The children poured out of Bellamy and tasted sunlight for the first time in decades. Leanne leaned against the wall and watched them go. Some skipped. Some leapt through the doorway. Most raised their hands towards the sky as they were snatched up.

Finally, the flow slowed. A final child stepped outdoors. A boy, painfully familiar. Henry smiled up at Leanne. He reached out for her hand, and she reached back. Their fingers touched, but all Leanne could feel was a sense of cold. Henry grinned at her as he stepped away, his hand separating from hers, and then he was gone.

With her wards released, Patience finally moved forward. She nodded to Leanne as she passed, and her mouth formed the phrase “Thank you.” As the sunlight touched her dress, the fabric shrivelled and evaporated, just like the children. She closed her eyes and turned her face skyward, and in a heartbeat, Leanne was alone.

The wooden cane hit the stone steps with a clatter. Leanne rubbed a hand over her face then bent to pick up the cane. She used it to keep her balance as she walked across the field and towards her car. She placed the cane in the passenger seat then exhaled as she settled behind the wheel. She felt a thousand years old, but the car turned on at the twist of the key, and she spun the wheel to turn back towards the road.

The nightmares wouldn’t haunt her any longer, she knew. Bellamy would no longer call to her… or any other child. As the trees closed in behind her, hiding the old building from sight, she gave it a final parting look in her rearview mirror. It was nothing but a ruin, forgotten by everyone save Leanne.

She met her own eyes. They had always been hazel. To her surprise, she found she didn’t mind that the brown had been washed over with a sheen of white.

End

Afterword

I hope you enjoyed Bellamy, dear reader!

Join Darcy Coates’ newsletter for more free stories and to be the first to hear when a new book is available: