The girl in the lake

The letter and the picture

They went to the library next day. Mark was with them. He was watching them closely.
Then lastly he stood up and without saying anything, he disappeared behind the bookshelves.
"Why is he watching us like we are doing something illegal?" Asked Edward.
"It's his normal look" answered Chris, closing the book dully. "And I am really bored. This book" he putted the book away. "Is stupid"
Lena didn't hear what Chris said. She was concentrated on the book she is reading.
When Mark was back, everyone quickly took their books and trying to look like they are actually reading their books.
"So" said Mark. "You were coming here because you are studying, do you?"
"Yeah" said Chris without looking at Mark.
"I am confused, Christopher" said Mark, his eyes on Chris. "You don't like reading too much, normally"
"Don't ask" said Chris quietly. "And don't tell me Christopher again" he added.
Mark didn't care, he opened his book and read.
When they went outside the library (Mark borrowed a book from library) they all went to their houses. They didn't dare to talk about arcanum, not in front of Mark.

Edward waited and waited for Tuesday. He was at home, usually looking outside of the window. Hoping to see something new. Arcanum's door was still open, Edward was dying to go there.
Then Tuesday came, Edward dressed up and went downstairs. He pushed the door handle and opened the door. His mother called behind him.
"Are you sure, Edward?"
Edward turned back and stared at his mother.
"Sure about what?" He said.
"Sure about going that house" she pointed at the arcanum. "I mean, Edward, it is not safe going there. If something happens to you, no one will know."
"But I am with Chris, Samantha, Lena and Lisa" Said Edward, trying to persuade his mother.
"They are the same year as you" said Mrs Davies.
Edward couldn't find anything to say, his mother was right.
"Erm-" said Edward. "John-erm- is coming with us" of course, that was a lie.
"John?" Said Mrs Davies blankly. "Do you mean Mr Charles?"
"Oh, yeah, him" said Edward, he had forgotten everyone but themselves was calling him John.
"Is he really coming with you?" Asked Mrs Davies.
Edward didn't want to stay there anymore. He wondered what was gonna happen if John finds about that.
"Erm- yes, he is" said Edward and he stepped back to the door.
"But be careful, will you, Edward?" Shouted Mrs Davies behind him.
"I will" said Edward and he made his way to the market, in case if his mother was still watching him. He stopped at the corner and hided himself behind a house (he didn't know who was living there, he hoped it is not Mr and Mrs Brown) he looked at his house, his mother wasn't watching him. He didn't dare to went from the short way. He went from the way which goes in front of Lena and Lisa's house.
He looked at the house, it was looking familiar.
"Meow!"
That normal sound made Edward jump. It was peanut, meowing at Edward, its tail was swinging.
"Goodness me" said Edward, this house was surely Mr and Mrs Brown's house.
"Oh, dear, Edward" said Mrs Brown's voice, Edward saw her coming out of the door. 
"Erm- hello, Mrs Brown" said Edward. "I need to go, erm-"
"Oh, no you can't escape from me this time" said Mrs Brown.
"But I gotta go-"
"No, dear" said Mrs Brown. "I won't let you go before you drink a cup of tea with me."
"No, thanks Mrs Brown" said Edward. "Chris is waiting for me."
"All right" said Mrs Brown, looking disappointed. "All right, you go with Chris" she made her way to the door, peanut behind her.
"Mrs Brown?" Called Edward behind her. "I need to go right now, but if you want, we could drink a cup of tea with you." Mrs Brown  looked happier.
"Oh, Ok, dear. But don't forget to bring Chris with you"
"I won't, Mrs Brown"
Mrs Brown smiled at him and she went inside. Edward started walking, he was nearly running actually. He passed Lena and Lisa's house, he was sure that they were already there.
"Hey, Ed! Where are you going?"
Edward turned his back, Lena was outside, she was looking confused.
"Oh, sorry." Said Edward quickly. "I thought you are already there."
"Don't worry" said Lena, smiling. "Lisa! Twin! Come here! We're going!"
"COMING!" Shouted Lisa from inside of the house.
"Where is Chris?" Asked Lena, closing the door.
"I was gonna go to his house, but I met with Mrs Brown, you know" said Edward.
"Oh, how did you get out of that?" Said Lena.
"I said I will go to her house with Chris" said Edward, grinning.
"Chris will be pleased about that" said Lena wryly.
"Yeah, " said Edward. "Yeah, I think so"
BAM!
That voice came from the door.
"OUCH! LENA!"
That was Lisa's voice, after that, the door had opened and Edward saw Lisa coming out, her hand at his forehead.
