The Children of When (Complete)

Chapter Three: Belle

"You're late... AGAIN!" The words Belle had been dreading as she'd run all the way home hit her like a slap in the face. She'd known she'd be in trouble when Miss Lorenz had asked her if she wanted to stay at school a bit later and finish her drawing. She'd hesitated for a second, but the temptation to stay had, for once, outweighed the fear of punishment she'd receive when she got home. Well, I'm leaving tomorrow, so how bad can it be? So, she'd reached into her bag and pulled out the sketch pad and pencils she'd just packed away.

Opening the sketch pad up to the page she'd been working on for most of the day, the image of the magnificent jet black horse from her dreams almost leapt off the page at her. She'd smiled in wistful longing at the beautiful creature running through a meadow bursting with flowers, wishing with all her heart she was there too.

Admittedly her picture bore little resemblance to the horses in Naissance, or at least the ones she'd only ever seen from a distance; shaggy, under-fed, creatures, who pulled ploughs for the farmers on the outskirts of the village through the day, and stood listless and exhausted in their small paddocks at night.

She'd been concentrating on finding the exact shading she needed to get the sky right, when a cry of dismay came from the front of the classroom.

Miss Lorenz was so flustered she was wringing her hands in front of her. "Oh Belle, I'm terribly sorry. I was so caught up in my work, I didn't notice the time. It's nearly four o'clock! You'd best get home, Griz will be so worried about you."

Belle had wished for the ground to open up and swallow her whole. She'd be an hour late getting home and Griz, her Guardian for the last fourteen years, would be wild. Miss Lorenz had no idea what it was really like at home. The only thing Griz would be worried about was the fact that she had less than 24 hours left to continue to make Belle's life a misery! Belle had shoved her things into her bag and run out the door, thanking Miss Lorenz for letting her stay.

"Happy Birthday for tomorrow," Miss Lorenz had called from behind her, as she raced down the path and out the front gates. Despite being terrified, Belle felt a tiny ray of hope blossom in her mind. Tomorrow would be her fourteenth birthday, and she'd be leaving Naissance forever. Excited at the thought of escaping from the misery her life had been so far, she'd nearly tripped on the uneven path leading up to the house.

"I'm so sorry Griz," Belle called now as she ran up the front steps. "I stayed late to help Miss Lorenz clean the classroom," she lied, hoping the lie would help dampen Griz's anger.

"I don't care where ya've been, or what ya were doin', there'll be no dinner for ya again tonight ya wicked child!" Griz growled as she clipped the back of Belle's head with her big, ugly hand. "There's a list o' jobs that need doin' before ya go to bed, so y'd best get started if ya expect to finish before midnight."

Belle sighed, which earned her yet another clip to the back of the head. She plodded upstairs towards her room, to drop off her bag and throw on some old work clothes.

"And don't go dawdlin' up there!" The voice followed her up the stairs; as if Griz knew her opportunities to inflict pain were coming to an end. "Them poor-me sighs, and the long face, won't work with me; y'll finish all the jobs on the list if it takes all night!"

Belle reached her room and closed the door, shuddering as she tried to drown out the voice that had the same effect as fingernails scraping down a chalkboard. She sucked in a couple of deep breaths, determined to hold back the tears that had been threatening to leak out since Griz told her she wasn't getting any dinner again.

She'd had no dinner the previous night either, her punishment for leaving a tiny mark on the windows she'd cleaned after school. If it hadn't been for her friend Niarne's generosity at school that day, she'd be even hungrier than she was now. Niarne had brought to school a virtual feast of food - saying they could celebrate Belle's birthday for the next day. Belle had hugged her only friend and thanked her over and over.