Girl Number Eight

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

I must've slept for at least seven hours but instead of waking up gradually I woke up instantly.

"The package!" I whispered.

I had almost forgotten about the small package Ms Parks had given to me, I had thrust it into the front pocket of my suitcase when I had gotten to the airport. I didn't have time to look inside but suddenly I got an urge to find out. Now, where was my suitcase?

"Sh-sugar!" I muttered. The last time I had seen it was in the limo, I hadn't even put on my pyjamas when I got into bed, I looked down at the crumpled white dress I had on. It was now in dire need of an iron. But what was I going to do now that I had left my suitcase in the limo? Maybe someone might've brought it up here but where would they leave it?

I was lost in this penthouse, it was as huge as the hole in my heart from letting go of Violet and someone else who shall never be named again. I sneaked into the one room that could've had my suitcase. I opened the door, carefully. The room was still full of clothes and there it was. In the centre of everything, my suitcase was lying on the floor, untouched and unharmed. Panic, over.

I ran towards it and opened the front pouch to reveal the small brown package along with a tatty envelope. I sighed with relief. I placed them gently on the ground, I decided to get changed into proper pyjamas before opening them. I rooted through my bag before coming across my old reliables, a pink vest and checked white bottoms. They were comfy though the top was a little small I didn't care, the only people to see me in them was Violet or maybe Amy.

Once I had changed, I placed the dress on the bed and sat cross-legged on the floor. I took a deep breath before I opened the packet. I reached in and my fingers met a smooth surface. A photograph. I pulled it out and stared at it. It was a photograph of a very pretty woman holding the hand of her infant as the little girl was sitting on a see-saw. On the other side of the see-saw was a man who was smiling and looking lovingly at the two girls. I turned over the picture to the back, it had the words July 20th. Isabelle, Helena and Gerry Greene. Isabelle; aged 3.

My parents. I felt a pang in my chest maybe it was heartbreak, I knew what that felt like.

I slid the photograph back into the brown packet and took out the other object inside it was a locket, inside the initials GG & HG were engraved and there was a picture of my parents. A tear rolled down my cheek. I barely knew them and they were taken away from me all because they wanted me to have a better life. I'm not sure if it's going to be worth it.

There was a loud bang, suddenly, like a door had been slammed shut or an encyclopaedia was dropped on the ground. I gasped, there was an intruder in the penthouse. I quickly put the locket around my neck and wiped my tears away before storing the photo safely in my suitcase.  I grabbed the nearest weapon-like object I could find and quickly but quietly made my way towards the door.

I opened the door and snuck out feeling like a spy in one of those old black and white movies. I entered the open-plan living area where I had met the Blakefields earlier but now the lighting was dimmed and everything had shadows. This was scary. I couldn't hear anymore movement but I was sure that I had heard something, maybe I was hallucinating. I slowly backed away trying to get down the hall to safety of my new cosy duvet.

I was half way, tip-toeing backwards down the hall when my back collided with something. I screamed and jumped to face the offending object, poised in the position of attack. I was met with a lightly tanned chest. I slowly dragged my eyes upwards to look at the face of this person.

"Who are you?" I asked about to swing my weapon at him which turns out was only a circular cushion. I inwardly groaned at the irony of this.

"More like, who are you?" He shouted.