Anna awoke with a start

Agatha Morpheus

Chapter Two

Anna awoke with a start. What a horrid dream she'd had.

But as her eyes adjusted to the white walls of the room around her, her heart jumped to her throat. It hadn't been a dream. She tried to get out of bed, to stand up, but the room swirled around her, and her legs seemed to not be working properly. She fell to the floor.

A lady dressed all in white hurried into the room. "Oh, dear!" she exclaimed, dropping the tray she'd been carrying. She ran over and helped Anna back into bed.

"You have to rest dear. You've been through a terrible shock," the nurse said soothingly. Anna felt wide awake.

"How's Roger?"

"He's fine, dear."

"And the other children?"

"All fine." The nurse smiled. "I heard you were quite brave. Now you just need to relax…"

"How's Miss Marple?"

The nurse ignored the question, smoothing down the blankets.

"How's Miss Marple?" Anna repeated.

The nurse looked down at her. "Your caretaker disappeared shortly after the accident. The police are trying to track her down to ask her a few questions. She just vanished, into thin air. Now go to sleep, darling." The lady turned, collected the things she'd spilled on the floor, and left the room.

Anna rolled over in the bed. Clarabelle was sleeping in the bed nearby. The little girl's golden curls framed her face like a halo. She looked so peaceful and innocent. Anna sighed. Where were they to go now?

* * five days later * *

Anna tugged at the stiff yellow flowered dress she had been given. All of the clothes she had owned had been burned up in the fire. They hadn't been the best dresses, but certainly, they had been nicer than this! At least she had pockets…

The nurse came into the room, smiling a bit too brightly. "So girls, are you ready for your big day?" Clarabelle made a small noise from her corner. Anna glanced at her. She was wearing the same style dress as Anna's, but hers was a light blue. Her usually wild blonde hair was braided into stiff plaits. Anna winced looking at it. Her own hair was braided too, but she was used to wearing it up.

They followed the nurse to the lobby. The other children were already assembled there. Anna saw Roger standing toward the back, a sling on his arm. She began to move in his direction, but an imposing figure, clad all in black, appeared in the doorway. Anna turned to look.

It was a lady, tall and thin. Her hair was black, with white streaks above the ears, pulled tightly into a bun. Her face seemed stretched too tightly across her bones. Her half open eyes flickered across the room of children with distaste.

"These are the children?" she asked, gesturing across the room with a heavily jeweled hand.

"Yes, Ma'am," the nurse replied. "All here and ready."

The tall lady surveyed the group. Anna wished Davy would stop wiping at his nose with the sleeve of his sweater.

"What about that one?" The lady pointed a long, pale finger at Roger, who attempted to straighten up to make himself look taller.

"Oh, he has a broken arm, but that will heal in time."

The lady turned toward the nurse. "Very well. The cars will be waiting outside." With that, she turned on her heel, and glided out the door.

The children were ushered outside by several members of the hospital staff. Sleek black cars pulled around the drive to meet them. "In you go children," the nurse said crisply. As Anna got in, she touched the dark leather of the seat in awe. Davy and Clarabelle piled in, looking about the car as well. Anna didn't know if she'd ever been in one before. Sometimes it was hard to remember which things were her memories, and which things just reminded her of stories she'd read in a book.

The car drove on, farther out into the country. The sky grew dark, and it began to drizzle. None of the children spoke, which was very unusual, especially for the younger two. Anna amused herself by staring out the window, watching the rain make little patterns on the tinted glass.

The cars stopped at a little village for gas, and the children were allowed to stretch their legs while the drivers had a smoke. Soon, they were back on the road. After another ten minutes or so had passed, the cars turned down a small, bumpy road. They seemed to be nearing their destination.

Anna peered out the window. There was an elaborate iron gate, headed with two names – 'Rooksnort and Sniktaw'. As the car proceeded up the windy drive, Anna eyes grew at the surroundings. Several dark brick buildings, topped by somber smokestacks, loomed gloomily against the grey sky. At the top of the hill was an old manor house. It looked very run down. Anna shivered as she stared at the derelict, ivy covered façade. She had a bad feeling about this place.

