The Plot Thickens

Nearly Fifteen Years Ago…

Fall turned over in her bed, holding her bunny. It was Easter in just under a week. Mr Farrow was getting some Easter eggs today and she and Zoe were painting them. The others considered themselves 'too old' for childish painting.

When she toddled out of the 'Little Girl' Room, with a picture of a pink butterfly painted on the front, she heard noises downstairs. "Well I didn't paint it!" Katy was shouting at Ms Blofwitz. "Just you stop there – you know that the drawings are frightening the kids; just say where you got the paint!" "Oh, so just because I was the one that went to the paint store you think I drew it!"

"פשוט שתוק לרגע! Just stop it!" she heard Blofwitz scream, before Fall heard a pan smashing and Blofwitz began thumping upstairs. She began swearing, in Hebrew or Turkish, Fall didn't know, and quickly rushed past her to the bathroom. Fall knew she was getting the stuff locked under the cupboard she wasn't allowed to go in that had coloured liquids.

Fall followed Ms Blofwitz downstairs and followed her.

She saw her scrubbing hard at a drawing of a goat's head on the wall, grimacing as it ruined the plaster but the ink didn't budge.

"Ms Blofwitz?" she asked. Blofwitz turned, and then smiled at her. "Fall, that…argument was just because I was under…pressure. Do you know what that is?" Fall shook her head.

"It's when we're doing lots of things. And we can't keep up with it. Listen Fall, I think you and Mr Evergreen are going out this afternoon to get some little chocolate Easter eggs. Just try to be happy, OK?"

Fall nodded, knowing that she would do her best. It was the holiday and she didn't want to spend all of it in her room or listening to everyone shouting. It was bad enough in care.

***When Blofwitz went outside to see Mr West, the head care worker, he was coming back in the car. He'd taken Edward and Jacob leaves to sign up for some football that summer. They came running out the car, heading toward the side gate.

West looked right at the assistant head care worker, telling her, "I really think we need a rest this holiday. I mean, the teens are nearly grown up, plus we're getting smaller soon. There's still a chance we could get funding but recently, those…drawings."

West looked downward, swinging as he stood. "Well, just get everything ready for the Easter egg hunt. Don't tell them, but I've made a lovely chocolate cake for them."

Blofwitz smiled. She knew how hard it had been recently, with the inspectors coming, and they had hardly anything. No money for a summer trip. She was not looking forward to a summer with grumpy, bored children. She knew they were saving up to buy one of those new-fangled handheld video game things but she was thinking already of cheaper options for Christmas.

As she walked in the office, she sat down on the swivel chair, put her hands on the desk and rested her face on them.

The inspectors had said they'd better shape up or bad things would happen to them.

Of course, they weren't very nice anyway. They'd broken a vase and blamed it on the children and called her and Zoe very insulting names. But Blofwitz just had to try.

***That night Fall slept in her little bed, cuddling her bunny. Zoe was up anyway, reading with a torch. And eating crisps. The staff would be furious if they saw but hey, it was the holiday now, they couldn't actually make them angry.

Zoe glanced to the left slightly, to the full moon light from the window, squinting. Was it her or was there a shadow there?

Looking slowly toward the window, she saw him. A man standing there in a cloak, grinning widely.

She screamed. Within seconds, the door was thrown open, West had turned the lights on and Fall was cuddling her bunny.

"Zoe?" he asked, concerned. "I saw something at the window!" Zoe screamed. West looked. "Zoe, there's no one there." She looked back toward him. "But there was."

"Listen Zoe, it's late, we're all tired, just try to settle. It won't be long. Remember, we've got Easter eggs in two days so be happy, OK?"

Zoe nodded, going under her duvet as the light turned off.

***Two days later, as Nina helped Fall look for eggs around the plants, Zoe sat on the tartan picnic blanket and Blofwitz put the green drink in the jug on the table, West just sat at the table, thinking.

The whole thing with the drawings had seemed to stop now but he just couldn't help thinking something else was going to come up. And he was worried about the children's futures.

