The Diaries Of Liz Davids: Secrets Uncovered (Book One : Complete)

Chapter 3

December 1, 2010

Dear Diary,

First day of the winter holidays. We were allowed to go home, but I wanted to stay, so Jess stayed too. I didn’t want her to miss visiting her parents, but I am grateful.

Both of us stay in bed most of the day, covered in about five blankets and our hottest jackets. The matron had grown tired of us complaining pointedly about the cold every time she walks by, so she’s started avoiding us.

Mekisha’s parents took the liberty of bringing her a heater for our room. Thank goodness! It still doesn't help Jess and me get out of bed a lot. We’ve been busy with the holiday homework all day, and I just felt like taking a break.

It’s mine and Jess’s birthday in ten days, and neither of us can wait. We haven’t told anyone, not even Mekisha, because we want it to be our special day, and we know that if Kayla found out, she would do anything in her power to make the day miserable for us.

The other girls in the school seem to really like the two of us (the Head Girl even came and directly congratulated us on receiving A+ for our English essays!).

Oh, gotta go, Kayla’s back.

I discreetly shoved the little black leather-bound book under my pillow, and resumed with my holiday homework. Heaven alone knew why we had such an absurd thing. Back in SA, I never had holiday homework. To be honest, I had barely had any daily homework.

As the days progressed, they seemed to be going by faster, right up until the tenth of December, the day right before mine and Jess’s birthday.

This was one of the many reasons we were such good friends. Even though we weren’t related at all, we shared a birthday. It had been the thing that brought us together in the first place, in primary school.

The day was as cold as ever. Snow fell mercilessly outside, and I could hear the wind howling as it slammed snowflakes and raindrops alike against our bedroom window. The day went by excruciatingly slow, as I had had finished all the holiday homework the previous day. Jess was reading a book she had brought with her from home, and I decided to join her.

Kayla had not been seen that whole day, and Angelina was out to the library to finish her homework. Mekisha said she was going to do some exploring. Jess and I would have been happy to join her, had we not been so cold.

When the sun finally set, and I had finished the book I was reading, I fell on the pillows and was instantly asleep.

"Wake up, Liz! Wake up!" Jess’s frantic whispering woke me up. It was still dark outside, and everyone was still asleep. Jess was holding a candle in a candlestick with one hand, and shaking me with the other.

"Wazzgoinon?" I asked sleepily.

"We have to go, Liz," Jess was hissing, "We have to go now."

"Go where?" I asked, yawning, trying to force my mind to focus.

"I don’t know, she didn’t tell – I mean, I really think we should just go … somewhere," Jess said. "Don't ask questions now, just pack your things."

I had barely got a word in of what Jess had just said. After a few seconds it dawned on me.

"What did you say? We should go – leave, now?" I asked. "Why?"

"Yes, we’re in danger, Liz. Mekisha is already downstairs, in the lobby, she’s getting everything – I mean, she’s waiting for us," Jess said.

"We’re in danger? Then why isn’t everyone running about? Why haven’t you woken the others?" I said, rubbing my eyes to keep them from sliding closed.