Mary lou at the CS alternative ~ part4
The CBB -> Cookies & Drabbles
#1: Mary lou at the CS alternative ~ part4 Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2004 6:42 pm

Here's the links,
part 1
part 2
part 3



And the only story post on the last thread!


Sarah_G_G wrote:



Ok, here's the part i've been trying to write nad post since about Monday but something always seemed to get in the way!

After Prayers the girls went back to their form rooms, as usual. Geography was the first lesson for Con, Len, Emerence and the rest of their form and Con, remembering her earlier observations, was careful to watch Emerence whenever she remembered, albeit unobtrusively. By the time Geography was over and they were half way through History, Con had decided that althought the form at large had little to say to Emerence, it was really only Luise, Jane and a couple of featherheads who could be relied on only to follow the example of the strongest character around, who were actively hostile towards Emerence. And even they, wise in their generation, knew better than to be too obviously nasty when a teacher was in the room. It seemed to Con that the rest of the form were more uneasy than hostile, especially after Emerence had rebuffed most of their, admittedly small, efforts at kindness. Most of their classmates preferred to stay out of it altogether, in their view at least, without realising that Emerence would take their silence to mean they sided with Luise and Jane. Emerence herself was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to notice any of this- she honestly thought that the whole form was against her.

Con could not, of course, have known a lot of this but that morning she did see that Emerence paid as little attention to the rest of the form as they paid to her, and that Luise and Jane seemed to be the main ones trying to draw her out by making her even more miserable. This much she knew, but the question was, what to do about it? Towards the end of the history lesson, Con saw her chance.

“I would like you all,” Miss O’Ryan said in her clear voice, “to use the information I have given you today on the life of women in Tudor times and perhaps any other information that you can find, and do a project. The project may be done either on your own or in pairs and presented in any way you like. You could choose to do a report, a series of diary entries; perhaps those of you who are artistic might like to illustrate it in some way. In any case, you have a week in which to do it. Are there any question?” she ended smilingly.

Len raised her hand and Miss O’Ryan smiled acknowledgment at her. “How long should the project be?” she asked

Miss O’Ryan paused a moment. “As long as you think necessary, I should say. Part of it depends on how it is presented and how much information you are able to gather. Not less than a page, I would say, and I’m sure I can rely on you not to give me too much work to wade through!” she said, her eyes laughing. Most of the girls laughed and one or two looked down, blushing.

“You may have the remainder of this lesson to sort yourselves into groups.” She sat back down again and the form took this for their cue to move around, finding friends to work with.

Before anyone else, particularly Len, could come up to her and propose that they work together, Con got up and went over to Emerence, who was sitting at her desk, head down, not expecting to join in with the others.

“Emmy,” Con began, not quite sure of herself, “Shall we work together?”

Emerence looked up, surprised. Margot had had little to say to her lately and her triplet sisters had been too caught up in her and in each other to pay much attention to anything else, so that it had been a while since any of them had said anything to her at all. Conflicting emotions ran through her mind. Suspicion, foremost amongst them. Was this a trick? Was Con trying to make a fool of her? But Con wouldn’t do that, would she? She hadn’t been particularly friendly lately, it was true, but she hadn’t been nasty either, and Con had always only been friendly in a vague way. Emerence darted a look at Con, who looked, characteristically, as uncertain as she felt. But it didn’t seem to be a nasty uncertainness. “All right,” Emerence said at last.

Con let out the breath she had been holding and smiled. “Oh good! What shall we do then?”

Emerence shrugged just as the bell went for Break. “Oh well, we’ll discuss it later. Come on, let’s go outside!” Con smiled brightly at Emerence, making a deliberate effort to get her to come out to break with them. Suddenly it was very important to her that Emerence be with her, at least for a bit.

Emerence herself felt slightly overwhelmed but seemed to feel that Con’s invitation was genuine, for she came, a little unsure, but she did follow Con out of the room.

Unseen by either of them, Len looked on, a little confused but willing to let it stand if that was what Con wanted, and went to find Margot. Miss O’Ryan, leaving the room behind them, allowed herself a small smile. It had not escaped her notice that Emerence had seemed unhappy and withdrawn of late and she was not a little relieved that Con had been the one to see it and do something before the staff had to intervene.

 

#2:  Author: Abi, Location: Alton, Hants PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2004 10:42 am

Oh, I do like Con in this. I'm glad she's being so good to Emerence.

 

#3:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2004 12:53 am

I also love Con in this! Good on her for noticing!

 

#4:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 2:26 am

Starts a chant for more please Exclamation

 

#5:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 2:26 am

Starts a chant for more please megaphone

 

#6:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 2:27 am

*joins Sue's chant*

 

#7:  Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 2:32 am

*joins in chant and provides everyone with banners, 12th July style, with 'we want more' inscribed thereon!*

(not in orange or purple, you understand! Laughing Wink )

 

#8:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 3:51 am

*accepts banner gratefully and waves it with enthusiasm*

 

#9:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:26 am

What are 12th July style banners?

*waves banner, even if she doesn't know what it is.

 

#10:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 4:31 am

It's okay, I don't know what it is either!

 

#11:  Author: Cathy, Location: Australia PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 7:17 am

KB wrote:
It's okay, I don't know what it is either!

Takes one of the banners and drapes it around herself, spinning dizily around the room and falls over.

On second thoughts it's just easier to say:


M
O
R
E

P
L
E
A
S
E




I hope you understand what I'm getting at, I was afraid I might have been a bit too subtle.

(What can I say, it's Friday afternoon and I don't have to work again until Tuesday ...)

 

#12:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 11:03 am

sarah, where the next bit? Question

 

#13:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 12:32 pm

Yes, where is it?

 

#14:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 2:46 am

Thank you for the banner. waves it wildly in the hope that sarah will come over to see what is going on amd post more story.

 

#15:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 2:51 am

May I have a banner too please? Smile

 

#16:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 3:20 am

*gives Vikki one end of a big two-person banner.

 

#17:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 3:23 am

Thank you Chelsea! *huggles*

 

#18:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 7:14 am

*wonders if Vikki and Chelsea realise they're holding the banner upside down*[/code]

 

#19:  Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 8:49 am

Sarah!!!! Please come back and add to this story. Pretty please Smile Smile Smile Smile

 

#20:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 8:58 am

*blinded by Lesley's text*

 

#21:  Author: PatMac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 10:57 am

Oh, how disappointing. No more yet.

 

#22:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 11:52 am

*agrees that it's sad*

 

#23:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 9:14 pm

KB wrote:
*wonders if Vikki and Chelsea realise they're holding the banner upside down*[/code]


*nudges Chelsea, and engineers the correcting of the banner!*

 

#24:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 9:17 pm

Oh, that's better!

 

#25:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 9:18 pm

*nudges Vikki back and points out that the banner is fine - KB is standing on her head.

 

#26:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 9:19 pm

Am not!

 

#27:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 9:20 pm

KB wrote:
Am not!


Are to

 

#28:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 9:22 pm

Are you contradicting the Head Mistress, Chelsea?

 

#29:  Author: Sarah_G-G, Location: Nr. Guildford PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 10:37 pm

*fascinated by the banners*
Sorry, no more story yet but hopefully there'll be some tomorrow- too tired just now having had not one, but two ballet classes today! I've been dancing for almost three hours, multiple muscles are making their presence felt and my toe is sore because the plaster shifted so, as usual, it bled while we were doing pointe work.
So, tomorrow with any luck.

 

#30:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 11:20 pm

*huggles Sarah*

 

#31:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2004 11:23 pm

*joins in huggling Sarah*

 

#32:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sun Jan 25, 2004 12:28 am

KB wrote:
Are you contradicting the Head Mistress, Chelsea?

I amm! KB must be upsdie down in some way - she's on the other side of the World. They are all that way down there!! Laughing Laughing Laughing Exclamation Exclamation

 

#33:  Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Sun Jan 25, 2004 3:40 am

*Also huggles Sarah and hopes that there will be more tomorrow*

 

#34:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Sun Jan 25, 2004 3:45 am

Pat wrote:
KB wrote:
Are you contradicting the Head Mistress, Chelsea?

I amm! KB must be upsdie down in some way - she's on the other side of the World. They are all that way down there!! Laughing Laughing Laughing Exclamation Exclamation


*sends KB some special "stick" boots so she doesn't fall off the globe. Very Happy Wink Laughing

 

#35:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Jan 25, 2004 11:24 am

*decides that shows dreadful ignorance and sends Chelsea to Miss Wilson for extra geography classes*

 

#36:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sun Jan 25, 2004 4:42 pm

Please, Miss, i was to blame as well! Embarassed

 

#37:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Sun Jan 25, 2004 7:11 pm

*thanks Pat for sharing the blame.

Hey - at least we know that the world is round and not flat!

 

#38:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Mon Jan 26, 2004 2:38 am

It is?? Shocked

 

#39:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Mon Jan 26, 2004 2:45 am

*is very glad Vikki isn't teaching Geography*

*includes Pat in the extra tuition*

 

#40:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Mon Jan 26, 2004 11:29 am

But KB I know that the world is round! That's why I know you're upsidedown!! Very Happy

 

#41:  Author: Abi, Location: Alton, Hants PostPosted: Mon Jan 26, 2004 3:17 pm

Otherwise you'd be walking around on the underneath of it! Now that would be weird......


May we have more story please Sarah?

 

#42:  Author: Sarah G-G,  PostPosted: Mon Jan 26, 2004 6:13 pm

The board keeps logging me about again Mad Anyway! I was a bit busy yesterday but I've now written the next bit so here it is.

