Setting
INK
Madeline looked peaceful, lying in her huge four poster bed covered with heaps of feather filled duvets. If only that total peace could last just a little longer. If only she didn’t have to face the terrible times to come. She rolled over and whimpered slightly as she began to wake, and the light flooded through her closed eyelids. The house was silent, not like the usual hustle and bustle of the cleaners starting their days work. Madeline slowly opened her emerald green eyes and wandered if she had woken early, and then it all came painfully flooding back. She had starting get ill a few days ago, her mother had called in her usual carer to work longer than usual so that Madeline would not have to leave her bed till she was better. She could remember slowly getting worse, beginning with sickness and hot flushes and then periods of violent shivers. Then the pain began, Madeline soon became unaware of her surroundings and had spent hours at a time screaming in agony, crying out for help. But they stopped coming. Why had they left her? Sometimes when her own crying subsided she had remembered other screams coming from her house, but was never sure if she was imagining it.
Madeline winced at the memory of such unimaginable pain flooding the whole her weak body. Except of course from the waist down which she had not felt since her spinal injury. She felt better now, although the headache was still pounding. Looking around she squinted at what seemed like too much colour, too bright.
‘Mum!! Dad!! I’m better!!!’ Madeline shouted. But once again she was only greeted by silence.
‘MUM!!! DAD!!!?’ Madeline frowned as there was still no reply, they should be rushing to her bedside, didn’t they care that she was better? She wanted a drink as her throat was dry, and she was hungry. She would ask for breakfast in bed this morning Madeline thought.
‘Someone!!! I want a drink!!! I’ve been ill!! Why on earth are you ignoring me!!!! ?’ Madeline was angry now, she sat up wearily. Her wheelchair was nearby, and she reached for it. All of a sudden something made her jump. Did her legs just move? Momentarily forgetting about the strange silence, Madeline tried to move her legs. It worked!! They felt shaky, but they were definitely working, overwhelmed by excitement Madeline pushed away her covers and turned to the side so that her legs were dangling over the edge. Could she walk? Madeline tried to stand, and although she was still weak, and her headache was still pounding she managed to stand. A wide grin spread across Madeline’s face, she was cured!! After all these years of being confined to a wheelchair she could walk!!! Her mother would be so pleased and she could become a model after all! Then it all came flooding back to her, so suddenly she had to sit on the edge of her bed again. The Disease. The disease that had made her mother frantically call around all of the families private doctors to no avail. And then Madeline got ill, and her mother had cried like she had never cried before. Now there was silence, surely... No they couldn’t have gotten ill! And then Madeline remembered hearing the other screams once more.
Her heart began to pound. She stood up, and attempted to take a step. This worked fine and soon, albeit shakily she walked out of her room, calling their names over and over until her throat burned, but she still did not stop shouting. She eventually reached her parents room, and warily opened their door. ..
She was greeted by a terrible sight, she gasped as she heard screaming. The terrible chilling sounds were her own screams, escaping her parched mouth. Though, she was no longer aware of that burn in her throat. Her screaming would not stop, and her tears flowed freely down her sickly pale face...
Madeline winced at the memory of such unimaginable pain flooding the whole her weak body. Except of course from the waist down which she had not felt since her spinal injury. She felt better now, although the headache was still pounding. Looking around she squinted at what seemed like too much colour, too bright.
‘Mum!! Dad!! I’m better!!!’ Madeline shouted. But once again she was only greeted by silence.
‘MUM!!! DAD!!!?’ Madeline frowned as there was still no reply, they should be rushing to her bedside, didn’t they care that she was better? She wanted a drink as her throat was dry, and she was hungry. She would ask for breakfast in bed this morning Madeline thought.
‘Someone!!! I want a drink!!! I’ve been ill!! Why on earth are you ignoring me!!!! ?’ Madeline was angry now, she sat up wearily. Her wheelchair was nearby, and she reached for it. All of a sudden something made her jump. Did her legs just move? Momentarily forgetting about the strange silence, Madeline tried to move her legs. It worked!! They felt shaky, but they were definitely working, overwhelmed by excitement Madeline pushed away her covers and turned to the side so that her legs were dangling over the edge. Could she walk? Madeline tried to stand, and although she was still weak, and her headache was still pounding she managed to stand. A wide grin spread across Madeline’s face, she was cured!! After all these years of being confined to a wheelchair she could walk!!! Her mother would be so pleased and she could become a model after all! Then it all came flooding back to her, so suddenly she had to sit on the edge of her bed again. The Disease. The disease that had made her mother frantically call around all of the families private doctors to no avail. And then Madeline got ill, and her mother had cried like she had never cried before. Now there was silence, surely... No they couldn’t have gotten ill! And then Madeline remembered hearing the other screams once more.
Her heart began to pound. She stood up, and attempted to take a step. This worked fine and soon, albeit shakily she walked out of her room, calling their names over and over until her throat burned, but she still did not stop shouting. She eventually reached her parents room, and warily opened their door. ..
She was greeted by a terrible sight, she gasped as she heard screaming. The terrible chilling sounds were her own screams, escaping her parched mouth. Though, she was no longer aware of that burn in her throat. Her screaming would not stop, and her tears flowed freely down her sickly pale face...