Welcome to Drew Lane

"See I told you it wasn't haunted" There was barely enough time to smile before an ear-piercing scream broke into the air and within a blink - Jack was gone.

Chapter 2

As a child when a problem occurs or you need to get something of your chest, then the first person you go to is - your mum. Just one of those people who will love you no matter how much wrong you commit, who will listen to you no matter how boring you are and most importantly who will care for you in your darkest hour. Ironic really; Marcie may as well have been invisible to her mother.

Unloading the dishes from the dishwasher, her mother drifted around the kitchen in a swift dance, as Marcie sat propped up on the worksurfaces bouncing a little ball against the wall on the opposite side of the room. Except for the continious thump of the ball and the murmur of traffic flooding through Drew Lane in the distance, the room was silent. It had been over two weeks since Jack had dissapeared down the alley; his family were still mourning for their loss, Marcie would pass their house on her walk to school every day and ever since the moment they were told - their curtains had never opened.

The disappearance of another child was still the talk of the town, wherever you went; whether it was down the road to get some milk, or to the cafe for breakfast Marcie would never avoid the constant whispering of rumours and the gossiping from the locals. A week back there had been a meeting in the town hall for all local citizens of Drew Lane, in Marcies eyes it was a way to warn everyone of what they already knew - something wasn't right. The mayor stood talking of the atrocities that have been placed upon Drew Lane ever since 1873 and of his undying sympathy for Jacks family and friends, Marcies name had been mentioned number of times - she would often wonder if it was a way of putting the blame on her.

About the only thing that caught her attention within the hour of sitting cramped into a little hall was the mentioning of the local police force and how the case had been reopened the previous day - a search for the kidnapper was in place. It gave the locals the little comfort and safety merely possible, and as for Jacks family it gave them the smallest glimmer of hope. However after a week or so since the town hall meeting it seemed that the case reopening and the 'search' was just a couple of police men (of the lowest ranks) strolling past the alley from 7am to 4am with a cigarette in a hand, whilst children journey to and fro school. Even they feared to walk down the alley.

But no matter how hard Marcie tried, she may as well have been talking to a brick wall rather than her mother, and with her nightmares growing worse and guilt eating away her heart - sitting alone in the kitchen, just the two of them, Marcie took her chance - she had nothing left to lose.

"I miss him" Marcie threw the ball a little harder this time bouncing back into her palm with force.

"You miss who?" Her mother didn't even hesitate, she carried on exactly how she was, almost as if what her daughter was telling her went through one ear and out the other - as for the question, she knew exactly who.

"Jack - I miss him" Marcie replied. By now the ball was motionless and her mother paused placing the plate in her hand gently into the cupboard, closing the doors and leaning on the worktops.

"You know not to talk of this, what happened is in the past - it cannot be helped, my deepest thoughts and sympathy are given to Jacks family but I have my daughter safe and that is how I intended to keep it" Her mums tone of voice crackled, behind the words were resentment, anger, and pain.

"That's exactly it mum! You have me... you've got me safe, then why aren't you listening to me?!" Marcie had jumped off the worktop and was stood arms out infront of her, a tear trickled down her cheek.