Beyond The Tribe - alternative and parallel stories by the fans

Salene's Story

Episode 5

Salene threw her bag down in the hall, she was grateful that the day was finally over. She flung herself onto the sofa and began to cry, she was so fed up with life, how could those girls say such hurtful things? She though she was alone in the house but Violet was actually in the kitchen, she wandered into the living room and saw Salene sobbing into the arm-rest of the sofa. “Oh Sal, what’s wrong?” she asked sympathetically.
“I’m NEVER going back to that school again!” Salene wailed pitifully.
Violet put her arms around her niece and rocked her gently.“Oh you don’t mean that Sal, what’s happened?” she asked.
“It was awful! Every one was staring at me and whispering,” she replied.
“I’m sure they weren’t, it was just your imagination,” Violet tried to reassure her.
“They were!!! I heard someone say ‘Hey there’s that girl whose parents got killed in that crash’ and these girls said that it wasn’t real and I’m just making it up!” Salene wailed hysterically.
“What?!? That’s disgusting! I’m going to phone your Head.” Violet got up and went towards the phone.
“No, please! It’ll only make it worse!” Salene pleaded, but it was too late.
“Hello? Can I speak to the head please?” Violet asked...

“So what happened at school after your aunt did that?” Trudy asked as Salene’s voice had faded out.
“The girls got in serious trouble, and thankfully it never happened again” Salene sighed. “Anyway, I went upstairs after the phone call to do something, then Aunt Violet asked me if I wanted Everest to come for dinner...”

“Hi Sal, how are you feeling?” Everest asked, a look of sympathy in her eyes.
“Better, thanks. Come in.” Salene let Everest in and they went to sit in the living room.
“Hello Everest, you’re just in time to eat,” Violet said.
They all moved into the dining room. Violet looked at the hat Salene was wearing and asked “Salene, would you take that off while we’re eating?” Salene looked as if she wasn’t about to take it off but as Violet was giving her a funny look she sighed and pulled it off. Violet and Everest gasped - Salene’s hair was bright red!
“What have you done?!?” Everest gasped.
“Salene! Your hair!” Violet was too shocked to speak.
“I thought I needed a change,” Salene announced.
“Salene - you will go and sort your hair out now or I will tell Everest to go home and you’ll be grounded for a month!” Violet had found her voice again and was furious, had Salene gone totally crazy?
“No! I like it, I’m keeping it like this!” Salene shouted and stormed up to her room. There she went into one of her drawers and pulled out a bag full of chocolate and other things to eat. She unwrapped a bar of chocolate and wolfed it down. She stuffed her face with food until she was feeling sick, she then ran to the bathroom and threw up. She just sat and started to feel guilty about what she’d just done, little did she know that she was just about to feel even more bad.
“Salene! How could you? You promised you’d stopped!” Everest was stood in the doorway, she had just been going to Salene’s room when she had seen Salene being sick.
“Ev, please! I promise this is this first time it’s happened for ages!” Salene got up and went up to her. Disgusted, Everest started to walk to the stairs. Salene ran after her, just in time to see Everest’s legs go from under her and to see her fall down the stairs in front of her.
“EVEREST!” Salene screamed as her friend lay unconscious at the bottom. Violet came running out of the living room to see what the screams were about and her eyes widened with horror. “Oh my... Salene what happened?” she gasped.
“I don’t know, she just fainted halfway down and fell, is she going to be OK?” Salene said, panicstricken.
“I don’t know, phone for an ambulance and then phone her parents. Quickly!” Violet calmed down and took control of the situation. Salene stood on the landing for a few seconds then ran into her aunt’s room to pick up the extension in there. She dialled for an ambulance then dialled Everest’s phone number. Cloe picked up the phone on the other end. “Hello?” she asked.
“Cloe! Get your mum or dad quickly! There’s been an accident” Salene then realised she’d made a big mistake telling Cloe that.
“WHAT?!? Oh no, she’s not going to die is she?” Cloe was scared. She then shouted “Mum! Dad! Everest’s been hurt!”
Everest’s mum took the phone off of Cloe and asked breathlessly “Salene! What’s happened? Is Ev OK?”
“I don’t know, she fainted as she was walking down the stairs, she’s unconscious! I called for an ambulance and it’s on it’s way. Please come quickly!”
“Right, we’re on our way Sal, see you in a minute or so.” They hung up and Salene sighed. It was all her fault. If she hadn’t made herself sick again then Everest wouldn’t be lying out cold at the bottom of her staircase. Why was she so stupid? She promised herself that she’d never be so stupid again.

