Edited by @XxJemanixX
Chapter One
“Dear lord Em! I am going to catch my death!”
“Oh don’t be so dramatic Lin. I gave you a fair warning I clearly said that if you-”
Lin through her hand up, whilst shivering violently. The patched up blanket lay at the foot of the bed.
“I know, I know. If I didn’t get out of bed right this minute you were going to take the blanket away and then I would have to suffer the brisk and might I add very cold morning air. Damn it to hell Em, can’t you just give me five more minutes? Is it really necessary to wake up at the crack of dawn?!”
Emma ignored Lin’s grumbling and folded up the blanket and put it away in the cupboard just to ensure she wouldn’t sneak back into bed.
She then turned away to go pick the vegetables in the nearly frozen vegetable patch. The meagre vegetables that had survived would have to do for lunch.
'
Lin remained unaware of the state of the household. Emma’s constant fear remained that they wouldn’t make the winter and it wasn’t looking too good for them. Thomas remained persistently drunk at the age of six and twenty. He would come in, in the early hours of the morning and sleep the day away before marching right back to the tavern.
Emma’s lips curled up in disgust. Since father’s death and mother’s illness he had become careless and brought in pay once a month, no more. They weren’t to survive. On top of all that the payments for the cottage still needed to be made to the landlord and he was becoming impatient.
Wrapping her shawl about her shoulders Emma stepped out into the cold and a shiver racked her body violently as the winter air pierced her skin through her flimsy clothing.
Picking at the frozen solid ground Emma sighed and kept at it even as she came to the conclusion it was useless. Their lunch would most likely consist of stale bread and some water, if it wasn’t too cold.
Finally allowing herself to give up with somewhat bleeding fingernails she withdrew into the cottage and silently thanked her sister for lighting the small fire in the living room. The kitchen opened into the sitting area, which wasn’t much. They’re two other rooms rested on the floor above and the lavatory sat outside. Of course, the room with the fireplace and better furnishings was reserved for their mother who for the last 4 months remained bed ridden and the other room held three beds that had altogether become too small for their growing occupants.
Having swept up the house and made sure everything was accordingly neat and tidy Emma retired to her mother’s room. Lin had most likely gone to the village to create trouble with her friends. There was no changing her.
Pulling a stool up to the bedside Emma sat down just as her mother stirred as if sensing her presence.
“Em…Emma child. What is it? Is there….is there something…something amiss?”
Having run out of breath Rose Cardon dropped her head back against the pillow in frustration. Her pale cheeks pulled taut across her cheekbones as she had lost a little too much weight. The effort it took to ask her elder daughter if all was well proving too much for her frail and exhausted body.
Emma winced at her mother’s laboured breathing and sought to quickly reassure her,
“Oh no mother! All is good and well, you mustn’t worry. Thomas and I are keeping everything in shape and you just focus on getting yourself better.” She scolded lightly.
“Oh Em dear….you and I both...-we both know…that I won’t be surviving…this…this dreadful ailment, I hope that landlord…isn’t giving you trouble…darling, remember …-always remember I love you and your brother and sister.”
And with those last words Rose lost consciousness, the exertion of uttering so many words at once taking away her last ounce of strength. Emma swiped at the sweat on her mother’s forehead with her dirty old apron, lovingly. Tears swam in her eyes, but before they could spill she whipped round at the small whimper that came from the half open doorway.
Emma cursed as she saw a flash of copper coloured hair and ran after her sister. She always made sure to talk to their mother when Lin was away so she wouldn’t be upset by mother’s words.
She ran into the kitchen to see the back door flying open as the rain hit hard against the thatched roof. A storm was brewing. It wasn’t safe for Kaitlin to be running out in the rain like this.
Rushing into the growing storm barefoot Emma screamed out for Lin.
“Lin! Lin! …Kaitlin you hear me good and proper, I’m going to whip you’re sorry hide when I find you. You get back here right this minute!”
Her screaming was to no avail; the howling wind snatched the words away from her mouth and tossed them far and wide. Her dress whipped round her ankles and her shawl was swiftly tugged away from her shoulders, flying into the wind.
Emma was unaware as she ran desperately, blindly. Into the woods she went, where the wind seemed somewhat muffled by the many ominous trees and a scream of frustration left her lips as she looked down at her blue fingers and realised that she wouldn’t be able to find Lin no matter how hard she tried. Not only that, but her sweet little Lin wouldn’t survive the night in this weather.
The very thought shook her spine harder than the biting cold and strengthening her resolve Emma threw her shoulders back and ran despairingly into the wind. She wound her way through the looming trees.
The cold seeped into her bones, but she kept going. The branches tore new holes in her dress, yet she ran. The wind howled its warning into her ears, but her feet wouldn’t allow her to give up. Her pace slowed and she grabbed at the trees propelling her body forward just a few more steps.
There was no sign of life, just trees everywhere. No Lin. Sobs racked her body and she screamed wildly into the wind, stepping out into a well ridden trail for passing carriages, Emma just had enough time to notice the light coming closer at an alarming speed, her ears pricked at the thunderous beat that didn’t belong to the storm, but oddly enough sounded like horses hooves.
Her legs gave way before she could ponder much more and she fell in an unconscious heap on the floor. Her world became dark and she lost sight of why she was out in this storm.
***
A BIG MAHOOSIVE (=MASSIVE) THANK YOU TO MY VOTERS FOR READING MY BOOK AND ENJOYING IT!!! LOVE YOU...SO MUCH...;)
~SofiyaA
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