During Break, Con’s attempts at drawing Emerence into the conversation and keeping her among her group of friends meant that Luise, Jane and the others had no chance to get to Emerence and consequently Emerence had a far happier Break than she had had in weeks. Unfortunately the same could not be said for the members of the group of girls often referred to as ‘the Gang.’ Verity was finding the first full day back harder than expected. She catalogued the day’s events so far in her mind. First, she was very nearly late for Fruhstuck, in fact would have been if it were not for Vi keeping a surreptitious eye on her and offering help when needed. Even so it was a rush, for Mary-Lou had always swept in and simply taken over an astonishing amount of work from her sister-by-marriage, leaving Verity with an often unclear idea of what needed to be done. So getting ready had passed in a bit of a haze and most of Fruhstuck was spent trying to catch her breath from what had gone before as well as waking up properly for morning lessons. Contrary to expectation, lessons did not completely take her mind off everything that had happened because, having always been in classes with Mary-Lou, she kept expecting to hear her voice asking or answering an impossible. Once she even caught herself half-turning to ask for help, only to find Lesley sat next to her. Lesley had looked up with a smile but Verity only turned confusedly back to her own work and got on as best she could. Not a mathematical person at the best of times, Verity had found it hard-going to concentrate as she kept getting lost in her own thoughts even while she was working so the lesson had not gone well.

“Weren’t they, Verity?”

“What? Sorry?” Verity was startled out of her musings by the careless question.

“I said, the maths problems we were doing this morning were horrible, weren’t they?” Barbara repeated cheerfully, outwardly giving no appearance that she had noticed her friend’s distraction.

“Oh. Yes. They were. Simply ghastly,” Verity replied, slightly confused.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Lesley said with a sly grin, “I thought they were all right myself.”

Sure enough her comment provoked an outcry.

“ ‘All right,’ she says!” Hilary said disgustedly. “Well, if you’re definition of ‘all right’ is ‘virtually impossible’ then I suppose they were! Personally I thought they were anything but all right, and my answers to them certainly won’t be all right. In fact I think it’s more likely they’ll be all wrong!”

The others laughed at her indignation, Verity, as Vi noted, a fraction behind the others. “At least if lots of us thought the sums were disgusting, Willy will have to go over them all again,” Vi said comfortingly.

Hilary raised her eyebrows. “And you think that’s a good thing? No accounting for tastes I suppose.”

Vi smiled and shook her head but before she could respond Barbara broke in with, “It’s singing this afternoon, at any rate, so that has to be better than this morning’s maths lesson so can we stop talking about maths please?” She ended on a plaintive note.

“The bell is just about to go, anyway,” Jessica Wayne pointed out, “so we should probably start walking back.”

“We’ve got a while yet, haven’t we? I’m su- ” The bell rang just as she spoke and, laughing companiably, the Gang started to walk back inside.

Vi tucked her arm through Verity’s. “Come on, Plato will be cross if we’re late,” she advised and Verity nodded. Singing was lesson she was looking forward to. It had to be better than maths anyway!

 

#43:  Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Mon Jan 26, 2004 6:18 pm

Pleased to see Con is doing something positive to help Emerence, it's very hard for Verity though, and as much as Vi is keeping an eye on her, it isn't going to be easy.

 

#44:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Tue Jan 27, 2004 12:52 am

Poor Verity - glad The Gang are helping her. Con is going to have her work cut out with Emerence.

 

#45:  Author: Sarah_L, Location: Redcar PostPosted: Tue Jan 27, 2004 1:04 am

It's nice that the Gang are being so understanding towards Verity.

 

#46:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:48 am

Oooh!! thank you Sarah!!!

 

#47:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:52 am

*hopes Con can do something for Emmie and that Vi (and the gang) can do something for Verity.

 

#48:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Tue Jan 27, 2004 7:07 am

Excellent stuff, this! I'm also glad Con is being so protective, and I hope the Gang recover in time!

 

#49:  Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Jan 27, 2004 8:25 pm

Thank you Sarah - I think you have it exactly right that there would be people who would bully Emerance - even in the CS. Also love the details of Verity and the Gang - she'll take a while to realise just how much ML did for her.

Last edited by Lesley on Wed Jan 28, 2004 8:22 am; edited 1 time in total

 

#50:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Tue Jan 27, 2004 8:33 pm

Lesley, I've deleted your duplicate post!

 

#51:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Tue Jan 27, 2004 8:56 pm

Wonder what's going to happen insinging?

 

#52:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 4:01 am

*sighs and hopes that more will soon be forthcoming*

 

#53:  Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 8:22 am

Vikki wrote:
Lesley, I've deleted your duplicate post!


Thank you!

 

#54:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:07 pm

*huggles*
'Tis what I'm here for!!! Wink

 

#55:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Thu Jan 29, 2004 7:45 pm

Is that all you're here for?

 

#56:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 11:16 am

*chucks pillow at KB!*

 

#57:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 4:55 pm

*removes feathers from mouth - KB ducked!

 

#58:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 8:13 pm

Sorry Chelsea!! Are you okay?

 

#59:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 9:09 pm

Yup, it was a nice soft pillow. On which I am about to have a nap! I've got another stupid headache. Yuckers!

 

#60:  Author: Sarah_L, Location: Redcar PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 9:12 pm

Hope your headache gets better soon. That nice soft pillow sounds good. Smile

 

#61:  Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Jan 31, 2004 8:53 am

*Thinking of entering Vikki for the Olympics or something - her pillow travelled to Canada via Australia! Shocked *

 

#62:  Author: Rosie, Location: Huntingdonshire PostPosted: Sat Jan 31, 2004 11:07 pm

There's an Olympic pillow-throwing competition?? Shocked Shocked

 

#63:  Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Jan 31, 2004 11:26 pm

Rosie wrote:
There's an Olympic pillow-throwing competition?? Shocked Shocked


Well no - but if she can throw a pillow that far think how far she could throw the javelin? Laughing

 

#64:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Sun Feb 01, 2004 1:49 am

But it went via the modem, which is magical (ie I am technology challenged and have no idea how they work), so it didn't travel very far at all.

*would still like to see Vikki in the Olympics - is there a "Yibbling" event?

 

#65:  Author: PatMac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sun Feb 01, 2004 11:02 pm

Just had a mad vision of all the spectators being provided with laptops and refreshing screens every few seconds Cool

Or HUGE screens with messages displaying

General Error

Failed sending email :: PHP ::

DEBUG MODE

Line : 234
File : /home/c/chaletian/public_html/forum/includes/emailer.php

Twisted Evil

 

#66:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sun Feb 01, 2004 11:11 pm

Pat you creased me up!!! what a great mental picture!! Laughing Laughing Laughing

 

#67:  Author: Rosie, Location: Huntingdonshire PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:23 am

I still like the idea of an Olympic pillow-throwing event... Hated all athletics except hurdles and long jump, but we barely ever did those cos it meant more time spent hanging about, whereas running meant everyone could go at once!

 

#68:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:51 am

We should start a CBB olympics tournament!!! Wink

 

#69:  Author: Abi, Location: Alton, Hants PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2004 3:33 pm

I so would win the 'sleeping lions' event Rolling Eyes

 

#70:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2004 5:17 pm

I am an all-time Olympic champion at putting things off.

Beat that, anyone.

 

#71:  Author: PatMac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2004 6:07 pm

I will dispute that, Jennie. I'm in constant training for that event. Rolling Eyes

 

#72:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2004 6:09 pm

Training shmaining, PatMac. I've been Champion of the Universe for the past fifty-eight years.

 

#73:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 5:43 pm

Would I be able to enter the yibbling?

 

#74:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 1:25 am

Most certainly.

 

#75:  Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 7:00 am

KB wrote:
Would I be able to enter the yibbling?


No KB! You'd be able to win the yibbling!

Still at least GB would get the silver and bronze!

 

#76:  Author: PatMac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 8:39 am

Jennie wrote:
Training shmaining, PatMac. I've been Champion of the Universe for the past fifty-eight years.


Sorry for the late reply but you're only a young whipper snapper! I've been training 5 years longer than you! AND I'm Champion of this and allt he alternate universes. So, there!

 

#77:  Author: Kathryn, Location: Melbourne/Hamilton until 11 September PostPosted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 9:55 am

Ladies, ladies, stop this squabbling. And if KB can't enter the yibbling I'll have to get into training then for the event.

 

#78:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 6:34 pm

Lesley wrote:
No KB! You'd be able to win the yibbling!

Still at least GB would get the silver and bronze!


*grumpy sigh* Oh, all right then...

 

#79:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:41 am

So, when are the qualifying heats??? Wink

 

#80:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 7:57 am

Hey, if I'm ineligible, so must Vikki be!

 

#81:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 8:25 pm

*points out that KB is 1300 posts ahead of me, and we joined the same day!!!*

 

#82:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 8:27 pm

*turns 'the look' on Vikki* That's enough from you, dear!

 

#83:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 8:29 pm

Why would you give Vikki The Look, when she was complimenting you? Wink

 

#84:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 8:30 pm

Because I'm not convinced she was!

 

#85:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 10:21 pm

But of course I was!!!! Sad

 

#86:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 6:17 am

Oh, all right then. *retracts look*

 

#87:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 5:42 pm

*heaves sigh of relief!*

 

#88:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 6:39 pm

It's only a temporary retraction, dear. Wink

 

#89:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 7:25 pm

Oh damn!!!
HelpMe HelpMe HelpMe HelpMe

 

#90:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 7:37 pm

*giggles* I love that smiley!

 

#91:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 8:02 pm

Do you love it anyway, or only when you provoke someone into using it? tongue tongue

 

#92:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 8:05 pm

Goodness, you rude thing! All the time!

