Chapter 1

Adulthood is like this, you're a young bird spreading its wings seeing how they work and getting used to the muscles and then your thrown out the fucking nest falling to your death unless you make those fuckers work on time.

And then you soar its awesome, your doing it. You fucking flying and then momma bird says 'alright, sayonora mutha fuckaahh' flying off never to return.

My adult life began at 18 being aged out of the orphanage, they set me up a little apartment and a job at Little Reds Grocer. I didnt get payed enough to keep the apartment after a year they raised the rent and ended up homeless so I managed to sleep at centres and use my leisure card to take showers when I could. After a few months I managed to get a car and stayed in there for a time.

So far so good, I was able to save and got another apartment then a second job then 3 years of my life all blurred together. My days were work, work, sleep work work. Never having time for anything again. Brutal ass hours and shitty sleep, I managed, didnt really 'soar' it was more of a unsteady glide haha.

I am 26 years old with zero direction of where exactly i should go at this point.

My goal was to save and find my little brother and completely forget about 'Little Horizons Orphanage' where all the brightest sons and stars wait to horize. Its a lie, its filled with a bunch of little demon assholes, well no thats not fair theres some good kids in there that deserve so much more.

Scrunching my face "Ick." pulling out a bloody tissue from the seat im assigned and let it land on the floor. Im determined this time to follow through and find my brother.

A few years ago I went back to the orphanage to ask about the family who adopted him, they wouldnt tell me, insisting I might crumble apart his life or only cause trouble and well it got to me. Then Minnie, sweet old Minnie pulled me aside and gave me a name and a photo of Tommy, a kindergarten photo he looked so shy, his tiny smile and kind innocent eyes. Tears welling up and a pain in chest rising to my throat but nothing came out, they never do, not for years. Minnie told she last spoke to them they said they were moving to England, little Tommy wouldn't pack a thing until they let Minnie talk to him and she said she told him ill always be in his heart and will always love him, to trust his parents and love them. I painted a picture in my head a little Tommy in kindergarten refusing to do anything until he heard from me, he was already super stubborn.

I felt betrayed, she shouldve told me, should've let me talk to him. But, maybe she was right, he deserved to be accepted and live in a happy home and explore the world. I just wish I could've been there with him.

Now however I knew he was in England and thats all I knew, at that time he would've been in highschool.

Tommy was 3 when we ended up in Little Horizans, I was 9. We spent 2 years together me telling him stories and well by now he will a 20 year old probably with a life of his own. Suddenly feeling like second thinking myself I look out the window seeing a few guys loading up the luggage. You got this, breath. You can do it. Tommy will be happy to see you. You must do it this time.

With my eyes tightly closed and breathing like im in labour I sense eyes around me probably wondering if im going to throw up or not. I want to assure them but I'm not totally confident myself.

Then I feel cold silk run along my arm, from my elbow to my index finger. Opening one eye I see my favorite nightmare, just a shaodow of a man, a phenomenon that only I and innocent children can see - unless of course a handsome man tries to bed me - try to reassure and console me. Letting out a strangled chuckle for myself I put my head back and relax. He's here, its okay. And I fall asleep.

I woke up with a start, feeling the plane shake violently and looked out the window nothing looked wrong and I felt panic build up inside me.

Its just turbulence, and - I shot my eyes back open and gulping air like a cold bucked of water splashed over me HOLY SHIT Im in air. Im on a plane. In. The . Air.

Looking back out the window I see clouds and the ocean below.

I release chuckles that turn to crazed laughter.

I calm myself and clear my throat down after making eye contact with a passenger glaring at me sheesh I know I look crazy but I did it! I followed through this time... unwillingly... maybe.. unconsciously, really, literally.

It was him. My nightmare dude put me asleep so I'd actually stay on the plane this time.

I just know it. No way in hell would I be able to have the courage to stay on the plane. For the last 5 years I've bought a ticket and then run hot my heels out the plane and into my car, total waste of money I know. But I had to try. But this time im glad for it, as I sold literally everything, all my furniture, my car, some clothes so I had just enough baggage to fit in one large suite case and I quit my job, not that I really needed it. I won 40k on a lottery ticket. I donated 10 to the orphanage, and paid taxes up the ass. After that I went to my bank and made the rest into euros so I got 17k or so on my card. I never lined up a place to stay, or even had a clue where to find Tommy. His last name was changed to Faires, I thought it was bittersweet, Tommy wasn't always a fair player, now he has it in a name. Ha.

