“It’s now three days since the disappearance of nine year old Jessica Clarke from her home town Brinley, Lancashire. Police are still continuing to search the area but have no fresh leads as to what happened to Jessica or where she might be. They are now extending the search to the surrounding woodland area not far from where Jessica lives. Whilst still appealing for witnesses to come forward who might have seen Jessica. Ben Kershaw reports from Brinley.”
Rachel stared heart wrenchingly at the television screen. The news programme was broadcasting on the disappearance of Jessica Clarke who had vanished three days ago and no one had seen her since. The police were yet to find any clue as to how a little girl could simply disappear from her own home when it had been safely secured before the family had gone to bed. Rachel’s heart poured out to her family, she knew exactly what they were going through right now. Just like millions more up and down the country she was praying no harm had come to her.
Her sympathy and condolences quickly became dreaded panic as Hazel’s footsteps began to descend the stairs. She hurriedly rummaged for the T.V. remote which she’d buried under a cushion and some magazines. She quickly turned the volume on the T.V. down. It was too late to do anything else as Hazel entered the room dressed in her work uniform. “What’s that you’re watching?” asked Hazel aware the volume on the television had decreased since she’d began her descent down the stairs.
“Oh nothing, nothing just the news,” Rachel shrugged harmlessly hoping to pass it off as ‘the usual’.
“It was about Jessica Clarke wasn’t it?” Hazel asked with a sad knowing.
“Err –“Rachel attempted.
“That poor girl. Her parents must be going through hell,” sympathized Hazel staring at the T.V. screen, remembering. Rachel looked up at her sister and knew what she was feeling right now. The pain that was always there but was never spoken of.
“I didn’t want you getting upset,” she said softly. Hazel didn’t want to talk about it, she didn’t want to let anyone see her grief not even her sister who had stood by her each day.
“ I don’t need protecting,” she put her guard back up and turned away from the screen and began tying her hair up in a bun using the mirror hung on the wall to help her. “I can hardly escape it can I?” she admitted. “It’s on the news, it’s in the newspapers. Everyone’s talking about it.” She was trying so hard not to cry and put a brave face on it. Rachel knew she was trying to be brave, trying in vain to forget but she knew Hazel was deeply affected. She had been as soon as the first reports had come in of the disappearance.
She knew it would bring it all flooding back to her as well as the fact that Hazel didn’t like her protecting her. “Sorry. I just thought . . . You know?” Rachel said gingerly not wanting to bring up the past by saying it.
“Yeah I know,” Hazel understood her good intentions. She turned away from the mirror and zipped up her handbag slinging it over her shoulder. “But we’ve been through all this. I’ll see you later.” She turned and walked out of the room.
“Yeah, see you later,” Rachel said sheepishly. She felt so guilty as if she’d shoved the news report in her face on purpose. If only she’d been able to switch the channel before Hazel had made it down the stairs.
Comments