Book One First encounter

Part 6

"I'm okay" I said sighing heavily "You don't have to worry about me....I'm a big girl now, I can take care of myself"

"I do worry though I can't help it...you're my only daughter, and you're up there all on your own...in that big house, with no one around for over a mile...I can't help worrying...I know you think I'm being a nag...and an interfering old woman...and I realise you're all grown up now...but that won't ever stop me from worrying about you... I only do it because I love you so much...you know that right."

"I know,"

"Anyway, any news to tell me before I go" continued my mum "Are there any people your own age up there...Have you made any friends yet?"

"Some," I said

"Anyone special that you might want to tell me about,"

"Mum, I've only been here a few days...but yes...if you must know than I have met someone special...a girl in the harbour; we met in one of the coffee shops...I've only seen her twice now...but we got on really well," I said. My mind going back to the dream, and then to incident in the pub, and later to the coffee shop, and for a brief moment I wondered if I should mention anything to my mum about what had happened, but immediately decided against it. After all there was no point in worrying her for no good reason, and besides I couldn't explain what was going on until I found out myself.

I paused for a moment to think, unsure of what to say next.

"Do you like her" prompted my mum.

"Ahh Mum" I said sounding years younger than my actual age of twenty years, "We're only friends, and nothing more, besides she's probably got a boyfriend or something," I said, my voce sounding ridiculously small.

"Well you don't know until you ask" continued my mum; acting as if she hadn't heard a word I'd said

"And does this mystery girl have a name" she asked

"Yeah...her name's Annabelle," I said rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand, a sleepy smile stretching across my lips.

"What a lovely name...I'm sure she's a delightful young girl" said my mum, in that familiar tone that usually hinted that she was planning something.

"Now...you'll have to tell me all about her when I come down...goodness look at the time..." she said "You get yourself off to bed right away young lady, you sound absolutely dreadful...oh, your dad says hi...see you soon sweetheart...love you...bye"

"Bye mum, love you"

Putting the phone down, I went back into the living room, and headed over to the fire, switching the ignition button to off, and making sure I remembered to turn off all the lights down there. I then made my way back upstairs, back down the small stretch of hallway, and into my bedroom at the very bottom.

Closing the door behind me, I walked over to the tiny bedside table, and switched on the lamp sitting in the middle of it. Pulling off my wet clothes, piece by piece, and dropping them into an untidy pile on the floor, the cold air hitting my naked skin, and making me shiver involuntarily.

Placing the towel that I was still holding on the end of the bed, I Walked over to my wardrobe; closing the curtains over, and easing the top drawer open. Rooting around inside I Pulled out a pair of light blue cotton pyjamas, and pulling on the pants and the jacket in one fluid motion, reaching over I grabbed my hairbrush, on the top of the dresser, next to my mirror; pulling the stool out in front of it, and sat down on. Brushing through my still damp hair; and placing the brush back where I had found it when I was done.

Pushing the stool back to its original place, I walked back over to the bed, conscious of the feel of the cold floor beneath my feet. Pulling myself up onto the thick sturdy mattress, I climbed inside the thick white duvet, pulling it tightly round my body, until it resembled a kind of cocoon, and was asleep before my head hit the pillow.