Blood. Cobblestones. Rain. Heartbeat. Rotting food. Limp figure. Devilish laughter.
Destiny woke up due to the images and senses in her nightmare.
The fourteen- year- old drew in a shaky breath as she pulled her loose brown hair back from her sweaty forehead and cheeks.
It had been nearly three days since the encounter, and the investigator had come the day before yesterday, asked a few questions, and left.
The clock downstairs chimed once, twice, three times as the rain pelted on her window. Destiny hugged her knees to her chest and stared out the window, hoping to drift off to the rain.
Thunder.
She winced slightly and covered her ears. How much did she hate loud noises in the midst of silence? Very much.
Her mind drifted back to the day, that fated day, on four o' clock in the afternoon, when Arthur had dared her to go down the alleyway. Her fingers started to itch.
Everyone who had heard about it- wether from paper or her mother- had all said to Destiny "Oh, you poor child!" "Your sweet mind- ruined!" "You must've had such a trauma." "If only someone else were in your place, dear one."
Destiny bit her lower lip as her fingers twitched, and her eyes stared out the window.
Her legs won over her will. She snuck past her mother's room, and tiptoed up the creeky, slightly dusty steps up to the attic.
The attic wasn't musty and ancient and dirty and messy. It was in a rather clean state, dusted quite well and the sewing mannequins draped in long pieces of cloth and all pieces of furniture polished and fixed, waiting for a chance to be reused. She walked to the large desk her father had moved up to the attic and took off the sheet.
The top of the desk was clean and orderly- an inkwell and pen neatly placed here; extra paper there; a new typewriter on the back edge of the desk, keys hardly pressed and ribbon still new.
Destiny (with a heave and grunt) picked up the typewriter and snuck down back to her room on the second floor and set it on her white desk, next to the window. She pulled up a chair, sat down, and let her fingers and mind work.
...
This time, the knock on the door snapped Destiny awake.
She rubbed her eyes and mumbled, "Yes?"
"Missus Wade?" Helené rapped on the door gently.
Destiny sat up. "Oh. Yes, Helené?"
"Yar mother would like ya downstairs as soon as ya can be."
She nodded and stood. "Thank you, Helené. I will be down in a minute."
Helené's footsteps paced away, and Destiny sat at her vanity and began combing her hair. In her reflection, she saw the typewriter on the desk, paper scattered around it, and a single sheet inside of it, typed a quarter of the page down.
Destiny tied her hair back and slowly walked over, fingers shaky. She pulled the paper out and began reading.
Another knock. Destiny grabbed all the papers and tossed them into the desk drawer.
"Darling?" Her mother knocked.
Frantic, Destiny pushed the typewriter under her bed. "Yes, ma'am?"
Her mother opened the door just as Destiny pulled on her night robe and looked up at her mother. "Your father sent a letter." She held out an envelope and smiled. "One for each of us- you and I."
Destiny's heart tugged on hope as she took it and opened it, and her eyes slowly widened as she read-
My darling little Fate! It feels as though an eternity has passed since I last picked up a quill and wrote to you and your mother. I am aware it has been the same for you, and I apologize deeply.
'As for news, none has come so far- aside from Rajhab accomplishing writing the English language and sending you a note inside. How proud he is of his accomplishments, as I hope you are as well.
'As I go on to speak, I may as well declare another good message I have received but moments ago, when I went to talk to the general- he has given me a two week break, yet I must remain in this area. But to every cloud, there is a ray of Sun- he has allowed the officers to send for their loved ones so we may all become one for a while before having to return to our duties. I sent three tickets to your mother, hoping your friend Lucy may wish to come.
'I cannot wait to hear of your adventures in London, darling Fate. This may seem sudden, I know, but within a month of receiving this letter, you and your mother and Lucy if she'd like can come visit Rajhab and I here in India. Do assure your mother and friend it is rather safe, as long as they do not wonder off alone without someone who knows the jungle like the back of their hands.
'I love you very much, darling Destiny. And I know a man will be willing to fall at your feet and do anything you wish and ask him. But for now, remain a child I can keep a little longer, and do not worry of the future.
'Your loving Papa.
Destiny felt a wide grin come across her face, and she hugged her mother tightly, laughing. "We're going to see Papa and Rajhab?"
"The end of this month!" Her mother chirped as she smoothed down Destiny's bangs. "Oh, he'll be happy to've seen how much you've grown."
Destiny felt color rise and bloom in her face as she looked down and fingered the letter.
Her mother patted her arm. "Come now, darling. Breakfast."