Thanks for the love for the last chapter, guys! I hope this one doesn't disappoint.
I crept down the empty corridor; being careful to not step on any loose floorboards. My bare feet peeped out of my long nightgown when I took each small step, and I could hear my heart pumping. As I approached the door, I took a deep breath and gently knocked. There was no response. I huffed, and knocked again, but slightly louder. Once again, no response. After a few seconds I decided to just enter the room, as the darkness was beginning to scare me. So, I gently reached up on my tip toes and managed to open the door with the tips of my fingers. I cautiously entered and close the door behind me; making sure it didn't bang.
Now in the room, I looked around in the dark and tried to locate the bed. With my arms out, I carefully approached the middle of the room where I knew the bed to be. But as I touch it, I accidently stub my toe on something causing me to whimper in pain. I stop, listening for any noise. Nothing. So, I came around to the side of the bed, with my hands to guide me, and climbed on top. Straight away I knew something was wrong. There was no human shaped lump beneath the sheets, and as I listened closer, I realised there was no snoring or breathing either. As fear crept in, I crawled to the head of the bed and reached out for where I knew a lamp to be. When I turned it on, I could see that my blind feelings were right. No one was in the bed. Not dad or mum.
I could feel my tears gathering in my eyes but refused to let them fall. Surely nothing had happened to them, they may just be downstairs, I though to myself. With that thought, I crawl off the bed, leave their bedroom and creep back down the corridor. As I go down the stairs, I remember why I went to find mum and dad in the first place; I'd had a scary nightmare. In it, monsters had crawled from underneath my bed and out from my closet. They were scary monsters with gaping holes where their eyes should have been and teeth that were sharp and dripping with foam. Even thinking about them now makes my skin sweat and my need to get a hug from my mummy and daddy intensifies. I can still recall how their breath felt cold on my skin and how their shapeless forms curled around my bed and crept over my body. In my nightmare, my special powers wouldn't work. No matter how much I wished for them to leave and my hands pushed them away, no magic came forth. That only made me more scared, and that's when I had woken up.
As I finished reliving my nightmare I realised I'm in the kitchen and that no one is there. I stop in my tracks and soon fear has overcome me. Why aren't mummy and daddy here? What if they've been taken by the scary monsters?! The fear and loneliness sweep me in waves and soon I can hear the cabinets shaking as gusts of wind start to circle around me. Just like if I was in the middle of a mini tornado. This response from my powers makes my fear seem more real, but I know I must get it under control, so I take deep breaths and think of things that make me happy. Like last summer, when daddy took me to the park on a rare sunny day and we fed the ducks and he carried me on his shoulders. Or when mummy made me a fairy costume for Halloween last year, and she picked me up and made me feel like I was flying. These thoughts soon calm me, and as the winds die down, I see a piece of paper drop down in front of me. I pick it up, and read the words slowly, as even though I'm in a class ahead of my age at school, I still struggle with some words.
To Hermione,
In case you wake up before we're back, Daddy and I have had to go out to the hospital. It's nothing too bad, but they said they have some urgent news about your blood tests, and that it can't wait.
Hopefully we'll be up before you wake, so we can make you some yummy brekkie, our little superhero!
Love,
Mummy and Daddy.
The note makes me feel better and as it's still dark outside it makes sense that they are not back yet. I can feel my heartbeat slow and my magic feels at peace within me once again. But then a sudden pain in my leg makes me turn around, and I can see one of the scary monsters from before clawing at my leg. But I'm awake! This can't be happening, I think, as more monsters approach from the cabinets. Their teeth snap at me and the tip-tap of their claws on the stone tiles makes my breath catch. I attempt to call my magic, imaging light glowing from my hands, a light that will scare the monsters away and bring back my mummy and daddy. But nothing happens. I feel a sense of helplessness rise in me as they snarl at me and a sudden pain in my arm makes me realise they are all attacking me. I start to scream and cry as the foam dripping from their mouths falls upon my long nightgown and burns though the material all the way to my skin. It feels as if my skin is burning to the bone and as their claws rip into me I hear a birds cry of fury before I scream one final time and then the darkness overcomes me.
I wake with a gasp. I run my hands down my skin, trying to reassure myself that it was just a dream. Nothing more. But even though I tell myself this, my heart still beats fast and sweat is still falling of my skin in sheets. I stand up from my small bed and pull at my hair in fear as the nightmare flashes in my eyes. I've had this dream ever since the fateful night my parents left and was placed in this loveless orphanage. 8 days, 7 hours, 46 minutes and 13 seconds. Nothing can seem to get rid of this pit in my heart and the never-ending guilt and regret that I feel over my parent's death. I suppose that's why I've been placed in this orphanage, 'Coles Orphanage'. It's life's way of saying that I am to blame for my parent's demise. I have been given the guilty sentence in the court of life, and therefore am destined to an eternity of suffering from the mean bullies at Cole's. Where my life used to be filled with love, light and happiness, I now suffer from hate, darkness and sadness.
I sigh, there's no point thinking about it now, because as I'm only 6 I will have to live here for the next 12 years. That is unless someone adopts me. But as Mrs Cole didn't hesitate to point out when I first met her, no one is adopted unless you're a cute baby, so I guess I'm stuck here. I shake my head at these negative thoughts and slowly gather my dull, grey calf-length dress that is the standard uniform for girls and the black, well-worn shoes that make my feet scream in agony as they are several sizes too small. Just as I have finished dressing, a knock sounds from my door. But quicker then I can respond, the door whips open and I'm greeted by the sight of Tim's pimply face as he sneers at me and sniggers, "Your needed downstairs, beaver. Mrs Cole needs the toilets cleaned, and breakfast has to be cooked." I take a deep breath and can feel tears build in my eyes but refuse to let them fall, instead I nod and move to shut the door. But Tim isn't done, "Meet me at the oak tree after breakfast, me and my boys wanna properly 'welcome' you to Cole's." He laughs at me again and as he leaves my room he whispers "Murderer." With that, I slam my door shut and collapse onto my bed in my tiny room as the tears burn paths down my cheeks.