 

#93:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 8:21 pm

I'm glad of that!! ROFL

 

#94:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 8:51 pm

It is rather a nifty one!!!

 

#95:  Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 9:24 pm

I didn't say that KB couldn't enter the yibbling tournament - I said she'd win it!

*Lesley now Embarassed cos my post was misunderstood!*

 

#96:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 9:30 pm

*huggles Lesley!!*

 

#97:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 6:29 am

Ooh, so I get to play too? Goody!

 

#98:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 3:42 pm

Plenty of interesting yibbling but no story.
Would like some more please Exclamation

 

#99:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 3:43 pm

We have to yibble to fill up the space, Sue!

 

#100:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 6:09 pm

Sorry didn't have time to yibble still have a load of drabbles to catch up with can't believe I sent this to the top of page one and it's back at the bottom again.

 

#101:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 6:12 pm

That's the way it goes on this board!

 

#102:  Author: Rosie, Location: Huntingdonshire PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 7:33 pm

I don't believe I've fallen for it again! I thought there must have been more story somewhere in all those pages that appeared since I last checked!! Like when I believe my mother every time she says dinner's on the table at LEAST 5 mins early!! *sighs* Maybe I'm just gullible... *giggles* I've just remembered when one of friends fell for the 'Have you heard they've taken the word gullible out of the dictionary?' gag...

 

#103:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 7:55 pm

Did she then get you to lay the table when you turned up early?

 

#104:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 10:54 pm

I had a wonderful ploy to get out of laying th table! I'm left handed,a nd kept getting the cutlery the wrong way round! since we ran a guest house, it had to be right!

 

#105:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 7:29 am

Sly creature!

 

#106:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 3:55 pm

Oooh! Crafty Pat!!!!

 

#107:  Author: Dot, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:27 pm

Rosie wrote:
I've just remembered when one of friends fell for the 'Have you heard they've taken the word gullible out of the dictionary?' gag...


Do tell!

Dot

 

#108:  Author: BethC, Location: Worcester, UK PostPosted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:26 pm

Oh, you've just reminded me as well - this one was a genuine conversation:
Me to friend "You're so gullible!"
Friend "No I'm not!"
Me "Yes you are!"
Friend "I'm not! Look, tell me why I'm gullible and I'll believe you!"

...

 

#109:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 6:15 am

*lol* Now that is a great piece of logic!

 

#110:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 5:49 pm

That is rather a classic!! ROFL

 

#111:  Author: Sarah_G-G, Location: Nr. Guildford PostPosted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 6:02 pm

Apologies- I've just realised the last time I posted on this thread was Monday Jan 26! Embarassed In my defence I had English coursework due in Friday before last, was at my grandparents' last weekend and in Paris the weekend before that so I do have some excuse and you seem to have kept yourselves amused - yibbling makes very entertaining reading anyway!

Singing went a lot better than the maths lesson had done. The school was preparing more or less as usual for the Christmas Play so there was a lot of work to be done. Verity herself still had a part, although a much smaller one that had been originally planned. Her lark-like voice was always in great demand on occasions like this and Plato had argued that for her to take on a solo or two would not put Verity under much pressure and could even help.

“Music is a gift from God and her voice is a blessing of the highest order!” Plato had exclaimed when told that he must do without one of his main soloists. “Music will help to distract the little maiden. Perchance it would be too much for her to have a large speaking part, but just to sing one or two songs would help her to feel involved in the play and focus her thoughts. You would not take away from her this chance?”

Miss Annersley had agreed, somewhat reluctantly and with the proviso that if it was clearly too much for Verity, she was to be allowed to withdraw without any pressure being put on her to continue. Miss Annersley felt that being involved as usual might help Verity to feel more included in school affairs and to return to normality, and Verity already knew most of the songs so hopefully it would not leave her with too much work to do.

Verity, as it happened, was relieved that she was still allowed to sing, although she was not particularly upset that her small speaking part had been taken away from her. Singing came easily to her but it is to be feared that acting was not one of her particular gifts so she was more than happy for someone else to take on that burden. That lesson they were learning a new song, which meant both that it contained no reminders of Mary-Lou and that Verity had to concentrate if she were to sing it to Plato’s high standard. During that lesson Verity was happier and more aware of her surroundings than she had been for a long time and this reflected in the moods of the more sensitive members of her form. This mood lasted through lunch and even afternoon lessons went better than the morning ones had done, so that by the time she went to bed it was with a feeling that was part surprise, part sadness and part resignation that life would go on as it always had done and that Mary-Lou’s death need not mean a living death for herself.

Emerence was also feeling a little more cheerful due to Con’s unexpected, at least as far as Emerence was concerned, kindness and friendliness. Con had stayed by her for most of the day and some others in the form, seeing that Con was being friendly and that Emerence had not brushed her off, made small advances of friendliness. This is not to say that Emerence was either happy or the most popular girl in form, but she was at least on the outskirts of the class instead of excluded from it by both the actions of certain members of the form and her own attitude. Luise and Jane had had little chance to get to Emerence all day and it was with some suspicion and dismay that they saw Emerence beginning to escape from their influence while Con was around. At night, however, it was Jane who was in the same dormitory as Emerence and not Con. Thus Jane took the first opportunity she could to sneer: “Don’t think you’re forgiven just because Con Maynard has decided to take you on as her new charity case. We all know what you did and nothing will ever change that. You should leave this school and never come back!”

Emerence paled and, with no sign of what it cost her to do so, walked away calmly with head lowered and not a word to say in her own defence. Jane watched her go, more worried than she liked to admit. She was a girl who didn’t like to delve too deeply into things but she was becoming increasingly aware that if Emerence chose to tell anyone what had been going on, she would be in a lot of trouble. So far she had been able to ignore the prickings of her own conscience and thought that Emerence deserved all she got for what she had done to Mary-Lou. Not usually a very popular girl, she had found that a lot of girls were, at the very least, wary of Emerence and a few were openly hostile. This meant, as far as Jane could see, that no-one would be sorry if Emerence left and that, since the staff were not punishing Emerence, the grild would have to do it themselves. However Con Maynard’s friendship could change all that, if Emerence told her what had been going on. Or even if Con were to work it out for herself! Jane had hitherto not taken much notice of the second Maynard triplet but she did know her to be a kind and sensible soul, and one who had been very fond of Mary-Lou. So if Con was siding with Emerence, even though she had been friendly with Mary-Lou then- what?

Troubled and confused, Jane went to bed and tried to go to sleep, with as little success, had she but known it, as Emerence was having a few cubicles along.

Hopefully I'll post a bit more later- I'm trying to get this done over half term before I get lorry loads of coursework to hand in next month!

 

#112:  Author: Angel, Location: London, England PostPosted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 7:25 pm

Wow, a powerful chunk.

This story is truly amazing.

 

#113:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 7:29 pm

Sarah, that was incredible! Thank you so much! I'm so glad that Verity is coping, and I hope Emerence does mention something of what Jane is doing to her!

 

#114:  Author: Sarah_G-G, Location: Nr. Guildford PostPosted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 11:58 pm

OK another long bit- making up for the recent lack of story!

The next day passed in much the same way as the day before. In Va Verity still found herself expecting Mary-Lou to be there but she was also able to concentrate better than she had the first morning and again felt a throb of recognition that this was how it would be from now on; she would miss Mary-Lou but at the sane time her own life must go on. She felt dimly that there was something wrong about this, about the way she could still feel a thrill when she made a break-through in class, or smile and laugh when Ruth, not paying attention to what she was saying, confused the words ‘Gebirge’ and ‘Gebäude’ and insisted that she had spent her holidays “climbing the buildings in Wales.”

Vi, still keeping a watchful eye on her friend, always seemed to be around whenever Verity needed something, however small, and again Verity felt dimly thankful for having such a good friend, even when she knew that Vi and Mary-Lou had been as close friends as they could possibly be and Vi was probably only being friendly for Mary-Lou’s sake.

In fact, all went well until they had singing again later that day. It was an extra rehearsal for just a few people in the Christmas Play, including Verity herself, Vi, Lorraine Varley, Amandine Robinet and a few others. The rehearsal began well, with Verity finding solace in the beautiful music that they were singing and the first song, a new one specially written by Mr. Denny for the play, went well. The small group worked hard on it, as was expected of them, and the young voices trained by a perfectionist like Mr Denny could not fail to make the song a thing of beauty. After working hard on that, Mr. Denny brought out the setting he had arranged the year before of ‘Stille Nacht,’ since he meant to use a similar setting for that year.

“Do you remember your parts, little mistresses?” asked Mr. Denny, better known to the girls as ‘Plato.’

The ‘little mistresses,’ having heard him play the piece once through, agreed that they did and began to sing it through. Unwittingly, Verity remembered the first time she had learnt this carol in German. It had been her very first term at the Chalet School and she, a stubborn little girl of ten, had believed that it was not patriotic to learn to speak German and so she had held out against it, even when it came to learning the carols.

Impatiently she called her thoughts back to the present, knowing that ‘Plato’ expected nothing less than one hundred per cent attention from his students, just as he himself gave nothing less. Singing with all her might, she tried to block out the memories.

But they refused to go away. Mary-Lou had been her first friend, as new to school as Verity but seemingly finding it much easier to settle in. It was Mary-Lou who, out of everyone in their from, wanted to keep talking to Verity even through she was different and strange. Even though she was being, as she now saw it, unreasonable over the singing of German songs. Mary-Lou had helped her from the very start, she had even helped her to learn the words to this carol once Verity had agreed to sing it.

