Diamonds Fall

by Rebecca Gibson

  Daniel wasn't strong enough to climb the ladder so Patsy had cobbled together a bed of loose straw, placing a tattered blanket at the top in the absence of a pillow. Daniel groaned in pain again as he was set down. Blood soaked his thin white shirt, his torso being the main area of attack, and there was a vicious lump on his head, the bruise from which had already forced his right eye shut.

  Annabel wanted to cover him with her own blanket but feared it would only irritate his exposed wounds so left him for the time being to be soothed by the cool night air. As soon as Daniel was placed amongst the straw Billy picked up the baby, who cooed contentedly, wrapped in his loving warmth. Annabel didn't want to leave Daniel alone so sat beside him. She watched Billy dote on the child, refusing to allow any of them to feed her, change her or bathe her. They were only allowed the occasional cuddle and even then it was only for the short periods of time it took Billy to wash, toilet and eat. Annabel thought Billy must only be getting a couple of hours sleep a night. Even though it had been only a few days, he had begun to literally live for Genevieve. He loved her more than any father had ever loved their child.

  "Billy?"

  "Yeah?"

  "You and Jen have to sleep upstairs on your own tonight."

  "No," he shook his head. "We be lonely."

  "But Tom and Trevor cannot get Genevieve if you are upstairs. Jen cannot be seen Billy."

  He looked as if he would protest until Genevieve cooed again, attracting his attention. He pondered the idea Annabel had presented.

  "Thinking," he muttered and Annabel kissed his cheek, earning a smile before he nodded and ascended the ladder, Genevieve in one arm, the other gripping the rungs with a practiced ease.

  Annabel looked up at the sound of the door creaking open to find Patsy, laden with the now full bucket, coming back in. She put the bucket down beside Daniel. As the water's ripples diminished Annabel ripped a section of the old shirt she had stolen, dipping the fraying strips into the cold water. She unbuttoned Daniel's shirt and began to press the wet material against these wounds first. Daniel cried out the second she touched the first mark, his muscles clenching beneath her touch. Her cheeks flushed as she began to clean away the blood, revealing the tanned, scarred skin beneath it.

  Patsy tried to soothe her older brother by humming. It was slightly out of tune and thus didn't hold the magic of Daniel's song. Having cleaned this part of him, Annabel washed each of his rough hands in turn, more to touch them than a need to actually be cleaned. Once she had completed this, she washed off his face. His laboured breath turned steadier as she soothed his hurt. Satisfied she had done all she could for the moment, Annabel turned to Patsy who had curled up in a ball in the corner. From a slight distance you would think she was completely at ease, drifting back into sleep as if her rude awakening had been caused by a loud bird. However, this close to her Annabel could see Patsy's eyes wide open and roaming as if she were looking for answers on the grimy wall. Annabel reached around her friend to clasp her hands in comfort; they were trembling slightly and as cold as death itself.

  "Are you okay?" Annabel whispered into Patsy's ear, finding her own solace in Patsy's presence whilst trying to restore some heat into her icy fingers. She nodded, her face making a rustling sound against the straw. Patsy squeezed Annabel's hand in hers as the warmth slowly returned.

  "What are you thinking?" she asked.

  Annabel pondered this question for a while before answering.

  "That no-one should live like this."

  "No-one else does," Patsy replied.

  Annabel propped herself up on her elbow, looking into the half of Patsy's face that wasn't pressed into the straw.

  "Yes they do...even in my world."

  Patsy turned around.

  "Other people live like this? Really?" She sounded almost hopeful.

  "In some sense, yes."

  "But not really in your world, it's too...perfect."

  Annabel laughed humourlessly.

  "No it's not. It's easy, that doesn't mean it's perfect."

  "Same thing," Patsy whispered turning back over and resuming her former position.

  "Patsy there are violent men in every class. I've known of people who have had husbands or fathers who abused them for years but there was nothing anyone could do about it because they were too powerful. Like your father, everyone was scared of them. They play their game too well."

