9. Hamilton

Hamilton

65 Antonia Gardens

Silent Falls

Sat in the back seat of the car, five year old Mollie showed no enthusiasm for the journey she was making. Any other child would have been overjoyed to be leaving, and going to a real home, with a real family. She wasn’t just Mollie now, she was Mollie Hamilton, newly adopted daughter of Alice and Joe. But as the car drove away from the home where she’d spent four years of her life, she didn’t feel happy. Because she knew she was going to Silent Falls, the place she’d seen in her dreams, where bad things happened.

            The child sat beside her didn’t speak, only frowned at her. She was the same age as Mollie. Her dark hair and clothes were soaked, her pink dress all dirty and ragged at the bottom, her bare feet all wrinkly from water. Her face was scratched, as were her arms and legs.

            A lot of parents visited the children’s home, to look after their children. But the children couldn’t see them, as they watched them doing homework, or eating dinner, even complaining when their children didn’t eat their vegetables. In a way, she felt sorry for the other children because she could tell they really missed their parents, and they didn’t realise they were right there beside them most of the time.

            She didn’t mind spirits, they’d always been there. She was different. Her real mother had been too. It was her mother that told her she’d be leaving today, it was supposed to be a surprise. She’d been dreaming about Silent Falls for a few weeks now. It had lots of spirits; unhappy ones, angry ones. They were powerful spirits too, because they stopped the good ones getting in. Meaning her parents couldn’t come.

As she’d looked back at the home, she saw them in the bedroom window, sadly waving goodbye to her, then heard her mother’s soft voice in her head, “Be brave sweetheart,” she told her. “And be strong. You can do this.”

            Rosie had smiled smugly, shook her head, then whispered to her, “No you can’t.”

            Molly didn’t think she could. It was a scary place, she’d felt that in her dreams. She’d woken up shaking and struggling to breathe. Now she was going for real, and she didn’t think she’d be coming back.

            The journey lasted an hour or so, and Rosie stayed beside her all the time, making sure she felt uneasy. Alice and Joe, completely unaware of Rosie, chatted happily in the front seat. Mollie closed her eyes, hoping it would make her feel safer if she couldn’t see Rosie, but she could feel her watching. Her dark eyes like daggers staring straight at her.

            She knew when they entered Silent Falls, because air felt like ice on her skin; breathing was suddenly a difficult task. A million voices spoke in her head at once, giving her a headache.

            “Look Mollie,” she heard Joe say faintly within the voices. “There’s the park.”

            She opened her eyes and looked out the window at the large swing park, which stood completely deserted apart from a crowd of teenagers, hanging around the bench, covered in stab wounds. They noticed the car, and waved. Rosie waved back.

            The voices in her head varied with each area. As they passed some houses, she’d only hear one or two, and perhaps see someone looking out of the window, whereas at other houses she’d hear what seemed like a million voices, and the gardens would be full of people, dead and alive.

            Eventually they stopped outside Alice and Joe’s. She knew without them telling her because she could sense Rosie all over it before they even got out of the car. Rosie’s swing set, Rosie’s slide. Without seeing, she even knew the shed was full of Rosie’s toys: balls, a bike, roller skates.

            They got out and began walking up the concrete path to the front door. She looked back at the car. Rosie wasn’t there now, but she was around somewhere. As she entered the house, the voices from outside faded a little, but she could sense Rosie so much more, almost suffocating her.

            “Hey kiddo, you tired?” Joe asked looking down at her pale face.

            She nodded silently, and he swooped her up into his arms.

            “Oh honey,” Alice said, running her hands through her dark ponytail. “We’ll show you around, then I’ll make us something to eat.” She kissed her gently on the cheek. Although she couldn’t see Rosie, Mollie felt her jealousy and fury rush through her body. 

            They entered the living room and the first thing she saw was a picture of Rosie, hanging above the mantelpiece, wearing her pink dress, with pink ribbons in her hair. There was no sadness, or anger in her face. She was wearing a broad smile. She was happy, when she was alive.

            Alice saw her looking at it. “That’s our daughter Rosie. She’s an angel in heaven now.”

            No she isn’t, Mollie thought. She is not in heaven, she is right here.

            There were other pictures of Rosie on the walls; school pictures, baby pictures, and one of Mollie. It was her school picture, sent by social workers.

            She was carried into the kitchen, where there were more pictures of Rosie. Again, they showed a happy Rosie.

            “Come see your room,” Alice said, as Joe put her down and led her up the stairs. Instantly, she knew they were going to the room at the end of the hall, and that it was Rosie’s room.

            Breathing became much more difficult as they got closer, as though a pillow was being held over her face. Joe opened the door to reveal what most little girls would call a dream bedroom, full of dolls and other toys, with flowers, animals and rainbows painted on the walls, a huge dolls’ house, and a canopy bed. Mollie had always longed for a canopy bed, it was like a princess’s bed, and swore that when she was adopted she would have one. But she didn’t want to sleep in this one, or in this room. Rosie sat on the bed, watching her.

