stories

The events all happened so fast; I could barely remember them. All I can remember is that he bundled us into a cab, then within 10 minutes we were in wild countryside. The only sign of life was a grand manor house that stood tall in the middle of a field.  We were pushed out of the cab and shoved up to the magnificent door, ‘Nice house,’ Bill attempted to say with his face pressed up against the gold-painted knocker ‘Victorian?’

‘Yes.’ Replied the stranger gruffly.

We were shoved to the side and our captor rung the bell. A intercom buzzed and a crackly voice came through, ‘Hello, you can come in. Please take your shoes off and don’t leave mud all over the carpet again.’

Bill stifled a laugh, but still I was confused why he wasn’t scared or at least worried about where we were going. Inside of the mansion was painted white with a patterned red rug lining the dusty wooden floor.  We started across the floor, after we had taken off our shoes, and were marched up the stairs like soldiers. Without warning, the door to our left opened, I jumped out of my skin! ‘Professor Moore,’ The man said with a flash of a smile ‘Long time, no see.’

‘Well, you’ve certainly come along way,’ replied Bill looking around the magnificent hallway.

‘Oh this? Inherited it from my Great-Uncle Herbert, only living relative you see.’

‘Certainty must be worth a good half a million, more even!’

‘Yes, yes. Now what kind of a host am I being? Letting my guests standing on the stairs. Come, come!’

‘Bill?’ I whispered to him ‘You know these people and you never thought to mention it?’

‘Just play along, he has his ways.’

‘And those ways are supposedly kidnapping us?’

‘Just go.’

‘Fine.’

We walked up the stairs and into a grand hallway, then into a wonderfully furnished sitting room. All along the sides were historical artifacts: pots, vases even pieces of mosaics! It was like a treasure cove, there were French windows running down one end and creamy, white curtains. Dust filled the air, you could even see the tiny dust particles drift in the still air. Outside it had just begun to rain, and the storm-clouds were filling up the air above us. I was glad we were inside now, instead of outside.

‘Take a seat, we have much to discuss!’ We all grabbed chairs and formed a circle.

‘Ok so for everyone who doesn’t know me, I am Rupert Stone. I have directed some popular documentaries on historical eras and have written a couple of books, articles and much more,’ Said Rupert Stone ‘This is my assistant, Ben Williams.’ He was pointing to the tall man who had ‘’kidnapped us’’.

‘Hello.’ I stated, unsure what else to say.

Dearly beloved,

We have come here today to commemorate the death of our much-loved friend Lord John Quentin. Let us pray that his soul finds it’s resting place in heaven, where it should belong. For he did many wonderful things and benefacted our church in multiple ways. And let us pray that we follow on his virtues and be strong of mind, gentle and bring peace. Let his ways not be forgotten. Now let us pray.

 ‘Last funeral I go to,’ Said Bill Moore from beside me ‘It beats me how everyone is still awake!’

‘Come on Bill, it wasn’t that bad,’ I tried, failed, to cheer him up ‘There were some good things, I mean-.’

‘Listen, the cake was the only good thing and that was stale.’

‘Fine, you win. It was rubbish.’

We were just passing the grand gates that were stationed at the entrance to Manor Park, I glanced around. There was a young man, slim and tall with heavy bags underneath his eyes, who was watching us. I was usually used to people staring, I mean Bill was a famous linguist, he had written many books on how our language evolved over time and it was a usual thing for us to be approached by strangers and asked for autographs and their books signing. But this wasn’t like that, this man was watching us like a hawk. Capturing our every movement. I tapped Bill on the shoulder being careful not to let this man see me doing it. ‘Bill?’ I whispered ‘There is someone staring.’

‘Ignore it,’ He replied calmly ‘They will go.’

‘Bill, he are not going away,’ I was getting a bit worried now, but tried not to let it show in my voice ‘Bill, he’s coming towards us!’

‘Just stay calm,’ He murmured back to me ‘Where is this man anyway?’

I pointed out to the pond, ‘There.’

Bill glanced at the tall young man, in the shadows of the trees it made his bags look even bigger and he looked as if he hadn’t eaten in days.

