"You have a beautiful voice, dear."
The thin, white nightgown clad girl stopped her quiet singing and looked away from the picture book in front of her. She turned her head to peer behind her, she smiled softly upon seeing Nurse Susan standing behind her.
She quickly stood and turned around to face the elderly woman who had come to visit her. She tucked strands of dark brown hair behind her ear. "Miss Susan," she greeted brightly, only for her smile to fade upon seeing the dress draped over the older woman's arm. It was a creamy yellow and from what she could see, very pretty. She bit her lip softly, starting to feel upset. She was only allowed to wear things other than her nightgowns when he wanted to see her. She didn't want to see him. "Do I have to Miss Susan?" She fidgeted on small, bare feet. Her thin, delicate hands curled the front of her gown and uncurled. She glanced behind her at the book of the most beautiful places in the world. "I was in Asia, can I finish Asia first? Asia is quite pretty, Miss Susan."
The old woman shook her head. "You know that is not possible, Bonnie. We do not keep Mr. Talisman waiting." Bonnie looked down at her feet. She really didn't want to go. Susan gave her soft, sympathetic smile. "I'm sure he will have a gift for you, dear. I'm sure you want to see that. The last gift was beautiful wasn't it?"
Bonnie glanced behind her again at her desk and at the small glass music box gifted to her by Mr. Talisman last time. She looked around her small bedroom, she had many gifts from Mr. Talisman on her nightstand, dressers, and in her closest. Mr. Talisman always gave her gifts. "Will he allow me pick my gift this time?" She asked softly, returning her attention back to the woman who she had known for as long as she could remember.
Ms. Susan laughed kindly. "Whatever could you possibly want that he hasn't already spoiled you with, child? You have jewelry, clothing, shoes anything you could ever need or want. Don't me greedy, dear."
Bonnie looked down, embarrassed. She didn't want to be greedy. "I just want to see some of those places in the book, Ms. Susan." The green eyed girl quickly said. "I want to see outside. I've never been outside before."
The woman's smile faded and she looked uncomfortable. "You'll have to ask him yourself dear." She finally said.
"Do you think he'll let me, if I promise to be good?" Bonnie thought she had been good lately. She no longer threw tantrums since Ms. Susan told her she, at eighteen, was much to old for that and she always did as she was told.
Ms. Susan looked away from her and held out the dress. "I'm sure if you ask him kindly he will certainly consider it."
Bonnie smiled, happy Ms. Susan thought it was possible. She took the dress from the woman, practically bouncing with excitement. Usually when she asked this question to Ms. Susan the woman would tell her to wait until she was older. She guessed getting older wasn't as bad as she originally had thought.
(FF)
"Bonnie, you look as beautiful as always." Bonnie looked down nervously as Mr. Talisman's cold hand ran down her face and brushed her hair back. She fidgeted as he took her chin and made her meet his dark brown eyes. "Come, I have a picture I would like for you to study." He let go of her chain and wrapped a large hand around her arm and led her further into his bedroom, towards his desk in the corner. He sat her down in his leather chair and pointed at the picture there. "Can you find him?"
Bonnie bit her lip and studied the picture. It was a picture of a blonde haired, blue eyed man. She had never seen him before, of course, just as she had never seen any of the people Mr. Talisman wanted her to find besides their photos. Bonnie touched the photo with soft fingers and frowned. "Who is he, Mr. Talisman?"
Mr. Talisman's hand found her shoulder and she tensed as he began to massage the tense muscles. "He is someone a person is paying me a lot of money for their location. Can you find him?"
Bonnie blinked away any wetness gathering in her eyes and swallowed. "Do you have anything of his? I need something to tie to him, Mr. Talisman."
The man's hand left her shoulder. "Of course," he said open one of his desk drawers and pulled out a dark blue tie, "I know how this works by now, I should have had this out and ready."
Bonnie didn't say anything as she took the tie and closed her eyes, she began to mumble the familiar spell she was given so long ago to find the people Mr. Talisman wanted her to find. It had been an old woman who had taught her, she had been withered and frail and a harsh teacher. Her tiny hands back than had seen many lashes from the woman's stick. The woman said she was so tough her her because she had to be ready and prepared to take her place when she was gone, and that was exactly what Bonnie did. She found people for Mr. Talisman and it wasn't so bad at first very lonely, but not bad, though she was never allowed outside his home or out of her room really, she had been given lots of books and movies to watch and she didn't have to go to school, something she had long since forgotten what it even was exactly or rather why she didn't particularly like it. But when she turned fourteen things changed with Mr. Talisman, he made her do things she didn't really want to do. Things that hurt and things she didn't really understand.
