Oakfall Woods

Chapter 10 A Gold button

" There's more of them Avery! not just Delilah" " And they carry around these... weird... porcelain doll's that look exactly like themselves..... it's just so strange" I sat uncomfortably on my doorstep, picking at the loose nails.

" Yeah... that does sound weird" she sat next to me placing a hand protectively over her Kane as she always does. I watched the bus roll away from us , growing smaller and smaller until disappearing around the corner.

" where about's do you live Ave?" Her smile faltered. "Oh... in an old cottage a few blocks away from here, it's not that nice" she gave me a distasteful look.

Ding!

Ding!

" sorry, it's probably my mum" she always texted me around this time , checking if I was home yet. I turned on my phone. Unknown number: Tell her nothing Elodie! Remember YOU WILL PAY " Your mum?"

"huh?" I shoved my shaking hands inside my jersey pockets.

" Elle?" I felt so unsure of what to say, I was talking to my only believer, the one that could help. But ruin me too I reminded myself. NO I couldn't tell her , I had too much to loose.

" Yeah , saying when she'll be home tonight" Avery bit her bottom lip , nodding. " I've gotta go , okay? my mum wants me home before five" she tapped her watch. " Bye"

Unknown number: Good choice Elodie , remember for next time

I stared down on the steps. A simple golden button , unscratched and shiny lay on its side. Just like the one Daffodil had on her dress and the small boys sweater.

I shoved it inside my box full of special things that I had found over the years. My box sat in the dark under my bed.

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" Daffodil , I still remember your offer, I haven't forgotten" Violets voice said from behind the door. " ugh! Elodie get out I know your there" Bang!

the sound of glass breaking filled my ears. My mind spun as I raced to my door. It was locked. " Open up!" I screamed , tugging at the brass knob. violet joined me yelling with me.The sound of footsteps moving swiftly around my room , doors opening and closing draws , grabbing things and throwing them around. After a few minutes the door unlocked , but nobody was there. My room was a mess. Clothing lay in crumpled piles , ornaments and books were shoved on the carpet , bending their spines. My box of safe keeping's had been torn open. Everything still remained apart from the perfect gold button. They had taken it. But who had? who did it belong to? And what was so important about it?

"A burglar ?" Violet shook  beside me. I collapsed on my bed thinking how crazy things had been this week and when it would all end and how. My window too had been broken. Another lie I had to make. Another problem to fix.

Violet continued to talk and curse in her room, but I wasn't listening I needed to clean my room before mum came home. Was Violet crazy now? An imaginary friend?

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" so girls how was your day?" mum asked , eyes shining under the chandelier's yellow light. Violet shrugged " Fine" normally she would chat about her day for a full ten minutes before mum would cut in. "Okay.... El?" she turned her attention to me , though her eyes shifted back to Violet every few seconds. " Yeah it was good , my friend came over for awhile and-" " And Elodie smashed her window mum!" Violet cried , folding her arms over her chest. Violet glanced at me for a moment, sorry flashes over her face but she did not apologise.Mum dropped her fork and narrowed her eyes at me. " Elodie, you didn't?" She shook her head in disbelief.

" She did, admit it Elodie! that's the right thing to do" Violet pointed accusingly at me. she stared at me as though I had committed a crime, as though she was scared of me. I knew this was an act but she didn't break character.

" Our neighbor was playing with his ball and accidentally threw it at the window. That's what happened Violet" she gave me the death stare.

" That's enough you two! I wanted to come home for a nice family dinner , not to listen to this" " Now I'm going to bed , I have to wake up at 4:30 tomorrow. We can deal with this later" Mum stood up , and briskly walked away, climbing the stairs to her room.

" what is up with you!" I whispered.

" Nothing much" Violet handed me her plate to wash and left with a smug smile on her face.

After around half an hour later I left for bed. It wasn't very late but I had sleep I needed to catch up on.

I shut my door quietly and flipped the switch , making my way blindly to my bed. " That's her" a cold hand covered my mouth. I kicked urgently and tried to scream but I couldn't. I felt someone grip both sides of my arms too. and the light turned on.

Delilah grinned , her gums a horrible blue. A dead blue. " Meet Elodie Jessamine Quin" she pronounced with a snarl. Delilah tilted her head at me like a dog trying to understand something. The grip on my arms were loosened but not completely. It was the same boy and girl I had met last night. They smiled creepily at each other. " have you told master Delilah?"

" Oh master knows..." their gums were all blue. I studied Delilahs clothes. A sky blue dress and purple leggings, no velvet dress. They all held a doll tightly to their chest that matched themselves. They all has a sown gold button in the middle. Delilah followed my gaze to her doll. " You know too much" she whispered in a raspy voice and shoved me into the wall. My back ached along with my head.

"Forget! Forget! Forget!" she chanted over and over like my thoughts. I could feel myself drifting away.

The last thing I saw were two black pools.