25 November 2012
The rain outside poured down the window, splattering the glass with tiny water droplets. Although it was day, the coal grey clouds, covering the sky, made it seem dark and eery. The tree leaves had turned a golden silk colour, but it had all been lost by the fog and rain. The trees now looked bare and dull, with only a few leaves left, hanging on thin splintered branches. "Carmine!" mum called, from downstairs "Breakfast." As I walked down the stairs, in answer to my mothers call, our cat Pixie brushed her chestnut warm fur against my leg. When I had reached the end of the stairs, I gave her a rub on the nose and then went to sit at the table. "Eat up quickly, Carm," my father said, walking into the room with a folded newspaper under one arm and holding a cup of hot coffee in the other "we need you to collect some more fire wood and the rains easing up." "Ok," I nodded, taking a bite of my toast "where's Beth?" noticing the absence of my younger five year old sister. "She must still be asleep," mum replied taking a sip of her tea "I didn't want to wake her." Beth, was always such a peaceful sleeper. She would crawl into a little ball and fall asleep immediately. After I had finished my toast, I ran upstairs to check on her. I slipped open the door, she was lying on her bed with her whole body on the pillow. As I kneeled down by her, I tried to be as quiet as possible. Her gentle eyes started to flutter open like a butterfly's wings. "Morning…" she yawned stretching her arms and legs I stroked her long hair out of her eyes "Hey."
Her little arms wrapped around my neck and she lay her head on my chest. I picked her up and took her downstairs. "Have you seen Ryan or Harry, Carm?" mum asked as I came into her sight I shook my head "Last time I saw them I think they were going to the forest. I'm not entirely sure." Ryan and Harry were my older brothers. They liked to go out to the forest every morning to practise catching fish from the stream with their hands. Dad ordered them to do it as it helped mum, by making her not go on a long walk to town and back. "It's only that they've been gone for more than two hours…" "Mum it'll be fine, I'll look out for them when I collect the wood." I sat down Beth and buttered her toast for her. I went to the door and put on my rain coat. I did the zip up high and pulled the hood over my head. I grabbed my dirty green boots and slid them on. "Bye!" I shouted, opening the door and then closing it behind me.
The pattering rain drops dampened my coat and trousers. The strong wind blew my hood back and my brown curly hair tangled violently. I folded my arms across my chest and punched forward, determined to get under the shelter of the woods. Once I had reached the edge of the forest I stepped under a large tree for some shelter. The rain still poured down and every now and then I would have a large droplet trickle down my back through a hole in my coat. The coldness sent a chill down my spine causing me to shiver.
Chapter 1: Pattering Rain • Opuss № I