8.

That evening I could not stay inside the house. As soon as my parents returned from their day out the house was filled with the sound of mumbled conversation, and the tin can talk of the television, which reached me even in my upstairs room. They had been out together, but they did not want to be disturbed. I decided that I would take a walk. It was six o' clock and the sky was already dark. I said goodbye but neither of them were listening.

I liked the look of my town by dark - it turned into a completely different place once the sun had set; it was lively and noisy, and there were groups of people walking around the place talking to each other. I decided to walk along a country path that ran along beside the bypass. Every now and again there was a lone walker, or a night animal, but other than that I was entirely alone. The path was deserted. Behind the hedge that separated my walkway from the bypass were a million tiny lights. I pushed through the hedge over to a little seating area, and sat down on a bench and looked at the fields in the distance. I was in a strange mood and I did not know what to think about anything. All I could do was look at the lights, and the sky. And because I was alone, and because I felt upset, I let myself, on this rare occasion, think about what I was going to do next year when I finally got away. When I thought about it, it wasn't all that distant. It was nearly Christmas time. All I had to do was keep working. I didn't want to let myself hope too much, because I had already learned how dangerous hope can be when you're living a life that you wish to escape, but on this one occasion I let myself hope, and was happy in my hope, and I felt as though I was glowing, like all the dancing lights. It was true that on day I would have freedom, and I would look back on this life and it would no longer be a threat to me, and I would be proud with myself for getting away. I smiled to myself, and decided that I would look at the sky for a while longer, and then I would pick myself up and head for home, and when I got home I would be able to bear it because I would know that I was getting away.

'Hello,' said I voice behind me. I turned around slowly, knowing that I knew that voice, but knowing that I wanted to preserve my happiness for a little bit longer, before I turned around and saw the face that I imagined I would see.

It was her. I knew that it was going to be her, but for a few seconds I hoped that it would be otherwise. I looked up, and then I looked back, and I said a 'hello' that suggested that I was not at all surprised to see her. And in a way I wasn't. I knew that I would see her again; why should I be at all surprised that it should be here or now? Still, my heart rattled inside my chest like a frightened animal, and I began to shiver slightly. Perhaps I had simply not noticed before, but it had become very cold.

'You knew that I would see you again,' she said, and I nodded. Yes, I had known that she would see me again.

'You must be a little afraid.'

I did not make any sort of answer to this one, but really an answer was not required. She could sense my fear. I knew that she could sense my fear.

'Don't be.'

I wanted to look up and meet her eyes, but I could not bring myself to. I did not know what I would see. She could be anything. I was not sure what she was even now. I looked down at my gloved hands, shivering, and asked.

'What are you?'

This might seem like a strange question now, but then it seemed like the most natural. She sighed and I looked up. She seemed sad. I took pity on her, for whatever problem she might have, and suddenly I felt that she was no threat to me. I should have stayed guarded. It turned out that I was wrong.

'What is your name?' she asked me.

'Lucie,' I replied, without hesitation.

'Well Lucie, I want to say to you that I am really very sorry.'

I could not ask why because that was when she lunged. Everything went black. 

 

Author's Note

A short chapter, but one of my favourites.

Reviews

[Jeannie Wilder]

I wasn't expecting that either! bravo!

[Happy Cereal]

Hahaha, I really wasn't expecting that! Very clever!