  "It's not a game." Patsy retorted, rolling back around again to face Annabel.

  "You won't be here forever Patsy. When I get taken back home, whether it be days or years from now, you're coming with me - you, Billy, Jen and Daniel if he wants to. In fact, anyone you want can come. I've got enough money and a big enough house. Lord, I have an entire wing to myself that the whole village could fit into and still have rooms spare."

  Patsy's face lit up and then dimmed in disbelief.

  "You don't mean it. You jus' want me to help you escape."

  "Of course I mean it! How dare you say that." Annabel crawled closer to Patsy and took her hand again. Both girls were now sat bolt upright, looking each other dead in the eye.

  "Really?" Patsy whispered. "I could really come with you?"

  "You're like my sister Patsy...better than sister because I actually like you. You've given me the hope I needed to stay alive, I need to give it back to you somehow, someday."

  Patsy looked radiant with expectation. Her hold on Annabel was so tight it hurt but she couldn't care less. A silent tear landed on their clasped hands, glistening in the pale moonlight as if sealing their agreement. Drunk on each other's naive optimism, they both laughed. The sound hit their ears in a hollow echo. Patsy leaned back against the slimy wall and glanced over Annabel's shoulder. Annabel followed her gaze towards Daniel. There, they watched his chest rise and fall, his fingers twitching as he dreamed, until the pale sun shone back through the broken window.

  Patsy fell asleep not long after the sunrise, still leaning against the wall, her head resting on Annabel's shoulder. Annabel briefly closed her eyes but the second her lids met, blocking out the visual world, images of the fire poker smacking into Daniel filled her mind, flashing in front of her like a storm. She heard his first groan of surprised pain, the sound of the air leaving his lungs at the impact of Tom's boot and sleep became impossible to achieve.

  Gently easing Patsy's head from its resting place, Annabel crept over to Daniel. Sitting beside him, she ran her eyes over the scars criss crossing his torso. The recent ones were bright red and angry, whilst the old ones were pink, raised slightly above the healthy skin. Annabel jumped as he let out an anguished groan. Still in the clutches of a dream, his eyes flew open.

  "No," he repeated over and over again, the exclamation getting increasingly more anguished. Annabel placed a hand on his shoulder, keeping him lying down. He took her hand in his, trying desperately to sit up.

  "Daniel, wake up." Annabel tried to stir him from his dream, from his nightmare.

  "No, please let me help," he continued. "I've gotta help."

  "Shh, Daniel not now. You need to sleep now. Everything will be alright in the morning." Annabel brushed his hair from his eyes once more and saw him relax somewhat.

  "In the morning," he whispered, ceasing his fight to rise.

  "Yes Daniel, it will all be better in the morning."

  Chapter Thirteen

  Annabel didn't sleep anymore that night. She watched Daniel, his face finally peaceful as he slept, her fingers rhythmically combing through his soft, blonde hair.

  Patsy awoke first, her breathy laugh finding Annabel's ears a few hours after sunrise. She looked up.

  "What?" she asked, offended that Patsy seemed to be laughing at her. She wiped her chin, afraid she had something on her face.

  "Our hair looks so silly! I'd forgotten `bout it!"

  Annabel's hands went to her head. Feeling the rags still secured in her hair, she laughed as well.

  "Turn around," she said, walking over to Patsy and
taking down her hair. Looking at Patsy once her hair was falling past her shoulders again, she smiled. The now tight curls complemented her face shape, making her look as innocent as her youthful features should. Patsy untied Annabel's own hair, watching with her mouth slightly agape as it tumbled down into its usual dark blonde spirals, her blue eyes glittering.

  "You're so beautiful," she said, wrapping one of Annabel's curls around her short finger. "Stick out like a sore thumb `ere."

  "You're not so bad yourself," Annabel replied tweaking Patsy's nose and making her way back to Daniel.

  Finding him still asleep she rewashed his healing wounds. They looked less aggressive already although, his emotional scars would no doubt remain with him forever.

  It wasn't until evening was once more drawing in that Daniel finally stirred.

