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Advent Drabbles: December 3rd (part three posted 21:15)

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The CBB -> St Scholastika's House

#1: Advent Drabbles: December 3rd (part three posted 21:15) Author: Advent Drabblers,

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:23 pm
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Eustacia Benson crept out her dormitory, closing the door quietly behind her. She tiptoed down the stairs and slipped into the Splashery. there she pulled on her outdoor shoes, her coat and her scarf, and settled her hat firmly onto her head. She had a long way to go and she knew that she had to keep as warm as possible... Her purse was stuffed securely into her pocket, as she would need to buy food on her journey, having decided to take nothing from the school that she hated. then she opened the side door and went out into the night.

Her path lay up the valley to the Tiern Pass into Germany, with the first part lying alongside the stream that flowed through Briesau to the lake, but at one point it turned away from the stream and climbed steadily to the Pass. This would be hard to spot, but Eustacia had her torch with her and she would check regularly. The stream sounded much loader than she had expected and she flashed her torch onto it. The level looked very high, and was already splashing over the path. That this could mean a flood she had no idea. Although she kept checking her path, she missed the turning, and found herself lost on a rocky mountain slope, with the thunder of the water in her ears and the mist of rain all about her.

Suddenly she heard a roaring sound that filled her with fear, and her instinct sent her up the rocky sides of the mountain slope to try to reach safety from she knew not what. Then she saw what made the dreadful sound. A wall of water, with a tossing foamy crest, came thundering down the valley. With a shriek she clawed her way further up the side of the valley, trying to reach a cleft in the rocks. Her fingers clutched the edge, and she was trying to wriggle herself into safety when the wall of water reached her. She was swept off the little cleft and whirled away down the valley, her hate floating from her head, and was seen no more. when her would-be rescuers searched, all they saw was the hat caught in the branches of a tree. Of Eustacia herself nothing was every seen again.

Last edited by Advent Drabblers on Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:17 pm; edited 2 times in total

#2: Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:27 pm
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Poor Eustacia. She may have got everyone's backs up, but her heart was in the right place, and she doesn't deserve to die like that!

Thanks.

#3: Author: Advent Drabblers,

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:58 pm
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Meanwhile, back in England a pretty young girl called Joyce was twisting her monther round her finger. It was easy to do and she didn't even have to think about it any more, just a downcast sigh, a shy look upwards, straight into her mother's eyes and then a resigned smile and glance towards her Father's photograph.
“No, not this time Joyce.”
She jumped slightly at the unaccustomed sharpness in Mrs Linton's voice and paid slightly more attention.
“If you want your promotion to the middle school next term, Miss Bamford tells me your behaviour has to improve so I will not then try and excuse you from a detention just the following week.”
Joyce thought quickly,
“I am sorry mother,” she said meekly and then shuffled downcast from the room and was presently seen in the dining room, her head burried for once in her prep.

Her elder sister was working conciensiouly across the table when she she first became aware of the sniff.
“Do you need a hanky? I have a spare one in my pocket and you mustn't go upstairs yet, the fires have not been lit up there.”
Joyce kept her head bowed so that Gillian could not see the gleam in her eye.
“No, s'fine”

Shortly after another sniff, and a tightening of the hand holding the book.

Then, moments later, head down on arms and the full on sobbing.

“Joyce darling, what is the matter?” Gillian jumped up and put her arm around the family baby.
“S'not my fault and no one believes me. Barmy Bamford thinks I did it on purpose.”
“Sshhhh, come on, don't take on so, it isn't good for you to get worked up like this, you will make yourself ill. It doesn't matter.”
“But if no one believes me I won't get my remove.”
“Mother...”
“No, she won't do anything, I don't think she believes me either.”
“Well maybe if I talk to Mother and tell her how upset you are something can be done.”
“Oh Gillian, would you really? You believe me don't you?” She put an eager hope into her voice.
“Of course darling, now you get on with your prep and I'll go and make hot chocolate and take it in to Mother.”

