𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𑁍 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏 (Hetty Feather)

𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐖𝐎 𑁍 9

"HELP! PLEASE, HELP! LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!"

Rose Green had been in the tench before. And she was still herself. She hadn't changed. Matron hadn't broken her.

But this time was different.

Rose would normally consider herself above begging and screaming, but there she was, hands stinging from slamming them at the door, throat sore from how loud she was yelling.

But all of it was useless. No one was coming to save her.

She was losing in her fight against Matron.

And she had to get back on top.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

R

ose was slumped against the wall, head ringing, hands numb, and throat in agony. She was sobbing, crying hard, and she couldn't help it.

She had no idea what to do.

She was cold, she was angry, and she was so, so alone. She knew that she wouldn't survive this time.

But she needed to.

She curled herself up on the ground, crying. She didn't think it could get this bad, when she started writing these letters to Matron.

But that was the problem. She didn't think. She didn't think at all.

"Rose? ROSE!"

Rose almost jumped at the loud sound, but relaxed more as soon as she realised who it was.

Will.

"Will?"

On the outside of the door, Will's heart broke at the sound of her voice. It was ragged and broken, and by the sound of it, so was she.

"Rose, I- I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner but I'm here now, I'm right here," Will said comfortingly. "A- are you okay? Are you hurt? Are you-"

"I'm changing," Rose said, still curled up in a ball on the ground. "I can feel it changing me. Tell Matron she's won."

"Rose..." Will said sadly. "Rose, please. I- I need you out of there. And I need you out and alive and quick and brave and beautiful and feisty and you. I... I need you back as you, Rose."

His words gradually inspired her. Rose slowly dragged herself so that she was sitting up, her legs turning round and her head rested against the door.

"I don't have much time," Will said. "The boys snuck me out, because I had to see you, but Matron's putting on this fancy art fair, and we have to be there for it-"

"So why come at all?" Rose asked. Even though she was so, so glad he came, she had to know why he had risked punishment, just to see her.

"Are you kidding, Rose?" Will asked, and Rose tried to picture the smile she knew was on his face. "I barely slept last night, knowing you were locked up in here! I wanted to come then, but Walter talked me out of it."

Rose tried to chuckle, but her mind didn't let her.

Instead, she felt the strange stomach sensation, and her cheeks going red, and she wanted to know why she felt that way.

So she took a leap of faith.

"Will..." she started. "Why do you care so much about me?"

Will took a second before asking her a question. "What do you mean?"