Verity felt her voice tremble, saw Mr. Denny instantly hear it and look at her. She tried to carry on but the song sheet before was becoming blurry so that she couldn’t read it. Suddenly she felt that she couldn’t stay in there any longer, that if she did she would break down in front of them all. With a murmured apology, she flung the song sheet onto the desk at the front of the room, took to her heels and ran up to her dormitory, in complete defiance of the rules, where she collapsed on her bed and cried and cried.

Back in the music room, the other girls had watched her departure with some astonishment. Mr. Denny, confused, simply stood there while Miss Lawrence at the piano only realised what had happened when the other girls stopped singing.

Vi was in a quandary. She wanted to go to Verity but she couldn’t very well just rush out as Verity had done, could she? Finally she said quickly, “May I go after her Pl- Mr. Denny? She seemed upset.” She looked from the singing master to the music mistress seated at the piano and, as soon as she saw the beginnings of a nod of assent, she fled the room.

 

#115:  Author: Sarah_G-G, Location: Nr. Guildford PostPosted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 11:59 pm

Once in the corridor she suddenly realised she had no idea where Verity had gone. She went first to their Common Room but that was empty, before going up to check Verity’s dormitory, which, luckily, was the same on as Vi’s. She heard the sound of distressed sobbing as soon as she enterd and hastened her way to Verity’s cubicle. Here she paused a moment. Vi knew that this was the point when Mary-Lou would have instantly walked in, demanded to be told what the problem was and dispensed good advice. The problem was that Vi wasn’t at all sure that she could do any of these things, and she didn’t really want to if Verity was not willing to tell her without being pushed. She took a hesitant step into the cubicle. Verity must have heard for at that moment she lifted a tear-stained face to look up at Vi. “Am- am I in- in trouble?” she gulped.

“No, of course you’re not!” Vi answered comfortingly. “Nobody’s angry with you, I promise.” She stepped inside the cubicle and perched on the bed, putting her arm, a little awkwardly, around Verity’s slim shoulders.

Verity leaned against her. “You’re sure?”

“Positive, so don’t worry about that!” Vi returned confidently. She may not have been certain of much, but she was certain that Miss Annersley would not be angry with a girl as upset as Verity was just then. “Cry as much as you want, no one will mind.”

Verity relaxed against her friend and gave herself up to tears once more, this time crying just for herself. Apart from in the first shock of reaction, in the two weeks before she came back to school Verity, thinking about her vow that she would show her parents that she could be strong and help people too, had had little time to think simply of herself and cry for herself. Oh, of course she had talked about it when people expressed sympathy but she had been trying so hard not to upset her parents with her grief that she had been unable to show much herself. Besides, so many of the people expressing sympathy had been very much outsiders, people she hardly knew, so how was she supposed to open up to them? Safe in her cubicle at the school she had at first determined to hate and had later learned to love, Verity cried out the worst of her grief on the shoulder of her sister’s best friend, who had been so much help to her.

In contrast to these thoughts, Vi felt utterly useless. She had no idea what she could do for her friend and just kept thinking, “if only Mary-Lou were here, she would know what to do.” Then the irony of this thought struck her since if Mary-Lou were there then the problem would be solved because it wouldn’t have been there to start with! Vi just sat on the bed with one arm around her friend and chanting softly, “it will be alright. Everything is going to be all right. You’ll see. It will be OK” over and over again in the hope that it might have some effect.

After what seemed to poor Vi like a very long time, Verity’s sobs became weaker and she lifted her head. “S- Sorry,” she gasped, pulling one hand across her eyes.

Vi shook her head. “There’s no need to apologise,” she said simply. “What happened- none of us will get over it all at once. We’re all here for you, you do know that, don’t you?”

Verity smiled weakly. “I seem to have been told that an awful lot lately,” she said wryly. “That and, “I’m sorry.””

“Oh, sorr- I mean- I- well-” Both girls laughed as Vi fought to find a different end to her sentence.

“How do you stay so strong?” Verity asked wistfully. Vi looked surprised. “I mean,” Verity sought to clarify what she meant. “I haven’t seen you break down like this. You’re just the same as always, except even more so. You’ve been so good to me since I got back.”

Vi looked slightly bemused. “What did you expect me to do to you?” she asked carefully, leaving the first question well enough alone. “You’re my friend. I had to help.”

“Well, but Mary-Lou was your best friend. How can you be so- together?” Verity persisted.

Vi hesitated. “I’m not, not really,” she answered honestly. “But I don’t seem to have had much choice in the matter. I’m just trying to keep things going, to keep myself going. In here,” she pointed to her chest, “I’m just as upset and confused as everyone else, but there’s too much going on to give in to it.”

Verity looked down. “I did,” she said in a small voice. “I can’t seem to get myself back to normal. I suppose you think I should have more self-control. Like you.”

“No, of course not. I-” Vi paused, desperately trying to think what she could say. Mary-Lou, she thought, what would Mary-Lou say? And then I don’t know- I’m not her!

“We all react to things differently, I think,” she said hesitantly. “My way is no better or worse than anyone else’s, it’s just different. I’m doing this because it’s what everyone expects of me; it’s the role they have put me in. Everyone looked to me to take charge from the very start; everyone asked me what we should do. So I’ve had to be strong because that’s what others expected of me and, by implication, I suppose that’s what I expect of myself. I don’t know that it’s a very good way to cope but someone had to take on this role and somehow it ended up being me. I’m not very good at it, I’m afraid, but I am trying. It’s probably better to cry and grieve properly now, rather than later. Crying is- is the body’s way of dealing with strong emotion and it’s not good to bottle it up. Otherwise it’s like- like a stream or something that’s been blocked somewhere and all the pressure builds up, until sometime or other it has to break free. I don’t think I’m expressing myself very well but I don’t really know what to say. Mary-Lou was better at this sort of thing than me.”

Verity looked thoughtful. “I don’t know. Maybe not better. Just- different.” They both smiled as Verity used Vi’s words from a moment before. “I suppose we do expect things of people. Somehow when I cam back, I wasn’t surprised that you had taken charge, or that Barbara was backing you up, or that Ruth still seemed a bit outside our group. We all put each other into- into roles, don’t we? When I was with my parents I felt I had to be strong for them but no one here expects that of me, so I can just be me.”

The two of them were silent for a moment or two, pensive and comfortable in each other’s company. Vi was the first to move.

“Come on, I should take you to Matey. I expect she’ll want you to have a lie down.”

Verity smiled slightly. “I’m fed up with being sent to lie down but I expect you’re right all the same.” She sighed faintly, before getting up and allowing herself to be led up to the San where, as predicted, Matey gave her a glass of milk and told her to drink it, have a quick wash and then lie down, while Vi went back down to join their form mates, both of them feeling happier than they had done before.

 

#116:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 12:05 am

Good for Vi. Of course she does things differently to ML, but that's not altogether a bad thing!

 

#117:  Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 12:09 am

Sarah those two posts were wondeful - thank you.

Worth waiting for!

 

#118:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 1:57 am

Very moving and realistic portrayal, Sarah. Thanks!

 

#119:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 2:30 am

Thanks for those bits - the wait was worth it.

Poor Verity and Vi - they are both trying so hard to handle this.

 

#120:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 9:11 am

Good for Vi! I love the way she is able to get on with things and still be herself. I hope they don't all feel the need to become 'like Mary-Lou'.

 

#121:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 10:26 pm

Thank you Sarah!!! that was great!! I'm glad Verity has Vi there to look after her!

 

#122:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:11 am

Sarah what wonderful chunks of story. Both Vi and Verity are very believable - it is good for people to know and admit that grief takes different forms with different people. Wouldn't do if we were all the same. Glad Vi is beginning to realise she is not Mary-Lou but can do things in her own strength.

 

#123:  Author: Abi, Location: Alton, Hants PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:33 am

Sarah, thank you so much for that. Both those bits were amazing and so very realistic - it was worth the long wait! (But please don't leave it that long till the next post!)

 

#124:  Author: Sarah_G-G, Location: Nr. Guildford PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 5:57 pm

A little more

On her way back to the form room, Vi passed Con Maynard in the corridor. She smiled at the younger girl, thinking as she did so that Con was looking very serious, more so than usual. She hesitated a moment, then said lightly, “Hello! How are you?”

“Fine thanks,” Con replied, a little too quickly.

“Sure everything’s OK?” Vi asked, not wanting to seem pushy but wanting to reassure the youngster if she did wish to confide something in her.

“Yes thanks. I’m just a bit tired- it’s been a bit hectic lately with the Christmas Play and stuff.”

Vi smiled in agreement. “It has, hasn’t it? Oh well, see you later!”

Vi walked off down the corridor, knowing that if Con had wanted to say something to her then she had had the opportunity but, with not a little thankfulness on Vi’s part, she could simply walk away if she preferred.

Con was also walking back to her form room from the San as it happened, although she was coming from a different direction since she had come via the Splasheries as she had to wash her hands. Emerence had developed a headache during the course of the day and after Games it was sufficiently painful for her to give in with some relief to Con’s suggestion that she go and find Matey. Truth to tell Con was slightly dismayed to find herself somewhat relieved at the temporary removal of her responsibility, being friends with Emerence not turning out to be as easy a task as she had first thought. Dreamy, clever Con had little in common with the more irrepressible Emerence, even in Emerence’s present subdued state. Con had always been a hard worker in class time and spent a lot of time outside of class reading or writing her own stories and poetry, which Emerence regarded with some awe but little real interest. This meant that finding common ground on which to base a friendship was not very easy, particularly since Emerence was less than self-confident after her recent experiences and Con was more used to dealing with fictional characters in her free time than real people.

Con was musing over this, as well as over what book she should read now that she had a little time to herself, as she walked into the form room. Immediately her triplet sisters called her over.

