Returned Read Online Free PDF

time in a long time she missed her mother's crazy banter. Sighing, she gave in.
    “I arrived here yesterday with my mum.” She coughed to get rid of the huge frog that had suddenly dropped in her throat. “I came to look around the village... I was meant to be spending the day with her …” She trailed off avoiding the woman’s gaze. This wouldn’t have happened if her mother hadn’t been called into work.
    “Well, the witches outside caught my attention… they just look so real. That boy, the one with the stupid grin was pushing me back into the witch outside the shop and calling me a witch. He was trying to goad me, make me react.” She shrugged her shoulders trying to brush off the horrible feeling he'd left imprinted on her. “It was about that point when you came to the door.”
    She could feel the anger rise again and as soon as it did she heard the wind protest outside. She dared to look at the woman now; did the wind always behave like this here? The woman didn’t show any concern regarding the erratic wind.  She shivered as a whisper of laughter danced around her. What was that? She must be hearing things, surely? God, what was wrong with her?
                  Her anger, fuelled by nerves, spiked again. She'd stood there and let him talk to her like that. She was also angry that she'd been forced into this situation, that he'd forced her into something she couldn't get out of. Stupidly, she was angry that he'd left her. He’d put her in this situation. She was the one stuck here in this crazy shop with this woman whilst he was out there gallivanting around without a care in the world.   
                  She waited for the woman’s reaction but there wasn’t one, her eyes remained focused on Cora. Her face held no trace of emotion. Cora was sure that the woman had emotions. She’d seen something cross her face outside the shop earlier.
    “Welcome to Millsteeple. It’s not a very busy village but I’m sure you will love it.”
    Not likely she thought in her head as the woman continued speaking.
    “You must be Cora Hunt. I have to say I’ve heard so much about you already.”
    Stunned and more than a little freaked out by this woman's revelation, she sat in silence.
    This woman knew her? How? She’d lost the use of her tongue, again. Fidgeting in her chair, she tried to ignore the awkward silence between them. She could feel the woman’s gaze on her mentally willing Cora to meet her eyes, there was no way she was going to do that.
    “Well I must leave, M um is expecting me,” she choked on the lie as it lodged in her throat. Even her body wouldn't help her lie. Fantastic. “Thanks for the warm drink.”
    In a rush she stood up too quickly and nearly fell over. She risked a quick glance at the woman noticing she hadn’t moved an inch. A smile remained fixed on her face.
    “Cora...I would like to offer you a job working here, if you would be so kind to accept it?”
    Cora’s eyes darted upright in shock.
    What?
    She cursed, quickly realising she was now looking into those intense green eyes which refused to let her look away.
    No.
    No way.
    She wasn't going to accept a job from a stranger. Yes, she was incredibly grateful the woman had come to her rescue earlier, although she was sure she would have stood up to him, eventually. But she couldn’t accept a job, could she?
    “I understand you do not know me but I know young people need extra cash and I have a free opening here in the shop.” She attempted a shrug, it looked like the woman had never used the gesture in her entire life.
                  Shuffling from foot to foot, she stared down at the faded wooden floor b oards. Cora didn’t know what to do. This was stupid, why couldn't her mouth say the words, 'no, I don't need a job, thank you.' That wasn’t hard, was it? But her mouth wouldn’t co-operate. The silence was becoming unbearable.
    “Errrrmmmm… sure,” she stuttered. “I mean...I