Chapter 1

My name is Amethyst… a strange name, but it’s all I have as my identity.

I don’t know anything about myself. Where are my parents? Where was I born? How did I end up where I am now? These questions just whirl around my mind all the time.

I live with a couple called Lord and Lady Harrington in a huge mansion located in the south of Wales. I am a 13 year old girl and I work for this couple along with 7 other people. Although I wouldn’t really call it working for them as I don’t get paid. I wouldn’t dare ask Lord and Lady Harrington for any money otherwise I’d be homeless and starve to death. Lord and Lady Harrington provide me with a bed, 2 pairs of clothes, 1 pair of shoes and food. I sleep with the other seven servants of Lord and Lady Harrington in a big room in the attic of the mansion. There’s Henrietta who’s 15, George who’s 14, Andrew who’s 19, Elizabeth who’s 18, Margret who’s 18, Charlotte who’s 21 and Edmund who’s 16. I’m the youngest from all of them and they treat me like I’m 5.

They all for some weird reason ask me questions about the pendant I wear around my neck. Who gave it to you? When did you get it? Did Lord and Lady Harrington give to you? But all I can say is I don’t know because I simply don’t. All I know is I am named after its colour, Amethyst. This means I was given it when I was born. Since I can remember Lord and Lady Harrington have tried taking my pendant from me but whatever happens I will always keep my pendant safe and make sure it’s around my neck all the time, because I know there’s something special about it and as long as I keep hold of it I will eventually find out.


Chapter 2

I felt damp. I opened my eyes to see Henrietta with an empty bucket in her hands and a red face. ‘Are you up now you lazy brat? You’re the last one to get up now get out of bed before I get another bucket full of water!’ she yelled. I jumped out of bed and got changed as fast as I could; there was no one else in the room when Henrietta left. I looked at the clock and it was already 6:09am. Everyone was probably serving Lord and Lady Harrington right now.

As I walked into the dining room they all went silent and stared at me. Lord and Lady Harrington were sitting on the ends of the dining table and looked at me crossly. I ignored their annoyed looks and helped the others serve them. As I was taking Lady Harrington’s breakfast to her George stuck his leg out and the food went everywhere as I fell to the ground. Everyone stopped what they where doing and looked in my direction, once again I caught everyone’s attention. ‘OUT!’ screamed Lady Harrington ‘GO GET ALL THIS AND YOUR SELF CLEANED UP YOU USELESS MESS!’ I quickly got up raced to the storage closet for the mop and bucket.

Half an hour later I was left washing all the dishes while I was covered in Lord and Lady Harrington’s breakfast. The rest of them where eating their breakfast in the servant quarters; the basement. I was told I wasn’t aloud breakfast for a whole week which meant I had to wait to 1:oopm for my next meal.

After breakfast was over we all began our daily chores. While I was doing the gardening I was called to Lord Harrington’s office. When I entered he and his wife were sat on the cream leather sofas glaring as me.

Silence.

‘Amethyst, do you know why you were called her today?’ said Lord Harrington quietly. I answered ‘Yes, I’m really sorry about this morning it’s because-’
Lady Harrington sighed and said ‘No. You were called for some other reason Amethyst’. I went quiet as I then realised my stupidity for not realising before what it was, I should have known. It was a monthly, sometimes weekly routine for them to bring this conversation up. ‘We need your pendant, Amethyst’ said Lady Harrington. I stayed quiet.

Silence.

‘You’ll never understand, will you? I am never, ever going to give my pendent away, I don’t know anything about myself but what I do know is this pendent is the only way I’ll ever find out’ I replied. Lord Harrington stood up and said ‘Don’t be ridiculous! This pendent has nothing to do with you, it was just given to you by-’
‘CHARLES!’ screamed Lady Harrington as she got up and covered his mouth with her hand. ‘No! Say it, it was given to me by who? You’ve got to tell me! I need to know!’ I cried.
‘That’s it. End of meeting, go back to your work’ said Lady Harrington angry as she opened the door. ‘Go on then, don’t just stand there!’ she yelled. I sighed and went back to the garden. I was so close, so close to finding out something about my identity. I held my pendant and started to weep, I could see Charlotte approaching so I quickly wiped away my tears. ‘So?’ she said.
‘What?’ I replied as I stared to the daffodils in the garden.
‘You know what I’m talking about. What did they say to you?’ she asked curiously. I ignored her, waiting to see if she’d leave but she just stood there with her arms folded. I tutted ‘They asked for my pendant’. Charlottes’ mouth dropped. ‘What?’
‘Yeah, and they have been for the last- well, forever’
‘Why didn’t you tell me, Amethyst!?’ she yelled.
‘I didn’t think I had to tell you’

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 05.07.2009

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Widmung:
for Sanah who inspired me to write this book