

The Delengrad Trilogy

Book One:

Regina

Written and Created by: Mary Ann Moody

Cover and Book Jacket Created by: Crystal Maloney

Copyright  , Mary Ann Moody 2014

All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Please see Createspace for more information, www.createspace.com.

All of the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Regina and the Delengrad trilogy are an original creation by Mary Ann Moody.
Regina is dedicated to my wonderful parents, Richard and Linda Mangrum. Their love and encouragement molded me into the eccentric writer I am today, and I thank you both from the bottom of my heart. I love you both.

To the inhabitants of the real Lee, Texas: Thank you for the best childhood a writer could ask for.

And a huge thank you to Crystal Maloney for creating the cover and book jacket to Regina.

M. A. M.
Prologue

Dreams are real.

Scientists say they are not sure why we dream. They assume dreams are a combination of verbal, visual, and emotional stimuli combined into sometimes fragmented nonsense. No one can be sure what they are, but dreams have inspired people. Stephen King said he received inspiration for his books from his dreams. I thought it was an entertaining idea.

I read an article online that said early civilizations thought dream worlds were real, physical worlds that they could enter only from their dream state. I thought it was very interesting.

A man said his college Sociology professor taught a theory: our souls leave our bodies when we sleep and our dreams are remnants of its experiences. That was my favorite theory. I can think of that now and not cry. The pain of his betrayal still lingers.

For me, my dreams led to my real self and to my real home. I realized the repetition of my dreams when I was a little girl. I didn't care about them until I moved to Lee, Texas.

This is the story of me, the life and dreams of Regina Roth. Regina no longer exists, but through her, our stories will finally be told.
Chapter One

I didn't discover the plot to murder me until it was too late. I never saw it coming. It started with the need to leave New York for Lee, Texas. Leaving my home, my summertime youth, my closet, our upper west side apartment, my friends, and boyfriend made me angry. My heart filled up with an intense ache. It hurt so much in my chest. I couldn't help but cry the whole way to the airport. I knew I upset my mom. I felt her eyes on me the entire day and saw the tears that escaped her eyes. She felt miserable for me and I knew I shouldn't be so selfish, but I couldn't help it. I was in mourning, too.

I was in denial after daddy pulled me aside to tell me the terrible news, we were going to my mother's hometown for the summer to help her mysterious father bury his wife, my grandmother. My dead grandmother was as much of a mystery to me as my grandfather. My mother never talked about her parents, let alone her life before she met my father. Daddy said she didn't get along with her parents and once she graduated high school, she left and never returned.

"Never?" I asked him that day. I felt full of doubt when he first told me.

"Never." The dark look in his eyes haunted me. "She never wanted to return. Regina, your mother's parents are religious fanatics who disapproved of everything she did. They looked down on her and judged every decision she made as if they were the Universe. The town is tiny, and the people are snotty and judgmental. Plus everything closes at dusk. Lee is never a place I would want to live."

I shuddered at the thought. Daddy sounded so firm and serious. I become scared of the man I would meet. My mother's father. I was curious about him, but I let my imagination run away with me. I pictured him as seven feet tall and towered over me. He had menacing red eyes and thin red lips. His judging eyes would mistake me for a sinner and I would spend the whole summer running from this wild, religious freak.

I let out a deep breath while I waited for the plane to board. The plane was right outside the window, getting ready to whisk me away. My family and I would soon board into the first class section. Then the plane would take off, and take me away from New York and every wonderful moment I longed to have. I felt my stomach turn. I knew I was going to throw up and ran into the nearest bathroom.

I felt something terrible waited for me in Lee and I was scared.

\-----

I washed my face with cold water and took deep breaths after my anxiety attack passed. The lights flickered as I washed my hands. Why was I panicking so badly? I know I'm leaving my home, but I can live with that. It's only for the summer, not forever.

"So why can't I breathe? Why can't I stop shaking?" I asked my reflection.

I took more deep breaths and tried to get hold of myself. The dingy light turquoise tiles on the walls made my stomach turn. I moaned as my head spun. The room smelled bad which didn't help my nausea. My blonde hair looked grossly pale and unwashed under the low lights. My blue eyes did nothing to hide the fear behind them. Everyone says I'm such a pretty girl, but the person staring back at me in the mirror was scared and far from pretty.

"Everything is going to be okay. I'm going to be okay." I told myself over and over. I repeated the mantra in my head and felt better with every deep breath. Eventually, the room stopped spinning.

"Flight seven fifty-five for Austin Texas now boarding first class and handicapped passengers at gate seven. Boarding for flight seven fifty-five, Austin Texas, first class and handicapped passengers, gate seven." The announcement said.

That was me.

Before I left the bathroom, I gave myself a hard look in the mirror and repeated, "I am going to do this because I am strong. My mother needs me. I'm going to find an adventure in Lee and return to New York where I belong."

I stared into the mirror for another minute. The smell was not so bad now that I breathed it in for so long. I gazed at my tall, slim figure in the mirror. I really didn't want to leave this stinky bathroom now, but I felt silly about my anxiety. I looked myself firmly in the eye and walked out of the restroom.

My pep talk didn't work. The moment I opened the restroom door, I felt like running anywhere but towards that plane. I felt my feet grow roots into the floor. My sweet father saw my hesitation and immediately came to my aid. I was happy mom boarded the plane and didn't see my anxiety. Her happiness was the only reason I agreed to go.

"G? Are you okay?" My father's voice called out with concern.

I laughed internally. My father was such a worrywart when it came to me. Plus his nickname for me, G, was such a lame attempt to be cool in front of me and my friends, but I loved him for it.

"Yes, daddy. Just not feeling well. I don't think breakfast sat well with me." I lied.

"Well, do you think you're ready? We can board." He asked as he nodded his head at the plane.

I opened my mouth to speak when the feeling of doom and vomit rose like a tidal wave intent on destroying me. I felt the heat in my cheeks and my breath quicken. I resisted the urge to dig my fingernails into the ground, refuse to go, and scream like a child in order to get my way. Never before had I felt such emotions of panic. I sat down heavily into the chair beside me.

"Regina, please don't do this to your mother. We've talked about this before. It's only for two months while we help grandpa George sort out the funeral and estate. He has no one to help him and nowhere to go. We have to make sure he has a home and someone to take care of him." His face filled with fear. My parents were afraid I would not get on the plane for Texas.

"I know. I just needed a moment. I'm ready. Let's get going." I lied as I forced a smile. I successfully pushed the anxiety down and boarded the plane that would take me to my summer adventure.

Had I known the horrors that awaited me in Lee, I never would've boarded the plane.

Chapter Two

I felt better after I sipped on my cola and read my book. My feet relaxed in front of me and my stomach settled down. The plane was crammed with people. Thanks goodness daddy had claustrophobia because a great benefit to traveling with him was his insistence on flying first class. I loved the special treatment, the spacious seats, the better food, and the free everything. If we fly overseas, we get free pajamas and slippers. The stewardess handed out drinks while everyone else boarded the plane. A cola settled my stomach nicely. I sat exactly where I wanted, which was as far from my parents as possible. It made me sick to watch them cuddle like two lovebirds. I noticed daddy didn't have anxiety about flying to Texas.

When he was a child, his friends locked him in a tiny closet as a joke. Since then, my poor father has been afraid of small spaces. I don't understand how a plane compares to a tiny closet, but daddy tried to fly regular class when we went to Maine for spring break. I was glad we picked a short trip. The plane was so tiny, daddy wanted to jumped from the plane.

I looked around while the stewardesses made drinks and handed out snacks. Dinner would be served later. I didn't want to talk to anyone so I put in my ear buds and enjoyed the silence. They never left my ears the entire trip. I watched the ground move under the plane as we prepared for takeoff. I knew this was my last chance to execute plan b, which was to throw a huge temper tantrum and get us kicked off the plane. We would be forced to drive to Texas and there was no way my parents were going to do that. Every second that went by, I knew plan b was a stupid idea. My body deflated while I let my breath, and plan b, go.

I looked at my parents as the plane flew high into the sky. I noticed they had their heads together and spoke of their excitement about going to mom's hometown. They appeared like two old people trying to regain their lost youth. When will they realize they will never be young again so they should get over it? My thoughts turned red as I looked outside. The beautiful New York skyline was a sight to see. I looked everywhere below as memories flooded my mind. Tears zigzagged down my face as I relived every second in New York with my friends. My anger threatened to boil when I looked back at my parents. They were making a toast together. I heard their glasses clink and I shut my eyes. They never looked at me or came to see if I was okay. I wanted some space, but not enough that they ignore me. I turned on my music and set the volume loud. I droned out their stupid teenage excitement about seeing my mom's high school and the places she hung out. My wet eyes threatened to close after so many days without sleep. Now that I was on the plane, I knew life would carry me to my destiny like a leaf in the river. After the airplane disappeared into the clouds, somewhere between my anger and rage, I fell asleep.

I sat on a school bus. It was nighttime, which was a pretty odd time of day to be going home from school. I looked around and noticed the familiar surroundings. We were driving in the country, on a lone gravel road. Renee and Jane sat in the back talking about something.

"Hey guys!" I said.

"Regina, you didn't get off at your stop?" Jane asked with concern.

"I guess not. I think I fell asleep. What are you guys up to?" I asked as I got up and sat in the seat in front of them.

They did not answer me. Jane and Renee looked out the window in a daze. I looked out the bus window and felt connected with the scenes outside. I gazed at the mobile homes and trucks as we drove by them. My vision was captured by the livestock of cows, sheep, pigs, goats, and horses. Sometimes, a deer ran by us. We passed large bales of hay, lakes, and little ponds with tiny docks. I had never seen so much of the country. I am a born and bred New York City girl so this was something I was in awe of.

While I was in rapture with the scenery, Jane and Renee got off the bus. I looked up after a few minutes and they were gone. Their book bags and any trace of them were gone. I was confused because I did not feel the bus stop for them.

Before I could think any more of it, I looked out the window again and saw the familiar Fort Knox style house as we passed by it. The house was made of dark bricks with a ten foot high brick fence surrounding the property. Its massive roof peeked out, over the top of the wall. The bus took a sharp curve and slowed down. Ahead of us, a fog rolled towards the bus. Before I could worry the driver would go through it, the bus turned to the left and away from the fog. I let out a breath of relief.

The bus stopped and I got off. I felt happy that I made it to my destination. The bus drove away as I realized that I had no idea where I was. The tree line indicated a forest was fifty feet away. A deserted house stood in the distance. The overgrown grass swayed with the wind. I felt nervous and stupid. Why did I get off the bus? I looked everywhere for a street sign or someone who could help me. Panic made my breath come faster and the night grew cold. I hugged my shirt close to me to keep warm. As I stood there, I felt someone watching me. My eyes searched the dark tree line and scanned the road for signs of a person. I could not see anyone. It was so cold now. Someone was here, I felt it. Was I supposed to meet someone here? It could not be Jane or Renee. They would have gotten off the bus with me.

I shivered as I tried to remember. My life depended on it. Snow fell from the sky like someone was shaking it hard on the world. If only I could remember! I think it was a man and........

I woke with a soft start and groaned with pain. My back was killing me! After my forth birthday, I noticed a horrible pain in my shoulders. Unfortunately, the pain never went away. If I stayed in one place for too long, my shoulders stiffened up, and I would be in an enormous amount of pain for a while. I wondered where we were when I realized I ached from the stupid airplane seat. I must've fallen asleep. I hoped we weren't near Austin! I was about to freak out again. I had not mentally prepared myself to get off the plane yet. I needed a few more minutes to deal with this whole getting off the plane idea.

"Don't worry sweetie, we still have an hour till we land." Mom whispered gently to me.

I looked over at my mom and saw her sweet smile. Her golden blonde hair reminded me of Sleeping Beauty. Her brown eyes were full of love as she smiled at me, but not easy to see was her pain. Those eyes held lots of tears and pain she refused to show. Her petite body looked strong, but was about to break. After all, her mother just died.

"Thanks, mom." My voice whispered.

The funeral notice for my grandmother, Lydia Underwood arrived by email two days ago. Mom cried for hours and would not talk to anyone except daddy. They stayed in their room for the whole night, talking and planning. I didn't care to know what they discussed because I didn't think their plans affected me. I figured mom and dad would leave me in New York while they went to the funeral. The whole thing would take three to five days, and mom would cry for a while, but she would be okay. I would definitely be there for her anytime she needed me. After all, she never talked about her mother or showed she cared. Things should be back to normal soon.

I smiled at my mom and gave her a nod. Daddy was fast asleep, his head on her shoulder. They must have moved seats when they finally realized I sat so far away. Maybe this trip would be good for them, like daddy said. They needed time together to have some romance. The last thing my parents have had in these past years is romance. She laid her head back and closed her eyes.

My dream journal was in my carryon bag and I reached down to grab it. I've been writing in it for five years now. It practically jumped out at me when I saw it in the bookstore. Back then, it was a brand new green leather book with crisp golden pages. Now, it was a beaten up darkened thing with yellowed pages. I wanted to record my dream.

Dear Diary, I had another dream. This time it was on the 'lone country road'. Same as always, I was on a bus with Jane and Renee. It was night and I was fascinated with the country setting......

I stopped writing and closed the journal. I needed a minute to think. I ordered another cola from the stewardess and sipped on it. The sky was amazing at night. I couldn't see the stars too well, but the darkness reminded me of a scary movie. I opened my journal to the first page and read the first entry. My younger handwriting was messy, but easy to read.

Dear Diary. Is that what I'm supposed to write? Or is it, Dear Journal? Hmm... I suppose it doesn't matter. I bought this journal to help me keep track of my dream, so I hope I won't be writing in it much. I haven't told anyone about my dreams. Everything began when I was around five years old. I didn't take much notice to them at first, but now .....now I can't shake the feeling I'm being watched and manipulated in my everyday movements. Maybe those books are right and my dreams are only images of things we see every day. I'm not sure, so this journal is going to hold my dreams.

Anyway, my dreams started with a house. A big, beautiful house that I will run away from, screaming in horror, if I ever step into! I don't know what the downstairs looks like, but it is the upstairs and backyard where my dreams occur. Then, my dreams included these long, dark, and isolated roads. I assume the dreams take place outside of the city because there's lots of trees, grass, livestock, and no one for miles. Plus, the oddest occurrences have happened with my boyfriend Jeff. I used to feel sweet to him; want to do things to show him how much I love him. Now, I find any reason to fight and push him away. But, I feel that something out there is happy for our fights and pushes me to do it. I swear I'm not crazy! I just feel this pull.......

Let me start from the beginning, a long time ago I started dreaming of a house. I don't know where it's located, but I will never forget it. The upstairs is open with large windows running along the wall that faces the backyard. The room has wood paneling and feels like a cabin. The backyard is large and open. It is enclosed by a long line of pine and oak trees. The woods. I feel that something is there. It's coming for me. The house won't protect me, in fact, it feels as if the house is an intricate part of someone else's plan. What plan that is, I have no idea, but my dreams return to the house consistently. I can be driving down a country road and pull into my "home". Then my dreams go crazy. There's an explosion, I'm running from something, trying to hide from it. I usually end up at the house. I look out the large windows and feel that something horrible is coming for me. Maybe it's searching for me right now?

I paused. Reading the first entry was fascinating and a little frightening. When I started this journal, I wanted to keep track of my reoccurring dreams. Not every dream was the same, but the ones with the house, roads, and mirrors were. I felt something chasing me every time I dreamed. I continued reading.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now descending into Austin, Texas. Temperature is a warm ninety-seven degrees with clear skies....." He went on, but I stopped listening.

Ninety-seven degrees!

"Great, I'm literally in Hell." I muttered with a mad giggle. I locked my journal and put it back in my bag. My worst fear was someone would find my journal and read it. Or worse, I actually find the house of my nightmares. Thank goodness they were only nightmares and not real.
Chapter Three

I have no idea what Austin looked like because the airport was located outside the city. Lee is so small, the closest airport is Austin, which was a whopping sixty miles away, so we had to drive the last hour of the trip. I was beyond bored! Everything was closed at the airport. We got our luggage and rental car quickly due to the lateness of the day.

We stopped for dinner at a rundown little diner in a town called Bastrop. The décor was a depressing yellow and green. It covered the walls and the bar stools. The stools sat around a dark faux wood bar. I looked for cowboys wearing spurs and Stetson hats. Hmmm. I didn't see any. Where were the southern bells with the hoop skirts? Some guys sitting on the stools at the bar turned to look at us. I wondered if they had guns. We chose a booth that looked the cleanest and sat down. I was not ready to talk so I kept the ear buds in. I was grateful to mom and daddy for keeping the peace and not yelling at me for not being a part of their conversation. They knew I would talk when I was ready.

"What ya'll want to drink?" The waitress asked. It sounded like she said it 'What cha'll want to drank?'

I giggled and felt daddy's elbow poke my ribs.

We gave her our drink orders. When she left, daddy turned to me. "So, I've deduced you're listening to us, but have yet come to speaking terms. Am I correct?"

I couldn't help but laugh. He smiled his handsome smile at me. My father's sweet blue eyes were full of life and humor. Soon, mom began laughing, too. I'm sure we were quite a sight, a couple of New York city slickers in southern territory, and laughing madly at each other. It felt good. It felt normal.

Then I started crying, bawling right there in a hillbilly diner. I wanted to feel normal with mom and daddy again. My world was turned upside down with one email. Almost overnight, I was separated from everyone and everything I love. Feelings of panic, hopelessness, and denial crowded my everyday thoughts. Yet, here I was, laughing with my parents as if things never changed.

"Baby, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry." He said gently. He stroked my arm and handed me a napkin. I wiped my eyes quickly.

"No daddy, it wasn't you. This feels like being home with you guys." I said.

I felt mom and daddy trade guilty looks. I didn't intend to make them feel bad so I took a deep breath, swallowed the rest of my teenage anger, and looked at the menu. Mom analyzed my movements and decided I was okay. She gave her menu a glance, as well. I gave mom a little smile when I asked if she was hungry.

"Well, I do feel like I should eat something. I'm not sure what, though." Mom said. She eyed the menu in confusion.

I understood her confusion. What the heck was a chicken fried chicken? And what similarities, if any, did it have to the chicken fried steak? Was everything in this place fried? For goodness sakes they even fry the bacon. I was surprised there was not anything I could eat on this menu that would not ruin my weight. I continued looking through the menu and found the burger to be the safest to order. I think my parents were having the same problem. We looked at each other and said, "Burgers." in unison.

The burgers were good. Mom and I split a second one and daddy had three burgers total. I don't know what it was, but our moods were much higher after dinner. Daddy had us laughing at the menu. We loved it when he went through the items and gave a country twang to them. Mom looked happier. Her cheeks were rosier and her spirit seemed lifted. Daddy naturally has a positive effect on us, but something about tonight enhanced his charisma and charm. Maybe it's the light, but daddy seems so happy, he's ....glowing.

"I'm sorry, what?" I said to the waitress. I didn't realize she asked me a question.

"Can I get cha some dessert, sweetie?" She asked.

"Oh, no! I think I'm fine." I said with a genuine laugh and pat my stomach.

"Maybe we should get some dessert to take with us? I'm not sure if dad has food at the house." Mom commented to daddy.

Wait, what? Dad? Did she just call her father, dad? What happened to calling him George, or not mentioning him at all?

"You're not sure if George has food?" Daddy asked mom with concern. My head tried to wrap around mom calling her father, dad. Deep down, I knew this was the first time I felt something was amiss. Something felt wrong about my mom's endearing comment. Well, that may not be true. I think the first time I felt something was wrong was after the email arrived to tell my mom her mother was dead.

The drive to Lee was long and dark. It was dark in the car and the country was quite boring. Reading was out of the question, the light would bother daddy while he tried to drive. I tried to become interested in the little towns we passed, but they were pretty small and we drove through them quickly. Besides, there was nothing to see. I didn't have service on my phone, so I let the music take over in my ears and I fell asleep.

I didn't have a dream and if I did, I don't remember it. The next thing I knew, I woke up in the car. We made it to Grandpa's house. The house sat in a wide clearing, surrounded by trees. They were thick and tangled together like crazed monsters longing to keep me here forever. I wanted to crawl into a ball and refuse to come out of the car. I pulled out my phone to text Jane and Renee, but I shut it in anger when I saw I didn't have service. This was impossible! I was going to be miserable, no matter what. No friends, no shopping, no good food, no New York, no cell phone service, and no Jeff. Maybe if I closed my eyes and wished hard enough, I would be back home in my room.

Tap, tap, tap.

Daddy tapped on the window glass. He wanted me to get out of the car. I was the only one left inside and I didn't want to step out. It would make my situation real if I did, like I decided to submit to the fate they led me to. I could almost picture myself in the backseat of a cab, off with Jane to some amazing place for dinner. Our rules were not firm at Will Lawson Academy, my high school, and it was amazing.

I fell from my daydreams and crashed into reality as I looked out the window at daddy's anxious face. I forced myself to open the car door.

Once I got out, I widened my eyes to the house in front of me. It was a beautiful cottage in the middle of the woods. The outside walls were built with big gray stones. It was questionably two to three stories high with ivy crawling up the outside walls. Only one window faced the rock driveway. It was tiny and possibly had white lace curtains. The car and I faced a similar two feet stone wall surrounding the outside patio. There was a door that led inside, but the patio was large and full of outside plants. As I walked closer, I thought I heard water to my right, but it was too dark to see anything.

I entered the patio through the charming little wooden gate. I noticed the concrete floor was cracked and old. However, the patio furniture was newer and looked comfortable. There were yellow and white striped cushions tied to white iron chairs. Similar cushions were on the little ottomans in front of the chairs. A cute little white iron table was between the chairs. A book was lying on table with a bookmark keeping place the last page read. I was in awe. A little combination of the stars, the cool breeze, and that furniture, this could be a nice spot for me. I could definitely see myself out here.

"Not bad out here, eh?" Daddy said from behind me.

"Yes." I turned to him. "Not bad at all."

"Can't get this in the city." He muttered to himself.

I giggled at him. Daddy certainly knew my thoughts like they were written on my face. I walked through the patio door and found myself in a rectangle sized outdoor sunroom. The walls were made of empty wood frames with weatherproof plastic stapled into the frame. A little washer and dryer were to my right along with uneven concrete steps leading to an old white wood door. The rest of the room was loaded with things such as a freezer and wood/mechanical stuff. The door leading into the house stood in the middle of the wall to my right. It was distinctly red, though time had faded the color terribly. Between the two doors was a little rectangle sized window, looking into the house. The front door had the same uneven concrete steps just below the door. At the end of the room was another door. I wondered where it went.

"You can explore in the morning." Daddy said. He must have caught me staring. "Let's get our things settled and assess the situation. Maybe we can try to get some sleep soon. I don't know about you G, but I'm on New York time!" He put his arm around me and led me through the front door.

Mom was already inside, putting her things down and making herself comfortable. I saw her take a survey of the house. I'm sure it felt different being in the house you grew up in. I wondered if things have changed since she's been here. The front door opened right into the kitchen and dining room. Hmm, I've never seen a house that opened into the kitchen before. The kitchen was to my right and complete with an old iron stove, refrigerator, dishwasher and some decent countertop space. I hated the brown linoleum that plagued the floors. Though the décor was old, it made me feel as if we were in a cabin, a very outdated cabin. The dining room was to my left and had red walls with red carpet. There was a window on the far left wall in the dining area. I giggled at the feel of the room. The layout was backwards! I felt as if I was on vacation, like that time we went to Colorado. Yes, that was the way I should think of my life right now. Maybe I could live here for a little while.

I passed the dining room table on my way to the next room, which ended up being the biggest room of the house, the living room. It was longer and wider than the kitchen and dining room, and had a tall ceiling. I ran my gaze along the high walls and felt pretty impressed. The room was covered in dark wood paneling except for the massive stone fireplace on the right side of the room.

Now this room had windows! Massive windows ran from floor to ceiling on two sides of the room. The sunlight made the room bright, and fairy tale charming. I saw a double set of doors and stairs at the far left side of the room. The stairs went up, made a turn to the right, and went over a double set of doors. A deer's head was mounted right above the double doors.

"That's your grandfather's room." Daddy whispered to me and pointed to the double doors. "The door you saw outside, on the sun porch, leads out from his room."

I shook my hand to indicate I understood. Daddy left me alone to get our bags from the car. The furniture was worn and old. A brown couch with large flowers sat a couple of feet in front of grandpa's room with a large wood coffee table. A cute tan loveseat was positioned parallel to the couch with a small matching nightstand. Two comfortable living chairs were right beside the fireplace. I looked at the cute little paintings of fruit hung from the walls. Then I saw a microscopic TV beside the fireplace.

Oh my! Might as well push that poor TV into that fireplace and put it out of its misery! I thought with a little laugh.

I spun with surprise to hear the large doors swing inward. My grandfather emerged from the double doors and into the living room. The couch was in front of him, but it could not hide his massive height. His eyes scanned the room and fell directly upon me as his smile widened. An impressive seven feet tall, my grandfather towered over everyone in the room. His bald head glowed from the lights over the artwork. He wore a blue and white plaid button down shirt, and tan pants with suspenders. His warm smile filled the room with sunshine and his blue eyes were watering with emotion. He held out his arms to me and I rushed to him, my blonde hair bounced behind me as I ran. I don't know why I did this except that I felt overwhelmed with emotion when he stretched his arms out.

"My granddaughter." He whispered and hugged me tight.

"Dad, this is Regina. Regina this is my dad, George Underwood." My mother's voice called with laughter behind us. She was busy helping daddy with our luggage.

He smelled of wood, like a carpenter and Zest soap. Those long arms wrapped around me and picked me up. I laughed at his exuberance. "Hello, Regina. It's nice to meet you."

"It's very nice to meet you too, grandpa."

His face was old but handsome. Missing was his hair and left pinky finger. I later learned grandpa lost his finger in a tractor accident when he was in his thirties. I loved his sweet face and warm hands. His long arms and legs had to conform to my smaller size, making him look like a giant. This did not seem like the man my mother described.

"And I'm sure you remember Jack." Mom said louder. She was obviously a little upset about daddy being excluded from a warm welcome.

Remember Jack? How could Grandpa remember dad if they never met before? Daddy told me he never met mom's parents or been to her hometown. My grandfather put me down and reached out to shake my father's hand. They exchanged kind words of condolences while my mother pulled me aside.

"Go up the stairs and go straight till you see a door. It's small and I apologize for that but I hope you like it." She said with a twinkle in her eye.

My grandfather looked upset when he saw I was leaving but mom gently explained that we had a long trip and I wanted to get adjusted in my room first. The stairs were dark and creaked with every step I took, but they were amazingly sturdy. A steady stream of light came from above and I saw the second floor as I made the turn on the stairs. There was a door at the end of the stairway. The rest of the second floor was open, no door, separation walls or privacy. A king size bed with blue bedding was in the middle of the room with two bureaus and a nightstand on each side. I noticed there were only two windows in this large room. I guessed this was my parents' room. I moved on to my room.

Through the white wood door, my room was petite with a white wrought iron, double sized bed with an intricate Victorian inspired design. The bed filled the room and gave me just enough space for the nightstand, desk, and a small armoire. There was not enough room to walk, only maneuver. A cozy looking mattress and yellow bedspread with white sheets called to me. I could not resist jumping into the bed and letting the softness take me away. It was like floating on a cloud. After my little moment, I sat up on my elbows and surveyed the room. My dumb phone still did not have service so I could not call Jeff. The tiny window I saw earlier was the one I was looking at now. I got up and opened the window shade. Sure enough, I saw the patio below.

For a second time, I surveyed the size of the room. Maybe this could work. My laptop would fit perfectly on the desk, not that there was much room in the first place. The desk would fit perfectly in front of the window, so I moved it. I opened the window to let the fresh air in. Thank goodness the window had a screen, mom warned me about the bugs and mosquitoes. I positioned my laptop in the right spot and put the chair in. The desk was cute and the change made the room nice. The desk and chair were painted white and made from iron like the bed. There was dust on the floor and probably in the sheets. Cobwebs hung in the corners of the room and from the armoire. I was too afraid to open the armoire. Perhaps I should come back to this one later.

But I had to hang up my clothes!

I turned around, gave myself a good ole' New York City girl pep talk, and opened the double doors to the armoire before I changed my brave mind. It was empty but for a few dead insects and cobwebs. Nothing I couldn't handle. I found the drawers underneath in the same condition. I breathed out a sigh of relief and realized I could not sleep in this room unless it was clean, but the room had potential to be such a cozy place for me. Once I painted and majorly cleaned, it could be something nice.

A knock was at my door and I heard daddy's voice call out. He must have the rest of my things. I took two steps to open the door.

"Hey, daddy!" I squealed when I opened the door.

"Hey sweetie! Like your room?" He asked with surprise.

My poor father. He tried to hide his surprise but failed miserably. I started to feel bad. I guess I gave my parents too hard of a time about coming here. It certainly was not as bad as I imagined. My dorm room was enormous compared to this shoe box, but it would work for a little while.

"Yes, it's pretty cool. A little small, but has great potential." I said.

"Good! Need some help? I brought up the rest of your bags and your purse. You left it in the back seat."

"Thanks, daddy. You can leave them right beside the door." I said.

"You will be happy to know you have the only room with a bathroom. Your mother and I have to share your grandfather's."

"I have a bathroom?" I asked.

He shook his head yes and pointed to the corner of the armoire. The door was so little and hidden, I would not of seen it unless I moved the armoire or someone pointed it out. This made me more excited. My own private bathroom!

"Uh, daddy? I need to touch this room up so I can be comfortable in here. Do you know where I could find a vacuum, some cleaner, and rags?"

"No, but don't worry about that now, sweetie. Are you hungry? Would you like to help me hunt for something to eat? We have the pie from the diner."

How could I tell him politely that all I wanted was to be by myself with my music and laptop? I had to ease myself into this situation by myself. I didn't want to be with anyone else, especially my parents. All I wanted was for them to forget about me while they took care of their business. I wanted this summer to fly by while I cleaned and explored my new world. I had a plan in mind and here he was spoiling it.

"No thanks, I'm not hungry. I'll go downstairs with you. I need to find some stuff to fix my room. I can't stay in here unless it's clean." I said as I shut the door behind me.

Daddy rolled his eyes as he tilted his head up in exasperation. He turned around and walked down the stairs with heavy steps. He muttered, "I don't see what the big deal is about a few dust bunnies."

In the kitchen, mom went through the fridge and made a grocery list. The old wooden cabinets creaked when she opened them in the quest for clean drinking glasses. She silently nodded her head as if confirming her suspicions. She rubbed her fingers on the glass and shook her head at the dust. I covered my face to hide my laughter. If there was one thing I definitely inherited from my mom, it was her war against dust and all things disgusting. Daddy and I exchanged a look between us. Of course mom was in the kitchen getting it 'straight'. I knew I should have gone to her when I needed cleaning materials.

My parents are in love and respect each other, but they're very different. I never met two people so opposite, but so in love. Daddy grew up rich in a Jewish family and mom grew up poor in a Methodist family. Daddy traveled the world with his family and mom never left the state until she was in college. My father is the messiest person alive and mom is obsessed with keeping things clean. He is the math/finance wizard and mom can't solve a math fraction to save her life. I think the only thing they had in common was their love for each other.

As we approached mom, daddy put out his hands as if to say 'you first'. I laughed and walked confidently ahead of him. He knew he couldn't win with two ladies in his house. Cleaning was top priority for us because we could not be comfortable unless the house was clean.

"Mom? Where is the vacuum and cleaning stuff?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. Dad doesn't remember where mom kept that. It's already so late...." She said as she tapped her right index finger to her chin. This gesture told me mom seriously debated whether to stay up all night to clean or do it tomorrow. "Let's worry about this tomorrow. I saw bacon and pancake mix in the fridge. Let's have a quick snack and go to bed. Tomorrow we'll survey the "damage" and go to the local store so we can arm ourselves to kill the dust. Sound good?"

It didn't sound good at all, but the look on my father's face told me to be quiet and go with whatever mom said. Daddy nodded his head to show he agreed with mom.

"Sounds good mom, but why is the pancake mix in fridge?" I asked with joking disgust.
Chapter Four

Tonight was the first night in my vacation room, as I came to see it. I tried to make myself as comfortable as possible after our snack. The window was still open and I could hear mom, daddy, and grandpa talking on the patio. I had my laptop up and a movie on. This time I had on the Slumber Party Massacre, one of my all-time faves!

I hated to leave my clothes in the suitcase, but they were safer there than in the armoire. It was nice to take my time and put some of my favorite stuff out like Mr. Cuddles, my pink bear given to me when I was a child, my jewelry, some knick-knacks, and pictures.

I stood beside the bed, holding the picture frames and trying to decide which one was best when I turned my head to the desk. Someone was there, sitting in the desk chair and looking at me. My eyes scanned over it quickly so I did not realize what it was the first time. Chills ran down my spine. Did I really see that?

I quickly looked at the chair again and saw nothing.

Someone was there! I know I saw someone sitting in the chair sideways. The top half of their torso was turned with their hands holding the back of the chair. Everything happened so quickly, but I think it was smiling at me. I moved closer to the chair, trying to make sense out of the images in my mind.

Then, someone knocked hard on the wall beside the armoire.

I think I jumped a foot in the air and screamed a little. No one came running to my aid, so I must not have been too loud. Then again, I had a scary movie playing. Everyone probably thought my scream was part of the movie. My hands trembled terribly. I may question myself about seeing something, but I know I heard the knocks.

Knock, knock, knock.

There it was again! They were hard and sturdy knocks, one right after the other.

Of course, my first instinct was to run but I am a city girl. I don't scare that easily. I marched over to the armoire confidently.

At first, everything was silent. I stood in that little corner for almost two minutes and nothing happened. Wait! Could the knocks of come from the bathroom door?

Knock, Knock, Knock.

I jumped again and screamed my head off. The knocks did come from the bathroom.

But, everyone was downstairs!

