Hey, Nukia here!
This fanfiction is a side story to Beyond This Love.
I don't know if any of my old readers are still reading any of my rewrites anymore, but I am going to tell you what happened in the Midnight Slasher case in the next few chapters in The Wammy House Memories. I never finished The Alternative Story, but I'm going to tie it in with this fanfiction because I enjoyed writing A's story. I just wanted to finish that case, it comes to a terrifying end and L maybe in my next chapter.
But thank you for the reviews ( even if there is just 7 ), favorites and the alerts! Also to the unknown people who read my fanfictions, I promise it will pick up at some point! If you don't like it, then don't read it.
Chapter 10!
I quietly closed my bedroom door behind me, my Aunt Thora had just returned from the health retreat in the Peak District 5 days ago. I hadn't told anyone about the letter or photographs either, I didn't want anyone to worry about it and even worse I wasn't allowed to visit A because Rose said it was to dangerous for me to ride my bike to The Wammy House right now. I sighed to myself as I walked down the stairs, I jumped from the last step and opened the living room's door. I walked into the living room, I picked the television remote up from the coffee table and switched the television on. I sat down on the sofa and curled my legs under myself as I made myself comfortable.
" You are finally out of your nightwear, I see..." I heard my Aunt Thora say from the doorway of the living room. " It's not appropriate for a young lady to be sitting around in her nightwear in the afternoon, people will start thinking that you are indolent..."
I turned my full attention to my Aunt standing in the doorway of the living room, she was leaning on her wooden walking stick with a look of concern on her face. I've never seen my Aunt looking concerned before in all the years I've lived with her, I switched the television off and got up from the sofa with a slight smile on my face.
" What does indolent mean?" I asked.
" Another meaning for the word indolent is lazy..." She replied.
" Oh, I will remember that for future reference then..." I sighed.
" Elizabeth, I need to talk with you about those photographs and that letter my housekeeper Rose found under your bed not long ago when she was hoovering your bedroom. When did you receive this letter?" She asked.
" I'm not sure what letter you are talking about Aunt Thora, I receive the odd letter from my Mother's old friend Bella who lives in Oxford..." I replied, I placed the television remote down on the coffee table and walked over to her. " She did send me some photographs of my Mother and Grandmother's grave about 2 months ago, she's been taking very good care of them over the years. Is that the letter you are speaking of?"
" Elizabeth, do not take me for an idiot!" She said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. " I have seen the photographs that were in the envelope under your bed, it is of great urgency that you tell me when you received this letter. Mr Wammy is coming to collect the letter and those photographs this evening, he his very interested in the text of the hand written letter..."
" Mr Wammy is interested in the letter's text?" I asked as I stopped in front of my Aunt and looked up at her. " Why? What interest does it have for him? It's just some photographs of the cottage, I know the letter is strange though. Does he have any clues about who took those photographs and sent that letter?"
" Whom, not who..." She sighed. " Really Elizabeth, those elocution lessons I pay for you to have are wasted on you!"
" I'm sorry Aunt Thora, I will try harder with my elocution lesson..." I smiled slightly and tucked some of my hair behind my ear. " But does Mr Wammy have any clues is what I am asking?"
" I can not say at this very moment, that information as been withheld from me until he as decided what his answer shall be..." She replied. " Your well being is a very important priority to me, your are my only living relative and that is exceedingly precious to me. Do you understand what I am trying to tell to you?"
" Yes I understand, I think..." I replied.
I watched my Aunt walk past me, she sat down on her favorite old brown coloured Victorian leather sofa chair by a fancy wooden side table and rested her walking stick against the side of the chair. I put my hands behind and walked over to her, I wonder if she's going to scold me for not telling her about the letter?
" Aunt Thora, am I in trouble?" I asked.
" I am not sure just yet, but it was very silly to keep something like this from me..." She replied as she gently pulled my hand from behind my back and rested her other hand on top of it. " My dear Elizabeth, I know over the years I have not gotten to know you better. I believe I have missed out on getting to know my Great Niece which saddens me since you have lived with me since the age of 8 years, I would like to spend some time with you and get to find out your interests. Would you allow me to spend at least one day week doing some form of activity with you?"
"Of course, I would like that!" I smiled.
" Very good, can I schedule you in for next Tuesday?" She asked.
" Yes, I am free each day since it's the summer holidays..." I replied, I gave Rose a smile as she places a cup of tea down on a drink coaster on the side table next to the sofa chair and turned my attention back to my Aunt. "Maybe you could tell me about my Grandmother, I was very young when she passed away..."
