Pheebs Writes – Scarlet Jewel 2nd Chapter

“Did you hear about a queen being crowned in Iceland for the first time in a hundred years?” Scarlet’s friend, Lilly asked, holding up the page she printed off this day. Scarlet hung her rucksack on the arm of the chair all the while, trying to get her hair dry, “I’ve been kinda busy Lily.” Scarlet said, thinking of the dog, “I phoned you at the weekend to tell you we moved house.” Lilly laughed. She put her hand onto her forehead. “Oh gosh! You did! Sorry!” Scarlet smiled as she sat herself down on the hard wooden chair. “Never mind.” She said quietly, as if to herself, “It’s not important anyway.” She looked down at her friends book. “Not to me.” She added.

She suddenly got into action and stood up. “I’ve got to go get a book!” She realised, her eyes wide when she realised she had nothing in her hands or on the table. Lily held up hers helpfully and looked at Scarlet with a big grin, like a child. Scarlet smirked at her friend. Lily was always acting like she was a child and Scarlet loved that about her. The thing was, she was a perfect friend too. Lily always gave Scarlet the time when she had to talk, or had a problem that she couldn’t solve herself. She would always pick up the phone no matter what she was doing to give the time to her friend.  “Not thanks.” Scarlet said, smiling. “I’ll get my own book.” As Scarlet said this, Lily smiled and put her book on the table again. She then went back to reading as if nothing had happened.

            As she went along the shelves towards the cookery section, Scarlet thought about her family. Back at home, she had three sisters that didn’t listen to her, plus two brothers, and her mother and father. Sally and Sir, she called them. She never called them mom and dad, as she didn’t feel like she fitted in anywhere and they didn’t mind one bit if she talked to them or anything. They were always too busy in their own lives to pay any kind of attention to her.

            She slid her fingers across a books spine as she tried to block out the memories of the truth from her home life. “WOOF!!” A bark came from the shelf behind her. Scarlet spun round to see the Dalmatian, dripping wet, eyes on her, bounding to greet her. The dog clambered onto her and pushed her to the ground. It licked her face and Scarlet suddenly realised that it was a girl dog she had helped! Now she saw the dog for the first time in the light, she was impressed with the full beauty of the dogs coat and her brown eyes. It was like her spots were tiny frames for pictures of love to be placed into. The dog herself was just so majestic and kind looking that Scarlet just fell in love right now and here. She couldn’t let this beautiful thing go to the pound!

            She giggled as the dog licked all over her face, wagging her tail. “Hey!” She gasped, when she could take in a breath, “What are you doing here puppy?” She said, grinning, “I thought I told you to wait outside!” There was the noise of heavy, disgusted breathing coming from the ally of books. “Where she should be!” The voice declared. Scarlet bit her lip and dreaded to look up to the shelves. When she did, she saw the horrid librarian, Miss Cannon, standing there, watching both girl and dog, playing round on her carpet.

            Scarlet pressed the dog off her body and took a second before mustering up the courage to look up at Miss Cannon. “Sorry Miss,” She started, shaking and feeling like crying. “She was lonely, that’s all, she came to see what I was doing, as I was so long in here.” The librarian huffed and looked at the carpet, now muddy. Her gaze went to Scarlet once again. “Well!” She declared, “You can just as well stay late tonight and, instead of taking a book out, I’ll see you clean up this carpet instead!” She turned to go back down the ally of darkness. “Oh!” She stopped. “I’ll be calling your mother and father too, by the way, Miss Scarlet Staff.” She went down the book ally.

             “You’ll always get me into trouble you know, if I keep you.” Scarlet said as she bent over the carpet later, sponge in hand. She had a bucket of water at the side of her and disinfectant too. She was feeling like Cinderella at this moment. The dog was lying on her stomach, her head low, in between her paws, somehow knowing that she did wrong. Scarlet’s face softened at the sight of this and she smiled. “Except,” She started as she rubbed the last buts of mud away, “I’m not sure I want to give yo to the pound, not yet anyway.” As she said that, the dog’s eyes glittered and she bounded forwards again. She bounced onto Scarlet and licked her face, her tail wagging. When she was done, Scarlet looked where the dogs back legs had been and sighed deeply, smiling in a less then glee way, “Then again,” She started, “Maybe I’ll change my mind…” She admitted as she saw the dogs paws had left thick mud patches. She dampened the sponge again and set to work.

