I know that I've been gone for ages, but I've been working on a new category so here goes the next chapter. Also I have a request for more Peddie moments so I'll try and comply!
Just Step Away
Chapter Four, Malcolm
No point of view
The wind swirled around them, bringing clumps of snow unexpectedly into view. "Okay guys, next time you want to climb up a mountain, remind me to stay behind," Fabian complained.
The mountains, which in summer would have been full of blooming clumps of heather, was now barren and full of craggy rocks with snow on them. "Well, maybe we can get under that overhang," Nina suggested.
"Not frightened, are you two?" Jerome laughed.
"Look, there's a shack over there." Mara strained her eyesight in surpise.
As they neared the abandoned building, they were surprised at what they found. The garden, rather than having a mixture of plants on it, had only a quickly spreading very common plant called nettles, as Nina later discovered. "Ow!" she complained after touching one.
"They sting; haven't you learned that by now?" Jerome said.
"Well no." she admitted.
"Should we go closer?" Mara asked, looking nervous.
"I'm not sure we can," Fabian said, examining the growth of nettles in a closer fashion. "Besides, when did the rest of you start to want to go home?" At the start of the journey he had been the only slightly apprehensive one, apart from Nina. Nina had been so excited that it had hardly counted.
Jerome pouted. Mara said, "I don't think these were very practical coats."
"Or they had enough sense to stay out of the snow storms," Nina pointed out.
The trees that grew around the shack at least provided some cover. However, on top of the moss covered ground, it seemed colder than outside. It was darker as well and all the heather plants were gone under the shade of the trees. Nina eyed the shack with growing unease. She didn't like it. Their shack had had lighter colored wood; possibly pine instead of the dark oak wood of this cabin. The windows hadn't been broken in and in their garden there had been at least some flowers struggling on. There wasn't the oppressive shade and it had a way in, instead of the sea of stinging nettles.
"So what do we do?" Mara asked anxiously.
"I guess we just go back," Fabian answered readily.
"Right." Jerome said. As they made for the way out of the grove, he called out for them. "There's just one problem."
They all turned back, Nina's eyes growing wide and Fabian and Mara frowning.
"We're lost," he announced grandly.
*.*
"Ow!" Fabian winced at the white sting that was growing on his hands.
Nina had the idea of flattening the nettles with a plank that was lying on the ground. It had seemed reasonable enough to get into the shack, where there might be a map and at least it was warmer than in the wind.
But finally, after many nettle stings, the group of four finally got into the shack.
"There's a letter on the table!" Nina gasped.
It was dark and crowded in the little shack. An oak table stood in the middle of the room with a three legged stool and a burned out yellow candle. Some rusty metal tools lay in one corner, along with a wool fleece jacket.
"What does it say?" Somehow Fabian didn't want to know. He had a terrible feeling they were about to find another mystery.
"Dear Malcolm," Nina read. "In that case I will see you five days hence in our grove in the woods.
Anna is doing better, although her fair hair has not yet regained its bounce! The flowers are growing in our garden, and I cannot help but think of our wedding day quickly approaching.
Is your mother not yet content with my English heritage? I feel many people here are not happy with my presence; am I correct in thinking this?
Still I think the worst of the winter is over, so it should not be hard for me to find my way through the woods to our meeting grove.
The cat is still missing. I cannot think why, or where she has gone. It is most strange but perhaps she will find her way to your house or the lower town.
The rest is ripped away," Nina frowned.
Indeed, the rest had been ripped away, leaving a jagged edge. "Wait, she signed it on the back."
"Who is she?" Jerome asked.
Nina lifted her eyes to them slowly. "She signed it Emily Penn."
*.*
The winter of 1990 was cold in Scotland, a few drifts of pure white snow drifting in the dark shadows. A woman dressed in white, with brown fur boots was picking her way through the woods. The pine trees brushed her high cheekbones as she walked. Her long straight light brown hair lay against her white wool coat. Her red lips opened. "Malcolm?" she called out in a sweet voice.
A man stepped out of the shadows. Dark brown hair and hazel eyes stared back at her. "Emily," he smiled at her.
The moon rose as a cold, thin shriek rose from the trees.
Murder.
Sorry it was just all them and no Peddie, but I felt like I should update soon rather than waiting for ages. So sorry it took so long!
~Iceshadow~