War in the kitchen

War in the kitchen

Christine opened the front door and stopped before the usual ritual of hanging her keys on the key holder beside the door. Her hand was outstretched in frozen animation inches away from the hook and her mouth was open in shock.

The front room was in disarray. There was white powder on the carpet and foot prints everywhere showing where children and animals had been. The cushions were off the couch and one was torn with stuffing coming out from one corner. The reading lamp and china vases normally on the sideboard were laying in shards on the floor and the large painting on the wall was hanging at an oblique angle.

The TV had white powder on the screen and DVD cases were scattered on the carpet below it.

There was a chair on its side in the kitchen which she could see into from the front door and there was more white powder and the contents of the waste bin scattered on the floor, old milk cartons, yogurts and a chicken carcass which had been wrapped in newspaper .

She put the key on the hook and with her mouth still wide open, she walked into the kitchen.

"Oh Mum! You're back early," said Annie in a panic. "I'm sorry. I was making cakes and Shelly was teasing the dog and the cat. Then she pulled the cat's tail and you'll never believe what happened next!"