Dream - Chapter one
The cold pinched at my naked legs, my navy skirt ruffled up to my thighs.
"You have quite a lovely posture." Mrs Macready commented as she glanced towards me, a tight smile on her stern face.
"-my mother would be proud. A strong woman she was, never gave any time for rubbish. Much like my father." I glanced over at the frightening woman, she did not look at me, only faced the road.
"Yes well, my own mother liked me to be proper, polite, never to waste any time on those who do not matter to my life." Mrs Macready sent me a pleased glance "Of course, it never stopped me of my love for mending to the horses. Even riding them if I could."
In the distance I spotted a tall mansion, beautiful, or belle as my brother would say. My white collared shirt hung around the hem of my skirt, tucked into the tight material around my slim waist slightly suffocating. Silence evaded the short convocation as we nearly reached the old mansion.
"I am dearly sorry about your parents. Fine man and woman they were. If I could choose any better couple, it'd be impossible." I stared down into my lap, my green eyes tracing over the lines in my clasped hands.
"Well maybe it was just fate that took them away or maybe-" My mourning was cut off by Mrs Macready as she stopped the carriage, I looked up at the old mansion. It was slightly intimidating.
"Do not dwell on it young child, we all have our fate, good or bad, but it is our fate, our destiny. Best not dwell." My eyes trailed down the mansion onto a mans face. Professor Kirke.
His hair was white and combed back in an oddly fluffy style, his white beard reminding me slightly of a goat. I smiled meekly at the old man before me, taking his hand gently as I hopped down from the horse drawn carriage.
"I do hope all is to your expectations." He smiled tucking my hand under his arm, my luggage in my other hand as my brown and white saddle shoes kicked up the rough dirt slightly.
"I, of all people, never expect to much from you old people." Professor Kirke laughed patting my hand as he opened the large wooden door for me, I curtsied much to my mothers wish to always be polite.
Professor Kirke let out a hearty chuckle as Mrs Macready ushered us into the large house. Wood lined every wall and floor board, artifacts lined the walls in decoration, a chandelier hung in the centre of the ceiling the sun giving a shine through the strung diamonds over head.
"Come, come dear. The professor has some studies to get to." I smiled at Professor Kirke before following Mrs Macready up the wooden steps of the endless house.
Walking close behind Mrs Macready she started to lay down rules that, obviously, I had to follow or else. "As you may know the professor is rather unaccustomed to having children in his home and I am sure I do not need to tell or remind you that the few rules are no shouting or running, no improper use of the dumb-waiter, no touching the artifacts and" She paused in step to look over her shoulder giving a rather scratching smile to the beautiful teen behind her "by all means, you of course, know not to disturb the professor as he can be rather busy most times."
I gave a faint nod as I followed her through the halls, my eyes trying to remember any significant differences in the halls to remember the way through. The colours, the lighting, the turns, the wall structure.
"Your room is far from the other guest that will be accompanying us in a few day. They have come from the city." Mrs Macready kept her pace rhythmic and straight as she turned and rounded corners to no extent.
"U-uh wh-why are they coming Mrs Macready? F-from what I've heard that city people don't like the country much rather the cities." I stuttered as I rounded corners trying to stay in toe of the tall woman.
"I understand dearie, those city people are all technology I swear their kids get worse every year, with those TV's, and what other things that corrupt children. Before we know it, the whole world could be corrupted!" Mrs Macready came to a slow as she reached a door. Turning with a tight lipped smile she clasped her hands together.
"This m'dear will be your room for the time being until we can contact you uncle. Shouldn't take to much time seeing as he was never to hard to loose." She muttered to herself before looking into my green eyes with her dull brown ones.
"Well go get yourself settled, I'll ring for dinner." In an instant she turned all ready pacing down the hallway.
"Uh...thank...you?" Staring after her retreating figure I was rather confused on the way she had reacted but in turn shook it off opening the door to my new room.
Dark wooden boards lined the floors and the walls and even the roof. It was fairly large nothing to extreme. Between two windows sat a shaking looking double bed, nearly ready to fall apart. On the bed lay ruby red and forest green sheets with three fluffed pillows.
