SCARLETT
I tried to open my eyes, but they felt like they had been glued shut. My mind was in overdrive, trying to piece everything together. We were in the car. There was screaming, and we must have crashed, but I couldn’t remember.
Did we hit something, or did something hit us? Was everyone okay?
Glass. I remember smashing glass and a big gray building. But we couldn’t have been in a building. Did we hit a building? No, a tree. Where was the building then? My head throbbed and I wasn’t sure if it was because I’d hit it or because I was trying too hard to remember. And then I was drifting—no, it was more like being pulled under.
Mummy brushed my hair and I closed my eyes, smiling. I loved it when she played with my hair. “Can I have pigtails, please?”
“Of course,” she replied. “You can have anything you want, my special girl.”
“Mummy, can I do your hair too?” I asked.
“You can, but Mummy’s hair won’t look as pretty as yours. Mine is too short.” She sat down and handed me the brush. I combed it through her short, blond hair, pretending to be the mum.
“I want to be a hairdresser when I’m older.”
“Oh, sweetheart, you are destined for greater things.”
My eyes finally flickered open but only for a second. The light slid through the gap, and I winced, closing them immediately.
“Scarlett,” I heard Jeremy say. “Hey, can you do that again? Scarlett, open your eyes.” I tried to, but his voice sounded farther away, and then I was gone again.
I sat with David, Gregory, Linda, and Freya, waiting for Mummy and Daddy to get back. The house was crowded today, but we were the only ones still and reading. Jeremy ran through the room and out the other door, chasing Evelyn. I wanted to join in their game but I had to read.
“Auntie Linda, how many days until I’m four?” I knew my birthday was coming up and reading about it made it more exciting.
She didn’t look up from her book but replied, “Twenty-one days to go.”
“I can’t wait!”
“Neither can we,” Gregory said, stroking my hair.
“Is my daughter going to be okay?” Mum said. She sounded tired, like she’d not slept in weeks.
I tried to remember my dreams, but I all I could picture was Jeremy running after a little girl I’d never seen before. I didn’t usually dream. Well, I didn’t remember dreaming anyway. There were things I remembered—Mum combing my hair but she looked different. No one I saw was the same. I didn’t recognize anyone but Jere.
“She opened her eyes,” Jeremy said. “She’s going to be fine.”
Another voice I didn’t recognize replied, “It’s a very good sign that she opened them, but there’s still some way to go yet. Let’s allow her to rest.”
I didn’t want to rest anymore. I wanted to wake up properly. I hadn’t heard Dad’s voice yet, and I needed to know he’s okay. I tried my hardest, willing my eyes to open, but it was useless. The darkness was back for me.
The big room was the prettiest room I’d ever seen, especially because it was in a big, ugly gray warehouse. The floor was covered in leaves and pretty red flowers, and Mummy said that’s because I was so special. My party was going to be the best party ever. Candles were everywhere, making the room really hot. “Wow,” I said, clutching my teddy in my hand.
Daddy held his hand out. He was standing in the middle of the room, in front of a circle of rocks filled with green leaves. “Come, sweetheart.”
I walked over to him and looked around. Everyone was here, and they were all dressed in white—just like I was. “Where’s Mummy?” I asked.
“Here I am, my special girl,” she said, walking into the room. Everyone moved to stand in a big circle around me, Mummy, and Daddy.
Jeremy tugged on someone’s arm, but I couldn’t see who it was because Aunty Linda was blocking them. He looked scared and had tears running down his face. Jeremy was tough, and I’d never seen him cry before. It made me want to cry. I didn’t like this anymore. Everyone looked down at me. They were so tall. I was scared. This was scary.
I looked up at Mummy and Daddy. “Can we go home now?” I asked, my bottom lip trembling.
Mummy shook her head. “No, sweetheart. It is now time.”
Everyone was screaming. The flames were taller than Daddy. I started to cry and my body was shaking. “Mummy! Mummy!” I didn’t know where she was. I was too hot and dropped to the floor. I wanted Mummy and Daddy to get me, but I didn’t see where they went when the fire started.
Someone picked me up, but I was falling asleep.
I jolted awake, but I was still in the dark. What was that? I had a horrible, horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“Can you hear me?” Mum asked, stroking my hair. “I can see your eyes moving. Try opening them, honey.” That was all I’d been doing while I was conscious. Come on. I forced them open, and this time they responded. “Oh, Scarlett.” A tear ran down her cheek. “Thank God you’re awake. Everything’s going to be okay now.”
I nodded slowly and smiled. My head felt like it was being bashed from the inside and my throat was as dry as the desert. “Water?” I croaked.
Jeremy was beside me with a cup of water and straw in an instant. “You sure like to be the center of attention, don’t ya?” he joked, but behind it I could see the relief in his eyes. I sipped from the straw until the water slid down easily and it no longer hurt to swallow.
“Dad?” I asked when I’d finished.
“He’s fine, being kept for observation as he had a mild concussion, but he’s okay. We brought him to see you earlier today, and the doctor says if his latest results come back normal, he’ll be discharged this morning.”
Thank God he was okay. “What happened?”
“Some arsehole fell asleep at the wheel and caused a six-car pileup,” Jeremy replied. I remembered the sounds of the crash and the screams but nothing else.
Mum ignored his colorful language. “There were no fatalities, by some miracle. You came off worst.”
“She always was a drama queen.”
Mum gave him a stern look. “Jeremy, go fetch a doctor please.” My brother saluted and left the room. “You feeling okay?”
“Head hurts, but I’m fine. I had strange dreams when I was out of it.”
“Oh? What about?”
I frowned. “Um, a hot building, everyone in white, Jeremy chasing someone. I can’t really remember.” My brain felt fried. “Were you and Jeremy hurt?”
Mum’s lips thinned for a second, and then she stroked my hair. “Only a few cuts and bruises. I’ll just go see where Jeremy’s got to, hurry that doctor up,” she said, standing up and dashing out of the room.