‘I get what you mean now,’

He was getting closer, I moved to walked faster but Bill pushed me back. ‘We don’t know who he is or what he wants,’ He said, ‘That man could want our help.’

‘Definitely looks like he needs our help.’ I replied sarcastically.

‘Just carry-on walking and look normal.’

‘That’s easy with a could-be murderer on our tail.’

‘Shut up Cassy, just walk trust me.’

‘Ok, genius.’ I said but carried on walking.

The man was close now, the knot in my chest was building. Within 2 minutes, he was directly behind us. I could feel his breathe on my neck. ‘Professor Moore, don’t make a move.’ The stranger said in a gruff, thick voice ‘I could snap your neck within two seconds and make it look like it was an accident.’

‘Ok.’ Muttered Bill.

‘And I would like you to go were ever I tell you.’

‘Ok, let’s get going then.’ Bill stated in a less than worried tone.

‘Why are you not scared?’ I whispered so that our captor couldn’t hear.

‘I have no reason to be.’ He simply replied.

‘What is that supposed to mean?’

I awoke, and immediately looked out of the window. The sun was shining brightly, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Strange......Yesterday it had been snowing and that was the forecast for today too. Maybe it would start snowing later, I liked the snow. So white, so perfect. Unlike my life.

Time flew and before I knew it I was getting out of the car. My velvet, black dress was speckled with the snowflakes now falling. I walked into to church, grandma would have hated this.....The coldness bit at my bare skin and thawed me to the bone. It was supposed to be a close family service, but there were tons of people here. I was uncomfortable. Why was I here?

Dear Jessica,

I am so sorry to hear about your loss, your Grandmother was a very proud, lovely woman, who I am proud to know. If you need anyone to speak to, I will always be here.

Love, 

Your Aunt Minerva

I scrunched up the letter, I didn’t even know my Aunt Minerva. All I wanted was to be left alone, all I wanted was my Grandma back.

I had known my Grandma all my life. She was my heart and soul, I seriously didn’t know how I would cope without her. And then it happened, the unthinkable happened. She died, I don’t know the details but I know this. She went out for a midnight walk (she liked doing that, looking at the stars and stuff like that) and didn’t come back. We looked and looked and looked, but couldn’t find her. Anyway, the police got involved and we found her. Under a bush, in the part of the deepest, darkest part of the woods. The police said she died of a heart attack, but I didn’t think so. My grandma hated that part of the woods and never ever went near them.....

I lay back, thinking about her. Maybe one day I will find out what happened. Maybe........Maybe.....?

CHAPTER 3 ~ ESCAPE

I ran out of the classroom quicker than a cheetah. Was I going mad? Was this just a dream? Oh help...

I ran out of school, out of the gates and all the way home. I must have pinched myself so many times but I was terrified. All the fear in my life put together couldn’t match this. I had just seen a class with no children in it, but the teacher was speaking to people, chatting even. This is a dream, any minute I will wake up and be at my old home. I closed and opened my eyes. Still walking down the main road to our terraced house.

‘MUM,’ I called as soon as I was inside ‘MUM!’

I heard footsteps on the stairs, she was coming. ‘What is it honey,’ She asked ‘Why are you home already?’

I was out of breathe, ‘I-I.’ I panted. And I poured it all out to her, the school, the empty classroom and the teacher talking to nobody.

‘Honey,’ Mum said once I had finished ranting on ‘You are sure this classroom was empty?’

‘Yes,’ I replied ‘definitely.’

Mum looked worried at that. She made me a cup of cocoa and phoned dad. I could only hear snatches of their conversation. ‘Aunt Lynn,’ and ‘Mum,’ and ‘Brain.’ I couldn’t piece these words together but then I heard the word that terrified me so much ‘Mad.’ At this I ran outside. I had to escape this mad world I was living in, I sat on the swing. Swinging and imagining my thoughts and worries were all escaping into the sky. But then they would always drop like stones back to me. Finally Mum came back outside, ‘Come on Honey,’ She said ‘We are going out.’ 

