The Black in our Hearts

Chapter One

In the darkness was a girl. In the girl was a secret. In her secret was danger.

The sun gravitated towards the ground convincing all the light to go with it and huddling it all into nothingness. Velma Jacobs sat on her grandma's rocking chair recollecting what had just happened that could potentially ruin her life. Not even two hours ago she had been playing charades with Vanny only to have been interrupted by her devastated mother.
"Your grandma always loved you" They said, "She was always proud of you".

And she still is, she's not dead yet .

All afternoon she had been trying to convince herself that her grandma had a slight chance of living, that people shouldn't be using past tense for her yet. Now that her grandma was in hospital Velma and her mum didn't have anyway to support themselves. Grandma was a middle class women but her will wasn't written and without a written will the council had told them that there was no way for them to inherit her riches. The idea of getting a job fluttered across her mind but it quickly disappeared when she thought of what her mum had said. She stood up and went inside to get a cup of coffee, her mum was sitting on a stool staring out of the kitchen window but cast a worried glance at Velma when she entered the kitchen.
"You okay plum?". Velma sat on the stool next to her and sighed,
"Yeah Ma, I'm more worried about you",
"Don't worry honey, I'm perfectly fine maybe we should go out sometime for some Chinese takeaway or something"
"No mum, too expensive". Her mother sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I know plum, but I've been thinking...and I think it's time to move"
Velma wasn't at all surprised, she had anticipated having this conversation with her mother. She knew this comfort wasn't going to last, this was the longest they had stayed in one place but the prospect of leaving Vanny and having to move schools again made her stomach churn, she was all too familiar with that feeling now.
"When are we leaving?" Velma asked
"I know this is short notice but I think we should leave tonight"
"Tonight!" Velma gasped, "But what about saying bye to Vanny?And packing?"
"I've already packed for you and you can say goodbye to Vanny on the phone"
Velma was horrified, "On the phone?"
"Yes.. I know it's dangerous but unless you don't want to say goodbye, I guess you'll have to risk it."
"Why can't I just go over to her house?"
At this question her mum cast her eyes down,
Velma awaited the dreaded answer.
"Honey, it's happened again"
"Oh my god,no! Who?"
"Mrs Zania"
Velma shivered,
"Is Vanny and her father okay?"
"Yes but their a little shocked that it happened so suddenly, they weren't expecting that"
"I'll go call Vanny then". Her mother nodded as Velma walked into the living room. Her fingers trembled as she dialled Vanny's number. Her heart wasn't ready to hear what she had to say.