Saffron Sea and the Lost Tribe

Chapter One

Chapter One: Letters and Family

Dear Daddy, 

                           I hope you're well! I am doing fine, thank you. Theodore is still sick, and I'm not sure if there's any improvement. We don't see much of him or Mama. Other than my upcoming birthday, there's not much to report! 

                          Wishing you were here,

                                                                           Saffron

***

Dear Daddy, 

                           How are you? I miss you, as always! My birthday is coming up soon. It would be nice to see you again!

 I wonder if you knew that I used to keep a diary when I was younger. Of course, I only drew pictures depicting the day, with a couple of words here and there. I'd forgotten about it, but today I found it wedged between the cupboard and the wall in the room with the rug. I'm looking at a new entry every day, as if I was receiving letters from little four-year-old me.

 The entry I saw today was nice. It brought old, happy memories to the surface. I had drawn us. You, Mama and myself on the beach. It wasn't a very nice day, but we had ice creams all the same. I had scrawled "blueberry" above my head, in a speech bubble of yours. Is that what you used to call me?

 You were wearing your hat, of course. Mama looked very slim. I'd written "Tracey" on the paper, above both of your heads. Who is Tracey, Daddy?

 I love you, as always. Just as I wrote so many years ago on these flimsy bits of paper. "Forever" it said. 

                          Hurry home,

                                                      Saffron.

***

 Dear Daddy, 

                           I hope everything is well with you. Have you been anywhere interesting lately? I've always wondered what sort of things you get up to on your travels. Maybe you can take me with you for one trip as a birthday treat!

 You weren't in the entry I saw today. You haven't been in them as much as you were. Work must have been exhausting for you! Do you do a lot of stressful things now?

 I looked sad in the pictures. I think we were having money problems. I'd drawn some coins and a question mark next to them. I'd written "late bloomer" over my head, too. Of course, I didn't spell it correctly. There was a figure of another girl with blue things around her. I believe it was my attempt at drawing Elementalism! I suppose I've been a late bloomer in everything after all!

 Mama had a speech bubble that said "problems with daddy". What does that mean? More money troubles?

                          See you soon, I hope, 

                                                                      Saffron.

***

 Dad, 

          I don't really know what to think anymore. I'm going to stop writing to you for a while. Today's entry brought back a memory I was probably trying to hide away. It wasn't good. I'm confused, because I suppose I have always put you ona  pedastal. It's strange to see you so realistically. I wonder why Mama has never said anything.