Okay, this is a kinda short chapter, but i thought it was time we visited our very own Mr Darling :) Hope you enjoy
Chapter Ten- Mr Darling.
Mr Darling read and re-read The Times newspaper then got up out of his chair and started pacing the room. After the death of his wife, he had made inquests at every police station in the area, hoping to catch the murderer that did it. He simply would not believe that it was an accident, as his Mary was not silly enough to cause one.
To top of his despair, his children had not come home in three days. He had come home from work one night to find his wife outside of a window, and his children nowhere in sight.
"It all happens when I go to work…" George muttered.
Mr Darling knew that it had happened before, only once, but his children had gone missing for a week or so, then they returned out of nowhere and were in the nursery as if nothing had happened. Because of his children's disappearance, he had decided to let Wendy stay in the nursery for as long as she liked, so it wouldn't happen again. But somehow it did.
"I can't find them Nana!" He shouted in despair at the dog, which had just come in with a glass of brandy for her owner. "I try, and I just can't seem to find them…" George sobbed as he reached out for his drink. Nana bowed her head in sadness, for she too, missed the children and her mistress.
Mr Darling took a long gulp of his brandy, then found a couch and sat down on his newspaper. He immediately got up and threw it of the couch. It landed in an unsatisfying swoosh.
Nana came in and sat next to her owner, so she could be there for him. After sitting there for a few minutes, George finally reached out and patted Nana. "All we have to do is wait a week Nana. That's all we have to do." he whispered.
Mr Darling reasoned that if his children could disappear and come back for a week, they could do it again a second time. And when they did come back, he would not let them out of his sight. The couch seemed warm and comfortable, so he sent nana away with his glass for another drink.
When Nana came back, she found her master sobbing into his hands, leaning forward in the couch. Nana looked at him sympathetically. She shimmied forward and gently nudged Mr Darling's hands with the drink tray. He looked up and accepted the drink before dismissing her for the night.
"You're a good girl Nana." Mr Darling praised.
Nana looked at him and brushed up against his legs before leaving the sitting room and taking her place in the nursery.
Mr Darling watched Nana leave and wondered if she was all he had left. He sunk back into his chair, closed his eyes and pictured the nursery room. How his beloved Mary would tuck the children in at night and sometimes do the family the pleasure of singing them to sleep. He imagined the way she always made everything okay and seemed to calm him down in his angriest of moments. How she always left the window open just in case…
"The window!" George woke up exclaiming. He raced up the stairs and threw the nursery window open. He wondered who had closed it. He then foolishly remembered that he did as the house become cold in the storm today.
"You're a fool George!" He cursed himself and started to leave the nursery. He then glanced over to where Nana was sleeping and gently woke her up.
"Nana dear, follow me." He said soothingly as he picked her bed and blankets up and moved them to his room. He placed her bed in the corner and beckoned her to lie down. Once she was comfortably in her bed, George picked up her blankets and moved tucked them in around her.
He stood watching her for a while and then made his way to his own bed, the same one he used to share with Mary, his darling. 'Another lonely night...' George thought to himself. As George prepared for bed, his mind wandered over everything. His determination to find his children, to find his wife's murderer and to now find someone to help him cope with his loneliness. It all started on that dreadful night…
After what seemed like hours of sobbing, George finally picked himself up and moved as fast as he could to his telephone. Deep down he knew she was dead, but he still hoped for a miracle. Even though George was not a firm believer of God, he swore he would change his views if Mrs Darling was somehow still alive. As he picked up his telephone the door knocked. George left it. Whoever it was could wait. He dialled for the ambulance. The door knocked louder.
George growled in annoyance. "Just wait!" He shouted. 'Just give me a moment to cope…' He thought. He went through the standard procedures of sending for an ambulance, with the door knocks getting louder and louder. After the call was finished, George stamped his way to the front door.
"For god's sake, leave me alone! Can't you see my wife has just…" George chocked on the last couple of words.
Standing before Mr Darling was Mr Depuret in shock. "I'm sorry sir, I just wanted… Are you okay George?" He asked as he noticed the tears streaming down his old friends face.
"My wife and children…" George trailed.
"George, is there anything…?"
"No, there's nothing. Nothing left. Simply nothing." George rambled.
"I'll be right back sir." Depuret said as he rushed back to his home.
George just stood in his doorway and waited for events to unfold. Soon, the ambulance arrived along with Mr and Mrs Depuret. Mrs Depuret took care of George in the living room while Mr Depuret took care of the ambulance and Mary Darling. Nana accompanied George and Mrs Depuret in the living room.
"George, I'm so sorry…" Mrs Depuret said.
"Don't worry about it Anita." George dismissed with a wave of his hand.
"Is there anything we could do?" She asked.
'Bring back my wife…" George thought. He just stared at her as if the answer was obvious. He then gave up and leaned back in his chair, staring into nothing.
Anita perched herself on the other living room chair closest to George and reached for his hand in comfort. George sat there and wanted to re-live this whole day again and change it. The only things going through his mind was three things.
Where were his children?
What happened to his family?
…Did he tell his wife he loved her…?
Mr Darling woke with sweat dripping down his forehead. He had re-lived that night in his dreams many times. The Depuret's had helped him through so much. He had yet to pay them back for their help or at least say thank you.
He decided that he would start today, and piece his life back together. He went down to the dining room and found the time on his grandfather clock. Three o'clock.
George grumbled and went back to his bed. His nightmares were waking him up earlier and earlier. He was sure than soon, he wouldn't be able to sleep at all.
Hope you enjoyed it, it was a bit of a darker chapter, but a good one? haha let me know what you think :)