Blood Lies

Chapter 1

The sound of the rain is deafening as we walk through the remote village of Heartlong. It is known for the quiet community and romantic history. Stranded in the middle of nowhere, comfortably surrounded by an adventurous forest which is rarely, if ever explored. The village is filled with historic buildings filled with beauty. In the heart of this remote village stands a communal church bold and tall, built centuries ago with a large sturdy stone structure. The walls frame great stain glass windows showing the Virgin Mary and the baby Lord Jesus. It is a spectacular view. The grounds of the church are surrounded by flourishing flower beds and aged gravestones.

A small stone wishing well can be located comfortably next to the church followed by a deep moat which circles the area with a simple well maintained, arched bridge which is used to connect the mainland and the church. Nearby the stunning building, is a small, preserved pocket park with benches and a few small children's apparatus. Assortments of flower beds line the area perfectly, giving a warm feeling to the park.

Passing through I continue to drag my sister to school. Glancing down at her, I can see she is trying to shield herself from the rain. Her eyes squint as she tries to keep the salty water from stinging her eyes. Taking in a deep breath, I appreciate the smells of nature... damp, humid and healthy.

"Why do I have to go to school?" Tammy begins to whine as she tugs at my hand bringing me away from my thoughts.

Rolling my eyes, here we go. "Because you have to learn."

"But I can learn at home..."

Pausing for a second before answering, contemplating whether to be a good supportive big sister or not. "Well yes, you could. Though if you do not go to school, you would not get to play with the toys they have there, and you wouldn't get to make friends. Everyone needs to go to school, and everyone needs friends."

"I guess," Tammy falls back into silence as she begins to sulk. She shuffles slower until eventually she falls behind my steps. I never did understand why I must take her to school. My parents are free until nine and Tammy's school is not too far away to walk, they could quite easily take her. It is a frustrating daily task, some mornings may be pleasant however there are mornings like this which make it depressing on my part, though right now her behaviour is ok. There have been many mornings where she has decided to have a tantrum and refuse to walk.

As we draw closer, I see Tammy's mood begin to lift, most likely the thought of being in the dry... her bounce in her step returns as she flicks her wet red hair from side to side.

I hate her, but love her all the same....