The girl who would wear green

Chapter Seven

When they got back to the campsite, Essie was full of questions, and she was not quite so tired any more.
"Dad..?"
"How do you feel Essie?" "I'm not sure?"
"Do you feel any different?"
Essie thought, and then replied "I feel different being Eleven, and different being away with just you, and definitely different because it has been a different birthday totally so far, no presents, no cake."
Not that she was hinting, she continued, but really, that was the only difference she felt.
Except for the blue hand of course, who had a blue hand? Especially as she was a green person, had he noticed? But was that really a birthday present? And was there something that would actually happen?
Her dad laughed and gave her a hug, and said "Yes, Essie this is definitely a different birthday and we do have presents at home too, but this was much more important today." Essie quite cheered up to hear that there was a present at home, and maybe even cake, she thought hopefully.
"You may not feel anything different for a while, sometimes this takes time. But Essie, your hand and the rock turned blue, which means you have a gift. It does not always follow the same path. For you now, it is time to listen, pay attention to everything around you and notice more than ever, exactly what is happening. Especially if Hallie is around, I think her interest in you may be her way of trying to find out who you are. Do not be tempted to try anything concerning Hallie."
"Like what, dad?" Essie asked. She was puzzled, what could she try, with Hallie?
"Just don't be tempted to think you can change Hallie. You may find that you get feelings, impressions, that may tempt you towards trying to do this, and it will not help you if you do. You need to remember to be very careful at first until you understand what your gift is, and how you can use it."
Her dad went on, "But one thing you must always do, because it is the only way you can use your gift and stay happy, is to always use it to bring a better outcome. You cannot use it for yourself, it will turn backwards if you do, and could bring you harm."
"As time goes on, and you become aware of what your Gift will be, you will understand how and when it will be best to use it".
Then he handed Essie a small package, wrapped in green tissue paper and tied with silver ribbons. "Happy birthday, Essie" he said.
A present, wow, now it felt more like a birthday! Essie was delighted. "Oh, I think I know....." Essie thought as she opened the package. An image had suddenly appeared in her head.
Inside a silk pouch she found a delicate necklace on a fine silver chain with a filigree locket on the end. The outside was worked with a beautiful pattern, and inside the locket was a space for a photo.

Her dad showed her the workings at the front of the locket where a piece of her blue talisman rock could be fitted, like a gemstone.
"Oohhh, its beautiful" sighed Essie, "thank you Dad." "Yes" Essie thought to herself in wonder, "I knew, I could see it, and I know that there are presents and cake at home now too." But she didn't say anything to her dad, just admired the beautiful locket as she listened.
"This will be for times when you may need more strength" her dad explained. "You will understand the need for this as you use your gift more and more. We will have a piece of the stone cut and polished to fit in the space here, and you can wear it when you think you may need it, or whenever you feel like wearing it for no reason at all. Your grandmother has one like this also. "
As it was quite late by this, Essie and her dad settled down for the night and headed home early next morning. Essie slept with her rock in the silk pouch her father had given her, under her pillow along with her locket. Both her hand and the rock had stopped glowing now, but the rock was still faintly blue in colour.
They came home early in the afternoon and Essie was delighted to find her mum waiting with presents on the table and a chocolate cake in the fridge. Her mum had made her favourite, exactly as Essie had imagined yesterday.
"At least some things are still right in the world" Essie thought, as she opened her presents, a beautifully illustrated book that detailed the history of the Country from long ago, and a very pretty pair of green sparkly shoes with just the tiniest heel, which made Essie feel quite grown up wearing them out for a birthday celebration dinner that night, with her mum, dad, and Amelia.
Essie felt quite happy, she did really love green so much and she could not wait to start reading her book and to show her friends at the Library.
Essie soon became engrossed in the story. This book had more detail than some of the things she'd found in the library. More pictures of the King and Lord Leopold and there was even mention of a "healer" who had helped the King recover from his Illness.
When she returned to school she answered questions about where she had been by saying that she had to go out of town with her dad. Her rock was safely tucked in her school uniform pocket, in its pouch. She'd decided to bring it with her, just to see what would happen. As it wasn't really very big it was not noticed at all, which was just as well, as she didn't want to have to explain it to anyone.
She was excited about what may happen from now on. Which wasn't much at all so far as she could see. So Essie started concentrating on the things around her as the days went by. Nothing much was different, kids talking, kids pushing and laughing. She even heard bits of some of the things they were saying, and really, it was all dead boring.
Today's class was boring too, or maybe Essie was still tired from her birthday. She watched with disinterest as Trent put his hand up, as he often did in class, and asked could he be excused to go to the toilet.
As he walked past her desk to leave the room, Essie felt a strange feeling. Suddenly, into her head, came the clear thought. Cigarettes!
She looked at Trent disappearing out of the room. She knew, she just knew suddenly that Trent was going out to sneak a cigarette, oh my goodness! Essie sat, with the realisation in her head, along