“Con!” Len beckoned from across the room. “Did you take Emerence up to the San all right?”

Con nodded absent-mindedly, picking her chosen book off the bookshelf as she did so.

Margot looked at Con, her eyes narrowed. “Since when have you been friends with Emmy?” she burst out, unable to stop herself.

Con, already half-absorbed in her book, failed to notice the jealousy in her sister’s tones. “Since no-one else volunteered,” she replied unthinkingly.

The colour rose in Margot’s face. “You’ve never tried to be friends with Emmy. She’s my friend!”

“Then be her friend, why don’t you. No one’s stopping you,” Con said, tactless as ever.

Len winced.

Margot became instantly furious, her blue eyes electric with rage. “What’s that supposed to mean? I am her friend! I always have been! How dare you sweep in and steel my friend away from me?”

Con looked at her sister, mouth agape. I really should learn to keep my mouth shut sometimes, she thought dolefully. But book people are so much easier to understand!
“I’m not! I- I was just trying to- er- to help her a bit. In class I mean,” she stuttered. “I know you’re her best friend, but she can have more than one you know,” she added unwisely.

“What are you trying to say?” Margot raged back. “I can’t please anyone, can I? No one wanted me to make friends with Emmy in the first place and now, when I try to be a good little girl like my sisters and do as Mamma and Papa always wanted, that’s not right either! What do you want from me then?”

Con stared helplessly at her sister. Books she understood. Being friendly to people she could cope with. Explaining to her furious triplet sister a situation she didn’t fully understand herself was beyond her ability to manage.

Len tried to smooth things over. “I’m sure Con never meant to interfere in your business, did you Con? I expect she was just being friendly to Emmy in class because she knew that Emerence was your friend and you would want us to get along with her. You are our sister and our dearest friend- neither Con nor myself would do anything deliberately to upset you. Would we Con?”

Con simply nodded. “I’m sorry. It’s like Len said, I just wanted to help her a bit in class because she’s your friend. That’s all, honestly. Your friends are your own business and your own choice, not ours.”

Len and Con held their breath as Margot was silent for a moment, considering. Then she said grudgingly, “All right, I suppose you meant well. Just remember in future that my friends are ‘my business and my choice’ as you put it.” She got up as she finished and went to talk to some friends on the other side of the room.

“Thank goodness for that!” Len sighed relieved.

Con nodded agreement. “Thanks for butting in like that. I was only making things worse.”

Len rolled her eyes. “Well, you did have the final say and you managed to get Margot to accept what you said last. Go on, get back to your book! Anyone can see that’s where you’d rather be!” Exit Len, slightly more thoughtful than her parting words would suggest since she had begun to think that Con was right about Emerence being upset but couldn’t really see what, if anything, she could do about it, especially after Margot’s outburst. Well, maybe Margot will be friends with Emmy again and things will get back to normal, she thought hopefully.

 

#125:  Author: Angel, Location: London, England PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 6:02 pm

I think if I were Con I would have exploded and told Margot how useful the exclusive friendship really was when they were in different forms...

This is wonderful. You've captured the emotional reality of grief and guilt brilliantly.

 

#126:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 6:13 pm

Like Angel, I'm impressed with Con's restraint. And it doesn't seem that most of Emerence's problems occur during class, so where's Margot then?

 

#127:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 8:37 pm

OOoh! Thank you Sarah! More soon please!!

 

#128:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 12:57 am

Thank you Sarah - that was a brilliant piece of story.

 

#129:  Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 4:39 am

Thank you Sarah, both Con and Margot's reactions seem so natural and in character, Len's as well actually.
Looking forward to seeing what happens next, especially as there's no ML to sort the trips out this time.
(Which is probably a stupid thing to say, because if she was there they wouldn't be having their current problems)

 

#130:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2004 5:22 pm

Margot really ought to learn to keep her temper in check, instead of going off half-cocked like that.

 

#131:  Author: Sarah G-G,  PostPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2004 10:33 pm

Up in the San. Verity woke up to find Matey standing by her bed with a tray in her hands.

“You’re awake, I see. Here let me help you,” she deftly put the tray on the bedside table and moved the pillow against the headboard of the bed to help Verity as she struggled to sit up. “That’s much better,” she said approvingly. “That sleep has done you good. After Abendessen you can either rejoin your friends or go to your dormitory for an early bed; there’s no point in you staying here for any longer than you have to with all the germs flying around. Now you stay here and see you eat that meal with young Emerence here by the time I get back!” So saying she departed to give the pair of them some privacy, although only to the next room so that she could hear if anything was wrong.

With Matey gone, Verity had the chance to look around and see, for the first time, that Emerence was indeed in the bed next to her, and feeling very uncomfortable about it to judge by her expression, Verity thought. Emerence was eating her meal with her glance never straying from the plate and, if Verity had been experienced enough to see it, her hands trembling slightly.

Verity didn’t feel exactly happy about the situation herself. Her mind strayed back to the last time Emerence had spoken to her, a small, defiant figure in the doorway of their Common Room. She had said she was sorry, Verity recalled, and she more than anyone else had something to apologise for, unlike so many of the people who had said they were ‘sorry’ over the past couple of weeks. Verity glanced across at the girl in the next bed. Small and skinny she looked and, the thought came unbidden into her mind, pale and unhappy. So she should be, a part of her thought before she silenced it and started eating, still in silence.

But Verity had been at the Chalet School for five years and a good deal of her growing up had been done there. As well as this her own sister-by-marriage and best friend had been one of those people who put the values of the school into practice without really thinking about it because it was part of her nature to do so. These influences on her meant that Verity could not ignore the lump of human misery that was lying in the next bed, even if she had been largely to blame for the accident which had caused her sister’s death. Unwillingly Verity remembered the few times that she had seen Emerence since the accident: Emerence had turned away from her quickly, as if in an effort to avoid her glance, and Verity could not remember the last time she had seen her smile.

‘She deserves another chance.’ Verity heard the words as clearly as if Mary-Lou had really been in the room. ‘I’m not there to forgive her so you are the only one who can give her that chance.’

Verity stifled a sigh. Why should she give another chance at life to the girl who had caused her sister’s death? But then, if she didn’t then Mary-Lou’s death would have changed nothing. Perhaps if Emerence were to learn from the accident and try again then there would be some positive outcome to the whole dreadful incident. Even if she didn’t really want to, didn’t she owe it to Mary-Lou to help another girl, as Mary-Lou would have done had she been there. What would she say, Verity wondered, before smiling sadly at her own foolishness: if Mary-Lou had been there then there would be no need to console the girl who had caused her death.

“Emerence,” Verity said. It sounded so stiff, so formal that name, she thought. It doesn’t suit her at all. “Emmy,” she tried again as the girl turned to look at her. Verity had to stifle a smile at the look almost of fear on Emmy’s face. “I just wanted to say-” she swallowed before continuing. “I wanted to say that I appreciate what you said the other day. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything at the time but I think it was very brave of you to do what you did.”

Emerence looked as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You- you really mean it?” she asked. “I am sorry but- but I couldn’t blame you for not listening to me. I don’t think I would listen to me if I were you, well if I were anyone but me really. I still can’t believe what happened- what I did,” here she faltered as she tried to hold back the tears.

Verity looked down. “Neither can I,” she said softly, “But you did what you did, Mary-Lou did what Mary-Lou did and what happened afterwards, well it happened. There’s nothing we can do about it now except to- to remember what she was and what she did and to get on with our own lives.” Verity bit her lips. It was hard to admit that life would go on as it did before but she could see that Emerence was hanging on to her every word and she had to try to get through to her somehow- it was what Mary-Lou would have wanted. “None of us will ever forget but- we have to- we have to find a way to continue- and that includes you.”

Emerence looked at her wide-eyed. “Does it? Do you think,” she stopped and looked away before carrying on. “After what I did, do I have the right to continue with my life? After I- I stopped hers. It doesn’t seem fair.”

Verity bit back the reply that no, it wasn’t fair and if only Emerence had decided to obey the rules for once none of this would have happened. However, that would not help. “Maybe it isn’t fair. None of this is fair but you still have your life so it’s not fair to God if you don’t use it. It’s not fair if Mary-Lou gave up her life so that you could waste the rest of yours. Surely it’s better if you use your life for good- oh not to be a saint but just to be a nice person, who helps their friends and – and learns to be a good Chalet girl. That makes more sense anything else doesn’t it?” Emerence nodded agreement. “Then that’s that. Now let’s just get on with eating our meals in peace, okay?” Emerence nodded again and the pair subsided into silence again.











[/i]

 

#132:  Author: Angel, Location: London, England PostPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2004 11:41 pm

Hard, but good.

Go Verity!

 

#133:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2004 11:55 pm

Mary-Lou would be proud.

 

#134:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 12:28 am

*sniffles*

 

#135:  Author: PatMac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 12:45 am

Just caught up. that was exceptionally good. I really like the way first Vi and the then Verity are maturing.

I did feel sorry for Con. She did try and then Margot made it backfire.

I know it's a bit early but, more soon please.

 

#136:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 1:57 am

Good for Verity. Hope Emerence takes it to heart.

 

#137:  Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 2:09 am

Very brave of Verity to overcome her own feelings to speak to Emerence like that, hopefully that chat will have helped both of them to deal with the events leading to ML's death.

 

#138:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 8:56 am

*joins in sniffling with Vikki*

Very good of Verity.

 

#139:  Author: Rosie, Location: Huntingdonshire PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 4:00 pm

*feels lower lip wobble alarmingly* Can't believe I got so behind on this drabble! It's so good!! But so sad...

 

#140:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 4:05 pm

Rosie, drabble reading is compulsory for all good CS girls. Make sure you keep up in future. ot here'll be a test of fifty short-answer questions for you every Friday.

