The Waiting Game by Chantal Ashby Heaven

Author:Chantal Ashby Heaven
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Brown Dog Books

CHAPTER 11

The Healing Passage of Time

Tendrils of sea-mist drifted inland from the River Severn and wrapped themselves around the needle-thin spire of St. Andrew’s Church enveloping the church-yard in a veil of white. The whirling mist swept inexorably on, gobbling up the fishermen’s cottages at Aylburton before sweeping up the hillside to Lydney College, smothering the cricket pitch in cold damp wet vapour.

Soon the whole of Lydney and the surrounding villages had dissolved into the misty white void. Lu and Jack remained in the Art Room, side by side, frozen in time, lost in their own private thoughts, re-working in their minds the love story of Jim and Amelie.

Lu slowly opened her eyes and blinked. She twisted in Jack’s arms and sat up straight.

“Jack, open your eyes. Everything’s white.”

Jack opened his eyes slowly and looked outside the picture window at the blanket of white that had smothered the cricket pitch.

“Crikey… Where did that come from?”

“The sea I’m guessing,” Lu said excitedly, leaping to her feet, keen to investigate. “We sometimes get a sea mist in the Pearl River delta back home but it’s never as white as this - it looks like floating snow.”

Together they cautiously poked their heads out of the Art Block into the white void.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful Jack!” Lu exclaimed softly, trying to pluck at a piece of spiralling mist with her fingertips. She spun round on her tiptoes. “You’ll never get home in this weather Jack. You’ll have to stay here and find out what it’s like to be a boarder. I can just see Denby’s face. He’ll love having you under his power.”

“I’ve no intention of finding out what it’s like to be a boarder Lu,” Jack replied, appalled at the very idea. “Mum can pick me up on her way home from work. She passes straight by the school.”

“But will she be able to make it?” Lu asked doubtfully.

“Of course she will. Mum can do anything she sets her mind to. She’s stubborn like that.”

“In that case, can I come home with you Jack?”

“Come home with me?” Jack exclaimed, thrown off course by her sudden request. “You’ll need to get permission from the school.”

“That’s easily done,” Lu replied, grinning deviously. “Let’s go,” she said brightly, linking her arm through his and setting out into the wispy white void.

Jack rolled his eyes and followed after her, wondering what he had just let himself in for.

*

Denby stood outside the Meeting House directing proceedings with military precision. He had taken the decision not to allow cars into the school grounds for safety reasons. This had met with a mixed response from parents, not that Denby cared one iota: the new Head could deal with any complaints.

Ruth meanwhile drove out of Cinderford Surgery, undaunted by the thick sea-fog that was making its way inland fast. Her exhaust-pipe rattled as she trundled along at ten miles per hour, steering a course down the country lane, the tangled grass verge and wild meadow-sweet demarcating the hedgerows. She could barely see beyond the car bonnet but Ruth pressed on regardless.

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