A Phantom Whisper

Chapter Two

Rachel Taylor's Diary Part One

Thursday, 5th February 1981

Miss Whittle, our English teacher, thought that it would be a good idea for us all to keep diaries because we are reading The Diary of Anne Frank in class at the moment. She said that we didn't have to worry about what we wrote as we wouldn't be marked on them or even have to hand them in. All I can say is if we're not going to hand them in then what's the point in doing this.

I feel really stupid writing this thing anyway because I don't even have anything to write about. Well, that and the fact that I feel like I'm talking to myself. I wonder if Anne Frank ever had this problem.

Friday, 6th February 1981

We had double English today. After class, Miss Whittle asked me what I thought of the diary project and I told her that I didn't really see the point in it. I thought that she was going to be angry but she wasn't, she just smiled and told me that when she was in school she read the Diary of Anne Frank and it made her want to start keeping one of her own.

I told her that it was a bit strange because it made me feel like I was talking to myself. She just smiled and told me that I should do as Anne had and treat it more like I was writing a letter to someone else, someone who I could trust more than anyone in the whole world. Someone to whom I could tell anything and everything; my deepest fears and wildest dreams.

I still don't see the point in it but I'll give it a go. Anne Frank wrote her diary entries as if she was writing letters to her friend Kitty so I'll write mine like I'm writing letters to Anne. She's dead so I'm sure that she can keep a secret.

Saturday, 7th February 1981

Dear Anne,

I'm a little unhappy today. My best friend, Stacy Longman, Just told me her family will be moving next month because her dad has been promoted to the London branch of his company. We have been friends since we were six. Yeah, I still have Sabrina, Kelly and Jill but Stacy was almost like a sister. She lives in the house just across the road to mine. Who's going to live there when she goes? What if they're horrible people? What if I hate them or if they hate me?

God, Stacy, I really wish that you didn't have to go away.

Monday, 9th February 1981

Dear Anne,

I feel a little better about things now. She told me that I would be welcome to go down and visit her in London once they have settled in. They are moving to a place called Clapham in the south of the city. The house they are moving to is on a road called The Chase. She got her dad's map of London and pointed it out to me. It's right by a huge, green area called Clapham Common.

I told her that it'll be really good to see her in London but that I will still miss her so much. She said that she would miss me too but I wonder if she really will.

Friday, 6th March 1981

Dear Anne,

This is the saddest day of my life. Stacy moved away today and I'm so sad. Sabrina, Jill and Kelly are still my friends but it's just not the same. They're all boarders and we were both day pupils. Now I'm just going to feel like the odd one out. I'm looking over at Stacy's house right now and I just wish she would look out of the window again, I guess I'll just have to get used to it. I just hope that nobody moves in there anytime soon.

Sunday, 15th March 1981

Dear Anne,

I got a letter in the post today. Can you believe that? A letter for me? I never get letters. When I opened it I was that it was from Stacy and it had her new telephone number on it. She said that they were still getting settled into their new house and that as soon as they had I was welcome to go down for the weekend if it was okay with my mum.

That is just the best news ever. I asked mum if I could use the telephone to call her and see how everything is going but she told me to let it be for a week or so. I'm so excited but this is going to be the longest week ever.

Monday, 16th March 1981

Dear Anne,

I think I'm getting a bit pissed off with Sabrina and Kelly, they're both being right cows now that those older girls have allowed them to sneak in under their wings. Jill is the one that I really feel sorry for. I get to come home every evening but she has to stay there because she's a boarder. She seemed really sad when I left. I get the feeling that the other two are leaving her out of things. Well, at least she had me, I'll never let her down.

Thursday, 19th March 1981

Dear Anne,

I was right, Jill's not being mistreated by the others but there is a definite split now. She seems to be okay about the whole thing now. She introduced me to a couple of younger girls that she's started to hang out with. They seem quite nice and they're just a year below us so it's not like they are little kids or anything. We'll just let the other two move along if that's the way they feel.

Saturday, 21st March 1981

Dear Anne,

Mum told me that I could phone Stacy today, I get the feeling that she could see how eager I was to chat with her again. The problem is that when I tried the number I couldn't get through. She must have written it down wrong. What a disappointment.

Monday, 23rd 1981

Dear Anne,

I've just seen some people looking at Stacy's house. The man and woman are about the same age as my mum and dad and a girl who looks about my age. Who knows, maybe they won't be so bad after all.

Author's Note

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