"Its hard," she mumbled after a full minute of concentrating, "its like I'm being blocked, Mr. Talisman." She opened her eyes and forced herself to look at him.
"Try harder, my doll," he ordered, "you are a powerful witch, it is why I chose you. Don't disappoint me." Bonnie swallowed and nodded weakly, she looked away from him and closed her eyes again. She began to concentrate, harder, so hard she felt the drip of blood from her nose hit her upper lip. She pushed on, she was raised to never disappoint Mr. Talisman and she wasn't going to start to. Finally she got what she was looking for and waved her hand weakly. Mr. Talisman quickly placed a pen in her hand and pushed a pad towards her. She quickly wrote down the location of the man, light headed. Mr. Talisman picked up the pad. "That's my girl, he cooed."
Bonnie leaned heavily against the desk trying to gather herself, she wiped her her lip and nose. She stiffened when she felt a heavy, cold hand come to rest on the back of her neck. "Can my gift be a trip?" She blurted out quickly. "It doesn't have to be far. I just want to see some of the places, no, one of the places in my book."
"Hmmm," Mr. Talisman said thoughtfully, his hand running down her neck and back. "What are you willing to do for it, Bonnie? That's an awfully big reward."
Bonnie wanted to whimper when his hand moved around to the front of her body. "I don't know," she said meekly.
His hand left her body, but she knew it wasn't over. "Come and lay with me, Bonnie." He ordered walking off towards his bed.
After a minute, Bonnie stiffly stood.
(FF)
"Dear, come out of the shower, you've been in there for over an hour. I know the water isn't still warm."
Bonnie came out of her thoughts with a jolt upon hearing Ms. Susan's voice. She shivered and blinked up at the shower nozzle which was spraying cold water. She quickly reached and turned off the water and stepped out of her shower and reached for a fluffy, white towel, wrapping it around her body.
She found herself staring into a partially fogged up mirror at her reflection. She ground herself wondering who she had gotten green eyes from and which one of her parents did she look like. She use to be able to remember, but no longer could. As she studied herself, she caught a glimpse of a bite mark on her neck and quickly looked away, stomach queasy.
"Bonnie"
"I'm coming, Ms. Susan." The young witch quickly said as she dried off and got dressed in the bathroom. She stepped out into her bedroom and smiled at the old woman. "What brings you by, Ms. Susan?"
The older woman smiled in return. "I wanted to know if there was anything special you would like for dinner, Mr. Talisman's orders."
Bonnie hugged herself. "Mr. Talisman is back? Has he said anything about what I asked for?"
Ms. Susan avoided her gaze. "Mr. Talisman hasn't returned yet and as for your gift," she sighed, "he has ordered you a full set of Dvds on world geography where you travel along with the hosts all across the world."
Bonnie frowned. A DVD? She bit her lip to stop it from quivering. "He's not going to let me go outside?"
"When you're older, dear, he will."
"You always tell me that." Bonnie shouted, unable to keep her tears from falling. "I don't understand why I can't go. I've been good, I've done everything he's asked of me." She stomped her foot in frustration.
Ms. Susan gave a a scolding frown. "What did I tell you about throwing tantrums, young lady?" She wagged her finger at her. "You are just too spoiled."
Bonnie struggled to catch her breath and fight off sobs. "Its not fair." She threw back. "I am not spoiled, I just want to go outside. Why won't he allow me to go outside." Ms. Susan shook her head at her. "It hurts, Ms. Susan." She sobbed. "When he makes me lay in bed with him, it hurts."
The old woman's eyes widened and she shook her head. "I'm done talking to you today." she snapped. "I'll be back when you start to behave."
The old woman whirled around on her heels and marched out of Bonnie's prison, locks sliding into place.
Bonnie collapsed heavily onto her bed.
(FF)
Bonnie ran.
She ran and ignored the pain in her bare feet caused by all of the rocks and sticks she trampled over as she made her escape. She was confused, alone, and scared. She had no idea where she was going, no, that wasn't true.
The dream had told her to go to a placed called Mystic Falls.