Page 59 - Nuts to You - The Nutcracker Retold

impatience, as he thought of Mother Stahlbaum’s wonderful pecan pies, Reggie grabbed the knob with both paws and shook hard. It wouldn’t turn! Outraged that he couldn’t get at the hot cross buns he was sure he could smell fresh from the oven, Reggie planted both of his hind feet on the door frame, grabbed the bars of the door and put his back into it – giving the door a tremendous shaking – which scared a passing maid so much, she dropped the flowers she was carrying to Mrs. Stahlbaum for Clara’s hair and stood there, staring at the clock with eyes as big as goose eggs.
A sharp word from Clara’s room – and the maid grabbed the flowers and hightailed it past the bumpy, thumpy door. When the maid returned from Clara’s room with a petticoat to press, she flattened herself against the wall opposite the clock and scooted past as fast as she could.
Back inside the clock, Reggie was weeping once more.
He had broken a claw on his paw. And he couldn’t open the door. And Mummy was going to kill him. And he wished he’d never been born.
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