When All The Adults Were Gone

Chapter 18 - Moonlight guidance

I stood frozen in the hallway, torch stuck shining in their faces. I put my hand over my heart and breathed deeply. "Don't do that to me!" I whined. Darcy uncrossed her arms and the smile on her face grew bigger and Jamie began to giggle. "Go up and start to get ready for bed Jamie, I'll be up in a minute let me say night to Darcy" I looked and pointed up the stairs, hinting for some alone time. He hugged Darcy around the middle "Night night" I heard him mumble into her stomach. I had to admit it was a really cute sight as Darcy wrapped her arms around his small figure and said goodnight back. I pointed up the stairs and said "Bed. I'll be up in a minute."

Once Jamie was upstairs and I heard his bedroom door shut I turned to Darcy and she grabbed my shoulders. "So! What happened then! Did you kiss? Did you hold hands? I need details!" She cried shaking my shoulders. I pushed her off and started to laugh. "Slow down! We watched a shooting star and we saw Sam," I paused to watch her expression liven up even more at Sam's name, "yes we kissed and yes we held hands. Any more questions?" I asked crossing my arms like she did with me. "No. We must have a proper catch up but you better get back to Jamie." She opened my front door, "Night lover girl" and she winked and closed the door.

That's why she's my best friend. She can be so random at times but she always knows what to say. I shone the torch upstairs and walked up. I knocked on Jamie's door and opened it. He was sat on his bed with his coat still on sniffing. "Hey hey what's up?" I rushed over and wrapped my arms around him letting him sit there smooshed against me. "I miss mummy and daddy. I want mummy to tuck me in. I want daddy's special hot chocolate." I whimpered into my chest. I rubbed his bony back and hushed him gently, "It's ok. You still have me. I can tuck you in and give you a cuddle and make you hot chocolate if we get the electricity working again. There are other children on the base who don't have an older sister and have to sleep in an empty house tonight. You're really lucky. But I hope I can look after you well, I don't want to let mum and dad down..." I whispered into the top of his head, still rubbing his back.

We sat there for quite a while just hugging each other until I unwrapped myself and stood up and went to his drawers. I pulled out a pair of spiderman pyjamas and gave them to him. "I think it's time for bed now. I can sleep in with you tonight if you want. We can sleep in mum and dad's room if you want?" I said walking to my room to get changed.

My room was just how I left it this morning, semi-messy. I fumbled around in the dark looking for my own pyjamas, feeling around the floor and drawers. After knocking my fingers, stubbing my toe and banging my elbow I was ready for bed. I went into the bathroom and turned on the tap to wash off my makeup and brush my teeth. I couldn't really see what I was doing, I had to go by moonlight through the window.

When I was ready for bed I walked into my parent's bedroom. It looked as if they had just rushed out of the house. The puffy, cream duvet was kicked carelessly to the end of the bed and the pillows strewn across the floor. The family picture of us in Devon was still on the wall above the bed but there were clothes everywhere. They must have left quickly when they realised something bad was going to happen.

I walked around the room picking up pillows, putting clothes in the basket and remaking the bed. I got so into making everything look normal again and so deep in thought that I didn't realise Jamie was stood in the doorway until I turned around to see him stood there. I patted the bed for him to get in so I could tuck him in. "You have mum's side. Her pillow smells of her." I said plumping the pillows. I got into bed myself and felt Jamie scramble in after me. I felt underneath the covers and found the small ball he was curled into. I pulled him towards me so I could cuddle him.

We both lay there for a while not saying anything. I felt Jamie fall asleep and for a small little boy he was really heavy when he was asleep. I kissed the top of his head and closed my eyes just thinking about everything that had happened that day. I had become the leader of a large community of children and teenagers, we had all lost our parents in some kind of incident, I had got my first boyfriend. Wow looking back now, that day sure was an eventful one. I don't know when I fell asleep or for how long for, but I did. Little did I know I was going to wake up to a whole new load of challenges in the morning.