Post by Danni Archer on Aug 22, 2009 23:06:55 GMT
“Hello?” Danni had been on her way to the canteen when her phone rang. It wouldn’t have been so weird if her friends had still been calling her, but after the incident the only person who ever rang her had been her dad... how sad. But this number, it came up unknown, which is why Danni hesitated before answering. “Hello, is anyone there?”
“Danielle, it is you, right?” Danni went pale. It was her mother. Her mother never called her. She could barely even recall the last time she’d spoken to her. Danni was most definitely a daddy’s girl. But her mum... she’d just never really been that close. She’d always fussed around Mark. He was a mummy’s boy, not that he’d ever let his friends know that. When her dad... removed Mark from the house, part of her mum had gone too. She became a lot more distant with Danni, to the extent that they’d barely spoken. To the extent where Danni had nearly forgotten that she was a member of the family. And now she was calling Danni out of the blue. Had someone died? Had something happened to her dad?
“...Mum? What’s wrong? Has something happened?” Danni was perfectly aware that she was getting some stares from the people around her. Her voice hadn’t really come out properly, it was high and funny sounding. She turned away from the stares and made to go outside.
“Nothing’s... wrong. I just fancied a chat, that’s all. Can’t a mother call her daughter to see how she’s doing?” Her mum laughed down the phone to her. Danni stayed silent. She was too confused to speak. When was the last time she’d had a little ‘chat’ with her mum? When her dad had pulled her out of Orchid over the battle period she hadn’t said one word to her mum. She was in the house and she’d passed her several times. The only time her mum had actually paid any attention to her was when she was packing up to return to Orchid, and the extent of that was a confused look towards her suitcase as she left the house. It was like she hadn’t realised that Danni had been away. Surprise, surprise. “Danielle? Are you there?”
“Yeah...”
“Right, you could have said something you know!” Danni could tell her mum was confused at her manner. Or maybe she just hadn’t realised the silence of the past four years.
“Oh, sorry...” Danni was still confused as to why she was talking to this woman, this, to be perfectly honest, stranger. It wasn’t that she had a problem with her mother. Her dad had made up for any silence on her part. It was just as if she was talking to someone new, for the first time.
“So, how’s school? Any nice boys?” She was talking to Danni like a mother should, well, like she supposed they would. Danni was slightly freaked out by it.
“Mum... why did you phone? I mean, when was the last time we talked?” Danni may have come across as hostile but she couldn’t help it.
“I... I’m not sure... It can’t have been that long, can it?”
“Last conversation I remember was four years ago, before Mark was... before Mark left.”
Her mother stayed silent.
“So mum, why are you phoning? Why wait four years, four years, before phoning me for a ‘chat’? What’s so special about now? Or have you suddenly remembered that you have a daughter as well as a son? It’s about time.” It seemed that hearing her mum had pulled a plug somewhere inside of her. It brought emotions that she’d kept locked away to the surface. Feelings of longing and abandonment. Danni had made found her way to the garden and had somehow discovered a bench in a secluded area. “Do you think that you were the only one sorry to see Mark go? I mean, I know it wouldn’t have been the same for you if it had been me who’d gone –“
“Danielle that’s not-“
“-But I’m sorry mum, me and Mark were close. Closer than the two of you were. I needed someone to talk to when he left. That was the only moment that I wished I was closer to you. If I had been, we would have talked about it and you wouldn’t have shut yourself away, hiding from the world –“
“Ellie –“
“Don’t you dare call me that... Only Mark called me that. How dare you... You don’t notice me when I’m at home, or even when I leave. It takes me leaving again before you realise.” Danni paused, to take a breath and to try and call back the tears that were beginning to appear, blurring her vision. “Why did you call mum... why?”
It was silent for several minutes. Danni could hear heavy breathing at the other end of the phone but she didn’t care. She’d been holding that in for four years. She missed Mark. Missed him so much. He was her brother for Pete’s sake. And she hadn’t heard from him once. Not once in four years. Danni felt the tears fall down her face. It was harder than she’d ever thought, talking to her mother again. They’d been silent for so long...