Episode 6

“Salene! What are you doing here?” Cloe exclaimed as she opened the front door.
“I’ve come to look after you while your parents go to fetch your sister from the hospital.”
A week had passed since the accident, and Everest was only just coming back from the hospital. Cloe looked excited and started to dance around, “Great! I’ve got an idea! I’ll tell you what it is when the grown ups have gone!”
“Well that’s nice of you, Clo!” her mother laughed. Cloe laughed and ran out of the front door, calling “I’m calling for Patsy and Paul now!”
Salene looked at Everest’s mum and blew a strand of hair out of her face. “Where does she get the energy from?” she asked.
“I haven’t a clue! Thanks for watching her though. We should be back in about an hour, we’ve got to have a word with the doctor before we can bring Ev home,” she replied, looking at her watch. “Mark! We should get going!” Everest’s dad appeared and greeted Salene. They jumped into the car and sped off, just as Patsy, Paul and Cloe came speeding onto the drive.
“Hi Sal!” Patsy called. Paul waved to her. Salene waved back and asked Cloe “Now what’s the big secret?”
“We’re going to have a surprise party for Ev!” Cloe announced.
“Isn’t it cool?” Patsy said enthusiastically.
“For a guess, your parents don’t know about this, do they?” Salene said suspiciously.
“Well, no! I told you it’s a surprise!” Cloe answered. Salene smiled, Cloe was so thoughtful, she really did love her sister a lot.
“OK, have you got any ideas?” she asked as she sat down on the grass. They were now on the back garden, she had got a pen and notebook in her hand for ideas. “We’ve got just under an hour, so we’ve got to be quick!”
“We can make a big banner that says ‘Welcome Home Everest!’ on it!” Patsy suggested.
“Great idea, and sandwiches!” Cloe said. “We need to make sandwiches!”
“I’ll make those while you guys work on the banner,” Salene said. “Now anything else?” She noticed that Paul was signing wildly to Patsy. “What’s he saying, Pats?”
“He said we should play party games. I don’t know Paul, Ev might be too ill still.”
“But that won’t stop you guys playing, will it?” Salene asked.
“No! We’ll think of games while we make the banner! We need music as well!” Cloe announced.
“And we need to hide when they come back and shout ‘surprise!’ when Everest comes in!” Patsy said excitedly.
“Great! This party’s going to be fun!” Salene laughed, and so they all got to work on their ideas.

About an hour later, the car pulled up into the drive. Salene ran out as Everest’s parents held the door open for Everest. She jumped out and on seeing her friend ran to her. “Sal! I missed you!” They hugged and laughed.
“How are you?” Salene enquired.
“Fine. Mum and dad are being over protective though!” she said quietly.
“Come in, there’s something you ought to see...” Salene said mysteriously. As soon as they walked through the front door they were immediately pounced on by Cloe, Patsy and Paul “SURPRISE!” they shouted together.
“What on earth?!?” Everest asked as she was practically dragged into the living room. “Wow! Is this for me?” she exclaimed as she saw the colourful banner and table full of sandwiches and drinks.
“Yes! It’s your welcome home party!” Cloe declared.
“Well you’ve been busy!” Everest’s mum said as she looked around.
“It’s a nice idea Salene” her dad said.
“It’s wasn’t my idea, it was Cloe’s!” Salene exclaimed.
“Awww Clo, you’re too sweet!” Everest said as she hugged her little sister.
“I missed you, I thought you were never coming back!”
Everest laughed, but there was something in her eye that confused Salene.

