His Little Scarlett

Pieces From The Past

It was early December and he was scheduled to pick them up from Aunt Margaret’s for their regular break. Ayla and Sally had just gotten back from their driving lessons that evening when he eventuallypulled up at the house. The plan was to spend two weeks at home and then get dropped back on Christmas Eve where afterwards he would travel back to Catterick Garrison.

“So I’m going to miss practicing for the next two weeks.”Ayla was saying to Sally when they tearfullyhugged as her younger sisters tumbled noisily into their father’s Ford Focus Sedan.

“You’ll be back soon enough.” Sally said, hugging her back, “Plus, you can always catch a train here early in the mornings and go home when we’re done. We aren’t little kids anymore remember?”

And she was right. Recently, a lot of things had changed around Aunt Margaret’s.

Elizabeth, Reese and Susan had all gone to different cities for University, leaving Sally and Rose the younger two back at home to finish form school. Charlotte now lived in a small city in France, gaining admission at an arts and fashion academy. The older sisters hardly came home, finally free from the burden of catering to littler girls and living lives of their own. They kept in touch though, especially Elizabeth. She called every week. Charlotte sent dresses to them every Christmas, styles from new collections she’d designed.

Reese sent photos of her lovers to Rose, and Rosealways replied who suited her better and who did not. They were in their higher forms though, Rose and Sally and Ayla, and would be graduating the next year.

Susan liked to be alone.

Isabel and Scarlett, always together since they were the youngest, were in the lower forms at school. Isabel at thirteen in third form and Scarlett, the baby, in first. Rose usually spent weekends traveling to see Reese, and so it was Sally and Ayla together again as well.

The drive back home usually took twenty minutesand so even though nobody had asked her to, Scarlett was counting, looking intently at one of the brand new watches she’d just gotten.

“We’re going to take a quick stop so I can say hello to a friend.” Their father was saying.

Scarlett wondered how long the stop would take, and how much longer it would now take to get home.

They pulled over at a petrol station and she watched quietly as a black Honda SUV pulled up beside them.

“Snowdon!” Her father called happily.

“Sallow!” She heard as it’s door slammed and a hefty looking man with pepper and salt hair came down, coming over to clasp her fathers hand and pull him into an embrace. He looked unusually hairy and his voice was very raspy.

She ducked when he turned towards them. “These are the girls?”

“Yep.” Her father nodded, “Ayla–she’s fifteen.”

“Oh.” Snowdon nodded.

“Isabel,” Their father continued, “And–where’s Scarlett?”

“Right here, Dad.” Scarlett mumbled, lifting her head back up.

“Beautiful hair.” Snowdon said, looking back at their Dad’s dirty blonde tresses as opposed to the girls’ dark red hair.

“From my wife.” He explained.

“Sorry, mate.” Snowdon said dolefully. “My son’s in the car as well. Say Hello Erik!”

Scarlett turned to look.

A youngish teenager looked out of the car window, his grey eyes full of words but his face expressionless.

“Hello.” He listlessly voiced, not bothering to look at their car.

Scarlett could feel her cheeks redden. He was quite handsome looking and there was something about how quiet he was that was quite riveting.

She tried to listen to as much of the conversation her Father was having with his father as she could, but she was interrupted by Ayla’s shriek.

“Dad! Look out!”

She immediately sat up just in time to see a Dog like creature pounce on him. She began to scream. Isabel started screaming as well. She watched as more of them jumped into view, growling and ready to pounce. They were surrounded.

The Honda was the first to move. Obviously, Erik had been trained for times like this.

Ayla got into the driver’s seat and keyed in the ignition, reversing immediately.

“You know how to reverse?!” Isabel yelled.

“Shut up, Isabel! Let’s get Dad!” Ayla yelled back.

Scarlett put her hand over her ears as her sisters yelled and the tires of the car screeched.

She could hear her Dad howl in pain and she closed her eyes even more tightly.

She heard Isabel open the back door and scuffle to pull him in.

“Let.go!” She cried.

Ayla reversed again and the creature lost its grip.

Scarlett reached out and pulled his other arm.

His shirt was torn and bloody and there was a gash from his arm to his chest.

“I can’t believe it!” He howled, managing to spit out one more exclamation before losing consciousness, “Snowdon left!”

“It’s a terrible wound.” The Doctor was saying to Aunt Margaret, “But we’ve been able to stabilize him successfully.”

Ayla had managed to drive them the rest of the way home while Isabel phoned Aunt Margaret and 999. She, along with Sally and the Ambulance had arrived at the same time.

The doctor had bandaged their Dad up and installed a drip with the help of the nurses that had come too. He was still unconscious, however, and Aunt Margaret looked very irritated.

“I’ve told Dave to stop hanging out with those Snowdons.” She was saying, “Now look at him.”

“What is it about “those Snowdons”?” Ayla asked.

“Lord Raphael? Duke of Snowdon?” The Doctor added.

“I don’t care for whatever his name is.” Aunt Margaret replied, “Each and everyone of those Snowdons are horrific news.”

The girls looked at each other, confused.

Their father stirred after that statement and coughed so noisily, the doctor had concluded he was to recover as quickly as possible. That, however, was on a probability which included not engaging in any strenuous activities. In addition to his gashed chest, he’d broken a rib and would have to go to hospital soon for proper examination.

“What happened?” He asked that evening, clearly weak from all the medication he’d just received. Suddenly, he turned to Ayla, “ You can Reverse?”

“Right?!” Isabel interjected.

Scarlett facepalmed.

“Who was that?” Ayla asked back, ignoring them both.

“It’s a long story, Ayla.” Their father sighed.

“Well it’s not like we’re going anywhere anytime soon, Dad.” She replied, “Let’s hear it.”

Aunt Margaret and Sally had already gone back home, but unknowingly to the three girls, they wouldn’t be joining them anytime soon because their job taking care of their father had just begun.