Fighter

Chapter Eight

I walked through the dark corridors, my eyes only just adjusting to the little light I had to show me the way. The closer I got to the library the darker it seemed to get but I wasn't sure whether that was my imagination, or just that the library was a cold, dank place at night that seemed to repel light naturally. I took a deep breath and and opened the door on the left. Almost as soon as I placed my foot into the library I felt cold. Cold and dead inside of me, like a massive chill was spreading into every crevice of my person. I shuddered as I felt the chill reach my head and walked towards the little group huddled round some candles and a book. I saw my mother,Callum and Mrs. Havisham but no Damon. I frowned and cleared my throat catching their attention. 

"So what's going on?" I asked sheepishly, I tried to catch a glimpse of my mothers face but she avoided my gaze and that paired with the flickering light from the candles, sight was limited. 

"Jessica, come, come closer! I have something to show you" Mrs Havisham cried her face showed just how elevated her mood was. I trotted over and perched on the edge of Callum's seat looking at the book they had in front of them, it was a photo album. My eyes widened slightly when I saw whose it was: it was my mothers. On the front on a piece of light blue paper ,attached to the cover by some elastic, were the words 'Vanessie Taylor' in elegant scripture. I smiled and out of the corner of my eye I saw my mother look at me and smile sadly. I reached out slowly, afraid to break the delicate pages and opened the book. On the first page was a picture of my mother as a young girl. She had long blonde hair, big blue eyes and was wearing a sea blue dress with some black shoes. There was another caption held in place by elastic that read, 'My 5th birthday. The day mother bought me this beautiful doll' that was when  I really choked up. Attached using sellotape at the bottom of the page was a snippet of the ribbon from the doll that was back in my room. I remembered when I was little I always used to complain that one side of the bow was shorter than the other but my mother would just tap her nose and wink. This was where she'd put it! 

"I had it all in a box that I kept with me. I found this empty book in the library and it looked perfect so I sat today making it." My mother interrupted my thoughts, "I thought Jess might appreciate it?" 

I turned the page again and the was a picture of my mother and aunt Dana, there arms round each other and cake round their mouths. I giggled slightly at the caption underneath, 'The day we ate so much chocolate and we ended up being sick for several days. Mother was so mad but you told her you made me do it as a dare. I've never loved you so much in my younger years!' I looked through all the book until I came to some of the last entries, the last 6 pages. On the first was a lock of hair kept together by a emerald green ribbon. I stroked it slightly as I read the caption, 'The day the most precious thing I've ever had grew her first locks of gold. I remember holding you in my arms and trying to keep you still as I cut a little off.' On the second page was a picture of me and George sitting cross legged facing each other, our foreheads touching and we were grinning ferociously at each other. And underneath and slightly to the left was a picture of me holding my finger up to the camera and on the end was a little cut. I chuckled sadly at the pictures. The caption said, 'The day you and Gorge fought so hard he gave you a cut and the only way you would forgive him was if he played a staring game with you" I ran my hand gently over the little plaster with flowers on at the bottom of the page. On the very last page was a family picture. We were standing in big green field and we were all dressed in summer clothes. My mother had George on her back and was holding hands with my father. I was on my fathers shoulders clinging on for dear life to his head. We were all smiling brightly and everyone looked so happy. A tear ran down my face as I read the very last caption in the book, 'The last time I ever saw everyone in our family smile'. I felt my mothers arms go around me and pull me in for a hug. At first I resisted but I got off the edge of the chair and curled up in my mothers lap as though I was 5 again. Mrs. Havisham and Callum got the idea and they went away to talk about something else. My mother rocked me back and forth singing in my ear.