Several sandwiches later and the two friends were sat up in the tree house talking. “Ev, I feel terrible! It was all my fault. I shouldn’t have lied to you about my illness,” Salene confessed.
“It’s OK, Sal. We all make mistakes,” Everest seemed a little distant.
“You never make mistakes Ev. You’re honest and so kind,” Salene said.
“I do make mistakes, Sal, I just cover them up,” she smiled weakly at her. Salene noticed that Everest looked a little pale.
“Ev, why did you collapse anyway?” Salene asked.
Everest sighed and turned to look out of the window, she couldn’t bear to look at her best friend. “There’s something I didn’t tell you Salene, just like you didn’t tell me that your bulimia had started again.”
“What is it?” Salene was starting to feel worried.
“You know the day you baby sat Cloe, the day I went to the hospital?”
“Yeah...” Salene was starting to get a terrible feeling on her stomach.
“Well, it wasn’t just for a check up. It was to have some tests.”
“Tests?” Oh no, Salene thought, please no...
“I got the results back today, that’s why we were so long.” Everest turned to look at Salene, tears were running down her pale face. “I’m sorry Salene.”
“What?!?” Salene knew what was coming, she just didn’t want to believe it.
“I’m ill again, and this time there’s nothing they can do. I’m going to die...”

Episode 7

Salene sat in silence. She didn’t know what to say.
“I’m sorry Sal, I know I should have told you...”
“WHY?!?” Salene found her voice at last. “Why did you lie to me? I thought we told each other everything!”
“So did I. But don’t forget, I wasn’t the only one who didn’t tell the truth,” Everest said wearily. “Now, if you don’t mind, I feel tired. I’m going to lie down inside. Bye Salene.” With that she climbed down the ladder and walked slowly to the house.
Salene just sat there, alone. Her head was spinning, what had she done to deserve this? First of all her parents, now her best friend? No, he was being selfish. How could Ev’s family be feeling? She looked out of the window at Cloe, who was helping Paul and Patsy chase Bob around the garden. Did Cloe even know that her sister, who she worshipped, was ill again? She remembered how distraught she’d been the first time, so probably not. She looked at Everest’s parents, they looked very worried about their daughter. Salene began to cry. She couldn’t imagine how they felt, knowing their child wouldn’t be around much longer. She felt so terrible, Everest had so much to live for, she was bright, funny and honest - well most of the time. She dried her eyes and climbed down the ladder. She was going to try and leave without anyone noticing, but it didn’t work.
“Sal? Can we talk?” Everest’s mum came up to her and put her hand on her shoulder.
“Sure,” she sighed. They walked into the living room and sat down.
“Ev told us that she told you about her tests,” her mum said. Salene couldn’t keep it in any longer, she broke down in a flood of tears. Everest’s mum put held Salene close to her “It’s alright to cry, you know,” she said soothingly.
“How... How long has she got?” Salene sobbed.
“No one knows. It could be six months, or just a month, or even only a few weeks.” Tears were starting to come into her eyes as she spoke. Salene looked at her and they both started to sob uncontrollably. “Does Cloe know?” Salene asked, when she finally calmed down.
“Yes, but I don’t think she knows how serious it is,” her mother sighed “She thinks that she’s going to get better again.”
Salene got up, she decided it would be best if she went. “I’d better go, my aunt will be wondering where I am,” she told Everest’s mum.
“OK, just promise me one thing before you go, Sal,” she replied.
“What?” Salene asked.
“Promise me you won’t abandon Everest. She needs you more than ever now,” she urged.
“I promise,” Salene assured her.

“What happened next?” Trudy asked.
“Nothing for a while,” Salene replied “It seemed like she was getting better, the doctors were amazed at how well she was doing. It was about six months later when things changed...”