  Still half unconscious, he moaned. Annabel jumped up. Crouching by his side she placed a hand on his forehead as she had seen other people do - she didn't know what a too hot forehead felt like but she figured it would appear as if she knew what she was doing.

  "You're alright Daniel, just like I promised."

  He groaned again and Annabel ran her fingers slowly through his fair hair, remembering how much this had healed her when she had been hurt.

  That's when she remembered. The smell of Daniel was that same soapy, musky smell that still clung to the thinner of her two blankets, the one she had been bundled inside after she had tried to escape. She realised the hazel eyes she had seen in her brief moment of consciousness weren't Billy's at all...they were Daniel's.

  Daniel was her saviour. He had helped her in the darkest hour of her life. He had helped her without even knowing her name. Sat there, amongst the straw and the horses, Annabel made a silent vow. She would help Daniel in whatever way she could, until the drawing of her final breath.

  Leaving a few minutes Annabel filled a cup and held it up to Daniel's lips, coaxing him to drink. Whilst he was drinking Annabel realised he wouldn't have the strength to chew through the now stale bread. With a stroke of inspiration, she filled another cup of water and soaked the bread before feeding it to Daniel, like a bird nourishing its children.

  Following his limited meal he quickly fell back into unconsciousness.

  Carefully removing the blanket from under his head Annabel threw it over his half naked body, fearing he would become too cold during another night. Through much argument she managed to persuade Patsy to follow Billy and Genevieve up to the loft, promising she would sit with Daniel.

  Annabel, having had next to no sleep in days, felt tired to her very bones. Each limb felt as if it were made of iron. Yet she had an unspoken duty to stay awake, in case Daniel needed her.

  In order to think about anything else, Annabel went over to the horses. They were a little restless. Their hooves scrapped across the floor, their ears pressed back against their heads. She laid her hand on their silken shoulders, patting gently as she had done with the glistening thoroughbreds that were kept at the manor. Before long, in her sleep deprived mind set, she found herself talking to them as if they could hear her. It was then that she finally understood the appeal of animals. The fact they seemed to listen to her every utterance, without there ever being the fear they would repeat or judge her words, was intensely relieving. She was only broken out of this one sided conversation when Daniel groaned again, louder this time, showing that he had re-entered consciousness in some form. Annabel rushed to his side, refilling the cup of water in case he should want it.

  "No," he croaked as Annabel lifted the cup to his lips. He looked pained, almost embarrassed, as he opened his eyes. The swelling of his right eye had gone down significantly due to the hours Annabel had spent pressing a cold, wet cloth to the area. Daniel looked at the stable door with meaning in his expression. Misinterpreting this meaning Annabel rested a tender hand on his arm.

  "You're safe, it's alright."

  He shook his head and tried to roll onto his front in an attempt to stand but Annabel gently pushed him back down.

  "You've got to rest Daniel."

  "No," he clutched his side, gasping as his struggle jostled one of his wounds. "I've gotta...go."

  He broke off blushing, looking at the door again. Annabel caught on, covering her mouth with her hand.

  "Oh," she giggled. "Um...I'll help you..."

  A trace of a smile formed on Daniel's lips at the awkward situation as he managed to raise himself into a seated position.

  Annabel bent her knees and Daniel put his arm around her shoulders. She lifted him onto his feet with a grunt as his weight rested almost entirely on her right side. Daniel was shaky on his legs, his face now crumpled with both the pain and exertion. Despite the hurt, Daniel attempted a laugh when the blanket fell away, revealing his naked chest.

  "Couldn't wait...to get me...naked," he rasped.

  Annabel blushed. "You were hurt," she reasoned.

  "That's...what they all say...ow..." He groaned as he took his first step.

  "Do you want my help or not?" Annabel teased to take his mind off the hurt.

  "Sorry."

  With Annabel's assistance he managed to hobble outside, almost falling on several occasions. It seemed he must have damaged his ankle when he jumped from the loft; he was unable to put much weight on it at all.

