The sister in the dark

Chapter 12

I wake up in some kind of misty realm, maybe in the clouds? But... where? A strange, kind of musical voice fills my ears, singing melodiously. Then the tweeting of birds on a warm summer's day replaces it, and when I look down I am standing on the clouds.

Someone, or something, taps me on the shoulder and I spin around. Standing there is Rose. Or at least, that's what I first thought. When I look closer, I can tell that this girl has brown eyes, instead of the hazel ones that my sister and I share.

"Ch-Charlotte?" I ask

"Yes," she replies in the wishy-washy voice that I heard singing earlier.

Which means that... which means that I am in heaven. I am dead. Why else would I be talking to Charlotte?

The reality of the situation takes control of my brain and I fall to the floor and darkness takes me once again.

"Evelyn? Evelyn, can you hear me?"

My eyes flutter open, and I see someone leaning over me. My first thought is Charlotte, but where she had a sort of ghostly presence, this person does not. Could I be... could I be alive?

I try to sit up, but the person pushes me back.

"Careful, careful," the person presses a little harder."If you have broken bones, we can't risk breaking them any more."

I sigh and lie on my back, twitching my feet impatiently. When can I get up? I never retrieved the next part of the search for Rose.

"Why did you try to climb the school?" This time the voice is more demanding, more male.

"Don't press her," says another voice. "She could have forgotten, or she could still be recovering from the shock"

The owner of the male voice walks out of the room, leaving me alone with the female.

"It looks like you have some visitors!"

I sit up, wincing a little.

Hirah walks in with Milly, Milly looking extremely uncomfortable. Ah yes. I remember that she isn't allowed in the school itself, so I must be in Matron's office. Good to know.

"You were out for so long, I was so worried," Hirah tells me, "When you fell off the building I felt like it was my fault. Luckily, you didn't fall straight down, you fell outwards, and landed in a tree."

"Thank God that tree was there," Milly looks like she is about to cry.

"Milly had a nervous breakdown," Hirah confesses, "I almost had to get you out of that tree alone, and trust me, you almost died on the way down."

Milly blushes and hides her face.

"You were out for two days," she says shyly.

I laugh and sit up.

"How do I get out of this hell?" I ask.

"Follow us," Hirah replies.

I get out of bed, my muscles stiff. Yeah, I probably was out for a day. But I can't think about that right now. I need to get out. ASAP. And not pass by any staff on the way, or else I'd be in more trouble.

Milly scouts ahead, trying to find the most hidden way out, and also to alert us. Around each corner she gives us a bird call: one note for all clear, two for wait a minute, and three for don't go that way.

After what feels like ages, a one-note call leads us down a fire escape and out at the very back of the school site. Here, the grass is long and untouched, weeds grow at their own will and for the first time since I arrived at Stowe, I feel like I am back home.

Hamika walks out of the bush, cradling what looks like... a newborn baby?!

"Finally!" Milly dashed over to her brother's side, "What's she called? When was she born? Is Mum alright?"

"She was born at 8:09 this morning, she's called Aderinola and..."

Milly looks up from her baby sister, and Hamika takes a deep breath and says, "Mum's dead."