with the knowledge that she could not say a thing. Not only could she not prove it, how could she explain why she knew?
Suddenly her class was not quite so boring and she started to take notice. Hallie caught her attention. She was whispering something to Tara, sitting next to her. Into Essie's head came the words "can't wait to get out of here and meet up with Jake". Essie had no idea who Jake was, but that was what she thought she heard. Surely Hallie was not meeting a boy at eleven years old? Did she really hear that?
Essie went home with a lot of thoughts going around in her head. Was she really hearing and picking up on what people were thinking? Could that be possible?
Fleeting thoughts came to Essie over the next weeks, and she found that she had the same thing happen every time that Trent asked to leave the room to go to the toilet. Should she do something?
There had been other feelings as well. She caught bits of Hallie's scattered thoughts, and the name Jake seemed to be amongst them often. Essie never saw anyone called Jake so she was not quite sure what to make of it.
She was however, certain that there was something wrong in Amelia's life, she could feel it. Amelia shut her down when she asked, by either changing the subject or saying she was fine. The feelings coming from Amelia covered so many emotions, none of them happy.
When her father asked her again if she was noticing anything different, Essie told him what had happened when Trent asked to go to the toilet.
"Dad" she continued, "I thought I could hear some stuff that Hallie was saying too, but I'm not sure as it didn't make a lot of sense, but I do feel really strongly that something is wrong with Amelia. I could feel her unhappiness, but I don't know what it is."
"Yes, it's starting to become clearer where your gift will lead you Essie. What you are hearing are the thoughts of others I think, and you seem to be picking up on some of their feelings as well. As time goes on you can work on how to use this for the best outcome. Just let it come to you, when it does, you will know what to do. Then maybe the solution to what is wrong with Amelia will come to you as well."
She now knew that she did not need to have her talisman rock with her everywhere. Her dad had put the piece of polished stone in her locket and she kept it safely locked away in her room when she was not wearing it. She'd put a picture of herself and Amelia inside it as it felt right, and she wore the locket when she could. It was so pretty, and she was always careful when she wore it.
Mostly Essie waited, listened and learned. She wanted to be sure when she used her gift, that it would be right, and she wanted to help Amelia if she could.
Except for once. Hallie had seemed to be about to push Amelia into a group of bigger boys, and Essie, who had been too far away to do anything else, had instinctively focused on the boys.
Suddenly they had all moved, and instead had gotten into Hallie's path causing her to fall right into the middle of them all. They had laughed as they extricated themselves from Hallie's flailing arms and joked about Hallie being dead keen to get herself a guy. Hallie had fled, red faced and embarrassed, with everyone watching.
A very satisfying moment for Essie. "If I was able to do that......did I do that? Wow!"

A lot of possibilities ahead for her if she could just work out now, how to use this thing properly!
Essie knew that not everything was as it should be with her mum's job, and she could see that her mother and father were both quite concerned.
She heard her mum telling her dad that some worrying things were happening, and that some members of the Council were divided about what should be done.
There had been shouting and arguments at work, and Bryce Donald was behind most of it. He had tried to have Julia removed from the Council, saying she was trying to turn others against him, undermining his position.
It had been King Alexander's support that had kept Julia in her position as Advisor, but she was concerned about the support that Bryce Donald seemed to be gaining.
In the days before Christmas, Bryce Donald announced he had a conference to attend in the next County and that he would be away till after the New Year. Everyone sighed with relief as the tension eased in his absence.