The Wishbornes And The Fallen Star

Chapter 10

"Clarabell", someone whispered.
I lowered the book and looked around the library, but there was no one.
Are you kidding me? This again? Either I have a really big imagination or I'm going crazy. I picked up my book and continued reading.
"Over here". The whisper came from between the book isle.
Okay so I am definitely hearing voices, crazy it is then.
"Clarabell, over here", whispered the voice again.
"Nope, I'm sorry mysterious voice. Not going to follow you this time". I looked at the aisles out of the corner of my eye, then back at my book.
"Clarabell", whispered the voice again.
Nope. Nope. Nope.
"Over here".
"Ugh!". I got up and walked towards the aisles. "Listen here mysterious voice, I'm tired of your bullshit!", I whispered back, stepping through the aisle looking for whoever this person is.
"Over here", the voice whispered.
"Where!". I turned into an aisle.
"Here", whispered the voice to the right of me. I turned and looked straight into the books.
    What the hell? I leaned closer to the books with my right ear. Footsteps then entered the library.
"Hello? Is someone in here?", a lady asked. I stayed quiet for a few second - listening for the whispering voice - ignoring who ever just walked into the library.
Nothing. Damnit!
"Hello?", the lady said again.
"Hello?", I replied as I walked towards the door. I turned the corner of the book aisle and a sharp pain shot through my head as soon as I saw her. The pain was so intense that I had to close my eyes and brace myself against the book aisle, knocking over some books. The lady rushed over to me.
"Are you okay?", she asked and helped me stand up straight.
"Yeah", I said as I opened my eyes, the headache dying down a bit. Looked at the lady. And it felt like I've seen her before, like I'm supposed to know her. Her platinum blonde hair, her sharp nose, her half smile and especially her dark hazel brown eyes felt so familiar. I looked down at the books lying on the floor.
    "Here let me help you", she said and bent down to start picking up the books. I bent down and started to collect some books that fell open, stacking them in my arms. When the last book was packed away, she turned to me and said, "I'm Claudia, I work for Theo and Helena's and I'm also their niece, you must be Clarabell?".
    "Yes?".
     "Theo and Helena told me all about you and your brother and sister. It's so great to finally meet you".
    "Claudia? Is that you?", said Theo as he and Irene entered the library wearing horse riding clothes, "You're so early Darling? We weren't expecting you until tonight?".
    "I had to come a bit earlier Uncle. The situation that was discussed in the meeting in London got... worse, I'm afraid it can't wait any longer". Theo face's face turned very serious. "Angus?", he yelled. And within two seconds Angus walked into the library.
    "Please inform Helena, that Claudia has arrived and that we need to have an urgent meeting right now. We will be waiting for her in my office". Angus nodded and left in a hurry. He then turned to Irene and I. "Excuse us Children". He looked at Claudia and nudged his head towards the stair case. They quickly left.
    I walked over to Irene. "What is so important about fabrics?"
                                                ***

     I sat in front of my bedroom window, mixing some dark blue paint for the night sky I was painting. When I walked into my room earlier there were about five different size canvases place on top of my coach with a note from Helena saying, "This Manor needs some colour! Why don't you paint us something?". Why didn't they have any portraits or paintings hanging on the walls?
    There was a knock on the door. "Come in", I yelled and Raynard walked in wearing black pants and a black shirt. "You look like an assassin", I laughed as I looked at him over my shoulder. He pulled a mocking face and stood behind me. He looked at the painting for a while. "You haven't painted in a while", he said almost looking sad, but then he got a smirk on his face and said," Glad to see you still bad at it". I tried to paint him blue with my brush but the dodged it.
    "How was archery practice with Helena".
    "Good". His face turned serious.
    "Just good?"
    "I was really having a blast with Helena and everything. She knows quite a lot about hunting and weapons and combat and I guess you could say we were bonding, but I just couldn't completely shake the feeling that there's something wrong. Something that's in plain sight but I can't see it". He went quite and started at the floor. "But then something strange happened", he continued, "she asked me about my hallucinations. Have you or Irene ever told her about it?". I shook my head. "Well I don't know about Irene but I sure haven't told any of them."
    "Hmm. I wanted to ask her how she knows about them, but then Angus came rushing over saying something about a Claudia person being here and that they needed to attend an urgent meeting".
    "Yeah, Claudia is their niece, so I guess that makes her kinda our cousin now? She also works for them in the company".
    "I wonder what was so important about fabrics?".
    "That's what I said". We both just stared at my painting. "Ah well, I'm going to go take a shower", said Raynard and put his hands in his pockets.
    "Ah thank goodness, because you reek!", I said as I pinched my nose. He stared me down and walked away but before he left he yelled, "you need more black for the night sky". I flipped him off although I know he was already gone. But he was right. So I grabbed the black paint tube.
                                                ***
    By the time I was done painting, I was so full of paint one might think there's more paint on me than on the canvas. So I hobbled of to the bathroom. I wanted to open the shower but then looked at the bath. I only took a bath once in my life and that was when I slept over at Morgans house, and it was the best thing ever. After an hour Morgan had came to check that I didn't maybe drown in the tub. So I plugged in the plug, opened the water and went to fetch my other pair of pj's Miss Murray brought me. These were a burgundy colour with white trimmings.
    I lay in the bathtub just socking up all the heat from the water. I don't know why but ever since I was a small kid I was fascinated by water. I remembered the first time I ever swam. It was at Lilly's house and at first I was scared because I didn't know how to swim, but Lilly said she'll teach me - which didn't take long by the way. It just has such a calming effect on me. As if I was finally home after being away for a very long time.
    I stared at the surface of the water. Admiring the way the water sparkled in the light. I danced my fingers over it as if they where dancing with the light. I leaned my head back into the water, just so that it would cover my ears, closed my eyes and silence and listened to the way sound traveled through the water. I took a deep breath, letting my lungs fill with the steam from the water. And breathed out. After a few second I started to notice that the water level is dropping. Shit did I accidentally open the plug. I opened my eyes to see bubbles of water floating above my head.
    What the hell!?
    I sat up straight fast and all the floating bubbles fell back into the tub, splashing water everywhere. I just kept on staring at the water as the ripples died down. What the hell just happened? Did that even happen?.
    My heart was pounding in my chest and my breathing was quick.
    I must have imagined it. I... must have. There's no other explanation for what just happened. A sudden knock on the door startled me. "Bell?", said Irene behind the closed door," Dinner is almost ready".
    "Thanks Rena, I'll be right down in a few minutes".
    "Okay", she said and I heard her leave.
    I quickly unplugged the plug, got dressed and before I left the bathroom I glanced back at the tub.
    "There's no other explanation", I whispered to myself before leaving.