The Silent Twin by Unknown

crying. ‘Somebody’s at the other end, but I . . . I don’t want to go with them, I’m scared. I want to go home.’
    There was no time for platitudes. Jennifer needed answers.
    ‘Did someone take you? Are you lost?’
    But as Olivia took a sudden breath and blinked, Jennifer knew that contact with Abigail had broken. It was as if she had emerged from underwater, and she took a few more breaths before returning her attention to the pony.
    ‘Are you okay?’ Jennifer asked.
    Olivia nodded, climbing the steps to mount. Jennifer could not ignore the sense of unease creeping up on her. There was change ahead. She could feel it in the air. She had watched her nephew emerge from the same type of trance, and his was not the only case. He had also returned to normality quickly, with no desire to discuss what had happened moments before. She wondered if it was because the children had no recollection, or because it was such an unpleasant experience. It didn’t matter. There would be more to come.
    Jennifer helped her into the saddle, adjusting the stirrups before leading the pony forward. She glanced up at Olivia’s face, alight with happiness. A different child, she was pink-cheeked and smiling with delight. Olivia clicked her tongue, coaxing the pony to walk a little faster across the neatly clipped lawn. Normally the horses would be ridden in the fields at the rear of the stable, but Jennifer had already gained permission to ride on the lawn, within sight of the house.
    Jennifer tried gently to question Olivia on what had just happened, but even in her silence she seemed to have no recollection of the words. Had she really spoken to Abigail? And if so, did it mean Abigail had crossed over from the other side? A dark tunnel, seeing a light, someone waiting on the other side. It had all the hallmarks of a death experience. Or was Olivia trying to communicate her secrets in the only way she could think of? Pretending to be her sister in order to get the message across? Jennifer let go of the bridle, allowing Olivia more control. The pony chewed on the bit between his teeth, plodding contentedly beside her. As she had discovered in her own childhood, animals had an ability to heal, just by their presence. She took a note from Toby, and stayed quiet for the remainder of their session.
----
    ‘ D id you have a good time , darling?’ Joanna asked as she joined them.
    Olivia nodded, flashing a toothy smile as she dismounted.
    Joanna returned her smile. ‘That’s wonderful. Guess what? Laura and I have been talking. She’s going to loan us Toby, once we fix up a stable for him. Would you like that?’
    Olivia emitted a gasp of delight, nodding until her over-sized riding hat peaked on her nose. Joanna hugged her daughter tightly, tears prickling her eyes as she mouthed the words thank you over her shoulder. The sight of real emotion crossing Joanna’s face, combined with Olivia’s excitement, brought a lump to Jennifer’s throat, and she wrestled with her conscience for not disclosing that Olivia had spoken earlier that day.
    Jennifer soaped her hands in the kitchen sink as she mulled over Olivia’s words. Working in Operation Moonlight was a huge step forward, and she would be able to disclose full details of the case without fear of ridicule. She dried her hands and gave them a squirt of sanitiser for good measure. Aunt Laura would not allow Jennifer to leave without sampling her homemade scones, and she sat on the patio with a pot of tea brewing in a china teapot. Laura showed Olivia how to groom Toby, before releasing him into the field. She had come up trumps this time, giving Jennifer alone time with both Olivia and Joanna without making it obvious that this was her intention all along. Jennifer tucked in to the scone, allowing the homemade jam and clotted cream to intermingle on her tongue. She washed it down with sip of tea before patting the corners of her mouth.
    ‘They’re lovely scones, aren’t they?’