Through the Glass Darkly
Hot Chocolate Memories
Slowly the streetlights came to life as the setting sun disappeared
behind the buildings and one by one people retreated to the warmth of
their beds. No one seemed to notice, or maybe it was that they didn't
care, as a girl quietly walked down the winding streets. Nor did she
notice how dark the streets were becoming. She was too deep in her
thoughts to truly mind. She was clad in a long sleeved loose-cuffed
overcoat that brushed the ground. It bore a shoulder flap, which was
tied at the neck with the collar up, and hung to her elbows; and the
whole ensemble bore an elegant black trim. A large, floppy white beret
sat upon her head that looked as if it could fall off at any moment. She
didn't look up until the gates to the Academy loomed overhead. Only the
trees of the Academy grounds greeted the child, waving their branches
slowly in the wind as she walked along the cobble stone path to the
school. In the distance the school could be seen, lights still shining
in its windows. She glanced through the trees to see the lights of the
dorms. The warm light almost seemed to call out to her, but today she
had something else on her mind, something more important.
*****
Behind the Academy stood a small house with a single light flickered to
life. This was the house of the school Headmistresses and that night
Headmistress Sophia was having trouble relaxing. She stretched in her
long flannel housecoat, which was open, showing off her blue striped
silk pyjamas. She let out a short yawn before setting down on the small
sofa that took up a large portion of her home office. She ran a hand
through her long black hair as she flopped back, and then reached behind
herself to pull out a throw pillow and a small stuffed rabbit. She
stared at the rabbit for a moment and let out a sigh. She set it on the
coffee table and looked down at a few files laying open in the middle of
the coffee table that stood before her.
Those files were the reason for her restlessness. They appeared under
the door that morning in a large manila envelope just like the files for
every child in the Academy. She had no idea where they came from or who
dropped them off, but since working for the Academy she had learned to
question very little about the school and it's mysterious ways. These
files, however, were particularly unsettling. She proceeded to flip
through one of the files again. She remembered clearly the girl in the
photo, little Jennifer North. Such a sad child, why did life keep giving
this child so many hardships? Then there was the other file, Kimberly
Harrison. She could not remember how long it had been since this child
disappeared from the Academy walls. Both of the girls were such innocent
children that never did anything wrong. Their disappearance hung heavily
over many of the students and now they were returning, but why? And
where have they been all this time?
The Headmistress began to grab for the final two files when there was a
knock at the door. Glancing at the clock she noted that it was well past
nine in the night and Sophia wondered who would be visiting at such an
hour. Many of the girls were known to visit after hours when they felt
lonely or just needed someone to chat with, but still it was always a
curiosity as to who would venture past the woods after the lights had
gone down.
She began to stand when another young lady came flying down the stairs,
jumping two at a time, yelling as she went, "I'VE GOOOTTTT IIITT!!!!."
She looked identical to Sophia, aside from having short black hair that
bounced with each step and wearing a long pink night gown with bunnies
all over it, a pink robe and bunny slippers that is. One would not think
that the woman was in her late twenties if they got a look at her at
that moment and Sophia shook her head at the sight of her sister. "Sis,
what are you doing still working?" Her twin inquired as she reached the
bottom of the stairs, almost colliding into her sister.
"I'm just looking over the files for the new girls." Sophia said
stepping past her sister towards the front door, "Looks like things will
get interesting this year."
"I think it is going to be fun having everyone back again." The girl
said in excitement.
"You think everything is fun, Missy." Sophia shook her head at her
sister.
"Well, it is fun to get new kids in school." Melissa said in a chipper
voice, "and it has been rather quiet the past while."
"Yeah, you are right on that account." Sophia said as she opened the
door, "Good eveni_" Her words were caught upon her lips as her eyes fell
upon the girl standing before her.
"H.. Hi... Aunt Sophia... Aunt Melissa..." Kris said nervously.
"KRIS!!" Melissa pushed her way past her sister, "Is that really you!?!"
She said excitedly while wrapping her arms tightly around the girl's
neck, causing Kris to grab her hat before it really did fall off her
head, "It has been so long. Where have you been?" Melissa cooed.
Kris held Melissa tight trying to control herself. So many thoughts had
ran through her head along her trip and she was finding it hard to keep
everything in check, "I..." She tried to speak, but could not find her
voice. She looked up from Melissa's shoulder to see Sophia looking at
her with her arms crossed and a face that told Kris how disappointed the
woman was in her. Kris nervously let go of Melissa and stared down at
the ground, trying to avoid Sophia's angry eyes.
"So you finally return." Sophia said coldly, "Where have you been?"
"Let the girl get her coat off and warm up before you interrogate her,
would you Sophie?" Melissa said while ushering Kris into the house,
helping the girl with her coat to reveal that she was wearing a long
white dress shirt with flaring cuffs and a black string tie around her
neck, a firm fitted ash grey vest hugged around her chest and long white
dress spilled out across the ground, "Would you like some hot coco? You
look like you are about to catch yourself a death of a cold." Melissa
inquired cheerfully.
