Solstice

Chapter 6

            “What?” Miss Jane screeched on the phone in the middle of the class. Nobody talked so they could eavesdrop on her. I was finishing the exercise she gave us then nearly jumped when she screeched again. “Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I’m finish with work. I’m sorry for your loss. Goodbye, Susan.” She flipped her phone shut and continued teaching as if nothing happened.

            I wondered who Susan was. Must be her relative or her friend. When Miss Jane was about to leave the class, she called me.

            I was shocked. I thought I did something wrong. This same feeling reminded me of the time Mrs. Rosalinda called me and told me that I won a ticket to Australia. This time, I didn’t join any competition in Australia.

            The class was noisy when Miss Jane left the class, stopped at a distance from my class so no one would be able to hear us. I followed her.

            “Do you know who I was speaking to just now on the phone?” she asked.

            “Susan?” I guessed.

            “Susan Fitzgerald. Jamie’s mum.”

            Her answer made me a statue. What happened to Jamie? That was the first question that crossed my mind as soon as I heard her name. She has been missing for almost two weeks and nobody remembered her except for me and her close friends.

            It took me some time to find my voice again. “What about Jamie’s mum?”

            “I think you ought to know because I’ve seen you so close to her. The police found her remains near the forest.”

            Remains. I’m sorry for your loss, Miss Jane said earlier before she hung up. This means she was dead. Near the forest. Jamie. All the memory of her was in my head. The first day in my Australian school. The girl who sat next to me and drew Japanese comic before she disappeared. She invited me with Maryanne and Bibiana to The Curve.

            “I’m so sorry,” Miss Jane whispered as she hugged me. My whole body was shaking and my hands were trembling. Sobs burst through my chest. I hold on to the pillar to support my weigh just in case if I was going to lose my balance. I didn’t realize I was crying until I tasted salt in my mouth. She kept assuring me so I will be calm.

            When I cried until no tears came out, she said, “Susan told me to tell you that Jamie’s funeral is this coming Wednesday. You should tell Jamie’s close friends about it, okay?”

            I nodded in reply and went to the class. I wanted to ask her how did Jamie die but I was too weak to ask. No one asked me what happened so I didn’t tell anyone. During recess, I told Maryanne and Bibiana about Jamie’s death. They burst into tears right away.

            After school, Sam asked me why I was very sad today at the stable.