I felt scared out of my wits and lunged for the bedroom door. I had to get out of the room! Unfortunately, the carpet in front of the door was old and worn. My foot caught and I managed to trip. My feet flew out from under me and I landed on my left side.

Ouch!

I got up, sort of, and rubbed my side. I stayed on the floor until the bathroom door clicked and inched open slowly. The hinges squeaked as the door opened all the way.

"Annnnnaaaa." Something whispered from the open doorway.

I bolted from the room and didn't look back. My feet took me downstairs and through the house. I had to find daddy. He would help me! They drank coffee on the patio when I came through the door like a lunatic. I shouted and pointed to the window of my room.

"Something's in my room! Someone is up there!" I screamed. Mom and daddy looked alarmed at first.

"Snake?" Grandpa asked with his eyes raised.

"No, grandpa! It was....well, I'm not sure. It...it was big enough to open my bathroom door!" I stuttered as I tried to explain what happened, but I left out the person sitting in my chair.

"Let's go check it out." Daddy said after looking at mom. She gave him a look that asked him not to carry on with this.

"I'll grab my pistol, just in case." He said as he got up slowly. We walked in the house and hid behind grandpa as we went up the stairs. We heard him mumble, "Hope I don't have to do this every night for a spider. Damn city yankees."

I saw mom and dad hide their laughter. Mom was right, grandpa was old school southern.

My room was empty. The bathroom door was open, but nothing inside. Grandpa searched my room for me. He was so sweet, he even checked under the bed. They all swore to me it was most likely a little animal.

"No one has lived in this room since your mother left. Probably some critter who lived in there. You probably disturbed his home when you moved in tonight." I knew that was not what happened, but for the sake of my sanity, I accepted it. "You in the country now, doll. I carry a pistol at all times and I suggest you wear my rubber boots when you go outside."

"Why?"

"Snakes. Lots of snakes in the summertime, 'specially 'round the tank. You best keep your eyes open 'round here."

I shook my head to let him know I understood. I thanked them for coming to my rescue. Grandpa told me to come get him anytime I needed something. After I closed the door, I went to bed and tried to sleep. Even though they tried to convince me it was an animal, I know what I saw. The quicker I got this trip over with, the better.

After a lot of reluctance, I emptied my body of fear, and allowed myself to close my eyes. I kept my laptop plugged in and on the whole night.
Chapter Five

The dark haired beauty dropped from the second story window to avoid the security cameras on her way out. Security was tight at the Will Lawson Academy. The garden lights kept the campus well lit and gave a brilliant view of trespassers on the property. The girl knew she must work fast, time was of the essence. In three minutes, the campus guard would patrol the south side while she was free to exit the north. Great care was taken to stay out of sight while security watched the grounds.

The night was quiet and every step she took seemed to echo across the well-manicured lawns of the school. As the guard moved to the south side, the five hundred year old brunette moved quickly across the grounds. A blue ribbon kept her hair up and out of her face. The dark blue leather body suit hugged her curves tightly and hid the delicate orange glow of her skin. No one could see it on the outside, but this girl was frightened on the inside. Hundreds of years of training with the best could not compare to the real task.

On her way out, she stopped to look once more at the sign just to be sure it was real. She smirked at the black letters on the marque spelling out, the Will Lawson Academy. Clever, very clever. She took her phone out and clicked a picture of the sign for proof. Later, when they found the girl, she could tell everyone how they hid her in plain sight, so to speak. Maybe all these years have made the Law overconfident.

She exited the grounds. As she walked, her spirits lifted. All the confusion and lost hope was erased. This was their first step in locating Regina after she was spotted two years ago. Water splashed the sidewalk as cars passed by her. Her cell phone vibrated, as she expected. She snatched it open excitedly.

"Your report?" He demanded.

"I found her." The girl replied quickly.

"Where is she?"

"I'm about to find out. I'll have a full report tomorrow night." She said.

"I expect your call tomorrow night." He finally said.

"Yes sir, ten o'clock sharp." She said, emphasizing the word sharp.

Lady Sarah Lordview quickly turned left down a deserted alley and disappeared into the night before anyone recognized her.
Chapter Six

I don't remember how the dream started, but I was walking through a hallway with mirrors encased in gold framing. The light tan marble floors shined brilliantly under the glow of the fire lit torches hanging on the walls. My shoes click the floors with a soft touch. A skirt hangs from my waist, I think it's red.

Then, red eyes emerge from the darkness. I gasp in fright as a larger, middle aged woman runs at me with vengeance in her eyes. She's chanting something as I scream from fright. I turn to run away. There's a long hallway in front of me, the mirrors betray me as they show the monster getting closer. I can see her hand reaching out to snatch my hair as I wake up.

\-----

The next morning brought a lot of bright sunlight. It streamed through my window with such strength, the whole room lit up. The white lace curtains fluttered gently in the wind. I left the window up by accident. I was happy I did because the birds were quite loud this morning. They sang a good morning song while I got up to brush my teeth and hair, but I closed the window on my way to keep the air conditioning in.

My bathroom was the size of a jail cell but I didn't care. The white tile floor was clean and the fixtures were decent. There was not a tub, but the shower head sprayed hard. It felt great. The blue tiled walls were clean, as well. The white grout was outstanding. The clean condition led me to think no one has used this room in a long time. It certainly did feel like a jail except for the beautiful chandelier hanging in the middle of the bathroom ceiling. It was small and round with holes, almost like a disco ball. I don't know if it was gold or the color made to look like gold, but it was impressive with crystals hanging down from the circular frame. Only two bulbs were enough to light up the room with a yellow glow. It seemed kind of strange to have such a nice fixture in a bathroom.

I went downstairs and found my parents eating breakfast. I saw eggs, bacon, and biscuits on their plates. Yuck! Our usual breakfast consisted of bagels, oatmeal or croissants, very seldom did we have jelly with the croissants. Mom and I insisted on watching our figures.

"Hey guys." I said, trying to be cheerful. "What's good this morning?"

"Your grandfather's favorite breakfast." Mom said. "I figured I'd make his favorite since today is going to be hard. We have to go to the funeral home and plan mom's service."

I sat down. Surely she did not expect me to eat this! I didn't want to make a big deal out of it when mom was about to make funeral arrangement for her mom. I grabbed a biscuit and tried one. It was pretty yummy, especially when it was warm with butter.

"Any problems last night?" Daddy whispered to me. His large hand rested on my shoulder. Of course daddy would not forget I was upset last night.

"No. I slept well. That mattress must be new. It's comfortable." I kept looking for a banana, oatmeal, bagels, fruit, something other than grease. "Well, what else is there to eat?" I asked with a mouthful of biscuit, trying to sound if it was not a big deal.

"Nothing much, sweetie. I have to go shopping. Oh my, there is so much to do today, the shopping, funeral planning, cleaning." Mom groaned as she went over the list.

"Lynda? Regina and I can do the shopping, get the cleaning supplies, start cleaning the house, and maybe make some dinner. You deal with your dad and the arrangements. We got the house." He said with confidence

She looked at him with such love I thought she would burst from it. Her hand stroked his face gently and she kissed his lips. "Thank you Jack, I would sincerely appreciate it." She whispered to him with her eyes closed.

I was a little embarrassed by their mighty displays of affection. My cheeks flushed red and I turned my head away to the window. The morning sun poured into the little sunroom room outside. I could not wait to see the rest of the place today.

"I think I'll be upstairs while you're finishing breakfast, daddy. I hope everything goes okay today, mom." I said. I went to give her a hug. "I love you."

The smell of her perfume filled my nostrils. My mother, my sweet wonderful mother. As a child I remember putting my head on her shoulder and smelling her sweet scent. I would put my head on her breasts, curl up in her lap, and feel safe. Though I yearned to do this now, I gave her a big hug and walked away.

As I went up the stairs to go back to my little room, I looked out the window on the stairs. It was the first time I saw the backyard. Though it was far from a typical backyard, I was surprised by it. The cute little white fence that I saw last night stretched to the back of the house, keeping a large stone back patio protected, but the best part was the lake about a hundred feet from the house. It was a good size lake with an island in the middle. I stared in awe as the water lapped softly against the muddy shore. The sun was brilliant and shining its rays on the water, giving it a bright sheen. I turned around and went back down the steps. I wondered what would be the best way to get to the backyard.

I noticed a door to the right as I came back down the stairs. I guess I missed it last night, but it was easy to miss. The door matched the dark paneling and it blended in with the walls. I wanted desperately to step outside and check out the lake, but daddy's voice stopped me.

"Regina? Ready?" He called from the kitchen.

Gosh, he was ready fast! I grumbled and turned away from the door. The hardwood floor creaked as I walked on it to the kitchen. Daddy was waiting for me with instructions how to get to town and the stores. He was ready to get out there and impress mom.

When we stepped outside, I looked to my left, saw the lake, and felt my smile widen. It was a little far from the house, but it was definitely there, sparkling in the sunshine. My goodness it was hot! I had not taken twenty steps to the car and my blue Chanel blouse clung to my skin! If I sweat in this shirt and stain it, I am going to go ballistic! I made a mental note to get some summer clothes for this heat when we were in town. Thank goodness we will not be here next summer! It's definitely hotter here than in the city.

Grandpa's house was located ten miles outside of town, so it took a little while to get to the store. Lee is a rural town and many people live in the country, outside of town. This was true for us. Grandpa lived on Country Road 230 or as it is knows in small towns, CR 230. In order to get to town, we had to connect with a couple of back roads to get to CR 266, the main country road on this side of town, which would lead us straight to the main highway. Highway 290 intersected with Highway 77 in Lee, keeping the town alive financially.

My own little inferno was known as Lee, Texas. Population under four-thousand people. It was located between Austin and Houston. Little did I know at the time, but beyond the highway were hundreds of little back roads zigzagging together. A small portion of those roads surrounded grandpa's house, but the town had some restaurants (mostly barbeque), a grocery store, post office, public pool, and park. The main road through Lee was called main street. The buildings that lined main street had massive charm and lots of antique character. I felt as if I had fallen into another time as daddy drove through town. I saw a gourmet french restaurant, a salon, and a dress shop! I will admit the town was small, but it was charming, like a fairytale world waiting to seduce me.

It took us over twenty minutes to find the highway and another ten minutes to find the store. Our plan was to hit the store for food and supplies, then lunch at one of the local restaurants. We started with the big stuff like the vacuum, mops and brooms, and then worked our way to the cleaners, clothes, and the food. By the time we finished with the food, we had over two carts full of items for grandpa's house. There really wasn't much of a selection here, but it would do for now. After all, we were leaving soon.

While daddy looked at the frozen food items, I noticed a beautiful girl about my age in the same aisle. She ran her fingers through her brown hair and concentrated on the frozen food display. Her profile was magnificent, a perfect tiny nose with matched her chin and petite, plump lips. Her pink sweater was open and revealed a white t-shirt underneath. I moved my eyes quickly, trying not to stare. Neither daddy nor I realized how hot it would be when we stepped outside. We were inside the store only an hour and the sun heated our car up like an oven. It baked our skin the moment we sat on the seats. The car was too hot after we got our stuff inside.

"Is it too early for ice cream?" Daddy said with wide eyes. I giggled at him. "G? I don't think we can leave the cold stuff in the car. I'm sure the heat would spoil it."

It was only ten in the morning, but it was eleven in New York. I was hungry. My stomach rumbled as he said this. "Sure, daddy. Let's get something in a drive thu, as long as they have ice cream."

"Of course."

We didn't have a nice lunch at french restaurant, but the drive thru was just as good. The Burger Hut was the only place open and they had ice cream. I had a good time with daddy. While we waited for our food in the drive thru lane, we talked about our summer plans. Daddy wanted to go into the other towns and explore. He said in Bastrop we could kayak down the Guadalupe river together. Little lakeside restaurants were set up along the river with fresh fish and seafood. I thought it sounded awesome. We got our hamburgers, french fries, vanilla shakes, and headed home. Daddy made a remark about the massive amounts of burgers we have eaten lately.

On the way back, I paid closer attention on how to get to grandpa's house from the main road. The scenery felt familiar, as if I've seen it before, but I've never been to Lee. In the daytime, I saw the countryside more clearly. There was grass, cows, and barns. That's it. Miles and miles of open pastures with little ponds and green grass. Some of the homes sat on concrete blocks. The little homes had dirt driveways with huge trucks parked in front. It looked so boring out here!

Then it hit me! The road, the barbwire fence, the trailer homes, and the way I felt on these roads. These were the roads from my dreams! I was almost positive of it!

I sat my shake in the cup holder and looked ahead of us. If my dream was accurate, there should be a darker paved road coming up on our right. I remember the road specifically from my bus dream.

Daddy looked at me suspiciously. "G? Are you okay?"

"Yes, daddy. I was trying to remember how to get home from the highway." My lies came out so easily, I was surprised at myself. I don't lie to my parents because I didn't have to. From what I could tell from my friends, my parents were the easiest parents a kid could have, but something inside me said to lie about the roads.

We passed the road from my dream and I choked. Why did I not notice this last night? Before I could ponder the question, I realized I already knew the answer. It was too dark and I was too tired last night to notice. I compelled myself to relax and act normal as I observed the area around me.

"Daddy? Have we been here before?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"I think I had a dream about these roads."

"Really?" He nodded. "You know, my sociology professor told an interesting theory about dreams. He said your soul leaves your body while you're asleep and the dreams you have are the experiences it has while outside your body."

"That's a pretty cool theory."

"I know. I thought the same." He said with a wink.

As soon as we unloaded our bags and ate lunch, I excused myself from daddy. Though I deeply wanted to start on the house, I wanted to read my journal more. I went upstairs and examined the entries closely. When the dream included a road, I kept track of it by highlighted it in yellow. Even though my journal was a little more than halfway full, I had a lot of yellow sentences.

Daddy and I tackled the house together that afternoon. We dusted, wiped, polished, swept, moped, and basically made the house shine by the time mom and grandpa came home. With the exception of the bedrooms, we had the place mom-ready. She was impressed and greeted daddy with a tender kiss and a hard hug. It was a different change to see them that way. Grandpa was really cool and brought home a surprise for me. I was actually getting along with him. We had a lot in common and shared the same mind frame. Mom told him how much I love to watch movies and bought a new TV for the house. It was a flat screen and huge. Daddy and grandpa mounted it to the wall while mom and I made dinner. We danced together in the kitchen while we blasted music from my laptop. Mom was a terrible singer, but tried anyway. We laughed pretty hard at her attempts. Those troubling thoughts seemed to melt away. Nothing happened that night. It was an awesome night with my new family, and it was the last.
Chapter Seven

The loud knocking bothered Camille Clemmens in apartment home 2A. She rested in her favorite pastel pink easy chair with her feet up and watched her favorite cooking show. The show amused her. After all, why shouldn't chef scream at the contestants who sent out raw or bad tasting food? Plus, she just loved it when he kicked people out of the kitchen. It was a little after eight pm and Camille was ready to spend the rest of the night catching up with chef and his band of bad cooks. The knocking got loud and distracted Camille from her show.

"Mr. and Mrs. Roth?" A female's voice was muffled by the door.

Camille's ears perked up. Someone was knocking at the Roth's home across the way. Her eye peaked out the peep hole in the heavy oak door. Her hand rested on the glossy stained wood while she steadied herself.

It was a woman. She was dressed in a gray tweed skirt suit. Camille squinted to get a better look at the woman, but it was no use, the lady was too far away. She thought for a second. Should she go out there?

"Regina? Are you okay?" The lady called out after knocking again.

Logic told Camille to unlock her door, which she did. The Palamark was one of the safest and prestigious apartment homes in New York City. The building composed of seven floors, two apartments on each floor. It was a new building, less than ten years old. Security wasn't an issue because the doormen only allowed guests upstairs if they have preauthorization from the apartment occupant. If company comes unannounced, they must be verbally approved by the tenant in order to be allowed into the elevator or stairwell. Nothing will work without authorization, the elevator wouldn't come down and the steel door to the stairwell wouldn't unlock. Camille wasn't too concerned when she opened the door.

"Mr. and Mrs. Roth? Regina?" She said again, this time much louder.

"Hello?" Her frail, older voice rippled across the marble vestibule.

The woman stopped and spun slowly on her heals to face the old, snoopy neighbor. She was tall much taller than expected by the old woman. Her hair was long, brown, and pinned to one side with a blue ribbon. The ribbon gave color to the plain tweed suit. She gave a perfect white smile at Camille as she walked towards her. Her gray skirt didn't rustle when she walked, but her dark blue shoes clicked on the marble. Her young, slim figure approached Camille.

"Hi, I'm looking for Mr. and Mrs. Roth. I had an appointment with them and Regina." Her blue eyes were full of sincerity and concern.

Camille didn't feel danger from this woman, but living in New York gave her the experience to never underestimate anyone. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion and said, "Well, they're not here. Which young man let up?"

"Evan, I was in their log. The Roth's are expecting me. I'm Carrie Lisban." She lied. Her real name was Lady Sarah Lordview. "I'm an interviewer with Crosby College. I have an appointment with Regina and her parents today regarding her admission to our college after graduation."

"You're an interviewer?" Camille asked with skepticism. "You look like a student yourself."

The young woman laughed at Camille's excellent observation. "Thank you! I get that all the time. I've worked for Crosby for two years, right out of college."

"Oh, well, how nice! That Regina is such a good girl. Of course, I don't know her that well, she's always away at school, but I see her over the summer. I'm Mrs. Camille Clemmens, by the way. I've lived next to the Roth's since the building was built. Pretty much everyone has lived here since the building was opened. My children are out of college with lives of their own. It's so nice to have a young couple next door. Regina is such a good girl. Her parents sure do adore her......" Camille rambled.

"Yes, well, that's very nice to hear. Do you know when they will be back? They must have forgotten or will return shortly?" Sarah asked. Forcing Camille to answer her questions seemed to be the only way to stop the old lady from talking.

"No, no, I don't think so. Poor Lynda's mother died. I never heard her mention she had a mother, but, then again, why would she? I remember when my poor mother died. Heart failure at forty-seven years young! Can you believe it?" Camille said with wide eyes.

"No!" Sarah said with fake surprise. "I'm so sorry to hear that! Well, that certainly explains why they forgot. Poor things." Sarah said, shaking her head. "Now I don't know what to do. I have to report the absence to my supervisor. Regina won't be able to get another interview."

Sarah took a deep breath of sadness and looked to the Roth's door again. Her disappointment was on display as a show for the neighbor. It worked, Camille fell right for it. "I'm sorry to hear that. I saw Regina a few days ago. The poor girl was so sad. That family is suffering. They'll be heartbroken to hear Regina missed her college interview, but they won't be back today. They went to Texas for the funeral. Is there anything I can do to help? I can call Lynda."

"You can? That would be great! If I could just speak to them to reschedule the appointment, my supervisor will never have to know Regina missed it."

"Of course, dear. Just let me get the number." Camille said. She did not invite Sarah in.

"Do you know where in Texas?" Sarah called from the door way.

"Um, ....no, but their flight went directly to Austin." Camille's voice came from the tiny kitchen. "Well, wait. Lynda told me the town when she came to tell me they would be away. What did she say?"

While Camille searched her kitchen for the phone number, Sarah peeked around the apartment. It was the typical apartment for a lady holding on to the best times in her life. Pictures of Camille dominated the walls with little shelves full of knickknacks.

Sarah asked, "Mrs. Clemmens, may I have her phone number? I only have their home phone and you might not reach her the first try. I don't want to put you out by calling her often."

Camille opened her mouth to say it wasn't a problem, but she heard chef telling the contestants about the day's challenge. Camille was missing the show! She could rewind it, but she timed the show to end exactly when the new show began. She had to get rid of this woman.

"Sure, here you go." Camille said with an edge in her voice, almost throwing her the phone number. "I have to go now. Good Luck." She shut the door before Sara could thank her, but the door opened again. "Oh, Lee! The town is called Lee." Camille shouted through the cracked door and shut it again.

Lady Sarah was pleased and spun around on her heals to leave the building. A large smile on her face caught the guards' attention as she exited through the front doors. He wondered what made her so happy.
Chapter Eight

Daddy took me out for a driving lesson in grandpa's old Chevy truck the next morning. Mom took grandpa to town again for the day. The birds sang to me for the second morning in a row. I could definitely get use to this. Everyone was silent when I came to breakfast. I had the feeling they were talking about me but stopped once they heard me bounce down the stairs. It felt a little weird when I walked in on them. Their eyes were on the doorway as if they expected me. They looked like dolls posed purposefully at the table. I shivered at the strangeness of it all.

"Good morning, Regina." Grandpa grumbled roughly. I patted his shoulder softly as I walked by. Today they were finalizing the funeral arrangements. Mom told me last night the funeral would be in two days.

After they left, I asked daddy for a driving lesson. He seemed irritated when I asked, but nodded his head and grabbed grandpa's keys. Daddy seemed darker today. His eyes sagged with exhaustion like he didn't sleep at all last night. With Grandma Lydia's funeral approaching, everyone seemed a little depressed, and since I didn't share their emotion, guilt jolted through me like an electric shock.

We drove for a few extra miles. I wanted to remember my way around. Daddy stayed silent, which was unusual because he always found problems with the way I drove. Constantly, he was at me on how I could improve my skills in driving and in life, but this was not the man sitting beside me. This man looked sad, as if he would cry at any moment. After an hour of driving, I suggested lunch in town.

"Maybe we could check out a shop on the way to kill some time?" I suggested.

"I don't think so sweetie. I don't feel in the mood to go to town. I think I just want to go back."

"Oh, come on, daddy! Let's go into town and get out a little." I poked his arm safely with my elbow while I smiled at him. I thought he would laugh and come out of his mood but that did not happen. His face turned cold and his eyes became hard blocks of hatred. My smile fell immediately. "I'm sorry daddy! I just wanted to help you. Everyone seemed so upset this morning ....I wanted to make you smile."

Then, my old daddy returned. His face softened and his lips relaxed. A smile crossed his face, but it looked ....as if he was faking it. "Thanks, G. Why don't we go to that thrift store we saw just off main street yesterday?"

Daddy was cool and let me drive us there. I had a temporary permit until June thirteenth, my sixteenth birthday! While we were at the thrift shop, I saw the same girl from the store yesterday. She scanned the book section. Her fingertips touched the spines as she read the titles. As she turned around, I could not help but make eye contact with her. Those brown eyes instantly connected with mine. A smile formed on her face as she stopped in front of me. Her frame was stiff and she walked as if she was nervous. Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her sheer yellow skirt.

"Hi. Do I know you?" She asked. Her voice was light as air and her eyes searched mine as if she really did know me.

"I don't think so, I'm just visiting. My name is Regina Roth." I said to her.

"I'm Katie. Katie Kramer." Her soft, smooth hand extended out to mine. I shook it politely, she had a tight grip! "Roth? Are you related to the Underwoods?"

"Uh, yes, George and Lydia are my grandparents. I'm here for her funeral."

"Oh! Mrs. Underwood was my mother's teacher when she was a little girl. You're Lynda's daughter, right?" Katie exclaimed.

"That's right."

"I'm sorry for your loss. Mrs. Underwood was a wonderful lady."

"Thanks."

"I bet you're excited to see Michael and MeKayla." Her eyebrows rose at me. She looked so happy to be having this conversation with me.

My eyes scrunched in confusion. "Michael and Mekayla?"

My father appeared out of nowhere and gave Katie a cold stare, but she didn't seem intimidated by him. "Yes, uh.....well, we haven't seen all the family, yet. I'm done looking. Are you ready to go, Regina?"

Katie was polite and nodded to him. I wanted to introduce him to Katie, but the toxic look on his face told me otherwise. I dared to ask him for a minute to talk to Katie. He didn't like it, but he did go to another aisle to browse for a moment. I found out she was sixteen and going to be a junior in high school. She liked living in Lee, but dreamed of leaving to move to New York or California. At one point, Katie whispered in my ear while daddy was distracted.

"I know you're here for a funeral, but there's a bunch of us getting together at Charles Turner's house tomorrow night. Wanna come?" She asked.

"Oh yeah! What's your phone number?" I asked. I took out my cell phone to program her number.

I said goodbye to Katie and promised I would call her. Daddy and I left the store and headed home. I tried to call Jane and Jeff while I was in town and had service, but I got their voicemails. I got to drive again and that made me happy. I wanted to ask daddy who Michael and MeKayla were, but he didn't want to talk on the way home. His sadness seemed to return.

When we pulled up to the house, we saw our rental car was still gone, which meant mom and grandpa weren't back yet. We had been away for over two hours. Daddy and I went into the kitchen make lunch. The drive home gave me time to think about this town. The people in town seemed real polite, as did Katie. They were nothing like daddy described to me.

"Daddy?" I asked while we made lunch. It was a simple lunch of sandwiches and tomato soup. I made the sandwiches while daddy chopped the vegetables and warmed the soup.

"Yes, Regina?" His voice croaked.

"When I was talking to Katie, you said we haven't met all the family yet? Who else lives here?"

"Your mother's sister, Rachel, and her two children, MeKayla, and Michael." He said with a flat voice.

Obviously, he wasn't going to tell me anything unless I asked him first. I spun around to look at him. His blue eyes were cold, voided of any emotion for me. I was taken back by his lack of love. It was as if this man in front of me felt nothing but hatred for me, his daughter.

"Why didn't anyone tell me about her before? Why didn't I know I had an aunt and cousins? I have family?" I asked.

"The same reason we didn't consult you about coming here, you are a child and you do what your mother and I tell you. That's it. Nothing further."

A cold shiver ran up my spine and I stopped arguing with this man. I knew it was pointless. This subtle change in my father's mood suddenly became not so subtle.

I backed away from the room. My father's malevolent eyes followed me the whole way. It reminded me of that movie when little Regan did the same to the priest who came to give her an exorcism. His face was like stone, forever holding the murderous look on his face. I ran through the living room and out the door. I kept going until I was safe behind the tree line. I looked back to see my father standing on the porch, looking out at the water. From this distance, I could see the vicious look on his face.
Chapter Nine

Mom and grandpa came home after three o'clock in the afternoon and immediately went to their rooms to rest. I don't know what daddy did during that time, but I stayed in the woods while the sun was up. I grabbed grandpa's big rubber boots to protect my feet at the lake and put them on. I found comfort as I wandered around. I walked to the lake to be by myself and as far from daddy as possible. I turned around to look at the house, I was pretty far enough to see the entire house. When I looked at it, I felt something growing inside. It smashed the walls and roof with a rhythmic heartbeat. I closed my eyes tight and re-opened them.

I felt as if something in the house was coming for me so I bolted from the spot I stood. I ran blindly like a chicken missing its head. My arms flapped in panic while my eyes searched for somewhere safe. I had to find a place where I could stop to think. My feet took me past the lake, towards the highway. My phone had better service near the gate, at the end of the driveroad. Driveroad, that's what I call our driveway now for it was over half a mile long. I called Renee, but she was out with her boyfriend. Next I tried Jeff. Our conversation was brief and he didn't seem interested in what happened with daddy or the house. In fact, it seemed a little silly once I said it out loud.

"Regina! His wife's mother just died! Geez, give him some space." Jeff said in a patronizing tone. He loved doing this to me when he thought he had the market cornered on feelings. "So he got mad at you? He'll get over it."

"Well? What about never telling me about our family? Why wouldn't they tell me I had family here?" I asked.

"So what? They didn't tell you about your aunt, big deal. Maybe she has some deep family secret? Maybe your mother doesn't like her. I don't know! The point is Regina, you don't know why they didn't tell you about them, so don't judge the situation before you know it all." He snapped at me.

"Are you ok Jeff? I didn't mean to make you upset." Whoa! What did I just say? I surprised myself with that response. Why would I tolerate this from a guy who is easily replaceable?

"Yeah, I guess I'm just busy this summer. I start football camp on Monday and I haven't started working out yet."

I knew this was a big problem for him. Football players were expected to keep in shape even in the summertime and off-season. When school ended last week, Jeff slacked off and partied with his senior buddies too hard. His frustration was evident over the phone. My boyfriend is proud of his athletic and school record. Berkley will not accept anyone but the best, and Jeff strived hard to be the best. After all, Jeff Hamrel is the cutest and most athletic guy in our school. After the summer, he would be a senior.

Before school ended this year, I realized we didn't have a lot in common. I'm not sure why we started dating each other, but we've been together for almost a year. I pictured his handsome face in my mind as I talked to him. His slim face was oval with bright hazel eyes and a long, perfectly pointed nose. His brown hair was usually silky with lighter highlights. Jeff always carried a snobby, confident smile and I can say that his smile was the first thing about him I loved. His attitude was pretty mediocre and I hoped it would improve in his last year in high school. He cared about his parents and what they expected from him. I think he did most of his activates to please them and not himself. His father, famed District Attorney Jackson Hamrel Sr., just won the case against mob boss Dominic Delgado, so his family was pretty high on their horse right now.

After we spoke for a few more minutes, we hung up. I felt drained, as if the conversation took everything out of me, but I did feel better about daddy and the situation. Maybe I am overreacting and misjudged the situation? The afternoon heated up quickly. I could not stay out here forever. With a little trepidation, I went back to the house. Maybe daddy was over his mood? Regardless, I was willing to go in and apologize if I said the wrong thing.

I walked to the house and noticed a little shed made of aluminum on the other side of the house. A vegetable garden grew in a fenced in area to the side of the shed. It was so cute! Carrots, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and some fruit grew in the little sectioned off garden. Inside the shed, I found big plastic bins full of mementos from when my mother and her sister were children. There were old photos, dresses, shoes, report cards, letters, keepsakes, tickets, receipts, and so on. I spent at least a couple of hours going through the items. I'm sure grandpa wouldn't mind if I looked at the family stuff. I almost thought to go ask him, but then I remembered he just got back from planning his wife's funeral. I didn't want to disturb him for this.

My mother attended the Williamson Law Academy. She was a smart kid. She had mostly A's on every report card. There two pictures of my mother and her sister, Rachel. They were cute girls, my mother especially. Both had their hair in curly pigtails, but aunt Rachel had brown hair. They had the same sweet smile. I saw a dimple on aunt Rachel's right cheek in a school picture. Her plump baby cheeks and one dimple never changed, even as she got older. From what I understood from the pictures, mom obviously loved her little sister. So why did she keep her a secret? I moved on and searched a box with books. The books were grandmother Lydia's cookbooks. I flipped through one of them and a picture fell out. I turned it over and saw my aunt Rachel and some man I didn't recognize. She was dressed in wedding dress and the man was in a nice looking suit. I analyzed every detail of that photo, but it would not relinquish an answer. I looked at the back to see a name and date handwritten at the bottom. Rachel and William, August 1917. This picture had to be of a relative. Possibly this woman is my great-grandmother? I couldn't ask anyone about it, at least I thought I couldn't. Maybe later? I decided that would be best to ask mom after she buried her mother.

The sun heated up the little shed and I was mighty thirsty, so I put everything back into the box. I decided to keep the wedding picture so I could ask my mother about it later. I stuck it gently in my back pocket. When I put the books back, a piece of paper at the bottom of the tub cut my finger. Out of habit, I brought my cut finger to my mouth. With my other hand, I peeled the paper from the bottom and brought it up to read.

It was handwritten. The dainty letters flowed together like a beautiful composition. It was dated October of nineteen ninety.

My sweet baby girl,

If you are reading this letter, then I have died and gone into my next life without you. My concern is for you, my darling daughter, and your future.

As you leave behind childhood, you will find a new person waiting for you in the future. Your emotions will run away with you and anger will settle itself into your heart. Don't let it. Above all, always remember that you are capable of love and compassion. Avoid the hatred in your heart and respond to the love you desperately need.

When you find this letter, run! Tell no one of your departure, not even your new parents. Find Lady Bird, a little town on the Texas coast. A young man who calls himself Pirate will be waiting for you, he will take you home. Run fast my darling.

I loved you with every breath I took.

Love, your mother Rachel

Well....okay. This is strange. Was this written from mom's sister Rachel? If it was, was the letter meant for MeKayla? My fingers caressed the paper. It felt crisp and brand new. I guess I can file this one under mysterious. In the end, I took the letter as well. I wanted to read it again and try to get a better understanding of it. I'm sure it would be okay to ask mom once a little time passed. Once everything was put back and in order, I put my discoveries in my back pocket and left the shed. At least I hoped I put everything back as I found it.

I went home and snuck into the sunroom. If I was careful, I could go into grandpa's bathroom and out the living room without disturbing him. I was pretty sure daddy was in the kitchen, making dinner. I wanted to avoid him at all costs.

My hand was on the door when my grandfather called out from behind me. "Regina?"

I squealed with surprise and spun around. My sweet grandfather stood in his overalls, looking at me with concern. "We haven't seen you since we came back."

"Oh, grandpa! You scared me!" I gasped, holding my hand to my chest. "I was out in the pasture and the lake. I wanted to give you and mom some peace after you returned."

"Lake? What lake?" Grandpa asked.

"The lake behind the house." I said as I pointed to the backyard.

"Oh, you mean the tank in the front yard!" Grandpa laughed. "Regina, this is the back of the house. I built this sun porch as an add-on, but the door in the living room is the front door. And that lake out yonder is a tank, not a lake."

"Oh, okay." I said. The house layout now made sense to me. "What's the difference between a tank and a lake?"

"Someone dug out the ground and let nature fill a tank up. A lake is all nature made." He answered.

I laughed. I guess I had a lot to learn about the country. We went inside for dinner. If daddy still felt the same anger as before, he did not show it at dinner. Rather than be snotty, he was nice to me, like the father I came here with. No one mentioned the fact that aunt Rachel or her kids existed. I wanted to talk to grandpa about it privately, but after dinner, he went to bed. That was strange. At dinner we realized we have a love of staying up to watch old Dr. Who episodes. I thought we were going to watch an episode on the new television tonight. He left me with my parents at the dinner table. I became a little frightened at the thought of being alone with my parents, though I couldn't pinpoint why. Ever since daddy's mysterious freak out today, I felt on edge with them.