Once they had parked, the car men came around to the children's doors and opened them. Anna noted how these doors were peculiar; attached to the car at the wrong end. She shivered as she stepped out of the car.

The children were led up the path by a rather gaunt butler in a shabby tailcoat, holding a black umbrella. He opened the massive doors, and nodded the children in. They stood about in the main hall, gazing at the ceiling. The entry was enormous. To her right, Clarabelle saw little Emma shiver. It was quite drafty. The butler passed them. "This way, please."

He led them into a long and narrow dining room, where a table was laid out for a large dinner. At the head was the lady in black. Earlier she had been wearing a long fur coat, but now she was clothed in a black lace dress, complete with a high collar. Her dark brooch glinted with reflected light from the chandelier overhead.

"Welcome, my dears," she said in a soft tone that conveyed no welcoming spirit. "Please, sit."

The children complied, and were brought trays of food. Anna saw Rogers eyes grow wide at the sight of the chops and potatoes. Though she hadn't eaten in quite some time, Anna was not hungry. Her stomach was quivering in strange ways, and it felt as though if she tried to eat, it would all come right back up.

The lady spoke again. "You have come here as my guests," she said with a cold smile. "My name is Ms. Agatha Morpheus, and I am the governess at this… home." The last word sounded very carefully chosen. "I expect you all to be on your best behavior, and to be thankful for what you are given. Of course," she continued, "to pay for your upkeep, you will be expected to do a few small chores." Ms. Morpheus's dark eyes flashed about the group. "You will start tomorrow morning, so I advise you to rest well tonight." With a wave of the hand, she turned, and glided out of the room. "Sweet dreams."

The servants rushed in, taking the half-eaten plates from in front of the children. Roger tried to hold his, his mouth stuffed with cabbage, but a particularly nasty woman wrestled it away from him.

The children brushed their teeth and changed into their stiff blue pajamas in silence. The rooms were all off a long hall, three beds in each, with the bathroom at the end. The first five on either side had the doors open, waiting for their new occupants. The hall continued on into the darkness. Anna wondered what was behind the other doors.

She joined Clarabelle, and an older girl named Abigail, in the second room on the right. She flopped down onto the bed exhausted. The mattress springs groaned with her weight. Anna pulled the thin covers up to her chin. "Goodnight Abby. Goodnight Clarabelle," she whispered. What a strange night it had been… her head hit the pillow, and Anna fell into a restless sleep.

She was standing, in the garden once again. The singing was even more intoxicating – Anna had to find the source of the music. She fought to turn the corner of the small cottage, to reach the back yard. But something was holding her back. She felt as if someone was grabbing her, stopping her legs from working. She had to make it, had to see the owner of the voice. If she didn't, something was going to happen, something bad. Anna cried out in desperation…

"Mother!"

Clarabelle's cries awoke her. Anna jumped up out of bed, to Clarabelle, who was sitting up wide awake, tears streaming down her face. "Anna," she sobbed, "Anna, I want my Mum."

Anna rocked the child back and forth. "Hush, Clarabelle, hush… I'm here." Clarabelle clung tightly to her arms, chubby fingers digging into Anna's skin. After awhile the sobs subsided, and all that could be heard was a child's even breathing.

Anna got back into bed. At the age of six, she was still a 'mother' to several of these children. When they called out in the night, she was there to soothe them. Anna pulled the covers around her, shivering. Clarabelle could remember her mother, she cried for her when she was afraid. Anna had never had that luxury. She had never had a mother. She had no recollection of her parents, none at all.

Yet… she thought as she drifted off once more… sometimes she could swear that she heard a familiar voice in her dreams. It was a pity she could never remember them when she awoke.

A/N ~ Sorry, I know this one's shorter. I have the whole story planned out, and some of the chapters are just bridges to what will happen next (hint, hint!). They're the hardest to write. Anyway, I hope you're enjoying this. Reviews would be appreciated!