1 Chapter 1: The Arrival

I never saw this coming.

I never thought my fun and loving family would break, but here we are, driving in a beat-up clunker with every piece of special and important material we owned. My mother and I were headed straight for her hometown in Washington, leaving my father behind back in Seattle.

I missed him.

I glared out the passenger window thinking about the times daddy would train me for softball. I was the best pitcher in the league, and I wouldn’t have become so talented if it weren’t for his guidance. Now, who was going to practice with me?

My mother hated the sport. She hated me playing sports. She believed it wasn’t ladylike and I should be wearing dresses and heels, not baseball pants and cleats.

Why couldn’t she understand that he made a mistake? No one is perfect and everyone deserves forgiveness if they apologize for their hurtful actions. I know what he did was wrong but was it worth splitting our family over?

Mother says I’m too young to understand even though I disagree. I am seventeen-years old. I am considered an adult in most states.

She says she hopes that my spouse never hurts me the way daddy hurt her. I wish she would tell me exactly what it was that he had done, but she won’t. She says she doesn’t want to paint an ugly picture of my father and she doesn’t want me to hate him.

But that’s not possible. He’s my dad. He’s the greatest dad that any daughter could ever ask for. Nothing could make me despise him. Right?

The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up and I cringed as we passed the welcome sign: Eldritch.

Such a disgusting looking place. I had never seen anything more hideous.

Everything in the town looked fake. Everyone’s lawns were a vibrant forest green, cut to perfection. Flower gardens were filled with bright blooming buds, shrubs were neatly trimmed, and the streets were free of litter. Each house was a more vibrant color than the last and friendly faces waved from their idyllic porches. Homes were structured with old-fashioned wood paneling, large Victorian windows with white shutters, and each house was finished off with the cliché white picket fence. This town screamed family values, community unison, and blissful happiness.

But all I could see were prying, prude, and plotting faces that blurred as we drove by.

It all just seemed… fake. Like an alien from another galaxy developed this town in hopes to change the wickedness of humanity.

Eldritch made me gag. Honestly, I swore I threw up a little bit in my mouth.

“We will be at Aunt Verna’s house soon,” my mother smirked as she ran her fingers through my golden blonde hair. I winced at her touch.

“Great.” I rolled my eyes as I continued to glare out the window.

Suddenly, there was a shift in the atmosphere. The sky began to turn dark, and an unknown chill began to tickle my skin. The bright houses faded into the background as we approached a curve in the road. It was different, that’s for sure. It stood out and made a statement. A devilish statement. This house didn’t conform to the others.

At the side of the curve, the terrain expanded into a large hill with grass that was nearly nonexistent, and the few weeds that poked out of the ground were brown and dead. At the very top of the hill, there was a secluded mansion. The house was as black as the clouds that hovered over it, and even in the distance you can see the decay and rotten pieces of wood cracking on the sides of the house.

The mansion was surrounded by a tall, black iron fence and the black roof gave the structure its final touch. The windows were boarded up so tightly that I’m sure not a single ray of sunlight could enter.

The mansion intrigued me. Who were they? Vampires? Or maybe they were just private? Or they just hated this town and everyone in it? I felt we had that in common.

“That’s the Dark Family’s mansion.” She must have caught me in my trance of admiration. “Stay away from there and that family.”

“Why?” I asked. Just because they’re different from the rest of Eldritch means I’m not allowed to socialize with them?

“They are an unpleasant family.”

“How do you know?” I retaliated. It was strange. I was defending a family that I had never met.

“I just do, Katie Anne. I mean it. Stay away from them!”

I mumbled under my breath and buried myself into my favorite black hoodie. Mother always knows best. She is so quick to judge people based on their appearances instead of their hearts within. I bet the Dark Family were great people, just no one ever gave them a chance.

Aunt Verna’s house was the ugliest of them all. It was painted a bright and nauseating pink with sky blue window seals. The roof was a vivid purple. PURPLE. Who would ever willingly decide to choose a light purple roof? No wonder my father never allowed us to come here. This place was demented, and as I watched my Aunt Verna race out the front door, I knew she was demented too.

No wonder why my father never let me meet her before. Her curly hair was dyed an awful magenta pink and it bounced down to the middle of her back. She was wearing a swing pin up dress that could be found in a woman’s closet back in the fifties. It was as pink as her hair with white polka dots splattered all over the dress, and she completed her vintage look with closed-toe white heels that were at least two inches high.

“Oh! Mary! My sweet pea! I can’t believe you are finally here!” Aunt Verna shrieked as she rushed my mother with open arms.

