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

situation.
Seated in the old living room of Pembrooke with my moms stony look on her face reminded me of the times I got busted for sneaking Caro in the house.
“so”, she began, “what is the truth?” I cleared my throat and began my rehearsed speech that I had ran over a million times with Caro the night before.
“ I was taken by this man and dumped in another town”, even to me it sounded corny. I faked a choked sob in my throat, cue for Caro to take over.
“ please Mrs. Middleton, I only found her the other day when I was wondering round the forest, my aunts used to do that.” I smiled internally when I saw my mother’s chagrin expression fading. In the end all that was left were her pursed lips and hiccupping shoulders as she reached for Caro.
“I’m so sorry Caro”
Caro shrugged and looked down at her hands. “you don’t look any older” joked Tom trying to lighten the mood, everyone else attempted to smile and succeeded apart from Caro and I who exchanged worried glances. No one seemed to notice. We all sat there awkwardly until Grace untangled herself from dad and came and at on my lap. She had grown so much. She had deep blue eyes like bottomless pools and tumbling golden ringlets. I didn’t think that she would remember me but she did, I guess she was three when it happened but still. Caro sat their looking teary and eventually smiled tightly.
“I better be getting back home” she mumbled without making eye contact with anyone.
My dad nodded and Grace scurried over to hug her. Caro looked somewhat surprised but wrapped her thin and scarred arms around her nevertheless.
“Well then”, announced my mother, “Tom will walk you out”. Caro looked almost as surprised as my brother but neither protested. I wondered if they were keeping something from me but decided against it, Caro wasn’t that type. Caro stood up and made her way for the door, followed by tom who sent our mother death glares.

Caro
As she was about to walk through the gates of Pembrooke knowing that her time with Lauren was no more, she heard her name being called. As she turned she saw that Tom was running after her. When he reached Caro he was out of breath. She waited expectantly for his words but he didn’t say anything. She really hoped that she didn’t have to say something first but she didn’t. He bent down and kissed her softly on the cheek, “thankyou...”
****
Later that night, when Caro couldn’t sleep, she snuck over to Pembrooke. She walked around to Laurens tower and slung her foot on the vine. She tested it, all strong. As she hoisted herself up she could feel the vines giving way . Although it startled her she thought nothing of it until when she was by Laurens window the whole lattice of vines collapsed and she went tumbling down to the ground with a loud thud.
All of a sudden Laurens tower lights switched on and her window flew open. As her bedridden head lent out Caro saw her gasp at what she saw.
“Did you fall!?” she asked frantically already pulling on her nightgown. Caro watched her shadow fly down the stairs and out the front door until she was right there next to her. Her hands fluttered nervously over Caro and rested on her leg.
“What were you coming up to tell me anyway?” she asked.
Caro pulled out her notebook, she had already written it down;
Something needs to be done about this mansion. Grace is going to become curious one day and then the same is going to happen to her. I have an idea though, you probably won’t like it but I shall tell you anyway;
Ok here it is, burn Pembrooke, I know it sounds harsh but if you think about it there is no other way. Nothing else can destroy it. I know that you are going to flip when you first read this but please don’t get mad. I truly do think that it is for the better, please believe that...
Caro.....
When Lauren looked up Caro could see the alarm in her eyes, “you would do that?” she asked aghast. Caro shrugged considering and then nodded. Lauren was silent for a time and then bobbed her head reluctantly. “I guess so” she murmured and closed her eyes.
“But what about my family?” she asked abruptly her wild eyes roaming Caro’s face. “we’ll figure something out” Caro replied only hoping that it was true.
Later that night after she had bid Lauren goodnight, Caro laid awake for hours. Lauren had agreed to destroy Pembrooke but that only problem was Caro wasn’t sure if she actually wanted to do it. She had spent her happiest years there and her aunts would be so disappointed. But it was for the best.
the next problem was how they were going to get the whole family out of the house. That’s she would have to discuss with Lauren. And the third problem was where the Middleton's would live. That they hadn't thought about.
The next day while Caro was writing a list of things to do there was a knock on the door and then it swung open. Standing in front of her was Lauren. She had large dark rings under her eyes and looked as though she hadn't slept in days.
“what are you doing?” she asked with genuine curiosity. Caro showed her the list she had been working on. “oh a list of stuff we have to do in preparation” she answered herself. Caro nodded.
“I thought...” she began huskily, “that you should maybe suggest to your parents that they go and have a picnic or something while I light the house.” Looking somewhat bemused Lauren agreed to Caro’s statement. ‘It all seems so horrible, don’t you think” she murmured. Again Caro didn’t know what to say so in the end she shrugged again. What was there to say?
After Lauren left Caro wandered aimlessly into the wood she used to escape to. It was silent apart from the tweeting of the birds. Bliss. The floor of the forest was scattered with trodden leaves and algae. To any normal person it would have looked like a mess but to Caro it was magical. She knew her way around like the back of her hand. Pushing past ferns and leaves she made her way to her favourite brook at the centre of the forest. It was fresh water and sometimes on hot summer days she would strip off and soak up the cool water. Although it was the middle of autumn she couldn’t resist. She pulled of her shirt and pants and then proceeded to yank off her shoes and socks.
There studying herself in the pools reflection she saw a thin pale woman. She looked feral. Her green eyes were wild in her head and her hair had grown back in untamed curls jacketing her head.
The water was cool to the touch and it jerked her out of her thoughts. She lowered herself into the stream and let it take her away. She drifted down the torrent blocking everything out of her mind. Usually the brook cleared her head but not today. She could not stop thinking about Pembrooke and Lauren and what would happen afterwards. After a endless battle in her mind she opened her eyes to the glaring daylight and shivered violently, the brook was not working its magic.

