‘David…’
‘Sssh! be quiet, they’ll hear you.’
Diana closed her mouth and listened…
Within seconds of David’s statement, an almighty sound seemed to fill the space where the three children stood. Diana thought she heard gun shots and yelling in the distance. This was followed by running feet, of heavy boots tramping up the stairs above them. A burst of gunfire, frantic shouting and then the screaming began…
…Unable to believe what she was hearing, Diana covered her ears with her hands and realised she was shaking with fear. What was happening?
David and Lorna were huddled together. Lorna was sobbing and David whispered in her ear whilst rocking her back and forth in his arms. The dreadful noise continued. They heard more boots and Diana thought she heard vehicles drawing up on the driveway as more gunshot ripped through the air. Then there was quiet.
Diana lowered her hands, and looking at David opened her mouth to say something, but David shook his head and held a finger to his lips. Voices filled her head. Men gabbling in a foreign tongue were just the other side of the bamboo-framed mirror, just beyond where they lay hidden. Another voice joined the commotion, a harsh and imperious voice that seemed to be barking orders and someone replied with what sounded like:
‘Hai!’
A silence fell and Diana quaked as she waited for them to be discovered.
After a short time, other sounds filtered through to them. Diana could hear frightened, babbling voices that she recognised as Chinese, and then she distinctly heard the clipped upper-class tones of an Englishman. Relief flooded through her –he would sort all this out.
The Englishman spoke in a strong voice, demanding by what right these soldiers had to enter this property that possessed diplomatic immunity. She heard a sharp thwack followed by a dull thud. A woman began to wail and stopped when a single shot was fired. The Englishman raised his voice in protest, which turned to his begging for clemency for his wife and servants.
The imperious foreign voice gave a short laugh and Diana heard a scuffle and a muted female shriek which turned into a blood-curdling scream.
Lorna sobbed silent tears onto her brother’s shoulder while he sat holding her, a grim look upon his face.
The three children waited and listened as they heard footsteps, then a sound like something being moved or dragged away. Eventually all was silent.
Diana stretched. Her legs felt cramped and sore. Lorna and David looked shocked, ashen-faced and listless. There was nothing to suggest they were the happy and boisterous children who’d shown Diana round yesterday.
‘I’m going to take a look outside now it’s all quiet. It must be night time now.’ Diana said.
David nodded. ‘They’ve gone.’
Diana pushed the mirror door open a crack. Sunlight flooded into the space and she jumped in terror when a stern voice spoke.
‘And just what do you think you’re doing in there, young lady?’
Diana found herself gazing into the eyes of Matron Cocksedge and Mr Allen. Their faces looked astounded and incredulous.
~~~~~
Standing in the hall with fierce sunlight streaming over the floor, Diana couldn’t believe that it was still daylight. She
knew
she’d spent hours in the darkened space listening to the sounds going on outside. Looking round at the familiar surroundings, she’d expected blood splattered walls and piles of bodies littering the hall and rooms beyond. Where were the armoured cars and booted soldiers?
But as the sunlight danced along the painted woodwork and the huge vases of cut flowers nodded in the welcome draught from the open door she wondered if she’d dreamt it all.
‘Well? What on earth were you doing in there?’ Asked Matron; an astonished tone to her voice.
Taking a gulp, Diana looked from one adult to the other as she tried to explain.
‘David and Lorna were showing me round. They have all sorts of special places and under the stairs was one of them. You can ask them; they’re still in there.’ She jerked a thumb back in the direction of the stairs.
Matron and Mr Allen exchanged looks. Mr Allen walked over to the mirror and peered down into the space behind.
‘It’s empty. There’s no one else in there. Are you sure you’re not lying and making a fool of yourself with your imagination, my girl? If you were a boy I’d take a slipper to you!’
‘No! I’m not! Honestly, I left them in there. Are you sure they’re not at the back, we were really frightened…’Diana finished lamely, realising the adults were never going to believe her.
Spinning round, Diana moved back towards the mirror and looked into the black space. Sure enough it was empty.
‘But, but they were with me. I promise you. I’m not lying.’
Mr Allen was looking very cross and began to remonstrate with Diana once again. Matron held up a hand to forestall him.
‘And just who were David and Lorna then?’ she asked in a softer tone, keeping her restraining hand on Mr Allen’s arm.
‘They live here.’
‘Live here do they?’ she queried, raising her eyebrows.
‘Yes. David said his father is the Headmaster here, and Lorna is his little sister. I met them yesterday before lunch. They showed me around the garden and the glade in the jungle, down by where the monkeys live…’ her voice trailed away as Matron and Mr Allen exchanged looks.
