When Annabelle, a young eighteen year old is sent to her grandmothers attic to fetch something she discovers some old photographs and newspaper clippings from 1919. The dates go back to when her grandmother was a child and lived out her own teenag...
Over the course of the next few weeks I had been closely monitoring Annabelle's health. To everyones surprise she seemed to be recovering really well during the first week. She was talking and smiling and even had Charlie and Lily up on her bed playing with her. Once she got to the second week something changed. It was like her progress just stopped, like this was as well as she was going to get. Then during the third week she began to slip backwards and overnight she headed on a downwards spiral.
I hadn't left the house in three weeks, no one really had. The doctor was called in the early hours of the morning to try and diagnose why she was slipping backwards but he couldn't seem to find anything. After seeing the doctor out I decided I needed to go and see her. Just to see her face. Nearing the top of the staircase I paused in my tracks. Whats was I going to find when I entered the room? Taking a deep breath I edged closer to the door and peered in through the doorway.
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When my eyes landed on her I didn't know what to think. Her body was so pale and looked like it could have been ice cold. Her usual bouncing brunette hair was tangled and tucked messily behind her head. Dark circles had formed under her eyes from lack of sleep and it seemed she had lost a little weight from not being able to stomach her food.
I couldn't Just stand around and let her deteriorate until she died. Laying in a bed already lifeless and halfway to deaths door. This is not the future I had planned for her. As I stood looming in the doorway I made up my mind. This was not her future. She was going to recover. She was going to survive whatever this was and she was going to get help from the people who knew more about what was happening to her.
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A sadness enveloped me like a wave dragging me down breathlessly, I knew what had to be done and I could already feel my heart aching. It was the only option left if she was to have a second chance. I stared at her for what seemed like minutes at a time just trying to saver what time we had left but I wouldn't get too close. She would be able to sense my mournfulness from the moment she saw me. The sound of footsteps slumped their way up the staircase and made their way towards me.
I didn't take my eyes off of Annabelle. "Tom?" Arthur looked at me concerned. "I need you to go get John" I stated in a hushed tone. Confused Arthur stood crossing his arms across his chest and following my gaze towards Annabelle. "What's your plan?" He asked thinking the worst yet to come. It was no secret that everyone knew Annabelle was slowly dying and if the doctors couldn't find the reason then we were screwed. "Im out of options, Arthur" I admitted both to Arthur and myself. Still confused he looked at me expecting me to explain.
"What do you mean?" he was trying not to be too pushy but I could tell he was starting to panic at whatever thoughts I might have been having. Almost as if on cue John came waltzing up the stairs with a cigarette hanging out from his mouth. "What're you both doin?" he stared for a moment realising the desperate look on my face. "Tom, whats goin on?" he began walking closer.
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Finally looking away from Annabelle I lead the pair of them into my office and sat them down after closing the door behind us. "Annabelle isn't getting better" the pair sat in silence with their heads downs acknowledging the facts properly for the first time. "So I need to ask John a favour" I continued causing both their heads to rise and look at me with curiosity. Watching them both I could tell they had no idea what kind of wild plan I had come up with this time. Only this time it wasn't wild.
It was a reality we all needed to face. "John I want you to send Annabelle back to her real home-" John began to interrupt trying to refuse whatever idea I was making. "Annabelle is sick and dying and if our doctors can't fix her then she's dead and nailed in a box in a week. If she goes she can get help from more advanced people. She wouldn't be alone at first. I want John to go with her and take her to her grandmothers house. As the room fell silent both the men agreed knowing we'd all reached our last resorts.
Within the space of 2 days the plan was put into motion. The family was notified and they al agreed it was the best thing for her no matter how heartbreaking it was. With Annabelle going in and out of consciousness it was most likely she wouldn't realise she had been taken home until she actually started to recover. As planned John had taken her and was back home again within a day of leaving. He said that the grandmother was shocked to see the both of us and would do all she could to make sure Annabelle recovered.
In the meantime I had to find an excuse for Charlie and Lily's mother not being around. The children were growing up fast and saying she was on a holiday or working wasn't going to cut it.
I just hoped she would find the help she needs and find a way home again once more...