"So, your daughter asked me an interesting question today." My father's voice came out light and full of humor. He reached over to my mother. His fingers entwined with hers as he spoke.

"Really? Well, what interesting thing did she ask?"

"She wanted to know about Rachel."

"Rachel? What made her ask about Rachel?" My mother asked. Why did they speak like I wasn't in the room with them?

"Katie Kramer brought it up today at the store. Regina says she wants to know her family."

Their eyes were locked. I felt as if I disrupted them during their private time. I started to get mad at the whole situation: the dreams about the town, being away from home, missing my friends, Jeff ignoring me, and my parents' weird behavior. I've had enough of it all

"Oh, and don't forget lying to me about it. I mean, lying to Regina about it." I snapped. Two could play this weird game.

They turned their heads slowly in my direction as if I dared interrupt them while they were having their moment. Their eyes were darker than normal and their smiles were eerie, like they knew a spectacular secret that I was unaware of. Chills ran up my spine as they looked at me. I wanted to shrink back in my seat from the strangeness of the situation.

"No one lied to you, Regina." She said with a syrupy sweet voice.

"But I asked you both before about siblings. Both of you said you were only children and your parents were dead. Why didn't you tell me about your family, mom?"

Her fake, clownish smile started to get to me. They still held hands and rubbed their palms together. I chose to ignore their hands and kept my eyes focused on them.

"I think you misunderstood me. I told you I had a sister a long time ago. We never really got along before, even as kids. No big deal." Mom said with a shrug of her shoulders.

I looked at her like she was utterly stupid. She was lying and we both knew it. She never mentioned her sister, and the pictures I saw today showed me two happy little girls who loved each other. I wanted to be angry with her for lying to me to cover up her lies, but I didn't want to aggravate the situation. We would be leaving soon and this place would be a distant memory. There was absolutely no way I would ever come back here! Besides, I was pretty creeped out by them and wanted to escape the situation as quickly as I could.

I nodded my head at her and excused myself from the table.
Chapter Ten

The Pirate picked up his ringing phone with a wide smile on his face. "Your report?"

"Regina Ann Roth, Lee Texas." Sarah said in one breath.

The phone on the other end was silent. She knew he was still on the phone and gave him a moment of silence. "You've seen her?" He asked after a minute.

"No sir, but I'm on my way. I estimate I will arrive in Texas tonight. Marcus is waiting for me and we will go to ground in Austin. I expect physical confirmation in twenty four hours." Sarah answered.

Lady Sarah Lordview was definitely on her way to the small town of Lee, Texas. She spoke to the Pirate from the airport while she waited to board a plane. She sat on the hard airport chair and tried to get comfortable. The airport was crowded with people and lots of baggage. Sarah hated large crowds, but had to endure it in order to secure a nighttime flight. The task was vital to the survival of their people. Most of them won't survive another twenty years or so. The incredible amount of pressure that was on Sarah's shoulder was abnormally large.

"Remember, Sarah, you are to only identify her. Once you get confirmation, report back to me. If Regina really is Anna then we need to form a plan, a backup plan, and a backup to the backup plan. We must be deep in the ground and away from their territory. Do you understand me?"

"Yes." She responded.

The silence was very nice while he thought. Sarah had been tracking Regina, her cousin, for a very long time and she was ready to take a nice needed rest. However, if Regina really is the one they searched for, rest would never come for Sarah.

"Why is she in Texas?" He asked. The question came with a hint of anger and a lot of disgust.

"The 'grandmother' died. They took her to Texas for the funeral." Sarah responded.

"They must know we are close." He mumbled.

"Possibly. Though I don't think it's the only reason they took her away." Sarah took a deep breath and braced herself. "Her school records indicate she will turn sixteen in four months."

"Four months, you say." The Pirate's voice came with quiet excitement. "We will have Anna back in four months.... Do you know where to look?"

"Yes sir. The mark is on the forehead, in red." Sarah responded.

For hundreds of years, Sarah has thought of nothing, looked for nothing, but the red mark on an unknown young girl's forehead. It has chased Sarah for so long, she felt weary from it.

"That is all, for now." He said, breaking the silence. "I want confirmation you arrived safely in Marcus's care, then I expect to hear from you again in forty-eight hours. Am I clear, Sarah?"

"Crystal."
Chapter Eleven

Last night I had another strange dream. Mom, dad and I moved into Grandpa's house, but the house was haunted! Faucets in my bathroom would turn on and the water would run. I know it seems like a typical cliché but it scared the hell out of me. At one point, mom and dad left and I got into my bed for a nap, I think. I had a baby monitor, for some reason, and began hearing a woman on it. But there was no one in the house!

Suddenly, something came into the room. I don't know what happened next because my parents came home. But something else stood out at me: the house. It changed shape during my dream. I remember it being two stories with a cute and cozy layout. There were lots of windows along one side of the wall. Then, I realized I was in the room: dark leather furniture took up the right side of the room while a tiny bar was in the far right corner. I think there was a room beside the bar, making the room an L shape. I can't remember specifics though, I woke up soon after.

It was past two o'clock in the morning and I trembled from tonight's dream. Though it was nothing like the dream I had last night, the fear was still the same. I rubbed my eyes and took a sip of water. It always helped to keep water on my bedside.

I definitely was not living in the house of my nightmares, like my dream suggested. I searched this house yesterday when daddy and I cleaned, including Grandpa's room, and I never saw the room of my nightmares. Yet, the house might actually exist and be located in Lee.

Ohhhhh, I needed to stretch and get some fresh air! I felt trapped in my tiny room. The house was air conditioned, but it didn't work so well upstairs. I gathered my shoes and journal, and opened my door. I crept slowly past my parents open room. Thank goodness they were in deep sleep otherwise they might have heard me. The stairs stayed silent as I came down them. Once I was safely on the first floor, I hurried past the living room and into the kitchen. My socks softened my footsteps, so the floors did not betray me by making noise as I skidded across them.

Once I was safely outside on the sunporch, I walked carefully to the patio under my window. The Texas summer breeze was amazing at this time of night. In the darkness of the country, there where hundreds of thousands of stars. I never saw stars like this in New York. I inhaled the clean country air and sat down in the chair. It felt good to be outside again. I opened my journal to write down my dream as the breeze gently cooled off my skin.

My dreams are getting stronger and stranger. Much of my dream tonight takes place in the future – a future that will happen?? I'm shopping in a mall but end up in 'the house'. A living/entertainment room on the second floor of a house with large windows on the far right side. They open to a large wood deck and a distinct tree line. The house is not haunted this time but full of people. They are watching me and chanting some sort of voodoo words.

They're wearing shiny, silky black capes with hoods. I can't see their faces or the color of their hair but I think I know these people. I can't get closer to see them clearly because my legs and feet are tied up. This doesn't worry me for some reason.

To my left, a man is holding a large silver knife. It was beautiful as he stood in front of me and pushed it into my chest. The red rubies were from the knife, not my blood draining from me. What were those yellow things on the knife? I guess it doesn't matter now. The point is he stabs me with it, into my chest and through my heart.

The pain feels real as I look into the face of the man.

It's my grandfather!!

And though my dream ends, I'm left with a lot of questions and fear.

Am I going to live in this house one day?? It's getting pretty creepy – I've dreamt of the house on many separate occasions, but never like this. Never has grandpa been evil in my dreams!

Once again, I shut the journal. It was almost three in the morning. I shifted my back in the chair. My back felt stiff at my shoulders. I rubbed them as I listened to the wind moving the water in the tank. If I listened to it hard enough, I could pretend it was the ocean. Yet, as I listened to the water, I heard the silent whisper of the trees. I stopped moving to listen closely to the words. I could not make sense of it, but I know I heard them whispering. The overwhelming sensation someone was watching me forced me to leave the patio and go back inside. I tried to shut the patio door softly while locking it.

I felt relieved to be back inside and let out a sigh of relief. I walked into the house and through the kitchen and living room. The stairs looked like an exhausting climb and I groaned when I saw them. I had not gone two steps up the stairs when I heard a laugh from the living room. I stopped and snapped my neck down to view the room. Chills ran up my spine. No one was in here, but I knew I heard it. The living room was dark, but grandpa kept the lights highlighting the artwork lit, giving the room a warm orange glow. Everything was quiet and still. I waited for a few moments, searching for any signs of movement or voices. My heart started to slow down a little. Maybe it was the wind making noise in the chimney? Grandpa said the house was over a hundred years old and things do go bump in the night due to the age.

I liked the lies that I told myself. It was comforting.

I turned to go back up the stairs when I saw her standing at the top of the landing. A torn mouth smiled down at me. Her teeth and eyes glowed brightly in the light. The rest of her body was hidden by the dark shadows, covering her like a co-conspirator. I saw water dripping from her hair and clothes. My ears caught the sounds as it fell onto the carpeted stairs. I could see the outline of her ghostly body as she stood there, watching me. Her breath was slow and raspy. Since the house was silent, her breathing was the only sound that could be heard. My knees shook just as hard as my hands as I stood there, mesmerized by her. My heart pounded terribly as a cold sweat worked its way to my face. I didn't know what to do. I was completely frozen where I stood. Screaming would normally be my first reaction, but I was surprised at the sudden appearance of her that I could not remember what the logical response was. She walked slowly down the stairs. One foot came down the top step, then another. Her wet feet squished the carpet as she descended.

Squish, squish.

She stopped a few steps above me and whispered, "Run."

I howled from fright, she did not need to tell me twice. My feet bolted for grandpa's room. I looked back as I threw his door open and she continued to stand on the stairs, watching me. Her head followed my every movement.

"Grandpa!" I screamed as I burst into his room and jumped into his bed. "There's someone out there!"

His anger was mighty. No one had ever woken him like this before and he was greatly pissed off, even at me. "What is going on? What the hell is wrong with you, Regina?"

"Grandpa, someone's in the house! On the stairs!" I pointed to the door. Just as I said it, footsteps ran hard across the living room floor. We were in full view of the room and though we could hear the footsteps, we didn't see anyone. Grandpa reached instinctively for his gun in his nightstand. It was an old pistol, his favorite, and always kept loaded right beside his bed.

"Stay here." He grumbled. I nodded, there was no way I was going anywhere.

As he advanced on his doorway, the footsteps erupted into a full on run across the dining room and kitchen. We heard the kitchen door slam with such ferocity it shook the house.

"Dad?" Daddy called from upstairs.

"Lynda up there?"

"Yeah. What's going on?"

"Get yer gun. Someone broke in." Grandpa called.

Daddy and grandpa searched the house from top to bottom. It was empty except for the four of us. They asked me to describe in specific detail what the person looked like. More importantly, they wanted to know what I was doing in the house at night.

"I had a nightmare." I explained. "It shook me enough that I went outside for some fresh air. When I came back in, it was on the stairs." I will never forget Jeff's lesson in telling stories. K.I.S.S., meaning Keep It Simple, Stupid.

"You let someone in the house?" My mother asked incredulously.

"No, Lynda. Regina wouldn't do something like that." Grandpa stuck up for me. "They were probably in the house before she went outside. Was the kitchen door locked when you went out?"

"No." I admitted.

Daddy spoke up with a guilty voice. "That's my fault. I went outside for a cigarette when Lynda went to bed." Mom looked at him sharply. She made him quit smoking a year ago. It pissed mom off that he was killing himself with those things.

"Well it's locked now. Ain't never heard of no thief who locks the door behind them." Grandpa said.

I laid my cheek against the arm rest if the couch while the adults talked. They contemplated calling the sheriff, but decided it could wait till morning. Grandpa seemed sure they were not coming back. I, on the other hand, was scared out of my wits. The girl's eerie voice replayed itself in my head the rest of the night. It was frightening. After checking all the doors and windows, they went back to their rooms.

On the way back up the stairs, my father called out, "Regina, be careful bringing drinks upstairs! It's wet up here!"

The next morning, we had visitors for breakfast.

Their peals of laughter floated up to my room. It was only eight in morning on a Saturday. My shoulders hurt terribly this morning. I groaned and put my head under my pillow to drown out their voices, but my head slapped the journal I left there a couple of hours ago. Ouch! This day was not starting out well.

The smell of grandpa's biscuits and fresh expensive coffee was the only thing that got me out of bed. I turned over, put on my robe, and brushed my teeth before it could compute to me that we possibly had company. I opened the armoire and chose a cute Prada dress with blue Manalo shoes. I felt grumpy, but I looked unbelievably cute. I left my room, walked downstairs, and into the kitchen.

They sat at the dining room table, eating breakfast, and sipping coffee. My grandfather was at the one end of the table, daddy was at the other. Mom and some lady were on one side, having a good time. The smile on my mother's face indicated she was quite happy. It pained me. I never saw her so happy when dad and I were with her. Mom and I are pretty close, but that closeness felt as if it's dwindling down.

The woman who made my mother so happy was a pretty, petite red head. Her hair was cut fashionably short to her chin line. Her pretty hazel eyes were filled with sunshine, as well as her smile. Those perfect white teeth were evidence of many years wearing braces. Her tiny nose and thin lips made her face look beautiful.

When I walked in, she was telling a story. Her hands were wild with gestures, just like my mother did when she told a story. The brown sweater hid her emerald green short sleeve shirt. I could not see the rest of her, but chunky jewelry hung from her arms and fingers. Her fashion sense was pretty cool. This woman must be my mother's sister, Rachel. The two brats sitting across from them must be Rachel's children, my cousins. I walked into the room a little further.

"Good morning Regina. Um, did you sleep well?" My mother asked.

Giggles rippled across the table at my mother's joke. I guess they heard about the invisible intruder last night. When aunt Rachel smiled, I noticed her dimple was gone. In fact, her cheeks were pretty hollow. They matched her thin body and her hair dye job was pretty good. She was a brunette in her younger days and a red head now. She looked chic.

"Actually, I didn't sleep so well, but Grandpa's biscuits woke me." I smiled at my grandfather. The two heads in front of me turned around and looked at me. The girl looked about my age, with blonde hair and blue eyes. When she saw me, she smiled as if she was glad I finally arrived. The little boy could not be older than ten. When our eyes met, he glared at me in fury.

"Sweetie, this is my sister, Rachel, and these are your cousins, MeKayla and Michael."

"Good morning." I said acknowledging all of them. "It's nice to meet you."

The ice was broken with my kind smile and polite words. It seemed like everyone waited with baited breath for my reaction.

"Go on ahead and get ya a plate, hon." Grandpa said as he patted my hand. I loved grandpa's little southern accent.

My breakfast waited for me on the antique gas stove. I took a good whiff of the biscuits before I took a lot. Grandpa made these from scratch every weekend morning. Since he got up so early to tend to his vegetable garden, he made these perfect and delicious biscuits. I sat down eager to gobble these things down!

There wasn't a seat was available at the table so I guess I don't have to sit with them. I suppressed a giggle and started scarfing the food down in the kitchen. Daddy gave me a toxic look as he sipped his coffee. What was up with him this morning?

Mom and aunt Rachel started talking again and the brats talked with daddy. Only grandpa came over to me to ask how I was doing. I was beginning to love my grandpa deeply. He would talk to me about anything: his youth, life, marriage, life in general. I told him about Jeff and my life in New York. We had a lot of things in common. We loved old black and white movies, pork chops, watching TV late at night, reading, and the ocean. A carpenter by trade, he loved to show me how to use my hands.

"Regina? Why don't you sit with the family?" Daddy's voice rang out through the room. I have to say, my daddy knew exactly how to push my buttons. The problem is he never does. I told him yesterday I wanted to know our family and I'm so not a morning person. His tone was calm and mocking. No one would be able to understand it except me.

Hiding my curled lip of anger, I picked up my food and went to grandpa's chair. Grandpa was already out the door to work on something outside. I desperately wanted to follow him and get away from daddy's terrible looks, but I knew I could not get up and leave. I turned to the family and put on my best fake smile. I was very good at it.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Regina! Mom told me all about you and New York City! How exciting to live in New York. I would love to go one day!" MeKayla squealed.

"Well, we're cousins! You should come visit us." My fake smile was plastered on my face, but I only did it to make my parents happy. I did want to know MeKayla, but I was in too sour of a mood to make a real attempt. "Tell you what? Let me get back to normal today and later, we can have dinner in town! You can tell me all about the people here and what there is to do. I can tell you about New York."

"Sure! I don't have a car, though."

"You're sixteen!" I gushed, finally happy to find something in common.

"Yes, mam. I turned sixteen last Christmas. Getting my driver's license was the coolest gift ever!" Pride stretched across her face as MeKayla told me this. I had less than one month to go.

We talked a little more about Lee and what there was to do here. My other cousin, Michael, talked to my father the entire time. They looked in heavy discussion when I checked on them. Daddy sat with his legs crossed, engrossed in what the kid was saying. What did that kid have to say that was so interesting? I wondered with some jealously. I answered aunt Rachel's questions while constantly checking my father's gaze as I did so, but he was so enamored with Michael he didn't hear me.

Breakfast ended shortly after that. We walked aunt Rachel and my cousins out to their car. It was a miserable little Plymouth. It sat next to our perfect Mercedes in shame. I think the color was green. I was not sure because it badly needed a new paint job. When aunt Rachel started it up, I didn't think it would make it down the driveroad, but I saw it disappear safely over the horizon.

"Did you enjoy meeting your aunt and cousins?" The pleasant words came out of mom's mouth.

"Yes, thank you. Mom? Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Can it wait sweetie? Grandpa and I are due at the funeral home in an hour."

"Sure mom." It was the only reply I could think of giving. "So, daddy? How 'bout a driving lesson today?"

Mom and grandpa disappeared quickly in the car and down the driveroad. Yikes! That was quick. Mom tapped the accelerator so hard, rocks flew out from the rental car. The clouds turned gray as daddy turned to me with eyes hard as stone. My evil father had returned!

The sky was definitely gray now. Thunder rolled in from the distance. I smelled the rain in the air. I inhaled the magnificent scent and took a moment to enjoy it for it only lasted a moment. Daddy's back hunched forward, his head fell into his neck slowly, and his hands went deep into his designer pants.

"Uh, never mind. I think we're done for the week." I turned around quickly on my five hundred dollar heels and escaped to the house. I ran to the safety of my room for it was the only room with a lock.

I need to get out of here! I'm totally going crazy!

After I shut my door tight, it felt silly to lock it, I sat on my bed and tried to skype Jane. I needed to talk to someone, but the sensation of someone staring at me stopped me. I looked around but did not see anything out of the ordinary. My eyes searched the room for any signs of movement, but I found nothing.

I waited. I know someone was watching me, I felt it so strongly.

The sensation left as quickly as it came. I waited another minute and went back to my phone. Maybe it's time to introduce myself to the boys and girls of Lee.
Chapter Twelve

The 'pasture party' was in the middle of nowheresville. Katie picked me up at eight o'clock that night from grandpa's house. At first, I was sure my parents would say no to a party, but I think daddy regretted the way he acted towards me and convinced her to let me go. I was not used to getting their approval to attend a party. They're never around to help or guide me, so they should not start now. We all agreed we needed a break from each other and letting me out of the house would give us time away. I felt great as I got into Katie's car, a little yellow Volkswagen.

"Do you like my birthday present?" She gestured to the car.

"I love it!"

"Do your parents think I'm a bad influence on you now? Taking you to a party when you're here for a funeral?" Katie asked with a chuckle.

"Oh, screw them. I don't care what they think." I said without thinking.

"Wow, Regina. Sounds like you have a great relationship with your folks." Katie giggled.

"I did until we came here."

We took CR 226 to once again in order to get back to the main highway. When we were halfway down 226, Katie took a left on CR 224. I had never been this way before and was interested in the scenery.

We passed new and larger homes, and acres upon acres of open pastures of green grass and livestock. Mostly cows grazed here, but I could see the occasional sheep, goat, and pigs. This road was rich with large trees that reached as far as they could to the sky. Beautiful garlands of ivy and moss hung from some of the trees, adding a lot of charm. Since it was getting dark quickly, a creepy feeling came over me as Katie drove deeper into the woods.

Barbed wire fencing ran along the road. I swore everything looked familiar, from the gravel in the road to the shape of the trees. Soon the houses disappeared and the only scenery that remained was dark farmland. I shook my head to rid myself of the intense feeling of déjà vu.

A few moments later, we arrived at the party. It was a big open field with cars parked in a circle. Katie parked her car in circle and left her headlights on to give us plenty of light. The pickups trucks were turned around so we could sit and the music blared into the night. I saw a couple of kegs of beer on one side and cans of beer on another. A couple of kids sat on top of the car hoods, laughing, and guzzling their beer. Kids who came with someone were off to the side, making out. A cute older girl with red pigtails walked around the party with a video camera. The girls took the opportunity to flash their boobs at the camera. I saw kids dancing together in center of the party. I laughed as I observed this new alternate universe. One thing we never did at Will Lawson Academy was have parties. I decided to forget about my bad dreams for the night and have some fun. The guys in their football jackets danced with the girls. I saw guys doing keg stands. Some girls were doing back flips off the back of one of the pickup trucks. The one who did the best got a huge shot of alcohol. I could tell many of the girls had too many shots already. One girl landed on her face when she flipped off. Her nose was broken and blood fell from her nose, but everyone cheered when she got back up to try it again. Amazingly, some kid streaked through the crowd.

"Hey Regina!" Katie shouted over the music. "These sexy chicks are my friends, Becky Lowe, Natalie Rogers, and Sabrina Turner. This is Sabrina and her brother's party!"

Katie nodded to three very pretty girls. Becky, the tallest one, looked like a model with her long legs, slim torso, and sleek body. Her tan was flawless as was her brown hair. Natalie was a brunette, as well. However, her plump figure was totally overshadowed by her green eyes. They were as bright and brilliant as emeralds! The last one, Sabrina, was very different. Her extremely long blonde hair was pinned up at the sides. Her round hips and bigger sized stomach gave her curves that made the boys stare. However, it was the way she looked at me that gave me the creeps. Her blue eyes stared at me with malice and she had a smirk on her face as if she was better than me. Instantly, I disliked Sabrina.

"Let's dance!" Katie shouted at us.

We went to the middle of the clearing and danced together. The song was fast and they complimented me on my dance moves. Becky tried to imitate me.

"Where did you learn to dance?" Natalie shouted her question.

"Clubs in New York!" I shouted in response.

After the song, Sabina announced she was going for a beer. Katie stayed with me while the other girls went with Sabrina and that is when I saw him staring at me. From ten feet away, I saw the most incredible guy. He was over six feet tall with beautiful short brown hair and blue eyes. In fact, his eyes were so blue, they were they only thing I could see in the crowd of kids. Muscles rippled through his t-shirt as he brought his hand to his mouth to take a drink from the cup he held. I gulped. This guy was so hot! Probably the hottest guy at the party.

"Who is that guy?" I asked Katie while trying to nonchalantly point to him.

Katie followed my finger and saw him. She turned back to me and giggled. "That's Steven Rank. I think he's looking at you!"

I laughed confidently. Of course he was looking at me! I was the prettiest girl here and not available. However, it wouldn't hurt to have a little fun. I decided to go talk to him.

"I'll be right back. You won't leave without me, will you?" I asked.

"No! I promise I won't! Go! Go!" She gestured for me to go talk to Steven and walked away.

I turned around and did not see him anymore. It seemed like hundreds of heads were in the way. I searched the crowd for the guy with the blue eyes and did not see him. Before I could take one step forward to find him, he suddenly appeared in front of me. His eyes were now dark, like a monster's. A slick smile crawled across his face as he put his hand out to shake mine. As I cupped his hand in a polite and firm handshake, I felt a jolt of desire surge through me. I closed my eyes for a second to feel the warmth travel from my toes to my cheeks. I giggled as I felt the blood rush into them.

"I'm Steven." He said in a suave voice.

I looked up and let my blue eyes gaze into his. A sexy techno beat shook the ground below me. I felt good as Steven put his hands on my hips, leading me to the beat. Our foreheads and noses touched, and we breathed into each other as we danced. Sweat poured from our hairline as we moved together. Steven pulled me close to him at an intense moment in the beat. I felt my heart beat erratically when he grabbed my hips. My arms wrapped around his neck as we continued to breathe into one another. I moved my fingers into the belt loops of his jeans and held on tight. He danced fast as he moved his hips and feet to the music. Jeff was a good dancer, but nothing like this guy.

I was hypnotized by his touch and closed my eyes as I let my body go. Our sweat became intertwined like our bodies. I felt everyone's eyes on us as we danced. We were the center of attention to everyone at the party. Even Katie and the girls watched us.

I was lost in one of those moments in life where I will never forget it. Steven's strong hands led me into a world of desire I didn't think existed. As I touched his face, I wanted him to kiss me. The desire to be kissed by Steven burned so deeply inside me, I thought I would die from it. We clung to each other, not wanting to let go.

Then the song was over. Our eyes met and I knew the spell had been broken. The music was gone, as well as our moment. It passed us by.

"Thanks for the dance. See you around." He whispered as he walked away.

Oh, that was so unfair! It was such a 'Regina' move! I stood alone in the clearing. My legs burned like they were on fire from him. Katie made her way through the crowd, squealing with delight as she came up to me.

"That was so hot!" She exclaimed. "I don't think I've seen that at one of Sabrina's parties before!"

"Who was that guy?" I asked again.

"I told you, his name is Steven Rank. He's seventeen and THE hottest guy in school. His parents own the dress shop on main street and the diner."

"Where did he go?" I strained my neck trying to spot him.

The rest of the night was the same, lots of kids drinking and dancing and acting like wild kids do. However, I did not see Steven the rest of the night. I drank a few beers, but not too much. Katie was driving so I was not too worried about getting home. I had a good time with the girls, except Sabrina constantly stared at me with a chilling gaze. Despite her, I met a lot of new people and managed to have a good time.

At the end of the night, I felt as if I seriously misjudged these people. I thought this place would be redneckville, but it's far from that. The kids are educated and pretty polite. It was a shame I would not be going to school here next year. I would be the new, cool kid and it would be a blast. I would probably go to school with that Steven guy. Oh, the possibilities were endless!

I quickly hated myself for that idea. I didn't want to break up with Jeff, I didn't want to live here, and there was no way I would go to school here. I was way too different. Besides, I knew I would never see that guy again. I doubted my parents would let me go to a party again. We were leaving after the summer anyway, so it would not matter if I did saw him again. He didn't know who I was anyway.

He didn't ask my name!
Chapter Thirteen

Lady Sarah anxiously waited to report to the Pirate. She sat in her safe house with trembling knees. Thank goodness it was night and they could come out from ground. Her first recruit, Claude, stood with Malcolm in the corner looking out the window. The moon was full and seemed to captivate the two men. The house they resided in was strange. It was brand new and deserted. The furniture was full of dust and the curtains were ripped. Only the magnificent library stood out among the old and forgotten.

Earlier tonight, Sarah followed Regina. She sat in the trees with her companions and observed the party. The odd behavior of kids today perplexed her. She climbed up the tree for a better view. The oak tree did not go too high, but it was enough that Sarah saw everyone at the party. Claude and Malcolm were behind her, keeping guard while she tried to get a closer look at the girl, Regina. All these kids looked alike and there were so many of them!

Then, through the crowd of people came a young blonde girl with a red gash, as clear as crystal, on her forehead. Sarah's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. She was in awe of the girl in front of her.

It was true! Anna lived!

No one truly believed the young man who claimed to of seen her, but it was true. The mark was still visible after all this time! A beautiful, large red gash was right between her eyes and very obvious from that distance. It was the friendship mark of the Whispers! Sarah called for Claude and Malcolm to join her. They sat in the oak tree with Sarah and watched the young girl. Malcolm took Sarah's hand when she cried. She put her head on his shoulder to muffle the sounds. Sarah toyed with the notion of taking Regina now, but she had to wait until she spoke to the Pirate before she could act.

It's been forty eight hours since Sarah spoke to the Pirate. She picked up her phone and dialed the only phone number in her contact list.

"Your report?" He asked as soon as he answered the phone.

"It's her." She heard the tears over the phone coming from the Pirate. For five hundred years they have searched for this girl, the one who can free them from the terrible curse they suffer from.

"You saw it?" His voice was a whisper, barely heard by Sarah.

She knew what he meant. He asked her if she saw the mark on Regina's forehead. Sarah replied, "I did."

"How long do we have till they sacrifice her?" He asked after a few minutes of silence. The moment of happiness passed. The moment of planning was upon them.

"I would have to infiltrate the city and citizens to be sure. I guess before her birthday, October thirteenth."

"Then we have to work fast." The Pirate spoke in a frenzied voice. "Begin the next phase: start setting up ground and safe houses. We need maps of the area, detailed maps and we must know how far the Law's reach goes. You must move quickly to formulate a solid evacuation plan."

"Kaylee is already in place, Pirate. He's in a small town called Manor. He's waiting for her." Sarah said.

After he promised to send more people to aide in her task, the Pirate hung up with Sarah. Her heart raced in anticipation of getting Anna back. In fact, she could hardly contain her excitement. She wanted to leave that very moment and steal the girl before anyone realized she was missing. The desire to take Regina consumed Sarah.

Soon, she thought. Very soon.
Chapter Fourteen

Four days after we arrived in Lee, we buried grandma Lydia. Mom mistakenly planned her funeral to be small and sweet, but about a hundred people attended the service and viewing. Aunt Rachel and mom went up to say a few kind words before the tears got to them. A couple of grandma Lydia's elderly friends stepped up to talk about her, even Mekayla. She dramatically walked to the podium and gave this long speech about how much of a saint our grandmother was. I felt hypnotized by her words. I wondered if our grandmother was so good and wonderful, why did she never speak to me or my family.

Grandpa was pretty shaken at the service. He required the assistance of daddy to help him stand. His wife of over fifty-five years died and he was visibly heartbroken. His black suit embellished his height and made him look impressive. I was in awe of my handsome grandfather. I felt his strength crumble when grandma Lydia's coffin was lowered into the ground.

He whispered through his tears, "I'll never kiss my Lydia again."

The wake was bigger than the service. I met a lot of mom's friends and their kids. Katie was there with her mom. The wake was held at grandpa's house because it was large enough to accommodate everyone. Daddy and I stood by the grand fireplace, watching everyone. Our living room was filled with people I didn't know, except for some of the kids I met at the party. I felt a little self-conscious not talking to anyone, but it was my grandmother's wake. I think it was acceptable to maintain my silence. My cousins spoke to people they knew, but didn't bother to talk to me. I wanted to go upstairs and hide in my room until all these people left. I noted the guy from the party, Steven, was there. Why would he come to my grandmother's wake?

I excused myself from daddy and made my way to him. Steven's face brightened significantly when he saw me coming towards him. He looked so handsome in his black jacket and pants. His sturdy chest was dressed in a white shirt and yellow tie. My smile widened as I neared him.

"It's nice to see you again." I teased.

"You too, Regina." He emphasized my name and widened his smile.

"So you do know my name. And here I thought you danced with girls, whose name you didn't know, all the time."

"No, just the beautiful ones." He said to me.

I blushed and looked away. I thought of nothing but this guy and the dance we had together. I yearned to see him again and here he was, at my grandmother's wake. I couldn't help but stare at his lips, they looked so kissable. I ached with desire. I couldn't stop imagining making out with this guy. I started to feel guilty for wanting to see Steven again. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea to talk to him. I was at my grandmother's funeral.

"What brings you to my grandmother's wake?" I asked, trying to avoid the obvious statement he just made.

"Mrs. Underwood was my mom's fifth grade teacher. I didn't know she had another granddaughter." He said with a smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eyes.

"Me neither." I muttered.

I needed some air, so we walked outside to the front yard. It was a peaceful day. I inhaled the country air deeply, filled my lungs, and cleared my head in the process.

"So, if my grandmother taught your mom, does that make us related?" I joked out loud.

"In this town, it might." He laughed.

As Steven said that, he leaned to my left and put up his arm against the wall. It was so sexy! The smell of his cologne made my knees go weak. I tried not to show how vulnerable I was so I smiled at him and sat in the nearest rocking chair. I crossed my ankles and put my hands in my lap like a good southern lady does. Steven smiled his, what I was beginning to call, trademark grin. He sat gracefully in the chair beside me and rocked gently. I felt my heart race wonderfully as he looked at me.

"Did you have fun at the party?" He asked, his smile dazzling me.

"Yes. I've never been to a pasture party before in New York." I giggled.

"Probably never will. So, ....how much longer will you be in Lee?"

"We leave the first week in August." I couldn't help but show my excitement. I realized that I sounded like an incredibly insensitive, city snob. I quickly added, "Not that I don't like it here. In fact, Lee is very charming. I can understand why my grandfather loves it here."

That seemed to help my stupidity. Steven nodded in agreement while looking at his feet. He rocked gently in the chair and asked, "Do you think you'll be here long enough to go out with me?"

I wasn't shocked, but I was a little surprised. I didn't expect him to ask me out, only to keep playing the little game he had going with me. Since I was only here for a short time, I thought he would flirt with me, a lot, and I would return his flirts, but nothing would happen and I would go home. I felt a thrill go through my body as I thought about going on a date with Steven. I felt so conflicted. I wanted to go out with him, but I couldn't betray Jeff and our relationship.

Then again, Jeff wouldn't know. How could he? I wouldn't tell him. My parents didn't think too much of my relationship with Jeff, so I knew they wouldn't care or mention it to him. In two months, I would be gone and no one would be the wiser. I suppressed a giggle while I let the excitement pass through me. I loved this kind of a secret.

I was about to answer him in a flirty way and say yes to his offer when I stopped. Guilt flooded my entire body and stabbed my heart. I winced with shame. "You are very sweet to ask me Steven, but I have a boyfriend." I gushed stupidly and got up to leave him sitting alone in my patio.

