“Boy that Limo, does drink the old petrol doesn’t it?” Uncle Jemima would say. “Needs fillin’ up every day. Wow! Wouldn’t drive one a them to save me life!”
“Who are they?” I asked curiously when the old chauffer turned up for the second time in the day and stood silently by the pumps as Uncle Jemima filled up the tank. The windows of the Limo had been would up despite the fact that I was half naked as it was a boiling summers day.
“That’s Amanda, that is. She’s got some kind of wasting disease, she lives up at Shamrock Hall, see up there!” He pointed to a large Sort of church like spiral shape and I could just make out the letters, ”HAMROCK ALL” on the top.
“Uncle, What about the Chauffer? Does he talk to you?” I asked.
“Nope, he never has and I don’t think he ever will, but His name is Zack.”
“Does Amanda go to school?”
“Not him she’s educated by her mother”
“So she doesn’t see any other children?”
“Nope, Not one”
My uncle left and Amanda quickly winded down the window and threw a letter at me and then rewound it back up again. The chauffeur walked past nodded and drove off. I put the letter in my pocket and ran inside. I opened it:
Dear Friend,
I have noticed you over the past few days standing at the Petrol station. My parents are dead, murdered by my evil chauffeur. He is keeping me prisoner and gradually starving me to death so that he can gain possession of my inheritance, which will pass to him when I’m dead. He takes me out every day so no one will get suspicious. Zack is killing me. Please will you come to my house and save me? I’ve got my wheelchair so you won’t have to carry me. Don’t tell anyone you’re coming, specifically you Uncle, as he will think it is too dangerous and will tell everyone.
Yours Sincerely
Amanda Hugandkiss
PS enclosed is the key to the side door of Shamrock Hall. Come tonight. Please don’t let me down.
I put both key and letter back into my pocket and thought hard. This couldn’t be true. It sounded too much like the plot of a bad thriller movie. But I needed a friend and Life with Uncle Jemima wasn’t going to be adventurous. So I decided to do it.
I waited until late that night, about 3am and walked up the old country lane towards Shamrock Hall. I had a torch in one arm and the key in the other. I inserted the key into the door and turned it to hear a tiny click. I opened the door and left it open and walked in.
“Amanda!” I whispered
“Amanda” I called again
“What? Oh sorry I was asleep” she replied. He walked out of the darkness on his own two legs. I was confused.
“Come on!” I said, “Before Zack sees us”
“Wait she said, I need my parents picture. I’ll be back in a sec”
She ran, with no visible disabilities, towards the parent’s room. She came back with the photo in hand.
“What about the wheelchair?” I asked
“No need for it!” she replied
We ran out side leaving the door slightly ajar we got far enough down the hill and started to walk she planted a kiss on my cheek, “Thank you!” she said, followed by another kiss “Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!” She shouted
“Ok, I get the picture” I said
“So where am I going to stay?” She asked
“With me, silly”
“What about your uncle?” He’ll be asleep.
“OK”
We reached the house and Slowly and Silently tip-toed up the stairs to my room. I lay her down on the bed and Lay beside her. She fell asleep quickly and I sat up and put her picture on my desk. I kissed her on the cheek, it felt cold, and said “Goodnight, Amanda!” I put my arm around her and closed my eyes and fell gently asleep.
I woke up the next morning to a series of police cars at my uncle’s door with their lights flashing. When I opened my eyes Amanda was gone. I put on my Coat and ran downstairs and Asked Uncle Jemima, “What’s going on?
“It turned out that Shamrock Hall was set on fire last night and both the chauffeur and the young girl died, about 1am this morning, because of the smoke.”
I ran up stairs and found the photo on the desk and it was blank, and the letter wasn’t there just a blank page.
WAS SHE A GHOST? WAS I DREAMING? WHAT HAD HAPPENED?