 

#141:  Author: Rosie, Location: Huntingdonshire PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 4:09 pm

Shocked Shocked I'm REALLY sorry! I'll try my very hardest from now on, promise!! Crying or Very sad

 

#142:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 4:11 pm

That's a good girl. It's so much easier for you if you try to fit in. We'll say no more about it now.

Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil

 

#143:  Author: Sarah G-G,  PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 6:15 pm

It does seem to on the depressing side rather, doesn't it? Well, thigns are beginning to cheer up (finally!)

Truth to tell Emerence was having difficulty holding back tears of relief as what Verity had said began to sink in. When she had woken up to see that Verity was in the next bed, Emerence’s fragile sense of well-being brought on by the absence of the headache that had been plaguing her for days combined with Con’s unexpected friendship had collapsed as she was faced once more with the tragedy that she had caused. After the admittedly ill thought out apology she had made a few days previously, Emerence had expected some sort of outburst from Verity, of anger, of grief, of she didn’t know what else. She had certainly not expected the, if not quite forgiveness, acceptance and resignation that Verity showed. It was a mature response that made Emerence feel ashamed of her own earlier emotional outburst, however well intended it had been. It did not help to remember that, in spite of the fact Verity was two (?) forms ahead of her, they were about the same age and had once been in the same class. Verity’s words had struck a chord with Emerence in a way that few people had ever been able to do, partly because of her closeness to the recent tragedy, partly because they were of a similar age, and partly because the dainty, fairy-like girl had aroused a fascination in Emerence from the very first time they met.

In a short time the two girls had finished their meals and Matey had come in, removed the trays and sent Verity back downstairs while remarking that perhaps Emerence would recover from her head ache more easily if she didn’t rejoin her friends until the next day. Emerence was allowed to sit up and read on the condition that she stopped if her head or eyes began to feel at all tired. Looking at the expression on Emerence’s face as she left the room, Matey judged that she had been right to leave the two girls alone for a while even if it had been a slightly risky thing to do.

Emerence herself sat and read, to all intents and purposes completely absorbed in her book, until about half an hour later she heard a knock on the door. Puzzled, she nevertheless called out “Come in!”

To her surprise, Margot Maynard, a nervous expression on her face, put her head round the door. “Hello!” she said brightly, still only half inside the room. “Matey said it would be all right if I came and visited you.” A pause lasting perhaps half an instant. “Is it? Is it all right with you I mean?”

“Um, yes, of course. Come in,” Emerence said, unsure of what was coming next.

Margot came fully into the room, shut the door and sat on the chair by Emerence’s bed. “You seem to be spending a lot of time in here lately. You must be getting bored,” she remarked nervously.

Emerence nodded in agreement but said nothing. She still wasn’t sure what it was that Margot wanted, and if it was just to shout at her about the day of the accident then Emerence wasn’t at all sure she wanted to encourage Margot to speak. Finally, when the silence had dragged on for another twenty seconds or so, she said, “Why are you here, Margot? It’s not that I don’t want you to be here but, well, we haven’t seen much of each other just lately and if you’re only here to shout at me then I’d rather not hear it if you don’t mind. I’ve had enough of that from certain member of my form.”

Margot looked up at this, startled. “Really? I didn’t know. I-” she stopped, unsure of how to continue, and looked down at her hands again. “I- I’m sorry that I haven’t been much of a friend recently. I just-” she looked at her friend earnestly, “I didn’t know what to do. I can’t believe what happened because- because of that day. And I was scared because I so nearly got on with you. I should have said something- something more. The only reason I didn’t get on was that I didn’t want to get into more trouble, not because I thought it was wrong so- do you see? I felt guilty and- and you reminded me of it. But Len and Con, they are my sisters and they understand me and they understand why things are wrong, not just that if we do them we get into trouble. So I felt safe with them. I thought Mamma and Papa would be happy if I was a good girl like them and just followed their lead. But then- Con said something to me earlier and- and I thought that they might be pleased if I was a good girl but they wouldn’t be pleased if I just followed my sisters’ lead and- and if I abandoned a friend to do it. It’s my choice who my friends are and I shouldn’t have turned away form you just because I was scared of me- scared of what I might do if I make my own friends and my own decisions. Scared that I might be wrong. So-” here she hesitated again, “so can you forgive me? Can we be friends again?” Her tone was pleading and she looked down again so as to hide the same look on her face.

Emerence looked close to tears. “Me forgive you? Of course I can forgive you an dI’d love to be friends again, but can you forgive me? Can you be friends with- with- with a murderer?” her voice went down on the last word so that Margot struggled to hear it.

“I came here, didn’t I?” she said, laughing. “I’m so glad! Len and Con are my sisters and I love them but- we’re not very similar. They just make me feel dull and- and confined and as if everything I do is not good enough because they do it better and did it earlier. I love spending time with them but not all the time and you’re my best friend!”

Both of their faces were wreathed in smiles as they caught each other in a brief, fierce hug before, both of them being as undemonstrative s any boy, they quickly broke it off and Emerence dashed away the tears in her eyes.

 

#144:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 6:20 pm

Good on Margot. Hopefully things will get better for Emmy now.

*wonders if Emmy, in RL, would have been charged with something

 

#145:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 6:55 pm

Thank you Sarah!! More soon please!!

 

#146:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 7:58 pm

Hmm, so Margot actually listened to what was said to her! And I hope Emmy remembers this...

 

#147:  Author: Sarah G-G,  PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:40 pm

The end is almost in sight! I'm still not quite sure what the ending is, you understand, but it is in sight! This should be finished in the next day or so.

There was a slightly awkward silence for a moment before Margot looked back at her friend, frowning slightly.

“What did you mean when you said that certain members of your form had been shouting at you about the accident?” she asked, concerned. “What have they been saying to you? And who is it?”

Emerence drew back slightly, unsure what to say. “It’s nothing, really,” she began. “They’ve just- pointed out some- things...”

Margot interrupted her. “Emmy! I know I haven’t been a very good friend to you these past couple of weeks, if I had been I would know what was going on, but you can trust me, you know. If you want to, that is.” She ended on a rather uncertain note, realising that she had little or no right to demand confidences from a girl she had only just agreed to start being friends with again.

Seeing what Margot was thinking, Emerence hastened to reassure her. “Of course I know I can trust you! I just don’t really know where to start or what to say. It’s just a few people, mainly, who- well- they don’t think I should have been allowed back to school.” Margot looked shocked as Emerence carried on quickly so as not to allow an interruption. “I can understand what they are saying- I caused the death of another girl so why am I simply being allowed back into school without even being punished? I don’t deserve it. They say that- that I should have died in the accident instead of Mary-Lou and that at the very least I should have been expelled.” She paused again, not daring to look at Margot as she continued; “They think I should have the decency to leave of my own accord if the Abbess was too soft-hearted to expel me. They said I was only kept on because the teachers here knew to keep an eye on me and no other school would, even if any other school were to take me on. They said that everyone hated me for what I had done and that they would never let me forget it and I should just leave before I do any more damage. I’ve only ever caused trouble here, I should have been expelled long ago but they didn’t know how I’d react if they expelled me so that’s why they kept me, because they were scared. And no one here would care if I did leave, in fact they’d be relieved because no one here is really friends with me. And-”

“Stop!” Margot cried, appalled. “How can you say those things?! It’s not true; it’s not! I’m your friend, Con’s your friend, you have lots of friends!”

“No, Con’s not my friend. I’m just her charity case! She feels sorry for me, that’s all,” Emerence sobbed. “They said-”

“Who’s ‘they’? Whoever they are they are talking complete and utter nonsense,” Margot declared, eyes flashing. “The Abbess knows it was an accident, she knows you belong here. And she’s certainly not scared of you!” she added in tones of contempt. “Whoever these girls are they’re just malicious cowards picking on you when you’re feeling down and they are the ones who don’t belong here! No true Chalet girl would ever say such things!”

“And no true Chalet girl would kill another either!” Emerence burst out, before breaking down and burying her head in her hands, crying as if the end of the world had come.

“It was an accident! You never meant to hurt anyone!” Margot instinctively put an arm around the older girl and gave her a hug. Slowly Emerence’s tears slowed as she responded to the wordless comfort given in that one movement. Margot continued, “You made a mistake, a stupid, thoughtless mistake. No one apart from a few silly idiots,” the scorn in her words was cutting, “would ever think to hold that against you! They ought to know better than to go around saying such things! Don’t they know that Chalet girls stick together and support one another? I don’t understand how they could do such a thing! Pigs! They don’t know anything!”

More than anything else the anger in Margot’s voice as she stood up in her friend’s defence helped Emerence to recover herself. She took a shaky breath and said, “Do you mean that? Verity was talking to me before- she said the best thing that I could do was to live my life as best I could and be a good Chalet girl. Do you think that too?” she asked plaintively.

“Definitely!” Margot replied. “Yes, just get on with your life and show those girls that nothing they say can get to you! Mary-Lou was a good Chalet girl and I’m sure she’d have wanted you to be happy.”

“But Luise and Jane said-” Emerence stopped herself with a funny little gasp as she realised she had given away the names of her main tormentors.

“Oh, so it’s Luise and Jane is it?” Margot said, the grimness in her tones surprising even herself. “Well I wouldn’t worry about them! I’d say they’re going to be in quite enough trouble as it is!”

“Don’t tell on them!” Emerence said urgently. “You mustn’t! Then it would be my fault if they got into trouble and they’d hate me worse than ever! And they’d tell Miss Annersley everything and then she’d expel me and-”

“You don’t honestly think Miss Annersley would expel you because of what those asses might have to say do you?” Margot said incredulously. “Auntie Hilda makes her own decisions and nothing they could say would affect them!”

