Terror Scribes by Adam Lowe & Chris Kelso

Author:Adam Lowe & Chris Kelso
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dog Horn Publishing
Published: 2015-11-03T16:00:00+00:00

The clatter of cups on saucers and plates on trays in the heat of the café was almost painful after the quiet of the park in the cold. Sarah felt her face flush in the heat, and managed to get herself out of her coat without having to stand up, which was a relief in this small space. Lauren looked as pale as ever, and Sarah envied the way she never flushed. She took after their mother, pale and dark; while Sarah favoured their father, a man of far ruddier complexion and chestnut hair. She even had his freckles.

The waitress pushed mugs of hot chocolate in front of them, then trudged over to the next customer, already gesturing impatiently. Sarah took a sip of her drink, wiped the foam off her lip, and looked up to see her sister staring at her, deadly serious.

‘What’s the matter?’

Lauren had the good grace to look abashed. ‘Another kid went missing last week.’

‘Another one? Really?’

Lauren nodded, her enthusiasm escaping now she knew she had her sister’s ear. ‘From that playground.’

‘The one I met you at this morning?’

Another nod.

Sarah sighed. ‘Is that why you were so keen to meet there?’ Lauren’s face fell, and Sarah fought hard to stay kind. She didn’t want to frighten her off. ‘Honey, this isn’t healthy.’

‘What do you mean?’

Exasperated, Sarah blew her fringe out of her way, a habit Lauren knew only too well. Her chin set, as she grew stubborn in return. Sarah sighed. How long was this merry-go-round going to keep running? How many times were they going to end up right back here? ‘You can’t keep obsessing about kids that go missing.’

‘I’m not obsessing!’

‘You’re scoping out the playgrounds where they disappear! How is that not obsessed?’

Lauren stared into her mug, her face solemn. A single tear spilled over onto her cheek and cut a track in her make up as it fell. ‘It’s not fair.’

Sarah reached for her hand. ‘No, it’s not. And I’m sorry, honey, really I am.’ She squeezed her sister’s hand and handed across a tissue. Lauren ignored her, wiping her eyes and focussing on her cup. ‘Lauren, kids go missing. All the time. Sad but true.’

Lauren glared at her. ‘That doesn’t make it right!’

‘No, it doesn’t. But it doesn’t make them yours, either.’

Lauren flinched at that, but Sarah pressed on, hating herself—and hating Lauren for making her do it. ‘There are ways, Lauren, we’ve talked about this. Adoption, fostering . . . ’

Lauren was shaking her head, vehement in her refusal to listen. Sarah grew exasperated. ‘Why on earth would you think hanging around playgrounds is a way to get a kid? It’s creepy!’

‘I don’t know.’ Lauren’s voice was low, choked with grief and self-loathing. ‘I just like being near them, okay? It makes me feel less . . . ’

‘Less what?’

‘Redundant. Alone.’ She glared at her sister now, fierce in her contempt. ‘I know how that sounds, you don’t need to tell me.’ She wiped her eyes, stared out of the window at the people wandering by with no idea how hollow her life was.

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