‘What else happened, my dear?’
‘When we climbed in we heard yelling and shooting and then screaming. It was dreadful! David and Lorna were frightened, we all were. We waited until it all became quiet and then I climbed out. I left them in there.’ Diana’s eyes began to fill with tears. ‘We heard a lot of people being killed.’
‘Come and sit down, my dear.’ Taking Diana by the arm, Matron led her over to a nearby settee. ‘Now I’m going to tell you a story. Not a very nice one I’m afraid, but true nonetheless. Do you think you can be brave enough to listen?’
With everything that Diana had heard that day she thought nothing could be worse as she nodded her yes.
‘What happened today actually occurred for real on February 15
th
1942. Have you heard about the Fall of Singapore to the Japanese army during World War Two? The Japanese invaded and the British army was defeated. David and Lorna lived here with their parents. Their father was a diplomat, but unfortunately diplomatic immunity didn’t save either him or his wife, the children’s mother. They, together with all their staff and servants were killed by the invading Japanese. David and Lorna did hide behind the mirror. Sadly, they were never found until some weeks later. Maybe it was fortunate, I don’t know, but it was terrible what happened to their mother and father. The children died in there. They are said to sometimes roam the house and grounds, especially around this time of year, February 15
th
. A few people have seen them, not many I may add. You must have triggered something, maybe formed a bond with them that allowed them to trust you. Up until now, no one has experienced quite as much as you have. You must be a very perceptive person, my dear.’
Trembling, Diana thought of David and Lorna. How happy they had been before venturing behind the mirror. ‘What about the jungle they led me into?’
Matron shook her head. ‘It no longer exists. It was all cut down long ago. The jungle was where the family were originally buried, before the Anglican Church removed their remains to a proper burial ground.’
‘Oh. And the talcum powder?’
Mr Allen looked confused.
‘Diana means the other night, Mr Allen. You’re too new to know this yourself yet. The talc on the beds and the sleepwear at the bottom of the fire escape has appeared a few times before. It’s the first time it’s happened since I’ve been here though. I believe it must be one of David’s little pranks.
As Diana looked away, she swore she heard Lorna’s childish laughter and David’s gruffer voice echoing down the years.
1
st
July 2011. The Bamboo Mirror by Faith Mortimer
The Cast Party
by Faith Mortimer
‘It looks wonderful on you, Madam,’ the sales assistant said, giving the dress Linda was wearing a final tweak. ‘I think that shade of green is gorgeous, don’t you?’
‘Yes, it’s fab. How much did you say it was again?’
‘With a twenty per cent discount I can make it one hundred and fifty pounds. The quality is very good and I don’t think the style will date. I can see you getting a lot of wear out of this purchase.’
Linda rapidly did some sums in her head. As an assistant stage manager, she thought her salary was pretty abysmal, but if she dieted a bit more and cadged a few meals from male admirers, she’d manage. The rent on her flat was paid up for another six months, thanks to help from her parents. Besides, with her future plans she needed to look especially good on Friday.
‘I’ll take it,’ she said giving another twirl in front of the mirror. She knew she looked stunning.
Walking back along the high street towards the theatre, Linda gave some more thought to her plan. She’d decided a couple of weeks ago that Friday was to be the day she’d pull it off.
Linda couldn’t really say when she’d resolved to sleep her way to the top. What had begun as a tiny germ of an idea had taken hold until it festered within her. She found that the more she thought about it, the more intense it became. Catching a glance of herself in the plate-glass shop window she just knew she had to succeed.
Reaching her teens, Linda was struck by the admiration she received from her fellow classmates. This admiration had served her well and she’d used it throughout her time at school and later in college. Linda enjoyed male attention, and when some of the plainer girls showed their jealousy, she ignored them. Females didn’t figure in Linda’s scheme and approaching her late twenties she thought the time was ripe for putting her plan into action.
Linda believed she was a good judge of character and trusted the reactions she received from her dates. She took care in choosing men who could afford to take her out to nice places and buy her expensive dinners and good wine. She rarely had to pay for her own drinks, even amongst the lower paid members of her group. Occasionally there was some poor fool who thought he’d scored for that evening. Enjoying sex, Linda would often reward them, but usually she was careful. She was particular whom she allowed into her bed. They always had to be good looking
and
successful.
This latest job in the Rialto theatre had got her thinking. It was when she’d first started working here that she clearly saw her pathway to success. She knew she had the facial looks and body to promote her career. She was hard working and ambitious, and a damn fine actress. She had no designs to stay assistant stage manager for longer than could be helped, but realising that hard work alone didn’t always pay dividends, she had to
maximise her assets
.