I smacked myself on the forehead when I was out of sight. I couldn't believe what I almost did! I wanted to call Jeff to tell him I almost said yes to another guy's offer for a date, but decided against it. Since I didn't say yes, I figured a little summer crush wasn't considered cheating. I didn't want to upset Jeff and our relationship, though I was starting to get a little worried he was having a little summer crush of his own.
Chapter Fifteen

In the weeks that passed after my grandmother's funeral, I thought a lot about Jeff. We didn't talk very often on our phones or by text due to my crappy service, but we did talk by Skype. When we did talk, it was short and not very romantic. He had to go to football camp, which kept him away for a month. I kept my emotions in check, I didn't want to appear as if I was jealous or possessive, but my patience was starting to fade with Jeff.

I tried to show him my little room on video chat and how I changed it, but he didn't seem too interested. The walls were now freshly painted white along with the bed, desk, and chair. Grandpa and I had fun repainting the room and furniture together. One lone purple stripe ran horizontally, at the top of the wall, around the room. The carpet was clean and washed along with the armoire. Grandpa said we should strip the armoire of paint and stain it instead of re-painting it. He said it would make it look nicer in my room, more antique. The bedding was now purple and made with a much higher thread count. The brown comforter had purple and pink flowers running in vertical stripes. A new gray steel light fixture hung from the ceiling, giving the room a modern feel. It added warmth to the room.

Grandpa granted me permission to redecorate the room and I tackled it with enthusiasm. It helped pass the weeks and I spent some quality time with my grandfather. We drove to a nearby town to find paint and furnishings because Lee certainly didn't have a store with the latest fashions. He taught me how to paint, bait and fish, row a boat, and mow the grass with an industrial mower. One day, grandpa took me out to shoot his handgun so I could get a feel for it. He even taught me a lot about the country, for instance, everything was fried here, even the tomatoes, and bacon is served at every meal. Also, bacon grease is collected in order to add flavor to the next meal. I soon became a fan of chicken fried steaks after grandpa made them one night.

Regardless of the scary incidents, I had a good vacation. I thought I might feel depressed from missing home, my friends, and Jeff, but I wasn't. In fact, I felt more independent and in control of my life than before. This town was different than what I expected it to be. I really liked it here and I didn't need Jeff or any of my friends to find happiness. My city friends would be there when I returned. I began a new phase of living in Lee, acceptance. Katie was a big part of that acceptance.

Katie Kramer became my new best friend. We had a lot in common. We loved the same music, movies, fashion, and books. At first, we spent a lot of time at my house. We learned a lot about each other that summer. When daddy got in a bad mood, which was often, I called Katie and we would escape to the backroads together.

Katie's mother, Marilyn, was a single mother and worked at the local insurance agency as a secretary. Being an only child, Katie was the center of her mother's world. I got the feeling that her mother depended on Katie, and I mean really depended on her. Katie did the cooking, cleaning, laundry, repaired the house, and paid the bills. They lived in a small house in town off Chambers street. It was close to the high school and Katie said she liked living in a small town.

I found a lot of new friends while in Lee. Katie was sweet and wanted me to feel accepted while I was here so she introduced me to a lot of the local kids. She invited me to Bastrop lake to go camping and water skiing with her mom. We went to the movies and did some shopping in Brenham. A lot of people had pasture parties and we would often go with Nat and Becky. The four of us would pile into Katie's tiny car and try to find a needle in a haystack. I spent less and less time alone. It got to be the best of times for me.

One day, I sat in the back of a beat up pickup watching Billy, Rodney, and Joey challenging each other in the lake. The boys wanted to play chicken with Katie and Becky on their shoulders. Steven laughed at them while eating an apple. His brown hair blew delicately in the breeze. He seemed so relaxed as he sat with one knee up and his back against the tree. His right hand dangled carelessly from his knee as he ate the red apple. The day was hot and bright, and the sun played behind the clouds teasingly as everyone swam in Frank Color's tank. I avoided Steven and looking at him. He drove me pleasantly crazy. My relationship with Jeff these days was pretty much nonexistent. Every time I looked at Steven, I resisted the urge to break up with Jeff.

These days, I avoided my parents, as well. Daddy was always with mom now that we buried grandma Lydia. They were always together, giggling. At first, I thought it was cute, but now I find it as I do everything else in Lee, strange. Their constant attention to one another left me alone and depressed, which helped me get away with a lot of stuff at home. If I came home late, no one said anything. If I tossed out a rude or sarcastic comment, no one corrected me. If I wanted to take mom's car out for the day, no one said I couldn't.

This was how I ended up at Mr. Color's tank. I got pretty angry at breakfast when mom and daddy avoided the conversation about my birthday party. They could at least pretend to care. I grabbed her car keys and drove into town. I had breakfast at the best diner in town, the Lee Grille. It was owned by Steven's parents. It wasn't a coincidence that I ended up there. I hoped to catch a glimpse of the luscious Steven. While I was there, I decided to make a day out of it and went shopping at the local stores. I bought a new pretty white and yellow sundress with a plaid pattern. It had sunflowers sewn into the hem and looked very nice on me. I bought shoes to go with the dress, a scarf, some small pieces of jewelry, and a few tops and shorts. The fashion choices in Lee were limited, but they would work. I needed to fit in with the people and wearing the most expensive fashions would look snobby to them.

While I was in the dress store, I ran into Katie. She invited me to Mr. Color's tank with the gang. I almost refused. I thought I pushed my luck this morning with my parents I should take mom's car back to her, when Katie told me Steven would be there. Of course, I had to go.

Mr. Color was a war veteran and retired from his daily job. He allowed people to swim in his tank during the summer as long as things never got too wild, and every one left the land and tank clean. It was a picture perfect piece of property two miles outside of town. The tank was clean and surrounded by emerald green grass. The trees were older and gave a lot of shade to the sunbathers. Multi colored flowers covered the ground in patches in the shade. The tank made an L shape, but there was an island in the middle. The smaller side was shallow and the best side for kids to play.

While my friends played in the tank, I sat in the shade under a cedar tree to get the best view of Steven. I don't know why I was looking at him, but I liked the way I felt when I did. I noticed things certain things about him, like the color of his tan or the way his neck curved into his collarbone. His blue and white striped shirt covered the black belt that ran smoothly around his waist. He seemed to sense I was staring at him and smiled sheepishly. Large sunglasses covered my eyes and hid my little observance of Steven. I felt my breath come faster as Steven easily put the apple to his mouth and take a bite. He looked happy that I was watching him. I suddenly felt powerful, as if I controlled the situation. I knew exactly what I was doing when I got up and walked over to him.

What was I thinking? I felt myself scream with every step I took.

"What's up Regina?" He asked, but I heard something else behind his words, a smooth line of disgust. I felt myself react as if burned and, once again, the spell had been broken. I gave some flippant excuse to Steven without remembering what I said and ran into the tank to swim with my friends. Rod lifted me up on his shoulders.

"Oh no! Regina's in the game!" Rodney shouted.
Chapter Sixteen

Later that day, I sped through main street in grandpa's truck, desperate to get away from the town, and Steven. What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I stop the thoughts about him? I couldn't talk to anyone about this, not Jane or Renee. I certainly didn't know Katie well enough to talk to her. I only had my thoughts to torture me. I kept thinking about Steven's smile, his handsome face, and that amazing body. Besides, Jeff was a temporary boyfriend and I knew it. I wasn't going to marry him and I certainly didn't see myself being anyone special to him. So why was I fighting so hard to ignore Steven and my feelings?

By this time I was deep in the backroads. I didn't think I drove this far. Something was different about my parents, as well. Aunt Rachel had been a total surprise. Why hadn't mom told me about her sister and my grandfather? I had two cousins whom I never knew of. If she hid all of that from me, what else was she hiding?

My thoughts and desire ran back to Steven. I refused to think of anything else other than him. I pictured the look on his face when I would tell him I'm single. I continued my little fantasy to our first date. Dinner and a moonlit stroll through downtown sounded perfect. Maybe Steven would kiss me at the end of the night.

I trembled with excitement and took out my phone to call him.

"Hey Jeff, its Regina!" I said and took a deep breath.

\-----

An hour later, I was still on the backroads. I couldn't go home yet. The sun went down and I had half a tank of gas left. The conversation with Jeff didn't go well at all. Either he was hurt or mad, I couldn't decide. Probably both, I thought.

"Jeff, I've been thinking, a lot. It isn't fair to us to carry on with this long distance thing." I began.

"I'm fine Regina. I can wait for you to come home. Don't worry about me, I'm worried about you. What's going on there?" Jeff asked.

"Everything. The world here is topsy-turvy." I said quietly.

"Why?"

"My grandfather is kind, my mother is a liar, my father hates me, and I don't know what's going on with me!" I tried to hold back the tears as I spoke. My headlights flickered in the darkness as I drove deeper into the country.

"Don't tell me you're breaking up with me to date those rednecks." He asked at one point in the conversation, I heard his voice start to rise.

"Don't call them that!" I scoffed at him. This was going to go horribly wrong if I didn't do something drastic. "Jeff I'm a mess over here! I don't know who or what to believe or if I'm ever coming home!"

I heard Jeff take a deep breath over the phone. I didn't want the conversation to end because I dropped my service, so I pulled over onto the side of the road.

"Well excuse me! You know I would come to see you but, let's be honest, I don't want to go somewhere where the town shuts down at dusk." He said with disgust.

"And you don't want to see me? Is that it?" I asked

"No,.....but Lee isn't exactly a vacation spot." He said defensively.

"I know that Jeff! I thought that since I was here, you would want to make an effort to at least visit me once!" I shouted at him.

"Did you really think I was going to come to that town? Come on, Regina! Besides you're coming home next month!" He spoke to me with a snotty tone. It angered me.

"I thought you cared about me enough to help me through the toughest time in my life!" I shouted.

"'The toughest time in your life'? Really Regina, I think you're being dramatic." He said with disdain.

"No I'm not, and if you really cared about me at all you would come see for yourself!"

Yes, please come see me. Please come see the 'new' me and save me from this place, I thought.

"I'm not coming to Lee, Regina." Jeff said firmly. "Football practice starts next month, I just got back from camp, I want to have some fun this summer while I can, and I've got my parents on my back, too!"

"Well, maybe you could come this weekend?" I pleaded after I changed my tone and attitude. "Jeff, I'm sorry I'm acting crazy, but I need to talk to you, to really talk to you. I can't do it over the phone and that sounds so stupid, I know, but please come. If you really care about me like you always told me, then you will come. Please." I begged. He had to come. Once he did, he would see the spell I was under and free me from it.

Silence again. I was getting used to it. What was he thinking?

"Regina...." He stammered. "I can't come to Lee. Don't ask me to explain why, but I'm not coming."

For some reason, his refusal freed the rage inside of me and I blew up at him. "Fine." I replied coldly. "Then don't come, but if you don't, consider us over."

Silence.

I drove down Old Towne road when I noticed something odd about the scenery. There were plenty of crazy trees, as Katie described them. The barbwire fences stretched for miles in front of me and I realized I was lost. I was so lost in my thoughts, I drove aimlessly around. I looked for a safe place to turn the truck around. I kept a detailed map of the roads of Lee in the glove box. If I could find a driveway to pull into so I could look at the map.....

Then I saw it, the curve coming up in the road. I passed the familiar Fort Knox style house with the big driveway. The empty field loomed ahead of me as I took the curve. The road went left and straightened out. I couldn't see past the tall cedar trees that lined the left side of the road, but I could see the fog. It patiently waited for me just ahead. Fog as thick as pea soup and darker than the night hung in the air straight ahead. I panicked. This was my dream! I didn't know what to do. I thought I should turn around on the road, but it rained earlier and I would surely get grandpa's truck stuck in the mud. Jeff's response echoed in my head.

"You're going to break up with me because I won't come to visit you in Lee?"

"No! I'm breaking up with you because you're a jerk!" I screamed into the phone and hung it up.

Now, panic and fear pulsated through my body. I breathed so fast, my head spun. I was trapped! There was no way around the fog short of driving through it. No, I couldn't do that. I was about to stop the car when I saw the turn off to the left. Excitement and relief built my heart back up. I turned the truck away from the fog while tears of happiness streaked down my cheeks. Once I turned off the road, I felt so stupid. Here I was, scaring myself on a lone, dark country road because of some stupid dream. I pulled my car over, flipped on my hazard lights, and sat for a second in the silence of my truck.

"I'm so damn STUPID!!" I shouted in the privacy of the truck.

I knew it was more than the dream that bothered me. The whole time here in Lee, I've felt different. Maybe everything is different now. Deep inside me, I knew I was doomed to stay here in Lee and graduate from this high school rather than home in New York. I knew I wanted Steven and purposely broke up with Jeff. I knew my parents were different, too. I knew mom wanted to give up the city to live in Lee, being the happy little housewife. Daddy seemed as if he didn't care where we lived, as long as it was with my mother. My grandfather was not the man my mother told me he was. And this whole town, it seems so strange..........

Before I could expand on my thoughts, I glanced out my passenger side window and saw it.

A house.

It sat about fifty feet back from the road in the darkness, just waiting for me to see it. The mammoth roof was taller than the tree line. It was a three point roof that loomed over the land before me. The darkness couldn't hide the tan brick walls and the black roof. The windows were large and dark. They overlooked over the road like a guardian waiting for its master to return. The grass was overgrown with weeds starting to flower.

I don't remember opening the car door and walking towards the house. I felt as if something in the house physically pulled me to it. My feet scraped over the cement steps and onto the porch. I felt dazed as I reached for the handle to open the door.

I stopped and yanked my hand away from the door as if I had been burned. Wait! What am I doing? I felt my senses come back and I looked at the house with a better view. The house watched me as I looked inside the windows on the first floor. I couldn't see a thing without light so I backed away from the house to look at it from afar. The two windows on the second floor looked like the eyes of the house. I watched closely as an orange hue approached the window. I gasped in fright when the wind chimes on the front porch suddenly came to life. The sound startled me. I looked back to the window to see the orange light gone, but when I gazed at the first floor, I saw the orange light in the window. This time, it had eyes!

I ran away from the house at full speed. I threw myself into the truck and sped away, leaving a long trail of mud and grass behind me.
Chapter Seventeen

True to his word, daddy took me out again and taught me how to drive. It wasn't the most pleasant experience since we were hostile towards each other. I didn't understand why he was upset with me, but I tried not to let it dissuade me from learning. I was days away from turning sixteen. Daddy promised me a car for my birthday, but I didn't get too excited. My parents didn't seem too happy about the prospect of buying me a car when we got back to the city.

My mother continued to have a blast with her family. Aunt Rachel came by grandpa's house many times with her kids. MeKayla was alright, but I didn't care too much for Michael. He was only nine years old, but I felt something bad behind his eyes and actions. He loved doing things that hurt other people. Once, he purposefully threw a baseball through one of grandpa's sunroom windows. Since the window was made from a special plastic, it was harder and expensive to fix. Grandpa swatted the hell out of him for that one, but that didn't stop this little monster from lighting a large pile of leaves on fire.

I was upstairs, in my room with MeKayla. I don't know where the 'grown ups' were but I started to smell something coming from my window. The smell filled up my room quickly and I had no problem finding the source. Rage boiled when I saw my bratty cousin trying to set fire to a pile of leaves.

"Put those leaves out right now, Michael!" My voice boomed from my window. I kept my eyes on him as I stuck my head out the window, but he only laughed at me. MeKayla came to my aide and told her brother to put of the fire or else we would come down and make him.

"And I'm from New York, buddy! I'll kick your ass!" My voice barely shouted that out before I busted out into giggles. MeKayla joined me. We knew I would never do it, but it sounded really funny when I said it.

He did put out the little fire, but aunt Rachel didn't punish him when we told her what Michael did. She always lets the little monster slide, in my opinion. MeKayla was alright enough, but I stayed away from Michael. Maybe he would change when he got older? I wasn't going to hold my breath.

Aunt Rachel was mystery to me. She acted and spoke as if she and mom never parted. Maybe I was as much of a mystery to her as she was to me. She didn't really talk to me very often. If I saw her, she would kindly ask how I was and if I like Lee. We always tiptoed around the obvious fact that my mother never told me about her. I continued to look for signs of her dimple, but never saw one. This was the same girl from the pictures, wasn't she?

During the day, Rachel worked as a bank teller for one of the banks in Lee. It was a good job and she appreciated the money it brought her. Twice divorced, my aunt sure loved the men! I found out from MeKayla that Rachel use to have a string of boyfriends in school and after. To this day, men still flocked to my beautiful aunt.

Katie, Nat, and Becky came over to grandpa's house one day to explore the house and grounds with me. I found Katie's friendship comforting. She was the only person I could talk to around here. I was still working on knowing Nat and Becky, but their attempts at friendship seemed artificial. As for Steven, everything ended up to be romantic. It started raining the day after I broke up with Jeff. I got into the truck and made a hasty decision to go see him. I was drenched from head to toe when I got out of the truck. My shirt was ruined and my jeans would never fit right again, but it was worth it. He opened the front door of his house just as I shut my car door. We looked at each other through the rain in a long, intense stare. He knew why I was there and I ran to him. Steven threw his arms around me in the middle of a Texas storm and kissed me. I wanted it to be the most wonderful, magical kiss I've ever had, but it wasn't. When the kiss was over, something felt wrong inside me, like I kissed the wrong person.

My dreams were still as intense as before. I had them pretty frequently now. It required much of my attention to keep up with them. As soon as I woke up in the morning, I wrote them down. My goal was to find all these places in Lee. They must be connected somehow, but my new relationship with Steven and Katie kept me pretty busy. We went to a lot of parties together. Steven and I spent hours making out in a private room while everyone partied below us. We were completely wrapped up in each other, but I never felt compelled to tell him about my dreams and Lee.

After an intense dream one night, I pulled out my dream journal and read it front to back. I couldn't put it down. I saw a pattern to the dreams so I got a pen and paper to take notes. My dreams surrounded the house with the wall of mirrors, a woman with red eyes trying to kill me, the backroads, and the fog. I felt frustrated that I could not figure this out and glad we would be leaving soon.

\-----

I saw a girl hung from the ceiling by her hands. Her blonde hair spilled over the blindfold that covered her eyes. She was crying. Large streaks of blood ran from injuries inflicted on her body so maliciously. I wanted to help her, but I could not move. Then, a musical melody began and snakes slithered into the room. In a surprising sequence, they danced together as I watched them in horror. The girl cried harder and I tried to get past the dancing snakes to help her, but they would not get out of my way. I dared to reach out my hand to shove them aside, but they did not strike me. The crying was louder. I had to help her, but these stupid snakes won't get out of my way! They wanted me to dance with them, but I screamed that I had to help the girl. I pointed to the injured girl above us and the snakes eyes narrowed with realization.

A purple mist exploded in the room, knocked me back, and off my feet. Violently, the purple mist spun like a tornado and out of it emerged a voluptuous woman with red eyes. She stepped on the dancing snakes to stand in front of me. I felt as if I looked at Hell in the flesh. Her seductive smile made me feel secure, but only for one second. Then, her smile turned vicious. She reached out her pudgy fingers to grab my throat. She wanted to taste my blood! She wanted to drink my youthful blood!

I woke up in a hot sweat and breathing hard. I took a drink of water and calmed myself down. This time, my dream left me feeling scared when I woke up. I had the sensation I wasn't alone in the room. Someone was with me. I stayed perfectly still as I tried to breathe as quietly as possible. I desperately wanted to scream or reach for the light switch, but I felt it would be too late. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw it. Something sat on its haunches right outside my window. I had to blink my eyes to make sure I really saw it, but it was there when I opened my eyes. I didn't move an inch. The dark figure appeared to be a person. I thought I saw the shape of a head and shoulders, but I could be wrong. A thin window screen was the only thing separating me from the monster outside my window. My breath was locked in my throat as I waited for it to move. I saw a faint orange glow as it shifted right outside my window.

Out of the darkness of the night, I heard it whisper, "Come with me, Anna."

"DADDY!" I screamed as loud as I could.

The monster grabbed at the window screen in an effort to rip it away. I screamed again and lurched for my bedroom door. Thankfully the room was small and my effort to escape was not thwarted. Before I opened my door, grandpa burst into my room. He carried a flashlight and a gun.

"Grandpa!" I screamed as I clung to him, but he pushed me out of the room. "The window! It's coming in through the window!"

I ran the two steps into my parents' bedroom and saw them stirring to get out of bed. They looked alarmed and quickly asked what was wrong. Something felt wrong as I watched them get up from their beds in concern.

"What's all the commotion?" Daddy asked me.

"You didn't hear me screaming?" I asked them.

They shook their heads and went into my bedroom. Grandpa's head was out the window. I watched him search around the patio below us. When he pulled his head back into the room, he asked, "What was it?"

"I don't know, it was dark. I couldn't see it, but it was orange." I said.

"Orange?" Grandpa asked with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, sir. It sat right outside my window watching me. I saw an orange glow coming from it. When I screamed for daddy, it tried to get into my room."

My parents went to the window to look at the screen. Grandpa said, "It looks like something tried to come through her window from the outside."

"Could it have been an animal?" Daddy asked him.

"What animal is orange, big enough to climb up the wall without leaving tracks, pry open Regina's window, and leave as quickly as it came?" Grandpa asked.

Daddy narrowed his eyes in thought. "Is this a riddle?"

"No, you moron!" Grandpa snarled at daddy. I didn't know if it was safe to laugh so I stayed completely quiet. "It was an actual question."

"Well, I don't know!" Daddy's voice squeaked. "You're the hunter. You tell me."

"My point is, it wasn't no animal. It had to be a person." Grandpa turned to me. "Regina, I want you to close your window at night. I'll set up a trap in case they come back."

"Comes back? Comes back?" Daddy squeaked. "In case you haven't noticed, they've already been here! Many times! Now I demand you tell me what is going on here, George! Who keeps breaking into the house and scaring Regina?"

I felt awkward having this conversation in my tiny bedroom, but I was glad they didn't exclude me from it. I would like to know the answers to daddy's questions, which were all good questions.

"I honestly don't know. I never seen anything like it." Grandpa said as he sat down in my desk chair. "Me and Lydia ain't never had no problems out here before and we've been on the property for over thirty years."

"Well, you have to have some idea!" Daddy exclaimed, but mom shushed him.

Grandpa looked up at him. "All I know is nothing like this ever happened until you three showed up."

"So you're saying this is our fault?" Daddy narrowed his eyes at grandpa.

Mom interceded. "Alright, this is over. Regina, please sleep downstairs tonight."

"No way! Do you know how many windows there are down there?" I exclaimed.

"Fine, stay here, but close the window and the shade, and keep the door open." She turned to daddy and grandpa with anger. "You two, go to bed. We will discuss everything in the morning. Everything always looks clearer in the morning."

Grandpa nodded his head. "Fine. Regina, I'll be downstairs with shotgun. There's a marathon of a good show somewhere on television right now. You are welcome to join me. I don't think I can sleep anymore tonight."

"I'm right behind you and the shotgun, grandpa." I grabbed my phone, laptop, pillow, and my blanket. I followed grandpa downstairs. My parents went back to bed. Grandpa flipped on the television. It made me feel safer to be with him, and his shotgun, but I couldn't stop looking out the windows. Was it out there, watching me now? I couldn't shake the eerie feeling something really was coming for me. Grandpa and I stayed up watching black and white episodes of the Munster's until the sun came up. I couldn't stop wondering what was at my window tonight. Why my father never answered my scream. Why was it only grandpa who came to my rescue? And why was grandpa the one watching over me tonight and not my own parents? Tonight seemed to be a perfect example of the changes taking shape in my family and I could not stop it.

Chapter Eighteen

I continued to look over my shoulder for a monster, even on the day of my sixteenth birthday. I wasn't excited, even though Katie planned a huge party. My parents never asked me what I wanted or what we should do to celebrate. Their limited interest told me they didn't care. Katie, on the other hand, went to great lengths to plan a perfect party for me.

"We can use your grandfather's field! We can push the party a couple of feet back, away from the house. It shouldn't disturb anyone."

"Sure, I think grandpa would be alright with that. I'll make sure it's cool with him."

"Alright, then that takes care of the place. Leave the rest to me, I have it all planned out! Just let me know if there's anything you have to have there."

"How about Jane and Renee? Can you have them there?"

She looked at me like I was an idiot. "Yeah, just let me reach into my black bag right here. Sorry sweetie, I'm not a wizard!"

That morning, Nat took me to the salon. I actually had a good time getting manipedis together. I liked being in town and not isolated in the country. Nat insisted we go to the dress shop on main street and get new outfits for the party tonight.

"Come on!" She shouted. "It's your birthday!"

We spent the rest of the morning shopping. Mom called my cell around lunchtime to tell me grandpa had plans to make a special lunch for my birthday, so I needed to come home. After I said goodbye to Nat, I headed home.

The most wonderful surprise waited for me when I got there. Jane sat at the dining room table with my parents, sipping coffee. I was so surprised I didn't notice what they were talking about when I came in.

"Oh my Universe! You made it!" I shouted.

"Surprise! Happy birthday!" Jane shouted as she ran to give me a big hug.

I was so happy I hugged my parents next and thanked them profusely for letting Jane come to Lee. I pulled her away since the lunch was an excuse to get me home and took her to town to see everything. Grandpa graciously loaned me his truck.

"Oh shit, GG, this is a small town! What do you do out here?" Jane asked with disbelieving eyes as we rolled through main street. I laughed at her. It felt great being in her presence and hearing her call me GG, my nickname at Will Lawson.

Jane was a beautiful girl. Her long brown hair shined the sunlight, and her brown eyes were full of judgment. Her brown skin was flawless and her makeup was perfect, like always. Jane didn't take crap from anyone and she loved treating people bad if they said something negative about her. I think that's why we get along so well.

"Nothing! Katie and I go out of town sometimes, but not enough. There's some shopping, but not much. I like to drive on the backroads and think. Other than that, nothing!" We looked at each other and laughed.

"How fucking boring!" Jane exclaimed. "Really GG, how can you stand it here?"

"It's not so bad. The town is actually ....nice, and the people are pretty awesome. They wave at me when they see me driving the truck through town. Everyone knows me and asks how my grandpa is. It's ....friendly. You'll meet most of my friends here tonight at the party."

"Friends? Really? I take it you've associated yourself enough with them to call them 'friends'." She rolled her eyes. "Where is this delicious party tonight? And you must fill me in on the boys here. Any of them good enough to eat?"

I did a double take at Jane. "I thought you were dating Spencer Rodney."

"Ugh, I broke up with that loser weeks ago." She said with the wave of her hand.

I laughed. Jane is pretty picky when it came to her boyfriends. "Seeing anyone now?"

"I'm seeing you." Jane said with a wink. I loved the way she did that, like this was an ordinary day in New York.

"Yes, that's true. And, it's your first pasture party!"

"Terrific!" She said with a lot of sarcasm. "I've longed to be raped in the wilderness by inbred cannibals."

I laughed at her. "It's not like that here. It's pretty cool. You'll see."

I drove us to the backroads while we talked about life at Will Lawson. I wanted to tell Jane about the dreams so badly. I thought if anyone would understand, she would. When Jane was little, she would tell us constantly of something living in her closet. She said it would wait until dark and come out. The closet door would open slowly, as if trying to muffle the creaking, and it would come to get her. We didn't believe her, at first, but one day, Jane invited me and Renee to stay the night with her and see for ourselves.

At first, we were scared, but we eventually stayed the night with Jane in her house. Nothing happened, but I eventually believed Jane. To this day, she tells me the stories of the monster living in her closet. It was not a childhood fear, it was real.

"Jane, can I tell you something?"

"Sure." She said while looking outside. We were in the country now and some of the scenery did interest her.

"I've had some crazy dreams lately."

"Yeah, me too!"

"No, I mean about this place, this town."

She looked over at me. "Like what?"

I explained my dreams about the backroads. I left out most of the crazy stuff. Jane kept interrupting me by asking questions to get a better understanding on what I was saying. It threw me off a lot and I kept forgetting where I was. After I explained the dreams and the roads, I felt like a whiney spoiled brat who was really crazy! I knew Jane felt the same way because of the way she looked at me. Doubt was all over her face when I told her about my theory that the town is evil.

"Well, honey, that does sound pretty crazy." She said.

"I knew it! You think I'm crazy!" I gasped, my shame ran deep.

"I said it sounds crazy GG, I didn't say you were crazy!" We busted out in giggles. I don't know why I was taking the subject so lightly, but I felt so good being around Jane again. My aura felt right, my chakras were aligned, and the world was in harmony. I always felt this way around Jane and Renee.

"Take me to the house!" Jane shouted with joy, jumping in her seat.

"No!" I shouted. "Absolutely not! Didn't you hear what I said?"

"Yes and I want to see it. Come on, GG." Jane said when I hesitated. "You got to come over to see my nightmare, let me see yours."

"Yes and if I remember correctly, I didn't see anyone in your closet." I snapped, but regretted it the moment I said it.

"Well, I don't see anyone in yours either." She responded.

I drove for a little while. I wanted to apologize and start over but that wasn't the kind of person Jane was. She built a bridge pretty quickly when it came to an argument with her real friends.

"So, I have some news about Jeff." Jane said, interrupting my thoughts. "Wanna hear it?"

"Sure."

"He's dating Trisha Marsh!" Jane snorted. I couldn't help but laugh with her.

Trisha Marsh was the skankiest girl in our school. She had big boobs, a huge butt, and a never say no attitude. She was every guys dream! And apparently, Jeff was an included dreamer. I think I was shocked more than angry. He sure didn't wait after our breakup to go out with Trisha. Then again, I didn't wait to go out with Steven.

Katie and the girls were set to be at my house by four so we could work on the decorations. There wouldn't be much because it was in the middle of a field. However, Katie got some balloons, streamers to hang on the house and white shoe polish to write on the windows of the cars. She painted 'Happy Birthday Regina' and 'Sweet 16' on the cars when they parked in the driveway.

Everyone kid in town came to my party, including my cousin MeKayla. I don't know how Steven did it but he scored a couple of kegs for the party and some hard liquor for me and my girls. Katie, Jane, and I did shots before people started showing up. Mom and dad took grandpa to Austin for the night. They were going to see a show and take grandpa to eat at a fancy restaurant. They said Jane and anyone else could stay over if they wanted to. I was surprised they were being so nice to me, but as they say in the south, I didn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Since I'm in Texas, Nat just had to give me a traditional Texas birthday dinner of barbeque ribs and brisket, potato salad, veggies, mashed potatoes, big buttered biscuits, and large pitchers of iced tea. They set the food up inside the house since my family left for the night. I sat down with Katie, Steven, Jane, Becky, Nat, and others for a rousing game of 'I Never Ever'. Steven bought a huge bottle of tequila for the game. We sat in a circle while everyone had a full shot glass in front of them. The object of the game was to confess something you had never done, and those around the table who have done it must take a shot.

"Okay, it's my birthday so I'm starting! I've never ever been sixteen before! Yee-haw!" I shouted as I took a shot. Steven laughed hard at me and took a shot. The rest of the group in the game took a shot because they were already sixteen, but they all laughed at me like Steven did. I exclaimed, "Damn! Am I the youngest one here!"

"Okay, my turn!" Jane shouted. Her eyes narrowed and turned sarcastically to Katie. "I've never ever ....betrayed my friends."

Katie looked at Jane with narrowed eyes. For a brief moment, guilt ran across Katie's face and scored a touchdown in her heart. Everyone whooped in excitement when Becky took her shot, but I couldn't keep my eyes off Katie and Jane. Something was happening silently between them. They continued to stare at each other until someone said, "I've never ever stolen anything."

"Loser!" We shouted and took a shot.

Jane and Katie weren't getting along very well since the game. They refused to speak or look at one another. At one point, I saw Steven console Katie. He grabbed her arms tenderly and tried to get her to look at him. I couldn't see exactly what happened next because kids danced in my line of vision, but I thought I saw Katie smile at him. The people who came to the party swam in the tank, ate the food, and drank from the keg. Many people stopped me to say what a kick ass party it was and how much fun they were having. Oh yes, my sweet sixteen would go down in Lee history. In a way, I was happy. I loved these people at my party. At least they cared enough to show up. I appreciate my parents letting me have the house for my party, but I thought they would want to spend some time with me on my birthday.

Katie rolled out a heavenly chocolate cake. It was decorated with cherries (my fave!) and had Happy Sweet Sixteen Regina written in purple letters. Sixteen delicate pink candles were lit on the top. I was so touched, I cried and hugged her. After the cake was cut, someone got into a fight. Steven and his friend broke it up and kicked the kids out of the party. That was the first time I saw Sabrina.

"Happy birthday." She said with sarcasm.

"Thanks." I replied dryly. "Who the fuck invited you?"

"I just came to wish you a happy birthday." She sneered as she walked past me and into the darkness. Her voice trailed behind her, "A very happy birthday."

I scratched my head at her. What was wrong with Sabrina? There was a rumor she was dating Steven when I came to Lee, but Steven swore he wasn't. Plus Katie knows everyone and everything about Lee, and she confirmed Steven was not dating Sabrina. I didn't understand the root of Sabrina's hatred for me.

The party was still going at two in the morning. All the shots I drank made me feel sick to my stomach. I wanted to go to bed so I could die from the hangover I was going to have. Before I went upstairs, I saw Steven sitting on the front porch. He was watching the water. He heard me walking and turned to smile at me.

"Hey, birthday girl."

I fell into the rocking chair beside him. "Hey."

"Did you enjoy the party?"

I giggled. "I sure did."

"What's the deal with that Jane girl? She was rude to Katie." Steven scoffed.

His comment peaked my interest. "Why do you care if she was rude to Katie?"

"I don't. I just wondered why she was rude, that's all."

"Really?" The alcohol dared me to speak my mind. "Steven, do you like Katie? And I don't mean as a friend."

"No! Are you kidding me? Katie Kramer? You think I like Katie Kramer?"

I wanted to laugh at the fact that he couldn't form his sentences properly, but I stayed silent. Steven seemed genuinely angry that I accused him of secretly liking Katie. He opened his mouth to say something to me, but closed it quickly. His eyes refused to meet mine. He got up from his chair to leave.

"Oh, come on, Steven. Don't get all pissy!" I giggled as I ran after him. "Don't leave! Let's talk about it."