            “This is my room,” she said to Mollie. And Mollie knew it was. Every breath took more effort than the last, and they began to feel painful. Suddenly, every voice in Silent Falls was in her head and it began to throb. She felt faint, her vision became fuzzy. Before passing out, she saw Rosie laughing.

            “Mollie! Mollie!”

            “Can you hear me?”

            “How many fingers am I holding up?”

            At first her vision was blurred, all she could see were colours in front of her face, then slowly it came into focus. She was still in Rosie’s room, on the floor. Rosie was standing above her smiling as she came to, while Alice and Joe kneeled beside her.

            “How many fingers?” he repeated, holding up three.

            She tried to answer, but felt incredibly weak.

            “Do we need a hospital?” Alice asked, sounding worried.

            The hospital, that sounded a little better. Rosie didn’t live there. She would follow her, but the feeling wouldn’t be as strong.

            “I think she’s just fainted. She’s coming to. Mollie, can you hear me?”

            Weakly, she nodded.

            “How many fingers am I holding up?”

            “Three,” she struggled to reply.

            “There’s a good girl. Do you feel okay?”

            She shook her head. Rosie smirked.

            Alice placed a cool hand on her forehead, “She’s a little warm. Do you want to have a rest in your new bed?”

            She shook her head again. She felt she would die if she slept there.

            “Sure?”

            “Phone the doctor and make an appointment for this afternoon,” Joe instructed Alice. “Just to make sure she’s okay. There’s always bugs going around children’s homes.”

            Alice got up and left the room. Rosie looked after her. Mollie sensed Rosie’s sadness that her mother walked past her and didn’t know, and was now trying to replace her with an orphan, giving away all of her toys, her room, her bed.

            “Do you want to lie on the couch and watch some cartoons?” Joe asked.

She nodded. Anywhere but this room. Gently, Joe lifted her from the floor.

            The doctors’ waiting room was just as bad. The voices seemed so loud. Just about every person had a spirit standing behind them, like black clouds.

            “Look,” Alice said to Joe. “There’s Kayla and Megan.”

            They waved over to two girls. The younger one seemed familiar to Mollie, she’d been in the dreams. She could vaguely make out three spirits standing next to the girl, then they suddenly became clear, and the girl was no longer wearing her school uniform, but a green dress, covered in blood, as were her hands. The spirits frowned down upon her as she smiled and chatted to Alice and Joe. She had killed them. Her brother and parents. The blood on her dress smelled, a rotting smell. It made Mollie feel sick. And the spirits, they were sad, really sad. She could feel their pain in her body, but it hurt too much, she was going to pass out again, but she couldn’t. She shut her eyes tight, and held her breath. Just don’t think, she told herself. Don’t think.

            Slowly the pain left her little body, she let out a breath. The smell had gone too. When she opened her eyes, Megan was wearing her school uniform again. The spirits were still there, but the pain was gone. Megan continued chatting. Mollie noticed a tear shaped pendant around her neck. It was bad. It  had made her kill them.

            “Well this is Mollie,” Alice said, gently pushing her towards Megan, and the spirits. “This is the little girl we’ve adopted. Say hello.”

            “Hi,” she whispered.

            “She’s a little shy. Think she’s got a bug or something to be honest. Was in the house five minutes and passed out on the bedroom floor.”

            “Just going to get Doctor Stephens to have a look at her. Was always good with Rosie.”

            Rosie. Just the name struck fear into Mollie’s heart. Even the spirits standing beside Megan didn’t seem as angry and upset as Rosie. It seemed that Rosie hated her, and her alone. Mollie could still feel her, although not as strong.

            Doctor Stephens was a large, white haired man, with a huge smile showing pearly white teeth. He seemed friendly, asking her about what she liked to do, and her friends. She could understand exactly why Alice and Joe would think he was great with children. He was a very good actor. However, the five little girls’ spirits in the room told her differently. There was an immense sadness within them, and her, and a trapped feeling, like they would never leave this room. There were more pains, but these pains were very different, in places where a little girl shouldn’t feel pain. This doctor was bad.

            All these feelings went through her, as well as the young spirits’ voices, while Doctor Stephens continued to talk. She answered his questions by nodding or shaking her head. When she had to speak, all she could manage was a weak whisper. Speaking took a lot of energy when she was in this town.

            “Okay, now I just want you to have a lie down on the bed so that I can take a look at you.”

            He drew back the pale green curtain to reveal a bed, covered in blood, with the rotting smell. When she looked up at the doctor, she saw he was also covered in the blood. It was dripping from his hands into puddles on the white floor! And the smell was stronger, too strong. She closed her eyes and held her breath but it wouldn’t go.

            She really was going to pass out this time. She knew it. She was feeling dizzy, and sick. She was going to…be sick. Right in the middle of the floor.

            And the blood still didn’t go. The smell was getting even stronger. She was going to be sick again, but the doctor was quick, and had a bucket under her. The blood on him had gone, but the smell was still there. She turned to look at the bed. It was still there, soaked into the paper sheet.

            “I say someone’s got quite a nasty tummy bug,” Doctor Stephens said, looking down at her. “Have you finished being sick, Mollie?”

