Jackieleanne Posted October 3, 2005 Report Posted October 3, 2005 Wow what an amazing start. I can't wait to read more.
claire_louise Posted October 3, 2005 Report Posted October 3, 2005 Glad you like it! I'm really getting into it actually, never thought I would. More soon I promise!
claire_louise Posted October 4, 2005 Report Posted October 4, 2005 Ok here's the next chapter! Please read if you get the chance, I'd really appreciate more feedback! Chapter Three Kirsty slept like the dead. After Kane’s phone call, which was always on time, no matter what he had to do to make sure of it (Kirsty didn’t know and didn’t ask), she changed into her pyjamas and curled up in her old bed at Irene’s house. She had ambivalent feelings about being back in her and Kane’s old room; on the one hand, she was grateful to be in a place where she had always felt safe and loved, but on the other she bitterly regretted that Kane wasn’t with her. No matter how many friends and family she had around her, she would always feel alone without him. Nevertheless, she was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, and didn’t wake again until after ten the next morning. As she opened her eyes, the room swimming into view before her, she wondered for a second where she was. She was used to waking to the sound of rush-hour traffic outside her window and the smell of greasy fried breakfasts from the café down the street. She didn’t usually need to set her alarm; the walls were so thin that the sound of the guy in the flat next door banging around at 6am was enough to wake the entire block. No wonder she’d slept so long, when the only noise was the impatient calling of seabirds hunting their breakfast and someone singing in the shower. She rubbed her eyes, yawned once, and swung her legs out of bed contentedly. The mystery voice from the shower turned out to be Kim. Kirsty blushed as they bumped into each other in the hallway, Kirsty still in her pyjamas, Kim half-naked and dripping wet. “Woah, sorry, didn’t see you there,†he said, grinning awkwardly and rubbing his wet hair with a towel. “It’s k,†said Kirsty shyly. “Didn’t expect to see you round here again,†he said. “What’s the supposed to mean?†Kirsty snapped defensively. “Nothing, I…look, don’t take it the wrong way.†Kirsty smiled weakly. “Sorry,†she said. “Guess I’m just used to being the villain of the piece.†“Hey, none of that stuff has anything to do with me,†Kim said, shrugging. “Do you want something to eat? I’m no master chef but I can just about manage toast.†“Sounds good.†“So, what are your plans for today?†a now fully-clothed Kim asked ten minutes later, as the two of them sat at the dining table with copious amounts of toast and vegemite between them. “Um, putting off going to see my family, mostly,†Kirsty admitted. “Isn’t that why you’re back, to see them?†“One of the reasons.†Kim gave her a quizzical look but didn’t push it any further. “Well, I’m going to work in a minute if you want a lift,†he said. “Thanks, that’d be good. Maybe if I start with the Diner there’ll be no need for me to let anyone know I’m back myself.†“Radio Colleen,†Kim nodded knowingly. “Sounds like a plan.†As soon as Kirsty set foot in the Diner she could feel all eyes on her. It was like time stood still for a moment; no clattering of knives and forks, no animated chatter, no hissing of the cappuccino machine, no Alf and Colleen bickering, just frozen silence. Kirsty wasn’t as bothered by this as she might have been once upon a time; her relationship with Kane and the waves of controversy it had sent rippling around town when it first began had meant that she had gotten used to being stared at and whispered about. However, back then Kane had always been by her side to support her, quick to show defiance if anyone said anything out of turn. Now she was on her own. Remembering what he had taught her, Kirsty held her head up high and strode – albeit shakily – over to the counter. Behind it, Irene beamed proudly back at her. “What can I get you, Kirsty, love?†she asked, giving her a reassuring wink. Kirsty smiled, grateful but hesitant. She knew it was only a matter of time before the bird-like strains of Colleen’s voice would be heard emerging from the kitchen, proclaiming her shock and indignation at the nerve of ‘that Sutherland girl’, turning up so brazenly after all these years. “Just a coffee, thanks, Irene.†“Coming right u – †Irene didn’t get to finish her sentence. Colleen had just come in from the back and, setting eyes on Kirsty for the first time, had let out a piercing shriek and dropped the cup she’d been carrying. It shattered into a thousand pieces at her feet, but she didn’t seem to notice or to care. She simply stared at Kirsty as if she were a spectre from another world, her entire body rooted to the spot as if she’d been turned to stone. “Kirsty Sutherland,†she said in awe, her voice quivering even more than usual. “Well, I’ll be blowed.†“Phillips,†Kirsty piped up, wanting to start as she meant to go on. “Sorry?†Colleen snapped, seeming to come out of her trance very quickly at the prospect of being answered back. “It’s Kirsty Phillips, not Sutherland.†Colleen sniffed the air in distaste. “Huh, yes, well,†was all she could think of to say. “We all know what the general opinion is on that.†Kirsty threw Colleen the dirtiest look she could muster and turned her back on her, instead addressing Irene. “On second thoughts, can I have a piece of that cheesecake as well, please, Irene?†she said. “No problem, dahl. You sit yourself down, I’ll bring it over.†Ignoring Colleen’s twittering behind her back, Kirsty turned on her heel and triumphantly stepped forwards. Straight into Dani.
