Falling // Florence Boswell // Finn Shelby

(37)

Sunlight poured through the room, something people where happy to see in Small Heath. It was a treasure to have good weather, and when they did, everyone took advantage of it.

Florence's eyes shot open, a loud gasp escaping her lips as she sat up in her bed in a cold sweat. She frowned when she looked around her room, seeing she wasn't in her own. She was in a well furnished bedroom. She pulled the cover away to see that she was wearing a white night dress.

"Daniel". She whispered as she got up, crying out in pain as she held her side. The bedroom door opened a few seconds later.

"Hey what you doing up?" Michael asked as he rushed to her side. He got her back into bed, flinching when she hit his arms.

"Get off me. I want my brother". She cried, her hands continuing to slap him. Michael held her wrists gently, his head shaking. "He's okay. He's asleep in the room next to yours". Michael said softly.

Flo frowned and looked up at him, her eyes full of tears. "What?" She asked. Florence looked around the room once more, her fists unclenching. She felt, warm and safe here.

"He's asleep. Are you okay? Do you need a Doctor? I can go call one for you?" Michael asked as he stepped away from her, his eyes soft.

Flo shook her head and held onto his arms, not wanting him to go. "Where am I?" She asked, her voice was soft.

"Your at my mums house. Its okay, your going to be safe now". He answered, as he sat down on the bed. He frowned when Florence wrapped her arms around him, her head on his chest. Florence's head was shaking. "No. I'm not. I'm not safe....I...I killed him. I need to hang for what I've done. I'm a murderer". She cried.

Michael wrapped his arms around her, a small frown on his face. "Your not going to hang. You didn't kill him. He fell. Don't you remember? He fell down the stairs". He said.

Flo frowned and shook her head, running her hands through her hair. The family, unknowingly to Flo agreed that he fell and his death was a accident. They didn't want Flo to believe she actually killed her father.

"He fell?" She asked.

Michael nodded his head, and laid her back down in bed. "Yes he fell. Now try and get some sleep". He whispered.

Flo nodded her head and shut her eyes, quickly falling into a deep slumber.

She woke later on in the day, her eyes sore. There was a pair of slippers by her bed and a dressing gown. She slipped them on and left her room.

A child's laughter was filling the house as she walked down the stairs, her body still in a immense pain. Flo walked towards a door where the laughter was coming from, hesitating for a moment. The door opened and she stepped in, her eyes landing on her brother.

Michael was sitting beside him, the two of them reading the news paper. "Your up". Polly said, as she rose to her feet. Florence turned to look at her, her head nodding softly.

"Florence". Daniel shouted as he stood up. He ran to his sister, and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Look what Michael has been showing me. He said...He said that I can go and see some real life horses". He exclaimed as he pulled his sister over.

Florence smiled softly at Michael as she looked down at the paper, her eyes on the horse racing section. "Want to come and see the horses with me?" Daniel asked, his bright eyes on his sister.

"How about you both go today, and you get to meet all the horses, and when Florence is ready you can take her". Polly said, a small smile on her face. She nodded her head at Michael and watched as he held the young boys hands.