“Hi, Verna!” My mother hugged her back as she flashed her best crooked smile. “I know it has been way too long. I’ve missed you!” My mother’s voice cracked as Aunt Verna tightened the embrace.

“Well, if that wretched husband of yours didn’t keep you away for almost twenty years…” Mom cut her off with wide eyes as she shook her head. Aunt Verna glanced down at me, and her sky-blue eyes softened as she flashed me a fake sympathetic grin with her ridiculously painted pink lips.

“Well, water under the bridge, right? You are here now and that’s all that matters.” She clasped her hands together and then glanced at me. “And this must be my beautiful niece, Katie Anne.” She grabbed me by my shoulders and pulled me into her chest, suffocating me. “Let me get a look at you!” Aunt Verna released me as I gasped for air, then interlocked her fingers with mine as she gawked at me.

“Sweet emerald, green eyes just like your mother, lovely high cheekbones, perfectly natural pink lips, and curvy hips that’ll make the boys drool.” She winked at me. “Your hair is such a beautiful blonde, and it has just the right amount of beach waves! You didn’t get that from your mother. Mary’s hair is such a dull dark brown and as flat as a board.” She chuckled as she nudged me with her shoulder. “I used to tell her all the time she should color it like I do.”

“I got my hair from my father.” I spit through gritted teeth as she tried her best to keep her smile in place.

“Well,” she paused as she raised a brow, “at least he did something right.” Right when I was about to curse her, she turned her back. “Let’s get you settled in!”

My mother grabbed me by my arm and gave me a scornful look. I rolled my eyes as we followed Aunt Verna into her disgusting home.

The inside was even more sickening than the outside. The walls had red, yellow, and white floral wallpaper that she must have bought from an antique hardware store. All the end tables, coffee tables, and hutches were built with chestnut wood with detailed carvings to increase the fashion appeal. Knickknacks of every species of birds swallowed any empty space and a large grandfather clock added the final touch of tackiness to the ambience. As I walked past it, the clock struck noon and a cuckoo bird popped out and cawed at me. I hated this place, and I hadn’t even made it past the living room yet.

“Your rooms are at the end of the hall, across from each other, and my room is at the opposite end of the house. I’ll make us some tea, Mary, while you two get unpacked.” She smiled as she leaped on her toes and did a joyful spin to the kitchen.

I sighed persistently as I helped mom with our bags. I didn’t speak as we unloaded the car, but I made enough groans and displeased faces so she would know I was angry with our new living situation. We dragged our bags down the confined hallway as we constantly bumped elbows and shoulders trying to squeeze our way to our rooms.

“So,” mom exhaled a deep breath, “which room do you want to take?”

“My room back in Seattle.” I mumbled as I fidgeted with the strap on my black gym bag.

“Katie, I know this is hard, but can you please try to cooperate with me?” I saw desperation and pain in her eyes, and guilt instantly filled my heart.

I nodded. “I’ll take this one on the right with the twin bed so you can have the larger room with the bigger bed.” I bit my lip as I began to drag my bags into the room.

“Thank you, dear.” She caressed my cheek with her palm as her eyes softened. For the first time, I realized how heartbroken she was. “Once you’re done unpacking, I can help you get things situated for school tomorrow. I’m sure you’re nervous about starting somewhere new and having to make new friends.”

I gloomily nodded before I escaped into my new prison cell and then gently closed the door. I glanced around at my new surroundings. I was impressed with the potential in this room. The walls were painted a dark charcoal gray with white trimmings and the floors had soft black carpet to match. A large bay window took up most of the right side of the room, and it had a bench with black and grey cushions. It was the perfect spot for me to write in my journal, and when I observed the bench more closely, I realized there was a hideaway drawer underneath the pillows. It was the perfect spot for my diary and collection of gel pens.

I needed to try to relax some. Maybe this place wasn’t as hopeless as it looked, yet I was still anxious about school the next day. At my previous school, I was the popular jock. The star pitcher of the varsity softball team. What if I couldn’t make friends here? What if I didn’t fit in?

Or even worse.

What if I couldn’t make the softball team?

Softball was my life. Without the sport, I would be nothing. I would feel empty and lost. I pray they have a team. This is a small town. There’s a chance they may not have a team. Why didn’t I research this earlier?

This isn’t the time to panic. I needed to stay calm and try to see the positives. Just like daddy always said. “How you view the life you were dealt with will determine your happiness.” Things are hard now, and I may not understand everything that is going on, but everything will fall back into place as it should.