-Elliott-
When Arabella's guests usually came, they came on the weeks and after we were all up. But this time, with Joy, it was different, it was Wednesday, and as the five of us climbed down the stairs and into the living room, she was already sitting there, in the arm chair, by the front bay window, sipping some morning tea and reading the newspaper.
"Hello." She looks at us, we were the only five downstairs at this time "you must be Ara's friend?"
"Yes, , we are." I say politely, tying my school tie.
"Elliott, right?" She asks and I nod "please, call me Joy all of you."
"Joy." Arabella smiles a brilliant smiles and hugs her
"Ara!" She releases her from the hug "and Mia."
"Heya." She nods
"And you must be Zander and Connor?" She guestures to the other two
"Yeah, we are." Zander replies
"He's the Jock and I'm the sarcastic one with all the witty one liners that makes this group interesting." Connor tells her, and I jab him in the ribs
"Good to see Ara found her own Mick and Patricia!" Joy exclaims as Poppy "Hey, Poppy?"
"Ah, Joy! Enjoying you tea?" She asks
"Yes, very much so, thank you. Do you think you could get the kids out of the first half of classes today? I want to show them something in the Cellar and then take them into Liverpool." Joy explains
"I guess I could try..." Poppy says, starting to fold laundry in the kitchen and takes a key off her belt "here, the key to the cellar."
Joy went to Poppy and took the key the lead us into the cellar, once we were all downstairs she went to the corner behind the stairs. There was just a old, breaking crate.
"This is your defining memory? A braking crate?" Connor asks
"Yes... Well, no exactly, more like, what's in it." Joy popped the lid and pulled out a set of folded robes and a number of jackel-looking masks, she carefully sits them down on the floor "ah, and you wanted a doll? A doubleganger of me?"
"Yeah" I nod
"Well, here you go." She carefully handed Ara the doll
"Mistaken, Betrayed and left alone to cry,
'Joyless', as he called it, no one could help her.
Not even the one that was there from beginning to end,
Could save her from herself, though she had much of her own going on.
She cared, but caring is nothing when you can't help.
Though someone can re-live and learn."
"Patricia. You need Patricia." Joy told us "I was a very sad person for much time after the year Nina came, even when Nina left, I was very... depressed, for quite some time. Patricia saw it all, and frankly she couldn't help. Sarah obviously wants you to learn that, though I don't know why, probably just to save you from a headache. That, and Patricia is the last person you need."
"Joy, what are those makes? And those robes?" Arabella asks
"Just distant reminders of a time of innocence." Joy looks back at the items "memories of the time before... but now, how do you feel about a breakfast in Liverpool?"
"FOOD!" Connor yells
Before long, were in Liverpool, at some cafe at a booth for six.
"So, has anyone tried to intervene with all this?" Joy asks
"My body's need for normalicity and maybe a decent sleep pattern?" Mia suggests
"Stop with the sarcasm, Mia. She's serious." Zander tells Mia "and no."
Mia mocks Zander as Joy replies "no, that's not good. We always had something... someone there to challenge us. There has to be something against you, or else it's just this big, I don't know... Easter morning scavenger hunt!"
"Maybe Sarah was just sick of try to pick villains out of her contact list to throw against us?" Connor asks
"Well, that doesn't make sense. 1. I don't even think Sarah has a phone, and even if she does, why would she have a contact list of her own enemies. 2. Connor, do you need to go see a doctor? I think the case of 'I'm-just-gonna-come-up-with-sarcastic-answers-to-questions-could-threaten-our-lives-Like-a-three-year-old." syndrome." I tell him
"That's enough you guys." Ara tells us and we all reluctantly shut up
"Well, I think, after Patricia comes tomorrow, you need to make sure you have everything. Every single clue. Every doll. Everything, because that's what Sarah gave you to get you guys prepared." Joy nods slowly, sadness in her eyes "and maybe you can just finish this."
A/N OH JOY, Joys back, Joy the Wise, Joy the Mysterious! (lol) anyways, sorry for not updating in a little while, I've been trying to forge a path inside my head for this story, and I've found it! (if any of you read that chapter with the 15 facts that I took down, I actually took one of my rejected ideas I had and I am using it now!) so right now, I just need to ask, where do you think the stories headed? Tell me your predictions below! ~izzy