“I’m sorry,” Danni’s mother had finally gathered herself together enough to respond.
“Sorry doesn’t cut it mum...”
“I know... but you have to know, I really am sorry. You were right when you said that ‘I’d forgotten I had a daughter too.” Her voice was very soft, very convincing. “I shut myself away from you and the world and I’m going to live to regret it. I can see that now. But you have to understand, it was like Mark had died. I was grieving. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do now but I’d really like to try. I have something to explain to you, you see –“
Danni cut her off sharply, “It’s too late for any explanations mum. Sorry.”
“Danielle, wai-“ Danni hung up, placing her phone back in her bag. She felt drained. So, so tired. The tears came thicker now and Danni held her head in her hands, crouched forward as if she was in physical pain.
Then the phone rang again. Danni answered without looking at the number.
“Mum will you just leave me alone? Please? I can’t do this now... I just can’t... it’s too much too fast. I- I’m sorry...”
There was a pause. Then her mum spoke, “Well, if that’s the case, I’m sorry too. I truly am. I- I never wanted to do this to you...”
“Do what?”
“I’m sorry.” Then her mum’s voice changed somehow. It became harsh and fierce. It was commanding. “ You will listen to me and hear my side of the story. You will show me respect and you will not hang up. Am I understood?”
“Yes.” With this new voice, everything became simple. It was as if all Danni’s will had been taken from her. She had no desire to disobey her mother. She would obey. It was simple. Her voice rang with obedience.
Then the voice changed back to her mother’s soft tones, “Ellie, I mean, Danielle, I think this would be better if I explained in person. I think I’ll come up to your school so I can see you as soon as possible. Alright?”
Danni stayed silent. She wanted to tell her mother that she most certainly did not want to see her and on no account was she to come anywhere near the school. But she couldn’t. She felt the threat of the voice pressing down on her, compelling her to obey.
“Alright?” The voice was back.
“Yes.” Danni heard herself say the word. And at that moment, she’d never hated her mum more.
“Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you soon then... I love you...” Her mother waited for a moment but Danni made no reply. She hung up.
The moment the connection was lost, Danni half-collapsed, hugging her knees. She had her will back. She could say what she wanted. The voice wasn’t pressing down on her anymore. It wasn’t crushing her will and forcing its own will in instead. She was free.
She was free but now terrified. Her mum... her mum had somehow managed to force her will on Danni. She couldn’t go against it. Instinctively she knew that if she’d tried she would have been in unbearable pain. But she couldn’t try. More than that though, she hadn’t wanted to. She’d wanted to be obedient.
Danni shuddered. She understood something now. She understood that her powers were genetic. She’d inherited them. But she also understood something else. Her mother was coming to see her. And if that was the sort of power she had over the phone, what on earth was going to happen when she saw her in person? She was petrified, but what could she do? If her mum rang again she’d probably force her to meet her. But was there any way to avoid talking to her?
Danni wiped her eyes with her hands and searched in her bag for a mirror. Finding one she discovered that her eyes were all red and blotchy and her makeup was everywhere. Great. With a sigh she put her mirror back and went to put her phone into her pocket. Then she noticed she had a message from unknown. It read:
Danielle, im sorry that I had to do that. If only u cud understand! But u didn’t give me the chance to explain. Ill come up at the weekend to see u. Love mum
Danni swallowed hard, the fear beginning to clutch at her again. She’d never been so scared in her life. But what could she do? If she told her dad he’d only go and talk to her mum, or he wouldn’t believe her. And if he did go to her mum, well, Danni didn’t want her father to go through that. What could she do? She couldn’t even block the number as it had registered as unknown. But she couldn’t put her voice into a txt. And if she just didn’t answer if her phone rang? But then if her mum turned up at the school what should she do? Who knew what her mum could do if in close proximity? She knew that she couldn’t risk meeting her. But she also knew that she had to. There were too many questions. Especially concerning Mark. Her dad had freaked because he was weird and had abilities beyond the norm. Like her. And now apparently like her mum too.
