Summertide Excursion : A 'Storm and Silence' Fan-fiction

A Midsummer Night's Scream

My eyes flung open as I woke abruptly to the sound of a shrill, high-pitched shriek. I sprang out of bed with more energy than I thought possible at such an ungodly hour, and turned my head this way and that, frantically searching for the source of the scream. My eyes singled out a small, dainty figure leaning precariously out of the large window overlooking the back garden. I scurried over to the window and spun the figure around with enough force that they were nearly defenestrated. I met the eyes of my sister, wide with surprise.

'Ella, what is it? What's the matter? What's caused you enough peril to cry out in these early hours of the morning?' Admittedly, I was more than a little peeved, but I regarded my younger sister with a look far more affectionate and concerned than I would ever dare to give anyone else.

Maybe except for Mr. Rikka-

I interrupted my inner voice before she finished that ghastly sentence. Don't you start, I haven't woken up enough to deal with you just yet! She silently obeyed. Strange, she usually didn't cooperate quite so easily.

I smiled to myself with triumph. This was going to be a fine day, even despite my panicked start to the morning.

'Oh Lilly, look outside! The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the sun is shining with such friendly warmth! Summer has finally arrived!' Ella sighed in ecstasy, her large blue eyes illuminated with thoughts of sunlit strolls and picnics in Green Park.

I fought the urge to smack my sister upside the head. That was why she screamed? That was what awoke me in a panic, fearing for her very life? That summer had finally arrived? I gently closed my eyes and took a deep, lengthy breath to calm the feelings of annoyance that threatened to fuel the embers simmering inside of me. I released the breath, and extinguished the remaining sparks. I had learned to better control my flaming temper. After all, having spent so much time in the presence of a living iceberg, it was not surprising that I had picked up a few of his cool mannerisms.

I added this offense to my list of reasons to despise nature. It was enough that I resided next to Green Park, one of the spots of nature that blotted the city like unfortunate drops of ink on a fine document. Maybe my opinion was a tad pessimistic, but may I remind you that I was quite happy with having no recollections of my life in the country before the death of my parents. London was buzzing with uncontainable energy, filled with possibility and the promise of new adventures, and so the city I were perfectly suited.

On that amusing thought, my mood lighted and I freed Ella of my firm grip. I couldn't stay angry with her, no matter how hard I tried. I turned and proceeded to change out of my nightclothes, while Ella gushed on about the wonders of summer and how she planned to take advantage of the pleasant weather that was so rare in London.

As she gazed out at the garden, my thoughts turned to her nightly exchanges with Edmund, the piano tuner's son and my neighbor, who shared passionate feelings of love with my dear sister. It had been months since I first discovered their secret meetings, and I was surprised that they were still as enthusiastically in love as ever. I had the feeling that soon the time would come for them to reveal their feelings to the rest of the world— or to my Aunt Brank to say the least.

Just then I heard the shrill voice of my dearest aunt calling up the stairs, 'Lillian, Ella, come down for the morning meal at once! I will not tolerate any late risers in this household!'

I groaned. It served me right, I should have known better than to think about her. I had the growing suspicion that she could read my thoughts, but an investigation of her inhumane ability to torment me would have to wait.

Ella and I hastily aided each other with putting on the many layers of petticoats and corsets that were unfortunately deemed fashionable, and descended to the dining room where Aunt Brank, Anne, Maria, and Gertrude were sitting. I did my best to suffer through the usual morning lectures my aunt gave while eating my equally dreary breakfast of indistinguishable mush and bread. Anne and Maria discussed the day's weather with almost as much enthusiasm as Ella had, and the three of them combined used such inspiring language that even Gertrude lifted her nose from her book to gaze out the window. As the twins began to talk of the new summer dresses they simply had to have, I quietly slipped out of the room, taking advantage of their ability to command all attention towards themselves.