"What's up?" Asked Lena.
"What on earth makes you close the door?" Said Lisa angrily, rubbing her forehead.
"Of course, I closed the door. Why? What happened?" Said Lena, she seems like she was hardly avoiding herself laughing.
"I hit the door, that's what happened" said Lisa, putting her bag down.
Lena giggled quietly.
"Ok, let's go"
They went to Chris's house, Lisa was still rubbing her forehead. When they arrived, Edward knocked the door.
"COMING!" Said a familiar voice from inside.
The door had opened and Edward saw Mrs Rogers was at the door. She was holding a plate which is full of cakes, cookies and other stuff.
"Hello!" Said Mrs Rogers friendly. "Would you like to come inside?"
"Erm- no, thanks, Mrs Rogers. We just wanted to-"
"See Chris?" Cut in Mrs Rogers. "Wait a sec, CHRISTOPHER!" She shouted so loudly so that Edward and twins had to put their hands to their ears. Chris didn't answered.
"I'm afraid he couldn't hear me, haha" said Mrs Rogers "Watch your ears" she warned, Edward and twins quickly closed their ears with their hands, ready. " CHRISTOPHER! CHRISTOPHER! COME OVER HERE!"
There was a loud bang from inside the house. And there was a sound which tells that someone was running through the door.
"Oh my goodness" said Chris, coming out of the door and throwing an angry look to his mother. "Do you have to shout? Can't you just come inside and tell me to come?"
"Don't shout to your mother!" Said Mrs Rogers. She tucked a piece of cake to Chris's mouth. "And eat" she added. Then she looked at Edward and twins. "Fancy a cake?" She asked politely, showing the plate which she was holding.
"Erm- no, thanks" said Edward, stepping back.
"We will just go with Chris" he looked at Chris who was chewing his cake.
"No" said Mrs Rogers firmly. "I won't let you go before you eat something." She tuck the cakes into Edward and twins mouths. "I know you are hungry" said Mrs Roger in a sing-song voice and she closed the door. Edward heard Chris giggled.
"What?" Said Edward to Chris. "We saw you too, all right?"
Chris continued giggling while they were walking. Edward told them what he had said to his mother.
"You lied to her?" Said Lena, gazing at him.
"Yes" said Edward grimly. "But I had to" he added, seeing the look on Lena's face. "What was I gonna do? Telling her the truth?"
"Well-"
"Don't tell him to say the truth" cut in Chris. "If he had told the truth, I think we were now in a psychologist or something."
"I wasn't gonna tell him so" said Lena. "I just-"
"Anyway" said Lisa, Lena threw her a furious look. "Where do you think Samantha is?"
"She is either at her house or already in ancanum" said Chris.
"She doesn't have any other choice" said Lena, smiling weakly. "And it is arcanum" she added.
"I think she is already in arcanum" said Edward. "She is always early"
"Yeah, you are right" said Lisa. "But I think we need to check her house."
"What?" Said Chris quickly. "Another mother? No way! I just finished my cake!"
"We must check" said Lena.
"No one asked you to say your idea" said Chris rudely.
"Oh, really?" Said Lena. "I haven't seen anyone told you to say your idea!"
"Chris" cut in Lisa. "It seems like you don't want to check Samantha, then you go with Edward."
"Going with me where?" Asked Edward.
"To arcanum, of course" said Lisa simply.
"All right, let's go, Chris" said Edward before Chris could say anything to argue. "Bye, Lisa, Lena!"
Edward and Chris started walking to the arcanum, Lena and Lisa to the opposite way.
"Chris" said Edward.
"Mm?"
"I was just wondering why you and Lena are always arguing?" Said Edward.
"Oh" said Chris. "Well, our ideas are always different. She is always looking at a logical way, and I am always-"
"Looking from funny way" completed Edward for him.
"Yeah, kind of" said Chris. "But when our ideas are the same, we are really good friends. I think you noticed that too, eh?"
"Yeah" said Edward. "Yeah, I did"
They arrived to arcanum but Samantha wasn't there.
"Where is she?" Asked Chris, looking around.
"Dunno, I suppose she is at home." Said Edward. "Let's sit down and wait for them to come"
Edward and Chris sat down to the grass. There was a few minutes silence, then Edward turned his back and see girls were coming.
"They're here!" Said Edward, standing up.
"Oh" groaned Chris. "They don't need to hurry, I am good here, sitting down, you know"
Edward laughed, because girls were running through them.
"Well, you're unlucky, Chris" said Edward. "They are running"
"Oh, why?" Said Chris, he stood up too.
