"Mama, where are we going?"
"Cassia, you'll see it's a surprise."
"Ok, Mama but where is Rosie?"
"At home. This surprise is just for you."
I just walked beside Mama, humming a tune and enjoying one of the few times Mama didn't get mad at me. We walked for a few minutes, playing along the way. We arrived at a field, and short distance away, I see a building too.
"Oh, Cassia, I forgot to bring our picnic basket! I want you to wait here until I get back, do understand, young lady?"
"Yes, Mama. Can I play while I wait, please?"
"Sure, just stay right in the field."
I watched Mama's bright red hair as she walked away, waiting on the rock she left me on. I waited and waited and waited until I fell asleep. I awoke to thunder. It was a dark sky and mama was nowhere to be found. I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around, hoping to see Mama return as she promised. No, it wasn't Mama, just her friend with black hair and blue eyes who didn't like me.
"Lady, is Mama coming back?"
She started laughing at me, and something told me to start running. I started running away from her, but next thing I knew, she had ahold of me. I started to fight her, but she hit me really hard, and it hurt a lot. I grabbed the right side of her face, feeling desperate, and scratched it. She suddenly stopped and started to walk away, pausing to turn and look at me.
"You won't be surviving the night," she said maliciously. There was blood from the scratch I made to her face. She left without another word.
As soon as she was gone, I ran to the building. I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me.
When I got closer to the building, I realized it was a church. I went in and sat on the pews and waited for Mama to come back for me, I fell asleep again after waiting and hoping she would appear.
I woke up the next day, but there was still no sign of Mama so I ran around playing in the church until it got dark again. I sat lay down on the long benches again, falling asleep waiting.
The next morning, I was very tired.
Still, I waited and waited and waited some more. I realized I was getting very hungry, so started exploring the chapel some more. I saw a book on the altar under the cross, so I picked it up and, a vision suddenly begins in my mind.
I saw a girl running into here holding this book and prayed the bad man wouldn't catch her. He came and found her hiding and dragged her out, causing her to drop her book.
Mama didn't like it when I had visions. I decided to walk around outside. I found the dirt road Mama and I had walked down. After walking a little ways, I saw that the sun was going down so I walked back to the church.
I ran into a man with pale skin and red eyes. I was so scared I couldn't move, when he grabbed me and bit my neck. I finally cried out to Mama for help. Next thing I know the girl (From my vision?) and few others came to help.
The girl's friends made him drop me, and she grabbed my hand and pulled me down the road back to the church. She pulled me all the way in to the church; I saw what looked to be shadows moving around the windows.
My head hurt really badly. I just hurt all over so much, that I passed out. I woke up hearing voices the next day. I didn't feel well enough to cry out for help.
I heard them come into the church. Then I heard a scream, but I couldn't move to see who was screaming.
(Sonya Karp POV)
I was so glad Mikhail and I were able to get away from it all for a little bit. We were driving down this dirt road and I saw this old abandoned church. I wanted to stop and see it, so Mikhail pulled over, telling me we couldn't stay long.
I walked in to have a look around, never expecting to see an unconscious child lying on the dirty ground, covered in blood. I screamed at the top of my lungs.
Mikhail came running in, ready to fight, and I just pointed; I didn't have the words to tell him. He saw where I was pointing and gasped, quickly running to the child. He prayed aloud, hoping the child was alive.
Mikhail turned the child over on to its back and we could clearly see that this little girl was fighting for her life.
"Hi there, little one. My name is Mikhail and this is Sonya. Everything will be all right."
"Can you speak? Can tell us your name, please?"
"Cassia," she whispered in a very tiny voice.
"Well, Cassia, that's a very pretty name. Do you have a last name?"
"I don't know it," she replied between gasps.
"I'll be right back, Cassia. I'm just going to make a call."
Mikhail beckoned me to come sit with her. As I knelt next to her, he arose, and stepping just inside the doorway, took one last look at us before leaving. Within five minutes, Mikhail returned with a blanket to cover Cassia and pick her up.
"Let's go. She needs help, and we need to get out of here before the storm gets here. I would like to be back at St. Vladimir's before it hits. He has to take a look at Cassia."
I ran to the car and climbed into the passenger side. Mikhail handed me this Little Cassia and quickly got into the driver's seat.
Within an hour, we were at St. Vladimir's. She met us at the car and took Cassia.
"All she was able to give us was here name. It's Cassia."
She took a quick look and checked her vitals, yelling to her nurses to bring her a stretcher.
"Give her a bath, and I'll be in the infirmary soon to look her over."
"Miss Karp and Guardian Tanner, thank God you found that child. She would not have survived the night," St. Vladamir said.
"How bad is it?" Tanner asked.
"Well, Guardian Tanner, it looks like Cassia suffered years of abuse, was beaten up, left for dead. Her wounds indicate it's likely a Strigo attacked her. Again, it will be by some miracle if she survives; we are not out of the woods yet."
We went to the infirmary waiting room, waiting to see how Cassia would be. Just then, the waiting room doors opened and Queen Tatiana Ivashkov came walking in. We bowed to her and waited for her to tell us to rise.
"Arise. I heard you two brought a child in?"
"Yes, your majesty. Her name is Cassia," Sonya informed her.
"Oh yes. Is Cassia going to be all right?"
"They are not sure, Majesty."
Just then, a nurse came walking heading straight toward us.
"Cassia is sleeping right now. She has a broken arm, is suffering from blood loss, dehydration, and malnourishment. I set the arm, started an IV of blood, plasma, and fluids, and gave her some broth."
"Do we know who her parents are?" Guardian Alberta Petrov asked.
"No, just that she had bright red hair and she asked about a sister, Rosemarie," Sonya said.
"How old is she?" the Queen asked.
"About two and a half years old," Sonya replied.
"Rose is three; Cassia must be her younger sister."
"Then I suggest Guardian Janine Hathaway doesn't know she lives."
"Well, I got a very interesting call from Godric Northman. He wants to know if she's safe, and told me if one hair on her head has been harmed, we're going to see why he was called death. He also said this is Eric Northman his child about his daughter. I think he should hear about this from me. Oh before I go…"
"Yes, Your Majesty?" Doctor Olendzki asked.
"Dr. Cullen and his family will be coming by tomorrow, so please make them feel comfortable."
"Yes, Majesty."
"Oh boy, we have two girls we have to protect from their mother."
We all looked to Guardian Petrov for some guidance.
"First, we need to get rid of Headmistress Ellen Kirova," said the Queen. 'She's best friends with Guardian Janine Hathaway. I think Godric Northman should tell Eric Northman."
She set up Headmistress Ellen Kirova for death. We watch her walk away than turn to us.
"Cassia is dead, as far as anybody knows. Right," the Queen said, almost to herself. "Everybody, she didn't make it out of that church."
We all nod and look at her staff, and they look like they're going to keep their mouths shut. Only time will tell what will happen, or if justice will be given for Cassia.