All We Know Is Falling

The House In The Forest (Complete chapter)

A/N Sorry about late update, it's taken us a while to write it. You'll see why in a minute. This was originally going to be one chapter but we've had to split it into two with the other half coming next week (hopefully). Kat is now complaining that her planning has gone to pot. She said something different but I've put something more polite. Anyway, here's the chapter. We both hope everyone has had a lovely Christmas and is having a happy new - Scarlett

Her...

When she left the woman to walk to her house, Isobel's mind filled with even more questions. The woman's name, Anya, didn't sound like a proper name. Maybe it was a code name. No, it can't be. She said she wasn't from here. She could come from a place I have never heard of. Anya. It was a nice name. A nice name for a woman.

By the time Isobel had reached her house, she had thought of every possible answer for every question in her mind. Standing at the bottom of her garden, she looked up at her house. It was made of grey bricks like every other house on her road. The door had once been red but was so faded and grey that no one could tell what colour it used to be. Once, when she was little, her mother had shown her a picture of what the house used to look like. It looked like the sort of house you would expect to find in an old children's story. The version Isobel had been told was 'modern'. Well, it was modern seventy years ago.

Most people had expected things to get better in the future. Disease would be something of the past. War would be nonexistent. No one would age. People would live forever. 'Technology' would improve. All of these things were impossible goals. Never to be reached by humankind. The product of some pathetic company's attempt at getting people to buy their stuff. Empty promises and lies. Look at us now. No medicine, a shorter life span than that of one hundred years ago.

None of that mattered though. Isobel walked forward and pushed open the door.

"I'm back!" she called.

"Hello! Come into the kitchen, Isobel," her father called back.

He was home very early. According to the clock on the mantelpiece, it was only three o'clock. Then again, it was autumn so night was coming earlier than usual.

"You're home early father. Here's the herbs you wanted mother," she said placing the bag on the table with the list beside it.

"Thank you, Isobel. Your father is home so early because it is getting dark now. You know about the people who walk around at night, don't you Isobel?" Her mother said.

"Yes, mother. Drunkards, pretty ladies and murderers."

"Well done. Is there something you want, Isobel?"

"Yes, there is. Is it alright if I sleep at Louise's house tonight? Her mum said its fine." Isobel was telling a rather large lie.

"Of course. Get your things together and you can go now," her mother said.

"Thank you!" Isobel called as she ran to her room.

Isobel grabbed a small leather bag from her coat stand and began to fill it with things she might need. Among other things, there was her book of poisons and potions, a pen, some spare ink and a pair of gloves. She changed her dress from a grey three-quarter sleeved one to a black long sleeved one. After she was changed, Isobel picked up her cloak, said good bye to her parents and left.

Isobel wasn't going to her 'friend' Louise's house. She wasn't even sure if this place existed. She was going to try and find Anya's house. She knew the route to camp anyway. The path to the camp was simple so it was easily remembered. Anya was very secretive about the location of the camp, she didn't really need to hide it. Most people wouldn't be able to find it but Isobel could remember it as easily as the route to her father's work place.