What to do? What to do?
“Danielle, it is you, right?” Danni went pale. It was her mother. Her mother never called her. She could barely even recall the last time she’d spoken to her. Danni was most definitely a daddy’s girl. But her mum... she’d just never really been that close. She’d always fussed around Mark. He was a mummy’s boy, not that he’d ever let his friends know that. When her dad... removed Mark from the house, part of her mum had gone too. She became a lot more distant with Danni, to the extent that they’d barely spoken. To the extent where Danni had nearly forgotten that she was a member of the family. And now she was calling Danni out of the blue. Had someone died? Had something happened to her dad?
“...Mum? What’s wrong? Has something happened?” Danni was perfectly aware that she was getting some stares from the people around her. Her voice hadn’t really come out properly, it was high and funny sounding. She turned away from the stares and made to go outside.
“Nothing’s... wrong. I just fancied a chat, that’s all. Can’t a mother call her daughter to see how she’s doing?” Her mum laughed down the phone to her. Danni stayed silent. She was too confused to speak. When was the last time she’d had a little ‘chat’ with her mum? When her dad had pulled her out of Orchid over the battle period she hadn’t said one word to her mum. She was in the house and she’d passed her several times. The only time her mum had actually paid any attention to her was when she was packing up to return to Orchid, and the extent of that was a confused look towards her suitcase as she left the house. It was like she hadn’t realised that Danni had been away. Surprise, surprise. “Danielle? Are you there?”
“Yeah...”
“Right, you could have said something you know!” Danni could tell her mum was confused at her manner. Or maybe she just hadn’t realised the silence of the past four years.
“Oh, sorry...” Danni was still confused as to why she was talking to this woman, this, to be perfectly honest, stranger. It wasn’t that she had a problem with her mother. Her dad had made up for any silence on her part. It was just as if she was talking to someone new, for the first time.
“So, how’s school? Any nice boys?” She was talking to Danni like a mother should, well, like she supposed they would. Danni was slightly freaked out by it.
“Mum... why did you phone? I mean, when was the last time we talked?” Danni may have come across as hostile but she couldn’t help it.
“I... I’m not sure... It can’t have been that long, can it?”
“Last conversation I remember was four years ago, before Mark was... before Mark left.”
Her mother stayed silent.
“So mum, why are you phoning? Why wait four years, four years, before phoning me for a ‘chat’? What’s so special about now? Or have you suddenly remembered that you have a daughter as well as a son? It’s about time.” It seemed that hearing her mum had pulled a plug somewhere inside of her. It brought emotions that she’d kept locked away to the surface. Feelings of longing and abandonment. Danni had made found her way to the garden and had somehow discovered a bench in a secluded area. “Do you think that you were the only one sorry to see Mark go? I mean, I know it wouldn’t have been the same for you if it had been me who’d gone –“
“Danielle that’s not-“
“-But I’m sorry mum, me and Mark were close. Closer than the two of you were. I needed someone to talk to when he left. That was the only moment that I wished I was closer to you. If I had been, we would have talked about it and you wouldn’t have shut yourself away, hiding from the world –“
“Ellie –“
“Don’t you dare call me that... Only Mark called me that. How dare you... You don’t notice me when I’m at home, or even when I leave. It takes me leaving again before you realise.” Danni paused, to take a breath and to try and call back the tears that were beginning to appear, blurring her vision. “Why did you call mum... why?”
It was silent for several minutes. Danni could hear heavy breathing at the other end of the phone but she didn’t care. She’d been holding that in for four years. She missed Mark. Missed him so much. He was her brother for Pete’s sake. And she hadn’t heard from him once. Not once in four years. Danni felt the tears fall down her face. It was harder than she’d ever thought, talking to her mother again. They’d been silent for so long...
“I’m sorry,” Danni’s mother had finally gathered herself together enough to respond.
