The Astounding Adventures of Eva White: Disappearing Souls

Part 3

"You must be freezing dear!" Anne crooned, wrapping a third stiff blanket around Eva's shoulders. Eva sat around a chipped wooden table, a thick steaming broth lay in front of her.  "Just a bit ma'am, thank you for your kindness." Eva smiled gratefully up at Anne.

    "Where did you say that you were from, dear?"                                                           "Oh, I'm from Kensington originally, Mrs Burdock" replied Eva with an awkward smile.

     "Kensington, eh" Mr Burdock said, throwing himself into the dining chair opposite Eva. "What's a Kensington girl like you doin' up 'ere then?" His voice slightly accented and questioning.                                    

    "Well, I'm from Kensington but I haven't lived there for...Lord five years now. I...travel. I'm usually better about planning my routes but I've riding like mad for hours and Eugene, my horse, is exhausted. How can I repay you for your kindness?" Eva looked between Richard and Anne, her deep blue eyes sincere.

    "Perhaps, you could clean out the stables, dear" Anne said rising from the table, her brown hair disheveled from the humid kitchen.

    "Of course ma'am, I'll get started right away."

    "Nonsense! Eat first, dear." Mrs Burdock began ladling another portion of soup into Eva's bowl. She clutched at her slightly rusted metal spoon and took a sip of the soup. It was bland and vaguely chunky but it was warm and food, so Eva gulped it down as fast as she could.

    "Mum, who's this?" A young boy had appeared in the archway of the kitchen. He looked to be about seven and his dark blonde hair was overgrown, beginning to tickle the tops of his too-big ears. He had large, clear blue eyes that were adorably too large for his face.

    "Tommy, you should be in bed, young man!" Anne rose from the table, starting towards her son. "I'm sorry, mama." He peered around his mother's protective body and smiled at Eva.

    "I'm Thomas Edward Burdock!" Tommy said formally; a slight lisp edged his voice, no doubt the work of his missing two front teeth.                             "Hello, Thomas Edward Burdock, I am Eva White",copying the young boy's formality and extending her hand. He looked sideways at his mother before grabbing Eva's hand and shaking it eagerly. Up close, she could see the slight yellowness to his sclera, a pink flush to his pale face. His hand was clammy in hers and Eva could faintly smell vomit lingering on his breath. This child wasn't well. Anne gazed fondly at her son as if drinking in every detail about him. Maybe she was. Eva's eyes met Richard's quizzically, he nodded his head slightly and turned away, bracing himself against the countertop, facing out of the window.

    "Lord, Thomas, you're going to rip the poor the girl's hand off." Thomas dropped her hand and smiled a tooth-less, bashful grin.

    "Now let's get you up to bed, mister." Thomas's mother said, steering her son in front of her. The back of her hand casually brushed against Tommy's forehead. Deep concern flickered across Mrs Burdock's ageing face. Painting a hasty smile on her mouth, Anne ushered Thomas through the archway and around the corner.             "Yes" Richard whispered before Eva could even ask a question "He's ill. We don't know exactly what it is, we've been saving to take him to the physician in town but he's getting worse quicker than we can save up." Eva sat there quietly with her hands in her lap, her head down.

    "I'm so sorry, sir." Eva whispered. "If there's anything I can do? I can go, honestly. I'll go into town and try to find somewhere-" She pushed her chair back.

    "No, you will not. You can stay here as we discussed earlier. I just wanted to let you know that my child is ill and it's the middle of the night and we have let you stay here out of kindness. So, you will do well to remember that when you are getting your friends out of my paddock, dear."