I'll have to stay at a hostel or something.

Meh, maybe I'll just treat myself to a actual nice hotel room.

Lay back relax, freak out and back to relaxing then face the reality that i got no plan. At. All...

Oh, I reeally didnt think this through.. for shit sakes.

No. No its good, its better not to plan, shit always goes wrong when you do so it's goood.... imagine it like backpacking around the world kind of thing... yellow pages, look up yellow pages. Yes. Good start.

Biting my nails I log into the wifi and look up Tommy Faires, theres nothing, not even a Facebook like the last time I checked I dont know why one would magically show up. I can't remember the names of his adopted parents. I decide to just searchs Faires. There I see a bunch of links to different news sites

News today : The Faires Family still on the search for lost son Tommy Faires.

Last Seen April 27th 2010

KIDNAPPED FROM HOME

BRING TOMMY HOME

WE MISS YOU TOMMY!

PLEASE BRING HIM BACK!

I drop my phone and everything fades, black dots form as my vision blurs.

...

"Miss? Excuse me miss? We have landed, its time to get off the plane" I'm awoken to a nasally sounding attendant, they knew which would wake me up. I can't truly begin to understand how I managed to gather my things and leave the plane and wait for my luggage.

I feel empty. My memory flashes pictures of the headlines and then I find that I'm sitting down, luggage by my side.

'Chris this isn't funny, it's past curfew. You need to come back inside. Or. Else.'

'Else nothing Amariah. You have to see this, you wont believe it til you see it!'

... Im hiding under a fallen tree and watch Chris silently cry about a yard away, the forest is moonlight and the man with the hook is still out there. Pressing a finger to my lips he nods his head squeezing his eyes tight. I have to get him before that man does, bloodied hook and rope in the other. I have to get chris out of here....

... 'Mara! MARA' 'CHRISS!!' I keep running reaching out my hand like he could magically grab on but he's too high he's carring him out to the sky. I sob loudly as he disappears

'Amariah this is not a joke. This is the 3rd time this has happened. If theres someone out there you have to tell us' - '..honestly I dont think she saw anything, she had a brother who was adopted with out her.. yeah... yeah I believe it's an attention thing... im sorry...'

Next there was Stephen, he was 8 when went missing. I tried to tell him not to trust the hooked man, that he is who took Chris and maybe the others but he brushed me off saying "he took them to a better place, full of magic. Your just jealous no one wants YOU" stalking off I hurried to find a staff to tell them they should watch the doors but of course no one actually cared to listen. I was just an rebellious orphan teen with abandonment issues, making up lies so people and see me.

But then one day Chris came back but he still looked the same of 3 years prior, he shouldve grown a few inches at least, all kids sprout after 5 and he shouldve been the height of an 8 year old. That night I looked out the window seeing them fly away right above the trees to the clouds where ... a wooden ship? Watching closely I could see them land on the dock and the whole thing went away squinting my eyes I tried to see more but got interrupted by a loud CRASH

I yelped and jumped then ran to the floor below where the boys slept and seen a shadow man throwing everything about, flipping the beds and strewing clothes and toys around the room.

I hid in the dark hall watching it freak out, does it know who took them? Does it work with him?

Then it stopped, I coulnt tell which way it faced so I held my breath til another man showed up

''I know. I know its too late. We can't save them now, we have to wait. Dont worry. We will get those boys and bring them home. I-' I let out a sneeze, breaking his speach to the shadow. His hands were holding onto its arms then spurn around facing me. 'I thought this was a boys only orphanage' I dont think he meant to say it out loud but I answered anyway, "nope, girls too but theyre always adopted or moved to better, I'm too much help I think so they make stay. You know where they went? Are they safe? That man with the hook is he dangerous? I seen him kill someone I know hes not a good man. If your with him your-- '' He cut me off by grabbing my face in-between his hands, he stared down at me with a hard stare he looked almost like a monster with the moonlight and shadows on his sharp features. His shadow friend slowly stepped towards us and put its hand on the high of my back. what the fuck? "Wrrrt - dda-Fruk-drd" his hands squeezing my face my words slurred together in jumbled nonsense then like he was shocked by something he stepped away shaking his head like a maniac repeating no over and over.

