Snow and the Wishing Well (Fallen Tales series)

Chapter 58

Chapter 58
Sarah
I stood on a hill that looked down at the village. The wind blew, softly trying to take my shirt and my hair with it. I hugged myself trying to force my eyes open.
This was the first time I had come out of our bedroom in two days. Justin had come in and out, giving me a kiss on the cheek each time and each time I pretended I was asleep.
I felt ashamed. I hadn't felt this way since before I met Justin. But I had remembered who I was before that horrible night. I had gotten used to having warm showers and nights spent in a warm bed. I had forgotten what it felt like to wake up with a stranger beside me. To have his hands all over my body. To say things that didn't even make sense in my mind but could make him groaned in agreement.
Then I thought about what it was like with Justin. How his hands, moving slowly up and down my back sent shivers all through my body. How he lovingly kissed my neck and breasts, made me want to groan in agreement.
My emotions were getting too confused.
I sat down on the top of the hill, bringing my knees to my chest.
How did my life get so mess up?
Four years ago, I was seventeen, thinking about life after I turned eighteen. I had never had a boyfriend, never been to London without rather my father or Heather. I thought about doing Uni by distance, get a degree in Ornithology, spend my time with birds. And then finally learn how to run my estate, with my father teaching me each step of the way.
What if my mother didn't die?
What would I be like?
I know now that Justin and I would have still met, but would we be together? Would we be as close as we are now? We grew closer when he found out what I did to survive and even more close when he knew my secret. I knew that I could count on him when Billy was killed and I knew that he could protect me when he suggested that we came here. To his home.
He would never have had to do all that stuff if my mother never died. The ripples start with her.
"Sarah!" I turned at the sound of my name, "Snow!"
Justin ran up the hill, against the wind.
"She found it!"
I frowned, standing up.
"Found what?" I asked when he got  closer.
He panted and I wondered how long he had been looking for me.
"A – Box. A box – Has stuff."
I rolled my eyes, frustrated.
"Justin, just breathe, then tell me."
He paused catching his breath, putting his hands on his hips.
"Okay, Ma had this box that was filled of everything she had of your mother's. Photos, gifts, letters. And she found it."
My eyes grew wide and I didn't know what to think. I stood there stunned, shaking my head.
"What do we do?" I asked.
"Come on!"  he yelled taking me hand.

"I've been looking for this for two days. It was in the attic, I have no idea how it got up in there," Gina told me as we sat on Justin's bed with Justin leaning on the wall. I peered into the box, seeing a few photos, postcards, letters, a rock.
"Can I have a look?" I asked unsure. I felt like my heart would explode.
"Yes, of course. It's all yours."
I felt so warmed by that. She handed me the box and pattered my shoulder.
"I'll just leave you two to it," she said leaving the room. Once she had, Justin took her spot.
"There's a lot of stuff in here," I stated, taking a photo from the box.
It was of a probably sixteen or seventeen year old Gina and my mother, standing on what was probably a look out looking out onto mountains. Gina had her arms around Mother's shoulders, both looking so happy. I sat it aside, taking out a letter.

To my dearest Gina
I know it has been a long time since we have written or even seen each other. But I write with joyful news, I am now two months pregnant. I cannot even put how I feel into words, I am so happy. I hope that you will be able to come to Willow Tree Abby and stay for a while. We really need a catch up.
Love Siana

I placed it down as Justin picked up another letter for himself then handed me one.

To my dearest Gina
You have no idea how happy I was to hear about Justin. There is no one on this world that understands a wait for a child like I do. Keegan was unsure about the idea of adopting a savant's son, but I believe I can bring him around to the idea. But I guess we can make our plans certain. As I hoped, I'm having a girl!
This causes for serious action.
But we shell talk more this Sunday at Victoria's ball. I hope your dreading it as much as I am.
Love Siana

So Mother knew Victoria. I didn't know.
I looked up at Justin, looking at another teenager photo. I bit my lip, offing out the letter to him.
"You should read this."
He didn't question my soft tone, or ask why. He just did.
I saw the disappointment wash over his face and waiting for him to say something like a savant's son or I'm glad that your father and I never met, but he didn't. He just placed it on the pile that I had made and continued to look through the box.
I swallowed and took out another letter.