"Guys!" Said Samantha. "You didn't go inside, did you? I am dying to go there!"
"Don't worry, we were waiting for you to come" said Edward.
"Let's go, then!" Said Samantha excitedly. "We are wasting time here, come on!" She pulled Edward from his arm and they set out for arcanum.
"Er-" said Edward, noticing something. "Do you know how to get there?"
"Yes" said Samantha, leaving Edward's arm and now pulling Chris, who was walking so slowly. "Move, Chris! What's up with you?"
"He is lazy" said Lena.
"No, I'm not" said Chris at once. "I am just saving my energy to other stuff!"
"Yeah, yeah" said Lena wryly.
"Aaaand" said Samantha, leaving Chris's arm. "Here we are!"
Edward looked around, there was a puddle in front of them. It was looking a small part of lake, and it was looking deeper than the normal puddles.
"What are you waiting for?" Asked Samantha.
Chris stared at the puddle, then he looked at Edward and said "Erm- women first"
"How kind" muttered Lena to Edward. "Not that he doesn't want to go from there"
Samantha went into puddle, and crossed it. She was looking wet, her boats were muddy.
"Come on, Lisa!" She said. Lisa stepped into water, it was deep that the water level was at her knees. She walked through and she too, crossed the puddle.
"Lena! " said Samantha, helping Lisa to get out of water. Lena walked as she was walking on the street. She got out of water more easily than the others.
"Edward or Chris, come on!" Said Samantha.
Chris looked at Edward.
"Erm- when is your birthday?" He asked.
"Why are you asking that?" Said Edward, surprised.
"Just wondering" shrugged Chris.
"Erm- 25 of March" said Edward.
"All right," said Chris. "Mine is 6 of January so I am older than you, you first"
Edward grinned and walked through the puddle. Water level reached to his knees, his boats were sinking into mud. He barely crossed and got out of water with Lena's help.
"Thanks" said Edward while he was getting out, Lena smiled.
"Come on, Chris!" Called Samantha.
Chris swallowed and stepped into water. Actually, he fell into water. Lena gasped.
"Chris!" She said. "Are you Ok?"
"Yeah, I'm ok" said Chris, walking through them, his face was muddy. Edward leaned on helped Chris to get out of water.
"Ok, let's go!" Said Samantha, she threw a look at Chris. "Wait, Chris." She said and she opened her bag. She took a wipe and give it yo Chris. "Clean your face, and then we will go inside. "
"Thank you so much" said Chris, wiping his face.
Edward looked at arcanum, it's door was ajar, Edward couldn't see inside, it was full of darkness. He noticed a piece of paper at the door step. He took it from he doorstep and stared at it.
"Hey, Ed!" Said Lena, coming through Edward. "What is that in your hand?"
"I found this on  the doorstep" said Edward, showing her the piece of letter. Lena stared at him. "Can I have a look?" She asked, Edward gave her the paper. Lena examined it, looking at its back and front.
"It is an envelope!" Said Lena. "Maybe there is a letter inside it!"
She opened the envelope an took out a parchment. Lisa, Samantha and Chris too, looked at Lena, wondering what is she doing.
"What is that?" Asked Chris.
"A letter" said Edward. "We found it at the doorstep. "
"Listen!" Said Lena. She read the letter aloud.
"Dear Dorothy," said Lena. "I hope you are well and having a good time at Appaloosa. Me too, want to come there and see how Appaloosa is. You said the town is excellent in your letter. I just wanted to speak to you about  that boy -you know who is he- Are you sure about him? I think you need to check him and make sure he is trustworthy. But I just want your happiness, if you are happy with him, I have no problem with that. Waiting for your answer, Boudicca Jones"
Lena looked up at them.
"Boudicca Jones?" Said Chris. "Who is she?"
"It is obvious that this letter has written for Harriet Dorothy Li." Said Lena, ignoring Chris. "But it is not logical" said Edward. "Harriet Dorothy Li died!"
"Yeah, I know" said Edward. "And-"
"Who is Boudicca Jones?" Repeated Chris.
"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Said Lena. "We do not know much than you, Chris!"
"Wait a sec!" Said Lisa excitedly. "Harriet Dorothy Li's surname was Jones before she got married with Robert Li!"
"Yes!" Said Edward excitedly. "And Lena, is there any date on the letter?"
Lena looked at letter.
"Yes" she said suddenly. "But it is yesterday!"
"Yesterday?" Said Edward, thinking fast. "Yesterday? But Harriet Dorothy Li is not alive!"
"But, Ed" said Samantha. "Maybe her ghost is alive..."