" Yes, I could tell you many stories about my dearly departed Sister Annabella..." She smiled and let got of my hand. " Now if you would please excuse me, I would like to read my newspaper in silence. You may go and continue with your daily activities until afternoon lunch, I believe you have an English paper you need to complete before the end of the summer break. Am I right?"
" Yes, you're right Aunt Thora..." I answered.
" Very good, I will take tea with you this evening at 7pm..." She said as she took her newspaper from the wooden magazine rack and opened it. " Do not be late, I disapprove of tardiness..."
" Of course Aunt Thora, I shall see you for tea at 7pm!" I smiled
I picked my cracker with cheese on it up from my plate, I took a small bite of it and looked over at Rose as she put cheese pie into the oven. It had just turned 3:48pm, I was having my afternoon lunch like I do each day before I have my dinner. I looked over at kitchen's doorway when I heard the telephone ring from the hallway, Rose quickly left the kitchen to answer the phone for the sixth time today. I'm not sure who keeps calling, but my Aunt Thora keeps talking to whoever it was on the phone. I placed my cracker down on my plate as I pick my pen up from the table, I turned my attention to my English paper and continued to write my paper.
" I'm sick and tired of answering the phone, I may see if I get a cordless telephone..." I heard Rose complaining. " It doesn't do your Aunt much good with her getting up from her chair every hour to speak to the caller, she is meant to be resting..."
" Who keeps ringing?" I asked.
" Mr Wammy, he keeps wanting to talk with your Aunt..." She replied.
" About what?" I asked, I looked over my shoulder at Rose and watched her take the bin-bag out of the dustbin . " Is it about those photographs and the letter? Did he work out who they were from yet? Will he want to talk to me about them? Will I have to have a interview with him? Do you think I will be able to visit The Wammy House?"
" To many questions..." She replied with a chuckle.
" Sorry, but what did he want and say?" I asked.
" I'm not really sure, you will have to speak with your Aunt about it when you have evening tea with her at 7pm..." She replied. " Elizabeth, Will you get my shoes for me please? They're by the back door, I was gardening earlier and had to wear my welly boots because it rained this morning. Also there is another bag of rubbish at the back door, be a dear and get that for me too..."
" But I'm in the middle of writing about how Helmet discovered that his father was poisoned by his Uncle, I have to write the reason why he did it..." I replied and placed my pen down on my notebook. " Do you want me to take the rubbish out for you instead?"
" Elizabeth my dear, you know very well that I can't let you do that even if it's the most simple of tasks..." She sighed and tied the rubbish bag up with a piece of string. " It's not safe for young girls to be out by themselves in these times, I will not allow it and neither will your Aunt..."
" But it's just beyond the gate, I'm perfectly safe taking the rubbish out for you and it still light out..." I sighed. " I'm bored Rose, I just wanted to get some fresh air even if that means just taking the rubbish out to the bin!"
" Elizabeth, you know your Aunt would dislike that idea..." She smiled.
" Oh come on Rose, I thought you were cool!" I giggled. " I'll get your shoes for you and the other bag of rubbish, but you have to let me walk with you to put the rubbish out. Do we have a deal?"
" Fine, I guess it won't hurt if you walk me to the gate..." She replied.
" Cool, I'll get your shoes for you then!" I smiled.
I quickly got up from my chair at the kitchen table, I ran to the back door to get Rose's shoes and the other bag of rubbish. I quickly grabbed them from the back door, I closed the partly open back door and locked it. I returned to the kitchen and placed her shoes down by her feet, I ran out of the kitchen with the rubbish bag into the hall and opened the front door of the cottage. I inhaled the fresh air as I stepped through the doorway, it was lovely sunny day with the smell of wet grass lingering in the air still from the downpour a few hours ago. I walked slowly down the pathway, I opened the gate at the end of the pathway and walked through the gateway.
" Wait up there my love!" I heard Rose call. " No rushing off!"
" Sorry Rose!" I smiled.
I took the lid from the bin and glance both ways down the road that runs past the cottage, it really was quiet where we lived. I placed the rubbish bag down by the bin, I tutted to myself when I saw a few bits of rubbish on the grass behind the bin and peeped into the bin. I tilted my head when something shiny caught my attention, I wonder what that is in the bin? I bent forward slightly and saw a golden necklace in the bin with a small gold cross hanging from the chain. I quickly took it from the bin and I put my hand behind my back as I heard the gate open.
" What a mess! I bet some foxes have been in the bin again, they are getting to be quite a nuisance these days!" She sighed.
