Bound For The Dark Side (standard:action, 1386 words) [1/3] show all parts
Author: Brian Cross	Updated: Dec 28 2005	Views/Reads: 4165/2421	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
opening chapter of novel in progrss - childhood events have turbulent repercussions in the life of Barbara Blandford

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story


She could see - deep inside she could see - a vision that was to linger
long after most childhood memories had faded. The landscape had been 
green and pretty - Barbara liked pretty things, but before her eyes the 
colours had seemed to begin changing - first to a parched brown as if 
every drop of moisture was being extracted from the ground as she 
watched. Then came the transformation into an all encompassing greyness 
which seemed to extend from the soil to the very heavens. The roadway 
that led between this landscape had been smooth but now it seemed to 
heave and contort like a stressed bridge in an earthquake, until it 
became the only discernible feature, very hilly and with its uneven 
surface meandering without apparent direction. She wanted to go back 
the way she'd come - to return to her  comfortable terrain; to be away 
from this nasty new world which didn't seem real, only something 
wouldn't let her. * Dinner that evening had been late - over an hour 
later than normal before her mother called them through, her voice 
sounding soft and strained though Barbara had been alarmed at the 
strange hardness in her eyes. 

Father sat opposite her at the table. In the eyes of an eight year old
he was handsome. He always wore a jacket at dinner, normally a light 
coloured one that matched his fair hair, and never failed to have 
something funny to say. Today though he was not smiling, in fact his 
eyes seemed heavy, with bulges beneath she couldn't remember seeing 
before. And he was not wearing a jacket, but a dirty green jumper she'd 
often seen him gardening in. 

There was a silence, mummy and daddy didn't seem to want to speak, and
she'd hardly seen either of them all day. It had made her feel 
strangely lonely. Then mummy looked at her and the stony expression 
seemed to change - 'Are you alright Barbara dear - you seem - well - 
down -' 

Barbara nodded, but there was no immediate reply. She was thinking how
pretty her mother normally looked, her black hair cleverly tied with a 
braid and pony tail, though tonight it wasn't like that. Tonight it was 
scraggly and didn't seem to have been combed, more than that she seemed 
tired. 

Suddenly though, the eyes widened and mummy's face seemed more lively - 

'So this -this business meeting that kept you over - was it a success -
I mean will it stimulate growth?' 

‘Oh I should say so -' Martin Blandford pushed away his plate, the meat
on which, he'd hardly touched. 

He felt his wife's gaze on him, was not unaware of her accusing stare,
then finally became conscious of the strange blend of earnestness and 
uncertainty on his daughter's face, 'Yes, yes, no doubts on that score, 
none at all.' He reached for his paper, gathered up his spectacles and 
scanned the pages, 'Now look, we all seem a little out of sorts - who 
wouldn't with this dismal weather. Why don't I take you two lovely 
ladies out to the theatre - there's a wonderful adaptation –‘ 

‘I think not, I've had a very trying day,' Dianne Blandford cut her
husband short, lowering her eyes before glancing at Barbara with a 
slight smile, 'but if it's fun and enlightening please do take Barbara, 
though try not to keep her out too late Martin.' 

The young girl's gaze swung between her parents. She did her best to
appear enthusiastic about the unexpected evening out but too many 
things had traumatised her, and, looking up, she had a feeling the 
apathy she felt had not gone unnoticed by her mother. 

Just what was taking place here - why didn't they simply come out in the
open and tell her? She was a bright child and it was as plain as 
anything that something was very wrong. 

'I'll go and get changed then mummy, what should I wear?' Barbara looked
back, there was no reply - both parents were engaged in stifled 
conversation... 


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