This is an extract from book 2 of the first trilogy which has not been finalised at this point.
Martha started to wander downstairs towards the kitchen when a noise stopped her in her tracks. It was like a ‘thwack’, the sound a ball makes when it hits a bat or a wall only not as loud. Martha’s bedroom was on the second floor. Her room was at the back overlooking the gardens behind. Her parent’s bedroom was at the front and a family bathroom in between plus another bedroom that could be used like a living room or office. There was a door leading up to the attic but it didn’t sound like it had come from there. She stood still and listened.
‘Thwack.’
There it was again. It seemed to be coming from inside the wall. Martha stood back to see if it helped. Staring at the point where she thought the noise had come from she noticed that on the wall next to the door leading up to the attic was what appeared to be the outline of where another door might have been. Martha hadn’t noticed it before. It had been covered over with wallpaper, by the looks of it some years ago, but now staring intently she could see a faint outline.
Martha instinctively put her hand against where the door used to be and as she did – ‘thwack’. She clearly felt it and the odd thing was that Martha sensed rather than felt that whatever it was on the other side, was clinging to the same area her hand was resting on. Tentatively she moved her hand lower and again sensed that the object had moved lower too.
Martha was still standing with her hand on the door area when she was startled by her mother’s voice.
“That looks interesting, what are you doing?” she asked looking from Martha to the wall.
“To be honest, I’m not entirely sure” Martha whispered. “I heard a noise like a ball hitting the wall and it seemed to be coming from here.”
“I can’t hear anything” her mom replied, “Maybe it’s the pipes, this building is quite old.”
“No, I don’t think so. It stopped when I put my hand against the wall. I’m pretty sure it’s clinging to the other side of here.” Martha continued pointing with her other hand.
“Try taking your hand away” her mom suggested.
Martha did as she was asked and immediately felt a sense of loss. Ellie noticed that Martha’s face had changed from inquisitive to intense sadness.
“Everything okay?” Ellie asked.
Martha stood there looking at her mom. She didn’t know how to respond.
“What was that?” cried Martha.
“The water pipes?” Ellie tried
“Mom, please give me some credit, it felt like, I don’t know, like something living, something familiar, like it’s waiting.”
“You got all that from putting your hand on the wall?” her mom smiled.
“Yes, but why do I feel so sad? It feels like grief which is insane as I haven’t experienced anyone close to me dying but for some reason I know that’s what it is. Or am I going completely mad?”
“No Martha you’re not going mad. You have an ability to feel people’s emotions, it’s a rare thing in a girl your age. Most children aren’t tuned in to those around them. Your dad and I have always said you seem to have an old soul and you are very perceptive of people and your surroundings. It may be a small animal trapped behind the wall and you are picking up on it’s feelings. I’ll go and speak to Aunt Esme and see if she can get someone to come out and look for us.”
“Okay mom but as soon as possible please.”
“Come on downstairs and we’ll speak to Aunt Esme together. I’ll see if we can get something sorted while you are out at the pictures this afternoon. Does that make you feel better?”
“Yes, thanks mom. I wouldn’t be able to settle knowing that something’s trapped”. Not entirely satisfied but knowing that her mom would keep to her word, she walked alongside her mom towards the stairs momentarily looking back as she heard another faint “thwack”.
Martha walked downstairs with her mom towards the kitchen. It was still early morning and as usual Aunt Esme was busy cooking in preparation for the shop opening.
“Esme,” Ellie called out, “we might have a little problem upstairs.”
“Oh.” Esme exclaimed stopping what she was doing and giving both Martha and Ellie her full attention.
“It seems that we might have a small animal trapped in the wall.”
Esme stood and looked at them.
“A trapped animal? What makes you say that?”
“Martha heard something in the wall next to the attic stairs.” Ellie continued.
“And felt it too.” Martha added.
Esme paused for a moment taking in what they had said. She focused on Martha.
“It’s entirely possible. A couple of years ago I had a squirrel problem and ended up having to call someone in.” She continued. “The houses around here are so old and we’ve noticed one or two cracks opening up over the archway. Let me finish up here and I’ll go and see if it’s the same as last time. If it is I’ll give Bert a call next door.”
“Why Bert?” Martha asked.
“Because last time, the squirrel we’d been looking for had ended up over there.”
“If it was a squirrel, how come I kept feeling it in in different places on the door?” Martha asked.
“It was probably spooked by being trapped and you know what good climbers they are.” Esme responded hoping it would satisfy Martha.
“I suppose so.” Martha replied defeated.
Esme continued making the final touches to the batch of chocolates. She had a special tool that had a rotating head with several designs attached. She used these to gently impress a small pattern on the top of the chocolates. Today she was using a star shape. It took a lot of patience and a gentle touch to make sure she didn’t squash the chocolates. She could have the patterns imprinted in the moulds so that she didn’t have to do this each time but Esme liked the creative feeling it gave her and a simple uniqueness to the confectionery.
Her calm exterior belied her inner turmoil at what she had been told and she knew Ellie would be feeling the same. They would have to wait for Martha to leave for the cinema before they could deal with the situation.
If it was what she expected none of this should be happening now it was still too soon. Maybe fate would be taken out of their hands and maybe this episode today was a calling card for action to be taken sooner.
Martha had no idea of the web of lies and deceit being wound around her. None of it was out of malice. All of it was for protection and it was starting to unravel.
The situation last month had been halted by the disappearance of the figure on the hill but so far Grace had not been able to find out exactly what had happened. They had been close but not close enough which was frustrating and they still didn’t know if it had been coincidence or a real attempt on Martha’s life. For now they could only hope it was the former and had stepped up the protection around her. Arkwright Sealy who had been watching the incident unfold had seen the man go back to his house on the night but after that hadn’t been able to trace his whereabouts.
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