Tuesday 26 February 2013

it's worth a try: Knocking on Faerie Door Part 29

it's worth a try: Knocking on Faerie Door Part 29: Sliding down the door, emotionally and physically exhausted, I look at the girls are looking directly back at me. How do I start? If I star...

Knocking on Faerie Door Part 29


Sliding down the door, emotionally and physically exhausted, I look at the girls are looking directly back at me. How do I start? If I start at all? There are questions swimming in my head, so many questions.

How did that window break? Who broke it? How lucky was it that her glass of water was knocked over too, and from that distance? Something was afoot, something doesn't make sense. Oh it's all too much!! My head hurts.

"Come on then Winnie, what did Mrs Lawly ask you to do?" and "Winnie, why were you running?"
all these questions and more come at once. Tears begin streaming down my face, I am not even aware of them until I feel the splashing on my arm. My attention is suddenly back in the room, the girls are now closer and I feel their arms around my neck, words of comfort now falling around my shaking shoulders. Great now my sobs are uncontrollable!! Unable to stop myself from crying, and not responding to my friends, the tears stream for ages. My friends are clearly confused and thankfully concerned, they sit and wait for the tears to run their course.

Feeling better and holding back the last few sobs, I look imploringly at my friends as to ask them not to probe. I promise I will tell them later. This promise is enough for them to leave me with my thoughts, as they gather up their wash bags to prepare for bed. I wait in the dormitoory for a while before following them to the oblutions.

We all walked back to the dormitory together, it was pleasant. Discussions about the day and their travels and holidays echoed through the corridors, sounds of girls giggling and laughing and chattering. Happy sounds. It dawned on me that it'd been a long while since I last laughed and  felt carefree. It was a great feeling, one that I'd missed.

The bell sounded and the lights were promptly switched off,  it was sleep time, official. The sound of those heels click clacking down the corridor as each light in turn was switched off, sent shivers down my spine. The slight crunching sound of glass still very distinct with each foot fall.
It was her doing the rounds tonight. Great !!! That makes me feel so nervous. Just how will I get to sleep now. My mind still awash with all the thoughts from earlier, I become aware of the even breathing of my dormitory friends, they are all sound asleep. Turning over to try and get comfortable and turning my pillow over so that my head can rest on the cool side, something catches the corner of my eye.

Butterpetal Bloom!! What are you doing here? Her Gossamer wings are beating inches away from the window pane. Climbing out of my bed so quietly and carefully, I open the window and in flies BP. My heart skips a beat, so happy to see her yet petrified that the other girls will wake and see her.

"Oh BP!" I whisper as softly as possible."Why are you here?"

"I've come to help you a little"

"The window, that was you?"

"Indeed it was"

Wow! How great that I have some help and support. My heart is suddenly filled with hope and joy.

"BP do you know that the Lawly's are the new Housemaster and Housemistress?"

"That's why I came, the elves sent word"

"Ive been so worried, not knowing how I was going to do this on my own"




Monday 25 February 2013

Knocking on Fairie Door Part 28



I retrieve the note from Mrs Lawly and with shoulders sagging and feet dragging I edge my way to my desk. The words upon the paper seem to jump up at me in a mocking way. Those dreaded words...

Faeries don't exist, so therefore they cannot make me late again.

My pen scratches on the paper line after line, word after word, sentence after miserable sentence the ink from my pen scratched across page after page, as if in protest.

"Winifred." My blood turns to ice once again. “Bring me your work." Unwilling legs move in slow motion in the direction of the instructor. Standing before her, my eyes downcast, my palms clammy and my nose filled with putrid fumes.

Her voice low and menacing, she says “Can you read that sentence to me Winifred?" the glee in her voice, like honey dripping from a comb. She was sure she could get me to deny that faeries exist.



Crash!!! The glass shards flying, the water splashing, her dress now soaked. What was that? What happened? Mrs Lawly is clearly furious, her nostrils are flaring as she walks in the direction that the projectile flew in from, the classroom window is shattered. The glass under her heels crunching, her demeanour is not inviting.

I think to myself that I'm fortunate that I'm not going to be blamed for that!

Mrs Lawly is enraged; she turns on her heel and stares down at me. I shrink back to avoid her glare, it doesn't help. Her voice now a bellow “Get out and go to your dormitory!!!"

I don't have to be told twice, I head to the door in double fast step, once the door is closed behind me I run as fast as I can, straight for the dormitory. Panting and trying to catch my breath I threw myself through the dormitory door and slammed it behind me. Still gasping I glance up at the five sets of eyes staring at me questioningly. Oh Dash it all.... they expect an answer.