Finding Maisie

Finding Maisie: Prologue

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Finding Maisie

Prologue

When I was eight my best friend was taken. When I was eight my life turned upside down. When I was eight the safe world in which I lived disappeared. And this is how it happened.

It was a hot summers day, the third day running from a heat wave. It was June in the afternoon after school. I was with my best friend ever, Maisie. She walked next to me in the wheat field, her ginger hair sticking to her face from the sweat of the sun.

'Hey!' I shouted as she tugged on one of my chocolate brown pigtails, warmth and security running through me from the company of my best friend.

'I'm bored,' Maisie moaned. 'Wanna race to our spot, Poppy?' She beamed, filling with enthusiasm.

By "spot", Maisie meant the large shady tree at the other side of the field. We often sat underneath its shadowed protection from the sun and raced each other to it. I looked over to where our parents were talking, as they did everyday on our way back from school. They looked engrossed in conversation and like they weren't going to stop anytime soon. Maisie and I were going to have to keep ourselves occupied. I nodded to my best friend, needing entertainment and distraction from the blazing sun.

'Okay,' I grinned. 'On three. Ready? One, two-'

I began running before saying three, receiving a grunt from Maisie who quickly sped up to catch me.

'Poppy, you cheater!' Maisie called, annoyance laced throughout her voice, but she carried on running. 'You owe me a restart!'

I hardly heard Maisie's complaints as the wind rushed against my ears. The breeze was a relief against my warm, sticky skin. I looked towards the tree, longing for its shadowed grass. The longing made my little legs run faster and within no time I had reached the tree. I panted and held onto its trunk for support. I turned to the slacking Maisie.

'Ha, ha! Beat you!' I boasted.

Maisie grunted and flopped down to my side. She wiped the sweat away from her forehead.

'It's unfair! You cheated and you're older anyway. You're eight and three quarters and I'm only eight and a half!' Maisie grumbled.

I only laughed at her excuses. She always liked to use the "age difference" as a reason why I repeatedly won our games and races. Maisie sat next to me in the shade and I decided it was too hot to do anything else. I was content with sitting in the shade and not moving around.

'I'm so boiling! Why does it have to be so hot?!' Maisie whined.

I agreed whole-heartedly with her. Why did the sun have to heat the air so strongly? It wasn't fair. There had to be some way to stop us feeling so heated, I thought. Then I had an idea. I knew the perfect place to go to. It was fresh and beautiful and the best place to cool down.

I had stumbled across this place a couple of months ago. Maisie had been ill and my mum was talking to another mother. Without Maisie I was bored. I was sitting under the tree and had the sudden urge to go exploring. I rose from my slumped position and chose a bush to climb behind. I clambered through the twigs and leaves of the bush and came out onto an abandoned path. I walked along it and climbed behind and through more bushes until I heard the sound of running water. I walked towards the noise and climbed through the remaining bush. I looked gobsmacked at the sight I saw in-front of me. The water noise had come from a small waterfall that came off of a small cliff edge that was surrounded by plants showing an assortment of colours - from red tulips to white water lilies and daisies. The waterfall flowed into a river facing away from the town, which explained why the area had not been discovered. Butterflies and bees swamped the plants and made the place look magical. A feeling of sheer joy raced within me as I examined the dream-like haven. The place looked untouched, unseen, unspoilt.