The Girl in the Right Attic

Ch. 12 Getting Back.

It had been two weeks. Two weeks since Lilly met her newly found family, and two weeks for her to begin her first job.

Two weeks and Ms. Imelia still hadn't found her.

"Where in the name of god had she vanished? You must find her!" Screamed Ms. Mckingsley when she heard the words come out of her sister's mouth. There's no clue where Lilly is.

Stuttering on her words, Ms. Imelia replied, "I have absolutely no idea where is she. I've searched for days, and haven't found her anywhere, I asked several shops, people, I even went to the poor neighborhood, but still didn't fins a clue. It's like the earth swallowed her whole." Tears were pricking in the younger sister's eyes at the sight of the other one's deadly glare.

All Ms. Mckingsley could do was pace around in her room, and massage her temples trying to ease the headache forming in it. The sight of her face showed that she was older than her true age. White hairs were starting to form,tiny black circles were starting to circle her eyes. She looked exhausted.

"Take a rest for a day or two, and then return for your search." She mumbled the order to her sister, then whispered to herself, "We don't know when will Mrs. Van Hastings will return."

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When the heated conversation between the two sisters was on display, Lilly was roaming the assigned neighborhood she had to sell matches in.

Snow was falling and was about to cover the matches if it weren't for the small cloth Alexandria had given her to cover them, claiming, "you don't know when it'll rain or snow. Cover them to keep business on the roll."

People were walking in fast pace around her, going back and forth, not all noticing her petite body, she was mistakenly shoved once or twice, but she got used to it eventually. People don't like the cold.

But there were still people who bought matches, but they didn't seem to be in need of it, they all looked at her with so much sympathy. The main reason they bought from her.

Hours passed, and the occasional people walked around. She got used to their faces through this two weeks period, and she almost knew when they will come, that if one was delayed, she'd pray for them not to be sick.

All of a sudden, a tap was felt on her right shoulder from the back, she turned to find a five years old boy standing behind her. He wore a heavy coat around him, that reached his knees, under it was khaki pants for his age. He looked important, or at least rich. Or his parents were.

"Excuse me," he said, "but why are you walking in the cold?" He asked with curious eyes. He looked at her curiously, his blue eyes searching in her own for the true answer. "I'm working." She replied.

"In the cold?" He asked almost immediately, panic rising in his voice.

"Yes." She replied with a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"But it's cold. Wouldn't you get sick?" He asked with worry clouding both his voice and eyes. He cared and he doesn't know me. Thought Lilly.

"I get used to it." Replied Lilly shrugging her shoulder, and the smile on her lips finally took place. Her voice was calm. She was trying to ease his sudden worry.

Getting played with, the kid asked, "what are you working?"

"Oh, I'm selling matches for the people who need ones." She said calmly, trying not to worry him.

A sigh left his lips. He reached for something from his pocket, and got a bill out. "Take this," he said handing her the money, "you need the matches more than those people." And with that he retreated back to where he come from. There was another girl, older than him, that got hold of his hand as soon as he got to her, and they stood for a while. They seem to debate a little, and she saw her take a peek from the corner of her eye. Later, a lady came out, with a man beside her. They all looked important with their thick clothes and two butlers from both sides.