Madness

Chapter 12

"She's stirring."

"I'm sure she'll wake up soon, Chloe, stay calm. The last thing she'll want is to be bombarded."

"If it's what she wants, Chloe, we need to leave Nessa alone."

Yes, Chloe, please leave Nessa alone.

"But Miss Vord, she's got to know what happened, and so have we."

"Not immediately she doesn't. When she asks, she'll be ready."

"But..."

"Mrs Vord is right, Chloe, she may not be able to cope with everything right away. Her father was so cruel to them both."

The word father was enough. My eyes flew open and I sat up so fast that I fell back onto my pillow with a gasp. Mrs Deets, Mrs Vord and Chloe were standing around my bed. I looked around wildly. Where's the forest? Where's the amazingly beautiful forest? And the man who covered it's beauty in blood?

"Where's my dad?"

Mrs Vord smiled.

"He's gone, Nessa. He's been taken back to jail, where he will quite possibly die."

I don't know why, but my eyes continued to search the place anxiously, looking for something that should be there. Something important. Everything was slowly coming back. My nights in the forest, my fights to stay alive, my struggling through the forest, trying to keep Mrs Curtis upright. Mrs Curtis.

"Where's Mrs Curtis? Where is she? Is she here? Is she okay?"

"She's here. She's been so worried about you. She'll be glad to hear that you're awake.

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine. Better than fine, actually. You did a good job on her leg. The doctors healed her quickly. They healed you as well. They were just waiting until you woke up from your coma. Mrs Curtis is on crutches. She'll probably come and see you once she hears you're awake."

"Chloe, don't bombard her. We brought your clothes, Nessa."

"Is my Aunt's note in them?"

Chloe knelt over the pile. I could remember that this was incredibly important. She rose a second later with the little piece of paper. But I had to wait just a little longer before I could read it.

At this thought, Mrs Curtis hobbled into the room, wincing every time weight fell onto the leg she hurt.

"Miss," I whispered, and no bed could restrain me.

I got up and hugged her (as gently as I could make myself) and one, crutch attached arm hugged me back.

"You're okay," I breathed, and that was when the waterworks came.

"That was not the most pleasant few weeks," Chloe said as we lay in the trees.

It had been three hours since I was allowed out of hospital. I had vowed to myself that I would never be in a hospital because of dad again. Medical or otherwise.

"Did you ever open that note your Aunt Alice gave you?"

I shook my head.

"Don't you think you should?"

I drew it from my pocket as I nodded. Slowly, I opened it.

Nessa, it said.

You're reading this because you have found someone you care about as much as you once cared about your mother and I. This may be hard for you to accept, but it also means that you have moved on, and that you no longer need me to care for you as much as you once did. Watch the night sky tonight, you may get a surprise. I love you baby. I'm so proud of you. Aunt Alice. xxx

The tears I was expecting didn't come. Nothing came. Not even a sinking feeling in my heart. Instead I felt a kind of pride. Not in myself but in my auntie. For making sure I was always safe until there was someone else there to do it.

I felt myself smile.

"Night, Nessa," Chloe said.

"Night Chloe," I replied and I shut my eyes.

And that night, somewhere out in the glistening sky, a brand new shinning star appeared.