Soul Stitched (book one)

Chapter 13: Cashmere

I woke up in a comfortable bed, feeling well rested for the first time in a long time. My back wasn't sore from laying on the cold, hard ground. I was in a bed, under nice, warm blankets. I sniffed the air and smelled something delicious- waffles. I hopped out of bed and my foot landed on a dusty book sitting on the floor. I picked it up and blew, causing dust to fly everywhere. I coughed and then read the title of the book: Lullaby Fairy tales. I opened the cover and on the inside was written:

April 7, 2012.

To: Rosie

From: Macy.

Happy Birthday! I love you! I can't wait to read these stories to you!

The I's were dotted with hearts, as if written by a small child. The writing was faded, but still readable. Something was nagging at me, though. When I had first met Mac, she had asked me if my name was Rosie. Rosie must be someone she knew. But why was her book here...I suppose Rosie must've lived here. But where was she? Why had they given me her bedroom? Was she ever coming back? How old was she? Why was she not here? All these questions flooded my mind, but were interrupted by a voice yelling, "Cashmere! Breakfast!" I walked down the stairs and found Miss Jain setting the table. "Good morning." She said with a smile.
"Is Mac awake?" I asked. Miss Jain sighed.
"Mac?" She called up the stairs. No answer. "I'll get her." I offered.
"Would you please?" He replied. I walked back up the stairs and found Mac's door open. I peeked my head inside and saw Mac's back facing me. I was about to tell her about but breakfast but then I heard her sniff. I froze. Was she crying?

She was sitting on her bed and it looked like she was looking down at something. She sniffled again and I stepped inside the doorway. I walked forward quietly until I was about a foot behind her. She was holding a picture frame with a photo of a little girl inside. She looked about five years old, with red pigtails tied up with ribbons. She was missing a front tooth and had a big smile on her face. "That's Rosie, isn't it. She's your sister?" I said. Mac didn't look surprised, as if she had known I was there the whole time.

"I loved her so much." Mac said quietly. She wiped a tear from her cheek. "You used past tense. Were did she go?" I asked. Mac didn't respond. We waited in silence until she finally said. "We were step- sisters. I was born, then my mom died and my dad got remarried. Then my new mom had Rosie. Three years later they got divorced and my dad took Rosie. Then, just one month later my dad married Jain again and a couple months later, I woke up and he was just gone." Mac said. "Sometimes I think the only reason he married Jain was to get ride of Rosie and I." She sniffled. I stood there, shocked.
        "But what happened to Rosie?" I asked, trying not to sound pushy. Mac didn't respond. After a couple of minutes, she said. "We had a rough life. But through it all, Rosie and I stuck together. She cried every time I went to school. She hated being separated from me. Her first word was Macy. She was always scared of our dad. He would hit her if she didn't obey him. Most of the time, she would do as he asked, except for when he told her to give him her money. Rosie's mom gave her a dollar every couple of weeks, starting when she turned three. Rosie decided to save up for getting a book. Lullaby Fairy tales. She had seen it at the store, and wanted it badly. But sometimes, our dad told her to give him her money. When she said it belonged to her, he would slap her. She would run to me, crying, as he stormed into her room and emptied her piggy bank. That night he would go to the bar, spend the money, and come home, drunk." Mac rambled, spilling everything.
        "I...I'm so sorry. But where is Rosie?" I asked again. I didn't want to push her, but I thought she might feel better if she told e. "One day...she...she fell ill. At first it was just a cough. But then it got so much worse. She got a fever and suddenly it turned into laryngitis. She could barely talk. Then she could barely breathe. She stayed in bed all day, every day, for three weeks. Then one night, she called my name. I woke up and went to her. She couldn't breathe. I held her hand and it passed. She could breathe again, but much slower. She got very weak and I prayed so hard. Soon after that, she woke up. She told me she loved me and I told her the same thing. Then I told her it would be okay, but she eld my hand tight and then closed her eyes." Mac paused, then said. "Then she...she..." Mac's voice broke and she forced back her tears. I held my breath in fear of what she would say next. "She..." Mac continued. "Then she...left. Passed...she's dead!" Mac cried. I put my hand on her shoulder, wishing there was something I could say or do but I'm awful at comforting people. As soon as she stopped crying I said. "Lullaby Fairy tales, the book that Rose wanted. It on the floor in her room." "I got it for her fourth birthday. She loved it. I read it to her every night." Mac replied. "I'm so sorry...for everything." I said.

The next day, I was woken up early by Miss Jain. "Good morning. Today's Sunday. You better put on a dress and come down for breakfast.We'll be leaving for church in twenty minutes." She said. I did as she asked and we went to church. In the pew next to us, a bunch of kids Mac's age were scowling and sneering at her. "Aren't they the kids that were chasing you after school?" I whispered over the preacher's voice Mac nodded. "They chase me everyday. I finally get a break on weekends, but then on Sunday, there they are." She replied quietly. "Why do they chase you?" I asked. She shrugs. "No clue, they just hate me. Everyone does." Mac said.

Later that day, we stayed at home, and I told Mac and Miss Jain about my home. I tried to tell the truth as much as I could but when I came to my parents...I had to bend the truth a lot. They thought I had gotten lost and wasn't going home because my parents didn't love me or something like that. I'm starting to forget myself. They didn't ask questions, thankfully. Then Miss Jain explained her background. She said she had one aunt, but never met her. She also had a cousin, but never met her either. Her cousin's name was Emily, and she had one daughter. That was all she knew.

"Do you like it here?" Mac asked me that night. "Yes." I replied. "Very much." She smiled. "Do you feel safe?" She asked. "Of course I do. I haven't felt this safe in a long time." I said. That was the truth. "Nothing bad could ever happen here." I said. Little did I know I was completely wrong...

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of smoke. I sat up, coughing. Smoke surrounded me, and I felt strangely warm. I walked to the door and put m hand on the doorknob. I pulled my hand back immediately. It was burning hot!  kicked the door and it swung open.

I screamed. On the other side was fire! I sneaked around into the hallways. I reached Mac's door and banged on it. "Mac! Mac!" I chocked out. No response. "Get out now!" I shouted. Still nothing. The fire was inching closer, destroying everything in its path. I screamed and ran to the stairs. Oh God. The fire was covering the stairs, burning them and everything else downstairs. I ran back into my room, but e only opening was a window. The fire was covering half of my room, now. Smoke choked me. Sparks flew. Heat burned my bod. I backed up, now five feet from the window.

Four feet.

Three feet.

I could see over the edge. I saw down, down, down. Hard pavement laid twenty feet below me. I couldn't jump. I turned around to face the fire and shielded my face It hissed and crackled. I took another step back and tripped over a stack of books.

I fell backwards and screamed. I crashed through the window and glass cut my skin. I fell down. My hands reached for anything to grab onto, but all I saw was the roof of the building getting smaller and smaller. Wind blew my hair up and oxygen was ripped from my lungs and smoke replaced it. I knew I was near the ground...any second now death would find me. Suddenly all the air was forced out of me as I made in-pact on the pavement. My vision flickered and to my horror, everything melted to nothingness.