Chapter 1
Driving up the gravel drive, a huge cream coloured house with red features appeared before their eyes. There looked to be several floors to this house and as the duo looked up, a boy could be seen looking out of the window before turning away, not wanting to be seen.
"Here we are girls!" Mike exclaimed in his Irish accent as he pulled the car to a halt, cutting off the engine. He unclipped his seat belt and swivelled round in his seat so that his beaming face could be seen.
"I know you don't want to be here but your care worker says it's for the best." Mike explained as he looked at the solemn expressions on the girls faces. They hadn't moved since the car had stopped, not even unclipping their seatbelts.
"Come on, let's get your things and I'll show you where you will be staying." Mike said gently. He had been doing this job for many years so he was fully aware of the frightening and upsetting feelings that children go through when they turn up at a place like this, especially when it is their first time.
He climbed out of the car, opened the boot and grabbed the two suitcases that contained some of the girls belongings. Mike placed them in the porch but still neither of the girls had got out of the car.
"Bonnie, don't get settled here. We'll be going home soon as Dad needs us." Callie said to her younger sister. The last thing that she needed was Bonnie to become settled in this place as it would only make it harder when it is time to leave which hopefully wouldn't be too long.
A tap on the window distracted Callie from her thoughts. She turned to see Mike waving at them to get out so Callie unclipped her seatbelt, assisted Bonnie with hers and then the duo both climbed out of the car. They reluctantly followed Mike through the door and into a large hallway where there was a piano, a sofa and a large staircase leading up to the second floor. Callie watched as Mike placed the cases onto the rug just as footsteps began to approach them.
"Hi, I'm Gina. I guess you are Callie and Bonnie?" Gina asked and Callie nodded to the large woman who stood in front of them. She was wearing a brightly coloured top with a strange pattern on but Callie thought that she seemed nice enough.
"Shall I show you two where you will be staying?" Gina asked and again, Callie said nothing but nodded in response. Gina grabbed their belongings off the rug and lead them over to the staircase. Following Gina up the stairs, Bonnie grabbed onto Callie's hand. She knew that Callie didn't want to be here as she wanted to be back with their Dad too.
As they walked down a corridor, they finally came to a halt outside a door and Gina opened it, allowing the girls to go in first. They could see two beds at the far end already made up, a desk in the corner, two sets of drawers and a wardrobe. The walls were covered in pictures of animals and fairies making Callie think that it used to belong to at least one little girl before they arrived.
"Here we are! This will be your room whilst you are with us. I'll leave you to get settled in but come and find us if you need us. Tea is at 6." Gina explained before patting the two girls on the shoulders and closing the door after herself as she left the room.
"Callie, how long are we going to be here for?" Bonnie asked her sister who had made her way over to the window to look out of it.
"Not long, I said so before Bonnie!" Callie replied as she watched her little sister unzip her suitcase and begin to get her belongings out. She was so glad that they were sharing a room together as she loved her little sister. She reminded her of their Mum with her light and wavy blonde hair and bright green eyes. Callie herself also had bright green eyes but she had inherited her Dad's dark brown hair instead.
"Are you going to unpack Callie?" Bonnie asked but Callie didn't reply as she was too busy gazing out of the window. All she wanted to do was go home and help her Dad. He needs her.