" I thought that too, do you think I could go fox watching one night?" I asked.
" Maybe some other time when it's safer, I better get this mess cleaned up..." She replied and put the bin-bag in the bin." Would you mind holding the bin lid for a bit long? It will be much easier that way well I tidy up..."
" Sure!" I smiled.
I watched Rose quickly pick up all the rubbish from the grass, she put all of it in the bin and picked the other bin-bag up from next to the bin.
" Come on my love, let's get back inside before my pie burns..." She said with a smile." You can help me to make a salad to go with it, I will even let you cut the tomatoes for me..."
" Okay, but I don't like tomatoes..." I laughed and watched her put the other bin-bag in the bin. " But I will cut them for you, I want to learn more about cooking. Will you teach me how to make soup one day?"
" Sure, let's get back inside and wash our hands..." She replied, she looked back at the cottage and sighed when she heard the telephone ringing again. " Damn it, not again! Excuse my French Elizabeth, but I am really getting tired of answering that bloody telephone today..."
" I'll get it for you!" I smiled.
" Just this once, I will be along in a few minutes to take the call from you..." She smiled and took the bin's lid from my hand. " Be quick, it could be important..."
" Okay!"I nodded.
I stuffed the necklace in the back pocket of my jeans and quickly hurried back down the pathway that led to the front door of the cottage. I ran through the doorway and grabbed the receiver from the phone. I rested the phone's receiver against my ear and twirled the telephone's wire around my finger, finally I'll get to speak to Mr Wammy.
" Hello, this is the Havisham residence..." I said as I picked a pen up from a small green pad that was kept next to the phone." This Elizabeth Mayhem speaking, may I ask who you would like to speak to?"
" Hello Elizabeth, this is Watari..." He answered. " May I speak with your Aunt? This is very important, I must speak with her immediately..."
" Hello Watari, are you the one who as been calling all day?" I asked.
" Yes Elizabeth, that was me..." He replied with a laugh." But I would like to speak with your Aunt, I afraid it about those photographs and the letter you received. Seeing as your Aunt is your legal guardian everything I need to say as to be directly to her my dear..."
" Okay Watari, but can I ask you something first?" I asked and sat down on the stool next to the end table the telephone was kept on." Am I in trouble for hiding those photographs and letter? Do you have any clues on who sent them?"
" Of course not, you can ease your mind my dear..." He replied." You are not in trouble, so don't you worry..."
" That's good to know, but you've not answered my question about who sent them yet..." I sighed and placed the pen back down in the pad. " Can I speak with A please?"
" Not right now my dear, A is very busy with his studies..." He replied. " But I will have to ask you some questions, it's very important that I speak to you today. I suggest that you get your Aunt for me, you may have to come and spend the night at The Wammy House for questioning..."
" Really?" I asked as I got up from the stool. " Why? I've done nothing bad, I swear I've been good! My Aunt use tell me when I was young that if I misbehaved I would end up getting sent to The Wammy House, I really have been good for the last few weeks!"
" Elizabeth!" I heard my Aunt yell from the living room doorway. " What have I told you about answering the telephone without permission? Where is Rose? I thought she was meant to be watching you in the kitchen!"
" I-i-it's for you Aunt Thora!" I replied with stutter. " It's Mr Wammy, he needs to speak with you right a way!"
I quickly placed the phone's receiver down on the pad, I glanced at Rose as she closed the cottage's front door behind her and watched my Aunt pick up the receiver of the phone. I bit at my bottom lip as I watched my Aunt speaking to Watari on the phone, she gave me a concerned looked and held the phone's receiver to her chest.
" Elizabeth, pack an over night bag immediately!" She said. " You will be spending the next 2 nights at The Wammy House, you will be under the care of Mr Wammy and Mr Roger Ruvie. Do you understand?"
" But why do I have t stay there?" I asked. " What's going on?"
" Elizabeth, please don't be difficult and do as you are told!" She frowned
" Yes Aunt Thora..." I said quietly.
" Rose, if you would please help Elizabeth pack an over night bag..." She said and rested the phone's receiver back against her ear. " Mr Wammy is going to collect her at 8pm, she will need all of the essentials and her summer school lesson plan. Do you understand?"
" Oh course Miss Havisham, I will take her to her bedroom right away and back her an over night bag before dinner..." I heard Rose reply as rested her hand on my shoulder and gave me a smile. " Come along my dear, there is nothing to worry about. See it as a little sleepover, I bet you will make some new friends too at the orphanage..."
" Okay..." I nodded.