"Yes please," Kris whispered nervously while being pulled through the
house into the living room where a large fireplace stood. Melissa set
Kris in a large chair, and with a clap a roaring fire started, a glow
that was warming to Kris as she settled into the chair.
"Mushmellows?" Melissa asked as she started out of the room.
"Please." Kris repeated.
Sophia stood at the doorway, watching her sister run out of the room
before entering herself. She walked across the room, sat down in the
chair across from Kris and laced her fingers together in front of
herself while studying the girl closely, "Soooo..." She began, "What
brings you here at such an late hour?"
Kris anxiously fiddled with the buttons on her vest, "I..." She again
found it hard to speak. She couldn't even remember why she came here to
begin with. She remembered searching for Jenn however before long she
found herself here, back at the Academy and in the realm of shadows.
Sophia could see the fear in niece's eyes and let out a short sigh, "You
don't have to be afraid of us," Sophia said softly, "I'm not going to
punish you or anything. I just want to know what happened."
"I..." Kris took a deep breath, "I don't know." She shook her head, "I
don't know what to think."
"Hot Coco is here." Melissa cheerfully said as she entered the room, and
then stopped as she saw the sad look on Kris's face and gave her sister
a glare, "Have you already started interrogating her? Sis, why do you
always have to be so brutal to the girl? She is our niece after all."
"Niece or not she had us all worried. Including her brother." Sophia
turned to Kris, "Have you spoken to him as of yet?" She asked the girl.
"N... No..." Kris glanced around nervously, " I just got back."
"And?" Sophia probed.
"I found Jenn..." Kris touched her chest, trying hard not to cry,
"She..." Tears filled the girl's eyes, "She went missing again." She
hugged a throw pillow from the chair, "After all that time I spent
trying to free her from that stupid cream she just disappears again..."
"Oh, Kris..." Melissa stepped forward intending to hug the girl when
Sophia raised her hand to stop her.
"You still love her, don't you?" Sophia continued.
Kris looked up from the pillow, "How... how did you know?" She said
shocked.
"Come on Kris," Sophia said with a smile, "I'm your aunt and you should
know by now that there's nothing that I don't know about."
"Plus she's a nosy busybody." Melissa cut in with a grin.
"At least I don't leave things laying around all the time." Sophia said,
glaring at her sister, "I can't believe how many times I have found your
stuffed bunnies in the oddest places. How do they manage to get into the
school anyways?"
Melissa shrugged, "They have a mind of their own. I have no control over
them and you know it."
Sophia let out a sigh and shook her head, "I can never win around here.
I wish I knew why brother put the both of us in charge of this school
when he knows very well that I could handle things on my own."
"If we understood big brother, then he wouldn't be big brother, now
would he?" Melissa said with a smile and handed the cup of coco to Kris,
"Careful, it's still hot."
Kris took the cup gratefully, "Thank you. " She said as she sipped at
the hot broth with a smile on her face. Her aunts always had a way of
making her smile no matter how much her heart ached inside. She
remembered having Melissa's coco on wintry nights and a frown crossed
her face at the memory.
"Is there something wrong?" Melissa asked, "I didn't put in too much
coco, did I?" She said with worry in her tone.
"No no!" Kris protested, "It is perfect... as always. I was just...
remembering the first time I tasted your coco is all." She said with a
sigh.
"Ahhhh..." Melissa gazed out the window, "Yes, I remember that day too.
You appeared on our door step on a night just like this, didn't you?"
"Is that why you are here?" Sophia asked, "You still have no place to
stay?"
Kris nodded as she stared into her cup, "I..."
"What if I told you I might know where your friend is?" Sophia asked,
crossing her arms across her chest.
"You do?!?" Kris nearly spilled her drink, "Where?!?"
"She should be arriving in the clinic by now." Sophia checked her watch,
"We will be checking in on her along with another Returner sometime in
the morning."
"Another one?" Kris glanced up curiously from her mug, "Someone I know?"
"She was before your arrival." Sophia gazed at the fire, "A real
mystery."
"She is adorable." Melissa said, "The cutest little red head with fiery
red eyes that you'd ever seen."
"Red!?!" Kris blinked, "What is her name?"
"Kimberly Harrison." Sophia said watching the expression on her niece's
face, "Do you know her?" She asked curiously.
Kris lowered the mug to her lap, "How is it possible?" Kris starred
dumbfounded at her aunt, "She was just there with Jenn? I mean I saw
her."
Sophia set an elbow on the arm of her chair and rested her chin on her
hand, "That girl is filled with mysteries." She sat up, "For now why
don't you get some rest. You'll find your room is still in order."
"But what about Jenn?" Kris started to stand.
"She will be fine." Sophia stood up, "Finish your drink then we'll talk
in the morning." She promptly left the room.
Melissa stepped up to Kris and set her hand on the girl's shoulder, "I'm
sorry, Kris. Sophia can be so cold at times."
"Jenn is back..." Tears streamed down her cheeks, she wrapped her arms
around Melissa and buried her face in the woman's shoulder, "and I'm
home." She let out a tired sob.
*****
To be Continued...
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