  Once outside of the stable Annabel waited in the doorway as he used the wall to support his way around the back. He wouldn't let her help him any further. A few minutes later he reappeared and Annabel resumed her position at his side, lowering him back onto the straw. They were both slightly out of breath and shared a cup of water between them.

  "I can't drink too much," he said after a few mouthfuls.

  "Why not?" Annabel asked.

  "Tha' was too much effort. I don' wanna repeat it soon."

  They both laughed until Daniel grimaced, clutching his side.

  "I like your hair like that," he whispered after a few moments, settling back on the straw. Annabel smiled involuntarily as she felt a blush colour her cheeks. "Don' pretend to be embarrassed. I'm sure you've been told tha' by much more important people than me."

  Annabel thought about that for a moment and realised whilst this was true, her vanity had always accepted those compliments as a given, of course she was beautiful. But Daniel thought she looked nice whilst she sat there at her very worst. It made her heart flutter in a strange, foreign way that, Annabel thought, was very pleasant.

  "Thank you," she whispered.

  They looked at each other for a while before Daniel grimaced again and squeezed his eyes shut, pulling the blanket up to his neck. He glanced at Annabel who had crossed her arms in an attempt to keep in her own warmth.

  "Take the blanket Anna," Daniel whispered, holding up the cloth. "When was the last time you slept? You look tired."

  "A compliment and an insult in the space of a minute, thank you Daniel. I'm alright, you are in much more need of the blanket than I."

  "Seriously Anna jus' take it." As if to assert his point, Annabel shivered. "Come `ere, we'll share."

  Annabel blushed deeper than she had ever blushed before and shook her head.

  "No really, I'm alright Daniel. Go to sleep."

  "Oh...I didn't mean...jus' you're cold is all."

  There was an awkward silence between them for a few minutes before Daniel spoke again. "I know what they did to you. I wouldn't...I'd never do tha', I won' even touch you. I'm sorry, jus' didn't want you to be cold. Please, take the blanket. You gotta sleep."

  Drawing in a deep breath, the warm feeling in her heart returning, Annabel slid beside Daniel who held the blanket up for her.

  The blanket was large enough for her to remain just beside Daniel, her forehead in line with the top of his shoulder.

  "Thank you." Daniel whispered a short while later, just as sleep was beginning to fog Annabel's vision.

  "For what?"

  "For comin' `ere, for savin' my life, for tryin' to save Hetty." He paused. "It's better wit
h you `ere."

  "You're delusional and concussed. I liked you better unconscious." She heard his breath leave him in a quiet laugh before the darkness of sleep descended once more.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The next few days passed by blissfully uneventful. In accordance with the silent vow she had made, every morning Annabel woke up beside Daniel and helped him to wash his slowly healing wounds. Unexpectedly, his nearness and soft touch were starting to heal her in return, dulling the constant shame of her psychological scars.

  With Daniel out of action food was hard to come by. They daren't leave the stable for fear of seeing Tom or Trevor and instilling their wrath, leaving them no choice but to go hungry. Even the residents next door were going largely without for Daniel was unable to provide their meat. Neither Tom nor Trevor could hunt. They were both too loud and impatient.

  After two days with no food Billy took a chance and snuck into the forest to fill the water bucket. On his return he found a couple of sad looking apples which, the group believed, may have been the best thing they'd ever tasted. Billy, it appeared, had been used to hunger. Patsy and Daniel brought food to him when they could but it seemed he had often been forced to scavenge in the forest.

  Annabel quickly forgot her own hunger. She felt a foreign sense of achievement as she cared for Daniel - as if she had been born for this very task, as if she had sat with Daniel every day of her life but simply forgotten until that moment. The coldness she had shown to the world in her old life slowly got stripped away. Her reservations chipped at until they were erased completely. She was at ease in that stable as she had never been before.

  Despite the apparent calm, there was still always that sense of something brewing. A large weight seemed to hang above the stable, which grew heavier with every passing day. Daniel would be made to work again soon. It was possible he had already rested too long. This very scene had already played out so many times in his life, he knew how it ended.