I pulled the car into a parking space hard, jumping out I raced towards the school entrance and into reception.
"Where?! Where is she?!" I demanded as the receptionist rattled off a room, I took off running through the corridors.
I passed rooms full with children, some were playing, others writing and another set where singing. My eyes scanned desperately at each of the rooms, not spotting my girl, I moved on until I heard the screaming.
"Avari." I whispered before breaking into a run down the hallway and rushing into a room where there was two teachers, the class room was emptied of children and my little girl was clutching her head screaming in pain.
"We rang as soon as it started. The nurse can't understand it." Her teacher stressed pressing her hand against her mouth in upset.
I brought Avari to my chest and clung onto her tightly as she cried into me. "I got you baby. I got you." I hushed stroking her hair back.
I looked to her teacher, Mrs Lowe whose eyebrows were furrowed with upset. The look in her eye told me that there was more to this than my little girl erupting. I felt Avari's fingers digging around my neck until they took hold of my necklace. The black crystal disappeared into her fingers as she held it tightly. Through routine, I brushed around her neck and found her chain missing.
"Where is her necklace?" I asked instantly.
Mrs Lowe opened her hand to the broken chain. "I tried to fix it, but then she started screaming and crying. I thought maybe it was because she was upset..."
I held up my hand to stop her before pulling back Avari enough to see her face, her grey eyes were surrounded by redness from her tears.
"I need to speak with Mrs Lowe. You're gonna wear mine okay? See those crayons?" I spoke pointing to the table to where they were sat, she nodded her head. "I need you to draw for me. Okay?"
"Okay mommy."
I pressed a kiss on her forehead and slipped my necklace off and around her neck. "Good girl, I'll be right over there. I'm not leaving without you."
She shifted off my lap and went to the table picking up a piece of paper and a chunky crayon.
"I'll stay with her." The second teacher smiled, I didn't know her name but the friendly smile she gave Avari had me accept her request.
Walking to the corner of the room with Mrs Lowe, I looked to see the teacher with her own crayon and paper doodling beside Avari.
"What happened?" I asked.
"We were having carpet time, I had the children all on the carpet as I read a story, the Hunger caterpillar. Next thing I know, I can hear whispering which isn't uncommon, they are 5 year olds. But Avari was staring at the spot next to her with the chain in her hands. Then she began to get upset and shaking her head at whatever she was seeing. I knew something was wrong when she looked at me scared and before I could react she began screaming."
I chewed my lip looking over at her as she held one small hand around my chain and coloured with her other.
"The school nurse said it wasn't a temperature... Miss Summers what is going on?"
I shook my head "It is complicated."
"Is it an imaginary friend? Young children are perceptible to a lot of things. It's not uncommon.." She paused as Avari raced over holding me a picture.
"I did this I drewed him cause you get the baddies mommy." She held up the picture to me as I took it.
I tried to keep a smooth face as I looked at the drawing. "Avari how about you draw me a sunflower, can you remember what colour they are?" Mrs Lowe asked sensing my quietness.
She pulled a face in thought before grinning. "Yellow! I see a sunflower! Ms Holt! I see one there!"
The second teacher looked up instantly and smiled "Well done Avari, but can you draw one?"
Avari nodded her head racing back to the table where they grabbed another bit of paper. I passed over the paper to Mrs Lowe who looked at it.
"Oh dear." She whispered looking at the dark figure with red eyes, standing beside a tombstone, even adding R.I.P on it.
"Tell me it's imaginary when it's something as dark as that." I whispered.
"Has the family doc-"
"Over sensitive, very perceptible, wanted to put her on medication. Mrs Lowe she isn't sick.. I know she's not ill. My baby is different and it scares me." I replied.
As Avari looked up from her scribbling, I smiled at her. Her eyes were with me until they looked away from me, her small smile gently fell before she looked at me quickly and squeezed the crystal before turning back to her drawing. She had only been at school a couple of hours before I got the call.
"They must be able to suggest something else.." She whispered.
"Too young for counselling, she is still in the development stage, they just hope it's a phase, even asked me if I gave her enough attention.."
"What is her sleeping like?" Mrs Lowe asked.
I thought about my answer, because revealing to a teacher that you were driving around with a child asleep in the back of your car is enough to have child services knocking on the door in an hour flat.
"She has night terrors. She gets 8 hours if we are comfortable. But if she is having a bad night. She struggles to get 4 hours." I replied.
"You poor things. You must be exhausted." She frowned.
I smiled gently "No, not when I see her smile. Whilst she goes to school I get some sleep." I lied.
They didn't need to know that in the hours that Avari was in school, I was at home trailing the internet, blessing the house with sage and finding ways to build barriers up for us both against whatever was happening with my little girl.
I pushed my hair back and looked at Mrs Lowe, "The other children?"
"They are having playtime in other classes, it will most likely be forgotten about already. I shouldn't worry."
I nodded before moving back to Avari's side and sitting on a small chair.
"That. Is a beautiful flower." I beamed as she twisted her head with her tongue sticking out.
"It's a sunflower for Mrs Lowe. You like it mommy?" She asked.
"I love it baby." I whispered brushing her hair back and kissing the side of her head looking up to see Mrs Lowe smiling gently. It was only when she spoke with Avari that I noticed a gold cross on her necklace. I kept the small smile on my face as we left the classroom.
Avari was in my arms with her head on my shoulder playing with my hair as we walked through her school. "I'm hungry mommy."
"Are you? What would you like to eat?" I questioned signing her out and thanking the school for ringing me.
The receptionist smiled sympathetically understanding that it was nearly every week I was here doing the same routine, but each time the incident was different and the pictures were mounting up quicker than what I could deal with.
"Bye Avari." The receptionist smiled giving her a little wave.
"Bye Ms Jenny."
"Thanks again." I whispered pushing open the door and leaving the school.
"Mommy look!" Avari pointed.
I turned looking around "What is it sweetie?"
"A bunny with a funny head." She replied.
"Funny head? Did he have big ears?" I smiled.
"No, he had a cat's head but it can't be a cat mommy. He had a fluffy tail like a bunny."
I looked around again frowning. "Let's go get something to eat yeah? What would you like?" I asked putting her in the car and checking to make sure she still had my chain around her neck. It wasn't uncommon for her to see random animals, in fact she had seen a horse with a foxes face before now, so I don't put anything past her when she tells me what she is seeing. And after the last few years? I believe her everytime.
"Can you make me special soup with a star?" She asked as I kissed her forehead again. I smiled bopping her nose gently. Special soup was in fact carrot soup with a toasted bread stars on a side plate. It was hard to find things that Avari liked especially vegetables, but that was most children at her age, fussy eaters. However not every child saw monsters, dead people or strange animals. No child had to sleep in a car in a church yard because it was the only place she found peace. On holy ground.
"Special soup for a special girl. Watch your fingers whilst I close the door okay?"
She nodded as I shut the door after seeing her hands on my necklace. I climbed into the drivers seat and smiled seeing her small cuddly toy wolf sat on her lap. The wolf was called Peanut and where Avari went, Peanut went. It was an unknown law amongst them both, that had to be kept..