Steven spun around to face me. "How dare you accuse me of liking another girl!"

"I didn't mean to offend you. I want you to talk about it if that's how you feel. I hope you know by now you can talk to me!"

We stopped near his car in the driveway. It was empty of most of the cars except for those spending the night. A small shed with grandpa's mower was twenty feet from us. I heard a cat meow near the shed. The stars were out and I wanted to look at them, but Steven was furious with me.

"Why do you think I like Katie?" He asked.

"I saw you console her tonight. If there's something going on between you two, just tell me. I won't be mad. I'm not that kind of girl."

The cat meowed again, but this time, it was much closer.

"There's nothing going on between me and Katie or any other girl, and it pisses me off that you think there is."

"I think you're misunderstanding me, I'm not accusing you anything. I asked you a question and you answered it. I didn't think it would piss you off."

"Well, you did!" He shouted.

"Steven, calm down." I said right as the cat meowed again. I looked in the direction of the sound and didn't see anything. "I'm sorry. Don't be mad at me."

I took his hand into mine and kissed his knuckles. My charm worked and he smiled at me.

"MEOW!"

Steven and I looked in the direction of the shed. This time, the cat sounded like a person trying to scream like a cat. I tightened my grip around Steven's hand. We looked at each other in fear.

"Well, it was a great party, but I have to be going now. Goodnight." Steven said as he pretended to turn away from me.

I smacked his shoulder. "Stop joking around! What was that?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Bobcat maybe?"

I widened my eyes in terror. "Let's get inside."

"Meow." The voice was calmer and smoother. I recognized the human tone.

The world stood still as the wind blew through the trees. I don't know why we didn't move from the driveway. I think we were too scared to move. Out of the darkness, I saw something crawling along the ground. He was covered in something that conformed to his body. His yellow eyes met ours and I screamed. My voice echoed into the night and invaded every inch of space above us.

My scream jolted Steven into action. He pushed me just enough to get me to run. Steven shouted at me not to look back as we ran to the sunroom. The door was closed but unlocked. Our heavy footsteps thumped hard against the concrete. I reached for the door and opened it. Steven's screams made me turn around. I saw him being pulled away from me. His large hand was clasped on the door, it was the only thing saving him.

"Help me, Regina!" Steven shouted.

I grabbed ahold of him with both hands. I tried to pull him inside, but something strong had a tight grip on Steven and wouldn't let him go. I grabbed the doorframe with my right hand and pulled Steven with all my might. I managed to get most of him inside and after I regained my strength, I pulled him again.

His body came tumbling on top of mine. My head slammed against the concrete floor when I fell to the ground. My vision went fuzzy and I barely heard Steven's screams. I tried to focus on him and the blood exploding from his arm, but I couldn't. Everything went black.

I woke up minutes later. Jane was beside me, trying to rouse me from unconsciousness. I heard Steven's screams in the distance. I moaned as I tried to sit up.

"Lay down! The ambulance is on its way." Jane said.

"Where's Steven? Is he ....is he alright?" I tried to speak.

"I don't know. What happened?"

"Something ....attacked us." As I said it, the realization hit me. "It's out there right now!"

"Okay, GG, okay. Don't worry about it now, just lie back and stay with me."

I didn't know it at the time, but there was a large pool of blood around my head. Most of it wasn't mine, but Jane didn't know that. She stayed with me until the ambulance arrived. It seemed like I laid there for hours listening to Steven scream that something in the forest bit him, but it was only minutes. The ambulance services in Lee were pretty efficient. They focused on our injuries and asked us questions. Steven and I told the same story, but the emergency workers thought we were in shock and not thinking right. They didn't take us seriously.

Steven and I were driven to a hospital outside of Lee. We were in the same ambulance, but Steven refused to acknowledge me. I asked him if he was alright, but he didn't speak to me. I was on the stretcher while he sat on a bench attached to the inside of the ambulance. The attendant took care of both of us while the other one drove. I was afraid for those left behind at grandpa's house. Jane promised me she would make everyone leave the house.

My parents came to the hospital while I had a scan of my head. They waited for me in my room when I came back from my tests. I didn't know what time it was, but I assumed it was morning. There wasn't a window in the emergency room, so I couldn't be sure. I expected my parents to be worried about me, but they seemed angry as the nurse rolled me back to my gurney.

"What happened tonight?" Daddy asked me the moment the nurse left. He kept his voice low. Thin sheets served as walls.

"Let's talk about it later." Mom suggested as she nodded her head to the gurney next to me.

We waited in silence for someone to tell me the results of my tests. I kept my ears sharp in case I heard Steven's voice, but I never did. I wondered what happened to him. I wanted to ask my parents but I thought it was best to keep quiet. I knew they were angry at me for hosting a party in grandpa's house that got people hurt. The doctor came into my little section and told me my tests were clear. He tested my sight, hearing, and memory before he declared I didn't have a major head injury. He wanted to keep me overnight in the hospital for observation, but I declined. I wanted to find out what happened to Steven and see Jane one last time before she went home. My parents didn't disagree with my decision so the doctor released me from the emergency room under the condition I follow up with my normal doctor in a few days. Oh, and I have to return to the emergency room if I have certain symptoms.

Mom and daddy wheeled me in a wheelchair to the front of the hospital. Daddy said he was going to get the car when we heard someone calling for us.

"Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Roth?" My parents and I spun around to see my emergency room doctor running towards us. "I just received Regina's MRI results. I need to show you something."

I wanted to hear what the doctor had to say, but I saw Steven's name written on the whiteboard behind my parents. I looked at his room number and tried to think of some way to exclude myself from them.

"There's nothing wrong, is there?" My mother asked with concern.

The doctor looked at me with a curious look on his face before he said, "Apparently not. Then again, I've never seen this before. Please step into my office."

"Mom, I really need to use the restroom. I'll be right in, okay?" I didn't wait for a response, I just got up from my wheelchair and walked away from them.

I went into the bathroom nearby and waited for two minutes. I checked the hallway to be sure they were gone before I went straight to Steven's room. The nurses didn't notice me as I wandered around. I was a little farther from Steven's room than I had originally thought. As I rounded a corner, I saw Steven's parents leaving his room. They left the room and turned away from me. Thankfully, they didn't see me. I didn't know what Steven told them, so I wasn't sure if they would be angry with me.

I walked silently across the cream colored tile and opened the door to Steven's room. A curtain surrounded the outside of his bed and the lights were off. The television was silent. The only light came from something on Steven's nightstand, on the other side of the curtain. I closed the door softly and clasped my hands together with anxiety. Now that I was here, I didn't know what to say.

I whispered, "Steven?"

I saw his head poke up from the bed. "Whose there?" The fear in his voice was incredible.

I spoke fast. "It's Regina. I only came to see if you're okay."

"Are you alone?"

"Yes, but my parents are talking to my doctor outside."

The curtain was the only thing between us. I felt incredibly guilty for what happened to him and had to know he was okay. Fear took a permanent residence in poor Steven Rank's shattered body, even his shadow shivered from fright. "I don't want you near me. Get out or I'll scream."

"No, Steven, please don't. Just tell me you're going to be alright, then I'll go, I promise. I promise." I spoke in a soft tone and didn't move an inch for fear of scaring him. He seemed to relax after I said that.

"I'm going to live." He said. His voice sounded a little stronger.

"Okay, that's all I wanted to know. I have no idea what that was or what happened, but I don't want to push you to talk about it. I'll leave now. I'm glad you're okay. I was worried about you. Goodbye, Steven."

"Wait." His soft voice rolled from the sheet. "Regina, open the curtain."

I gripped the curtain and pulled it across me. Steven sat in the bed with a horrible look on his face, as if his mind never broke away from what happened to us and he constantly lived in that harrowing moment. His short hair was bloody and disheveled. A big white bandage surrounded his right arm and shoulder. The padding in that thing had to be three inches thick. The skin around his eyes was black and purple

I felt the tears rise up in my eyes. "Oh, Steven!"

"I'm fine. Everything looks worse than it really is. The doctor says I'll make a full recovery."

"Thank the Universe." I said and stepped closer to him.

"Stay away from me!" Steven shouted. He got a hold of himself when he saw the shock on my face. "Don't come any closer. I only asked you in here to make sure you understand me. Don't call me, visit my house, or try to see me. Just stay away from me."

"Why?" I asked with shock.

"I saw what attacked me." Steven said in an eerie whisper. I held my breath as I listened to him. "Everything happened so quickly, but I saw your little cousin, Michael, crawl out of the darkness and transform into some sort of monster."

"Michael attacked you?" I gasped. "You said he turned into a monster?"

"Yes, it was dark, but I saw him. He transformed like a werewolf, but he wasn't a werewolf, no, he was something else."

My hands trembled as I asked, "Did you tell anyone what you saw?"

Steven shifted his eyes to mine. His face was pale and sweaty. He cracked his joints in his arms, legs, and fingers as he spoke to me. "It won't matter who I tell. They'll only say I got in its way. No big deal."

I stayed silent for a while. What was he babbling about? "It's a big deal to me. Please, let me help you."

Steven stared into the space above my head for a few minutes while his lips silently moved. He seemed to be talking to someone only he could see. I heard, "It came for me because of her."

I shivered with fear as I watched Steven speak to people around him that I couldn't see. I took his hand into mine and tried to get him to focus on my face. "Steven, look at me. It's alright. I'll take care of Michael. I promise."

"It was you!" Steven screamed at me. He looked at me as if he just realized I was there. "They came for me because of you! Get out or they'll come back. Get out!

I jumped off the bed and ran to the other side of the curtain. I rushed out of the room, not caring if his parents saw me. I felt horribly guilty. Why did Michael attack Steven? Regardless of the answer, it happened at my party. Steven wanted to leave when I confronted him about Katie, but I wouldn't let him. If only I had let Steven leave. Then it hit me. Michael meant to hurt me, not Steven.

I saw my parents waiting for me in the hallway outside the doctor's office. I thought they would be mad at me for being gone so long, but they weren't. Their faces were free of anger and they led me away quickly to the exit. When we stepped outside the hospital, I was surprised to see it was still dark.

The drive home was quiet, but it didn't last long. Once we were out of the hospital, my mother was a boiling pot of rage. She seemed ready to let me have it. The ambulance took me to a hospital twenty miles outside of Lee, so she had plenty of time to yell at me on the drive home.

"What were you thinking?" She turned her head from the front seat to yell at me. My father drove our rental car and kept his eyes forward.

I shook my head at her stupidity. "I wasn't thinking anything. Steven and I were attacked."

"Is that so?" She said with narrowed eyes.

"Yes! A creature came out of the woods near the tank and attacked us." I shouted from the backseat. "Steven and I were standing in the driveway. We were arguing, then it attacked Steven. I pulled him inside the sunroom and hit my head on the ground in the process."

Daddy was silent after I told them the story, but mom wasn't. She turned around and asked, "You and Steven were fighting? About what?"

"It was stupid. I thought he made a pass at Katie at the party tonight. When I asked him about it, he got angry. He was going to leave and go home, but we were talking and then, ....well, we were attacked. I thought the attacker looked like aunt Rachel's son, Michael."

"I see." Mom said as she looked at daddy.

"What?" I asked. "What's the 'I see' about?"

"Everyone thinks you attacked that boy!" Mom blurted out in a shrill voice.

"What?" I exclaimed in shock. "Who does?"

"Everyone! They are all gossiping about it behind our backs."

"Really, mom? It's been only a couple of hours since it happened. I seriously doubt the whole town thinks I hurt Steven. Do you two think I hurt Steven? Or do you believe me?"

I saw daddy's eyes in the rearview mirror as he said, "Well, you have been unhappy since we came here."

I scoffed at him. "Yeah, it sucks to be here, but I wouldn't hurt a guy I like to get out my anger."

"You said you accused Steven of liking your best friend. That seems like a good reason to hurt a boy to me." Mom muttered.

"What is wrong with you two? Steven's doctor said something bit him and ate his flesh. You actually think I did that?" I shrilled at them, but they stayed silent. I looked out the windows as daddy drove. I was hurt and angry. "You know, I saw Steven while you two were talking to my doctor."

"Did you?" My father asked calmly. "And what did Steven say? Can he confirm your story?"

I knew this was my moment. I wanted to tell them Steven was positive Michael attacked us and wipe those smug smiles off their faces, but I stopped myself. I remembered the look on Steven's face as he recanted the story. Madness settled over his face and physical actions. It was also possible Michael was after me and Steven just happened to be there. I felt I had hurt Steven enough as it was, so I lied to my parents to protect him. "No. He spoke to me long enough to break up with me and told me to leave."

My mother shook her head as if Steven's reaction confirmed her accusations. I sat back and took a closer look at my parents. This time, with a different eye. I allowed myself to view them, and our situation, from a different perspective. They were up to something. I felt them smiling to themselves as my father drove us back to grandpa's house. This was the moment I knew everything was connected; my dreams, the house. It all connected with my parents odd behavior, yet, I couldn't see what it all would lead up to. The only thing I could do was sit back and wait for it to happen. So I allowed myself to relax in the backseat of our car. I didn't care if people thought I hurt Steven. We would be home in one week and as long as Steven knew the truth, I could live with the gossip until then. I hoped that, whatever this big event was, it would wait until I was safely back in New York, and far away from Lee.

The next morning, Jane had to go home. We picked her up from her motel, and my parents and I drove her to the airport. I got to spend the last hours she had here with her. It took almost two hours to arrive at the airport.

"Are you sure you're okay, GG?" Jane asked me with concern. It felt good to know that someone still cared about me.

"I'm fine. Oh, by the way, mom. What did the doctor say?" I asked her.

My parents were in the front seat and dad was driving, again. She turned to me and said, "Oh, it was something with your back. He suggested we see a specialist when we go home."

"There's nothing wrong with me, is there?"

"Oh, no! He asked us if you have back pain, and when we confirmed your history of it, he suggested we see a specialist. May I ask you, Jane? What did you see at the party last night? Did you see what happened to Regina and Steven?"

"Well, no, I didn't. I was in Regina's room when I heard their screams. I ran downstairs to find out what was wrong, but when I got there, Regina was on the ground." She turned to me. "There was blood everywhere, so I told Katie to call the paramedics. I didn't see what happened and I didn't see what attacked you."

"What makes you think something attacked them?" My father asked.

"Regina said something came out of the woods, and attacked her and Steven."

"It's possible she was hallucinating from her head hitting the concrete, you know."

I opened my mouth to speak, but Jane spoke first. "No, I believe something attacked her. She was so scared something would happen to me, too. She was nothing but concerned for me and those left behind at the house. Besides, if it was a hallucination, what bit Steven?"

Jane opened her door to get her luggage out. We were in the airport passenger drop off line. I felt the tears before they left my eyes. I hugged Jane tightly to me as if it were the last time I would see her. I breathed in her scent and rubbed her soft hair across my face. My friend believed me and I felt grateful to her for sticking up for me to my parents.

"Good luck, GG!" She said after she gave me a bear hug. Her return ticket was in her hand. I hated seeing her name on it and not mine. She whispered into my ear before she left, "And don't worry, everything will be fine. You'll be home and those stupid dreams will be left on those back roads where they belong."

"I love you Jane." I said through my tears as she walked away.

Jane ran back to me and gave me one last big hug. "I love you, too, GG"
Chapter Nineteen

Two days before we were supposed to leave for New York, dad called me into the living room for a little talk. Mom and grandpa were shopping and running errands in town. I was in the process of packing. I'm a little obsessive compulsive when it comes to my things and packing them. Therefore, it takes me days to get one suitcase ready. Mom and dad had a Saturday morning flight set out of Austin for nine o'clock. I was so excited to go home, I could barely contain it.

"Regina!" Dad called out. "Come in here for a moment."

He sat in one of the softer sofa chairs in the living room. He had his glasses on the bridge of his nose so he could read the newspaper. I saw his shoes by the side of the chair, his feet were up on the ottoman.

"What's up?" I asked as I sat down on the couch.

"Regina, there isn't any better way to say this, but your mother and I don't think returning to New York is what's best for you. She worries about you since the incident with Steven. We think we've spent too much time away from you and may have missed certain warning signs. Your mother and I feel that the best thing we can do is keep you in Lee so you can see a psychiatrist. If you stay here, no one in New York has to know. You can get better in privacy without people back home knowing ."

I couldn't breathe. Somewhere inside me, I knew my parents would find a way to keep me here. I didn't expect them to use the birthday party attack as the reason. Ever since we arrive in Lee, our lives changed so drastically, we were unrecognizable. Dad was no longer the uptight financial advisor and mom was far from the news anchor she once was.

"You really believe I hurt Steven?" I whispered.

"What?" He asked.

"I asked if you thought I really hurt Steven. Do you, dad? Do you really think I took a bite out of his shoulder and ate it?" I snarled at him.

"It doesn't matter what I believe. It matters what you did." He said firmly.

"But you know I didn't do it. I know you do. You don't want me to leave this town."

He stood up quickly. I was caught off guard and could not stand up fast enough. He pointed his index finger at me and narrowed his eyes into two cold slits. "Now you listen to me, Regina. You will stay here and see the psychiatrist. You will not tell anyone the real reason why we decided to stay in Lee, but you will see the psychiatrist. When the psychiatrist assures us you are not a danger to us or society, we will go back to New York. Until that time, your mother and I will enroll you into the local school here."

I scoffed at him. "Are you serious? Dad, you're suggesting I attend the very same school as the boy I supposedly attacked. That's not logical. Why don't you send me to a private school where the teachers are paid to keep an eye on me? It's not like we can't afford it."

"Your mother and I are taking some time from work to stay here and help you through your problems." He said. "Psychiatrists are expensive and so is private school. We can't afford both if we're not working."

"Does grandpa like the fact that a criminal is living in his home?" I said sarcastically, but dad thought I was coming to terms with attacking Steven.

"He volunteered to help you through your tough time. He isn't charging us rent and he said you could talk to him anytime you needed him." His voice softened and he became happy. "I know we can help you, Regina. We all love you and want to help you."

All my hope deflated in front of me. My relationship with my father was forever changed in this moment. My father used to treat me like a daughter he loved. We went to baseball games together. He taught me how to swim in the ocean, ride my bike, and to be wary of bad boys. Now, I was someone he considered mentally ill.

My memory returned to the day I saw the email on mom's laptop in New York. It was the email advising my mother that her mother had died.

Dear Lynda, Your mother died. Your father was going to send a letter, but I told him I would contact you. My deepest condolences. –Sincerely Joan Huddins

The email was the first time I heard of my grandparents. I tried to talk to my mom and tell her I was sorry for her loss, but she shocked me when she locked herself in the bathroom. She cried her eyes out in there for hours. When dad came home, I told him what happened.

"Why didn't you call me!?" He shouted at me. His face was red with anger. I'd never seen him so mad. I was stunned and didn't know what to say.

"I..I...I, I." I started to say.

"I, I, I," He mocked at me. "Is that all you can say for yourself?"

My father stood there with his arms stretched out and anger boiling in his eyes. I was beyond shocked. Heat rose in my face and humiliation burned shamefully in my heart.

"No, I, I'm sorry daddy." I stammered out.

"You're damn right you're sorry! And you will be sorry!" He shouted.

I expected him to hit me, he was that mad, but as quickly as he got mad, he settled down. The redness left his face and returned to the natural tan sheen. His fingers started to unclench and he rubbed them against his pants. He looked down, as if ashamed for losing his temper.

"I'm going to check on your mom. I don't care if it's summer, get to bed. If I hear you up or on the phone, you will be grounded." He said firmly. Though the anger had left his face, it was clear in his voice. Daddy spun on his expensive shoes and walked away, his footsteps were hard yet controlled on his way to their room. I didn't hear or see my parents until the next day.

I left my father without speaking a word to him. A picture of the room with windows from my nightmares flashed in front of my eyes as I turned away from him.
Chapter Twenty

In the days that followed, my depression about the situation deepened. It was hard calling my friends back home to tell them I wouldn't be coming home. I was still holding out hope that my parents might change their minds. Katie, Nat, and Becky were happy to hear I would be registering for Lee High School this year. I couldn't believe my parents were making me attend the same school as Steven. Katie confirmed the rumor about me attacking Steven had made its way around Lee and surrounding towns. Everyone thought I did it, but didn't know why. I was grateful to Steven for keeping the details of that night, including the reason we fought, to himself.

My parents didn't force me see a psychiatrist as they had threatened. Instead, I spent the rest of the summer with grandpa. We worked outside everyday on his little farm. We fixed his tractor engine, mowed the fields, fertilized his garden, and fished in the tank. It was fun going out on the boat and fishing with live bait. It was gross at first, but I got used to it. We had long talks on the boat sometimes. Grandpa told me about his parents and how tough his dad was on him. This is the man who genuinely walked to school in the snow, barefoot, and without a jacket for at least a mile. We never spoke of the attack at my party and grandpa never asked about it. However, that didn't stop me from asking about Michael.

Grandpa and I were fishing in the tank, far away from my parents, when I said, "I haven't seen aunt Rachel in a while. Is she doing alright?"

"Yep, she took the kids on a little vacation."

"Oh, that's nice. I wonder when they'll be back."

"Not for a while, I reckon." Grandpa said with a stern voice.

\-----

One day, I got up early and took grandpa's truck out for a drive. I knew exactly where I wanted to go. I drove to the house from the bust dream. I pulled in front of the house and locked truck before I approached it. This house has been in my thoughts since I found it. I felt answers waited for me here.

With a heaping helping of trepidation, I approached the porch. Nothing had changed. Dust and cobwebs dominated the chairs, and broken potted plants littered the front. I looked for signs of life in the front window and saw no one. This time, I turned the handle and opened the door. It was surprisingly unlocked. The air was clean and the walls weren't dirty. Spectacular hardwood floors ran through the entryway and into the living room. Old oil pictures of fruit and open fields hung on the walls. The lights didn't work when I clicked the switch on. Thank goodness the sun was out. The floors groaned as I walked across the entryway, giving my presence away to anyone living here. I listened closely to sounds of life but heard none. No footsteps or shouts of curiosity came from the rooms.

The living room looked right out of a scary movie. The curtains were torn and dirty. They were moving rapidly from to the dry, hot wind blowing through the window. The furniture was brown with dirt and torn from wear. Moving closer, I could tell the color was once bright blue. I brushed the couch with my hands and dust flew everywhere. I coughed the dust out of my lungs and realized no one has been in this house for a long time, however, the entryway was clean. Why would the entry be clean, but the rest of the house filthy? I went into the kitchen to find it in similar dirty conditions. As far as I could tell, the whole downstairs was dirty except for that one room.

While I explored the house, the clouds rolled in and the sky became dark as night. I was in the library when I heard the thunder crash. The owner of this house had an extensive hardbound book collection of the classics and I was lost in the titles. The room was naturally dark so I lit a kerosene lamp to find my way around. It was a massive room with three floors. A circular stairway led the way to rows and rows of books. The room was charming with the iron stairs, cherry wood bookshelves, round archways, and old fashion torch style wall lamps. A beautiful glass mosaic of angels and devils lined the ceiling. I took a few minutes to admire the different colors and the intense detail of the piece. An angel was being thrown into hell by a demon. The anguish on the angel's face felt more real than it should.

The crash of thunder made me jump and I almost dropped the lamp. I took a deep breath as I put my hand to my heart. The lightning flashed through the sky and lit the room with a white light. The colors from the glass ceiling mosaic ran wild across the bookcases and walls. I looked up and only saw the angel being thrown into hell. There were other demons in the sky now, taking the angel down with them. She screamed and pleaded for anyone to help her, but only the laughing, wicked demon above her was there to shove her down further. He pushed with all his might to fight this woman and be rid of her. The clouds turned red, and rolled with thunder and lightning, just like the storm outside. I closed my eyes tightly and opened them again hoping to find the ceiling back to normal. When I opened my eyes, the angel was fought hard, but with too many against her, she succumbed to their evil and was carted to their world. Her screams came alive and echoed through the massive library.

I held back my screams as I ran from the room. I stopped in the hallway. I left the lamp on the table. I had to turn around and get it, I can't see without it. I spun around and quickly saw the lamp on the desk to the far left. Three desks filled the middle of the room. I had to pass the middle desk and get to the end of the farthest one. Little tears escaped my eyes as I ran into the room. I bumped my hip into the corner of the middle desk. I held back my cry of pain as I grabbed the light. Careful not to look up, I hurried back to the doorway. I was almost there when the lightning lit the room again. I felt a hand reach for me. I couldn't see it, but I knew it was there. Fear literally ran up my spine and I screamed as I leapt for the doorway. I turned right, hoping it was the right direction.

I made a quick decision to go left at the next turn and fell into the living room. I didn't see a step and tripped as I lost my balance. It wasn't as dark as the study, but there were large patches of shadows in the corners. I stopped to take a second to remember which arch lead the way out. A bump to my right drew my attention. I looked quickly and thought I saw a shadow move. Squinting my eyes, I looked closer. The torn curtains flapped loudly as I tried to see clearly.

Out of blackness came eyes.

Someone was coming closer, out of the shadows. Their silhouette became clearer as it came out of the darkness. I wanted to run, but something made me keep looking. I thought I recognized the familiar orange color that emanated from the corner. Suddenly, a streak of pure fear once again took hold of me. I spun around and ran through the first arch I saw. Thank goodness it was the right one. I ran through the entryway and jerked the door open. I slammed it shut behind me. I heard something inside the house howl. It was an immense and deep cry that put a fire under my feet. I screamed again and dived for the door of the truck.

Oh no, the keys! I screamed inside my head.

I dug into my pocket with an unskilled hand. A loud crashed inside the house made me scream. I danced like crazy digging the keys out of my jeans. Once I located them, I unlocked the door and slid in. I locked the doors once I was in because I thought it would help.

I watched in horror as the front door opened. I screamed inside my car as I jammed the keys into the ignition. The truck roared to life and I slammed down on the accelerator just as someone walked out of the house.

Please don't get stuck! Please don't get stuck! I screamed to my truck inside my head. The rain poured on the gravel road and I was afraid it would be too muddy to make a safe getaway. Thankfully, the truck didn't get stuck. The powerful engine helped pull me onto the road. I breathed a sigh of relief when I reached the highway. I stopped the truck to let my mind and heart calm down. I had no idea what just happened, but I made up my mind to never go back to that house, even if my life depended on it.

Chapter Twenty-one

I stayed away from the house and the back roads after that. I felt and scared, really scared. I got the address from Google Maps and researched the house online, but I couldn't find anything except for a little newspaper clipping. A local Lee developer bought all the property out there and planned on building luxurious homes. However, according to the paper, no one bought the first three houses built and the company went bankrupt. No one ever lived in that house, let alone purchased it, which made the situation even scarier to me.

I couldn't think any more about the house because school was starting. My summer was over. In a way, I was glad. We would get back to New York much faster at this rate, but I was nervous about attending a school where every kid thinks I tried to kill Steven Rank. The police never questioned me about the attack and rumors among the citizens didn't qualify as evidence against me. My parents claimed they wanted to keep me here to help me straighten out, but they never pushed me to see a shrink. I found all of this odd, but I didn't say anything to my parents about it. I stayed calm, quiet, and polite at all times. It sickened me to do it, but I had to play their game if I had any hopes of returning to New York. I hoped that my behavior would tell my parents I was fine and we could go home.

Katie took me to some of the local dress shops and helped me find something suitable for school here. In exchange for her help, I let her go crazy in my wardrobe. Either she could have or borrow whatever she wanted. Besides, no respectable city girl kept last season's fashions. By giving most of it away to Katie, I would have plenty of room for a new wardrobe when we get back to the city. Katie and I had fun the night before school started. No one cared if Katie spent the night so we took advantage of the situation.

"So, what's up with Sabrina? Why does she hate me?" I asked Katie that night. It felt nice to talk about girl stuff rather than worry about my predicament.

"She doesn't she hate you. What makes you think she does?" Katie was definitely in her own little world in my armoire. She loved my clothes. Once she was finished ransacking my closet, I knew my jewelry boxes would be next. I didn't mind though, it was fun watching Katie's face light up when she held one of my latest handbags. I think she almost fainted when I gave her my last season biker backpack.

"She always has a cold smile on her face, like she knows something I don't."

"I don't know what secrets Sabrina Turner would know. It's extremely tough to keep a secret in this town. Speaking of secrets! Did you see Morgan Patterson? I wonder when she's going to announce her little pregnancy secret."

"What?" I snapped my head up at her. "Morgan Patterson is pregnant!?"

Katie was shook her head at me. I had a good time with Katie that night. We stayed up late talking about the kids at school. She filled me in on the teachers and the school itself. I felt pretty confident about my first day and slept well.

Grandpa made his biscuits for me that morning. I felt grateful to him for the thought. My parents were already up and out the door when Katie and I came downstairs. In a way, I liked it that my parents didn't care what I did or who I did it with. It reminded me a lot of our life in New York.

School started the middle of August. I was the only new kid in a high school of three hundred and fifty-seven students. Lee High School was old, probably dated back to the early 1900's and small. If it rained, the roof leaked severely. If the wind blew too hard, the school was in danger of large proportions. However, the football team had new uniforms and a new practice field. The stadium in which they played their games was bigger and nicer than the school. I soon found out the LHS football team was like every other high school football team. Their sport was popular and brought in lots of money for the school so the team got away with everything.

Everyone in school, especially Steven, stayed away from me and whispered behind my back as I walked the halls. Some of them I remembered because we went to the same parties this summer. It was crazy how everyone thought I was guilty of hurting Steven. They made their guilty verdict on the basis of rumors and hearsay. My teachers were nice to me. My calculus teacher, Mr. Johnston, was a large man. His fat mean eyes would bear down on us like we were criminals. Mrs. Roledo, my English teacher, loved to flirt with the younger boys, and Mrs. Cannes, who loved to see every student suffer under her algebra wrath with failing grades. The only teacher who seemed like someone I would actually listen to was Mrs. Neeves, my creative writing teacher. I showed her my poetry and she thought it was good. We spent a few minutes talking about poetry.

Katie was certainly the most popular girl. Everyone loved her and followed what she did. Boys would flock around her as if she was a queen and they were her loyal subjects. Girls never picked a fight or started an argument with her. I think they feared her. Nat and Becky, however, did not fear Katie. Katie never judged them for anything. They seemed like close friends who weren't afraid to get bitchy with each other, but I felt something sinister hiding behind their laughter. They reminded me of three witches locked into a coven.

One night, Katie spent the night at my house. It was about a month into the start of school. She acted strange that night. She seemed determined to tell me something, but was too afraid to say it. The bed would shake every time she fidgeted, which was often.

"Katie? Are you okay?" I asked with concern.

"Sure. Why?"

"You seem nervous." I closed the fashion magazine I was reading to listen to her.

She laughed, but I saw her anxiety was visible. She flipped her hand as she said, "Just worried about my Geometry test next week. I can't pass that class if my life depended on it."

I laughed, "Me neither, but ....you sure there's nothing else?"

"Well.....Regina? Do you......do you remember me?"

"Huh?" I didn't understand what she was asking.

"Well, what I mean is, uh.....um. Okay, you've heard the theory that people have past lives, right?"

"Yes, I've heard about it. And?"

"And, do you believe in that stuff?" Katie's voice shook and I found it odd that she was so....non-confident.

"Not really. Then again, they don't teach stuff like that at the Academy."

Fear filled eyes. Katie's breath caught in her throat and did not move an inch. I watched her eyes widen and the terror grip hold of her body. She finally took a breath and said, "The Academy?"

"Yes, the Will Lawson Academy. It's my high school, or at least it was my high school."

Katie's lips trembled. I was concerned for her and went to her side immediately. "What's wrong, Katie? And please don't tell me this is about a stupid test."

"I miss him so much...." She sobbed.

"Who do you miss, Katie?" I wiped the tears from her face.

Her voice was so small I could barely hear her. "My brother, Jacob." Her head rose to look at me when she said his name.

"I didn't know you had a brother."

"I don't, not anymore. He died a long, long time ago."

"Oh no, Katie. I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I never saw a picture at your house or heard you mention him before."

"My mother doesn't like it when I say his name or talk about him. After he died, my father went around the house and removed all the pictures. I guess he thought he could forget his pain by pretending as if Jacob never existed. He cleaned out Jacob's room and tossed out all of his things. I never got to keep one thing to remember him by. Then my father died ...."

"I'm so sorry, Katie! I had no idea such tragedies existed in your past." She looked at me intensely, as if she was looking directly into my soul. I held her stare and waited for her to answer me. "They happened a long time ago. I can tell you the 'time heals all wounds' philosophy is a bunch of crap."

"What was it that I said that made you think of Jacob?" It felt as if a needle went through my heart when I said his name. Katie's sorrow passed to me.

"I don't remember." She lied.
Chapter Twenty-two

It was a hot September night and I was alone, sleeping comfortably in my room. I laid on my side, not fully asleep. My parent's voices whispered in the room beside me. This was an old house and the walls were thick, but mom and dad didn't have walls to keeps their voices enclosed and private.

My eyes snapped open once I heard them chanting. What were they doing? Maybe it was the TV downstairs? I groaned and rolled over to look at the time.

It was midnight!

Oh, now I'm pissed! What are my freaking parents doing!

Before I could get up to grab my robe, I heard their voices again. I sat up quickly in my bed and stopped moving so I could listen to them. The sound of the voices didn't belong to my parents. It sounded like there were many men and women talking. My ears definitely picked up the chant emanating from their throats. Another chill ran up my spine as I sat in horror, listening to them. Something scary was happening twenty feet away from me and only a wall separated us.

I wanted to hear what they were saying. Their voices were low and eerily light. I felt safe behind my locked door so I got out of bed slowly and made my way to the door. I grabbed my cell phone from the nightstand and turned on the camera app. I chose to record via home video. My trembling thumb clicked the red record button. I walked to the door to get a better sound on the video.

