𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡 // 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐬

two

i awoke at sunrise, got up and done my average routine for the morning. i was debating whether to eat breakfast on the bench again. i decided to see how i feel later on in the day. i walk down the start towards the kitchen, mother was sat in the living room with a downcast expression on her face.

i sighed to myself. one of our servants, Elodie, tread up to me handing me the newspaper and a letter we just received. she rubbed my arm and smiled. i gave her a slight smile back.

"thank you." i say. she walked away to go polish the table.

i inspected the letter. i flipped it over and tore the back of it removing the parchment from inside. i unfolded it and read through it.

"dear Coraline and Matilda Tewksbury,
im am dearly sorry about the news of what's happened to Nicholas. i hope you and your family are doing well. i would love to see you at some point soon, you know where ill be. everything is going to be okay i can feel it. i hope you are keeping up with practicing fighting Matilda if not then come find me ill help you out! im sending lots of love.
yours sincerely,
Edith.

i smile to myself. it was nice to hear from Edith as it has been a while since i had seen her. i walk over to the living room.

"mother, Edith has written." i hand her the letter. she lets out a small grin. i leave her to read through the letter. i travel back to the kitchen. i grab the newspaper, opening up. one thing caught my eye. 'two boys leap from train.'

i scoff and roll my eyes waltzing back into the sitting room. who in the right mind would jump from the London express? i read futher on, 'left basil wether station at 9.15' 'a man in a brown bowler hat'

it all sounded strange. i shook off the feeling and quickly shut the newspaper. i needed to take my mind off everything. what better way to do that then art. i travelled slowly up the stairs towards the study room. there were many things in the study room such as; a typewriter, a draw full of quills and pencils, another draw with many paints and brushes, easels and canvases. it felt so comfortable to sit in there and paint. i was in my element.

i decided to paint the bench we always sat at. i was painting for around 2 hours until i finally finished the piece. i was happy with myself. i felt content in that moment until the feelings all came crushing down again. i sighed to my self.

today just did not feel ordinary. i suppose its because i haven't been to the park. so thats what im going to do. i walk downstairs towards the front door.

"im off to the park mother." i call.

"okay darling, be careful." she said dully. i couldn't blame her. the servants opened the door for me and i thanked them. i strolled through the street towards the park.

i sat down on my usual bench. i wave to the gardener and take out a pastry from my basket. i've decided i'm going to see Edith. if i want to find my brother i've got to know how to put up a fight right? i mean i already know alot since we've known Edith since i was a baby. mother was also close friends with Eudoria holmes through Edith. though i had never met her.

after a while i walk over to the lake in front of me and feed the other pastry to the ducks. it would usually be for tewky.

i strut down the streets of london towards the tearoom cafe. i enter, its a cute little cafe with a wide range of books. i walk over to the counter where edith is.