The air is filled with burnt splinters, flickering wildly as I crawl beneath another suffocating charcoal cloud of smoke.Tears roll down my face and drop off at the end of my chin, leaving a clean track besides my ash covered cheeks, a lump is forming my throat as I try my best to hold back my tears, some how I manage to call out her name
"Elena!..."
No reply, I cough and try again, "Elena...please-" I cry, my voice engulfed in the fire, trapped and captured. Every limb in my body has given up. I can't breathe, my eyelids slowly begin to close, gathering my last atoms of energy I reach out, my pale hands in the midst of chaos. Something is placed around my wrist, something soft. I slowly pull my hand back towards me and take a quick look at the navy blue silk ribbon, well knotted around my wrist, engraved on the it are words I can't read, I cough and open up my eyes widely, my eyesight adjusting to the bright flames drawing in, I don't care and direct my concentration towards the ribbon, my eyes again begin to shut but still I fight on and read the italic engraved words.
'Save Me'
My eyelids fall shut and this time I don't resent it, I promised I'd protect her but I didn't, I couldn't.
I'm sorry Elena.
I'm sorry.
I sat right up in bed to find myself surrounded with a pool of water, I blink at it, before I realise my gown stuck to my back. Cold beads of sweat escalade down my face like a waterfall.
"Lady Valentine!" a sharp cry echoed through the room as, Matilda, my maid, burst into the room, she ran towards me, her dark short hair bobbing up and down as she ran and place her gloved hand upon my brow.
"Oh lady Valentine, are you okay? Are you hurt? I heard your cry and-"she began her voice full of worry.
"I'm fine... " I croaked "Just that same dream" tears slowly well up in my eyes, embarrassed I looked down.
She lifts her hand from my head and cups my hands in hers " There, there, young Valentine.. it's just a dream and it can't harm you no longer" I felt her smile.
Since the 9 years she's looked after me for I still haven't cried in front of her,I couldn't let this dream as she calls it make me look weak. Reluctantly I nodded and gathered up myself "Matilda, prepare a bath for me" I ordered in my usual boring tone, without further ado she got up and left.
I lay back and rested my head upon the pillow board whilst blindly spacing out into the beam of sunshine pricing through my window. A morning lark in the distant can be heard singing a mournful mellow, I tense up and jerk my head to my left, facing my bed desk.
It's been 10 years now since that accident, since I lost everything, since I lost Elena and since I lost myself.
As always my bed cabinet is decorated with a cream lace cloth, finely made, it's from Paris when I went last year, on top of the cabinet is nothing but a plain snow coloured vase filled with my favorite flower, 'forget me not', wrapped around the neck of the vase is my navy blue ribbon, engraved with the same words :'Save me' , the same lump reinforced its way from the drea- no memory, to reality-my present, there's nothing I can do anymore, nothing. Two words escape my lips
"I'm sorry.."
***
The school bell rings as I step out my onyx porch, a soft breeze runs through my fresh tropical scented, blonde hair.
"Have a good day, Miss" called Mathew, my chauffeur, I hired him earlier this year after Winsley got I'll, I decided to get a younger driver this time, Mathew is only 10 years older than me and if he dyed his hair blonde we'd look like my older brother. I nodded at him and walked through the polished silver gates of 'Winston Girls Secondary school avoiding the stares of the girls around me, I made my way up the stairs behind a younger girl, probably in year 9 whom had her grey skirt cut so low that her white shirt was covering more of her backside than her skirt, I pushed past her and darted through the myraid of gossiping girls. Finally I drew outside my homeroom, Class 1-A. I ignored the 'good mornings' and headed towards my seat besides the window. The sun is ,halfway up the blue grey complexion of the morning sky. the usual, Miss Smith is late, as I recollect in my corner the classroom door is banged open, outside is Melanie, in other words the school bully, that practically kisses my feet, yanking someone, a petite girl from the kneck. Melanie is flustered, she's scarlet, her freckles jump up and down as she firecly glared into the stranger.
"If you ever say something again I will kill you" she snapped before leaving the girl to fall on the group helplessly, Melanie grunted and left. Silence occupied the room as the stranger got up from the ground and turned around, her features finely carved, almost like a piece of heaven, her eyes electric and wild against her clear olive skin, her hair a melted shade of sunshine, a colour other girls would die for, she was just beautiful, really beautiful.
" Well I guess that's the last time she asks me for make up advise" she giggled, in a harmonical voice. Whispers and giggles ran through the class like a Mexican wave and slowly they crowded her, I remained in my place and watched from a distance.
"What did you say to her?" Beckened Emily, a tall nerd looking girl who didn't have any friends, her bright orange hair was a source of humour and daily laughter, yet she still had to power to talk her mind, even to those whom did her wrong, generally I think she would have done a lot better if she kept her mouth shut, but this time I'm glad she spoke.
