Seven for a Secret Never to be Told

Several days passed and it was almost as if nothing had happened. Safi was back at school and Mia had not been woken by someone crying in the night. That morning Mia’s Nan woke her up for school as usual. Bear had followed her upstairs and had jumped on Mia’s bed.

‘I’ve got to go to the old people’s home straight from dropping you off at school to cover for someone who’s on holiday,’ she said, ‘so I’m just taking Bear over the back field for ten minutes to give him a quick run around. Please be up and dressed by the time I get back. No dillydallying!’ She put Mia’s brush on the dressing table, ‘…and maybe even brush your hair…’

‘Ugh…’ grunted Mia.

‘Ten minutes. Be up. Please.’ Her Nan left the room and ushered Bear down the stairs.

Mia turned onto her back and stretched, then yawned. She could hear the radio blasting out downstairs. She opened her eyes and looked over at her school clothes hanging on the back of her chair. Sitting up she stretched again and pulled back the duvet. Mia walked sleepily to her dressing table, picked up her reading book and put it in her school bag. As she brushed her hair she looked out of the window.

The weather had become hot which meant every morning a mist hung over the back field until the heat of the sun cut through it to reveal dewy, green grass and sparkling spider’s webs. Today was no exception. Mia could see her Nan and Bear walking up the track in the middle of the field away from the cottages, the hazy white mist was still thick so they looked distant and out of focus. Mia looked closer. There was something else. Someone else. Who was that with her Nan?

There was another figure. Someone shorter. Maybe a child. Maybe a boy. As she watched, this person placed a hand on Bear’s back and Bear ran away into the mist. Mia watched as her Nan and this other person also disappeared into the mist.

Mia screwed up her eyes trying to see through the white haze but there was no one there. She felt her heart begin to race. ‘Nan…Nan…’ she spoke aloud, pressing her face against the window. Then suddenly she was tearing off her night clothes and pulling her polo shirt over her head. She half hopped into her skirt as she left her room and leapt down the stairs just avoiding a collision with the dining table. She didn’t stop to put on her shoes but raced out of the back door bare footed. She sprinted up the garden path and unlatched the back gate, pulling it open with a grunt.

‘Hello love.’ Her Nan was stood at the gate with Bear panting at her side. ’I’m very impressed I didn’t think you’d get up this quickly.’ She glanced down at Mia’s feet. ‘Socks and shoes might be an idea though.’ Mia was confused.

‘I couldn’t see you…’ she said.

‘I know. It’s so misty out there. You can’t see your hand in front of your face.’ Mia’s Nan closed the gate and they walked back towards the house. ‘Breakfast then, pain au chocolat?’ Mia wasn’t listening.

‘I couldn’t see you…Bear, he went running off and then you disappeared.’

‘Yes, I think he smelt a rabbit or maybe that fox that lives by the willows.’ They were indoors now and Mia’s Nan was getting breakfast ready. Mia took a breath.

‘Was there anyone else out there?’ Mia’s Nan stopped what she was doing and looked at Mia.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well just before Bear ran off I thought I saw someone else. Someone with you and Bear,’ she hesitated. ‘A child. A boy maybe.’ Mia’s Nan began to fill the kettle.

‘No one else there Mia. Just me and Bear. The mist can play tricks on you though. Not just on your eyes. It can pick up sounds and move them around. I could have sworn I heard people talking in the mist. Mumbling.’

‘Weren’t you scared?’ asked Mia.

‘It was just mumbling, probably a combination of birds, the stream and cars on the main road all being shaken up and redistributed in the mist. It’s all explainable by science – I’m just not a scientist. Now, get some socks and shoes on and come and have breakfast.’