Darkness Dominates - Chapter 2

Rosie’s first proper conversation with Leola was during breakfast. She said hello to her last night, after getting some sparse details about her from her mum. That was about it, though. Despite feeling bad for kids that never got adopted into a new family, Rosie was puzzled by her mother’s intervention in this girl’s life.

“What’s it like at Sudfield?”

“Don’t be nosy” her mum called out from the corridor. “You need to get yourself sorted for school!”

“What about Skye – is she coming with me?”

“No, she’s going with Doug. He’s got the day off work so he can take her on a tour of the city. Now, get dressed and make sure you brush your hair – I’ve got a lot on at work, plus this business with our ‘guest’!”

“See you in a few” she said to Leola, and headed out to the corridor. She saw her mum’s feet go up the stairs as she entered. Rosie spotted her purple and orange tie hung over the banister. She put it on and adjusted it, so it wasn’t too tight around her neck.

“Where’s the rest of my uniform?” she called up to her mum.

“Try looking in your bedroom” Pippa replied from upstairs.

Rosie hurried up there, almost hitting her right big toe against one of the steps’ edges. She put them on in quick succession, but she had to do it again. When she looked at herself in her bedroom mirror, she spotted that her jumper was on back to front. When it was on the right way round, she effortlessly put on the Alven High School coat. It was mostly grey, but there was a small green shield with a white dagger emblem in the middle. The purple and orange tie also brightened up the drab uniform, but Rosie wasn’t sure the two colours meshed well with one another.

“It looks like a chocolate bar wrapper” she’d originally said, after the new colour combo for her school tie was introduced.

She started brushing her flame red hair, whilst humming one of Adele’s recent chart successes. Once she put the brush back down on her bedside table, she left her room. When downstairs again, she took her black shoes and knee-length white socks from the corridor and headed back to the dining table. Whilst seated in the chair she’d briefly vacated, she put them on.

“Haven’t you had your brekkie yet?” enquired Rosie, seeing that the table mat in front of Leola was empty.

“Your dad’s taking me to a cafe before the tour.”

A double helping of the rabbit ears gesture accompanied her use of that word.

“I’ll bet he shows you the McAllister monument”

“What’s the McAllister monument?”

“Can’t really describe it – you have to see it to believe it! Shit, I forgot my satchel! I’ll just get it from my bedroom!”

“Watch your language” said Pippa sharply as she and her daughter passed by one another in the back room doorway.

“Whatever, mum” replied Rosie as she ventured back upstairs.

The door to her sister’s room was slightly ajar. Rosie suddenly felt curious enough to see the state Leola had left the bedroom in. She pushed the door all the way open. Turning to look at Charlotte’s bed, she was astonished to see it in an immaculate state. There was hardly a single crease visible.

“Mum” called Rosie, “did you make Skye’s bed?”

“Hurry up and get your satchel” demanded Pippa as she reached the top of the stairs.

“I was just about to – listen, did you make the bed for...”

Rosie didn’t get to repeat her question fully. Pippa interrupted her by saying “Charlotte’s dropping by tonight, so whatever plans you might have had with Katy, I want you to forget about them until tomorrow afternoon. Now, let’s go!”

Doug was putting out the empty milk bottles when Pippa and Rosie fastened their seatbelts. He waved to them as his wife’s car pulled away from the kerb. Leola was standing in the downstairs corridor as Doug re-entered. He quickly glanced at what she was wearing.

“I see you’ve still got the clothes on you were dressed in last night”

“I don’t have any other clothes to wear”

“You could’ve borrowed something from Charlotte’s wardrobe.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“As long as it’s not to do with modern telly programmes”

“It’s not that – I’m not a great one for watching TV shows. Books and graphic novels are more my sort of thing, Mr. Trennell.”

“I don’t blame you, Skye – there are over forty channels and very little I like to watch. Sorry, what did you want to ask me?”

“Why did your wife ask me if I’d been sexually abused?”

“I’m sorry if that question made you feel uncomfortable”

“It didn’t – I’m just wondering why she thought I had been”

“Before she was a county councillor, Pippa was a trainee social worker. There was a case that led to a situation which ended with her switching careers. It was the right choice. She got a masters’ degree in politics whilst at Herdenham University – the same place Charlotte’s studying at.”

Leola fought off any further curiosity into what Doug had said. She noticed he wasn’t comfortable going into further details about it with someone he hardly knew.

“So, what do you think about my youngest?”

“I might be imagining it, but I think she finds me unusual.”

“I’m sure she’ll soon see that you’re just like the rest of us.”

With considerable ease, she identified his ability to be accommodating, even with complete strangers. Leola felt convinced that this had to be one of the reasons Pippa had married him. It almost made her feel guilty about reinforcing this family’s belief she went from one care home to another. Right now, she’d had no choice but to play along. Leola recognised she’d accidentally helped create this situation. When faced with these circumstances in the past, she used hypnotism to get out of them. However, she’d been in a public place, where anyone could’ve walked in. She couldn’t use that ability in front of witnesses.

