Clare walked
back to her farm with her hands in her pockets, taking in the
tranquility of the town. The sky was dark and it was a cloudy night.
"Going to be warm tonight, and rain tomorrow." She made
a mental note in her head as she realized the clouds, though acting
like a blanket, would rain tomorrow.
Before going to bed, Clare sat in her room with a mug of coca in one hand and her mothers diary in the other...
8th of
Spring Mother gave me an emerald necklace today. It's gem is
so pretty, when I open it's locket a melody plays. Apparently it's
from another country and it's worth a lot, and the melody is called
The Emerald Harmony. She made me promise to look after it, I don't
know what she's worrying about... 10th of Summer Mum
died today. A strange man came into her room and killed her. He slit
her throat.I can't believe this happened. Dad has taken me to his
house to look after me. Maybe the man was trying to find
something... 11th of Summer Dad found my necklace. He
took it away from me when I was asleep last night. He told me it was
dangerous and I shouldn't have such a thing. He's really angry that
mum gave it to me...
Clare closed the book as she finished reading it. The pages stopped after the Eleventh. She put it down on her bookcase before retiring to bed.
--
Rain pattered down heavily on the windowpanes. Clare looked up at the ceiling for a few minutes before getting up to very little farm work. For some reason she found the rain relaxing, it had a calming affect on her. Clare stepped outside and looked around. There was no watering to do and the bees hadn't made any honey so far. Clare decided to visit Mary in the library.
It was a small library but it did have its uses.
Clare smiled at Mary. She heard from Popuri that Mary came to Mineral
town only a few years ago. But she did seem very nice, though quiet.
"Morning." Clare greeted the shy woman, but she only
grunted a hello as she sat in reception sucked in by a book. Clare
shrugged and headed upstairs and to see if she could find any leads
on the Emerald harmony and why it's so precious.
"Need any help?" Clare jumped and turned around to see who was asking. It was Trent. Clare shook her head.
"I don't think you'll be able to." She stood up from the corner she was standing in and tried to walk back down the wooden stairs. Trent laid a caring hand on her shoulder.
"You sure?" He asked, concern showing on his usually serious face. Clare shook her head.
"I'll tell you if there is."
She left the library and lent on the nearest lamppost and with one hand grasped the emerald pendant round her neck and cried. From a distance a person watched, grinning a sly grin as it watched the farmer mourn. The person laughed an insane cackle.
--