We got to Isabella's house just after 10.20 at night. Both mine and Karen's lips were blue from the cold. The lights were out in the house and it appeared there was no one in.
We knew where Isabella kept her door key, it was under the door-mat. So getting in was very little trouble.
Isabella lived in a three storey house. It was a thin house, but surprisingly it was quite roomy inside. Through the front door was a short but wide hallway. The walls were a cream colour and the floor was laminated. Isabella’s room was on the top floor of the house.
"I think her parents are out" I whispered to Karen. She merely nodded in response. I noticed she had been unusually quite since we had arrived...
Karen’s P.O.V
I heard Lucy talking to me, but I was kind of spaced out.
Something odd had happened here, I could feel it. It wasn't just the cold that made me shiver. There was a constant tingling down my spine, which only happened when I was projecting fields.
Another thing was that her parents were out, sure they had gone on holiday only last week, but it still felt a bit weird.
We reached Isabella's room. This, as per usual was plastered with posters of Benedict Cumberbatch, Johnny Depp, Black Veil Brides etc etc. In other words, there was little wall space left. The carpet was dark green, Isabella really liked that colour. Beside her bed was a bedside cabinet. On it were lots of framed photographs. They were at least 20, ones of her on holiday, ones of her and her late dad, ones of her and all of her family, happy and content. One photo in particular caught my attention. Then it hit me. I knew where she was...
Lucy's POV
"Lucy..." I heard Karen whisper.
I turned and I saw her staring at Isabella's bedside cabinet, at a photo framed in a brass, floral patterned frame.
The photo was of Isabella and a boy in a field. The boy had his arm around her waist, and she, had her arm around his shoulders. They were standing in front of a bone white elm tree, with blood red leaves.
The boy in the photo was.... Kyle.
Kyle had been Isabella's boyfriend. Her first proper boyfriend and the only one she has ever had. They started dating when we were all in year 9, they had met by complete accident when Isabella tripped with a bowl of soup and flung it right into his face. Apparently, Kyle only laughed and said he'd like to tip the pretty waitress who has given him some free soup.
It also turned out Kyle was just a normal human, nothing really special about him. That's why Isabella liked him, a normal boy to counteract her weirdness. He was 15, tall and lean, not lanky. He didn't go to our school. He went to a college outside of London.
However, that all changed on her 14th Birthday, in the middle of year 10. I remember it vividly... we were in a History lesson when she got the call. She didn't even speak... for a week. Kyle had been killed in a car accident. He'd been driving to college when the black Volvo hit his car. He was thrown forward and killed instantly. The scary thing was, Isabella hardly said anything... she just sat there and stared.
It took her months to get out of the depression, it took a lot of coaxing and meaningful talks in various bedrooms but we managed to help her out of it, but, I really can't say we did it all, because it took an enormous amount of effort on her part two, . However, the memory never properly faded, how could it?
This spot in the photo, taken on her 13th birthday, was where they first kissed. This photo meant a lot to her; sometimes I even caught her staring at it from time to time.
This spot was also her Zen zone. A spot where she could chill out, as, due to her power, her mood swings could be very unpredictable, just like the weather. She had managed to keep it under control, until that fight yesterday. I'd had never seen her that angry in months.
I turned to Karen, who was also staring at the photo.
"Now we know where she is" I said "Now we know where to find her"
Karen only nodded, rubbing a little sleep out of her eye.
"I'm tired" she muttered "I think we should hold off till tomorrow..."
I sighed. I knew she was right, but leaving Isabella out on her own in the middle of winter wasn't exactly what a best friend should be doing...
"Okay" I said "Let’s go get some food first, y'know some pep-ups; I know you love Mountain Dew!"
Karen grinned a little at that.
"Now you know why I'm the best" I said cheekily "Because I make you laugh, ha-ha" I laughed, making her giggle a little.
There was a noise downstairs. We both froze.
"Did you close the front door?" Karen whispered, urgently.
"I thought you did?!" I replied, a little more aggressively than I hoped.
Karen raised an eyebrow, I looked at the floor.
"For that, you’re going first" she said
I pouted "Fine" I said, and tiptoed out of her room.
Hallway was just as we had left it, narrow, dark and freezing.
"Whoever it is" I said, "They are in the living room"
Still as quiet as the living dead, well, Zombies aren't exactly the quietest of all things, y'know, moaning and groaning and all that.
We got to the living room door, and saw a shadow move beyond it. I glanced at Karen, even in the dark, I knew she was a little scared.
"Ready?" I said "picking up a walking stick from a stand next to the door.
"Ready" Karen whispered.
I flicked on the lights and jumped into the room, the walking stick a sword, club or whatever in my hands.
Isabella was sitting an armchair, staring at the wall. As still as a statue.
