Washed Away

Chapter 2 - Unexpected Sighting

"Eat your food, Elaina." Dad muttered, glancing over at me from behind his newspaper. I ignored him and continued wrapping my spaghetti around my fork. It had been three days since I'd met Ky in the forest, and not for one single second had he left my mind. I wanted to go and see him again, but something was holding me back. 

"Elaina!" Dad snapped, thumping his fist on the table, making the cutlery rattle on the table. His sudden outburst made me drop my fork and all the spaghetti quickly unravelled from it. "Don't make me ask again!" 

"Sorry Dad." I mumbled, stabbing a meatball and shoving it in my mouth. He nodded in approval and his eyes averted back to his newspaper. I guessed he was checking if there were any new horse races coming up.

My Dad has always had a gambling problem, though it had gotten worse ever since Mum died. He'd bet large amounts of money on what he thought to be promising horses, but always came home empty handed.

After every defeat, he'd drink away his sorrows with beers before trudging upstairs and passing out on his bed. I'd locked myself away in my room whenever this happened, just in case he became overly aggressive. He has never hit me before, though it had come close to it once or twice. 

Something warm and furry suddenly touched my foot and I glanced under the table to see my west highland terrier Frost snuffling at my odd socks. I gently stroked his white fur before straightening up and picking up my half empty plate. 

"Not hungry?" Dad asked as I walked up to the kitchen counter. 

"No." I replied, scrapping my leftovers into Frost's food bowl. He instantly bounded over and dug his head in whilst I scratched him behind the ears. 

"Have you done your homework?" He asked again, picking up a pen and circling something on his newspaper. Looked like another night hiding in my bedroom was coming up.

"Yes."  

I always did my homework the night I got it, but that wasn't because I was a goody-goody-two-shoes. Dad would go ballistic if my school report wasn't up to his standards and would often punish me for it by either locking me in my room for a whole day or lock Frost up in the garden shed. He'd done it once before and the yowling Frost gave broke my heart as there was nothing I could do.  

Pushing those memories into the furthest corner of my brain, I ascended the stairs and opened my bedroom door. It was the smallest room in my house, with a tiny bed along with one chest of drawers and a wardrobe.

I'd tried to liven it up the best I could by sticking up animal posters which came through the letter box in magazines, but it hadn't worked. The grey walls stood out blindingly against the colourful posters and dulled my mood whenever I walked into the room. That was exactly how I felt when I fell onto my bed face first.

I lifted my head off my pillow slightly so that I could turn it to see my most prized possession. It was a picture of my Mum, dressed in a light summer dress and sitting on a park bench with a 6 year old me sitting on her lap. Her beautiful mahogany hair was flowing in the breeze and her smile lit up the picture. I reached over and plucked it from the top of my chest of drawers and gazed at it. 

"Why did you have to leave me Mum?" I whispered, clutching it to my chest. "Why?" 

A soft whimpering noise reached my ears and I looked over to see Frost looking at me with sad eyes, as if he knew what I was feeling. Delicately placing the picture back in its original place, I gathered Frost up in my arms and cuddled him. He squirmed around and gave me a big slobbery kiss while wagging his tail. 

"I wish I could cheer up as easily as you can, Frosty." I said, burying my face in his fur. Suddenly, a bright light shone in through my window and illuminated the floor next to my bed. Frost growled and leapt up at the window, barking like mad. 

"Down boy!" I hissed, standing up and stroking him to try and calm him down. "What's the matter with you?" I glanced outside to see what was causing the light, and almost gasped in shock. 

It was Ky, but he had someone else with him. 

It was a girl who looked around about 8 years old and had a short cream coloured dress on with puffy sleeves. She had her honey coloured hair in two cute plaits and was whispering to him about something, and seemed excited about it. She had the similar glow around her just like Ky had which doubled in intensity when her eyes locked with mine.

They widened in surprise and she tugged on Ky's trousers to get his attention. My heart fluttered inside my chest as he saw me standing by the window, and he raised his hand in greeting. Since my arms were full with holding Frost, I gave him a small smile in which he returned. A sudden thud outside my room made me jump out of my skin and I turned to see Dad come in. 

"What you looking at?" He asked, joining me at the window and looking out. I blinked in surprise when I found an empty street. 

"Nothing." I replied. He gave me a look which I couldn't place my finger on but I shook it off when he shoved his newspaper in my face. 

"I'm going out tomorrow evening to a horse race and I won't be back till late." He said. "Make me dinner for when I get back. Alright?" 

"Yes Dad." I replied, clasping Frost tightly to my chest who had started to growl quietly. Dad glared at him before storming out and slamming my door shut. I released a breath which I hadn't realised I'd been holding in and returned my gaze to the street. Loose leaves were scattered on the abandoned path and my heart felt heavy as I wished to see Ky's smile again.

Placing Frost on the floor, I tugged open the heavy window and stuck my head out of it. My eyes scanned the row of houses in front of me, hoping to find Ky lurking in one of the shadows. My hopes were diminished as I found nothing and I brought my head back into my room, sighing. 

So many questions ran through my head, buzzing around like captive bumblebees.

Who was he?

Where did he come from?

Who was his companion?

As I laid back down on my bed with Frost in my arms, I decided to go back to the forest tomorrow and find Ky. There was something so exciting and cryptic about him that there was no way I was going to let it slide.

*_*_*

Amazing, I managed to find some time to write and update this chapter! =O

I really hope you guys like it and that you'll be patient with my not-so-frequent uploading as there are still many exams waiting on the horizon... O.o

Anywho, don't forget to comment and vote! =D xox

PS: I HATE TETANUS JABS! D'=