Seriously, what parent or guardian wouldn't? but now, he just couldn't help it.

When Blofwitz sat down by him, she asked, "Do you think they're happy?" he nodded. Then she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Well, the inspectors said we're running out of money. I mean, look at them – they're so happy and enjoying themselves. I know what you say, it's a time of change, the millennium's coming, the world's going to get peace, but personally I think we're just stuck in the deep end. I can't let these kids go without a life. I care for them. It would break my heart if anything happened."

Blofwitz simply held his arm. "West, you know the world's getting better. I've contacted some charities and they're organizing some places in the next year. We could go round some castles and maybe fly abroad. Seriously, anything. Or, if you're not up to it, maybe we can rent some videos and I can get a takeaway at Christmas? Just a little treat for them?"

West smiled. "I know you're optimistic," he told her, "but I just…have this feeling something bad is going to happen. That these kids are ending up in massive trouble and…I dread what's going to happen."
Blofwitz told him, "Just enjoy the present, West. Just try to be happy."

"Fall?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you hear me? I'd like you to do something for me."

"OK. You feel good."

"Very good Fall, now, there's a shovel in the shed. When everyone's asleep, let's go get it."

Blofwitz sipped at her drink as the others greedily ate their chocolate. She was trying to make it happy for everyone but she wondered how it would turn out this Christmas. She knew it was a long way away but she really thought that they wouldn't have many presents this Christmas.

She knew that they had fun now, but soon…Zoe and Fall would want dolls, the boys would want a football, Katy would want some new cassettes…and the world seemed to be going to pits. She knew she shouldn't whinge, there were lots of people like her suffering in the East, but with Aids, school shootings and all the problems with these children swearing and blaring music late at night, she didn't know how to sort these kids out.

Blofwitz just sipped her drink and closed her eyes. Please, please, don't make me live through trouble.

When she finally opened her eyes, it was dark. How long had she been asleep? She looked round, just as a car headlight shone from above.

Above?

She looked round. It was hard but she made out she was surrounded by Easter eggs and was on a flat child's cart. The twins were by her. She then noticed they had black tape on their hands and mouths. She tried moving over but found she was trapped.

She looked up, shocked. She heard dirt being shovelled. Oh no. oh no, oh no, oh no!

She pulled against the tape and saw it was at least four feet deep. She didn't know how to escape. What had happened to everyone else? Where were there?

Then she heard patting. Someone was patting the soil over another grave. Grave.

She looked up, wondering who on earth was up there. She blinked as soil flew in her face. She then looked and dimly saw the twins moving slowly, before several heaps of soil fell on their faces and chests.

Thankfully, it ended before they could wake. But as for her, she just had no idea.

What monster was doing this? Why was he targeting them?

Then a flash of lightning drifted past. And she was far too shocked to do anything.

Fall was standing at the top of the grave, holding a shovel in one hand and the camera in another. She threw more soil down.

Blofwitz kicked and tried to scream but soon it had fallen all over her knees. The weight pressed down and she looked around wildly. Then her legs simply froze up. They couldn't kick any more. The last things she saw were Fall pushing more soil over and another flash.

The nightmare was over, just as soon as her nose was stopped.

Fall looked up at Larua as she finished the last grave. He offered his hand and as soon as she took it, they began walking to the side gate. At the side gate, Fall turned to the camera and made a shush noise with her finger, before turning and disappearing.

2014

Rick was looking at the brochure for the holiday. Camping in the wood, canoeing, swimming, climbing…so many opportunities to get killed.

It was the next holiday coming up. Larua attacked holidays. But what exactly would happen to him?

He had nightmares of being drowned in the lake or hung while climbing. Or even being burnt alive in the tents or the minibus. But he just knew that Larua would try and get him. Destroy him. Destroy them in the worst possible way after what Rick did.

But what could he do? Who would die? Who would live?

What Rick didn't know is that people would die this time. And it would break him more than anything.