pantry shelving. Approximate dimensions 28 cm × 34 cm.
Door painted shut.
Tenant advised by landlord not to open.
Reason given: “Old service hatch.”
No corresponding opening identified on exterior wall.
The Old Ways 004 002 · 2 of 12
Note Pushed Through Letterbox
NOTE PUSHED THROUGH LETTERBOX
Handwritten note dated 7 November.
Mrs Kinnear,
First frost is expected tonight.
As you have not lived here before, please follow the old rule.
Before sunset, place one of your child’s shed teeth behind the small door.
Close it.
Do not open it again until morning.
If you do not have one of your child’s teeth, come to Number 9 before dark.
Please do not ignore this.
Morag Grant
No. 9
The Old Ways 004 003 · 3 of 12
Text Messages - Laura and Mum, 16:12
M
Mum
Messages with Laura Kinnear
7 NOVEMBER · 16:12
The Old Ways 004 004 · 4 of 12
Home Security Audio - 23:41
Home Security Audio
Home security device
[AUDIO PLAYBACK]
[television audible]
LAURA:Elsie?
ELSIE:What?
LAURA:Were you just downstairs?
ELSIE:No.
LAURA:Were you in the pantry?
ELSIE:Mum, I’m in bed.
LAURA:I heard you.
ELSIE:Heard me what?
LAURA:Singing.
ELSIE:I wasn’t singing.
[faint humming audible from downstairs]
ELSIE:Mum?
LAURA:Stay in your room.
ELSIE:That’s my song.
LAURA:What?
ELSIE:Dad sang it to me. When I was little.
[humming stops]
The Old Ways 004 005 · 5 of 12
Text Messages - Laura and Morag Grant, 23:48
M
Morag Grant
Messages with Laura Kinnear
7 NOVEMBER · 23:48
The Old Ways 004 006 · 6 of 12
Voice Recording - Laura's Phone, 00:03
Voice Recording
Voice memo, Laura Kinnear's phone
[AUDIO PLAYBACK]
LAURA:I’m recording this because I want you to tell me exactly what happened.
ELSIE:I already told you.
LAURA:Tell me again.
ELSIE:I knocked on it.
LAURA:Why?
ELSIE:Because Mrs Grant said not to.
LAURA:Elsie.
ELSIE:I only did it once.
LAURA:And?
ELSIE:It knocked back.
LAURA:What did you do?
ELSIE:Nothing.
LAURA:Elsie.
ELSIE:I said hello.
LAURA:Did it answer you?
[long pause]
ELSIE:It asked if I was Elsie Kinnear.
LAURA:What did you say?
[Elsie begins crying]
ELSIE:I said yes.
LAURA:Then what?
ELSIE:It said, “Me too.”
The Old Ways 004 007 · 7 of 12
Home Security Audio - 02:11
Home Security Audio
Home security device
[AUDIO PLAYBACK]
[bedroom door opens]
LAURA:Elsie?
CHILD:Mum?
LAURA:Why are you out of bed?
CHILD:I’m not.
LAURA:What?
ELSIE:Mum?
[voice comes from inside bedroom]
LAURA:Elsie?
ELSIE:I’m here.
CHILD:Mum.
LAURA:Oh my God.
CHILD:Why is she in my bed?
ELSIE:Mum, shut the door.
CHILD:That’s not me.
ELSIE:Don’t let her in.
CHILD:Mum, please.
LAURA:Stay there.
CHILD:Mum?
[door closes]
The Old Ways 004 008 · 8 of 12
999 Call Transcript - 14 Bracken Row
999 Call Transcript
OPERATOR:Emergency. Which service?
CALLER:Police. Please.
OPERATOR:Tell me what’s happening.
CALLER:There’s a child outside my bedroom.
OPERATOR:Do you know who she is?
CALLER:I thought it was Elsie.
OPERATOR:Who is Elsie?
CALLER:My daughter.
OPERATOR:And where is your daughter now?
CALLER:She’s here with me.
OPERATOR:So who is outside the room?
CALLER:I don’t know.
OPERATOR:Is the bedroom door locked?
CALLER:Yes.
OPERATOR:Keep it locked.
CHILD’S VOICE:Mum?
CALLER:Can you hear her?
OPERATOR:I can hear someone.
CHILD’S VOICE:Please let me in.
OPERATOR:Stay where you are. Officers have been dispatched.
CALLER:How long?
OPERATOR:I can’t give you an exact time.
CALLER:Please. Please hurry.
The Old Ways 004 009 · 9 of 12
Home Security Audio - 02:26
Home Security Audio
Home security device
[AUDIO PLAYBACK]
[phone call audible on speaker]
MORAG:Laura?
LAURA:There’s a girl outside the room.
MORAG:What girl?
LAURA:She looks like Elsie.
MORAG:Looks like her how?
LAURA:Morag, I don’t know. She just does.
MORAG:Where is Elsie?
LAURA:She’s with me.
[long pause]
MORAG:Oh God.
LAURA:Tell me what to do.
MORAG:I don’t know.
LAURA:You left me that note.
MORAG:Because that’s what my mother did. And her mother.
LAURA:What happens if you don’t do it?
MORAG:I’ve never seen this happen.
LAURA:Morag, please.
MORAG:There is one other thing.
LAURA:What?
MORAG:If the tooth isn’t left before dark, and the door has been answered, a fresh one has to be given before sunrise.
LAURA:Fresh?
MORAG:Yes.
LAURA:None of Elsie’s teeth are loose.
LAURA:Which one do I take it from?
[long silence]
MORAG:Laura, I don’t know.
The Old Ways 004 010 · 10 of 12
Home Security Audio - 04:37
Home Security Audio
Home security device
[AUDIO PLAYBACK]
[two children crying quietly]
[drawer opens]
CHILD 1:What are you doing?
LAURA:It has to be before sunrise.
CHILD 1:I’m Elsie.
CHILD 2:So am I.
LAURA:Open your mouth.
CHILD 1:Which one?
LAURA:You.
CHILD 1:Why me?
CHILD 1:Mum, please.
LAURA:I’m sorry.
[child cries out]
The Old Ways 004 011 · 11 of 12
Home Security Audio - 05:51
Home Security Audio
Home security device
[AUDIO PLAYBACK]
[pantry door opens]
LAURA:Stay there.
[small door opens, then closes]
[three knocks from behind wall]
[recording drops out for approximately eight seconds]
[one child crying]
CHILD:Mum?
LAURA:Where is she?
The Old Ways 004 012 · 12 of 12
Body-Worn Video Transcript - 14 Bracken Row
Body-Worn Video Transcript
Body-worn video
[AUDIO PLAYBACK]
[Officers dispatched at 02:19. Attendance delayed due to a simultaneous serious road traffic collision.]
OFFICER 1:Mrs Kinnear?
LAURA:Kitchen.
OFFICER 2:I’ve got a child in here.
OFFICER 1:Is she injured?
OFFICER 2:Blood around the mouth.
OFFICER 1:Mrs Kinnear, what happened?
LAURA:There was another girl.
OFFICER 1:Another child?
OFFICER 1:Is this your daughter?
[Laura begins crying]
LAURA:I still don’t know if she’s Elsie.
End of Strand 004
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