Dear Diary

Chapter Three

2 years prior 

Dear Diary,

Today, I lost one of my best friends, one of the few people I trusted with everything I had in my life. My god mother Emma, the only adult that knew as much about me as my closest friends. I’m usually a very stoic person, and now, the tears just won’t stop flowing. It’s like a part of me is gone forever. A portion of my laughs, my cries, my fits of anger – I feel as if they’re all gone into a different world, wherever Emma may be residing now.

Is there an afterlife? Is there another place where the spirits of the deceased can go to – a purgatory, a heaven? Wherever she is now, I hope she doesn’t see me like this. I don’t want her to see how easy I can be to break; she’d always complimented me on my ability to remain calm in the toughest of situations. What would she think now, seeing me completely lose control of myself? Her memory of me should be pure of my weaknesses. I don’t want her spirit to pity me; we’ve always had this mutual respect between us, and it’s not my position to ruin that.

There are people milling about all over the house right now, come to pay their respects, to ensure us that “Everything will be okay” and that they’re “sorry”. I can’t face them, their condolences. Some mean well, others come because they feel obliged to.

Mom and Dad are calling me down. They have been constantly for the past hour – they’ve even sent Rosa, the maid, in 4 times to escort me. Why can’t they come up themselves? If only I could cry with Mom for a few minutes…If only Dad could come in and tell me some of his bad jokes to cheer me up…No, they have company. No need to disturb them.

I can hear Rosa coming up the stairs again. I think I’ll convince her to take me along to the Farmers’ market in the neighbouring town to help her – that might take my mind of things a little.

- Aislin.

Convincing Rosa to let me help her on an errand wasn’t easy. She was afraid my parents would fire her if they realized their daughter was shopping for vegetables. She gave in, finally, when I emotionally blackmailed her by telling her what a huge favour she’d be doing me by helping distract my thoughts for a little while. I just couldn’t stand to stay in the house for a minute longer.

On the way there, we passed by Emma’s house. I clenched my eyes shut, not allowing any memories from the old, Victorian structure to seep into me. I hadn’t realized that my eyes were still shut until Rosa gently told me that we were almost there.

I slowly opened my eyes, just in time to see a toddler running up the side of the street, followed closely by a girl who looked to be about my age. They both had the same stringy blonde hair and pale complexions.

“Stop the car!” I yelled to Rosa.

She slammed her foot onto the brakes. “What’s wrong?”

I didn’t reply. I watched as the two of them swerved behind a stand of fruits, clearly trying to hide from the two men chasing behind.

“Come and meet me here after you’re done,” I told Rosa, my eyes fixated on their frightened expressions. “I want to do something.”

Rosa nodded in agreement. “Whatever you want, hun.”

I thanked her, and got out of the car, walking towards the fruit stand. The little boy was close to tears, his eyes watering up. Before either of them could say anything, I stood in front of them, blocking them off from anyone walking by, and pretended to examine some fruits.

One of the men came running up to me. “Excuse me, miss, have you seen two kids run by here, possibly with a sack of vegetables?”

I felt a shift by my legs, and then heard an anxious sob. I coughed to cover up the sound. “Yeah, actually, I think they ran until the end of the street, and hopped on the city bus.”

The man swore. “Filthy kids…” He turned back in the direction he came from, informed the other man of my news, and they both walked away angrily.

I waited until they were out of sight, until I moved. The little boy hugged my leg, and let go, a big smile now on his tear streaked face.

“Thank you,” he whispered. The girl nodded in agreement, still shocked at what I’d done for them.

I gave them a little smile and began to walk away.

“Wait!”

I turned around. The girl was coming after me. “What can we do in return?”

“Nothing,” I said.

“Please,” she said. “There has to be something. You don’t know what you just saved us from.”

“It was no problem,” I said, shaking my head in refusal. “You two should go home now and stay out of trouble.”

“We don’t have a home,” Isaac said, in a small voice.

The girl clamped her hand on his mouth.

“Isaac!” she hissed.

I blinked. “Where are your parents?”

The girl shook her head. “We don’t have any. That’s why I’m so grateful to you. That man told me that if I was caught stealing from him one more time, he’d inform the cops, and they’d separate my Isaac and I and put us into foster homes.”

She pulled her little brother closer, a tear rolling down her cheek. My heart went out for her; I knew exactly how she would have felt if he was taken from her.

The girl continued. “We’re okay, really, most of the time. It’s just lately, food’s been a little hard to get, you know? Oh, what am I saying, you probably don’t know…My name’s Verina, by the way. Isaac and I usually live in the shelter downtown, but recently we were asked to leave.”

“It’s all my fault!” Isaac burst out. “I don’t have anyone to play with, so I-I…what was it that the lady said I did?”

Verina laughed. “She said you climb the walls. Isaac has a lot of energy – don’t be fooled by his little body.”

Isaac giggled, and looked at me innocently.

I nodded and smiled. “Then I guess you two are coming with me.”

Instant fear shot through Verina’s bright blue eyes. “You’re not reporting us are you? Please, just forget we said anything!”

I shook my head. “I won’t report you. Promise. I just want to help.”

Verina was sceptical at first, but then nodded to say she would come.

A/N - Let me know if this is getting boring! I was going to do the entire flashback in one chapter, but it was getting too long, so the next chapter will also be in flashback mode.