Enchanted: The Run

Chapters 17 & 18

Chapter 17

One o’clock the stuff arrived and we finished at four-thirty. The only thing was the lighting. We needed a new light bulb because the original had blown and we needed to put the light shade on.

Austin couldn’t because of his arm and back, so we all agreed it was best left to dad, Travis or Fred to do it as it was much safer.

Jayne and Fred had been setting up the tables, chairs and party stuff for tomorrow.

“All we need is the food.” Fred informed us.

“But we’ll leave that until tomorrow so it’ll be fresh.” Jayne added, “The lights are up for tomorrow night and you’ll have to turn them on when it gets dark.”

“Party stuff: done, attic stuff: done and have we got everything we need for tomorrow?” Ashley doubled checked.

“Got the dyes,” Riley nodded.

“Got the dresses,” Emma smiled.

“...and the accessories...” Ashley had unknowingly reminded me:

“Huh, I nearly forgot I need to get something for tomorrow, be right back!” I ran – again- out of the living room, out of the kitchen, out to the fields and into the garden.

Opening my box – the mysterious one I had found in the attic with my name on it - right where I’d left it, I took out all the pictures of a girl and the albums again to get to a locked jewellery box. I had secretly found the key in Austin’s coat when we went to get fish and chips a few nights ago. The key was on its own chain, maybe it was a necklace? – I only took it because as soon as I touched it in the pocket I had that ‘vision’ of that little girl, so I thought maybe I could unlock something with it and find out what the ‘visions’ are about. So when Austin had fallen asleep that night I found the locked jewellery box and tried the key (which had worked), opened the box to find a beautiful, unique and indescribable necklace. It was silver locket and it had a crystal that was the shape of a star (it looked like the North Star). The necklace was engraved in the back: ‘

wherever, whenever... always

,’ It was so breath-taking I kept it a secret all this time and was going to wear it tomorrow.

Taking the box with me, I quickly scurried back to the house and upstairs to my bedroom.

I opened the bottom drawer of my bedside table and stuffed the box in where I had put the key.

“What are you doing?” Austin startled me.

“Stop doing that!” I jumped, “Stop surprising me all the time.”

“Okay. I thought surprises were a good thing?”

“Yeah they are but I don’t deserve them, I’m a horrible person!” I was so fed up I just blurted the truth out.

“No you’re not, you’re a...”

“No it’s true; I let you kiss me even though I let you think I was coming back. All you’ve ever been is sweet. You bond with my friends, you’re polite to everyone, you’re the only person who hasn’t lied to me and I thought you did and then I realised you didn’t!” I let it all out.

“You’re not coming back?” He looked at me with sadness in his eyes.

“I don’t know, I want to but I cannot take all the mysteries and secrecy anymore. I really want to come back to see you.” I explained – I was so crucial about what I said then, I didn’t notice I had tears rolling down my face.

“Hey, shush.” Austin wiped my tears and hugged me tight, “listen I don’t want you to go on Saturday. So how about we meet at the train station some weekends or holidays?”