Abbot Grove

Lost Memories

The wind was whistling past the window and the branches of the trees were clattering together. The rain came smashing down out of the ebony black sky. Christine, on the other hand, was snuggled up on her soft bed with the fire blazing and a hot mug of cocoa warming her hands. The TV was turned up loudly to block out the sounds of the night.

Christine's Auntie Cindy was out late that night in search for a partner like she did most nights. Sadly Christine's mother and father had died in a car crash when she was three and she was to live with Cindy till she was old enough to look after herself, She was usually alone most nights. Christine didn't mind being alone, in fact, she rather preferred a little peace and quiet now and then.

Christine drained the last of her (now cold) cocoa and set it down on her bedside table. Just then the TV clicked off. Silence crept through the house. Absent-mindedly she glanced ahead at the TV screen when out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw the shadow of a figure drifting slowly across the room behind her. She turned around but nothing was there, just all her band posters stapled messily on her wall. "Electricity must be out" She muttered to herself. This wasn't a surprise because Abbot Grove, the village Christine lived in, had been forgotten and they hadn't repaired the damages caused by the storm in 1986.

Christine picked up a worn photo of her parents gazing happily at the camera, the only memory she had to hold on to, but that was all she needed, and hugged it to her chest.

I miss you

She carefully placed the old photo down on her bedside table as if it were a priceless gift and flopped back into her bed, blurred thoughts racing through her mind.

The wind was now whistling loudly. The window had been jerked wide open and the ghost like curtains were swaying back and forth. Christine walked over to the window and reached out to shut it. There was someone standing in the garden below. She slammed the window shut and locked her bedroom door.