“You’ll like Matt’s Cafe – he was top of the class in our cookery lessons at school. He did get some stick for it from a few of the other lads, though!”

“You mean he was bullied!”

“Teased more than bullied” stated Doug. He was keen to highlight the difference between bullying then and bullying now. Whatever had been done to Doug’s friend, happened years before social media had been invented.

“In a way, he’s had the last laugh over those who made life hard for him – getting his business up-and-running and making it a success. He’s very good at doing a Full English”

What Doug had said provided a good way for her to change the subject. Leola was quick to seize this opportunity.

“Does he serve black pudding with it?”

“I’m not sure – he might if I ask him to. I must say, I’m surprised to hear someone ask for that. People don’t really eat that kind of food much anymore, not with obesity scares making the headlines.”

“I had it in Canroth a year or two ago.”

“Did they cook it right?”

“It tasted okay”

“Well, if he does include black pudding in his full English, I’m sure it’ll taste twice as good.

Expecting to walk into a greasy spoon cafe, Leola was surprised by what she saw. Its exterior was more like one that belonged to an upmarket restaurant. The interior astonished Leola just as much. It reminded her of when she was in one that mainly served sushi. Leola couldn’t share that memory. Her experience of sampling raw fish occurred back in 1999. It would’ve contradicted how old the Trennell family thought she was.

“The window seats are the best place to sit – more daylight” Doug said to her.

She took his advice and sat down at the one besides the largest window. Matt, who’d seen his old school friend enter, came over to take his order personally.

“Is this one of your daughter’s new friends?” he asked, catching sight of Leola.

Like he’d done with Diane, Doug had kept in touch with Matt, on-and-off, over the years.  Matt knew Pippa had given birth to two girls. Doug kept his mate from school updated about their lives. He included details about their friends and the young men they might fancy. His question stemmed from what Doug had told him regarding these details.

“Not exactly, Matt” said Mr. Trennell.

“I ran away from Sudfield Hall” said Leola, before Doug could.

“What’s her name?”

“Skye Linton” Doug replied.

“Why would she run away from there?”

“A bust-up with the halfway house’s current manager, Diane”

“You mean Diane...”

“Yep, Matt – that Diane”

“I didn’t realise she ran that place – if I’d known, I would’ve paid her a visit”

“Listen, Matt, I wanted to ask you something about your menu”

“Ask away”

“Do you serve black pudding with your full English?”

“Black pudding”

“Yeah, Skye likes to have it with cooked breakfasts”

“I’m sorry, but I’ve never served a Full English with black pudding – demand for it fell during the early Nineties. We don’t even serve sausages with them anymore, unless they’re Cumberland or veggie.”

“Its’ alright, Matt” Leola said, having overheard this conversation. It was advantageous that they were standing close to her. Leola’s super-hearing only kicked in when darkness fell.

“I’ll have the cooked breakfast as it is” she continued.

“I’ll leave in the bacon, Skye” the cafe’s proprietor playfully replied.

Waiting for Rosie in the schoolyard, after her mum had dropped her off, was Katy Lonsdale. She immediately pointed to another pupil – Alicia Stoneham. Alicia was rowing with her boyfriend of three years, Colin Peterson. Both Rosie and Katy gawped as they witnessed the argument. Miss Stoneham was Rosie’s BFF number two. She and Katy were mystified as to why Alicia hadn’t mentioned her romantic hassles.

“Oh, your phone didn’t have any charge!” yelled Miss Stoneham. “That is so a lie, Craig!”

“I swear, babes – that’s the way it was!”

“Less of the babes – I’m well not that right now!”

“You got PPI or something?”

Alicia whacked his right hand cheek as hard as she could. Her open palm tingled slightly, right after, and she had to rub it to get the circulation going again.

“No, I fucking well haven’t – and it’s PMT, not PPI, you moron!”

Since there were no teachers around to hear her swear, Alicia had escaped the likelihood of getting detention.

“You’re well mental, Ali!” shouted Craig.

“And you’re totally dumped!” Alicia screamed back at him.

“Whatever, nutter!” he said, and swaggered off towards one of his mates.

“I told you he’s a tosser” said Rosie as she and Katy joined Alicia.

“You did – I’m so listening to your advice about boyfriends from now on! And if he thinks he’s getting another chance, he’s well mistaken!”

“Hope you’re gonna stick to that rule, Ali.”

“I so am, Katy, trust me!”

“Rosie’s mum and dad have got a lodger”

“Katy! I wanted to tell Ali that myself!”

“Shut up!” said Alicia. “Is he like well buff, Rosie?”

