HIDDEN TREASURES 

By Tessa Harvey


    Character witnesses had been sufficient to stop the dad going to prison. And later he was allowed access to his kids, now in their unstable mother's care. Estelle was walking home, musing on how close those girls were to her still - Rose and Jasmine all grown-up.
    Estelle hurried. The supervisor had made her work late and it was winter. Dark came early and the street felt empty, but a sixth sense told her she was not alone. Quietly she stopped, slipped off her shoes, darted into an alleyway. 
    Possibly a very stupid move, but she was now desperate. Gripping her shoes, she soundlessly scaled a steep brick wall, as nimbly as she had done as an eleven year old child. Lowering herself as flat as possible to the top of the wall, Estelle waited and prayed to a God she believed was real, trying to breathe softly, and waited, afraid.
    The footsteps paused, uncertain. Estelle heard a muttered curse. "Margaret's voice!" Some people were doubtless, gender-confused, possibly lied to as kids. But "Margaret" was definitely male and dangerous. Eventually he gave up and left. The young woman, very cold, slipped and fell.


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