Forget Me Not by Georgie Armstrong (pocket ebook reader .txt) š
- Author: Georgie Armstrong
Book online Ā«Forget Me Not by Georgie Armstrong (pocket ebook reader .txt) šĀ». Author Georgie Armstrong
Evie covered her head with her duvet once more, as she heard the muffled footsteps of her Motherās leaving her room. Free at last, she grinned. She seldom cared about her Motherās demands, and this was no exception, so she cosily drifted back to sleep.
* * *
It was late afternoon, and the crickets buzzed softly in the shrubbery, and the sun high in the sky gathered and sprayed beams of melting sunshine down onto the bay. It was quite a pretty sight; the light refracting off of the waterās edge; and the children of Star Bay counting to ten down on the island, and engaging to seek their playmates. What a pity our heroine was fast asleep.
By the time the clock struck three, Evieās mind was just beginning to come to. She stretched her slim body and glimpsed at her watch. The feeling of horror that followed was quite incapable for words. She ripped her duvet off her legs and searched madly for something to wear. Pulling on a pair of old shorts that were fraying at the ends, and a t-shirt, she recklessly snatched the cards off of her desk and made her way down the stairs and out the door. Perhaps it was too much of a shock to check her hair in the mirror, which was quite rightly labelled as ābed hairā.
She planned on visiting the fifty two houses without allowing to meet anyone new. All she wanted was to drop the card into the letter box and hurry onto the next house. However it seemed that the people of Star Bay were unnecessarily gracious in the fact that they had received a card from the new neighbours. It is fair to say that Evie had gained a few more friends in the time that it took to deliver the cards; her introvert social skills put to the challenge.
Upon the second to last delivery, Evie was discontented with the greeting of an open door. As quietly as she could be, she stepped up to the door and bent down to place the card on the welcome mat.
āWould you like me to take that?ā There was a tall girl of about Evieās age passing the hall.
āSure. Thank you.ā Evie turned her head away. Her body language clearly represented that of a girl whose shyness overruled her mind.
āWhat is it?ā The girl briskly asked, turning the envelope upon itās back and slicing her fingertips underneath the blue paper.
āItās a card from my Mother. Iām not really sure what itās about, she just thought it polite to inform the neighbours of our arrival.ā
āHow very classy that is.ā The girlās accent was strong and curled itself around every vowel and word she spoke. Evie must have sounded so posh with her English la-de-dah accent, with all the letters pronounced perfectly. The feeling that then followed was the most intolerable feeling in the world to Evie. They stood in the most uncomfortable silence possibly imaginable as the girlās eyes skimmed her Motherās words.
āTell your Mother thank you. Itās a lovely card. Iām glad weāve such nice neighbours.ā
Evie nodded uneasily.
āIām Jessica by the way.ā She smiled prettily and leant against the door frame. āI guess you and I are about the same age.ā
āIām fifteen.ā Evie spoke bluntly for conversational small talk wasnāt her best ability.
āMe too. And will you be joining Lake Hill High in September? Iāll make sure Iām there to show you around.ā
āI think so.ā
With most of the embarrassment over for now, Evie turned away, leaving the girl with a lingering smile.
She returned home with the satisfaction of having completed her task within one and a half hours of setting off. Which her cheeks flushed pink, she opened the door only to be met with the angry face of her Mother. āWhere have you been?ā
Evie reasoned with herself - should she lie?
āI was walking. It was such a lovely afternoon that I didnāt want to spend it inside.ā
Her Motherās eyebrows raised in speculation. āIām not at all fond of liars as you well know.ā
Evie swallowed past a lump in her throat. Had her Mother guessed that she had risen late and spent the past time rushing through all the houses?
āRemember we have a party tonight. Donāt be late getting ready.ā
ā¦ Or perhaps she would tell the truth like this -
āI accidentally fell back to sleep, but managed to deliver all of the cards just now.ā
āEvie, I knew this would happen. Time and time again, I trust you with such minute tasks, and without a doubt, each time, you will forget like the silly little creature you are.ā
Evie swallowed past the soreness of her throat, willing her to fight back. Hadnāt she just delivered all the cards without fail, regardless of when she began?
āRemember we have a party tonight. Donāt be late getting ready.ā
Within seconds of her Motherās interrogative, she managed to decide to risk it; and tell a lie. After all, it was more of a white lie. It really was a lovely day outside.
Chapter Two
Funny how the strangest situations can turn out to be the best. Looking back, I realise that this was one of those moments. For who would have thought, that at a neighbours welcome party, there would be a place to sit and read in the quiet. To sit and feel the satisfaction of a good book and well earned peace and quiet. Who would have thought that this could have been one of the best and worst moments of her life?
