Separated (Cimorelli)

Chapter 9

Lauren's POV

"What does the first clue say?" I asked

"N" Dani read

"That's it?" Christina looked annoyed

"The next just says W, then S"

"Does it spell out something?" I suggested

"NWS, that's not a word" Lisa said

"It could be mixed up" I suggested "wait! N W S, those are all directions!" It clicked in my head.

"It could be, we'll have to try" Lisa said, she took out her compass, it was cracked through the middle and a rusted golden colour. Giving me the image that she's probably had it for a long time.

"North is that way" she said pointing directly opposite to the wall we had just climbed. We set off, picking up speed. I was still exhausted, it's not normal to running through a forest in the middle of the night. Never mind two nights in a row and in a forest like this.

I was slightly behind Dani, she had long legs and looked like she'd been in a few sports teams in her 8 years. I was quite skinny, my legs were more average length, I could keep up speed well enough and wasn't having too much trouble.

I wondered how we'd know when to stop traveling north, the sky was a tinted blue colour and shadows over hung every bit of the ground when I got a slight glimpse of it.

The silence between the four of us caused my mind to wonder. My mind never felt at ease, everything I saw was placed in a section of my mind, considered, analysed. If you're anything like that you'd understand how easy it is to become panicked, angry, upset. Someone glancing at your face with a slight expression could make you reconsider the shoes you chose to wear that day. So I highly doubt I'd find anyone much like me in this world, maybe my sisters are the closest I can find and I think I find myself content with the idea of that.

I push my thoughts away and concentrate on my footsteps, making sure not to slip or crash into anything near.

It must have been two hours till we found ourselves at a complete stop, a small house was found there.

"Do we turn or go around it" Christina said, I opened my mouth to answer but then a voice came from a distance.

"Ah you're finally here, I've been waiting all night" an old woman said, gripping onto a walking stick as she made her way towards us, walking down the short path from the front door to us.

"Do come in, make yourselves at home" she said sweetly

"I think there's been a misunderstanding" Christina said

"Nonsense" the lady laughed, ushering us inside.

We gave each other confused looks but the lady seemed nice enough. She invited us in. As I was passing through the door I tripped on the matt and crashed into a table which was off to the side a little, a glass vase fell from the top.

"I'm sorry" I said trying to clean it up.

"No no it's okay, my granddaughter can clean that"

"Oh I wouldn't want to cause anymore bother" I said

"You won't be, it's a pleasure to finally have you here. Katherine darling we have guests!" She called up the winding stairs.

"It's the middle of the night grandmother, what guests could we possibly have?" A voice said

"It's them Katherine, it's finally them" she said in an excited voice.

"I'm sorry grandmother, I don't know who you're talking about" she said walking down the stairs. She had short hair, brown, she was tall and slim.

"There's only four, where are the other?" The old lady exclaimed in a panicked voice.

"I'm sorry, my grandmother is getting a little confused in the past years" Katherine, I think her name was, said in a hushed tone.

"I'm sorry about her! She thinks because I'm elder it means I don't understand myself!" She laughed

"We're just passing this way" Lisa explained

"See grandmother, they're just any other people, passing through...in the middle of the night but I shouldn't judge their ways" she smiled

"These are not any other people, these girls will change the world and so will you my girl" the old lady said.

"Um grandmother? Are you okay?" She asked confused

"I'm more than okay, I can help you girls, soon all will be great. Now come on, let's sit down, I have so much to explain"