Chapter 2

Annabel was a 29 year old woman that despite the fame and success was empty. She grew up in a broken home, both her parents were addicts to alcohol, drugs, and gambling. Her earliest memories were of being beaten by either her father or mother when they lost big. In the beginning she would cry like any normal child but somewhere along the line something inside her snapped and she closed off her emotions in order to live. Everyone that lived near them knew of this but didn't do anything but whisper and insult the child behind her back. The other children would make funny and bully her, while the teachers did nothing. Annabel grew up never relying on anyone, however, there was a single thing that bright delight to her. Those were the dreams she had after falling asleep. They were always about a single place, the Albuquerque Empire. Later on she began writing about it when at school or when her parents disappeared on one of their benches. 

A few years passed and the moment Annabel came of age she dropped out of school, ran away from home, changed her name and moved someplace far where no one would know her. It wasn't all that hard, she had no friends and her parents hated her, plus they were never home much anyway. She had worked part time in secret to save up the money and when she moved she found another part time job. 

Annabel finished her first book after turning 20 and managed to find a publisher. It didn't take long for people to take an interest and after a few more years she began quite a popular novelist. However, with this came it's own problem especially since her face was plastered everywhere across the country. "I'm sorry, I don't know anyone by that name." Annabel stood with a phone in hand, her expression completely covered in disgust as she spoke.

"Don't be like that." A woman's voice was whining on the other end of the call. "Your father got himself into some money problems, could you lend us $100,000?" Hearing this question had caused Annabel's eyebrows to narrow at this question and the fact that it was her mother calling about money despite not talking for over ten years. 

"My parents are dead and also what type of parent go around asking for money from the child they beat constantly?" Needless to say that she was angry while asking this. "Don't call me again!" Then she hanged up before throwing the phone across the room. "The nerve of some people." Annabel then walked over towards a house phone that sat on the wall and began dialling. "Hey Simon, get me a new phone and number."

A few days came to pass after that call and Annabel found herself walking towards the apartment she was currently living in. She had a pair of glasses over her face and a cap holding her hair inside, preventing people from recognise her at a glance. "XXX..." her walking came to a halt upon hearing someone calling a name she wish to forget. It caused her to turn around where an old man that was nothing but skin and bones stood before her, a large creepy grin reaching from one side of his face to the other. It was hard to forget him, even if he looked a whole lot skinner and older. The man standing before her was none other then her father.

"How did you find me?" The question had been the first thing that she said, with a sharp piercing glare. The reason she had asked this was due to her having many appartments under different names belonging to members of her publishing company. She was the one paying the rent and bills but it was under their names to prevent people from finding her. Especially since she moved from one to a new one ever few weeks.

"How can a father not find his beloved daughter?" Her question was responded with one of his own. 

"'Beloved'?" Hearing these words almost caused her to bursted in laugher, especially coming form his mouth. "Clearly you have lost it." Annabel appeared revolted now looking at the man. "What do you want? Money?" It was obviously what the answer would be since her mother called her a few days ago asking for it. "I have nothing for the likes of you. Why don't you try earning something yourselves for once?" Before he could even speak, she turned her back to him, knowing very little what was to come. She felt a burning sensation from her back before she fell to her hands and knees. Annabel glanced over her shoulder to see the moon reflecting on something that had crimson liquid dripping from the bottom. It had been a knife and her father had stabbed her with it. "You bastard...!"

"You are an ungrateful bitch!" The man had grabbed ahold of her purse before shouting that. The burning sensation began to disappear but only was replaced by chills. She could tell that her body was going into hypovolemic shock. However, Annabel still seem to care as she was bleeding out. "You should have given us money for everything we did for you!" Then he had taken off running. Who was the ungrateful one? Annabel never wanted anything in her life. She didn't want the fame nor the fortune. The reason she never wanted anything was because she always felt that there was somewhere else that she should be. The only thing that gave her feelings was when she dreamed and wrote... No, the truth was that there was something she yearned for as everything was going black.