The nightmarish shadow looked to try calm him down and aimed a finger at me.

'Shes...no...I must... wait ... child... I cant.. stay'

He and the shadow thing were huddled closely and the guy was whispering vehemently looking back every now again giving me weird looks, but I'm kind of used to odd looks.

"Ehem, miss?.. is this seat taken?" I startled, lost within my head of memories and look up at the man looking with kind eyes to me and the seat beside me, smiling I shake my 'no' and he sits down next to me.

"My names Mike, by the way, it's nice to meet you...?" Gesturing to me I smiled politely "Amariah, and sorry but i- i dont . Im not"sighing. I dont bother finishing already exhausted from the effort I stand and move to the cabbing station.

Finally here in London England and my brother isnt anywhere to be found. I feel a tingling sense that the kidnapping and Tommy are connected, its been 11 years. Zero evidence of struggle or disturbance, like the orphanage they all when too willingly to an unknown fate, I believed they all died but Chris came back and took the other boys. Brenton, Justin, Tim, Fraser and Vance they were all amazed at seeing the 'lost boy' and hearing his stories they listened to me when i told them to go to bed and told Chris to wait til morning and maybe sleep too. But then i woke up to hearing giggles and then saw them all leave out my window. They should've went on the trip with the others but were considered too young or rebellious, and I was marked in on helping care for them.

After that night there was no more trips, no more out door time, they built a large fence around the play area and I was no longer solely trusted with the kids. I was glad, there were some very bad apples.

I don't know what to think or where to start, so I look up the nearest hotel set myself up, and prepare for a night of adulterous adventures. The shadow man and the other guy I think their connected, he only ever shows up when I find myself in hella deep shit, like he senses when I feel too much. So tonight I'm going to get drunk as fuck and see if I end up in a dangerous situation. Like everytime I go out... kind of, I'm not that bad..

K. I have had 4 shots of vodka and 2 singles of spiced rum and coke, I got a mini buzz going and I know by this time I over do it but thats the point. I need their attention, they know. They will know how to help, I hope.

I stand up from my stool and instantly stagger into someones arms, I look and see a guy smirking at me pulling me to the dance floor he shouts to the bartender "Thanks for watching her!" I dumbly look at the guy at the bar grabbing my drinks one. Four...ten? Nooo....uhh..SIX

"I had ss-six drinks" oh fuck, I've been roofied

I'm stading, stumbling, I feel someone tugging my hips side to side

The club is dark, figures dancing, blurring together

It's cold I'm outside the club, the guy who pulled me from the bar is taking me

I start to panic

I'm fighting, falling my ass lands on the ground

I had six drinks. I went to the bathrroom. Fuck. No open your eyes. Open your eyes, keep them open

He's carring me to his car, puts me in his back seat "It's alright, take a little nap" and goes around to the drivers seat. I try keep my eyes open my lids are heavy but I try, he's focused on the road

I'm slammed onto a bed, groaning I try roll but he grabs me pulling me on my back again.

I feel cold metal on my wrists fucking hell is this guy a serial killer? Of course. Amariah Taimes abducted and killed because of her own stupidity.

I open my eyes again to see the blonde hair guy reaching for my panties. Behind him I see my favorite nightmare I let out a full teeth grin then drop it as He comes behid him, watching me from the doorway glaring hard. Oof he's not happy to me. I try wave but my hands are cuffed its more a flapping hand.

He guy from the bar is pulled from me slamming into the floor, Shadow is hovering over him and he screams, trying to get up Shadow holds him by his neck bringing him up and back down with great force, over and over again. Next all I hear is small whistles of breath and gurgling from the end of the bed.

My mind still hazy I say "Will one of you help with these" Jingling my hands, My shadows friend comes and takes them off then I see him slam his foot down twice on the guy on the floor who must be very, very dead by now.

"You need to take me home with you" I say as I stand up wobbly trying my best stern expression "Today. No, Now" crossing my arms and raising my chin as emphasis, looking at them stubbornly.

"Your right, it's time" Shadows friend says and I falter.

"Wha? What you mean 'it's ti-" I dont get finish my interrogation I'm swept off my feet and hauled out the window and see the ground get farther and farther. Holy shit! I pass out.