The sick child

    This is the story about the year I spent at the Bram's house, with their daughter, Evelin.

    It was October 2nd, 1990, when Evelin Bram was born. The doctors said she was so little she could barely fill one hand. Her parent's, Melissa and Paul, felt hopeless when they first saw her. Such a fragile creature...

    Evelin survived and everyone called it a miracle. On the third day after she was born, Evelin was already much healthier and out of danger. Her organs, that were failing when doctors took her out of her mother's womb, needed months to recover. But Evelin made it in just three days.

    Everyone talked about Evelin for a while in Dorset and people from their home village, Cranborne, even called her "little angel".

    I met Evelin when she was 8 years old, in July of 1999. I was 28 and it was my third job as a full-time nanny. I remember parking in front of their tiny house thinking "how can these people afford to have a full-time nanny?". 

    The house was about 70 square meters. It had no yard at all and everything seemed to need lots of work. They had 2 rooms, 1 bathroom and 1 tiny storage room, which would end up being mine for th time I spent with them.

    As I got into the kitchen, after Mr. Bram opened me the door, I could feel the intense humidity in the air, caused by a single teapot. 

- Would you like some? - asked Mr. Bram, while pointing to the tea.

- Sure! Thank you. - I said, forcing a smile.

    I was touched by their condition, but I couldn't do the work for free and I was certain they did not have enough money to pay me, so I went to the point:

- Mr. Bram... Can I ask you a question?

- She's sick. - he told me, right before I could even think about saying anything else. - Our daughter, Evelin, she was born prematurely. She's...a complicated child...

- Mr. Bram... I can't...

- Wait. Before you say anything, we can pay you. It is not what you may expect but... Can you just...see her? 

    His eyes were filled with tears and, yet, he was smiling. I could see the dispaire in those eyes.

- Of course... - I said, smiling back to him.

    He got up from the chair and asked me to follow him. We got up the narrow stairs and entered the room on the right.

    There she was... I remember her hair, white as snow, her pink dress and her thin figure, while she was there, playing in the dolls house. She looked at me, with those grey eyes, and I felt something so strange that even now I cannot explain. It felt like I have known her my entire life.

- Hi. - she said.

- Hi...

    At that point, I was speechless. I could not shake the feeling that I was meant to meet that little girl. So she came to me and said:

- My name is Evelin. What's your name? - she asked, smiling.

- Laura. Laura Collins. Nice to meet you. - I answered, extending my hand to shake her's.

    She leaned her head a bit, smiled a little more and shaked my hand.

- I'm sure we are gonna be good friends Laura...

    My heart melted for her. I signed a contract to be her nanny that same day, for half the payment I used to get. It was a 1 year contract and Mr. and Mrs. Bram told me that after that year I could decide to stay or leave.

    There was, though, one rule that I found odd back then and that I could not trespass: Evelin could never, for any means, leave the house. I tried to speak to them about it, but they didn't even give me a chance. "Evelin illness is not something we can play around with!". It was the first time Mr. Bram ever yelled at me.

    The first 2 months were difficult. I slept in the living room, while Mr. Bram was fixing the ceiling in the storage room so I could move there. I barely saw the mother after meeting her on the first day. Apparently she got a job in Dorchester, right after I moved in, and, since the city is about 45 minutes away, she stayed many times in her sister's house. She would call every night to speak with Mr. Bram, although I never saw her talking to Evelin. I can see why now...

    After my room was ready, it was Mr. Bram's turn. He got a job near his wife, and spent less and less time in the house. "It's just for a while." - he told me. "What do I say to Evelin? Do you want me to wake her up?" - I asked. The look he gave me then... I understand it now...

    The months passed and Mr. and Mrs. Bram calls started decreasing. By the end of September they were calling twice a week, saying they would return soon.

    Me and Evelin were closer everyday and I was loving to be with her. We painted the inside of the house, we fixed stuff together and she even insisted in helping me clean the dead birds that fell, everyday single day, on her balcony... "It's because of the sky's reflection in the windows." - she said...

    Then, I started to notice something weird. Evelin didn't look sick at all. All the time she was with me she was...fine.

    It was on her birthday that I discovered the terrifying truth about the Bram's child.

    The sun was shining and Evelin was so happy that day... She blew the candles and wished to go outside. I remember now I heard her wish in the back of my head, but then it just looked like...a hunch. It wasn't. Me and that child were connected. I know it now...

    I was washing the dishes when I saw a glimpse of her white hair through the window. I dropped the glass and ran outside to bring her in. But when I got out, she was already gone.

    I putted my coat on and went looking for her. I was so blinded by the fear of losing her, that I did not look around me.

    Minutes latter, I found her sitting quietly on the grass of Cranborne's park and I ran to her. She said:

- Don't worry. I'm safe!

   I remember looking to her and thinking "this can't be true". She was...different. Her body was not skinny and her face was not so pale anymore. She was full of life.

   Then, I looked around. When I finally saw it... I could not say a word. I was not sure of what was going on. Evelin looked up to me and asked:

- What is it Laura?

    I looked at her. How could she be so calm? There were a dozen sheeps, a dog and a horse dead in front of us.

- Laura, what is it?! You're scaring me...

- Evelin... How... Did you...?

    I could see in her eyes that she was not aware of what she had done. But I knew it was her. The grass under us was starting to die as well, and so were the trees behind her. There it was, the real explanation for the dead birds in the balcony.

    Evelin was never sick. She simply was...different. She needed to take lives to live... I did not know why me or her parents were still alive since she did not know how to control herself. Al I knew was that my feelings for her did not let me run away. I took her back home and along the way I saw dead bodies everywhere, but I never stopped.

    I don't know how her parents could leave her, but I understand now the connection we had from the beginning. My intuition was right all the time. Evelin and I were destined to find each other. She was expecting me to set her free. And that I will do...