In the corner was a long dresser stacked with papers, newspapers, books, albums and many other junk. In the other corner was a bedside dresser filled with more papers and albums except a lamp amongst the papers.
Sighing I dropped my luggage beside the open door, turning around I surveyed what needed to be fixed and handled. "Her goes nothing." I breathed in the musty air before bending over pulling my white high socks loosely over my knees, then rolling and pulling up my long white sleeves quickly unravelling the ribbon that hung like a necklace around my neck tying it in my hair. The small pendants slightly jingling as they hit the back of my neck from the loose ribbon ends.
With another sigh I went straight to work. Oh Gosh.
The soft quench of food flattened as I shoved a spoonful of mash potatoes into my dry mouth, quickly gulping down some juice before continuing on with my food.
"You better know right now young lady that I will only allow the improper use of manners at the table this once-for heavens sakes chew girl chew!" Mrs Macready sent displeased looks every few minutes as I downed my second plate of peas, carrots, mash potatoes and Chicken Kiev.
"Honestly with the way you've been eating I'd think that orphanage didn't feed you at all." At the mention of Mrs Wolfe's Orphanage for the Poor, Sick and Orphaned children I stopped mid spoonful a sudden distaste for any though of food, swallowing a thick consequence I could feel my full stomach clench with sick.
Placing my spoon on the table I sat up straight, my manners returning as I remember the horrid memories. I suddenly felt very sick.
Everyone was silent. Until Mrs Macready spoke up.
"They did feed you didn't they dear? I mean no one would starve a child for n-" I stood silently cutting her off "May I be excused?" Without answer I turned and ran outside, tears stinging my eyes.
As soon as I reached the back door I belched up all contents of my gut onto Mrs Macready's Orchids. Shit. Tears began to flow as I held my stomach with my right hand, my left hand supporting me against the brick wall.
Spitting out the distaste of vomit from my mouth I stood up straight, my head dizzy. Half dazed I made my way, the best I could in the dark, down the winding footpath. I needed air.
Hazily I reached down clumsily slipping off my saddle shoes, nearly toppily over as I lost balance on the stoney footpath. Clutching my stomach with my left arm, I held my shoes in my right hand, my vision blurred from tears.
In little time I had reached a pond, I could faintly see the bright orange glints of fish in the dark pond. Looking around I never realised how dark it had gotten. I could no longer see about 6 meters in front of me.
Wipping my flushed cheeks of tears I plonked down next to the pond, slipping my sock covered feet into the cool water. I could feel fish swim past my calves and sometimes the tips of my toes.
I could feel the chill in the breeze, the cries of the leaves, the howls of the wind. It all seemed to calm me as I started to drift from reality. Before I knew it all I could see was darkness.
"Her fevers gone down."
"She'll be right. She's like her mother, she'll pull through."
Something warm but wet made contact with my forehead. Someone was dabbing a warm cloth on my forehead.
The sound of the door shutting really woke me up, the brightness of the room blinding me. Looking around I saw my room had remained the same from yesterday before I left for dinner the only difference was Professor Kirke sat beside me on my bed dabbing a wt cloth to my skin.
"Afternoon dear, you slept for quite awhile." I looked around confused at first before I met the professors eyes once again.
"How long?" Pushing myself up slowly I laid against the propped pillows behind me.
"Only until now. When you didn't return after your walk Mrs Macready had offered, more like forced me to stay back, to go find you on her own. After a few moments later there you were in Mrs Macready's arms, high fever, pale and very cold. I am just happy you are alive m'dear." Professor Kirke smiled, placing the wet cloth onto a bowl.
"Oh." I breathed, I felt light-headed as I moved.
"Here." The professor held a bowl in his hands and from the smell it was some chicken soup. Holding it to my lips he helped me sip the delectable soup. Once I had finished the soup he handed me a large glass of water, downing it I never realised I was so thirsty. After a few more moments of talking, professor making sure I was ok and mentioning the books beside the bed he made his take and left me to my own accord.
I chose to sleep.