Chapter 1 - The First Time

So fast. Everything happened so fast.

I rushed to my mother's side as soon as I heard the screams. I could tell something incredably bad was happening, but I couldn't focus on anything. I just wanted to reach my family.

My mother grabbed my arms and turned me to face her.

"Honey, you need to hide," she whispered, so low that I barely heard her. "We're going to protect you, sweetie, but you need to listen." Her words were rushed and she kept looking around the small room frantically. Her fear set me on edge and I found myself panicking immediatly.

"Mommy, what's going on? Where's Phil?"

"Don't worry about Phil, baby, just listen," she said, reaching to pick up a book on the table behind her. She placed the book in my tiny fingers and held my hand tightly. "Some very bad people are coming here, sweetie, to take mommy away. I need you to hide. Do you remember the things mommy has been teaching you?"

I nodded, confused as to how her games would be important now.

She smiled and said "good. I need you to remember what I'm going to say."

I just nodded, tears in my eyes.

"I love you, sweetheart. I love you so much," she began, bringing me in to a tight hug. "In the book is everything you need to know. My gift to you. Never loose it. Inside, you're going to find a phone number and adress. Call. Find the woman named Elizabeth. She'll help you."

"Mommy, where are you going? Come with me to find this lady!" I insisted, knowing from her tone that she wasn't going with me. My tears were coming faster, and soon, I was sobbing. I didn't like the screams from outside or the sudden cold that I got. Everything about my home was wrong tonight.

"I can't sweetheart," she whispered. Suddenly, she stiffened, turning her head towards the door. She turned back to me and hugged me once more. "They're coming. Go to your room and hide in the airvent. Remember everything I tought you. Remember the hiding game, and when they're gone, find Elizabeth. I love you, and I'll always be there for you, do you understand? I love you."

Tears cascaded down of my face as I turned and ran into my room. I closed the door behind me and quickly found my way onto the small bedside table, right underneath the airvent. I tried to reach, but I was much too small. I used a small trick my mom had once taught me and made it into the airvent easily. I closed the vent and tried to calm myself.

I needed to follow mom's directions. I needed to play the game.

I closed my eyes and focused on calming my breath.

Hide, darling, I heard my mother's words in my mind. If you're going to win, you need to hide. Hide yourself so well, I will never find you. Become more silent than air and calm your heart, as if it were dead.

I jumped slightly as I heard the front door slam, but didn't let my guard down. I heard my mother pleading and begging to the unknown stranger. Noises I didn't recognize blared through our small home. It was as if chaos had arrived into the house and took temmporary residence.

"Stop this!" I heard my mother yell. "We had the power to control you once. Don't you dare think we won't stop you once again."

I heard the most beautiful sound just then. A small laugh, like wonderous bells reached my ears, and I could almost believe it was an angel. Almost.

My mother screamed, and I saw her fly through the door of my room, sending chunks of wood all over the room. I wanted to get out of this suffocating vent and go help my mother, but my body wouldn't move.

Hide.

I heard the beautiful laugh once more as a hooded figure entered the room. The stranger was small, wearing a red hooded robe, and very scary.

"There won't be any of you left to stop us," said the strange woman.

I watched in amazement as the woman lowered her hood and revealed an extremely beautiful face, with gorgeous blonde hair pulled up in a tight bun. She was absolutely breath-taking, but I knew that she was evil. Her blood red eyes stared down at my mother, and from this angle I could see the boy standing just outside of the room. He was equally as beautiful and menacing.

My mother tried to get up and held on tight to her side. Her back was to me, but I could still see the trail of blood on her white dress.

Mother! I wanted to scream. I wanted to tear through the metal that held me back and heal my mother. I wanted to be rid of the sickenly beautiful girl that had caused my mother pain.

"There will be consiquences to your actions," my mother said, her breath coming harder than before.

"I highly doubt that."

"There will rise a strong power, one with the ability to stop your hainous actions and destroy you all."

I was startled when the girl was suddenly in front of my mother. I hadn't seen her move, she was so quick.

"There will never be a power stronger than us," the girl snarled.

And with those words, my world ended.

My mother began to scream uncontrolably, but the girl was not touching her. My mother dropped down to her knees, holding her mid-seccion and wailing in pain. I couldn't stand it, I couldn't hear the screams of my mother. It was unbarable.

The girl knelt down and grabbed my mother's neck. She put her lips on my mother's neck and whispered something in her ear. I wanted so badly to hear what she told my mother. What those evil lips could have possibly said to caused the pure fear flash across my beautiful mother's face.

And then I saw her pull her lips back over her teeth and bite down on my mother's neck.

That was the night I grew up.

That was the night I believed.