The Beginning of the Story

It was Alina's bedtime. Prue had walked into her room to ensure she had everything for a good night's rest. Alina was very interested in her mother's life and always loved one story, even though it was not the best story to tell. Alina believed that even though it was a 'crazy' story, It was a story of triumph. She loved hearing the story when Prue faced her fears, always has since she was ten.

"Hey mum, can you tell me that story again? The one where you had to face your fears." Alina said, with anticipation through her exhaustion from a full day's travel.

"Sure, but aren't you a little old for a bedtime story?" Said Prue, confusion in her voice.

"Mum, you know I love hearing this story"

Giving in Prue said "Fine, but, don't butt in as you used to when you were younger"

"Okay, but with every detail, like you used to, it's not the same without them."

Prue (narrating): "The day was beautiful, a clear blue sky, the clear and calming air, with the scent of the previous night's storm still lurking. The early birds sing their sweet little songs. And I was sitting back on my chair, on the balcony, eating my breakfast..."

"You were eating cornflakes with strawberries, right?" Alina said, recalling the small detail.

Prue nods and continues with the story, "Eating my breakfast and reading my book on my veranda swing. After the sun had risen to the highest it could at eight o'clock in the morning. I walked back into the house, washed my dishes and got ready for the day to come.

Wearing my beautiful yellow poke-a-dot dress, my hair in curls with a purple headband, and my purple sachel hanging from my shoulder. I left for my weekly stroll through the park, but that day, I decided to go on a different track, it took me down this hill and past this small, hidden house that looked like a hobbit house, with a round blue door, semi-circle windows, a wind chime hung up beside the door and stepping stones leading up to the door from the pathway I was on.

I stopped for a few minutes to admire the unique beauty of the charming house, then I continued walking in the same direction I was going. But three maybe four minutes later, a mask covered my face, my legs were kicked out from under me and all I could smell was this chemical and I blacked out." Talking in a dramatic tone, exaggerating the descriptions of everything.

I woke up, and I could feel a tight sensation around my wrists, stomach and ankles. I looked at my feet and my wrists and recognized that I'd been tied up with rope...