****
After putting her dry clothes on she wandered back toward the village, her mind set on seeing someone from the Middleton family to confirm their picnic. But that did not happen. The village seemed almost deserted. Strange. In the end she turned around and headed home. Once inside she got the fright of her life. There in her sitting room was Lauren , her arm covered in blood.


5.

Caro
Caro couldn’t help it, she let out a small squeak. “don’t worry” laughed Lauren, “I just tripped and fell except I couldn’t tell mum cause she is paranoid that that “man” is trying to hurt me” Caro relaxed. She didn’t know expected had happened to her but it wasn’t that. She even tried for a laugh. And failed. Lauren smiled grimly and then said; “I talked to mum about the picnic, she was all for it so we’re going tomorrow” Caro nodded but really her thoughts were buzzing, how would she light the house, matches or is that too primitive? As she pondered she didn’t notice Lauren leaving, she left a note on the coffee table;
I guess I will see you tomorrow maybe? Oh and I’ll make sure I smuggle anything really love out haha funny...

Later that night Caro made her way up to bed. She was so tired, from doing nothing. Caro wanted to much to drift to the place of dreams but she just couldn’t. Sleep wouldn’t come and take her hostage. She watched the flickering lights of the town, each slowly turning off as their residents made their way to bed. She got up out of bed and looked out her window towards Pembrooke manor standing bold and beautiful in the mystic night.
She was just about to turn back to bed when she saw two figures appear by the window of Pembrooke. She knew exactly where they were standing. It was one of the staircases that led up to the attic. Caro’s breath caught in her throat. She knew she shouldn’t be spying but she had to see. Squinting she made out the shape of a smaller figure, Grace and a taller figure with long hair, Lauren.
Lauren had her arms wrapped around Grace and seemed to be pulling her backwards from around the waist. Grace appeared to be fighting her and squirming. In the end it looked like Lauren won the fight thank god and carried Grace down the stairs.
Caro breathed a sigh of relief and tiptoed back to bed letting her dreams wash over her like a cool breeze...
The next morning as the birds chirped Caro thought about what she was actually going to do today and to tell the blunt truth, she was going to burn Pembrooke. It was all planned. As Lauren and her family passed she would excuse herself and run to knock on Caro’s door. Caro would collect the matches, put on dark clothes and make her way to the manor. There when she was sure that nobody was watching, she would strike the matches and light one blade of grass that entwined with the vine. She would repeat that every five metres and then watch her beloved mansions go up in flames, it was simple.
The knock came while Caro was getting dressed. She knew what she had to do. When she finished she gathered up her matches, tucking them securely into her hidden pocket and made her way into the town. For once she was glad that nobody paid any attention to her. It made her inconspicuous. When she reached Pembrooke she started getting butterflies in her stomach, no scap that, they were more like birds. Staring at the manor she thought about all the memories she had shared here. It was her safe harbour and now she was about to obliterate it. She sent a silent sorry up to her aunts and then walked around the side. With a deep breath and one last look, she struck the match with trembling fingers and watched to memories burn away into nothingness.


6.
Lauren