“But it wouldn’t help! Please, I don’t want the mistresses to know; they have enough to worry about anyway.” Emerence turned her tear-stained face beseechingly to her friend.

Margot looked unconvinced but reluctantly agreed. “All right then, I won’t tell the mistresses,” she promised, “but I won’t promise not to say anything to them myself or to keep it a secret from Len and Con, so don’t try and make me!” Emerence still looked worried. “Look, I’ll make sure Aun- I mean Miss Annersley doesn’t find out and I’ll make sure they don’t bother you again, OK?”

Emerence nodded slowly. “All right, I suppose.”

Margot gave a sudden shriek as she caught sight of the time. “I was only supposed to stay ten minutes and I’ve been here for half an hour; Matey will kill me! I have to go now but I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye!”

“Bye!” Emerence said in reply as Margot got out of the room as fast as was humanly possible. In spite of, or perhaps because of, all the tears she had shed, Emerence felt happier than she had done since the accident. Verity had more or less forgiven her, Margot was her friend again and now it looked as if Margot would out an end to the problem with Luise and Jane as well. Emerence smiled to herself as she lay down on her bed. Yes, it looked as if life was looking up.

 

#148:  Author: Angel, Location: London, England PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:44 pm

Go Margot!

So she's the agent of justice in this...

Wow.

 

#149:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:03 pm

This is excellent, Sarah!
Very CS.

 

#150:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:34 pm

Wonderful stuff, Sarah! I'm looking forward to seeing what Margot does!

 

#151:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 1:22 am

Thank you Sarah!! More soon please!!

 

#152:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 2:52 am

Thank you Sarah for more inspired writing. Glad Margot is sticking by Emerance, she needs her friends just now.

 

#153:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 3:47 pm

So Margot is the goodie for once, well done!

 

#154:  Author: Laura, Location: London (ish) PostPosted: Mon Feb 23, 2004 10:28 pm

WOW. More please!

 

#155:  Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Tue Feb 24, 2004 12:29 am

I'm also pleased that Margot took notice of Con, and that she has decided to stand by Emerence.
I hope she's got some good ideas for sorting the others out.

 

#156:  Author: Sarah G-G,  PostPosted: Tue Feb 24, 2004 7:46 pm

Very close to the end now! With any luck I'll finish it tomorrow- without luck but the weekend Wink *fingers crossed* I'm not quite convinced about this bit seeing as I wasn't really expecting to end up with all these charcters wanting to feature here but this is it anyway.

Margot meanwhile hurried down the stairs and along the corridor to her form room, emotions of anger and guilt each vying to take precedence over the other. Eventually anger won, if only because guilt could feed into it and the anger could be taken out on someone else while the guilt only was only eating her up inside. The anger was mainly for Luise and Jane, who had been putting Emerence through so much misery, but also at herself because she, who was supposed to be Emerence’s best friend, had not even noticed what was going on and had probably only added to Emerence’s general state of unhappiness. Emerence’s outburst had shocked Margot deeply, revealing as it did a depth of misery and self-hatred hitherto unknown to the twelve-year-old (?) girl, and she simply did not know what to do about it. Margot was a very active person by nature, not generally given to introspection or studying the feelings of others, so that this sudden outburst of emotion had left her feeling uncomfortable and with the conviction that she had to do something about it.

At this juncture she reached the form room, where her friends and form mates were amusing themselves as per usual. Len and Con looked up as their triplet walked in and came over to her, looking anxious.

“Margot, about earlier. I’m sorry for-” Con began.

“It’s fine,” Margot interrupted, in no mood for exchanging apologies. “I’ve just been to see Emerence. Where are Luise Schmitt and Jane Rogers?”

Len and Con had exchanged a brief, surprised glance at the mention of a visit to Emerence but at the next question Len looked puzzled, while Con searched Margot’s face curiously, wondering how much Emerence had told her. While the two of them hesitated, Margot caught sight of the pair playing snap on the other side of the form room. Without pausing to consult her sisters, she strode quickly across the room, ignoring the curious looks cast her way as people wondered what had happened to make Margot Maynard look like that! Len and Con exchanged another look before following after her. Luise and Jane looked up as the trio approached.

“I know what you’ve been saying to Emerence and it stops right here, right now!” she declared, her red-gold hair glinting in a furious halo around her head.

Jane looked nervous but Luise seemed unphased. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I rarely speak to that girl if I can help it. She’s not worth the trouble. I don’t understand how she’s still allowed at this school even,” she stated calmly, picking up the cards on the floor and shuffling them calmly.

If Luise thought this approach would get her off the hook then she was sadly mistaken, for Margot became, if anything, more angry than she had been before. “You know exactly what I’m talking about!” she flashed. “Emerence has told me everything you’ve said and done so don’t try to deny it!”

As Luise opened her mouth a second time to respond, Con butted in, far more calmly than her sister, “She’s right, you know. I’ve seen you at it so there’s no point in saying you haven’t done anything.”

Luise looked at the two of them and quickly realised the truth of what they were saying. She tried another tack as she turned back to Margot and said sneeringly, “So you’re friends again now, are you? Of course, the good Maynard triplets take on the battle of another bad girl. Are you two getting in on the act as well? Emerence is your new charity case, I take it? I suppose you think that she’ll reform under your influence rather than the mistresses’.”

This did nothing to improve Margot’s temper. “Emerence is my friend!” she shouted. “How dare you suggest it’s just an act of charity! She has been my friend ever since I came back from Canada and you have been bullying her un- unmer-” Margot struggled on the difficult word.

“Unmercifully,” Con supplied, coldly angry in contrast to her sister’s heat.

“Yes! You have been bullying her unmercifully and being really horrible to her and it’ll be all your fault if she ends up by running away and- and having an accident and dying!” Margot ended defiantly, if a little surprisingly. “He who has not sinned shall cast the first stone! Well, Emerence may have made a stupid mistake but what you have done to her is far worse because you meant to hurt her and that’s makes it a thousand times worse!”

Len came forward at this point in an effort to restrain her sister, knowing what she could be like when she really lost her temper. “Margot, not that I don’t agree with you but don’t you think it would be a good idea to keep your voice down?” she said worriedly. “Everyone can hear you and-”

“I don’t care! Let them hear me! Everyone should know and then it can’t happen again! Listen everyone! Luise and Jane here have been absolutely beastly to Emerence and made her really upset and depressed without us even realising it! They’ve been horrible bullies and it has to stop now! Emmy doesn’t want the mistresses to know so we’ll simply have to deal with them ourselves! What do you think we should do?” Margot ran down, out of breath and Len stepped in again.

“If you don’t want any of the mistresses to find out then you have to stop shouting or they’ll find it out as soon as they walk past our door,” Len said firmly. Margot stared at her, not really willing to stop quite so soon but she had to admit that Len had a point. At this point Con stepped in, and it took the others only a moment to realise that she was very angry indeed, though she spoke quietly.

“Margot’s right. Emerence’s mistake had tragic consequences but your deliberate, planned cruelty can ruin her life just as surely as is far, far worse than one unconsidered mistake in the heat of the moment. I’m not surprised you don’t understand how we can be friends and be kind without treating her as a charity case when clearly you have no concept of – of friendship, or compassion or sympathy or anything! If you did then you could not have done this. How you can judge Emerence to be unworthy of being a Chalet girl and yet hold your own actions as exemplary behaviour I really don’t know. But you are very young still. Maybe one day you’ll understand.”

Jane was almost in tears by this point and could not face Con at all. Luise looked at her, not wanting to admit that she was wrong but knowing that, even if she could cope with Margot’s fury, there was no way she could match Con’s calm dignity. “We might have gone a bit far,” she admitted grudgingly, “but she killed someone! Are we really expected to be friends with a girl who got away with murder scot free, literally!”

Con looked at her pityingly. “Is that how it seems to you? As I said, you are very young. No one can get away scot free, as you put it, at least no one with a conscience and a spark of humanity in their blood. She is punishing herself hard enough without you adding to it. And what punishment could Miss Annersley possibly give that would match the agony she is putting herself through?” Con demanded. As she was met with no answer she continued. “Emmy needed the support of people like you, not your condemnation. And if you couldn’t give that then you should have just left her alone.” Con became suddenly aware that the whole room was listening to her. “And that goes for everyone in here. If you can’t be nice to her then you shouldn’t say anything at all. As for me, I would much rather be friends with an honest girl who acted hastily and in error than these lying bullies. The rest of you can make up your own minds.”

With this final speech she cast one more disgusted look upon the sorry pair, who found themselves transfixed to the spot, turned around and took the arms of her two sisters. “Coming?” she said to them before the three of them walked out the room.

_________
Oh, and I've forgotten exactly how old they're meant to be. Oh well!

 

#157:  Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast PostPosted: Tue Feb 24, 2004 9:05 pm

wow, wow, wow! (I don't mean to sound like a dog, but it's the only thing that does the trick).

Fantastic, Sarah. Is there more?
Why have you not signed in again BTW?

 

#158:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 2:00 am

Good job the triplets!

 

#159:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 4:14 am

Thank you Sarah!! More please!!!

 

#160:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 11:06 am

Awesome stuff! Fantastic work from all three of them!

 

#161:  Author: Abi, Location: Alton, Hants PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 3:46 pm

Shocked Shocked Shocked Wow Sarah! That is stunning. Good for the MAynards is what I say!

 

#162:  Author: PatMac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 9:58 pm

Hooray for the trips! Very Happy

 

#163:  Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 10:19 pm

Absolutely - good for all three of them! I hope that's Jane & Luise sorted out.

