Hunted

Two: Vanishing Glimpses

Time did not seem to move as it was supposed to anymore. It faded and blurred, went too fast and then didn't seem to move at all. The sun-filled sky faded to a navy star-studded sky before the night withdrew once more allowing another seemingly perfect day to dawn. Except it wasn't perfect. Nothing was perfect - not really.

A strange calm seemed to settle on the island. James expected it was the calm before the storm. James was prepared for it, but if Elmhirst acted early, if it was too soon, he didn't know what he would do, what he could possibly do. Freya seemed to be just as nervous, flitting about the school sometimes in her own guise, other times a fragile ghost of Charlotte Owens. Whatever thoughts were passing through Elmhirst's head, he did not seem to venture too close to Freya in her new role as Charlotte Owens, which at least eased James' worries a little.

When he had approached Freya with his idea, pleading for her understanding, her help, she had offered willingly. He knew she had liked Charlotte, had got on well with her, and had respect for her as a captain. Freya had been his only hope. If Elmhirst had noticed Charlotte's absence the ship would have been recalled, but with everything appearing as it should, nobody noticing Freya's absence from meal times, everything seemed to be working out. Three days Matt had told him. In that time the ship should have managed to distance itself from the island. So when Charlotte's image did vanish from Kingston life, Elmhirst couldn't link it to the ship; he wouldn't know where to look for her.

The morning of Charlotte's faked disappearance dawned unnaturally warm, the air heavy, the skies streaked with clouds, rippled and stretched until they resembled great fish-scales marring the pale blue sky. There was a storm in the air. James could feel it as he left his room, a weird sense of anticipation in his stomach. For Freya's sake, he was happy her final day as Charlotte had arrived, but with the end of their ruse, also vanished the image of Charlotte, her presence in his life. He could no longer kid himself. She would be truly gone.

Freya stepped out of Charlotte's room, still disguised as the former Head Girl. It was early, too early for most students to have risen, but the stillness that hung over the school allowed her to slip back into her normal world, her everyday routine, seamlessly and without suspicion.

"So..." she asked, glancing at James with more accurately blue eyes than she had had before. "This is it?"

"I guess so," he nodded, pressing his lips together.

"I'm kind of glad it's over," she sighed, flashing a tight smile, her hands clasped before her.

"It's only beginning," he muttered, glancing down the corridor. She looked at him questioningly, her face suddenly tense. He could read her thoughts as she gazed open-mouthed at him -You never said I would have to do any more than this. "Don't worry - you're part is over," he nodded. "And you were brilliant - flawless," he lied, trying his best to give credit where credit was due, but it was hard, looking at the girl who resembled Charlotte Owens and yet was so unlike her. Maybe, he thought, she is unlike her because I don't want her to be like her. There's only one Charlotte.

"Thanks," she nodded, a little awkwardly. "I should probably return to my room then. I think Mary is worried - I haven't returned to the room in days. She doesn't see me eating - it's only natural she'd worry," she continued, trying to ease the uncomfortable silence.

"Of course," James nodded. "Thank you, though - for everything," he breathed. "We couldn't have done this without you".

Freya smiled and nodded, before turning from him and strolling along the corridor. "And Charlotte..." he called, afraid of who might be listening, even in the silent, early morning. "You know..."

"Our little secret," she smiled back at him, before continuing towards the door. James watched her hollowly, his last glimpse of Charlotte Owens vanishing with her.