Jackieleanne Posted October 4, 2005 Report Posted October 4, 2005 Great work. I can't wait to read more. This is such a great story.
tasha7905 Posted October 5, 2005 Report Posted October 5, 2005 Still good, cant wait to find out what the situation is like between Dani and Kirsty, I think you have Kirsty's character spot on!
claire_louise Posted October 6, 2005 Report Posted October 6, 2005 Thanks again for all your comments, keep them coming! I don't mind criticism as long as it's constructive! Chapter Four The pair gazed at each other, unflinching, for several endless moments. Kirsty felt a knot of anguish tighten in her stomach at the sight of the sister she hadn’t seen for five long years. The sister she’d betrayed. In her mind she could still see the look on Dani’s face when she’d first found out about her and Kane, the pain in her eyes, like a part of her had died. Kirsty could have sworn that look was still there now. “Kirsty?†Dani breathed eventually, after what seemed like hours of ominous silence had passed between them. Tears were visibly brimming in her eyes. Swallowing her own tears, Kirsty made a feeble attempt at a smile. Not trusting herself to reply without crying, she simply nodded. Dani let out a shuddering sob and flung herself at her sister in a sudden movement, gripping her so tightly that she struggled to breathe. Kirsty didn’t care. The feeling of being close to Dani again was so overpowering that it made her dizzy. She didn’t want to ever let go, but after a while she suddenly became very aware that they were providing the day’s entertainment for a packed Diner. “Um, do you think we could go somewhere else to talk?†Kirsty asked, blushing, as they finally drew apart. Dani nodded. They left the Diner and walked uneasily side by side along the beach, attracting more than the occasional stare from local passers-by as they went. The initial rush of emotion they had felt at seeing each other again had passed and an awkward silence had sprung up between them, fuelled by their very public display of affection. Kirsty eventually plucked up the courage to break the spell. “So, how’ve you been?†she asked, realising not for the first time in her life that she was slightly afraid of her older sister. “Yeah, good. You?†Dani replied, not looking up. “Oh, you know, not bad. You look great by the way,†Kirsty added, hoping that flattery might do the trick. A compliment always used to go a long way with Dani. “I like your hair like that.†“Thanks.†Kirsty sighed, aware that Dani had closed up. Apparently small talk wasn’t going to be enough. There were so many more important things that had already gone unsaid for too long. “Dani,†she said, biting the bullet. “I don’t know if you can ever forgive me for being with Kane, and I completely understand that, but I just want you to know that I’ve never stopped thinking of you. All of you.†Dani stopped walking and turned to face her sister. “If you cared about us that much, why did you leave in the first place?†she said, her voice and expression matching in puzzlement. “Oh, Dan, you know it wasn’t like that. It was never about whether I cared about you or not. You’re my family, I love you!†Kirsty implored. “But you chose not to be a part of this family,†Dani stated, her tone suddenly stony. “I didn’t want to! I didn’t want to have to choose…†“But you did! You chose him. And not just once either. When you started seeing him behind my back, when he got me sent to prison, when you got married. You chose him every time. You even chose him after he tried to kill your entire family! How could you, Kirsty?†Dani exploded, years of repressed hurt and anger erupting from below the surface. “He didn’t try to kill anyone,†Kirsty asserted. “Oh, wake up, Kirsty, you’re dreaming!†“He didn’t do it,†Kirsty repeated. “I don’t want to fight with you, Dani. That’s the last thing I came back to do; don’t you think there’s been enough of that already? But I won’t have you accusing my husband of something he didn’t do.†Dani tutted loudly, a snarled expression on her face, and shook her head in disbelief. Kirsty noticed that her fists were clenched so tightly that the knuckles were porcelain white. “Why has he been in prison for the past five years, then, if he’s such a blue-eyed boy?†Dani spat maliciously. “You should know better than anyone that there’s no such thing as justice.†“Don’t you dare compare me to him.†“Why not? People thought you were guilty, too. Even some of your friends. Even your own family.†“You did, you mean.†“I was wrong, though, wasn’t I? Are you so naïve to think that you might not be wrong, too?†“Jade saw him set fire to our house, Kirsty. I think that’s pretty conclusive evidence.†“Jade thought she saw him. She said herself she couldn’t be sure.†Dani sighed. “Fine, have it your way. You know, I actually thought you might have come to your senses. I thought you’d come back for us.†“I did.†“No, you didn’t, you came back because of him. It’s always because of him with you.†“He’s my husband. I love him.†“Fat lot of good that does you while he’s locked up in prison. He might as well be dead.†“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?†Kirsty snapped. For a split second, Dani’s eyes clouded over and she looked like she was going to cry. “I’d never wish you that much pain. I know what it’s like to lose someone you love.†Kirsty instantly regretted what she had said, but before she had a chance to apologise Dani’s expression had hardened again and she had turned to leave. As Kirsty called out after her, she didn’t see the tears which spilled down Dani’s cheeks as her heart broke for the sister she barely recognised.