“Hello?” Salene answered the phone.
“Hi Sal! My parents wanted to know if you wanted to stay over tonight , they said we could stay in the treehouse.” Everest sounded really excited, her parents hadn’t let anyone stay over for a while, but know she seemed a lot better they were allowing her to have a guest.
“I’ll have to ask, but yeah sure!” Salene said enthusiastically. She put the phone down and went to find her aunt. “Aunt Violet? That was Ev, she wants to know if I can stay over tonight?”
“I don’t see why not” Violet replied. So Salene went to get her things ready.
A few hours later, Salene and Everest were sat in the treehouse, crickets were chirruping outside and the moon was shining brightly.
“Everest? Can I ask you something?” Salene enquired.
“Sure, anything,” she replied.
“Do you think you’re going to die?” she asked.
“Who knows? The doctors aren't ready to say whether I will or not,” Everest sighed. “Now, can I ask you something?”
“Go ahead,” Salene answered.
“If I do... y’know, will you promise to look after Cloe for me? I know she’s got mum and dad but she need someone to respect, like a sister. Will you?”
“Of course I will, Ev.”
“Thanks a million. Sal?” Everest asked.
“Yeah?” “Don’t ever forget me, will you?”
“Do you think that I would do such a thing?” Salene laughed. Everest rested her head on Salene’s shoulder.
“We’re best friends forever, aren’t we?”
Salene nudged Everest when she didn’t answer. “She must be asleep” Salene whispered to herself. She reached for the blanket to cover up her friend when she slumped forward. Salene gasped with horror as she realised that her friend was far from asleep. “NO! HELP SOMEONE! HELP ME!” she screamed, cradling her best friend’s limp body in her arms....

Episode 8

Salene was sat in the living room, her eyes wide open and her face deadly white. She was in shock, she couldn’t believe what was happening. People were rushing around, trying to be busy, trying not to think about what had happened. It was now eleven o clock, a whole hour had passed since Everest had died, but to Salene it only seemed like a few minutes had passed since they had taken Everest’s body out of her arms. Everest’s mum walked in and placed a cup of tea in her hands. “This’ll make you feel better Sal.” Her eyes were red from crying and she looked exhausted.
Salene put her arm around her shoulders as she broke down. “Perhaps you need this more than me” she said, handing the cup back.
“Thanks,” she took a sip. “Salene?”
“Yes?” she replied.
“Will you go and check on Cloe? I think she’s awake still.”
Salene got up and went to Cloe’s room. Her bed was empty but she didn’t panic, she knew exactly where the distressed child was. She went to Everest’s room, Cloe was sat sobbing into a teddy that had belonged to her sister. She looked tearfully at Salene as she walked up to her. She flung herself into Salene’s arms as she sat down next to her.
“Why? Why did she die Salene?” Cloe wailed.
Salene stroked her hair and said soothingly. “Who knows why things happen? They just do.”
“Yeah but why Everest? She was the nicest person ever!”
“I know, Clo,” she sighed. “But just think, she loved you and I don’t think she’d want you to be so upset, she had a good life.”
“Yeah but she was so young!” Cloe moaned. Salene couldn’t think of anything to say, Cloe luckily broke the silence. “Sal? Will you stay with me tonight? I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep”
“Sure.” Salene smiled. And so she spent the rest of that night in Cloe’s bedroom, watching her sleep peacefully.

Salene opened her eyes, at first she didn’t know where she was but then she remembered the night before and tears started to roll down her cheeks. She then sat up and looked at Cloe, she was still fast asleep. Poor kid, Salene thought. She got up, and started to tip-toe out of the room. She decided she’d go home and try and get some sleep, but as she walked out Everest’s words started to echo round her head. “...Promise to look after Cloe for me?...”
Salene turned around and looked at the sleeping girl. She entered the room again and sat herself in a chair next to the bed. However much Salene tried, she couldn’t get the picture of Everest’s body in her arms out of her head. She had looked so peaceful, just laying there. A fresh flood of tears began, she sobbed broken-heartedly to herself. She didn’t notice Cloe stirring in her sleep. All of a sudden she screamed out “Everest! No!”
Salene jumped at the outburst. She started to stroke Cloe’s hair and whispered gently “It’s OK Clo. Salene’s here.”
Cloe slowly started to wake up. “What’s happening Sal?” she asked, still half asleep.
“Nothing, Cloe,” Salene said. “Do you remember what happened last night?”
“It wasn’t a dream, was it?” Cloe said sadly. “I was hoping it was. Everest...Everest...” she couldn’t say it, she burst into tears and Salene hugged her. “What’s am I going to do without her?”
“Everything will be fine sweetie,” Salene reassured her, “Just fine...”

Episodes 9-11
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