Snippet #1062411

Scarlett sat on the chair where Madeline had left her, she sat tall with bright eyes- bright with hope that her mother would walk through and give her a big cuddle. It was as though her illness was forgotten and now anyone looking at her would think that she bed it was perfectly well. Her mothers old jumper lay on the back of the seat and she grabbed it and held it close. It smelt so familiar, her mother’s favourite perfume. But Madeline returned alone.
‘My mum...’ Scarlett began. Madeline shook her head and returned. Madeline’s usually cold heart was breaking, when she had re entered the room Scarlett looked so

well again, the previous weak girl that was clinging to life forgotten. Madeline had never dealt with death, sure she remembered her Nan’s funeral. But she had hated that woman anyway, so had never been particularly sad. And now her mother and father were both dead, and she had seen their bodies. Now again, so much death everywhere and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could stand it. Her skin crawled at the thought of all that mess and smell. She knew she must find someone soon, she had money in her bag. Perhaps she could bribe someone to take care of her. But it was not healthy to look to the future, she must focus on now. Looking after Scarlett had been so new to her, she had no idea how deal with this kind of emotion. Nor did she have any idea why she felt such an impulse to take care of this small girl.

‘Your mother is gone, she didn’t make it.’ Madeline whispered taking the girl into her arms. And with that a light went out in the small child’s blue eyes. Madeline was terrified she was giving in, terrified she would die right there in her arms. To start with there was just silence, as the girl held on. Then, the sobbing began. She was shaking not just with the sobs, but cold again. Madeline wrapped her in the blanket that she had retrieved from the bedroom, and she held her close. Willing her warm, after a while the girl fell asleep clinging to that old jumper.

Madeline considered staying on that sofa, with the girl on her lap and having a nap herself. But instead she decidd it would be best to get as far away from these memories as possible, just like she had wanted. So she carefully stood, Scarlett lay cradled in her unnaturally strong arms. The blanket still encased her, and the jumper was clamped between Scarlett’s spindle like arms. Madeline left the house and began running, Scarlett would never see that house again, for now that didn’t matter while she peacefully slept.