Hello Everyone
I flipped the photo over, to check for any inscription trying to make sense of what my eyes cannot be deceived by. Sure enough in the bottom left hand corner scrawled in black ink was the phrase "We're watching x" animated by a bold letter "I" in cursive writing.
An involuntary shiver ran through my spin which twisted the nerves deep within the chasm of my frantic beating heart. Even in the midst of darkness the plain bold letter was something I instantly recognized, the mark of the Initiative. The fact that they were keeping tabs on my family didn't bother me so much as the small x which plainly stood for a kiss.
This small x infuriated me; it's as if they felt that toying with others' lives and making a mockery of the very essence of what was good and wholesome was nothing more than child's play. That the x was a subtle reminder of the sick enjoyment they found of corrupting others, the x was a symbol of their prowess, the dirty dealings, status and the taking of the innocence.
It took every fibre of my being to not crumple up the photo and flush it away never to be seen again but I knew that if I did that whatever small idea I had to convince myself my mom is out there and that the Initiative are looming over us, kept me from doing anything irrational. There was another footnote, who was this other blonde woman? Why was she talking to my mom? Is she a part of this never-ending Initiate night-mare? She has to be, I tried to tell myself logically, which means she is endanger too, right?!
I looked at the surroundings they were standing on what only seemed like a porch with wide framed windows, painted in faded pale blue, there was even a swing in the corner of the porch. Although there did seem to be what looked like the settings of a beach behind them. I could feel my forehead pull into a questioningly curious frown, was this THE beach house? I almost gasped out loud, because I'm almost 99% sure that the lady meeting my mother in the photo is Emily Thorne.
A little bit of relief escaped me like the feeling you have when you find two pieces of a 10 000 jigsaw that finally fit together after trying almost every individual piece. (trust me I've done that before). Although the relief was immediately quenched, by the burning thirst of find out who she is and why are all the signs inadvertedly pointed towards her. I flipped photo again, nothing apart from the furiously annoying message from the Initiative. I picked up the diary with the other hand and shook the book but sadly nothing else fell out of it. Dismayed I placed the photo down and secured it into the diary before closing it and rummaging through my bag to place and lock it into the security box.
A wave of fatigue rolled over me as the day's events had finally caught up with me. With immense effort I placed the clothes on top, zipped the bag shut before placing at on the couch next to my upper torso. Grabbing Arnold I snuggled down and drifted into a dreamless sleep.
I was awoken by golden sunlight streaming in through the windows and the bright cry of baby Karl. Amanda appeared with a faint smile on her face before saying ,"Morning, were just getting ready to open, when you're ready come down and err we 'll see about getting you and your bear some breakfast".
I nodded and suddenly bolted upright as I remembered how I fell asleep. Arnold lay across my chest eagle spread with my bag on my pillow next to my right shoulder. I felt a blush appear in my cheeks as I carefully picked up Arnold and put him in my bag. No words could form as i glanced my reflection in the window, let's just say if Frankenstein's' still looking for his bride we know where she is.
SHe laughed suddenly as my hand when involuntary to my haystack of a hair, " I, it's not what, Arnold, the bear I" I stopped when She repeated Arnold, She looked extremely amused. I was just about to clear my embarrassment when the level heightened as tall girl with bronze hair and curly eye lashes dressed in simple clothes which hinted at designer origins entered.
"Amaanda, Jack wants you at the bar" she paused before looking at me, I was unsure of her reaction when her eyes flitted to me and Amanda, she smiled. "Are you Jess Johnson, the mysterious girl?" she said with a hand gesture.
I was used to the Johnson by now, "Yes, although mysterious I dun no" I personally thought I had been pretty clear, well as clear as I could be. They both seemed to have found this funny, and it looked like I had earned her liking especially when Amanda had said " Yep, Jess this is Charlotte , Declans' friend and Charlotte this is Jess a relative of Emily's".
"Ohhh Emily's, well then a relative of Emily's is a relative of mine" she came over with a reassuring smile and gave me a small hug. I looked practically dishevelled, a hobo, well I am homeless came a stray thought, in comparison to her looking so refined. She probably thought I was some lost child from Neverland in search of a home. Jack popped around carrying a smiling Karl, Charlotte gasped when she saw Karl and ran to Jack scooping Karl up straight away.
Jack must of seen my expression which I tried to control but was failing miserably with confusion, "Amanda's Charlotte's sister as well, and since this is the only time we get to see each other is in the mornings, we all kind of congregate here," A voice penetrated the Girls' laughter's and the cooing of Karl calling Jack downstairs, "Got to go, look after that bear, sorry, Arnold." With a flash he had descended the stairs.
Amanda paused "Sleep well?" I replied "Like a baby", we exchanged brief smiles before Charlotte taking Karl downstairs, telling me she hoped we'd meet soon.
I nodded in acknowledgement and assured her the same thing. Would my now 2nd sister know anything about why I was here? Wow, a 2nd sister? I was confused; the diary pages never mentioned anything about a Charlotte, just an Amanda and my mom.
Amanda interrupted my thought process by telling me to come down as soon as I was ready and that we could go to Emily's right after breakfast. I warmly thanked her, (what else could I do?!) and slowly went to the bathroom.
After I had washed, changed and wincingly replaced the bandages tightly on my feet and applying the makeup I found in the bag to my face to cover the dark patches of grey and lines I slowly when downstairs. I was greeted with warm smiles, and joking comments about Arnold and how I looked completely different. I tried to give back the neatly folded jumper and leggings but they flat out refused telling me to keep them and if it really mattered I could buy them a new jumper. I was deeply touched by their loving generosity to a total stranger and I felt a twinge of guilt as I knew I had been dishonest with them ,but maybe at the end, if there is one, I could tell them the true if it matters that much.
I attacked a croissant half-heartedly and forced a few sips of orange juice down, I was nervous, afraid and the tension of meeting Emily was killing me. What if she doesn't know anything, calls police, and I end up in jail or something? What if she knows, I know something? My imagination was getting a little too out of hand.
I took a deep breath and went with Jack and Amanda who unsurprisingly insisted on coming along, Karl would stay with Charlotte and Declan. I bid goodbye to Declan, Karl and Charlotte before trekking over the beach to Emily's house where I await further inspection. I was too anxious to make small talk but I forced myself to laugh at Jacks feeble jokes with Amanda, carefully avoiding her eyes and the subject of Emily. I changed the subject often, Jack assured me that my car would be fine, why I was limping ( a heroic tale of me saving a friend from a broken vase at Spring break, it could happen!) , my teddy bear.
We reached the front door in no time sure enough it was the exact same place of the photo which dragged my bag down like a hefty weight. The doorbell rang once, a small and sharp sound, we waited approximately 20 seconds, the sea gulls cawed in the air of hot summer Hampton ocean waves, the sweet scent of candyfloss and cotton has travelled with the breeze all the way from the Montauk pier.
The door was wrenched open to reveal a slender, honey-blonde woman with warm chocolate brown eyes. She looked at me, before embracing me "Jess, you made it!" Emily Thorne had received me like an old friend, who was she?
I promise she will have her discussion with Emily in the next chapter along with a few others. A t the moment I'm hoping to create a friendship between Declan, Jess & Charlotte, and who knows maybe Jess will know the BIG secret