I felt ultra-brilliant for having the mind to record this. I stopped at the door and went low to floor. I held the phone out to the separation between the door and the floor, which was a good one inch. Plenty of room. The chanting continued for a few seconds and abruptly stopped. I continued to hold the phone out, hoping I recorded some of it. I brought the phone to me to turn it off when fingers scratched my door. It sounded like fingernails slowly scraped right on the other side of my door! I gasped and fell backwards. My phone spun out of my hand and under my desk. Shit! Of course I dropped it!

I turned over quickly to grab it when the chanting began again. This time they were right outside my door! I knew it wasn't my parents now. It couldn't be!

I had one of those moments from those old black and white movies where the camera pans in and out on the actors face as she panics in terror. Panic tightened its grip on me when the doorknob started to turn. Maybe this stuff happens in the movies, but it doesn't in real life! The sound of the doorknob turning made me realize I had to act fast. Somehow I knew they were coming into the room. My door was locked, but if someone really wanted to get in here, the lock would not hold.

My bathroom door was slightly open. I got on my feet and quietly sprinted into it. I flipped on the light and locked the bathroom door. I searched my bathroom for something to defend myself with. I found only a few rolls of toilet paper, towels, and my regular bathroom stuff. A tampon wouldn't protect me so I decided to fight with my hands. I was from New York, a tough city girl. I could kick ass with enough determination and scare behind me.

Then, everything went quiet.

"Anna." A soft voice called from above me. At first I didn't think I heard it, but I looked up to face whatever it was head-on.

The odd chandelier swayed, which was odd. Then I saw it, a square in the ceiling. It definitely led somewhere because it had little door hinges and a handle. I never saw it when grandpa and I redecorated the room. No one would notice it unless they specifically looked up. The chanting became louder and the scratching sounded as if it was almost through my bedroom door. I desperately jumped to grab the handle. The ceiling was tall, perhaps too tall for me. I kept jumping as quietly as I could to reach that damn handle.

Finally, I gave up and climbed up on my sink. I frantically tried to reach the little handle and hoped the sink would hold my weight. The little door gave way easily with the tiniest tug of my hand. I jumped off the sink to click off the light, then returned to climb up into the opening.

My bedroom door creaked open and I panicked. I had my hand on the opening with a good grip, but my feet that kept me steady slipped off the sink. My feet came out from under me and I waited to lose my grip, make a huge sound as I fell, be found by whatever it is outside and unnecessarily slaughtered, but someone must have been looking out for me. My hand held on tight and I didn't fall.

Instead, I was able to get my feet back on the sink and steady myself. I told myself not to panic because the bathroom door was locked, too. I took a quiet, deep breath and tried once again to get up into this black space that frightened me less than what chased me.

The little door wasn't closed fully when the bathroom door swung open. I didn't expect whatever it was to get through the bathroom door so fast, but I didn't panic. I pulled the little door closed as quietly as I could. I didn't even look below to see what was going on. The sound of footsteps did not fill the room, but I knew someone was in there, looking for me. I closed my eyes tightly and hoped it wouldn't look up.

I covered my mouth with my hand to stop myself from being heard while I held on to the door. For a good few minutes, I stayed like this while it searched for me below.

I refused to come down from my hiding place until I saw the first light of dawn. I heard mom call me for breakfast. My muscles ached terribly as I dropped down from my hiding space, especially my shoulders. A yawn escaped my mouth and I realized I never looked into my little space. What was up there? I assumed it was the attic. I wanted to take an actual look up there, but mom came inside my room with a fresh cup of coffee in her hand. I grabbed it happily from her.

"Morning Regina. Did you sleep well?" For a moment, I almost saw my real mother in her eyes.

"Not really. How about you?"

"Fine, just fine. I wanted to tell you I'm meeting Rachel at her house and we will be gone till dinner. Dad and grandpa are somewhere. So, have a good day."

"Mom, wait!" I shouted. This was probably going to be the only chance I had to talk to her about last night. I took a chance and threw my words out. "Did you hear anything last night?"

"Like what?"

"Like, um...scratching or talking?"

"No. Then again, I took a sleeping pill last night. I can sleep through anything when I take one of those." Her fresh face and bright eyes were annoying.

"Mom? Do you think this house could be haunted?" It was her turn to look a little annoyed.

She frowned at me. "No, Regina, I don't. I think this house is old and you mistakenly think it's haunted. Trust me, there's nothing haunting this place but dust and spiders. This isn't going to be a problem, is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were doing so well after the birthday party. I hope you aren't suggesting this house is haunted and resorting back to your destructive behavior."

I never wanted to slap my mother until now. It seemed as if they would use the attack to keep me under their control for a lot longer than I thought. "No, mom. Never mind.

She beamed another bright smile at me and went on her way. I took my cup of coffee to the desk and opened the window. Might as well start the day. Then I noticed my cell phone on the floor. It was halfway under my desk and had a full view of last night.

Fear kept me planted where I stood. Do I really want to know if last night was real?

I scrambled for my cord to charge my phone. I hooked my phone into my laptop and started the downloading process. There was no use watching this video on the cell phone, it was best on the laptop. It was going to take a long process since our internet was so low. My thoughts churned around inside my head while I tried to recall the events from last night. If I was dreaming, then there shouldn't be anything to watch, but if it really happened.....I shivered from the thought.

While I waited for the video to download, I realized I was starving. Grandpa probably made his prize winning biscuits. The thought of them drove my stomach mad, so I closed my laptop and put the phone underneath it. With great speed, I ran downstairs, gathered my food supplies, and headed back for the stairs. No one was around and I wore a smile of satisfaction as I walked up the stairs. Dad wasn't in his room so I was definitely in the clear, but my smile and confidence dropped when I opened my door. He stood over my laptop, the screen was up.

"Dad?!" I tried to hide my surprise, but I don't think I fooled him. "What are you doing in here?"

"I'm looking for you. How is school going?" He put his hands at his side and waited for his answer. Amazingly, he didn't try to hide what he was doing. His face told me I interrupted him, not the other way around.

"It's fine." I managed to say. I felt my stomach bubble. "Did you see the ad about the car I left on the table for you?"

"Yes. Your mother and I think it's a little too much for a new driver. Your grandfather graciously offered to give you his truck. He thinks you have made significant progress and deserve the truck."

I nodded my head in agreement. I loved grandpa's truck, a big old Chevy from the eighties. It was big, set up high, and made me feel safe. Plus it guaranteed me a car now, not when dad felt like buying it. "That is so sweet of grandpa. Do you think I've made progress, dad?"

He shook his head. "No. The car title is in your name and it has insurance. We expect you to keep it up and running. There are rules that go with this truck, but we think you can handle them in this town. Besides," He said as he turned his back on me. "Everything you do is being watched by the people in this town. I'll know if you misbehave."

"Um, ....okay. Wanna go for a drive together after I eat breakfast?" I held up my biscuits and coffee. My smile was fake, but it did the trick. He shook his head and walked out of the room like his butt was on fire. I heard the stairs groan under his weight as he walked away.

I went to my desk and casually put my breakfast down on top of my computer. I stretched casually and untied my robe as if I was going to get dressed. My hand shot out and naturally shut the door. As quietly as I could manage, I turned the lock to keep him out. To be extra safe, I grabbed my laptop and my breakfast and headed into my bathroom. I locked the bathroom door once I put my things on the floor. I changed the mats on the floor from old, dirty ones to modern chic and fluffy. I put my coffee and food beside me on the floor as I scrolled through my files to look for the file I downloaded from last night. I saw it waiting for me in my video files. I felt my anxiety suddenly come alive. The file was there, it existed! I recorded something just after midnight this morning!

The biscuits and coffee turned in my stomach as I hit play.

The screen lit up and I could hear my breathing on the recording. I turned the volume up a little as the camera went closer to the door. It was so hard to hear anything past my frenzied breaths. I didn't think I was breathing that hard last night.

Then, I heard the chanting. My heart raced when I recognized the voices. Chills ran down my spine as if someone poured ice water all over me. The audio was a little distorted and I could not hear the voices clearly.

Wal eh tot luos reh dnib

I couldn't understand the voices and the camera dropped when the voices got louder. I heard myself get up and go into the bathroom. Last night it seemed as if everything happened so fast when in reality it was almost ten minutes later when the camera showed the bedroom door open. I held my breath. I never expected the camera to last this long.

A black mist filled the room from the doorway. Was that a face?! I tried to go back and see the picture more clearly, but my computer did not have the technology to help me. The file finished playing the eerie movie I created last night. I determined I would have to buy a new computer or update the one I have to view the video in sharper definition.

Days went by and I insisted on sleeping at Katie's. We formed a routine of me staying with her on the weekdays and she would come to my house on the weekends. This went on for a few weeks. Katie knew something was up and constantly questioned me. I knew I could confide in her, and I don't know why I didn't.

I analyzed the video I recorded over and over again, but I couldn't hear the words or see the face in the mist. I thought about asking Katie to look at it, but decided against anyone I know looking at this. That led me to a Dr. William Greer. He was a computer genius who retired from Dell Computers and did private work in his retirement. He lived in Manor, which was perfect because I didn't want anyone local. I called and made an appointment to see him about enhancing my video.

I manage to make an excuse to Katie so I could drive to Manor. Dr. Greer lived on the east side. It was small like Lee, but he lived in a nicer house and in a cookie cutter neighborhood. I didn't see a wedding ring or hear a child so I assumed he was single. His hair was gray and greasy, like he hadn't showered in months.

His voice was surprising low and manly when he spoke. "What can I do for you?"

My voice held steady as I explained. "I need this file to be enhanced. There is a voice and face on it. I need to know what they are saying and who it is."

Dr. Greer paused in his black leather chair. His legs rocked in a comforting motion but stopped once I spoke.

"Is it an illegal video? Did you tape someone?" He asked up front. Those blue eyes stared at me over the large glasses that were currently residing at the end of his large nose. I was a bit taken by his honest question.

A smile of relief escaped my lips as I responded. "No, sir."

"Then tell me why you came to me."

"I don't want anyone I know to see it, okay? Look, do want the work or not?" I was getting pretty upset. It was a fair question, but I wasn't going to fully explain myself. This guy was on a need to know basis.

"No, I don't want the 'work', as you call it." He spun back around in his chair, away from me and began typing on a tiny laptop I didn't see before. I put the USB Storage device back into my bag and gave a sigh of exasperation.

"Why is it so important for you to know why I came here?" I asked him. I couldn't leave this place without finding out what was on this device. No one else could help me. I had to swallow my city pride, I guess.

"Because something is important enough that you came to me instead of buying a program and doing it yourself. A smart girl like you should have no problem with that." His response came from over his shoulder. The chair faced away from me.

I sat down hard on the ottoman beside me. The living room was big and full of computer junk, but I felt oddly comforted here. My thoughts arranged themselves in order and with long held tears in my eyes, I said, "My parents forced me to come to Lee and now they won't let me leave. Something is haunting my house and my life has completely broken apart. Oh and I can't forget my dreams! I've dreamt of the town long before I came here. So, now I'm feeling totally crazy and the only thing that will prove I'm not is on this USB stick.

"A couple of weeks ago, something came into my room. I heard this chanting and scratching. Then something came into my room. I hid in a part of the attic while it unlocked my bedroom and bathroom door, searching for me. The only proof I may have is this." I said, holding up the black USB stick. Tears flowed down my cheeks easily now. This was the first time I ever said it out loud. "My camera caught whatever it was in my room that night, but I can't enhance it. I need you to help me by clearing it up and making the video fully viewable. I need to hear the chant, too."

This was probably much more than he asked for, but I didn't care. This was the first time I felt better since I left New York. Finally, I said most of the thoughts that roll around in my brain constantly. I signed in happiness.

Dr. Greer, on the other hand, was pretty shocked. His eyes were wide open and his head was tilted back with disbelief. His mouth was open as if he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. So, he sat in his chair for a few minutes. We sat in silence while he digested what I just said. "All right. I'll look at it. I must admit, I'm curious to your story. Leave the stick with me and I will let you know what happens."

"Really?" I asked with surprise.

"Yes, really."

"How much will I need to pay?" I asked taking out my wallet, but Dr. Greer put up his hand, indicating it was not necessary.

"No, please. Let's see if I can analyze the footage for you. Then we'll work something out. You seem very upset by this, so let's see what you have first." We shook hands in agreement.

On the way to the front door, I noticed Dr. Greer rolled his chair forward. He was in a wheelchair! How could I have missed that? I felt so dumb for not realizing he didn't get out of his chair after I came into the house.

"How long do you think it will take, Dr. Greer?"

"It shouldn't be too long. You're lucky I don't have a current project so it'll give me something to do tonight. You can come by in two days, if you'd like."

I paused in Dr. Greer's entryway and looked at him again. His sweet face was full of kindness. He reminded me so much of grandpa. I saw Dr. Greer as a lonely elderly man who probably looked forward to my company.

"Thanks, Dr. Greer. I'll probably do that."

I went crazy waiting for the time to pass the next day at school. Katie asked me all day what was wrong, but I didn't tell her.

"Hey! Did you hear me?" Katie's voice called to me.

"Sorry Katie, I was thinking about the test I took earlier today in history."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure you did great. I was asking if you heard anything about Kyle's party this weekend. He said if we can find the party, then we deserve all the beer we can drink!"

"Rumor was Kyle couldn't score the beer." I said as I saw Steven in the hallway. He avoided my eyes and walked right past me.

"No, but Kyle has an older brother, Tyler. As long as Tyler is paid for his gas and time, he'll do it."

"Sure. Let's go this weekend. Nat and Becky going?" I asked with wonder.

"I'm trying to get Nat to go, but she doesn't know if her parents will let her. You coming to my place tonight?"

"No, my mom said I have to sleep home tonight. They want to talk to me." I lied. I didn't want to tell Katie I was waiting to see if Dr. Greer would call me with the results of my video.

"Okay. Want me to come over?"

"No, but I appreciate you for trying to save me from them." I said with a chuckle. I hated lying to Katie, but there were some things I wanted to keep to myself.

I waited for Dr. Greer to call me that night, but he didn't. I spent the night trying to focus on something else. I stayed up with grandpa. We watched old MASH re-runs and got too comfy on the couch. I think we fell asleep. The next thing I remember, I woke up to feel him shaking me.

"Regina. We fell asleep. Get up and get to bed."

"Okay, grandpa." I said, but had no intention of going upstairs. I closed my eyes again after he went into his room. Instinct helped me up to grab the remote. I turned the TV off and lay back on the couch. I tossed and turned for a little while until I realized it was too hot in here. I made myself get up to turn on the air.

The thermostat was located in the kitchen/dining room, just to the right of the door way. The house was quiet and locked up tight. I walked groggily to the thermostat and turned it down. Once I heard the air conditioner kick on, I went back to the couch, but this time I stopped and woke up immediately.

The front door was wide open!

The door was to the left of the couch, so there was no way I missed the open door on my way to turn on the air conditioner. I walked to the door, trying to act normal as I went to it. As I came upon it, it closed by itself. My body jumped with a large jolt of fear. I was so scared, my feet refused to move one inch.

Knock, knock, knock.

It came from the front door! I shook with fear and felt paralyzed. I couldn't run or scream. What if I stay still and don't say anything?

A few seconds later, knock, knock, knock. It was harder this time, more forceful.

Out of sheer stupidity, I whispered a response to it. "Come in."

At first, nothing happened. Then the door knob turned. I jumped and that seemed to mobilize my feet. I turned and wondered which way to go. Grandpa's room? Possibly the kitchen and out the back door? Should I just hide or scream?

Before I could execute my brilliant plan of screaming, the door opened quickly and I turned around to see who was there.

It was a woman. Her hair was brown and long, maybe to her shoulder blades. I'm not sure because it was all knotted up. Her eyes were silver and glowed against the darkness of the night. A small white dress covered her frail body, it wasn't as bright as her eyes but it glowed none the less. Her skin was grossly pale and bloody. Slashes were all over her face and visible skin. She was a mess, the cuts were made with such fierceness, the skin was jagged and some of the flesh was cut off. Blood covered the bottom half of her dress, it followed horizontally across her waist. One thing that I noticed was the dimple on her right cheek. This was the same woman who scared me on the steps months ago.

She floated towards me with her arms outstretched. I saw the silver liquid of Death in her eyes as she neared me. I tried to back away, but I stumbled over the armchair ottoman. My head hit the floor hard. My feet came out from under me and over my head. I landed with a hard slam on the wooden floor. Mom and dad's light flicked on above, I could see it along the top of the stairs.

"Mom! Dad!" I tried to scream, but my voice came out hoarse. The fall knocked the wind out of me and I couldn't breathe. Tears fell from my red face. I looked up and around to see if she was still coming for me.

She was right in front of my face when I turned around. I felt her cold breath on my skin as she came closer. I took a deep look into her eyes and found pain, lots of pain. Her hand closed on the top of my arm as I tried to back away. Her suffering flowed from her hand and into my arm as if I was being electrocuted with it.

She pulled her face close to mind and whispered, "Run."

I took a deep breath and screamed my lungs out. Grandpa threw open his doors with a shotgun in his hands. Mom and dad's footsteps stomped the stairs as they rushed down.

"What wrong?" Dad shouted, looking at me and grandpa, but grandpa shrugged at him in response.

It was gone. There was nothing in the room anymore. I put my hands out in front of me, trying to make sense of what was just there. My parents raised their eyebrows at each other as I did this.

"Someone was here. She opened the front door!" I shouted. Everyone turned to see the front door was still open. Grandpa's eyes became wide with anger. His fury stirred as he realized someone broke into the house.

"Someone tried to break into my house, again?" He shouted with rage.

"No grandpa. I.., well, I don't know, ....... Maybe she was trying to rob the house. I was so confused." I stammered. I saw my parents look at each other with a little knowing glance. They weren't going to believe me, no matter what I say. It pissed me of, and helped me find my voice. "Grandpa, you got up and went to bed. I got up and turned off the TV. It was hot in here so I walked over to turn the air conditioner on and when I came back, she knocked on the door and came in!"

It sounded ridiculous to them, I know it did, but the door was wide open! We stood there, looking at each other as if wondering what to believe. The atmosphere was cold and confusing.

"Maybe we should really look into the psychiatrist?" Dad said to mom.

"Are you kidding me!" I shrilled. Anger rose in my chest and heat was in my face. Grandpa came up behind me and spoke in a hard voice to my father.

"I locked that door myself before I put on the TV." Grandpa said. "If Regina said someone was in here, I believe her. I'm gonna call the sheriff."

My parents narrowed their eyes at me as grandpa went to call the police. They thought I was lying, but I didn't care what they thought, at least grandpa believed me.

Sheriff Cameron Goodwin arrived with his deputy, Joey Tallerto. Mom said she went to high school with the deputy. They exchanged a few kind words and mom pulled him aside for a chat. I knew she was going to tell him I was lying.

The sheriff was a nice man in his late forties. His plump figure sat comfortably in grandpa's living chair as he asked me to describe what happened. I went through it again and this time I added some movements to show how the girl came inside.

"What did she look like?" He asked while taking out his pad and pen.

"Well, I think she was hurt. She had dirty brown hair that was all knotted up and she was bleeding."

"Bleeding?" Sheriff Goodwin asked in concern.

"Bleeding?" Grandpa echoed. "You didn't mention that."

Grandpa rushed to the front door and opened it again, this time stopping to turn on the outside lights. Floodlights lit up the front yard as the men stepped outside. They looked all over the ground and walls for any traces of blood but found nothing. Mom and I turned on the flashlight apps on our phones and looked around, as well.

"Well, it's hard to see anything in the dark," The sheriff began but was interrupted by my mother's gasp.

"What is it?" I asked as I ran to her.

Mom shined her flashlight on the ground about three feet from the front porch.

In the ground, written in the dirt were the words FEAR THE FIRST YEAR. It was written in blood.
Chapter Twenty-three

The next day, I was anxious to see Dr. Greer. I skipped school and drove like a wild woman to Manor. Manor was a good forty-five minutes from Lee and after last night, I had to know what was on the file. I didn't care if I was punished for skipping school.

"I'm glad you're here." Dr. Greer said immediately after he opened the door. He didn't comment on the early hour or the fact that I should be in school, which I was grateful. "I had a chance to analyze the file and unfortunately, it's going to take a while to enhance all of it because of the darkness."

My heart sank. I had a lot of hopes that he would be able to find something for me.

"I have to tell you Regina, this video gives me the creeps." He said softly. I looked down and nodded. Dr. Greer gave me a hard pat on my shoulder, as if to say 'buck up, guy'. "I did decipher the first sentence for you. What did you think they were saying when you heard the recording?"

"I honestly have no idea."

Hot and steamy coffee was ready for me when I went to the computer. Apparently, Dr. Greer had it ready for us. He wheeled himself to his computer and pressed play on an old looking projector. "Okay, here is the sentence cleaned up."

The voices took me back to that night. The machine broadcasted the voices in a loud and clear tone. My fear returned and so did my anxiety. Three separate disembodied voices filled the room. My hands trembled so hard, I spilled coffee on my shirt. "What is it saying?"

"You didn't hear it? It's the English language."

"It is!" My shocked face turned to his. I grabbed a tissue to clean up the spilled coffee.

"If you turn the words around it says; bind her soul to the law."

He showed me the words on the computer screen. Oh my goodness, he was right!

"How did you figure that out?"

"I find encoding numbers, languages, and symbols fascinating. Something difficult for you was simple for a man with my experience. It's why you hired me."

I laughed and shook my head. "Thanks, Dr. Greer."

"Yes, well, don't mention it." He put his head down and got back to work on the computer. "I'm almost done with the rest of the words. It should take me a few minutes to decipher the rest. You are free to stay if you'd like. I know you had to drive a little ways to get here and you are welcome to pull up a computer."

I laughed at his joke and sat down beside him. I pulled out my books and started to work on my history homework while Dr. Greer clicked away on the keyboard. Peace and safety filled my chest. I felt as if I could breathe again. Dr. Greer's house was painted a neutral beige tone with a house plant here or there, yet, the warmth was missing. There was nothing on the walls and stiff office chairs were sparsely placed. There were tons of computer parts with wires everywhere, but I felt completely safe here.

"Regina?" His voice called out.

"Yes?"

"What do you think was after you that night?"

It was a good question. "I don't know. I think a spirit is haunting our home. Maybe it was the spirit?"

"A spirit is haunting your home?" He asked me. He wasn't being skeptical at my answer, just trying to understand why I thought so.

"Or a ghost? I don't know if there's a difference, but something has been messing with me since I arrived to that house. One night, a monster tried to break into my bedroom. Then, the night of my birthday party, it came back for me, only it got my ex-boyfriend, Steve, instead."

Dr. Greer was nodding his head as I spoke. "Did the attack happen in July?"

"Yes, it did."

"I remember reading an article in the paper about a girl attacking her boyfriend at a birthday party. Was that you?"

I scoffed. "Yes, but I didn't attack Steven. I swear I didn't."

"My darling, you don't have to convince me. I know you didn't hurt that young man."

"You mean, you believe me?" I asked with wide eyes. This was the first time Dr. Greer said he believed me.

"Of course I believe you, and I believe you are not crazy." Dr. Greer hesitated before he continued. Once again, he rocked in his wheelchair. I learned he designed this wheelchair himself. Once he felt sensation in his legs, he designed the chair so that he could exercise his feet and legs while working at his computer. "Have you told your parents about this?"

"No. They think I actually hurt Steven." I left it at that. No need to go further right now. I didn't want him to know they were a big part of my problem.

"Regina, I think we know each other well enough for you to call me Bill, please. Maybe you should try to talk to them again, especially your father. You said you have a nice relationship with him."

Disappointment flooded through me. Of course this guy, the adult, was going to encourage me to talk to my parents. He was just like all the others! I stood up and gathered my things. I know he was only trying to help me but it was pointless advice to talk to my father. "Thanks Dr. Greer, I mean Bill. I will try again when I can. I gotta get back to Lee. I need to get to school. I'll check back with you later."

"Regina, if I said something that offended you," He began. He didn't hide his surprise over my abrupt departure.

"Don't worry about it. You're right, I should talk to my dad. My dad who now hates me, and looks at me every day like he's ready to kill me. Thanks for the advice!"

I closed the door on his advice and home.
Chapter Twenty-four

I kept to myself for a while. It was well into October and Katie left with the band for a marching contest. She wouldn't be back for a few days. I felt lonely in the seclusion of the country. I spent my time reading fashion magazines and walking grandpa's farm. Without Katie to keep me distracted, I found myself scared, and I hated being scared. Every little bump in the house sent me running for the front door.

Two days after I slammed the door on Bill, I went back. I saw he felt terrible about the advice he gave me. I could tell he wanted to say he was sorry, but didn't want to approach the subject unless I said something first.

"Bill, I'm so sorry I snapped at you. It's all my fault. I haven't told you everything." I said.

"I assumed as much. You don't have to talk to me if you don't want to. I can develop this video to a higher quality and shut up while I do it."

I laughed at him. Bill was such a sweet man. Here he was helping a young girl he doesn't know who could possibly be crazy. The thought of his kindness made me cry. My father used to be this way to me, but no longer.

I told Bill everything, from the physical illness I felt about coming here, to the dreams I was having about Lee. It was a lot to tell and Bill listened to every word I said. He didn't interrupt me or pest me with questions as I explained the break ins and attack at my party. It was nice to have someone hear what I have to say with a serious ear.

"I don't know what to say, Regina, except I believe you." Bill thought for a moment before going on. "I've certainly seen my fair share of the unexplainable."

"Really?" I gasped.

"Yes, Regina. I'm old, but I did live before I was in this wheelchair." He muttered.

"I'm sorry Bill, that's not what I meant. I'm glad to finally have someone who can attest to the experiences I've been having. Not many people believe in ghosts."

He chuckled and took a sip of his water. "Well, that's certainly true. I didn't mean to offend you when I suggested you talk to your father, I.....I don't really...have experience with the young kids anymore. I never married nor had a child so it's only been me, myself and I. Today's youth would classify me as having 'shitty social skills.'"

I couldn't help but explode with laughter. To hear Bill use that language and cut loose was pretty cool. I felt as if I could finally be myself around him. A feeling of comfort surged through me and I sat back in the chair as if I belonged.

"By the way, I deciphered the rest of the tape."

"You did?"

"Yes. Want to hear it?" He asked.

I shook my head and he played the tape. "Bend her soul to the Law, Darkness is coming, All shall be judged!"

"What does that mean?" I wondered out loud.

"I'm working on that. Another day and I should have an answer."

"May I ask you something, Bill?" I asked delicately.

"Sure."

"How did you end up in the chair?" Normally, I wouldn't ask such a bold question, but the smell of liquor slapped me in the face with its stench. What I had mistaken for water was actually vodka in Bill's cup. As these Texans would say, Bill was loose as a goose, but after I asked the question his face became dark.

"One of the many joys of becoming old, my darling."

\-----

October was in full swing with a Friday the thirteenth dance in the works. This weekend the school would host a dance and I was getting excited. I loved Halloween, except this year I didn't want to be living in a real haunted house. The kids I went to school with still refused to speak to me or invite me anywhere with them, only Katie did. I was ostracized from the community. After Katie returned from competition, she had time to focus on me and was positive something was up. She fired questions at me all the time and soon became suspicious of what I was doing with the afternoons I spent with Bill. I tried to hang out with her as much as I could, but driving to Manor took forty-five minutes to get there and the same time to get back. It took a lot of my time after school and she didn't seem to believe my excuses. I did miss our friendship, but I found something great with Bill that I hadn't found with Katie, a father figure. Besides, I liked spending time with Bill. I found out a lot about him and his life while trying to enhance the video of my nightmares.

"Regina, I think you need to sit down this time." Bill said on Wednesday. I drove to Manor after I helped decorate the gym for the dance this Friday. I fell into the chair beside him with exhaustion. Even though it was October, the heat was still unbearable, but I didn't let that diminish my excitement. The kids seemed to be finally coming around to the fact that I'm not a person who attacks her boyfriend. "This time, we need to watch the last part together....."

"You saw the face?!" I couldn't help shouting at him with excitement. My hands clapped together and I sat at the edge of my seat, but Bill put up his hands to slow me down and sit back. His face was clear with anxiety.

"Regina. We need to watch the whole video together. This isn't something you should see by yourself. I was alone when I watched it and it nearly scared the pants off of me."

"Ok, Bill. Fine, let's see it together. But, you did get a clear image of the face?"

"Yes. You're definitely going to have a clear view of it."

My body trembled as we sat down together. Bill looked at me and pressed play.

On the computer, that night came alive, but this time it was crystal clear. The night that kept me locked in an attic, terrified of what was below me. In the back of my mind, I knew I wasn't crazy, but I did doubt what really happened. Bill was kind and gave me his trademark hard pat on my shoulder. It was nice that he was there with me. I felt terrified of what I was about to see.

The movie came to life and I saw myself turn on the camera. Wow, I hadn't seen that before! This was going to show me everything! I got excited when the camera distinctly paned over to the door. I sat on the edge of my seat as the words became clear.

The creepy voices called again, "Bend her soul to the Law. Darkness is coming. All shall be judged!"

I watched the rest of the video and waited for it. I felt anxious to see the face in the video. The moment came and I held my breath. Something flashed in front of the screen! It ran in front of the camera as the smoke filled the room.

"Whoah! What that a pig?"

"It was."

"Why would a pig be in my room?" I wondered.

"Pigs are used in satanic worship." Bill said.

I felt a chill go through me as he said that.

Before I could ask him to please explain what this has to do with the devil, I saw the face! It was a woman with blonde hair. Though the smoke and distortion, I saw her face. It was like stone, her cruel features chiseled into her face forever. Ruby red eyes looked straight into the camera as if they could see me through the computer screen. I knew that face well. She bent over and coughed, as if it choked on something. All of a sudden, something long and slimy came out of her! She hacked the thing out of her throat and onto the floor. She leaned her head forward to push it out of her mouth. I couldn't see her as she did this because her head wasn't in the way of the lens. She sat back up and wiped her face with the back of her hand. Whatever it was she puked up, we'll never know, but once again her face was caught on camera.

It was my mother's face!

"Regina? Regina!" Bill called, but I did not answer him. I stared at my mother's cruel face on the screen.

"No, no, no, no, no." I repeated as I paced the floor back and forth with disbelief. My breath came so fast I couldn't catch it. Tears wanted to break free from my eyes, but I held them back. I needed to go home and beat the answers out of my parents, but I knew I wouldn't do that. This video finally gave me the proof I needed to leave this place forever. I had to plan it carefully otherwise they would not let me go.

"Regina, answer me!" Bill screamed at me again.

"I'm fine. I have to go. Thanks for watching it with me, Bill." I gave his old hand a tight squeeze and picked up the copy of the enhanced video. I turned away to leave.

"Regina! Wait! Who was the woman in the video? Will you be safe?"

"Bill," I said as I turned back to him with a pleasant smile on my face. "I've come to love you as I once did my dad. Thank you for your friendship and help. I won't forget it."

He blushed and looked down at the compliment. I know he wanted to stop me from leaving and get answers out of me, but he didn't. "Thank you Regina. Will you be back?"

"I hope so, but if I don't, give the video to......." I hesitated. Who did I trust? Who would watch it and do the right thing? "On the outskirts of Galveston is a town called Lady Bird. Somehow, find a man called Pirate and give it to him. And give him this...." I went to my bag and took out a brown shoe box. In it was the old letter from Rachel, and the rest of the items I took from Grandpa's shed. I kept it with me at all times. I almost decided against it, but I included my dream diary in the box as well. I ended the journal with my personal conclusion for those who read it.

My legs trembled as I sat the box beside Bill's keyboard.

"Keep it safe." I told him. "And don't tell anyone else you have it."

I bent down and gave Bill a hug. Little tears formed on the bottom of his eyes. Before he had a chance to spill them down his sweet face, I turned and left.

I left Bill's house to confront my mother.
Chapter Twenty-five

She waited for me in one of the cozy patio chairs when I drove up. The sky turned dark and the shadows came alive. The warm summer air turned bitter as the sun fell. My mother relaxed in one of the chairs as if she didn't have a care in the world. I parked the truck and got out. My feet crunched the gravel driveroad.

"Regina, come sit by me." She said in a silky voice that scared the hell out of me.

"No. I want to ask you something." I was too scared to go sit by her. Her face was black from the lack of light and her voice seemed different. She wore a light blue dress that highlighted her perfectly shaped legs.

"That will wait. You have some explaining to do."

"Oh yeah? What must I explain?" I snorted.

"Why you stole things that belong to me." Her eyes narrowed and her cheeks turned fire red.

"What did I steal from you?"

"I went out to grandpa's gardening hut today."

"Oh shit," I whispered to myself. I shifted my stance and moved my eyes to the ground.

"He keeps old mementos of my and Rachel's young life in there. The containers he stored the items in were obviously disturbed. Items were taken, letters were read, but I guess I don't have to tell you any of this, do I Regina?"

"I was going to talk to you about it, but I wanted to wait for an appropriate time other than your mother's funeral."

"Is that so?" She asked.

"Yes, mom. I promise I didn't look through those things in spite. You know me. I was curious about you at my age because you never talk about it. I was curious about aunt Rachel, you never talked about her before. I feel like a complete stranger in your life, but I'm your daughter, a person you should be close to. Yes, I was bored one day and found the shed. I honestly didn't think anyone would mind if I looked through the tubs. I swear I was going to tell you after a little time passed. I swear."

"Why did you take my things?" She bellowed.

"I didn't take anything. I'll admit I looked through the tubs, but I didn't take anything." I lied. It was better to admit I looked through the bins, but deny I took her stuff. Plus, if I admitted taking her things, Bill might become involved since I left those items with him in the box with my journal.

"Really? You didn't take anything?"

"Yes, mom. I really didn't take anything."

I looked into her darkened face as the minutes passed. Then, she hissed softly at me, "I will find what was taken and you will be punished."

"Well, you won't find it with me."

Moments of silence passed as she contemplated my response. She seemed to cool down because her legs crossed and swayed with the breeze. Her posture seemed to relax. "You were going to ask me something?"