 

#164:  Author: Sarah G-G,  PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 12:01 am

I'm not signed in again because I can't seem to find a way to sign in and post as me! Hopefully I'll manage to work it out soon Sad Anyway final installment coming up...

After the excitements and troubles of the past few weeks, the last weeks of term passed surprisingly peacefully, even in the two forms most disrupted. In Va Vi was quickly becoming accustomed to her new position in the form and ceased to feel quite so resentful where her increased responsibilities were concerned. This is not to say that she didn’t sometimes feel that too much was expected of her or that she didn’t have an occasional grumble to Barbara, her closest friend and ally, but her talk with Verity about the different ways that grief affected people had helped to settle the confusion in her mind. Verity was also feeling a lot more calm and becoming more like her usual self, the emotional outburst having relieved the worst of the tension she had felt building up inside her while Vi’s reassuring words had helped her to come to terms with her grief. Strangely enough, her talk with Emerence had also helped her since it allowed her to feel that she had been able to help someone else as Mary-Lou would have wanted and as she had vowed to do in her initial reaction to the death. Her mind at rest that she had done all she could to help Emerence, Verity was able to throw herself into school work and the school play with something like her usual enthusiasm.

The IVth forms were also a happier place to be, at least as far as Emerence, Margot, Con, Len and other like them were concerned. It is doubtful that Luise and Jane were quite so happy since they had been sent to Coventry with a thoroughness that it would have been good to see the IV forms apply to their school work! After Con’s speech, the girls had been at first stunned by her gentle forcefulness and then ashamed that they themselves had not done something first. Individually and in small groups, each girl had elected to do as Con suggested and it is to their credit that most of them chose to be friendly to Emerence and very few tried to avoid her as far as they could. Even the girls who had originally followed the wicked pair’s lead were swayed by Margot and Con’s arguments and inwardly decided that perhaps it would be better to follow their example in future. Due to all this Emerence was as cheerful as could be expected and, if she was still quieter and more subdued and thoughtful than she had been before, she basked in the friendship and companionship that came her way.

These affairs aside, the school at large was very busy making final arrangements and doing last-minute rehearsals for the Christmas play. Everyone had thrown themselves into their parts with even more than their usual energy, determined that the term would at least end well and that they would outdo all previous performances. Perhaps because of this, the dress rehearsal actually went quite well, which was unusual, so that Miss O’Ryan was moved to murmur to Miss Dermot that it was to be hoped this was not a bad omen, considering that dress rehearsals tended to be disasters most years!

However to the great relief of everyone concerned the play went as well as it always had done, with perhaps even more emotion and thoughtfulness from the older girls in particular due to the often traumatic events of the term. Verity’s final solo singing the beautiful old Austrian carol “Stille Nacht, Heilge Nacht” brought tears to the eyes of many of the people sitting in the audience and not a sound was to be heard in the hall as the final notes of the last verse died away. There was a short emotion-filled silence before applause rang through the hall, so loud that Joey Maynard commented she wouldn’t have been surprised if the San. had rung them up asking what on earth was going on! Finally the applause began to die down as Vi Lucy, looking very nervous, walked back out onto the middle of the stage, to the surprise and mystification of most of the audience. As the clapping died away, she cleared her throat and began to speak.

“The play is now over, as you all must know, and you are probably wondering why I am still standing here,” she hesitated briefly and looked towards Miss Annersley, seated in the front row of the audience, who gave her a reassuring smile. “I expect most of you will know by now of the tragedy that occurred earlier this term. Mary-Lou Trelawny was a true Chalet girl, someone who would give help where it was asked for and even when it was not, a friend to everyone and one of my own very best friends.” Vi took a breath before she continued, “When it was suggested that a tribute should be given to her at the end of this play, we all thought it would be a nice way to show how much Mary-Lou meant to us and to show that we remember her now and always will. Unfortunately we didn’t know just what we could do, until Margot Maynard came and told me that her sister had written a poem that perhaps we could use. When we heard it we all agreed that it really summed up what we all felt and what was important to Mary-Lou. So Con Maynard has, with a little persuasion, agreed to read her poem out now, providing I did all the introductions! So, here it is.”

Vi looked towards the wings and Con, hearing her cue, walked out, blushing furiously. Vi smiled at her and muttered, “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine,” as she walked past her back into the wings. Con looked briefly out into the audience, caught Len’s eye and saw her two sisters smile and give her the thumbs up sign. Voice shaking slightly with nerves, she read the poem out in a clear voice that could be heard at the very back of the hall.

“True friendship is as deep as the ocean
And immeasurable as the wide open seas,
As constant as the Sun and Moon
Yet as mobile as the summer breeze.

As strong as the roots of an oak
And intangible as the evening mist;
As old as the first creature that spoke
But as fresh as each child’s birthday wish.

Distance may make it harder
Time will play its part
But even in death a friend will stay
Forever in my heart.”

There was another silence as she finished speaking before, once again, the hall erupted. The sentiment was not new and older, more accomplished poets had spoken about it for hundreds if not thousands of years but the feeling of it was very real and, written as it was by a ten year old girl, it was remarkable in its depth of feeling, even if the poem itself was simple enough. Joey was very far from being the only person in the hall to have tears in her eyes as Con finished and, looking relieved, hurried off the stage as quickly as she could.

After this there was little more to be said or done and, since it was the end of term the following day, pupils and mistresses alike had a frantic rush to make sure everything was packed and ready so that they all caught their trains and buses in good time. As Joey turned up to collect her children from the school, she stood with Miss Annersley and watched the triplets as they said good-bye to their friends, Emerence first among them.

“This term has been hard on all of them,” she remarked quietly, seeing the force with which they embraced their friends and the emphasis they placed on seeing each other again “very soon!”

Miss Annersley just watched them all thoughtfully. “It has been but they’ve survived and come through it stronger and more mature than they were before. I’ve been very impressed with how the school has behaved this term, and of course in their forms your three have been very influential, I believe. I’m very pleased with the way Con and later Margot in particular have stuck by Emerence in what must have been a very hard time for her.”

“Yes. I feel almost as sorry for Emerence as I do for Verity who, by the way, performed very well in the play yesterday. I was very impressed with both her and Vi’s parts yesterday, as well as my own Con, naturally,” Joey added with a smile, which her friend returned.

“They all did very well yesterday and I agree I’m very pleased at how well Verity, Vi and their friends have coped these past few weeks: I know it has been a struggle for them. But they have come through it as we all knew they would, having matured considerably the past few years. They’re certainly not naughty Middles any more!

“No,” she continued, “they have behaved very well indeed but I think it is Emerence I have been most impressed with. She did not have the benefit of their upbringing and, in attitude at least, she is far younger than the youngest of that form but she has come through it in a manner befitting a girl of her age. I think this term has been something of a crisis point for Emerence. She had to decide whether this was the time she would give up and go on as she always has done or begin to grow up and act as a responsible member of society, and I am more glad than I can say that she decided on the latter rather than the former.”

Joey nodded in agreement. “I have to admit I have always been unsure about her, and more especially about her influence on my Margot, but I think she will turn out well in the end and perhaps some good can come out of this terrible affair. After a long, hard pull through, I think we can finally say than Emerence is well on the way to being a girl the Chalet school can be proud of!”

THE END

_____
I can't believe I actually finished it-it's taken me long enough! And it's just before I have to start on loads of coursework so a very good time to finish as far as I'm concerned! I hope it passes muster.

 

#165:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 12:18 am

Sarah, that was beautiful honey!!

 

#166:  Author: Angel, Location: London, England PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 2:08 am

Sarah, that was amazing

*applauds*

 

#167:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 8:19 am

Lovely ending, Sarah!
Despite being "alternative," this drabble has had the feel of a real CS book. Most enjoyable.

 

#168:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 9:02 am

Magnificent, Sarah! I loved the way you had the characters grow and develop through the story.

 

#169:  Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 12:33 pm

That was lovely, Sarah! *sniffles* I loved the poem.

 

#170:  Author: Abi, Location: Alton, Hants PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 12:45 pm

Sarah that was really, really, good. Thank you.

 

#171:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 2:00 pm

Lovely, powerful stuff, Sarah, especially the last few posts. Hope the coursework goes well.

 

#172:  Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 5:13 pm

Thank you Sarah, very well done, and an excellent ending. Thanks again.

 

#173:  Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough....... PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 10:15 pm

*passes round the tissues*

 

#174:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 2:05 am

Accepts a tissue

Thank you Sarah that was a really beautiul story. The ending was fantastic also love the poem.

Hope the coursework goes well.

 

#175:  Author: PatMac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2004 1:08 am

*Also accepts a tissue* thank you Vikki.

That had the depth of the earlier CS books and was superb. A difficult topic beautifully written and true to the characters of the girls as EBD wrote them.

Lovely, Thank you.

 

#176:  Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2004 3:07 pm

Wonderful Sarah - like the others I see it as being a true CS story even though an alternate! It seems that even in death Mary-Lou can help others to learn, grow and mature.

Thank you for that - looking forward to your next story.

 

#177:  Author: Sarah G-G,  PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2004 10:14 pm

Embarassed Thank-you for all your lovely comments! I'm amazed you've read all the way to the end since it's been going on since, er, I think I started it at the end of the summer? And there have been a lot of gaps in between! This is definitely the longest story I've ever written (43 pages- 23,953 words!) and the first I've finished in ages! I think there's more of an incentive to finish something you know other people are reading. Anyway, I'm glad you all enjoyed it and now I can chant on other people's threads without thinking I really should be adding to my own!

 

#178:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sun Feb 29, 2004 3:43 pm

Sarah, you're welcome.

 

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