Captive of the Light - Lily Ramsay (ereader iphone txt) 📗

was out home, Willowcombe was our home. But then was it? I mean I had lived most of my life in Australia, and our family was there. Maybe it wasn’t such a ludicrous idea. At that moment I heard a footstep and I sucked my breath in thinking that I have been caught. But I hadn't. Across the hall I caught sight of tom, he too watching from his bedroom doorway. He caught my eyes and out his finger to his lips. Well obviously I was going to be quiet. We both stood there listening, the same dialogue being replayed over and over again. In the my father gave up, promising to talk about it tomorrow. I flattened myself behind my door as dad walked past. He stunk of whiskey and his speak had been slurred. Thing were definitely changing.
****
Tom and I knew something was wrong when mum and dad sat us down three days after that night. It was called a family meeting. We were all waiting expectantly although I think even then I knew what they were about to say. Finally dad came out with it. His words were;
“I think, well your mother and I think, that it would be best if we move back home-”
“but this is our home” I unhelpfully interjected.
“We have family and friends in Australia and a house still sitting there waiting for us...we can always come back and visit England and Pembrooke.” None of us were convinced tom put up a fight, grace started crying into Claire’s hair and I effectively gave my parents the silent treatment, for about five minutes. There was no point. The decision had been taken out our hands and in a way although I hate to admit it they were right. Living in England was hard. Firstly we had no place to live, no family, no money apart from in the ban, grace couldn’t go on being home schooled forever and my parents wanted me to go to college and that would have to happen in Australia. Yes my parents were correct.
I didn’t tell Caro we were moving. I didn’t want to, I know it was mean but I couldn’t bring myself to face her just yet. The news travelled fast and I was sure that Caro had found out.
I didn’t see my family much in the weeks leading up to us leaving. Tom was always out with his friends he had made throughout the six years. Dad was always in one town or another organising flights and stop over’s, mum spent all her spare time with the ladies she had befriended in the village and usually took grace with her which left me at home at a loss at what to do. Several times I went to Caro’s house and just when I was about to knock I turned away. I know I was behaving like a coward and that why I was surprised when I heard a knock on the door and it turned out to be Caro. She was staring at me with a stony expression, her green eyes large and furious. “After everything I did for you, after everything we have you don’t even bother to tell me that you’re moving to Australia!?” she spat. I was taken back; I had never heard Caro string so many words together in one go. “Well?” she demanded. “I was going to tell you” I offered feebly worrying myself with a lose strand of hair. She knew I was lying, she could see right through me. “As if” she muttered and slammed the door in my startled face.
It was only two weeks until we were due to leave England and the date was fast approaching. I hadn't spoken to Caro since that day but I had been busy. Well that was my excuse anyway. Mum had been rushing around like crazy, she had insisted that we get haircuts and before we return so we looked like we hadn't been living in a tiny village. I got my bottom length hair cut to my shoulders which took the dodgy hairdresser three hours. Tom was the usual, grace now wore a bob of curls and mum went for the boy cut. Not her best idea.
Everything was set in place and times. We would we leave Willowcombe at nine in the morning and catch the train to London. We would arrive there at eleven o'clock and then catch a taxi to Heathrow to arrive there by 11:15am to be able to catch out plane at 3pm. We worked like clockwork. Bags were packed and at the front door within the week and preparations were being made for the frame of Pembrooke. Mum and dad were going to try and sell the land.
I knew I had to go and see Caro. It was a fact but a fact I was trying to avoid. Eventually I summoned up the courage but it was only when mum told me that I was going to have to start saying my goodbyes, isn’t that something someone says when someone’s dying? Nevertheless the afternoon before we were scheduled to leave I went around know I owed her that much. Walking through the village lots of people came up to me (half of which I have never spoken to) and said how sad they were top see our family go. I nodded and smiled and continued on my way. When I finally reached her house I knocked pitifully on the door. Just when I was about to turn and go I heard footsteps. The door swung open and there stood Caro, perfectly smooth faced. “Hey” I said softly she remained indifferent but opened the door a little wider to let me in. She held out her notebook and as she did her sleeves rode up a little bit revealing a new set of crisscross red lines. When she noticed me looking she scowled fiercely but did nothing to cover them up. On her notebook she had written;
“why didn’t you tell me?
To that I had no answer. I just shrugged and said because I was scared, it wasn’t the whole truth and I didn’t mention that it was her I was scared of but she seemed to accept that.
Meet me at the clock tower....midnight
I looked up at her and smiled. Just like all those years ago...nothing had changed...


Caro

Caro was surprised that Lauren had agreed to come. But happy at the same time. As it got it became closer to midnight Caro decided to head out. It was cold and sprinkling with rain, the type of night you’d like to be tucked up in bed but seeing as it was their last night together there was nothing else she would rather be. she knew Lauren would already be there. Lauren was always ten minutes early to things. Pushing through the oak door she walked into the warmness of the church. It was dark inside but Caro had been inside so many times she knew her way around like the back of her hand. Creeping up the stair she could hear Lauren pacing. Smiling to herself she stepped into the light. Lauren looked so different. She had shorter hair obviously but Caro already knew that. Lauren looked older, like she had overcome something substantial which they had. For a moment they just stood there studying each other and then as though by magnetic forced the rushed forward and embraced each other. Holding on tight, knowing deep down that it was the last time that they would see each other.


7.

Lauren

I didn’t sleep after I saw Caro; instead I cried into my pillow for the remainder of the night. By the time morning came my pillow was soaked and I had no more tears to cry. I could hear my family in the kitchen. Eventually I summoned up the energy to drag myself out of bed and when I arrived in the kitchen I was told to go back and get dressed because we had to leave in an hour. That, I guess was my good morning. Pulling on some tights and a jumper I thought about last night. We hadn't actually exchanged any words, just feelings.
My mother’s voice cut through my thoughts, telling me to bring my suitcases outside and that we will walk to the station, I groaned in reply.
We were all outside ready to go when Caro came up to us. Then she did something that really surprised me. In front of my whole family she said;
“I just wanted to say goodbye and that I will miss all of you” before any of us could recover we she was gone, just liked she vanished into thin air...


Caro
(1 year later)

One had had passed since Lauren moved back to Australia. At first Caro and Lauren had exchanged letters regularly but lately the length had dwindled until it was no more.
****
And now here she was standing in front of the dilapidated Pembrooke manor. Hardly anything was left of it. There was talk of it being sold but nothing went through and in the in it was left to itself. Caro often came here, instead of the forest, because this was the place she had shared the two things she loved, her aunts and Lauren.
****
As dusk fell, Caro began to make her way back home, when she spotted a piece of crumpled paper caught under a rock. She was just about to keep walking when a breeze blew an the paper came loose and flew upwards. Caro caught it just in time and when she held it up to the light she recognised her writing;
“This is place of danger where the unimaginable comes true and the real world is lost...”
Lauren had kept it all along...


The end...


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Publication Date: 01-25-2012

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