The unfortunate adventures of Sarah Richards

Chapter ten ~it was happening again~

Sunday night, i had arranged with Thea a time to hang out. She would come over Wednesday evening after she finished babysitting, have dinner with my family and I, spend the night and then i would accompany her back to the train station Thursday morning. Tuesday, i went to the office of the Philadelphia inquirer. I had spent all of Monday skimming for articles and revising my story. While i sat on the slightly overcrowded bus, a burning sensation rose in my throat and my stomach started to sting. As if someone had snapped several large rubber bands against it. I tried coughing once or twice to clear my throat but the only thing that changed was people gave me weird looks as though the could not bear to be on the same bus as a sick person. Relieved when it stopped on market street, i picked up my laptop bag and walked out. The funny thing about the pain i was feeling right now was that i had no control over it. Walking didn't help my stomach, nor did sitting. Coughing or stopping at the water fountain did not help my throat. In fact, the burning sensation moved lower in the core of my body as well. It was happening again. As i sat there in that awkward, brightly-lit little office, i was getting what i had christened "phantom pains" again. The only thing in fact, that i had not included in my article was that i'd felt them too. Probably a bad choice on my part. An hour, maybe even two, i waited there in an extremely uncomfortable chair. Hoping someone would come out and say there was someone ready to listen to my story. "Miss... Richards?" A high pitched man's voice came from behind the tall desk and reception area. Seconds later his face appeared. Finally! "That's me." I said shyly and stood up, walking over to the reception counter. "Alright, there's someone waiting to hear you. Straight down the hall, last door on the right." He said and pointed wherein the direction he had instructed i go. "Thank you." I said and put on my best friendly smile as i turned away and held back another cough. Of all the times i had to be getting phantom pains, this was one of the worst. I quickly found the office i'd been sent to and knocked on the door. "Yes?" A shorter gentleman asked in an almost rude tone as he opened the door for me. "Hi," oh this was going to be difficult for me. How i wish i had asked Thea to come and help me! "I'm Sarah Richards, i came here on account of trying to submit a story to your paper. The receptionist told me to come to your office and talk to whoever i found there." I said quickly. Shyness and the pain i was in made me desperately want to get this over with. "Richard Nichols." He said and shook my hand firmly. "Lets see that story, then." He said cooly and held out his hand. "Oh! Right away..." I fumbled around my laptop bag and pulled out the papers which i had neatly printed my story on. "And if you want i brought my computer. I can send a digital form as well." I added. Mr. Nichols lowered his glasses down upon his nose a little and frowned. Skimming over the pages. "And what, Miss Richards, is your story on?" He asked and tossed the papers onto the desk behind him. "The necklaces, Sir." I stammered and lifted my hand to touch my own as sort of a clarification. "What about them?" He asked. "For the past week i've been pulling up articles on appearances and strange happenings to folks who have them. I even went down to the train station to observe people who bear them and ended up asking a few questions. It's all in there." I pointed to the papers. "Hmmm, interesting." He mused and stroked his short beard with one hand. "And why, Miss Richards do you want this story in the inquirer?" He asked. "Well, I, I want people's eyes to be opened. If more people begin digging into things like i have, because they see this, i believe we may be able to figure out exactly why the necklaces are appearing at all." I was getting fired up again. The thought of me starting something big like that send chills up my spine. Mr. Nichols nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll consider it." He said at last. "Oh, thank you, Sir!" I exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across my face. "Don't thank me yet." He said glumly as he followed me to shut his office door once i had left. "Have a good day." The receptionist said nonchalantly as i exited the building. If only the phantom burning in my throat and stinging in my stomach would go away, this would be the best day i'd had in a while. There was hardly anyone else on the bus when i headed home so i returned quickly. Just as i reached the sidewalk on my side of our street. I was nearly knocked out by a wave of dizziness and feeling as though i had been stabbed in the stomach. Worse than any cramp i'd ever experienced. I had to walk half bent over just to make it to my front door. I heard my mother greet me when i came in but i was unable to respond. I barely was able to put my laptop bag on the couch side table before i fell to the floor clutching my stomach and desperately praying it would stop. "Sarah?" My mother's voice was instantly laced with worry and i could hear her run into the living room. "What's wrong?" She gasped when she saw me there in fetal position on the carpet in front of the door. I opened my mouth to speak but all that came out was something between a pterodactyl screech and an angry bullfrog. My throat burned and it felt like i had been slashed in the stomach with a double edged sword. My mother knelt down to try and help me up. I expected her touch to either help or make it worse but nothing changed. Tears were streaming down my cheeks as she lifted me onto the couch. I was barely coherent but i knew by the way she rapidly dialed and then stood pacing that she had called my father and then an ambulance. Orwell started crying from where she'd left him in the kitchen so for a moment i was alone. My vision started to get a little blotchy and my throat burned more but at least the pain in my stomach was becoming numb. "It's okay sweetie, i-" i thought i heard my mother speaking right before i passed out.