The story of Clive Dove.
Chapter 1: Sister
"Master Clive, are you ready to go into town?"
"Yes professor, just give me a sec!"
What's his hurry?
Anyway I better hurry up…
Hello, my name is Clive Dove. And this is my story.
I live in a mansion with my butler Hershal Layton but I call him professor because he teaches me instead of me going to school. My parents ran a big oil company that made lots of money so yea I'm rich. Unfortunately my parents died about 3 years ago leaving me an orphan. Everyone hated my parents because they didn't treat people right, they all think I'm the same as my parents but I'm not, really I'm not. I have to disguise myself when I go out otherwise people spit at me and throw stuff. I am now 16 and have spent most my life away from the outside world,
I grabbed my hat and coat before I left my room and met the professor at the bottom of the stairs.
"Everything ready Master Clive?"
"Yea where are we going anyway?"
"Wait and see…"
It was strange. We were full on food and we didn't need any more equipment, so where were we going?
We have to take the back entrance into the forests to get into town. If we went through the front people would suspect something.
"Professor we have been through all the major shops in town. The only thing down here is the orphanage!"
"Exactly…"
"Why are we going to the orphanage?"
"Wait and see…"
I hated it when he said that. I still had no Idea why we were heading to the orphanage.
When we finally got there I got a large shiver down my spine. It was called Oak tree orphanage for girls. A better name would have been the dumping ground for unfortunate girls because that's what it felt like. It had a big black door with a picture of an eagle on the front; it felt as if it was staring at me. The professor knocked on hells door and just as soon as he knocked a tall, skinny woman with a big wart on her nose answered.
"Ahh you must be mister Layton" croaked the old woman." We have been expecting you, please do come inside"
As soon as we walked inside I felt a cold breeze agenised my face telling me to leave.
"If you wouldn't mind stepping into my office mister Layton"
"Of course madam, Clive why don't you go meet some of the other children?"
"Um ok…?"
As I walked up the stairs I couldn't help but look at the wall that was covered in writing saying "Get out!" or "Die" but most of them were swear words. I didn't see any girls for a while, I did see one girl but she ran into her room. I could hear people talking around the corner so I flattened myself agenised the wall and poked my head around the corner. There were 3 girls around the age of 15 and they were all ganging up on this 1 girl who looked about 8.
"Look if you don't do as we say then your life will be more miserable then it already is!" said one of the older girls.
"…"
"Aghh, would you say something already!"
"…"
"That's it! You're getting it!" She pulled her fist back getting ready to punch the little girl. I quickly ran up, grabbed her fist and began to twist her arm.
"Leave her alone!" I shouted at the girls hoping to sound strong or brave.
"Damn it. If Miss Stuarts finds out about this were in for it… Retreat girls"
"Grrr, you got lucky this time girl!" And with that they dashed off.
I walked over to the little girl to make sure she was ok.
"Are you ok little girl, did they hurt you?"
"…" she replied with silence.
"It's ok there gone now you can talk"
"…"
"Ok then if that's how you want to be" I turned round and started to walk off.
"T-Thank…you…" she wisped but it was loud enough for me to here.
"That's ok, shall we head downstairs?"
She nodded in reply.
By the time we got downstairs the professor had come out of the office.
"Who is this Clive?"
"I'm not sure, she doesn't say much. But I just saved her from some older girls bullying her"
"A true gentleman as always Clive"
"Gentleman…" said the young girl under her breath.
"Madam we have made our choice"
"What do you mean professor?"
"Ah, you've chosen Rhythme"
"So that's her name"
"Well we don't actually know her real name but that's what everyone calls her. But yes if you could just sign the official documents…"
"Professor what's going on here?"
"Ah, well you're getting a sister!"
"What do you mean a sister!"
"Well since you can't go outside much and you get lonely often I decided to adopt a girl as your sister"
"I don't get lonely…" well actually I do but I wasn't going to admit it!
"Ok Mister Layton just sign here… And you're done, she's all yours!"