To my dearest Gina
How long have we been friends?
It's a question I've been asking myself lately. Just constantly asking myself how long I've known people. You, since we were five. Keegan, since I was seventeen.
Do you remember when I first met him? You were the first person I told. I remember my words like it was yesterday. I told you how my hands started shaking when he smiled at me, and how my heart pounded when he spoke. God that seems like a life time.
I guess I'm writing all this down, because – oh god this is harder than I realize – I'm worried about Victoria. She calls around frequently, claims it is to see me and Sarah-Snow, but all she wants to do talk about is Keegan.
I saw them in the hallway the other day. She was asking these questions about things I knew she had no interest in. I saw how much he wanted to get away from her, but she wouldn't let him leave.
How could my own sister do this to me?

I was stunned. I couldn't even speak. Was Victoria more than just my step mother? Was she my aunty as well? Which meant that we were actually related. Part of me was sane  because I thought that I wasn't. That there was no way I could turn into her because we weren't related. But we were. And she wanted my father long before my mother died.
"She's my aunty," I stated bluntly. Justin looked at me and frowned, "Victoria is my mother's sister."
I handed him the letter and continued, "She wanted my father, even though her own sister had married him. That woman is one evil –,"
"Queen," Justin finished before I could, "She's one evil queen."
I nodded accepting his answer.
He wrapped his arm around me, kissing the top of my head.
"I love you, Sarah-Snow White," he told me.
I smiled feeling a little bit better.
It had been four months and three days since I met Justin Carter.



Justin
I woke up to light. But it wasn't morning. I had fallen asleep, what had woken me?
I raised my head, stopping at the source of the light. The bed side lamp. Sarah sat, with her knees to her chest, the sheet to her body, with the letters surrounding her. I touched her bare back, trying to get my eyes use to the light.
"Sarah, come to bed," I croaked.
"I have to read through these," her voice was loud and normal.
I remember her falling asleep, when did she wake up.
"It can wait till the morning," I told her but I knew she wouldn't listen.
When she didn't answer me, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I pulled the doona off me, pulled on my sweat pants and moved over to her side of the bed. I took the letter from her, hearing her groaning and whines.
"Justin," she groaned.
"No," I said sternly.
I then took her feet from under the doona, and pulled her till she was lying on her back. She scoffed then fixed up the sheet to cover herself. I smiled proud of what I had achieved.
"I have reacted a monster," I admitted, "Which makes me Frankenstein and you the monster."
"I'm pretty sure that ends with Frankenstein dying of pneumonia and the monster killing himself," Sarah corrected as I climbed in next to her.
"A technicality."
She scoffed and turned off the light. She shifted around for what seemed like five minutes till I stopped.
"Sarah, go to sleep," I told her.
"I can't, now I'm thinking about Frankenstein and that stupid monster."
I groaned and she turned on the lamp again. I realized that this could be more then about Frankenstein.
"Are you okay, Sarah?" I asked, knowing that I wouldn't accept a half-hearted answer.
"I don't know, I'm fine, then I'm not. I'm happy then I'm depressed. I'm sick of my mood swings. I just want it to be over."
"And you think you can get that by keeping yourself up and reading though letters."
She shrugged.
"I honestly thought you would have slept through it. That's why I did that thing," she said suggesting to that thing that gave me so much pleasure last night.
I lied on my back and looked up to the ceiling, stunned.
"Well I feel used."
She giggled, curling her body to match mine.
"Come on, you loved it."
I did.
"Well I don't like you intension. You have to stop letting Victoria run your life."
"I'm not!" she yelled defensive.
"Oh yeah. She made you come to London. She forced you to sleep with men for money. She made you run away and have horrible nightmares. You might be out of her sights but she is no way near finished with you."
She was silent and I immediately felt sorry.
"I'm sorry Snow, I shouldn't have –."
"Yes you should have," she buttered, "I need a strong man to tell me when I'm being stupid sometimes."
I smiled, and rolled so that I held her in my arms.
"Well I don't think your stupid. Crazy maybe, but not stupid."
"It's your fault that I'm crazy, you created me."
"I did what I could, but the sane brain wouldn't fit in your head."
She giggled, and I could see her smile spread across her face. If I could stop her thinking about everything, maybe she wouldn't have nightmares tonight. Or the next night. Or become so overwhelmed with change that she had to search through the letters and memorise every word. Just maybe, just maybe, my Snow can stay sane.