"She was teasing me about the fact that I don't pay for the school because I'm less fortunate and because I got a scholarship and so I told her that she can buy school , but she buy class, that's for sure" she laughed, the class broke into a roar of laughter that lasted for minutes. A this new girl had bad mouthed Melanie? As far as I know no other girl has opposed her, I smirk, this term is going to be interesting. Really interesting.
"Welcome back to the first Life skills class of Year 10..." Mr Redclaw blabbered, his aged face beaming. I rest my elbow on the table and watch the clock slowly tick by, this day has been taking forever but finally its the last lesson...40 more minutes left, I return my attention.
"I'm going to put you in pairs with people you don't usually work with, I'd like you to gather 3 pieces of interesting infornation" he annonced , the class broke into deep sighs and resentments. "Enough girls" he clapped "okay let's begin...Savannah and Polly....Anna and Ingrid" at the sound of my name I jumped up, I look around the class, trying to remember who Anna was to no avail, I don't bother about learning new names, I dont bother making friends. A dark shadow commences over my desk, I turn around to find the petite beautiful blonde from this morning, I shift my chair unwelcomingly away from her and turn my head around to watch the janitor pick weeds from the school gardens.
"So... Ingrid?" She coughed trying to gain my attention, I look at her and glare, her eyes were huge and puppy like. "Tell me 3 interesting facts about you" she smiled.
I remain silent and ignored her, slowly I began thinking for a while and sigh " I have my own ship, I've go-"I began bored
"Your own ship!" She shrieked, "that's so cool", I tutted and looked away, Mr redcrawl stopped the class and annocned the five minuted were over, I pulled my chair in and rested my hed in my hands.
"Ah....Anna tell me something new you learnt about Ingrid".
She stops and puts her finger on her small chin, "Um...she suffers from Antisocial Personality Disorder and doesnt talk to anyone...well...that's the way she's been with me" she sighs, groups of girls murmur in the distance in agreement.
"She is such a snob" I heard Anna whisper.
I lean back and smirk "I'm not a snob.. I just have very high standards and you don't come even close to meeting them" I state, the class falls silent, I felt the anger in her expression, "but its not all about money, money can't buy happiness-" she begins, irritation rang in me " nor does poverty" again the same rush of muttering and excitement sparkled in the class's eyes.
"Enough girls!..Anna do you have anything that isn't horrid you found out about Ingrid?" Mr redcrawl butted I'm in order to cool the steam, but Anna wasn't having it "I thought you were nic-" she shouted
"Well you should invest in glasses" I replied nonchalantly, by this time the class was slowly beginning to laugh. Anna went a soft shade of scarlet " Ingrid enough with your snobbery behavior and arrogance, it annoys me"she yelled, at the same time as the bell rang. I grabbed my stuff whilst everyone else remained silent and motionless, I got to the door and turned around, our gaze met before I smirked "Do non-arrogant people exist? And even so Anna, at least I don't spend my time drooling infront of charity shops hoping I had any money" and with that final note the class began to raw with laughter, I didn't bother waiting and stepped outside, closing the door behind me.
It was 5 minutes over 3 pm, Mathew is never late, what wrong? I looked up and down the road, no porch.
"Hey Ingrid!" A squeal came from behind me, I don't turn around, if someone has something to tell me is rather they told me fae to face. It was Melanie and her fan-girls, I look at her directly in the eyes, there was anger and hatred boiling contained within the hazel colour of her iris.
"What is it?" I reply, my voice Stern.
She grunts "Ive always been good to you because I was ordered to, byt now you've crossed the limit! How dare you say no to my father's offer? How dare you embarrass him and in front of-" she began gruffly
"Because your father isn't a trust worthy businessmen" I answer flatly
"Why you?!" She raised her left hand and swung it back whilst tightening her fist into a ball, ready to punch me, in mid air it is caught my strong big hands. Mathew. I know he'd come in time, they all did, I sometimes wonder what would happen if they liked coming to rescue me.
"I'm sorry young Lady but if you raise your fist or try to attack the Lady Valentine"he paused and glared at her, her fist still tightly wrapped in his hands"I will kill you" he finished grimly before retreating. The commotion had started up a crowd I failed to notice the existence of, I couldn't care less to be honest.
"Mathew, let's go" I walked over to my car and got in, as soon as he started the engine I kicked his chair "why did you come late?!"
"Ah, sorry young mistress I went to the bakery to send out an order, well collect it now, my apology for the wait Lady Valentine" he replied apologetically
"Just drive" I muttered. We reached the bakery, Mathew got out the car and entered the first class bakery owned by one of the famous cooks we learnt about in school.
I look out the window in boredom and notice a couple of girls from school, I can tell by their mourning uniform, my eyes cast upon a girl that is stood alone ongoing of the decrepit antique shop, she looks silently at a Victorian doll dressed in fine silk and velvet, the girl then makes her way down an alleyway that looks like it's part of the sewers, she comes to an abrupt stop and turns on her heel, a cold shiver runs down my spine, electric blue eyes, blonde to-die-for hair, it was Anna, she looks deeply into my eyes, before walking away, towards the sewers, towards her home.
