Theo and the secret of the Black Raven

Theo and the secret of the Black Raven

“A light breeze had come up. It pushed open the window. Theo awoke as the breeze became a wind. It rushed through the leaves, growing ever fiercer as if a storm was drawing close.
Theo sat up sleepily. Just as he was about to get up and close the window the tree began to shake. Branches whipped wildly this way and that and then Theo heard a loud cracking noise. The leaves trembled as a huge dark wall pushed down between the branches and came to rest on its side with a loud groan.
Theo was paralyzed with fear and moved into the furthest corner of his bed, into the shadows. What was happening? Distant voices came from somewhere above the wall. Then something was thrown through his window and landed on the floor with a loud thud. It was a rope with an iron hook attached. The rope was pulled taut by unseen hands somewhere above the wall and then the hook was lifted and caught under the window sill. And then Theo saw the raven, who had visited him several times before. He heard the soft whirr of wings and saw its dark shadow as it flew upwards. It held the end of another rope in its beak that as Theo now saw was pulled through a ring in the hook. It too was pulled taut and then, with a rasping noise, a rope ladder appeared in the upper corner of the window and landed on Theos windowsill.
This was getting to be more scary by the minute. Theo slipped from the edge of his bed and hid underneath. His heart hammered against his chest and he was sure it was loud enough to be heard. What was going on? Had aliens landed in the tree, about to abduct him? Or burglars? He wanted to call out to his mother, but when he opened his mouth, no sound came out.
The moon now appeared over the roof of the house across the street and in its pale light Theo recognized a dark figure slowly climbing down the ladder. The man pushed open the window and quietly let himself into the room.
As far as Theo could tell, he was strangely dressed, he wore boots that went up to his knees, a broad hat and an old fashioned dark blue uniform jacket with gold buttons. Besides a saber and a musket were pushed through his belt.
The man looked around the room and seemed to hesitate when his eyes fell on Theos bed. Had he noticed that it was empty?
Theo crawled into the furthest corner under his bed and held his breath."