"Yes ...." Before I could get the words out to confront her about the video, I felt something deep inside me screaming not to. It was like a big red NO flashed painfully in my head. I felt compelled to listen to it and I covered my lie quickly. "I wanted to know if I could visit Jane for a couple of days. I've been very good and I'm not behind in one class. My attendance is perfect, so a couple of days won't hurt me."

I expected her to be annoyed at my question, but she sounded surprisingly motherly. "No."

"No?" I asked in disbelief.

"No." She said, but this time with more force.

"Mom, why did you lie about grandpa and grandma, and aunt Rachel? In the pictures in the shed, you two looked as close as sisters could be. Why won't you tell me the truth?"

"You are taking things you see and spinning them into things that are not true."

"Really, mom? I don't think I am." My sarcasm was in full bloom.

"Yes you are. I'm not going back over my life with you because I don't owe you an explanation. You are unhappy with your life, and with your father and I. Don't think I haven't seen you with your sad face around here. You are doing everything you can to get back to New York."

"Of course I want to go home, but that has nothing to do with you being a liar! You know I didn't hurt Steven, and you know Michael did it, that's why aunt Rachel took him away. You and dad are trying to keep me here against my will." I snapped.

Something inside mom must've snapped, too. The air between us changed drastically. She stood up abruptly. Her shoulders hunched forward and a growl emanated from her chest.

Now I must admit I was definitely scared of her at this point. I have no idea what would've happened next because a scream ripped into the night.

We looked at the house. The scream came from the upstairs. Chills ran down my spine as I gazed up to my window. I scanned the house with my eyes and didn't see anything. The only sound I heard were mine and mom's breathing as we waited for it.

"What the hell was that?" Mom breathed quietly. I heard the fear in her voice.

"I don't know." I breathed just as quietly. "Is anyone in the house?"

"No." We looked at each other again, this time with fear instead of anger. "Let's go up."

"No! Are you crazy, mom? Call dad." I insisted. I placed my hand on hers in effort to stop her from going inside the house.

"Dad took grandpa to get his meds before the store closed. They left thirty minutes ago. It's up to us, Regina."

"Mom, please. I don't want to go up there! I don't want to!" I pleaded quietly with her. "Let's just leave! Come on, I got the keys to the truck right here. Let's just get in it and leave."

My brilliant mind ran into overtime. My feet caught up to my brain by walking to my truck with mom in tow, whether she wanted to or not.

"Oh, screw it. Lead the way to the truck." She responded.

We sprinted quietly to my truck. The doors weren't locked, thank goodness.

Slam!

We stopped for a second for some stupid reason.

"What was that?" Mom asked.

"Sounded like a door slamming shut." I said. "Are you sure dad and grandpa aren't home?"

"Yes! I saw them leave! Their car is still gone!"

Our eyes met with renewed fear. The night became still. The wind quieted down to nonexistence. It was creepy. The insects went silent and something filled up the air, a thickness maybe.

I was the first one to see it. My truck faced away from the tank and gave me the perfect view of my bedroom window.

"Mom! Look at my window." I said as I pointed at it.

She turned and gasped. Someone stood at my window, looking out at us. I wanted to say it was a person because it was shaped like a human. It had dark hair and white skin. I saw cuts on its face. It searched for us with its dead eyes.

"Holy shit!" Mom screamed, not caring anymore about being quiet. "Get in the truck!"

We opened the doors to the truck and heaved ourselves in. Mom locked her door once we got inside. I strapped on my seatbelt and easily jammed the keys into the ignition. Thank goodness I didn't have one of those stupid Hollywood moments where the protagonist can't get the keys in right. Before I got the truck into drive, the door leading out to the porch threw itself open. It made a loud bang and caught mom's attention.

She screamed from fright. One glance was all I needed. One glance told me the same woman at the window was now at the door. I didn't look any further and concentrated on driving. I shifted the truck into drive and softly pushed the accelerator. No way was I getting the truck stuck in the mud. I steered the wheel to the left, catching the gravel driveroad. The truck came up and we bounced down road to the gate.

Another scream pierced the sky as we drove away. It was horrible to drive away with that chasing us.

"Please tell me you left the gate open." Mom said.

"I left the gate open."

"Oh, thank you." Mom let out a sigh of relief but quickly gasped from fright when she saw the gate closed. "You said it was open!"

"No, you said to tell you it was open. You didn't ask if it was open."

"Oh really funny, Regina!" She exploded with anger.

I threw the truck into park, shot out of the front seat, and unwrapped the chain holding the gate closed. The lock on the chain wasn't actually locked so it only took a moment to get the gate open. I hopped back into the truck and sped away onto the highway, heading towards town.

"Where do I go?" I asked.

"Give me your phone. I'll call dad. He'll know what to do. Start heading towards Catfish Pharmacy."

We drove into town and met with dad and grandpa at a convenience store. Mom and I described what happened to us while they listened intently. Before we met them, mom and I reviewed our story. They seemed to believe us.

"Well girls, I don't know what to say. That's some story." Dad said.

"It's true, Jack. Someone was in the house and it wasn't us. It wasn't our imagination either." Mom pleaded.

"Honey, I believe you. However, I don't know what you want me to do. George and I can go back to the house and check it out."

"No! I don't want you going back there! Let's get a hotel room outside of town and talk about it then." Mom said.

"A hotel room outside of town?" Dad scoffed at her. That was strange. He hadn't disagreed with her once since we moved here. "Now listen, Lynda, I do believe you when you say something happened, but I don't think going to a motel is the answer. I'm more than happy to check the house out to if it would make you feel better, but I'm not going to a motel."

"Oh yes you will, Jack Roth. You will take us to a hotel, not a motel, and not say another word about it. Do you understand?"

"What has gotten into you?" Dad asked with amazement.

"Regina, would you please get me a coffee from the store? I need to speak to your father and grandpa." Mom asked me.

"Sure. I'll be back in a minute."

I watched in silence as mom and dad talked back and forth. Poor grandpa stood beside them looking very uncomfortable. I had no idea what they said. I got an extra coffee and sipped on it as I waited for them. It helped put heat and calmness back into my body. Personally, I didn't care if we never stepped foot back inside that house.

Mom did make dad take us to a hotel. There was a nice one thirty minutes outside of Lee. It had a pool and soft beds. Grandpa and I shared a room, I didn't mind though. We stayed up watching television, as usual. Mom and dad bought dinner at a fast food place and we ate burgers at our little table in our hotel room. It felt like old times, however it felt strange, as if those good days were long gone and I lived in the past.

I was asleep when they started talking. My eyes fluttered open at the sound of their voices. These days, I was a light sleeper.

"I won't go back there...." Mom said.

"Yes we will. You don't know it was her." Dad said.

Grandpa was fast asleep in the bed beside mine. My parents room adjoined ours, separated by a door. Though they tried to keep their voices down, it was impossible due to the topic. Their voices rang out just enough to hear at times. I didn't dare move for fear that grandpa wasn't really asleep. Last thing I wanted was to be caught eavesdropping.

"....I saw it clear as crystal." Mom cried out. "It was her."

"......her mother? I don't believe in ghosts." Dad responded.

"Well you should. If you go back you will see it, too. She will be sure of it."

My father scoffed at her. I heard his feet stomp to the bathroom and slam the door shut. Mom started to cry. If she hadn't become such a mean woman, I would've gone to her. Yet, I stayed where I was and listened to her. At some point, my father came out of the bathroom and went to bed. They didn't talk anymore. I felt safe enough to get up without making it seem as if I had been listening to them. My desperation to use the restroom was undeniable at this point. Plus, I felt grimy. I wanted to take a shower.

I went into the bathroom and closed the door behind me. I turned on the shower to hot and let it run while I brushed my teeth. The water ran too hot in the shower. It created a an unusual amount of steam on the mirror in front of me. The sound of a finger rubbing itself on the mirror drew my attention to my right. In front of my face, not less than two feet in front of me were the words RUN being spelled out in the steam on the mirror.

She was there. I saw her reflection in the mirror. Her lips smiled at me, the dimple on her cheek prominently displayed. At first, I didn't know what to do. I think I was too shocked to do anything. Then I remembered to scream.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

"What tha hell!" Grandpa roared from his bed.

Mom and dad busted through the adjoining door. I don't know why they did that because the door was not locked.

"Mom! In here!" I shouted. "Hurry!"

Everyone poured into the little bathroom and I pointed to the mirror. Their abrupt entrance created enough air for the message to disappear. It didn't matter though, everyone saw it.

"Did you see it?" I shakily whispered.

At first, no one said anything. It seemed as if they were still thinking about it in their heads first. A little judge and jury panel deliberated in their minds about whether or not I was telling the truth. Dad's jury was the first one who came to a conclusion.

"Did you do that, Regina?" He boomed.

"No! Dad, I swear! It just started writing itself!"

Their eyes looked skeptical and somewhat doubtful, except for mom. She nodded her head in understanding. At this point, I was still upset at the sight of her face on the video so I couldn't understand why she was agreeing with me now. Why this sudden camaraderie?

"I told you so, Jack." Mom interjected.

"You told me so? Told me what, Lynda? Your daughter obviously loves her mother enough to create this scene tonight in order further prove your statements."

At this point, I didn't think I loved my mother enough to do this for her in order to get his attention, but I didn't say it. Some things are best left unsaid.

"That is enough, Jack! You can return to the house if you want, but I'm not!"

"What are you going to do, Lynda? Are you going back to New York?" My father hissed at her. That seemed to be enough to quiet her down. "Let's just try to figure out what is going on here."

"Regina has asked to return to New York for a week. I told her no, but now I think it's a good idea. Let's get her out of here while we figure out what to do." Mom said calmly, but dad wasn't having any of it.

"No. We agreed that would be a bad idea. Let's return to the house tomorrow and decide then."

"I'm not sure I can go back to that house, Jack! It was scary!" She cried.

"Then I don't know what you want me to do, Lynda!" My father shouted at her. Never before had I seen them argue like this.

The two of them stood there, panting from the fight and the harsh words. Grandpa and I just watched them as they continued. Strangely enough, we never left the bathroom while mom and dad argued about our next move.

Grandpa had had enough. "Excuse me, huh. I'm going back to bed and in a couple of hours I'm going back to my home. Now, I've indulged you for tonight, young lady, but I don't believe in ghosts and I will not leave my home. I ain't never had no problems in my home before you three showed up at my door." He snapped and made his way past my parents and back into his bed. "And shut the damn lights off!"

Mom, dad, and I went back into their room and shut the door for Grandpa. We faced each other for a few silent minutes until Dad spoke up first. I was surprised to hear his voice much calmer than before.

"Alright, Lynda. You win. We will leave that house." Dad said softly and mom perked up with joy. "First, let's go home and get a schedule prepared. Do we stay in Lee or move back to New York?"

"I don't want to go back there!" Mom exclaimed. Her eyes widened with genuine fear of returning to grandpa's home. I thought her fear was completely justified.

"It will be two weeks tops before your mother's estate is finalized, and I won't leave you alone in the house." He added to sweeten the deal.

I'm sure if he was given the choice, dad would've left me alone in the house in a heartbeat. I didn't kid myself anymore, I knew dad's view of me was forever changed the day we arrived in Lee. He caressed her face and kissed her deeply. Great, not again, and in front of me!

"So, does this mean I can go home, too?" I interrupted. "Back to New York, I mean."

Once again, my father thought to himself. His mind seemed to churn with thoughts on the idea. I saw he was having an inner conflict with himself. Either nodding in agreement or dislike, I couldn't tell. His eyes met my mother's and they had another moment.

"Yes, you can." He answered.
Chapter Twenty-six

"A full moon tonight on Friday the thirteenth! YEAH!" Renee screamed into the phone.

"I heard you!" I laughed back. "I think everyone in the house heard you!"

"Like I care! I'm so freaking excited to see you tomorrow! Jane said to send you her love and hugs for a safe trip. What time is your flight arriving at Kennedy?" She asked.

"Eight. Still meeting me at out front?" I asked her.

"Hells yeah, we'll be there. I made a sign!" Renee laughed.

We talked for another thirty minutes about my return to New York the next day. I had my bags packed and ready for my flight. Everything sat by my door, neatly stacked and labeled. It wasn't so difficult to get everything packed up. I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to fit my clothes. Since I gave Katie most of last season's garments, my suitcase was surprisingly light. I did have some outfits that I bought from local stores here, but there was no way I was taking anything from this place.

Speaking of Katie, she was taking my sudden departure surprisingly well. We had grown pretty close over the past four months and her determination that we would see each other again was irritating. There was no way I would return to this place unless grandpa asked me to. At this point, I didn't care anymore about my dreams or this town. I wanted to get the hell out of here. I hoped I wasn't making a mistake by not confronting my parents about the video, but I desperately wanted the family I had before we came to Lee. I was willing to forget about it, for now. As far as the video and the other evidence I had, I couldn't bring myself to destroy it. The wedding picture, letter, and the video. My brain screamed at me to keep it to myself, showing Bill was enough.

After my parents told me we could leave, I saw Bill the next day. I confessed the woman in the video was my mother. Bill didn't want me to go home, but I had to. Besides, whatever it was that affected my mother that night hadn't returned.

"The only information I found regarding any law was a science fiction book. It has nothing to do with you, I'm sure of it. As far as the haunting, I researched the town's history back and forth, and found nothing that could explain it. Ed Harlen, my research guy, hasn't heard of it either. We'll keep looking though.

"As far as witches, cults or other supernatural worship, I can't find any around here. The pig was a definite sign of occult worship. It seems as if the ceremony your parents engaged in was an ancient one. So ancient, in fact, that it surprises me they spoke english. A ceremony of this magnitude requires the original language of when the spell was created. If english is truly the language used when the spell was created, then who created it? Did you ever suspect your parents were possibly occultists before?" Bill asked delicately.

"No, and I'm still not sure they are!"

"What?" Bill gasped.

"I mean, what if they're under some sort of influence? What if they don't know they're doing this to me? What sort of ceremony were they performing?" I asked. "They've never been mixed up with this stuff before."

"An ancient binding ceremony. If they did it properly, the spell would bind a soul to a person or place. Let me show you some translations." Bill wheeled himself to his computer and started clicking away frantically.

"So? What would that mean?"

"It would mean the person would have no choice where they lived or who they lived with. The spell prohibits them from leaving." Just as those words came out of Bill's mouth, his hands stopped moving on the keyboard, and he turned around. Our wide our eyes met, I knew exactly what he was thinking. "Oh shit, Regina!"

"No Bill. I know what you're thinking, but why would my parents want to 'bind' me to that town?"

"You're not thinking about it right, Regina! They weren't trying to bind you to Lee. They were trying to bind you to something called 'law' or 'the law'. What the hell is the law?"

I shrugged. "The police?"

"No. It couldn't be something like that." Bill turned back around and began typing again. "Regina, I'm going to call some friends of mine and get some more information on this Law. I'll let you once I know something. I'm positive if I find the Law......."

"No worries Bill. I don't care anymore. I'm so happy I'm leaving this place, I don't think I'll ever return."

"I know. The next time we meet will be in New York." Bill laughed. "Do you remember our safe plan?"

"How could I forget?" I chuckled. Bill said I was to call him before my flight left Austin and again after I arrived landed safely in New York. He said if he didn't get both calls, he would go to the police. He even offered to hire someone to travel with me to ensure I arrived home. It was a sweet offer, but I declined it. Bill did promise to visit me in two weeks to make sure everything with my parents was back to normal. It made me feel so much better to have Bill in my life. I don't know what would've happened to me if I hadn't found him.

"See you in New York, Bill!" I kissed him on his cheek and gave him another massive hug. We parted with reluctance.

Before I went home to get ready for the dance, I decided to drive on the back roads one last time. It would be my farewell to all those terrible dreams and visions. Mom and dad said we would come back to Lee to visit, but I knew it would never happen. Once they got back into their lives in the city, they would forget all about this place and the people forced to live in it.

I saw I needed gas in the truck. If I remembered correctly, there was a convenience store when you drove into Lee. It was owned by the widow, Shirley Riggs. Mom said she worked there with Shirley while she was in high school. Shirley was an attractive lady in her early fifties. The single men mostly went to her store to flirt with her in hopes she would give them her attention, but her heart would always belong to her deceased husband. I parked in the front of the store and ran inside. I saw Shirley sitting to the right when I walked into the store. She sat behind a table, counting the day's totals. Her red hair shined brightly in the light and her makeup was flawless. I didn't recognize the other lady behind the register. Her hazel eyes looked at me briefly as I came inside. On my way to the coolers in the back, I heard a familiar voice. I grabbed bottled water from the cooler and titled my head to the left, trying to listen closer. I knew that voice! I walked the aisles, trying to find him.

"Ha-V!" I shouted. It was Javier Juanson. He was once my best friend at the Will Lawson Academy. As a joke everyone spelled his name Ha-V instead of the traditional Javier. I loved him so much as a friend, but he moved away two years ago. What was he doing in this town? I felt so much warmth rush over me that I was almost in tears when I saw him. At first, he didn't seem to hear me. "Ha-V? What are you doing here?"

Ha-V looked at me for a moment. His eyes looked confused, as if he didn't know who I was. His gaze seemed to be looking me right in the eyes, but a little above. My forehead? I scrunched my eyebrows together and put my hand automatically to my head. Did I have something on me?

This was definitely Ha-V. This was my friend that I cared for as a best friend and brother for many years. I couldn't mistake him for another. His looks were not the same but it was definitely Ha-V. His brown hair was straight, long, and parted in the middle. He wore a blue and white striped shirt. It fit his muscular frame magnificently. He had on black jeans with black cowboy boots. Wow, Ha-V sure changed a lot in two years. He must have felt the same about me because he still didn't seem to recognize me.

"It's Regina." I paused. "We went to Will Lawson together? Freshman year?"

Just as quickly as the look of confusion came, it was gone. His voice was full of confidence. "Regina! Yes, we did go there together, of course. How are you?

I don't remember my response. This guy wasn't the Ha-V I use to love like a brother. Gone were his lively voice, his bright eyes, and crazy hands. Ha-V always had a habit of using his hands when he talked, it added to his charm. My friend had certainly changed. He was replaced with a dark, well reserved man. Even his eyes seemed darker.

"Well, you have to excuse my eyes. I had surgery to correct them." He said.

I blushed. Getting caught staring is embarrassing!

"So, what brings you to Lee? The fine cuisine, country shopping, and early closing hours are hard to resist." I said with a giggle.

Ha-V giggled and reached out to hug me. It felt so good to be with a friend who I cared about. The feeling of Ha-V's arms around me made me miss home. I felt compelled to leave Lee with Ha-V right then and there. The warm hug he gave me felt like my old life wrapped itself around me. All I had to do was get through the dance tonight and I would be home.

"I came to see a friend. This is Raini and Jenn." He nodded to his friends.

"Well, this is a cool coincidence! Are you girls from here? I haven't seen you at school?" I asked.

"No, we're from Tomball." Jenn said. She, too, stared at some spot over my eyes.

I looked closely at the one called Jenn. I couldn't tell if I had seen her before, but something about her was familiar. Her thin pale face was lifeless. I noticed her bones stuck out of her shoulders. Misery filled her face and she looked at me hungrily. I felt a little uneasy and shifted my focus back to Ha-V.

"I miss everyone from home and it is awesome to see you here! I'm leaving tomorrow to go back home, but I'll be back. Actually, I won't be back." I couldn't stop myself from giggling.

"Well, if it's your last night in Lee, come with us. We're heading out to the old country club." He said. His eyes filled with sympathy.

The old country club? Where was that? Though it didn't really matter, I'd give anything to get out with friends. I didn't care if I made it to the dance with Katie.

"Sure. I'd love to. Thanks, Havs."

As we drove away in Ha-V's car, I felt so much better. I was getting away with friends. I was going to have fun, and not think about the video and its aftermath. His nice little Toyota had no problem getting us out of town quickly. Ha-V rocked the Foo Fighters as we drove at high speed towards the country club. I've been down these roads for four months now and I didn't remember a country club.

I sat in the backseat with Raini. She didn't talk much. The black haired girl seemed shy, but I wondered what she had to be shy about. She had dainty facial features and a perfectly trim body. I stared outside the car window to get a sense of where we were. I tried to make conversation between the group, but no one seemed interested.

"Where is this club at?" I shouted. The windows were open and it was hard to hear anyone over the music.

"You'll see!" He answered. This really wasn't fun. Maybe Ha-V saw the disappointment in my face or felt my isolation. He rolled up the windows and turned down the music to have a conversation with me. "How is the gang back at old Lawson?"

I meant to answer him, but I saw we turned off the main road. I never saw this road before. We were on highway two-ninety, but we turned off a different road to get on the back roads. Everything was different, but I had a strange sensation I had been here before on this road. I began looking out the window harder, trying to find a landmark that would jog my memory. It was fully dark now and hard to see, so I squinted harder.

"Regina? Did you hear me?" Ha-V asked.

"Sorry, I didn't. I...I have the strangest feeling I've been down this road before, but I don't remember driving it."

"That's okay." He laughed. "I asked if you were still seeing that guy, Daryl."

"Oh no!" I laughed. "He and I stopped seeing each other about four months after you left the Academy. I started seeing Jeff Hamrel after that. We were together for less than a year." I stopped. My feelings about the breakup and not speaking to each other left me feeling terribly guilty.

"Were?" Our eyes met in the rearview mirror. "Did you break up?"

"Yes. I broke up with him for a guy here. I don't think you would know him. His name is Steven Rank." I said.

The girls perked up a little when I said Steven's name. I wondered if they know him?

"I don't know him." Ha-V said. "Must be a pretty awesome guy if you broke up with Jeff for him."

"That's the funny thing Ha-V, Steven isn't an awesome guy. I thought he was at first, but I can't tell you why I began liking him in the first place. I almost felt compelled to." I blurted.

The little confessional we were having worked, I didn't remember the way we came and had no idea where we were. At this point, I didn't care. I finally admitted to myself and everyone in this car that I didn't know why I was ever with Steven, and what compelled me to break up with Jeff for him.

"Hormones." Ha-V called from the front seat.

This time everyone laughed. The good feelings came back and I relaxed in the seat. I looked over at Raini and Jenn. They laughed and looked at each other as if they got the true joke and I didn't. Before I could think about it further, Ha-V slowed down.

He turned right down a private driveway and after a mile, we drove up to the back of an enormous house. The black roof was above the tree line and towered over the wide backyard. Light tan and white stones covered the outside walls. White decorative lights were strung from the trees to the house. I saw a couple of people sitting on the patio furniture in the backyard as we drove up. This place sure didn't look old.

"You sure this isn't the 'new' country club?" I joked.

He stopped the car, and I wondered what was going on when a man stepped up to Ha-V's window.

Where did he come from?

Ha-V rolled down his window and told the guy we were here for the party. My nerves untwined when he said this. A party! I started to get excited now. I could have one last blast before I leave. My mind raced with the guest list. Who was coming? Katie hadn't spoken to me in days, I wondered if she would be here. Then again, tonight was the dance, so I didn't think she would be here.

In my excitement, I never noticed the guard eyeing me with amazement.

Ha-V rolled up the window and backed up. He said we had to park in the woods behind the house. I knew this method, it kept the cars from view in case a neighbor wanted to get nosy. Ha-V parked us on a dirt road deep in the forest. As we left the car behind, we put the location in our cell phone maps. Ha-V gave me the keys when we got out. At this point I had two sets of keys, Ha-V's and mine. My truck was in the parking lot of Shirley's.

"Don't want you to get left behind." He said, his face hidden in the darkness.

We were walking to the house/club when a voice called from the woods. We stopped and heard a call of help from the forest.

"That's Jeremy." Jenn said. "I think he's lost. Wait here, I'll go get him."

Jenn took off into the woods and the three of us waited for a few minutes. We made small talk when I noticed the light coming from the other side of the trees. Was it the party?

"Hey! I think I see light! Maybe we're not too far away." I said and walked to the tree line. Nobody seemed to be paying attention to what I was doing.

Through the bushes and branches I saw three people go into the backdoor and into the club. I looked behind me and saw the rest of the group talking. Jenn was about to come through the trees with the lost guest. Ha-V and Raini were watching the opposite direction. I took the opportunity to step through the trees and up to the house.

It was romantic with the soft lights and warm colors on the stones. The grass was wet and smelled fresh as if it had been cut today. Rose bushes lined the right side of the house. I closed my eyes and inhaled the country air. I stopped when I heard the sucking noise.

On the patio, there were two people entwined on the couch. The patio furniture was light blue cushions on white wicker. A man and a woman were making out in the chairs. I didn't want to disturb them so I looked away. However, I was close to the club and could see into one of the windows.

Very clearly, I saw a man pull a young woman close as if to kiss her. His hands were on each side of her face, looking deeply into her eyes as he pulled her close to his face, but he pulled his head to her neck as she came closer and bit into her, causing her to scream out. Her body went stiff as he drank. Her arms were outstretched, palms down while she stood on her tip toes. I gasped and turned around in horror. My first thought was, I didn't really see that, but I knew what I saw was real so I backed away from the spot I was standing in. On the patio couch, where the couple lay in a lover's embrace, I realized he was taking her blood, too. He sucked her blood from her body as I slithered back into the shadows like a snake. Her muffled screams were low, but unmistakable.

When I was safely behind the trees, I rushed back to Ha-V and the girls. I felt my hair bounce as I ran. I didn't see anyone. They had to be here! I didn't see or hear them approach the house. I searched the dark shadows frantically for them. They were walking into a place with killers! I'm not sure what kind of killers they were, monsters maybe? I let my mind go frantic with worry while I searched.

"Regina." Ha-V's voice called from behind me.

I spun around to find Ha-V near the car. Raini, Jenn, and two guys followed him. They looked at me strangely. I'm sure I did look bad with sticks in my hair and sweat pouring out of my head. My breathing came fast and I couldn't seem to catch it.

"Go!" I tried to shout as low as possible. "Go back to the car."

I ran to them. I had to get them back into the car and away from here. If they chose not to come with me, I had the keys and I would leave them if I had to.

"What? Did the party get busted?" One of the guys asked. His blonde hair was short and glowed in the moonlight. His perfect white teeth shined brightly back at me when he smiled.

"They're killing people!" I said in a loud whisper.

Silence. The group stared at me while they processed this. Then they laughed.

"Yeah right!" The blonde guy said. "You're high."

"I'm not high! I know what I saw! There is a guy sucking this girls' neck on the patio and another one doing it inside! I saw it!"

Everyone looked at each other with their eyes raised. Someone said, "Sounds like they were making out."

I spun around towards the car and called to them over my shoulder. "I don't care what you believe! I'm leaving. If anyone wants to come with me, then we are going now!"

A hand grabbed my elbow and held me in place. I turned around to see Ha-V. He said, "No one is going anywhere just yet. Not until we check this out."

As he said that, the two men I saw drinking blood from the women came through the trees and into the clearing we stood in. They visually surveyed the group and stopped when they came to my face. Something about me made their face fill with extreme joy. I almost relaxed until a small bit of blood leaked out from one of their mouths when they smiled.

Fear told me to be stupid and run, so I did. I spun on my boot heels and ran for the car, except I spun in the wrong direction and didn't see the car. My footsteps crunched the leaves noisily as I ran as fast as I could into the woods. The running footsteps behind me were catching up. I could hear their breathing as they got closer. Fear propelled me faster and I dodged through the trees with accuracy. I looked back and saw an empty forest.

I stopped and searched for a place to hide so I could catch my breath. If I could get my phone out, I could check my compass and hike out of here, but I knew that was out of the question until I found out what happened to the others. I had to stop, catch my breath and think. I'm pretty physically fit, but I'm not use to running through the woods. Hiding From Killers 101 is not a course I could take at Will Lawson.

I heard footsteps and I crouched under some bushes, out of sight. I held my breath and waited for voices, but none came. The woods were completely quiet. I stayed completely still as the bush poked my chest. A shadow came above the bush and I looked up to see her. She was a beautiful woman with silky brown hair and beautiful blue eyes. Her dark blue leather cat suit accentuated her perfect figure. She stared down at me with humor in her eyes. I don't know why but I felt the need to get up and run.

She was right behind me, giving pursuit as I ran through the dark forest. I couldn't see in front of me and had no idea how I managed to make it without killing myself. She stayed behind me the whole time like a perfect machine. I stopped and shifted to the left to follow the creek. The water helped me figure out my location, but I didn't have long to think because the girl leaped high in the air and ended up right in front of me.

I screamed and skidded to the right. The creek was in front of me and I started to cross it.

"Anna!" The woman shouted.

I stopped and gasped for breath while looking around. There wasn't anyone else here. Who was she calling for?

She came up behind me and softly turned me around. I saw the kindness in her expression.

"It's me, Sarah." Her voice came out smooth . I felt paralyzed by her. "No harm will come to you, Anna. I'm sorry to do this."

She breathed out a gas from her mouth. Before I could run away or scream, I breathed in the fumes and dropped into the darkness.
Chapter-Twenty-seven

I woke up in a soft chair. My body was relaxed and surprisingly comfortable. Instinctively, I rubbed my shoulders. The chair was made of red velvet fabric with cherry wood handles and legs. The room was white with a blue couch and lighter blue accent pieces. The tall antique lamps cast a bright yellow light in the room. I saw a door to my right. Oddly enough, all the windows had pretty cast iron bars covering them. I didn't remember how I ended up here until I saw the woman, Sarah, sitting to my from my left. I gasped with fright.

"It's alright, Regina." She said in a soft, velvety voice. Her hand extended out with her palms out, indicating she didn't have anything in her hands. Her brown hair was thick and wavy. It looked magnificent in this yellow light, so full and shiny. She had it pinned to her right side by a pretty blue ribbon. I noticed she was still dressed in her blue leather cat suit. It covered all of her body and most of her face. Only her eyes and lips could be seen. She sat back gracefully as if she was born with an iron rod in her spine.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"My name is Lady Sarah Lordview." She replied in a hard, yet, smooth voice. Intimidation immediately set in. I didn't see vampire teeth.

"Are you a vampire?" I whispered in fright.

"No. What you and humans perceive as vampirism is actually a curse, a curse that I and our people have been affected with for hundreds of years." She chuckled. Then, a mix of anger and sorrow radiated from her. "Do you remember me?"

"No. I don't think we've met before." I said politely. I wasn't going to insult this woman for anything. My fear overwhelmed me and I couldn't stop shaking.

"Well, not in this lifetime at least." She chucked at her own joke. For a moment, Sarah looked off into the distance as if lost in some memory precious to her. She tilted her hair back and touched her neck gently. Laughter danced on her lips and in her eyes. Her hand went from her neck to her collarbone as she continued to be lost in her thought. She suddenly said, "We don't have too much time, Regina. The Law will be looking for you tonight."

I didn't think the police were that efficient in this town, but hearing her mention the police brought me hope. How would they know where I was? Did someone see me and Ha-V? I sat up in my chair.

Mistaking my actions for alarm, Sarah went on. "I know. We can't stay here long. The Pirate shall arrive soon, we can't leave without him."

"We? The Pirate?" I asked.

"Yes. Don't ask me who he is because I don't know, but he is the one who orchestrated your search and rescue." She stated with a nod of her head. My anxiety hit me like a freight train. I felt my pulse race and the heat rise to my face. She's kidnapping me! "You really don't remember who you are, do you?"

"What!? Uh...." I couldn't stop shaking. I stuttered, "Mm..m...my name is Regina Ann Roth."

Sarah looked at me intensely. Her bright blue eyes scrutinized mine. She searched for something. The truth perhaps? Before I knew what was happening, Sarah found the answer and said to herself, "No. No you really don't."

She sat back in her chair, apparently comfortable, and began her story.

"In this life, your name is Regina Ann Roth, but to me and many, you are Princess Anna Anderson of Delengrad, the true Queen of Delengrad. You are the savior to your people and the Whispers."

"Who are the Whispers?" I asked. I shuddered in fear of her answer.

"The Whispers are the enchanted people who lived in Whispering Woods. They are kind people who live in the light and value every life on this planet. Presently, they would be called angels, without wings of course. I wish you could remember my brother's face when he found out they didn't fit the classic stereotype people gave them." She giggled again, but got serious when she said, "In your first life as Anna, you were murdered by Judge Slider before you turned sixteen, and though your physical body might be gone, your soul still exists and so does your memories as Anna."

Okay, I was shocked. I didn't expect this. I looked around the room again trying to keep the layout in my memory. Escape was minutes away, I knew it. The lady continued to sit in her chair, staring at me. I felt her eyes burning holes into my face while she searched it. Her body signaled ease, but her face was all business.

"Okay." I replied unsteadily. "Um...so I'm a queen. Sure.....okay, and I was killed before now?"

"You were planning a revolution against the Law and no one goes against the Law." She said ominously.

The blood fell from my face as I put the connection together. I felt floored. This was one of those moments when my blood ran cold and I thought my heart would stop. I cleared my throat and asked Sarah, "What is the 'Law'?"

"Judge Charles Slider. He lords the city of Williamson Law with iron rules. He makes the laws and every kingdom is compelled to obey him. If you don't adhere, you die. He has a large army who call themselves the Law. Thousands of evil men who follow Judge Slider like a God. They are savages who murder on the Judge's orders. I've seen the Law cut people's heads off just for mistakenly making eye contact with them. Make no mistake Regina, Judge Slider is a sadistic man who takes pleasure in brutalizing his people and his army is equally as vicious."

I swallowed hard. Oh my.... Instinctively, I reached for my neck as if protecting my head from decapitation. "And what exactly does this have to do with me? I don't know you! I don't know your Pirate or Judge or whoever they are! And by the way, what kind name is Pirate? That past life crap doesn't fly with me. I have nothing to do with this!" I shouted in frustration.

