Chasing The Queen [ DISCONTINUED ]

Prologue

˝No! Granny! I want to stay!˝ I cried.

          Grandma gently pryed my fingers off her hand, ˝Sweetie, your Aunt Mellisa will take care of you in Beaufort.˝

           I wailed loudly, ˝No! I don't want that! I want to stay with you, Granny! Here, in Bakewell!˝

           The look of sorrow and unwillingness was visible in her eyes, but she shook her head firmly.

           Aunt Mellisa carried me up, ˝It's okay, Katrina. I have lots of toys at my house that you can play with.˝

           Tears continued to spill from my sockets, ˝I don't want to go with her, Granny! I don't know her!˝

          I knew my cousins were watching by the door. And I knew they definitely didn't feel sorry or sad that I was going.

          ˝I'm so sorry, Tina,˝ Granny whispered and pried my fingers off her wrist for the last time as Aunt Mellisa carried me off.

          ˝GRANNY!˝ I screamed, choking down more tears.

          Aunt Mellisa was hushing me gently, patting my head, but I still felt like I was a toy being given away.

          I continued screaming and crying, my arms flailing in Grandma's direction.

          ˝GRANNY! NOT YOU TOO!˝ I wailed even though my voice stung from all the crying and screaming I'd been doing.

          Aunt Mellisa was running now, down the porch and towards her lightning blue car. I screamed for her to let me go, but she strapped me into the booster seat at the back. Then, she ran back in, soon coming out with Alex, Anderson and Alan.

           They were carrying luggages and bags. My luggages and bags.

           I slammed my small palms on the window, banging against it.

           ˝NO!˝ I shrieked, ˝I'M STAYING, ALAN! ANDY! ALEX, PLEASE!˝

           Alex looked at me, a tear sliding down his face. He passed three of my bags to Aunt Mellisa and ran back into the house.

           ˝A-le-e-ex!˝ I hiccupped, hot tears streaming down my cheeks, leaving burning trails behind.

           But I didn't care. I continued to hit the glass, yelling for my cousins to let me out. Anderson mouthed, I'm sorry, Tina. Alan just ran back in like his brother did, rubbing at his eyes.

           After closing the trunk, Aunt Mellisa got into the car and drove us to the Manchester Airport. It took one and a half days to get to the nearest hotel in Manchester —she never stopped driving except for meals and short toilet breaks.

           Until then, I'd never ate anything, only drank the water from my bottle and declined politely when she offered me food. Neither did I cry.

           When the journey was over, Aunt Mellisa had driven into the private jet section of the airport. After getting out of the car, she ordered some men to transfer my stuff onto her jet.

           Then, grabbing my hand in hers, she said, ˝You wanna play a game, Kat?˝

           I stared into blank space but nodded in answer.

           ˝We're going to run to that plane there,˝ she pointed towards the green and blue jet and to the men carrying my things, ˝Faster than those guys, okay?˝

           I nodded again. Before she could say anything else, I sprinted off towards it. I could hear the sound of my small Sketchers whizzing across the lot, though it wasn't exactly loud. Dad had taught me how to run silently. Imagine you're the wind, Tina. Don't let your whole feet slam against the ground. Concentrate on landing heels first, soles second, toes last.

          And that was exactly what I did. In a flash, I was running up the stairs and into the jet. I saw a mini sofa and slumped down on it when the tears started to come again.

          I saw the replay. I saw Jake. And Mum. Dad too.

          No, Tina, you have to be strong for them. Stay strong. You'll be with them soon.

          So I did.