JSM - Edition Three

N ever S ay N ever - continued Madeline had more bad news today. She was leaving in a fortnight. It had been moved forward because Piper was getting increasingly ill. Her case of pneumonia was getting worse. She also explained that one of those weeks she will not be at school due to packing reasons. The rest of the day was filled with sadness and silence. It was quite similar to yesterday’s events. I felt so jealous because Madeline got to live in the free country-side. I don’t think I showed any signs of being jealous. As four days gradually turned into three, and three days turned into two, and two days turned into one, Madeline felt already miles away. One day left before Madeline leaves the city. I had to remind myself constantly, even though I would not forget it in a million years, I felt my head spin like a clothes in a washing machine and scream like a whistle every time I thought about Madeline moving! Piper was really ill now she was pale and her breathing sounded like a rock falling on to a concrete pavement every time she inhaled or her exhale. So tonight they will catch a plane and travel to the little airport in the country-side. They will go to their little run down cottage they had to live here because the local doctors practice was right next to the cottage, called Doctor Cameron and the doctors assistant nurse was called Adriana. Six hours before Madeline disappears forever. Six hours goes really quickly when you’re plotting on ways to make someone stay in the country. One hour left before she leaves, “Claire! Claire! There is mail from Madeline to you!” My heart raced inside my rib cage. I could feel it thumping harshly and saying, “What are you waiting for? It’s probably saying that she doesn’t have to move after all because her sister has made a miraculous recovery.” But my feet were rooted to the ground. The bottom of my feet felt like suction cups. No matter how hard I tried they would not move. “Claire the letter is on the kitchen bench. Take your time.” Now my feet were too shocked at the mention of the letter from Madeline that they couldn’t hold anymore. I almost fell down the stairs with shock. My hands shook so badly, I could barely hold the hand-rails. Mum was in the kitchen making lasagna for dinner. I normally love lasagna, but today the sight of food made me want to be sick. Only once in my life had I been as nervous and that one time was on the first day of school. I saw the letter on the kitchen bench and it felt like a game of prey verse predator. I hid my hand behind my back so mum couldn’t see them shaking vigorously and walked as casually as I could to the kitchen bench. Took the letter and ran at top speed up to my bedroom and slammed the door shut behind me with a bang, like a leopard dragging prey up a tree. “Claire, do not run in the house and you know better than to slam the doors,” boomed her dad who had just got home from work and was currently opening the mail. I ignored their angry shouting because all I could think of was the letter, I held in my hands. My brain said “throw into the bin and never see it again.” But my heart said to open it and see what is inside. I sat there for a good ten minutes until I decided what to do. Eventually my heart won the war raging inside me so I gently opened the letter, it said this: T he C ount D own T he L etter

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JSM Edition Three