            She nodded.

            “Okay, will you lie down on the bed for me please?”

            She looked over at the bed and shook her head. The blood was dripping off the sheets on to the floor.

            “Do you feel dizzy?”

            She nodded, thinking that maybe then he wouldn’t make her.

            “You want me to lift you up to it?” Joe asked, already wrapping his arms around her. She shook her head as hard as she could. The little girls had gathered around the bed, almost welcoming her to lie on it.

            “Don’t be scared!” said Doctor Stephens, kneeling down to her level. “I won’t hurt you.”

            The girls burst into hysterical laughter. The smallest one, who was even smaller than Mollie, stepped towards her, away from the group. Instantly the room seemed darker. The pains got worse, but there was another pain too, a sharp one, in her stomach. He had given her medicine, but a bad one.. Not that long ago either. A few weeks ago, maybe, no more than a month.

            The little girl spoke, her voice weak and strained. “It only hurts for a little while, if you’re good. I was. Rosie wasn’t though. Rosie was really bad. She said she’d tell. It hurt a lot for her, still does a little bit. But if you’re good, like us, it hurts for a little while, then you can come play. Forever.”

            The room started to spin. She could she shadows all around her, but didn’t know who they belonged to. The girls’ laughter surrounded her, echoing as though in a cave. And it felt as though she were in a cave when the room suddenly became black. The laughter began to fade, and was abruptly replaced by a terrified scream. A scream belonging to Rosie. Her last scream.

            She came to more slowly this time, as though travelling through a very long tunnel to reality, and gradually it got closer, bit by bit. The first thing she was aware of was the voices.

            “She’s struggling to breathe, but no asthma? No conditions at all?” It was a doctor she thought, but not Doctor Stephens. She was in the hospital.

            There was a response from Alice, but it was more faded. It felt like she’d taken a few steps backwards, and stayed there for a long time.

            “She’ll be okay. Don’t panic,” said Joe.

            “I know, it’s just…”

            Silence.

            “She didn’t take to him at all,” said Alice.

            “Rosie thought he was great though,” said Joe.

            “Not towards the end. Just before…”

            “She wasn’t well. That was all.”

            “I don’t think so. She was afraid of him.”

            “Stop trying to blame people. They caught him remember? He’s in prison. He can’t hurt anyone.”

            “What if it wasn’t him? He didn’t remember.”

            “He was drunk.”

            Mollie felt herself drifting even further away, and allowed herself to do so. She didn’t want to go back. She couldn’t do it. She was weak.

            “You’re not weak.” Her mother. Her mother had found her. “You’re young.”

She couldn’t see her. She couldn’t see anything. But she wanted to be closer. She wanted to be with her mother where it was safe.

            “Come on then. Come to me.”

            She could see a little now. There was a light far away. Her mother was there.         She began to move towards it, but wanted to go faster. Trying to run did no good. There was no ground. She was kind of floating slowly towards it, but sure she’d get there, when a dark shadow appeared in front of her. She couldn’t see the features, but knew it was Rosie, who gave her a hard push, until she was almost inches from the real world, and the voices were clear.

            “I thought adopting Mollie would stop us missing Rosie,” Alice cried. “But nothing will.”

            “Well no. She was our one little angel, and you’ll never find another one of her. She was special. She was ours. There will never be another girl like her. Not in a hundred years.”

            By the time Mollie opened her eyes, they were so distracted by each other they didn’t even notice. Rosie stood between them, and as she listened Mollie felt her hatred and anger slowly melt away. She looked down at Mollie, and smiled. She walked over and stood beside her.

            “I thought they didn’t love me anymore,” she whispered. “I thought you were here to replace me.”

            Mollie, still weak, shook her head.

            “You can be with your parents now if you want.”

            Mollie smiled, closed her eyes, and let go, going back down the tunnel towards the light. There was a grey cloud in the way. She knew what it was. It was the spirits of Silent Falls. They were trapped here. They would never be at peace, and they would try to stop her, but she could beat them. She was sure of it. As she reached the cloud, it was more difficult to move forward, and she was surrounded by cries of pain. Hands reached out of nowhere and seized hold of her. They weren’t going to let her go, no matter how hard she fought.

            And she could still see the light, in the distance, and almost hear her mother’s voice, calling out to her.

            “Let me be with my mother!” she cried. “Please!”

            “Why should you be at peace?” asked a faraway voice. “When no one else can. The village won’t let us.”

            “Let her go!” shouted a voice. Rosie. “She doesn’t belong here.”

            The hands released her, and she moved as fast as she could towards the light, afraid that they might change their minds and grab her back. Her mother’s voice became clearer, and she soon saw her standing in the light with her father, waiting for her.  It seemed now that the light was moving towards her, welcoming her to her family who she loved so much.

            The light slowly began to surround her, but before it completely wrapped itself around her, she looked back to see Rosie smiling. It was the Rosie she’d seen in the photo. She smiled back, thanking her for letting her go. Then she was completely in the light, with her parents, and at peace, at last.