"That's great thank you Madam"
This was all happening so fast I couldn't keep up. I've got a sister? They don't know her real name? Man I need a break…
"So I guess you coming home with us Rhythme" I told her
"…" I should have known the usual silence but she did give me a slight smile.
It turned out Rhythme was actually 12 but she never acted it. She had silky brown hair that was so short you could have mistaken her for a boy and bright blue eyes. She wore an adorable blue dress that went just above her knees and a blue ribbon in her hair. She also wore long white stockings and blue flats.
We decided to go around town and buy Rhythme some new things to go in her bedroom such as teddies, cloths, shoes and dolls. But some young boys running past us accidently tripped me up causing me to fall over and my whole disguise came flying off. That's when it happened…
"Hey look everyone it's that Dove kid!"
"What nerve to show himself out in public!"
"Get him!"
Everyone began throwing stuff at me such as oranges, banana's you name it they threw it. But then suddenly something strange happened. I grabbed Rhythme and pulled her into my chest and ducked down so she wouldn't get hit, but suddenly Rhythme's eyes began to glow red instead of blue! And that wasn't the weirdest part; all the things that were being thrown at us suddenly stopped in mid-air and flew back at the people who had thrown them! We took are chance and ran for it, I carried Rhythme on my back and the professor ran beside us. I took a quick look at Rhythme's eyes and they had returned to blue, and we continued to run back to the mansion.
Back at the mansion
"I'll go make you to some nice refreshing tea" and with that the professor exited the living room.
"Rhythme what did you do back there?"
"…"
"Please Rhythme"
"…"
I walked over to the wall and placed my head agenised it trying to keep my cool. Meanwhile Rhythme found the box I left on the sofa and opened it. Inside was a doll with long ginger hair and a dress similar to Rhythme's. A big smile swam across her face.
"Do you like it" I said "I thought it looked cute so I got it for you"
"…"
"I'm going now, talk to me when you want"
I walked towards the door when she quietly said.
"Witch…"
"What did you say?"
"Witch… T-they call me the calamity witch…"
"Why do they call you that?"
"B-because of my powers…"
"So it was you who made all the things fly back! You saved us that's a good thing"
"My powers can do very bad things to people who are mean to me!"
This was the loudest I had ever heard her talk, she seemed very angry.
"But your powers can also do very good things"
"NO! My powers are bad! Very bad! People only want to use them for bad things!"
That moment the professor came in with the tea.
"What's all the ruckus abo-"
Before he could even finish his sentence the tea came flying off the tray and smashed agenised the wall on the other side of the room. Rhythme stormed up to her room.
"What is wrong with Mistress Rhythme?"
I decided to explain the whole thing to the professor.
"Hmm, well Clive did you ever consider why those girls where bullying Rhythme?"
"No… I didn't think it was important"
"Well they might have wanted to use Rhythme's powers for mischief"
"I never thought of it that way… I'm going to go talk to her!"
I ran through the mansion desperately trying to find her but there were so many rooms and she could have been anywhere. I eventually came across my old play room from when I was a little boy, I looked inside and there was Rhythme in the corner, crying.
"Rhythme I'm so sorry about earlier, I didn't know what you had been through…"
"…" she had gone back to silence.
I looked around the room and I saw a small box. I walked over to it and pulled out my old navy blue hat.
"I got this hat from my parents when I was younger, but it got too small for me so they got me the same hat but bigger. I want you to have my old hat…"
"…?" she had stopped crying and turned around to face me
"Here" I put that hat comfortably on her head "Perfect, it suits you"
She gave me a smile and said "Thank you" in her quiet voice.
That night I tucked Rhythme into bed and read her a story. I kissed her on her head and left her to sleep. I went into my room and got into bed, I quickly fell asleep only to find that and hour later there was a knock on my bedroom door which woke me up. It was Rhythme.
"What's wrong Rhythme? (Yawn) It's 10oclock at night"
"I-I had a bad dream…"
"Oh well come over here"
She walked over to me and I picked her up and tucked her in my bed next to me.
"You can sleep with me tonight"
"T-Thank you Clive"
She quickly fell asleep but began moving around in the bed. She was having another nightmare, so I gave her a big hug which calmed her down.