I open my eyes to find myself in a quaint room decorated carefully with various dated-looking trinkets. Across from me sits a boy sitting with his legs crossed as he carefully examines the game of chess that lays on the floor between us. He breathes heavily over the board. brushing a strand of dirty blond hair away from his pale, freckled face.
"I don't know, Lucy. You should just take my turn for me," he says, looking up at me in defeat.
"No David, that's not how chess works."
He stares down at the board once more in concentration, letting out an annoyed huff. After much thought, he hesitantly reaches forward and moves a pawn one space further.
"See, was that so hard?" I tease him before quickly taking my turn.
In the other room, a door slam vibrates the thin walls. A deep voice can be heard quietly on the other side. It's clearly a man.
David pushes himself off of the floor and tip-toes over to the wall and cups his ear against it, listening in.
"What are you--?" I start to ask but David cuts me off with a shh! and waves for me to come over.
Cupping my ear against the wall I can make out the odd word until a woman's voice joins in. The volume of the conversation becomes increasingly easier to hear as they raise their voices.
"What do you mean there's no work?!" the woman's voice calls out in confusion
"They can't afford to keep us, Aggie! The money's gone,"
"Money can't just be gone, Charles. That's ridiculous!"
"Well it is,"
"There aren't any other jobs? Surely there must be something," the woman insists
The man raises his voice even more in frustration, "WELL THERE AREN'T ANY, AGNES. THEY HAD TO LET ME GO, CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?"
Their voices slowly silence into whispers once they realise their volume. David inches his way around the wall without a peep, making it easier to hear the conversation.
"What are we going to tell the kids?" The woman asks, seemingly choking back tears.
"It's only temporary, I'm sure, darling. It's only for a little while..."
"It's not only the children, Charles. What about the bills? The mortgage? How are we going to feed the family?"
The conversation becomes nearly impossible to hear from there. David retreats back to the carpet where he settles himself back down in front of the chess board. I follow reluctantly behind.
After a while, a few bangs can be heard in the kitchen from the metal pots clinging against each other.
The woman's voice can be heard calling out once more, "Wash up, dinner's ready!" in an off-putting, cheery tone.
STAI LEGGENDO
Herloom
Narrativa generaleThirteen-year-old Willow's life has been turned upside down with the recent arrest of her father. Upon going to live with her grandma, Willow finds the key to unlock the past.