claire_louise Posted October 8, 2005 Report Posted October 8, 2005 Thanks Lozza, I hope other people are still reading too! Here's the next chapter... Chapter Five That night, as with every other night, Kirsty and Kane both languished in their own kind of prison. Kane may have been the only one who was actually locked up, but Kirsty felt as trapped as if she was also in a cell. She had hoped it would get easier as time went on, but if anything it got harder. Every time she was forced to sleep in an empty bed, the silence that filled the room saying more than words ever could, she felt as if yet another piece of her soul had been chipped away. Tonight, with everything that had happened with Dani only adding to her misery, she lay awake for hours, thinking and rethinking every detail of their disastrous meeting. Needless to say, it wasn’t exactly how she’d wanted the big family reunion to go. She was dreading having to confront the rest of the family. One at a time was bad enough, but the Sutherland clan en masse were a force to be reckoned with. I should know, she thought glumly. I used to be part of that. Rolling over in bed, she reached for the photo of Kane that she kept on the table next to her, wanting to remind herself who her family was now. No matter how hard things got or how lonely she felt, knowing that Kane loved her and that they’d be together one day kept her going. He was everything she’d ever wanted; a man who was devoted to her, who she could raise a family of her own with. If only things could be different… She slipped into a fitful sleep, plagued by visions and dreams of her family. In one, she was back in her old room, sitting at the dressing table. In the mirror, she could see Jade curled up on her bed, sobbing. “How could you, Kirsty?†she said in a choked voice. “How could you…with him?†“I love him,†Kirsty said desperately. The words seemed to repeat themselves, uselessly, without her even opening her mouth. I love him, I love him… Suddenly Dani was stood behind her, glaring at her with blazing eyes. In her hand was a pair of scissors and, before Kirsty knew what was happening, she had taken up her long ponytail and begun to hack away at it. Kirsty screamed but no sound came out. “He won’t love you now,†Dani chided, cutting until all the hair was gone. “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair…†She laughed; a sharp, scathing laugh, like the wicked witch in a fairy story. Then suddenly the dream changed and there was Kane, but a barely recognisable Kane, bloodied and bruised in a hospital bed. His face was swollen to twice its normal size and his eyelids were sealed together with blackened blood. The memory was all too familiar, but it wasn’t something Kirsty would consciously choose to relive. Once was surely enough. “Kane!†Kirsty heard someone shriek, not realising at first that it was her own voice that rang out, panic-stricken, through the hospital ward. As if in an out-of-body experience, she watched herself dash to Kane’s side, tears streaming down her cheeks as she took in his horrific injuries; injuries which she knew to be down to her beloved sister. Then, out of the blue, one of the machine’s by the bed began to sound shrilly and Flynn bustled into the room, shoving Kirsty out of the way. As other people entered she found herself pushed out of the door, struggling to catch a glimpse of what was happening through the glass. Her breath was coming faster and faster and, as her pulse zoomed out of control, she thought her heart would burst through her chest from sheer terror. What felt like hours later Flynn emerged. The look on his face said it all. “I’m so sorry, Kirsty, we did everything we could…†Kirsty screamed and screamed. She woke in a sweat, the bed covers tangled around her like a boa constrictor that had gone in for the kill. The dream had been real, but the way it had ended…for the few seconds it took for her to realise where she was and for her heart-rate to return to normal she was stricken by confused fear, struggling to separate illusion from reality. It was only when she had managed to shake off the sleep-induced uncertainty that she realised she could hear a telephone ringing. Stumbling out into the hall, she answered groggily. “Hello?†“Hello, may I speak to a Mrs Kirsty Phillips, please?†a man’s voice enquired formally. Kirsty almost didn’t need to hear the rest. Immediately she knew why the man was calling. The dream had been a sign: something had happened to Kane.
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