Chapter 4

Time to myself will always be my most precious time.

Dad decided to do gardening and grandma went out for a walk; she asked me to come along but I would get a life lesson from her which after the other day isn’t something I want. I used to love going on walks as a child, I remember most of the routes, the forests were my second home. I flip through the album book trying to relive the happy memories here so I can start seeing the positives of Archontes manor again.

Pictures are a funny thing; we tend to only capture the good bits of our life when it’s the bad that shape it. Take this picture for example, all of us had come back to the manor for Christmas, sitting around the campfire grandpa was telling us stories as I held on to Dapper, my golden retriever. My smile extends from ear to ear as I hold him. Despite Dapper being my dog, he would stay at the manor as it was easier for him to be looked after by grandpa and grandma, we had a connection which distance couldn’t get rid of. A day after this picture was taken, he was taken on a walk by dad who forgot to put a leash on it. Dapper ran off in front and unfortunately got into an accident.

Dapper died on the spot.

I didn’t even get to say goodbye properly. A tear falls down my eye, I close the album as another tear falls. That’s enough reminiscing for one today. Feeling tired from the overwhelming emotions, I lie down on the sofa and close my eyes, it doesn’t take long for me to fall asleep.

My eyes open due to the immense light being shone in them, I squint my eyes until they adjust, and I can see grandpa standing in front of me. I start crying instantly as I run towards him and hug him, before I can ask any questions, he puts a finger to his lips, indicating me to be quiet. He points his finger towards the door and nods towards it, I don’t ask questions and walk through it only to find myself in a different outfit. It’s a glittery beige ballgown dress with lace sleeves.

There’s a weird circular symbol on my left arm. It is a mountain with a sword going through it and 4 colours around it. Pale turquoise, carnelian, black and red. What does it mean?

I walk into the corridor and follow where the noise is coming from. I walk into the dining room and see 8 people standing around the table, they’re all around my age. The only faces I recognise are Hava and Randall. They’re all dressed extravagant and in some weird way, colour coordinated. There are 4 colours which 2 of them wearing; pale turquoise, carnelian, black, red; the gentle colours are standing on one side talking away whilst the intimidating colours are standing assessing me. Randall is in red and Hava is in carnelian. You can see a clear divide among them.

I look down at my arm, they know what it means.

I start to walk out when an older woman whom I don’t recognise walks into the dining room, “Take a seat, dinner’s ready”. Everyone starts making their way towards their seats, I decide to take a seat as well, as I feel everyone’s eyes on me but before I can move the lady whispers in my ear, “this is what you were born for, to take charge, the decisions you make will impact everyone’s life”.

I nod my head and turn back around to examine all the seats. All the seats are taken except the seat opposite Hava. I’m next to a girl wearing black and Randall, who is sitting at the head of the table. The greatest crown that they all have is the sense of authority and they’re all beautiful which makes me uncomfortable, I notice a particular guy in black who has a stab scar near his collarbone.

How painful!

Everyone is smiling and constantly whispering to the person next to them apart from the blacks and reds, who are just glaring!

The girl sitting next to me whispers in my ear, “You don’t belong here”.

I look up to find her smirking. She says it slightly louder until the 2 blacks and 2 reds start saying it, almost screaming at me. I run out of the room, at that same moment, the doorbell rings and before I can turn the corridor to run upstairs, I see the most horrific and ugly looking creatures entering. One of them catches my eye, he looks like half man and half bull. His lizard red eyes glare at me, his horns increase his demonic height. I feel nauseous when I see red drool, probably blood, dripping on the marble floor from his gigantic gaping mouth.

“RUN!” I hear the old woman say. I run down the corridor and start running up the stairs when one of the monster grips on to my arm. I scream in pain before its’s finally released, I don’t look back and continue running until I’m behind the safety of my doors, I lean my head against the door and my eyes open.

I wake up startled, only to find myself covered in my own sweat, I straighten myself and try to control my breathing. That was only a dream? I felt all the emotions as if it were real. I look at my clothes which are the same as I wore to university.

I look down at my hands only to find 4 crescent moons on each hand and blood coming out of each one.

They’re back.