“The lodger’s a girl” said Rosie, bursting Alicia’s balloon.

“What’s her name?”

“Skye Linton, Ali. Mum says she did a runner from Sudfield Hall”

“So never heard of the place, Rosie” said Alicia.

“I hadn’t, until last night. It’s a halfway house in Canroth.”

Alicia was about to ask Rosie why this girl had legged it from there. The approach of Roger Linfield, the head of the history department, got in the way of that.

“Miss Lonsdale, have you finished the homework I set you?”

“I’ll have it done tonight, sir.”

“Make sure it is! If it’s not handed in by Thursday, it’ll seriously affect your school grades – which are starting to slip down from last year.”

Having delivered his mild ticking off to Katy, Mr. Linfield hurried into the building.

“Have you nearly finished it, Katy?”

“Only got as far as the first paragraph, Rosie – I’m so in need of your help! Can I come over tonight?”

“Come after 7pm”

“Why”

“My big sister’s dropping by and...Crap!”

“What’s up?” asked Katy and Alicia simultaneously.

“Charlotte doesn’t know about Skye having her room!”

“Chill, Rosie” said Alicia. “Your mum’s probably like texted her already”

“My mum won’t have time for that! It’s so down to me to tell her, I reckon!”

Rosie pressed a button to bring up her I-Phone display. Her eyes widened suddenly as she saw the time.

“We so need to get inside – assembly’s starting in like two minutes” she said to her two friends.

Linking arms, the three of them headed into the school’s foyer. As the BFFs walked through it, Katy stopped and rushed over to the notice board.

“Check this out, you two!” she said.

Rosie and Alicia walked over to where she was stood.

“What is it?”

“Mrs Davidson’s so caved in....the end of year school disco’s being held at The Glass House!”

“Well wicked!” said Alicia excitably.

“What changed her mind?”

“Who cares, Rosie?” replied Katy.

“I do – this has to be down to Myra going to ‘Trinity’ again! Mrs. Davidson must’ve only agreed it to this because The Glass House is liked by the teachers. Finally, Myra being a cow has paid off for us!”

“That girl needs a planet-sized chill pill” said Alicia. “She’s been 100% off the rails since her dad ran off with that flight attendant!”

“I thought he ran off with a receptionist” said Katy.

From behind them, they heard Paula Davidson say “Not that it’s any of your concern, but I was ditched for a solicitor.” As she walked to the school’s lift, she added “Gossiping is what people do when they have too much time on their hands and don’t use it to think.”

Rosie and her pals were silent for about a minute. They then burst out laughing.

“Whatever” said Alicia “Tell me more about this girl, Skye”

“I think she likes sleeping on the floor”

“That’s proper weird” said Alicia.

“Why do you think that?” asked Katy.

“Her bed was super neat – thought my mum had made it. I tried to ask her about if she had, but she told me to get a move on – I so didn’t get a chance to ask her a second time. Mum spent the car journey reminding me how important my final round of exams will be – like I’m not already aware!”

The reason Pippa had been hurrying her daughter along was because she wanted to arrive earlier than she usually did. Ironically, she ended up arriving at the county council HQ a couple of minutes late. The traffic lights kept changing to red every time her car approached them.

She didn’t make time to say good morning to the staff on the ground floor. Getting to her office promptly was her momentary priority. She almost dropped the keys to the office door twice. When she got it open, Pippa raced over to her desk and sat down in the chair behind it. Councillor Trennell mouthed a countdown from six to zero. Straight after she had, there was a knock on her door.

“Come in”

Entering was Councillor Tim Leonard. In his right hand was a brown folder.

“What is it, Tim?”

“Trouble with the Hicks family – yet again”

“Let me guess – paint on their neighbours’ car or dog shit through the letter box”

“Neither”

“What’ve they done, then?”

“Trashed the back garden belonging to the Stapleton family – it’s as bad as what was done to the Blue Peter one back in 1982!”

“Charming”

“Exactly – the pond looks like it’s been poisoned by fallout from an atomic blast!”

“Criminal damage makes it a police matter – I’ll have to talk to Jennifer about it as soon as I get back from Canroth”

“Why are you going there?”

“Something out of the ordinary happened last night, Tim”

“How out of the ordinary, Pippa”

“I came across a girl named Skye Linton – she’d done a runner from Sudfield Hall”

“What reason did she give you for doing that?”

“That she’d had a barney with the manageress, Diane.”

“She’s the first one to do a runner”

“What do you mean she’s the first?”

“Since it opened in 1987, no-one’s ever gone AWOL from there.”

“That does it – I’m definitely going there now!”

“Don’t you think it’d be better to phone her up instead of visiting?”

“No, I don’t think it’ll be best doing that, Tim!” said Pippa argumentatively. “It’s too easy to leave out details when on the phone – Jennifer taught me that!”