Pheebs Writes – Scarlet Jewel – 1st Chapter

“I’m off!” Scarlet Staff said, stepping onto the gravel outside, going to close the door. No reply came from the inside the house. “That means I’m leaving now!” Scarlet called. She was on her way to the library. She was late so she was in a rush. ‘No reply,’ She thought to herself, ‘Ok,’ She brought her ruby red hair round so it was resting all together and walked over to her bike that was by the shed at the gate that let out to the roads.  

She had gotten it from a yard sale, back when she was eight. Her brothers and sisters teased her that it was too big for her so, she brought it anyway. Now she was big enough to ride it, she kind of thanked them for teasing her as it was the best thing she could have wanted to get. She mounted, clipped on her helmet, and started peddling for all she was worth.

            “Great!!” She was ten minutes down the road when the storm hit. The rain hit her hard. It was a good thing she was wearing her helmet or her hair would be drowned. ‘Glad the books are only two minutes away.’ She thought to herself as she peddled on. Sure enough, the library wasn’t far and Scarlet pulled up her bike at the rack. As normal, the chains were all knotted together in a pile. They never separated them in this county. As she finished chaining it up, her eyes caught sight of something at the very edge of the wall.

            A beautiful Dalmatian was sitting alone, shivering from the rain and harsh wind. Scarlet left her bike and went over slowly. She knew dogs could turn and run if they were scared or even turn nasty. The dog eyed Scarlet as she went closer. It pricked up its ears and stood up. Scarlet froze and stayed where she was as the dog started walking to her. She noticed that the dog was calm, its ears and tail were relaxed and it was moving steady, as if going to greet a friend. Scarlet noticed that the dog had no collar. She was a stray. Scarlet stayed where she was as the dog moved round her and sniffed. The dog wagged her tail as she came back around and sat down at Scarlet’s feet as if it were her dog. Scarlet smiled warmly and hoped she was not coming off as a threat in anyway.

Scarlet looked up at the darkening sky and then at the dog. She frowned, and petted the dogs lovely spotted coat. “We need to find your owners.” She said gently to it and walked over to the nearest person. “Excuse me?” The woman stopped in mid rush, “Please do you know who the owner of this dog is?” The woman shook her head. “No sorry.” She said, and rushed off. Scarlet looked round to see if anyone else was about but saw no one. She looked down and lead the dog to the doorway of the library. “Stay here so you don’t get wet.” She said as she stopped to get dry herself before going in. She bent down and as soon as she did, the dog licked her face. “Stop!” She laughed, cleaning her wet face. The dog seemed to smile at her. “If you see your owners, just go to them ok?” The dog nodded its head, as if understanding totally what Scarlet had just said. Scarlet grinned and turned to go inside. She heard a whining sound. She looked back to see the dog now resting on its stomach and whining for her to come back. With a heavy heart and, knowing she was already late, Scarlet went inside.

Pheebs writes – A Spooky Turn part 2…

Holly frowned, as she looked at the place where Jim had vanished. Nothing. No hole or anything, not a track of mud to be seen. Something must have pulled him in, as saw it with her own two eyes!  “Hello?” She spun round. A man was standing there! She stood up to address him politely. “Hello Sir,” She started, “Do you know- did you just see anything happen here?” The man seemed confused. He smiled a sour smile. “Why no Miss, I saw nothing,” Holly suddenly felt dizzy.

She was a where of herself swaying, moving, going onto the forest floor. “I..” She stammered, “What’s happening?” The man just stood there, calmly. “And neither did you…”

—–

Happy Halloween 😉

Pheebs writes – A Spooky Turn part 1…

“DON’T DO IT JIM!!” Holly Stone yelled. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up in fear. Her friend, Jim Bone, had always loved forests and exploring new things so, he had wanted to take Holly to the most inner part of Frightwood Forest.

“No worries Hols,” Jim said, as if it were nothing to him, “I’ll be ok,” He laughed, his hand on his stomach. “It’s just a few leaves anyway-” He stopped abruptly as he felt his arm taken hold of and something DRAGGED him in!! “NOOO!!!” Holly screamed, his eyes wide. She felt her legs go underneath her and fell to the floor. Her arms were shaking. Something was VERY wrong here…

——

Happy Halloween… 😉 ❤