Between The Walls

Chapter 2

Brahms had always been an odd little fellow.

"What a an odd, creepy child." Is what his nannies always say about him.

"What a cheap replacement for a parent." is what he always respond with. He never fails to point out how his parents failed him, and that they were a far cry from the typical loving household he sees on the telly.

Mrs. Heelshire is fully aware how her son taunts and torments his nannies in hopes of driving them away, and she knows that he wants her and his father to cater to him instead. As much as she loves her son, his demands are simply not possible. She and her husband, Mr. Heelshire, were both born into families of high status, and they must do what they can to maintain it. And so, they both ignored his childish demands and nonsensical tantrums.

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Another nanny leaves. The cause? A poltergeist who busies himself with cutting strands of her hair every chance he gets. Mrs. Heelshire tried to convince her that there was no poltergeist and that it was just Brahms playing around but the nanny was having none of it.

"What am I going to do with you, Brahms?" she asked herself.

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Knock, knock.

Mrs. Heelshire opened the door, expecting it to be the new nanny she hired for Brahms. She was surprised when she saw Mr. and Mrs. Cribbs instead.

"Mrs. Heelshire, good day to you. We were just wondering if you happen to stumble upon our daughter-perhaps earlier today?" came Mrs. Cribbs' hopeful inquiry. But she was met with disappointment when Mrs. Heelshire answered in the negative. Dejected, the couple left and continued their search for their daughter.

But it was not even an hour later when the couple knocked on their door again.

"Mrs. Heelshire, we crossed paths with the milkman on our way out and he told us that he saw our Emily playing with Brahms earlier today. Perhaps he knows where she is?"

Mrs. Heelshire invited them in and set out for Brahms. She found him in his father's study, drawing what looks to be them as a family.

"Brahms, darling, have you seen Emily?" she gently asked, even though she already knows that he did.

Brahms pondered for a second. "She is a pretty little thing." came his reply.

Mrs. Heelshire laughed. Brahms likes her laugh. "That she is. But do you know where she is? Her parents are downstairs, looking for her." 

Brahms ignored her.

"Brahms? Where is Emily?" she tried again.

This time, Brahms drops his pen and faced her fully. "Tell them to stop looking for her, mama. For she will never make it home."

Confused and a little bothered by his answer, Mrs. Heelshire asked "What do you mean?"

"For you to walk, you need to be alive first."