OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Chapter Seventeen
The Homeless Girl
Julie tried not to think about the young girl but it was hard as she was worried about her, she was still distracted that afternoon when Mildred mirrored her.
"Mum, can I send you some posters to put up around the local area? One of the students is missing" Mildred replied out of breath from running around putting up posters.
"WHAT?" Julie said, "What happened?" Julie said having a horrible feeling it was a kidnapping, Ada had her head in the clouds, someone could easily go in and kidnap a student before she noticed.
"She ran away," Mildred said, "I am helping with the search, I don't have much time, can I send you the posters?" Mildred asked. Julie nodded.
"Of course honey, anything else I can do to help?" Julie asked.
"Keep your eyes open, she was upset if she is hiding she is more likely to go where she thinks no-one will see her," Mildred told her mum. Julie nodded as Mildred looked at the clock above the mirror.
"I have to go, I am sending 200 posters, let me know if you need more" Mildred said figuring as her mum was in the other world she could put them up quicker and easier and it was good to have someone in the non-magical searching.
Mildred disappeared and Julie heard a popping sound as the posters arrived on the table, when Mildred said she was sending them, she literally meant sending them by magic as it was quicker when they had little time. Julie walked over to pick up the posters, figuring she would put up some around the local area now as she wasn't doing much. She picked up one, to see if she knew the missing pupil and stared at the picture in shock.
She had been seeing the girl coming in and out of the cafe for the last week, of course in the picture she wasn't tired, had clean perfect hair and wasn't in rags but Julie knew it was the same girl from the cafe, she had seen her enough times to recognise her despite this. She wondered if she should tell Mildred but instead, she put on her coat, threw her feet in her sandals and left.
She rushed to the spot she had last seen the girl but before she arrived she stopped in a bakery and bought a ham sandwich, she didn't even know if the girl liked ham or ate ham, but it was something most people liked and if they don't like it most people would eat anything if they are starving hungry.
When Julie arrived to the spot, she saw the girl had moved position and was now lying on the cupboard box asleep, she was just about to step forward to talk to her when out of nowhere a man appeared, walked over to Ethel, lifted up the box and threw the blonde off it. Ethel shot awake and started fighting with him over it.
"This is mine, get your own I need it," Ethel said her southern accent standing out in the northern part she was in. Sadly she wasn't strong enough and the man pulled it out of her hands before running off, Ethel sighed as if it had happened before and then sat on the cold floor shivering, knowing it will take a while to sleep again.
Julie stepped forward making the girl jump out of her skin as she realised someone else was there.
"Sorry sorry love I didn't mean to scare you, I got you something," Julie said offering the sandwich, Ethel didn't take it.
"In exchange for what? Adults don't do anything nice unless there is something in it for them" Ethel replied. Julie was shocked she would think that but had clearly had problems with her parents to end up homeless.
"I don't like to see people suffer, I am sure your family would be worried about you out here alone," Julie said trying to get her to tell her who she was even if she knew.
"No they won't, my family hate me, I am the runt of the litter, they will be happy I am finally out of their lives so I can't hurt them anymore" Ethel replied shivering.
"Everyone has one person who cares about them," Julie told her knowing this was going to be harder than she thought. "I am Julie I work as a nurse in the local hospital, I see you come to the cafe every day," Julie told her.
"It is warm in there, sometimes I have no money to buy anything but it is still nice not to be shivering," Ethel told her and Julie nodded thinking that was logical.
"Yes I understand, are you sure you aren't hungry?" Julie told her. Ethel took the sandwich, ripping off the wrapper and biting it like it was her favourite food. She chewed fast and hungrily.
Julie though knew it was too early to try to take the girl in, if she knew who she was she might run again, she had to build up the trust first before she could really help her.
Meanwhile at Cackles Sybil was starting to develop a small bump now she was a couple of months. She was sitting with Esmie helping her making more posters when she dropped one in shock. Esmie was by her side so fast you would think she was in labour then.
"SYBIE ARE YOU OKAY?" she asked her panicking.
"They kicked me...look," Sybil said placing her sister's hand on her not quite flat stomach. Esmerelda cried with joy but was heartbroken her sister might never get to meet her niece or nephew.