Wednesday, June 08, 2016

Testing: Day 3

Word Count: 18,006

Summary of Events:
Gabriel read a reply from his former teacher and sent another one, trying to explain to her that a seven year old doesn't have the same memory as a twenty eight year old. Ivy minded the children so they didn't get too close to the construction site until lunchtime, where she chatted with Thomas. Gabriel met his former teacher's son and talked with him quite a bit, impressed to find out that he'd apparently had a profound impact on his teacher. Ivy was helping cook in the kitchen when she heard something happen at the barn, but was kept from finding out what it was . . . 

Excerpt of the Day:
"Ivy nodded, rising from her seat and looking out the window. The men were all gathered on the ground, and their gathering prevented her from having a view.
"Do come sit back down," Mrs. Pharis said. "Everything's alright."
"No it isn't," Ivy replied. "I know it isn't. The way Mrs. Bramwell looked at me there is no way on earth everything is alright, besides, all of the men are gathered around like an accident has happened."
"It's alright," Mrs. Pharis insisted. "Come sit down."
"And it's Thomas," Ivy declared. "Mrs. Bramwell wouldn't have looked at me all the time if it wasn't Thomas, and you wouldn't have taken me from the kitchen if it wouldn't have been Thomas. I need to go see that he's alright."
"Please, it's alright," Mrs. Pharis said, settling her hands gently, yet firmly, on Ivy's shoulders and steering her away from the window. "Come, tell me more about what you've planned for the wedding."
Ivy pulled away from Mrs. Pharis and hurried into the kitchen. All of the women looked up at once before crowding in front of the door. It looked like they were both blocking the exit and hiding someone.
Whirling around, Ivy bolted for the front door, dodging around Mrs. Pharis, and closed it behind her. Margaret, who was watching the children, looked up with a start, and the children stopped their playing to watch as Ivy ran around toward the barn. She had to see Thomas.
She was quite near to the men when several of them looked up and saw her. David Bramwell hurried out and caught her. Desperately she tried to fight him, but his hold was strong.
"Ivy, please, you're not supposed to be here, go back inside," David said.
"No!" Ivy protested, struggling violently. "Something's gone wrong with Thomas!"
"David!" a sharp call sounded that prompted Ivy to still. "You can tell her, just don't let her come here."
Ivy looked up at David. He was staring at her with a haunted expression, his face pale, his eyes glassy, almost like he didn't want to do what he was about to do. His lower lip quivered.
"I, Ivy . . . I'm sorry Ivy," David said quietly, shakily. "He fell . . . he's gone."
Ivy felt she must've screamed, she didn't know what she did, but the entire world dissolved into a blur around her. She may've dropped to her knees, she wasn't sure, she didn't feel David's hold lessen on her, if anything he may've embraced her to himself.
Tears were flowing and blurring her vision, she felt sobs wrenching her body, but she didn't feel like she was hearing them at all. It couldn't be. How could this happen? Why did it have to be him? Why did Thomas have to die?"

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