‘What?’ I said astounded ‘Now?’

‘Yes now,’ She sounded impatient ‘Hurry!’

CHAPTER 2 ~ THE CLASSROOM

The school was built in the Victorian era, I didn’t know the exact date but I could tell from the way it towered over me like a bad thought. And that it was. The fog was low over it’s many chimneys. In it’s day it had been a mental asylum and many who went there described it as a prison that resembled hell.

I walked into the reception area, it was dark and hadn’t been cleaned in about a thousand years. A tall, thin woman sat behind the desk, ‘Yes,’ She said in the most prim and proper voice I had ever heard ‘How can I help?’ 

‘ermmmmmm,’ I murmured, I was terrified about meeting the new people ‘I am Charlotte Spinde.’

‘Speak up girl,’ She pouted back at me ‘You are not a mouse.’

I was close to tears now, even though there was no-one looking at me. ‘My name is Charlotte Spinde, I am new.’

I said it louder this time and I think she got the message. I was fed up with this school, this day and this town.

‘Yes follow me, your classroom is just down this corridor.’

She pointed me down a corridor then down another and another and another. All of them looked the same, spiderwebs hanging from the corners and dust everywhere. The oak planking on the sides were the only thing that were clean. They were polished to perfection.

‘Here you are Miss Spinde,’ 

PROLOGUE

The dusty sky, it glowed as I lay beneath the apple tree thinking. My past had been hard, my future properly will be harder. But I had found the most important thing in my life, love! It was so heart-filling, beautiful and ultimate bliss! I thought back to the time I first met him, the love of my life,  Arlo. It was a couple of years back now, I was 15 then he was 16. I had moved into his neighbour hood, just off his street actually. And my first day of school..

CHAPTER 1 ~ LIFE GOES ON

It was 7 am in the morning......I had been awake all night thinking about school the next day, I never found meeting new people easy. I mean......They never really liked me, I was too different, too weird. I swung my feet onto the floor and felt around for my slippers. Pulling on my school uniform, I glanced in the mirror. I looked ridiculous. I brushed my jet black, shoulder-length hair again and again until it was glossy. Eventually I just brushed it back into a scrunchy and went downstairs for breakfast. It was already going wrong....Breakfast was ok, I mean I only spilt a bit of corn flakes down my freshly washed blazer. ’’Pull yourself together Charlotte Spinde,’’ I said to myself as I forced another shaking spoon to my mouth ‘’Today is going to be fine.’’ Soon, it was time to go and I was hugging my mum and saying I would be fine, I might have even convinced myself until I got onto the bus. I waited ages for the bus to come, there was only one other person at my bus stop and she was glued to her phone like resin to a tree. I picked my nails and messed with my blazer. At last it came, I was glad for 2 seconds.....

The bus journey nearly killed me, first I had a problems with my bus pass. Then there wasn’t any seats but next to the tall, bulky kid who looked as if he could and would beat me up. I sat down awkwardly, trying not to look over to him. Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder ‘Hey, I haven’t seen you here before’’ It was a boy from behind me ‘You new?’ He was big and muscular, with a square jaw. ‘Yeah,’ I replied cautiously ‘I am.’

‘Oooh, look everybody this is the new girl,’ He shouted down the bus, all eyes turned to me ‘Come on say something’ He said threateningly to me

‘Ermmm,’ I muttered ‘ I am Charlotte.’

This was awkward, everyone was looking at me. Even that girl who’s eyes were glued to her phone......

‘Speak up girl,’ He  pouted back at me ‘ No-on can here you

‘Hi,’ I said a bit louder ‘I am Charlot-’

‘Don’t do what Tyrell says,’ A voice spoke out of the crowd ‘He is just seeking attention.’

A couple of heads nodded in agreement, but no-one took their eyes of me.

‘Stop acting the bully Tyrell, we all know you are not,’ He said again.

‘You’re a jerk, Arlo and you always will be.’ Tyrell spoke the words with contempt.

‘ I know I’m talking like a jerk,’ He said back, this was like swapping insults now ‘But isn’t that the only way you could understand what I was saying?’