“Sorry doesn’t cut it mum...”
“I know... but you have to know, I really am sorry. You were right when you said that ‘I’d forgotten I had a daughter too.” Her voice was very soft, very convincing. “I shut myself away from you and the world and I’m going to live to regret it. I can see that now. But you have to understand, it was like Mark had died. I was grieving. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do now but I’d really like to try. I have something to explain to you, you see –“
Danni cut her off sharply, “It’s too late for any explanations mum. Sorry.”
“Danielle, wai-“ Danni hung up, placing her phone back in her bag. She felt drained. So, so tired. The tears came thicker now and Danni held her head in her hands, crouched forward as if she was in physical pain.
Then the phone rang again. Danni answered without looking at the number.
“Mum will you just leave me alone? Please? I can’t do this now... I just can’t... it’s too much too fast. I- I’m sorry...”
There was a pause. Then her mum spoke, “Well, if that’s the case, I’m sorry too. I truly am. I- I never wanted to do this to you...”
“Do what?”
“I’m sorry.” Then her mum’s voice changed somehow. It became harsh and fierce. It was commanding. “ You will listen to me and hear my side of the story. You will show me respect and you will not hang up. Am I understood?”
“Yes.” With this new voice, everything became simple. It was as if all Danni’s will had been taken from her. She had no desire to disobey her mother. She would obey. It was simple. Her voice rang with obedience.
Then the voice changed back to her mother’s soft tones, “Ellie, I mean, Danielle, I think this would be better if I explained in person. I think I’ll come up to your school so I can see you as soon as possible. Alright?”
Danni stayed silent. She wanted to tell her mother that she most certainly did not want to see her and on no account was she to come anywhere near the school. But she couldn’t. She felt the threat of the voice pressing down on her, compelling her to obey.
“Alright?” The voice was back.
“Yes.” Danni heard herself say the word. And at that moment, she’d never hated her mum more.
“Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you soon then... I love you...” Her mother waited for a moment but Danni made no reply. She hung up.
The moment the connection was lost, Danni half-collapsed, hugging her knees. She had her will back. She could say what she wanted. The voice wasn’t pressing down on her anymore. It wasn’t crushing her will and forcing its own will in instead. She was free.
She was free but now terrified. Her mum... her mum had somehow managed to force her will on Danni. She couldn’t go against it. Instinctively she knew that if she’d tried she would have been in unbearable pain. But she couldn’t try. More than that though, she hadn’t wanted to. She’d wanted to be obedient.
Danni shuddered. She understood something now. She understood that her powers were genetic. She’d inherited them. But she also understood something else. Her mother was coming to see her. And if that was the sort of power she had over the phone, what on earth was going to happen when she saw her in person? She was petrified, but what could she do? If her mum rang again she’d probably force her to meet her. But was there any way to avoid talking to her?
Danni wiped her eyes with her hands and searched in her bag for a mirror. Finding one she discovered that her eyes were all red and blotchy and her makeup was everywhere. Great. With a sigh she put her mirror back and went to put her phone into her pocket. Then she noticed she had a message from unknown. It read:
Danielle, im sorry that I had to do that. If only u cud understand! But u didn’t give me the chance to explain. Ill come up at the weekend to see u. Love mum
Danni swallowed hard, the fear beginning to clutch at her again. She’d never been so scared in her life. But what could she do? If she told her dad he’d only go and talk to her mum, or he wouldn’t believe her. And if he did go to her mum, well, Danni didn’t want her father to go through that. What could she do? She couldn’t even block the number as it had registered as unknown. But she couldn’t put her voice into a txt. And if she just didn’t answer if her phone rang? But then if her mum turned up at the school what should she do? Who knew what her mum could do if in close proximity? She knew that she couldn’t risk meeting her. But she also knew that she had to. There were too many questions. Especially concerning Mark. Her dad had freaked because he was weird and had abilities beyond the norm. Like her. And now apparently like her mum too.
What to do? What to do?