"You are everything to do with this, Regina!" She shrilled. We caught our breaths and thoughts while we eyed each other. I thought she was going to continue, but she waited a few minutes before continuing in a calmer voice. "As a punishment for your deeds, Judge Slider cursed the Whispers and our family to the darkness forever. Delengrad, Whispering Woods, Lordview, all of its people are forever damned to the darkness, to not be able to sustain life unless we consume hemoglobin. We have suffered for hundreds of years because of the Law! The only way we can be released from our curse is to rid the world of Judge Slider, but we can't because the only person who can kill him is you."

Anger was in her eyes now. I saw a flash of sorrow mixed with anger. Instinct told me something bad happened to her because of the Law, aside from the curse.

"Me?" I asked softly. "I have to kill this guy?"

That seemed to smooth her anger. Her eyebrows relaxed and the tension left her eyes. She sat back in her chair and took a deep breath. "You are Anna of Delengrad, and I can prove it to you."

I perked up. "Okay. Prove it."

Sarah directed me to the wall mirror on the left. I was confused at first, but stood up to face the mirror. My legs ached as I stood. I must've been sitting in that chair longer than I thought. I rubbed them while closing my eyes. I wondered what time it was. When I stood up fully, I looked into the mirror.

"So what am I looking for?" I asked.

Sarah took a sliver ring off her finger and held it up for me to see. "Kaylee made this one just for you. Put it on and look again."

I slipped the ring on my finger to please this girl. I looked into the mirror and I didn't see anything, at first. I looked over at Sarah with confusion, but when I looked back into the mirror, it was there. On my forehead, right between my eyes, something was forming. I tried to get closer to my reflection so I could see it better. In a matter of seconds, a red mark was visible on my forehead. I looked at Sarah, then back at my own reflection.

"Only those from Whispering Woods can see your mark. That is how we knew who you were." Sarah said. "You couldn't see it yourself before because you weren't wearing the ring of the Whispers."

"Wha.....How....How did I get this?" I was shocked, but thought it was pretty cool. No one could see it unless they were from this magical place.

"A healer named Kaylee gave it to you when you were young. It is their mark indicating you are their lifelong family. Apparently, you and Kaylee were close, like a father and a daughter. When you died, it was like he died, too."

My head spun like a theme park ride. I felt dizzy so I sat down hard on my chair again. I looked at the ring with amazement and said, "Wow."

"Regina, don't you feel as if you are being groomed for slaughter?" Sarah asked as she placed her hand on mine.

My first instinct was to pull away from her, but I felt something. It ran through her hands into mine with such fierceness, I shuddered. Something she said rang a bell inside me. After all this time those were the words I was looking for, but too afraid to say.

"Yes." I breathed.

"It's because your family is getting ready to kill you." She said.

I looked up into those eyes. Did she really have the answers to my dreams? Too long have I been afraid of what my dreams meant. Too long have I let my parents lie and manipulate me. Too long I've to afraid to ask the right questions.

"Why do they want to kill me?" I whispered. My eyes were closed so the tears could not escape.

"A long time ago, a legend was written about Judge Slider. It's called The End, and it says a young girl will wipe out Judge Slider and his Law. You are that young girl, so Judge Slider killed you, Anna, to stop The End. The Whispers say you will 'wake' from this life as Regina on your sixteenth birthday and your memories as Anna will return to you. Once you remember who you are and the powers you truly carry, you can remove the curse, restore us to our rightful home, and rid the land of Judge Slider." Sarah took a deep breath before continuing. "Regina, this is not the first time your soul has resurrected. We have searched for you for hundreds of years, even came close to you a couple of times, but the Law controls your birth and your life. This is a truly special day for us."

"So, what about my dreams?" I asked.

"I assume they're replays of your previous life trying to warn you of what's to come." She said simply. "Your nightmares are remnants of your former lives."

Do you remember those old cartoons where a character will shock itself by electricity? Yellow lightning radiated from their body and their insides would be black with bones. Well, that was how I felt when Sarah explained my dreams to me.

"Regina, the real you is inside you somewhere. Slider is very powerful and kept you here against your will with a binding spell. Subconsciously, you are trying to remember the past regardless if you know it or not."

Another click moment. "A binding spell? I'm under a spell?"

"Yes, a man who calls himself Borlock Tavishaw is Slider's right hand man, and coincidentally, a wizard. He created a spell to keep you here against your will."

"But why?" I shouted.

"Oh, Regina, I wish you could understand the magnitude of what I'm about to tell you. Killing a child is a terrible crime against the Universe. When Judge Slider killed you, his punishment was to walk the land forever. Only the resurrected soul of the child Judge Slider killed has the power to destroy him. Until he can figure out a way to send your soul to the Gates of Judgment, Judge Slider keeps you under close watch and hopes you never remember who you are. You are the only person in this world that has the power to destroy him."

I processed that information. She made a lot of sense. The pieces of the puzzle seemed to fit together now. The video, the dreams, my parents behavior, everything made sense. Something kept me here when I didn't want to be. I didn't want Steven, but I destroyed Jeff to make Steven mine. I allowed myself to live in a house where I was attacked. I felt powerful here, as if I was the biggest badass and the world was mine, but I didn't want the world. Those backroads seemed to call me. When I drove on them, something took over me and I felt...like I belonged.

"So let me get this straight. I am the resurrected soul of Anna Anderson, a young girl murdered by Judge Slider. Judge Slider killed me because he thinks I fit the description of the person who will destroy him and his army."

"So far, you got it."

"Then, what do we doing now? When am I supposed to 'wake'?" I said making the quote gestures with my fingers. I wasn't trying to be snotty, just trying to get her accurate.

"We wait for the Pirate to arrive. As for the wake, that happens tonight, at midnight, on your sixteenth birthday."

It felt as if ice ran down my back and bolted me upright in my chair. "But I'm already sixteen! I turned sixteen three months ago! You've obviously made a mistake."

Sarah turned her head slowly back to me, pity was all over her face. "No, Regina. You turn sixteen today, October thirteenth. Your parents lied to you about your birthday."

"How do you know this?"

"I saw your birth certificate at the Will Lawson Academy."

"What?" I wanted to tell her she was wrong, but the truth was I never saw my birth certificate. I never had a reason to look at it before. "Why would they lie?"

"Throw us off maybe." Sarah shrugged. "Who knows? The Law knows we are looking for a fifteen year old girl. A sixteen year old who is alive is a much better disguise."

"So my parents are in on this?" I asked with shock. To have her confirm it brought the tears to my eyes. No longer did I hold them back, they dropped quickly down my cheeks.

"Yes, everyone in this town is. Lee was once called Williamson Law, but Judge Slider moved the city and renamed it to hide you from us." Her words bounced heavily in my mind.

A voice called out to Sarah from the doorway. She turned and said she would be right there. She looked at me once more. I was full of shock, confusion and denial.

"Everyone in is on this?" I asked. "My friends, school, my grandfather......Steven?"

"Everyone, especially your grandfather." Sarah said nodding her head.

"Wha...Wh....." I couldn't speak. Everything in the room was moving. "Why him?"

"Because George Underwood is Judge Charles Slider. I'm sure he changed his name so you wouldn't recognize it." Her words stung me. "And...."

"Wait!" I interrupted her. "So they're going to kill me today?"

"Yes. Tonight in fact."

I felt faint. My mind was spun and I couldn't see in front of me. I tried to stand up, but my legs failed me. I wrapped my mind around everything that led me here and the events that kept me here. I saw myself spinning while the events took place around me. If I put my hand out, I could pick and choose which one I wanted to view.

I felt a pat on my hand and heard Sarah's voice. "Just a moment, Regina. I have someone here you trust. You know you can never go back to them, right? You can't see anyone from "Regina's" life again, ever. They are waiting to execute you tonight."

I shook my head to show her I understood. With my head bowed and tears welling up in my eyes, I shook my head until I was sure she left the room. When I looked up, she was gone. I seized my opportunity and ran for the window behind me. I noticed it when I looked in the mirror before. It was the only one that didn't have bars and an active lock.

I feel compelled to open the window up and heave myself out onto the ground. Thank goodness I have a small body frame or I would not have fit through. I opened the window and threw myself out. My body dropped heavily on the ground. I groaned and stood up quickly. I closed the window behind me and reached into my pocket for my cell phone. I located my map application and found my house. It was only two miles east of my location. I spun on my heels and ran as fast as I could. I had no idea if anyone saw me because I kept running and didn't look back.
Chapter Twenty-eight

I walked back to grandpa's house in the darkness. I can't explain why I ran away, Sarah was going to protect me from my 'death' tonight. I tried to call Bill, but he didn't answer. I knew the risk I was taking because deep down I knew Sarah was right. Maybe I don't remember who I am, but I knew I was once Anna Anderson. I felt tremendous rage against my parents and grandfather. I walked into my house, knowing they were planning to kill me. I wouldn't be blind to anything.

The moment I saw the house I felt stupid. If I believed Sarah, why was I running away from her?

My mind didn't want to believe everyone in my life was plotting to murder me. Besides, I had to get some of my things before I left forever. I knew I created a stupid idea and this would end badly, but every person in my life can't be part of a spell or some sort of plot to kill me. I formed a plan to get into my room, grab my stuff, and flee to Bill's. I knew he wasn't part of this, I knew it deep down inside me. I had a stash of money in my desk and my bag was packed for my trip to New York.

I smirked. Guess they were lying about going home.

Mom and dad probably said that to keep my here longer. The notion of getting even with them flurried through my head, but I disregarded it. I was going to be in and out, on the road and safe in less than five minutes. Looking back on it I realize the excuses I made for returning home were all part of the spell I was under. I could never leave under my own free will.

The house was dark, indicating no one was home. I crept inside quickly. My truck was still at Shirley's and that would be a problem, but the keys were in my pocket. My solution was to walk to my truck. I'm sure the dance was over and I could've called Katie, but according to Sarah, she was in on it.

I looked at my watch as I went inside, it was almost ten o'clock. I had to hurry, but the time made me feel less rushed. After all, I had only two hours left in this day. I started up the stairs lazily, taking the time to feel the wood of the banister. Had it always been this smooth?

I snapped out of it. Sarah told me this town is enchanted to keep me here. I shook the fuzziness from my head, and walked into my room. I kept the spell in mind as I grabbed my money and suitcase. Thank goodness I packed everything! I was about to leave my room when I passed a picture of my parents and I at dinner last year for their 20 year wedding anniversary. I picked up the picture and looked at it intensely. So many memories with them.......

Thinking about it now, we were never a real family. Since I was four, I've lived abroad and attending Will Lawson's private school. They never attended any of my school functions or parent's night. Last fall, when I won the Carrie Dollworth Award for my poetry, I was alone at the ceremony. My parents never came to see my dorm, meet my friends, take me out, or just visit. Only the summertime, for three months, would I get my parents all to myself. Dad would go totally crazy and try to give us the best summer possible. I could see us in the hotel pool, dad would do a cannon ball into the pool, making mom and I laugh.

Mom tried so hard to get me alone so we could have some girl time. She would take me shopping, get our hair and nails done, eat dinner at our favorite restaurants, and go to my favorite touristy places. Her job kept her pretty busy and she had to fight to get time off in the summer. A month in Mr. Becker's Hampton home, couple of weeks in Paris (my fave!), hiking the mountains in Colorado or taking a cruise from Miami to the Caribbean. We lived for those summers.

Laughter escaped from my lips when I thought about that summer we spent on the Jersey Shore. Dad was so crazy! He dived head first into this small wave and hit his head on the ocean floor. I don't think he realized how shallow the water was. Mom totally panicked and called 911. We spent the rest of that vacation in our cabin with a large bandage wrapped around dad's head. Our little cabin was awesome. It was only one bedroom, but that was okay. I took the living room because it was the only room with a TV. The kitchen was small but had all the appliances to make us happy. Besides, we fished during the day and cooked it up on the beach at night. If I remember correctly, we camped outside many times. The stars were amazing at night without the bright city lights to hide them away.

I placed the picture back on the desk and started for the door. As I opened the door I couldn't help but look back at the picture. I couldn't leave it behind because I couldn't leave us behind. They were still my parents, they must love me! Maybe this is one big crazy mistake! Or the spell was still working. I had to get out of this house, and this town, before it swallowed me whole. I quickly shoved the picture in my bag and headed out my bedroom. Sweat poured out of my scalp with each step I took. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, the front door swung open.

I looked up and heard Mom come into the house. Since the front door swung towards me, I managed to slide behind it and shield myself just in time. My suitcase sat at the end of the stairs and I hoped she wouldn't notice it. Mom walked towards the kitchen, whistling as she walked. The thought of her happiness about killing me pissed me off. Dad had to be with her. After the crazy things that happened in the house, there was no way she was here alone. I backed away from the door when I heard dad's voice outside. I slipped into Grandpa's room and collapsed onto his bed. No one thought I was home because my truck was not out front. All I have to do is wait a few seconds and I can take mom's car. No matter if she has the keys, I can hotwire it. Jeff and his friends taught me how before I moved to Lee. The thought brought a wide smile to my face, but it was short lived.

Mom was coming for Grandpa's room!

I tried to catch my breath and collect myself. I had to get out of here now before anyone saw me. My eyes ran over grandpa's closet. It was very large with lots of space so I slid inside it and closed the doors behind me. I backed into the farthest corner I could find.

She came inside the room to put some laundry in his dresser and his favorite snacks on the nightstand. A cute little melody came out of her mouth while she did this. It made me sick. The events of today made my body ache like never before. As I stretched, my mother left the room. I waited a few seconds make sure the coast was clear before I opened the closet doors. Guess this brings a new meaning to coming out the closet! I laughed at the thought. My giggles escaped a little too loudly, reminding me of the spell. I cupped my hand over my mouth and got control over myself. I had to keep calm and focused if I wanted to get out of here. The spell was going to prevent me from leaving at all costs.

A little ball of light came from the wall to my right. I peeked closer and saw a crack in the wall. I ran fingers over the crack, I pushed it in. A door swung out at me. I stood in grandpa's closet, staring at the door in silent shock.

Where did this lead to? And why did Grandpa build a secret room?

My mind flashed to tunnels and dark narrow passageways from Nancy Drew novels. I felt excited to be discovering this secret, and leaving this town escaped my agenda. I peered inside the room to see a narrow set of stairs to the left, leading up, into the attic. The room itself was very tiny without furniture or light. I reached for my cell phone for some light, but I saw light coming from the landing above so I put it back into my pocket. I felt as if dread sat on my shoulders, refusing to let me ignore it, as I climbed the stairs.

At the top, I met my nightmare come to life. It was a large, rectangular room with a wall of windows on the right side. Two black leather sofas and sitting chairs was positioned to my immediate right. A large bear rug was visible in front of the dark wood coffee table. Faux wood paneling covered the walls, accentuating the white ceiling. The room looked like something out of a popular nineteen seventies décor magazine. A bar and small kitchenette was tucked into the far right corner, behind the large living room. Hidden to the left of the kitchen was a large dining room complete with dark orange wall paper and brown shaggy carpet. Though it was empty of a dining room set, a tall buffet was against the far wall. I stepped inside the room, gazing around in awe.

I was living in the house of my nightmares! All this time, I thought the other house with the magnificent library was the one from my nightmares, never this one! Shivers ran down my back as I felt the creepiness sneak up on me. I had to hold my vomit when I saw a little trap door to the far left side of the room. I had a sinking feeling that if I opened that trap door, I would see my bathroom below.

I hid in here that night! I screamed inside my brain. I hid in here! All I had to do was look once more or bring a light with me, and I would've known. Everything clicked in my brain now, making me sick with the realizations. I was so busy looking at the details of the room, I did not hear the footsteps come up the stairs behind me. I spun around to see my father's shocked face. He didn't expect me up here.

"Regina? What are you doing up here?" He asked innocently.

I'm a great liar, especially when it comes to my parents. I answered him just as innocently. "I found the door by accident. Dad? What is this room?"

"Oh, your mother and Rachel used to play up here when they were little girls. No one uses it now." He replied. He looked around the room as he said this. It did make sense.

"Why didn't anyone show it to me? It's a nice room. A little outdated, but nice." I said with a giggle. I desperately tried to hide my fear.

"Yes. I think Lydia closed off this room when the girls moved out." He seemed to be looking around the room as if searching for something. He wasn't going through the couch cushions, but his eyes scanned the room frantically for something. Or someone?

My lie emerged so easily. I turned from him to leave. "Dad, I gotta go. The truck is stuck in town and Officer Ramirez threatened to tow me if I didn't come right back."

"I didn't expect you to find this room, Regina," He said. From out of nowhere, he stepped right in front of me, "But now that you have, I guess now is as good of time as any."

I think my heart literally stopped when he said this. My emotions didn't have time to explode because my dad reached out and hit me across the face with a closed fist.

Pain exploded in my face and mouth as I fell onto the floor with a hard thump. Before I could look up or react, I was hit again on the back of my head.

Everything went black.
Chapter Twenty-nine

My vision came back slowly. I laid on a hard, flat surface while I waited for my body to return to me. My body tried to reconnect with my mind. I felt very different. The smell in the air indicated I was still in the secret room. I turned my head slowly to the left to see if I was alone.

They were there, watching me.

"Oh good, she's awake." I heard a female say. Whoever she was, she was full of joy.

"We should've done this while she was out!" A male voice said in a furious whisper. "We've got to hurry up! We've only got an hour left."

My eyes focused on the people that spoke in low voices amongst each other. I was tied up horizontally on some sort of hard surface, possibly a table. My hands were bound separately and tightly above my head. My legs were tied to the end of the surface, as well. The horrible orange wallpaper with brown and pink flowers stared down at me like a monster, ready to devour me with its terrible color. I knew exactly where I was.

Katie approached me. I could see her hands and knees visibly shook as she walked to me. She kept looking over her shoulder in fear. My mother and father wore black silk robes with hoods. It shimmered in the light beautifully. Mom's blonde hair looked radiant against the material. I didn't say anything to Katie. There wasn't anything to say to her. I felt like a train conductor before he collides head on with an oncoming train. Everything moved in slow motion, and I could do nothing to stop the collision that was about to happen. I was grossly fascinated with my impending death.

"What do you want?" I hissed in a low voice at Katie.

Katie dropped to her knees beside me. She whispered into my ear, "Regina, I'm so sorry! I wanted to help you, but I couldn't or they would kill my mother. They killed my father when I tried to help you before. Please forgive me. I love you and I'm so sorry."

"Wait!" I shouted when she started to back away. "At least answer a few questions for me, please?"

"What is it you want to know?" The crowd prepared for my execution so Katie got distracted with their actions while trying to listen to me. Her attention wasn't fully on me, but the tears in her eyes weren't hard to miss.

"My parents brought me here, to Lee, to kill me, right?"

"Yes." Her eyes refused to meet mine and kept watching my grandfather shift through pages of a book. Aunt Rachel helped him locate a certain page.

"Are they even my real parents?" This question definitely got his her attention.

"No." I waited for a longer response. My wrists itched against the ropes and I moved them to make it bearable, but it didn't work. She came closer to me, making sure no one heard what she said. "Your mother's sister, Rachel, was your real mother. After Rachel gave birth to her baby, Judge Slider stole it and used it to transfer your soul into. You see, we are all cursed. No one can grow old and we can't leave the city. We are forever locked in limbo. There's so much more to it, but every sixteen years Rachel gives birth to you, until Slider killed her fifteen years ago. It was horrible. He drowned her in the lake in front of your house."

"So, who are they?" I gasped, and nodded to aunt Rachel and her children.

Katie lowered her voice. "I honestly don't know who Rachel is, but MeKayla and Michael were created by Borlock."

"They were created?"

Katie shook her head. "Jack Roth wanted a son, and Lydia wanted Rachel. So, Borlock created Michael to make Jack happy and MeKayla to fit the image Lydia had of Rachel. I don't think they intended to introduced you them because Borlock created them from the fires below the ground. They're evil down to their very souls."

"Then it was Michael that attacked me and Steven that night."

"It was. I think he got loose from his restraints and came to kill you, but Steven got in the way of it. Jack and Lynda used it as an excuse to make you think you were crazy and to keep you here. Everything changed when Rachel died. I guess Rachel felt her mother's pain because her spirit never left this house after she died." Her voice drifted off as she looked around the room.

"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion.

"I thought you would've guessed by now. Rachel's spirit still lives and haunts this house. It was her that drove you and your mother from the porch that day."

Now it made sense to me. Rachel was my real mother and never meant to scare me, only advised me to flee. Why didn't she just say it instead of scaring the Universe out of me! I think I was most surprised at the fact that she was my real mother. Who was my real father? And why wasn't my real mother's ghost saving me right now?

Out of the corner of my eye, I couldn't help but notice my fake mother. Her body trembled terribly, but my father was calm and looked very full of himself. Her hands were in her mouth, biting her fingernails as if it would make the people in the room go faster. Fear was in her face, pure fear. Since I didn't speak, Katie walked away and sat down in a chair in the little kitchen. Steven sat beside her and embraced her. I still had questions that I needed answers to, but I was in shock from the information I just heard. Sarah's legend was true, I was powerful. I felt it in their fear. I was more powerful than any of them.

I was distracted from my thoughts when I heard Jane's voice. I was stunned to see all the people in the room. Aunt Rachel was here with MeKayla and Michael. I had to work back the tears when I saw Jane, Jeff, and Renee. Even Nat was here with Sabrina, Rebecca, Joe, Rodney, and Billy, all in tow with their parents. They chatted with one another as if this were some cocktail party. All that was missing was the drinks and appetizers. Seeing them here felt like a stab through the chest. I truly felt as if I had been bred for this moment, for their kill. They surrounded me every second of my life to keep my memories from resurfacing and prevented my people from finding me. I heard voices underneath me. The whole town must be in the house or on the property. They were all here to kill me.

"How could you?" I whispered to no one in particular.

Jane must have heard me because she answered me. "Our families are greatly rewarded after you die. It is considered a great honor to be included in the plans to kill you, Regina, but don't worry. We'll see each other again, one day."

"Let's get this over with!" Steven exclaimed. He didn't seem as happy as the others. In fact, Katie and Steven did not participate in the ceremony.

Anger rushed over me like a tsunami. I felt so betrayed. They kept me close by pretending they cared and loved me. I really loved those people trying to murder me. Once again, flashes of laughter with Jane, hugging Renee after her dad died, kissing Jeff for the first time, the happiness I found here in Lee, swimming at the tank with my Lee friends, it was all in front of me. All the love, happiness, affection, desire, good times, and wonderfulness came with it.

Then it passed. The love I used to feel for these people was replaced with anger. I was so angry, I felt power rising up inside me. I felt as if I could rip through these ropes without a problem. I wanted to stomp on the faces of these traitors and be done with them. My blood pumped hard thought my body and made me feel bigger.

Katie's eyes went wide with fear as everyone in the room started chanting. The ceremony had begun.
Chapter Thirty

I screamed when I saw grandpa approach me with a huge freaking knife. Then, the wall of windows behind the people exploded into pieces. It threw glass shards and pieces of the wood window frame everywhere. They did not expect it and many were cut to pieces from the large chunks of glass. I heard familiar screams as I looked around. Ironically, not one piece of glass found its way into my skin. I was too far back to really get any damage. If I had been closer to the windows, that explosion really could've killed me.

They rushed in with supernatural speed, slicing and dicing the Law. I knew Sarah was among them and was here to save me. My adrenaline kicked in and I flexed my body with such anger, the ropes snapped off my arms and legs.

I surveyed the horrible mess in front of me. The glass was missing from the windows. Jeff was cut in the process and the other half of him was somewhere, lost in the rubble. He lay among the bodies, shaking from nerve damage. Natalie tried to help Katie, who had a big piece of glass stuck in her side. I saw blood gush from her body. Natalie screamed for help. The same went for Jane, who bled profusely from a cut to the stomach. She writhed in pain once she saw the wound. I tried to find out what happened to the others, but the blood covered their faces and many of them were already dead like Mr. Color, some of my teachers, and neighbors.

Sarah Lordview was amazing. She cut apart anyone who got in front of her. She was so fast, I barely saw her slice through them with her sword. Agility and physical strength was something Sarah definitely excelled in. Without a hint of empathy, she stabbed people and cut off limbs with lightning speed. When she was finished, Sarah was immediately at my side. She wasn't alone. Her companion was over six feet tall with muscles as large as a movie star's. His mohawk was black and totally rocked. He gathered me into his arms and turned to Sarah. We heard the loud pounding coming from the lower floors.

"Quickly, before they realize we have her." Sarah said to him.

I tried to tell the guy I could walk, but it didn't matter. A knife was launched at him. It landed in his forehead and killed him instantly. He didn't drop me because the knife went through his head, into the wall with the yucky wallpaper, and pinned us to the wall. His body stayed in position, but it started to twitch soon after he died.

My mother came at Sarah and my father came at me. Somehow, they made it past the explosion of glass. Sarah and my mother stood in front of each other, sizing one another up. Strangely, Sarah smiled widely at my mother and unsheathed her sword with a quickness that made my head spin. I removed myself from the dead man's grasp. It was disgusting. I've never seen a dead body, let alone touched one. I had my feet planted firmly on the ground when my father came at me with his arms outstretched. He grabbed my throat and threw me into the main room with little effort on his part.

I landed face first into a pile of glass and blood. I put my hands to protect myself, but they slid forward and my face still went into the pile of broken glass. Pain ripped into my body and dominated me. I tried to get off the ground with my elbows. My father's footsteps echoed heavily on the floorboards. Blood clouded my vision so I couldn't see him, but I definitely heard him. I panicked and tried to wipe my eyes with my hands, but the glass was stuck in my fingers and scraped my eyelids. I screamed in pain as he advanced on me. I heard the clinks of knives around me and screams of horror when an appendage was cut off. I forced myself to see by making my eyes open. I saw my father through the blood and glass covering my face. He came at me with that knife in his hand, and this time, he was determined to kill me. I turned over on my stomach and tried to crawl away from him. I didn't care if the glass on the ground cut my stomach and chest.

Everything happened so fast: my father turned me over on my back and straddled my chest, I threw out my hands, he stabbed me, blood exploded from my chest, I screamed in pain, he screamed in triumph. He looked me deep into the eye as he pushed the knife deeper into my heart. I looked helplessly at the man that loved me like a father and blacked out.
Chapter Thirty-one

I was about to take the mother apart when I saw the father stab Regina. At that moment, I knew what I had to do. I pulled out the small knife I kept attached to my thigh and flung it as hard as I could into Lynda. Her screams tore into the air. The knife went into her kneecap and out the other side, cutting off her leg in the process. I smiled as she got confused from all the blood loss and tried to put her leg back on. Her ruby red eyes jumped with confusion and no longer burned as bright as before. I turned my back on the mother to take care of the father. I jumped with accuracy and landed right on his back. He spun around in confusion and tried to fling me off his back. In his right hand, he still carried the Kareithian Dagger. It sparkled with red rubies and yellow sapphires. Regina's blood dripped from the dagger. Jack Roth reached with his right hand to stab me, but I jumped off his back at the right moment.

His screams erupted from his throat. He stabbed himself in the back with the dagger instead of me. It was firmly stuck in the top half of his left shoulder.

"Idiot." I muttered at him.

He looked at me with rage and tried to pull the knife out, but I jumped and kicked it further into his back. My strength pushed the knife fully into his backside. Shock filled his face and he fell hard on the floor. He didn't move after that.

I ran over to Regina and gently picked her up in my arms. Thank goodness she put her hands in front of her heart! I scrambled to get Regina safely over my shoulder. She was light and I was to carry her to the balcony without help. Mylow assisted me with getting Regina off the third story balcony. I couldn't stop the tears as we escaped the Law. I wanted to go back for Claude, but he wouldn't want us to jeopardize our mission for his dead body. It was with reluctance that I gave the order to retreat. My group ran as fast as they could to the tree line. I saw many of my teammates and felt happy to see so many of us on the way back. We moved fast because the Law would regroup quickly and be ready for vengeance. I knew getting out of the town as planned was out of the question and I had to execute Plan B.

We met in our safe circle in the woods, a couple of yards from Regina's house. The Law would regroup in minutes to pursue us. Claude, Attien, Syler, and Beau were visibly absent. I had to hold back my emotions as I surveyed the group. We knew not to ask about them for we took an oath before the mission to get Regina out at all costs, even if it meant leaving some behind. Though my feet wanted to go back for them, especially Syler, I forced the team to turn the other way. We were fifty feet into the woods when I pulled out a small glass vial with a cork stopper. It was the last of Kaylee's powers and I saved it for this moment. One last time, we turned to see if any of our friends would come through the trees, but no one did.

With heavy hearts and bloody feet, we turned our backs on our comrades and I opened the vial. A bright blue light came out of it and it took us from Lee with our savior on my shoulder.

\-----

The council of Whispering Woods sat at the long, gray stone table, ready for another update. The room was dark from the lack of windows in the underground kingdom. Long torches burned brightly on the walls as the council took their seats made of old cherry wood. The wood was no longer luscious and shining, like the chair, time had taken its toll on the council and the citizens cursed to the ground. The underground fortress was dark, musty, and the absence of sunlight hurt the people. Though they knew nothing had changed about Anna's condition, the council was required to meet every month now for an update in their private chamber.

Six months passed since Sarah retrieved Anna/Regina from the house in Lee. The wound in her chest was deep and she lost of a lot of blood. When they brought her to ground, Anna was in a coma and hanging on to life. Everyone was upset. It took centuries to find Anna and here she was, about to slip away before they could look into her eyes. Her beautiful hair was no longer blonde but red from the blood. Her face was dirty and cut. And her hands! A large hole could not be missed in the center of each hand. They were a bloody mess and after Kaylee cleaned them, it looked as if she was missing half her hands.

"Has she woken yet?" Councilman Crown asked, though he already knew the answer. A long, silver beard hung from the elderly man's face and moved delicately as he spoke.

"No sir, not yet," The Pirate responded. "But she will. It's been six months and her body has physically recovered from the injuries she sustained."

"Yes, but will she know who she really is? This is the first time we have reclaimed the girl before Slider and his men could kill her. This is unknown for us." Councilman Titus shook his head and jammed his finger into the center of the table.

The Pirate spoke out. "Kaylee said he can't be sure if her memory will be intact. He doesn't know if Anna's spirit reunited with Regina's body."

"And what about the men we lost? Any confirmation of their deaths or capture?" A frail voice cracked across the table.

The Pirate looked at the man concerned about their army. Councilman Cassius Mile had been a part of this council for hundreds of years. He was worried about his son, Attien, who was still missing.

The captain of the guards, Via Corso, silently stood in a corner when she said, "Unless you give me permission to find them, they are still lost to us."

"Gentlemen," The Pirate said firmly. "Anna will wake. Her body didn't reject Kaylee's treatment and she still breathes. We don't know who she will be. She could be Regina when she wakes or Anna. However, that is not the point. Regina breathes! Once she wakes, and she will, you will be restored to your power. The new Delengrad and Whispering Woods will be free from the curse. We'll be free to join her in killing Judge Slider."

"I want to believe that, but it's been so long." Councilman Crown said. "Slider and Borlock could be up there right now plotting to storm our lair and kill the girl, thus keeping us hidden the ground forever!"

"Calbus, please. Let's not think that way. The boy is right, Anna breathes. Once she wakes, there is nothing stopping us from gaining our power." Councilman Titus said reassuringly.

"What about Slider and his men invading our underground? Hmmm? They could be out there right now,"

"They would've come by now, Marcus. Besides, he stabbed Anna in the chest with the Kareithian Dagger, I'm sure they think she's dead."

"He's right." The Pirate interjected. "Slider would've come by now. The fact that we've been in hiding for half a year probably reassures him the belief Anna died. After all, she would restore us to the sunlight if she were alive, right?"

"Absolutely." The council nodded in agreement.

"Then I think this matter is settled. We shall meet again about this matter in another thirty nights."

The council agreed and moved on to other business
Chapter Thirty-two

In a room on the east side of the kingdom, Anna was tucked in a soft bed. Kaylee watched over her for signs of wake. He was exhausted and frail from healing Anna with his powers. The pale pink sheets were made of silk, Anna's favorite. They were pulled up to her neck to keep her warm and cozy. Her delicate, tiny face peeked out of the fluffy pink pillows. There were candles lighting the room, giving it a velvety orange glow. The room was warm and comfortable.

A wind started to blow softly through the east side of the underground fortress. It started at the end of the empty, windowless tunnel. It came from an unknown source and moved through the tunnel to Anna's room. When it came into the room, Kaylee sat up in alarm. He felt the breeze caress his face. He stayed still in his chair and didn't move because he didn't want to disturb it. Something stared at his face with such intensity, Kaylee had to look away.

The air moved from Kaylee to Anna's bed and hovered over her for the longest time. He knew what was happening. Amazement nailed his feet to the floor and astonishment raced his heart to the point of an attack. The cursed elder began to cry.

It was happening! It was happening!

The air stalled above the girl and swirled gently. It turned gray in the candlelight.

The elder dropped on his knees and cried uncontrollably as the gray matter poured itself into the princess below.
Chapter Thirty-three

It came at me like a bullet.

I woke up.

And I remembered.

To Be Continued...

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Resurrection

The Delengrad Trilogy Book Two

The sequel to Regina is available in bookstores, online, and pirating websites.

For more information, visit Resurrection on Facebook.

Mary Ann Moody is the author to three books and many short stories. Her genre of writing includes young adult horror such as The Delengrad Trilogy. Moody's first completed novel, Beautiful Blonde, is a non-fiction memoir. A writer since childhood, she creates many short thrillers and novels. She loves to read, play video games with her kids, and make fun of terrible horror movies late at night with the Pirate. She happily lives in Austin, Texas with the Pirate and their four wild children.

Connect with Mary Ann:

maryannmoody.yolasite.com

Twitter: @marygirlmoody

Facebook: Regina, Resurrection, Repatriate, Mary Ann Moody

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marygirlmoody
Crystal Maloney is a freelance graphic designer who lives in Charlotte, NC with her beautiful family.

Connect with Crystal:

www.crystalmaloney.com

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Repatriate

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The trilogy comes to a terrifying close in 2016.

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