āEvie? Evie, dear, where are you sneaking off to in such a hurry?ā
One person who had an immediate establishment in Evieās heart was Florence Knight. It was hard to define exactly in the right terms just how good it was for Evie to finally seek a friend in America. Florenceās abrupt opinions and merriment was enough to persuade Evie that she would make a valuable friend there in Star Bay. Evieās input into the conversation was not needed most of the time (besides the occasional āMmmā and nod of appreciation compulsory within any discussion), as Florence failed to stop for any breath.
āIām just going to the toilet.ā
āBe quick, Iām about to hand out my homemade carrot cake.ā
Evie nodded and followed the carefully drawn (in pink felt tip and glitter) signs towards the toilet. Really, she was being devious, which was quite out of character for Evie. She was on a quest; a challenge she had set herself while meeting the new neighbours, her mind quite filled with boredom. She had, nestled carefully in her bag, her copy of Jane Eyre, and simply had to read the next chapter before the party ended.
The cream carpet parted into two doorways. Her hands clenched, itching for relief of turning the sugar thin pages of her book, her spirit burning with desire to dissolve in the words of Charlotte Bronte, she pushed the door open.
A candle, a flame, so tiny resided on the desk, lighting the empty room. However, empty as described, the room was nothing but. A face was illumined by the soft light, and with further glaring, Evie made out a hunched body in the corner of the room. Held in the lap of the figure, a book. How irrationally unfair Evie found this. This being that she was not alone in a rebellious plan of skipping the party to read. The flame flopped and straightened, a tear drop of wax sliding down its side. And as swiftly as this happened, the eyes of the reader were distracted, and attracted to the intruder.
āSorry,ā She stood; face down as if in dismay. And on her turning to exit the cold room, was not quick enough to glimpse the features of this reader, and soon she was closing the door and clicking it shut behind her.
The other side of the hall was a small airing cupboard, creaking and groaning in the heat. Her common sense quite scattered, Evie opened the cupboard door and slid inside. It was warm and surprisingly roomy nestled amongst the towels and bed sheets. She closed the doors, allowing a crack of light to illuminate a torch like stripe into the cupboard where she was presently sat. She took her book from her bag and tore it open to Chapter Six.
* * *
It was no surprise that both her Mother and Florence were mad at her the next morning. She hadnāt planned on falling asleep. It was just so warm in the airing cupboard, and Evie hadnāt even noticed when her eye lids slid shut. With a desperate attempt to avoid her Mother that afternoon, she set out for a spot of adventure.
* * *
...
Under the harsh light of the sun, the sand sinks under the rocks, and emerges the other side, creating the earth of a completely undisturbed bay. No, nothing to pollute the beauty of that place, not even the animals went there anymore. It had all been left to live in peace now.
About halfway down the sand, a pontoon of rotting wood sat stranded on the shore, and stretched out onto the water a little way. At its base, forget me nots grew heavily rooted in the undergrowth, forceful against the fingertips of the blazing sun. And they grew in casual patches around the bay; climbing up the chalk, strangling the plants that grew there.
Quietly, the waves rolled effortlessly along the white sand, frothing at the edges. Raw reflections of the jealous sky spat down, and gently coloured the clear water. Absent of impurity. Writhing with perfection. And silence ruled the air.
But soft, broke the noise of motion. A fuss from within the bushes, and out stepped an odd looking girl. She was thin, with pallid skin and striking green eyes. Her hair was a bundle of dark tumbleweed, with twigs and leaves stuck in the knots. Her features were small, her lips parted, and her face animated. She stepped, barely able to create a footprint in the sand, over to the pontoon where she ran her fingertips over the crumbling wood. The fragile stability of one pontoonās leg gave way and collapsed into the water, splashing the girl slightly. She staggered back, quivering with unexpected fright, whispering only one word, āEvie,ā She watched the pontoon's leg gently bobbing in the water for a moment, āYou silly girl. You silly, silly girl.ā The corner of the pontoon with the missing leg gently sunk, and bowed into the sand. āLook what youāve done you silly girl,ā She stretched a bony hand out into the water, careful not to emerge her toes, and grasped the flaked wood. āYouāve broken it.ā She glared around her, sourcing the power to turn back the time. And as quickly as she had arrived, she scattered back into the bushes and disappeared. Silence was restored to the secret bay.
Forty two minutes later, the girl returned. In her spindly hands, she carried six large iron nails, a hammer and a large rectangular piece of wood. And with these, she fixed the pontoon until it stood stable once more. She smiled warmly at her work, and leaving the place with a satisfied smirk, she disappeared for the last time that day.
And that was that - the peace of a place untouched with the pollution of human hands, was broken by a girl. But it didnāt
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