Gillian left the room on her errand, slightly doubtful of her younger sister, but squashing that firmly with a memory of the sobbing child. She may not have squashed her doubts if she had see the smile come across Joyce's face as she bent back to her books.

#4: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 6:44 pm
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poor Eustacia - and what will happen to Joyce...

#5: Author: JackieP, Location: Kingston upon Hull

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:09 pm
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Poor Eustacia indeed.

*is not envying Lesley her task*

JackieP

#6: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:46 pm
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Poor Eustacia, she didn't deserve that. But I do hope Joyce gets what's coming to her.

#7: Author: Advent Drabblers,

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:15 pm
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Arriving at the Chalet School had been a terrible shock for Joyce Linton; suddenly she discovered that she was unable to influence any of the school mistresses and that her sister Gillian was not there both to shield her from the consequences of her bad behaviour and to help her with her schoolwork. Even more surprising, from pretty but vain Joyce's point of view, were the unmistakeable facts firstly, that she was not the prettiest girl in the school - that accolade was awarded to Marie Von Eschenau, and secondly - most girls did not find Joyce funny or clever, the only girls she seemed to attract were those much younger or without any ideas on correct behaviour...except one.

Joyce was puzzled; Joey Bettany was a member of the Sixth Form, a Prefect, yet she had, right from the start, gone out of her way to help Joyce. When the sisters had been taken to the Russell home at the top of the mountain Joey Bettany had been there to help. She had answered all questions and managed to cajole both girls into eating something, she had even managed to help both of them to sleep that evening. And since starting at the School Joey Bettany had made time for Joyce everyday. She had helped her with her prep and stopped her from getting into trouble. In fact it was due to Joey's quiet influence that joyce had managed to calm down a little; that she had not only refused to 'rag' Miss Norman, but had improved enough, with Joey's help, that she no longer needed to attend classes with the mistress.

Finally, after becoming rather friendly with one or two of the others in her class, Joyce felt able to ask some questions and received the answers that helped explain things.

"Oh yes, Joey used to be much more lively, she's far quieter now, almost boring."

"She'll go out of her way to help anyone though, don't forget that. Most of the time you don't even have to ask - she's there before you even realise you need help."

"Why isn't she Head Girl? No one's sure - but the rumour is that she refused the honour - said she wasn't worthy - it took all Madame's influence to stop her from resigning as Library Prefect. Don't know why."

"Oh I do, something about that new girl - you know, the one that came this time last year - was only with us for about six weeks. Joey blamed herself for what happened to her. Tragedy it was - and ever since, anyone that ever needs help knows that Joey will be there - especially new girls."

#8: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:29 pm
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How different things might have been.....

Thankyou

#9: Author: Sugar, Location: second star to the right!

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:11 pm
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Thanks AD's

That was brilliant

#10: Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:27 pm
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Wow. That was tied together really well.

Thanks ADs

#11: Author: Sal, Location: Walsall / Aberystwyth

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:14 am
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Thanks ADs

#12: Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:50 am
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Thank you! Very Happy

#13: Author: JackieP, Location: Kingston upon Hull

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:54 pm
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A very poignant might have been. Thank you ladies, it was lovely.

JackieP

#14: Author: PaulineS, Location: West Midlands

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:14 pm
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Thank you for three lovely drabbles X 3

#15: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:07 pm
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Thanks, Advent Drabblers. It was very thought provoking to see how things could have been.

#16: Author: Torri, Location: Connecticut

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:34 pm
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Wow. Thank you, Advent Drabblers. That was just brilliant and poignant.

#17: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:02 pm
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Poor Eustacia - but it could so easily have been like that!

Thanks again.

#18: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 8:21 pm
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Thank you all.

Definitely food for thought there, and nice work on tying all the threads together!

#19: Author: Smile :), Location: Location? What's a location?

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 8:16 pm
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Lovely, and very thought provoking!!

#20: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 4:51 pm
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I wondered how those two could be connected!

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