Chapter Six. Community Aghast.

Felicity has had a bad day. She has popped 146 square metres of bubble wrap in just under 3 hours and she continues to pop, although not quite so furiously now. Her motion has slowed and her eyes sleepy, worn out from angst. The sun begins to go down leaving Felicity in a dim mist, for she is now surrounded by metres of bubble wrap, 'nothing can break me now.' she thinks, barely believing, but holding on nevertheless, to this thought. It is when she is wrapped so snugly, so sheltered from the world that she feels safest. Her obsession with bubble wrap has got way out of control something that today's meeting has highlighted. For how is she going to be able to sustain such a habit, what with the rationing. She knows she must get help. Where will she go? Who can talk to?

Felicity is suddenly shocked out of her mind as hysterically high pitched screams can be heard within close proximity to her cottage. The screams take on a rather disturbing quality, so disturbing that Felicity's need for bubble wrap diminishes. Quickly grappling with it, rolling out of it, tangling this way and that she finally escapes the clutches of bubbles but the sounds start to subside leaving her once again in agonising silence. The porthole window just left of her kitchen sink offers the best view of the goings on around her cottage and uphill towards the church. Felicity staggers to the window just in time to see two little silhouettes running for their dear little lives toward Shiny Street. 'Strange', thinks Felicity and before she has time to think she scarpers out of the cottage running toward the frenzied activity not even stopping to lock her cottage. This is not like Felicity. Not like Felicity at all.

Daisy and Lucinda, quite breathless now, run towards Daisy's house, the night has closed in on the community and they are watching their steps. Amelia opens the door just as the girls approach.
'And just where the devil have you been!' Screams Amelia clearly quite distraught.
Daisy and Lucinda talk at once and it is obvious that something ghastly has taken place.
'Now girls slow down and try and tell me in a calm fashion what has happened.' Amelia trying so terribly hard to stay calm guides the girls toward the sofa where Lucinda's mother Florence's tear stained and trembling face perches in a rather precarious fashion upon her not quite so steady body.
'Lucinda!'Hollers Florence, launching herself at her poor dishevelled daughter.
'What on earth has happened my poppet?'
'Oh Mummy!' Lucinda whimpers and falls into the safety of her mothers breasts sobbing like a lost little beast.

The door suddenly swings wildly on its hinges and Felicity appears looking somewhat ludicrous with little bubbles attached to her wild and matted hair, and little smears around her face.
'Hello' she says with neurotic pitch quite oblivious to the curious attention she is receiving. 'Just wondering what all the fuss is about, heard some screaming, is everything alright?'
'It's Bob' Daisy begins, 'we have been investigating some strange goings on at the orchard and...well....I think its all happening again....and...and we left him just as he was descended upon by some weird flying demon....he...he needs our help.' Salty fat tears begin to trickle down Daisy's small vulnerable face. Tension mounts as they all wait, trembling, for Daisy and Lucinda to divulge the latest happenings.
'Bob!' Cries Felicity as reality whips her harshly into the present, 'Whatever has happened to Bob?'.