Читать книгу The Lost Sister - Laura Elliot - Страница 18

15 January 1988

Dear Mummy,

It’s three years now. Me and Kevin visited your grave this evening. The gates were closed but there was a hole in the wall and we could slide in real easy. We met a Goth there called Melancholia Barnes. She’s two years older than me and is in First Year with Kevin. Now she’s my friend as well. I thought Goth was all about sucking blood and pet bats but Melancholia says it’s just about people who want to be different to the masses. She’s actually called Melanie but she hates her name and thinks Mel is for bimbos. We went back to my house and had popcorn and watched The Addams Family on telly.

She can talk to the dead. Kevin can’t but he believes you can smell dead people. His father is dead longer than you so he knows best. Mr Mulvaney had a bad heart and was cramated but Kevin can not smell ashes only roses, like the ones his father used to grow in the garden.

I got a glass from the kitchen and we put our fingers on the edge of it. Melancholia told us to close our eyes. She said spirit of the glass speak to us speak to us. We had to press hard on the edge of the glass and it wobbled when it tried to give us a message. I wanted to talk to you and Daddy and Kevin wanted to talk to his father. Becks came into the room when the glass was wobbling and gave out like mad. She believes it’s dangerous to meddle with something we don’t understand. How can it be wrong to talk to the dead? She is such a pain.

Love to you, Daddy, Gramps Gaynor and Nero,

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cathy

15 May 1988

Dear Mummy,

I have to tell you something. I’m getting little boobs and I’ve hair down that place. It’s scary and I’m afraid to tell Becks in case it’s weird. Lauren is four years older and she has no boobs yet. Soon I’ll look like Julie. That’s scary. She said Cross Your Heart is the best kind of bra. Becks says she’s too busy to notice if she’s got boobs or not. She has. I saw her standing in front of the mirror in her room one night. She had no clothes on. She thought I was sleeping and was mad as a bear when she saw me at the door. She put on her nightdress and asked me what I was staring at. Who cares?

Paul and Julie are fighting. Not so much snogging on the sofa any more. She is supposed to be studying hard for her Leaving Repeats but all she cares about is the band. Paul says Maximum Volume can’t go touring until he’s finished college.

Love to you, Daddy, Gramps Gaynor and Nero.

XXXXX

Cathy

30 October 1988

Dear Mum,

Me and Kevin held a séance in Melancholia’s house tonight. Did you hear us? Did we cause a vibration in heaven? Rebecca would go nuts if she knew. We lit candles and sat in a circle. Melancholia asked the ouija board to spell out your name and it did. Rachel. I couldn’t believe it. Kevin accused her of moving the indicator but I know she didn’t ’cause I was watching real close. Then it spelled Jerry. It should have been Gerry but it was near enough. Kevin asked the board to spell his father’s name and laughed like mad when it spelled John instead of Kenneth. But 2 out of 3 is not bad. Do you think the séance was for real? It must be. I never told Melancholia your names so she couldn’t have been guessing.

Becks thinks she’s a bad influence and I should have friends my own age. I wish she’d stop trying to run my life for me. Melancholia has tattoos. One on her butt, one on her breast and two on her arms. She said it doesn’t hurt a bit. Becks would freak if I dared get one but Leah (that’s Melancholia’s mum) didn’t mind a bit. It’s hard to believe she’s a mother. She looks like Melancholia’s older sister except her hair is blonde and she wears ra-ra skirts with sparkles. She looks younger than Becks. Julie is still giving out about college. You’d think she’d be glad she got her Repeat Leaving but she hates computer studies and having to sit in front of a computer when all she wants to do is sing for her fans. Becks says computers are the future and to stop complaining and do what she’s told for a change.

Love to Dad and all,

Cathy