Letters To James

Chapter #7

“Think back to when the box was sent to you” Jai Brooks was telling James.  “What country?”

“Um” James thought back. “Scotland”

“So she obviously lives there” Jai stated. “What we need to do is ask the hotel for the list of people who walked into the hotel that day”

“What kind of hotel would keep a list from weeks ago?” James pointed out. “None”

“You never know. When we get off the plane you have to phone Jeremy and ask him which hotel it was from”

“We can’t tell the other boys” James insisted. “This is only between you and me”

“You’ve kept it from me long enough so it shouldn’t be hard” Jai smiled.

“I’m reading another letter” He decided and ripped open the soft paper.

Dear James,

I think I’m getting better if I’m going to be completely honest with you. The doctors are lowering my supply of meds and are visiting less and less. I hope this is a good thing. I might have a new family to go to. One that I can sit down at the dinner table with and chat happily about our day. I’ll go to school and meet girls my own age. I can forget the past and start a new life. No one will have to know about what happened.

James thought about his family back home. He was blessed to have his sisters and parents who loved him – even though he annoyed them a lot. He was lucky enough to have an education but he felt a little guilty. Elsie didn’t have an education at all and here he was, a school dropout. It was for the best He reminded himself. Then I can save girls like Elsie.

I can escape this dreadful place if I am getting better. A few more weeks, maybe months and hopefully I’ll be gone. I highly doubt they’ll keep me here any longer – they hate my guts. I think even the counsellor has given up and trying to be nice. Maybe that’s why I only visit her once a week now.

I might keep this letter on a happy note. All my other ones, they’re… depressing is the word. Now I don’t know how to finish this so…

I think I’m starting to feel happy now.

Love from,

Elsie.

“What did it say?” Jai asked as James folded the letter and carefully slipped it back into the envelope.

“She’s happy” James smiled brightly. “Sort of”

“Sort of?” Jai questioned.

“She seems to think she must be getting healthier”

“Let me take a read” Jai took the letter and his eyes brushed across the script font.

“I don’t know if you want to hear this” He said slowly. “But I have this feeling that I know why she’s getting the drugs lowered”

“Tell me” James searched his friends face and he knew.

“Elsie’s coming to the end of the road”

“She can’t be” James said some choice words.

Jai didn’t say anything, just looked away.

“That’s murder! They can’t give up on her!” He shouted and a few people looked at them.

“Sometimes the doctors have to make decisions” Jai said quietly. “Elsie has no one there for her. It’s up to them to pull the plug on her”

“But she’s still up and kicking” James insisted.

“But for how long?” Jai asked. “How long will she last?”

“She seems to be okay” James stared at his lap.

“She’s not though James” Jai put a hand on his shoulder sadly. “For all we know, she could be sugar-coating what she’s saying”

“Elsie wouldn’t do that”

“You don’t know that. She’s just some girl who sent you letters”

“She’s not just some girl” James said angrily. “She’s special”

“I don’t see how she’s different from the rest” Jai pointed out. “We have thousands of girls all around the world who have problems too”

“She went to the effort of having her letters sent straight to our hotel. No other girl has done that. I want to help her”

“I don’t agree with what you are saying” Jai sighed. “But I’ll help you find her”

So I've decided that there's only going to be about 15 - 18 chapters in this story. It doesn't need to be a long story I think AND I want to finish it ASAP so during my 2 week holiday I hope to wrap it up as well as maybe finishing All I Ever Wanted - I was lucky to get like no homework. We will just wait and see!