Chapter 1:

Haunted Past

Something felt wrong as soon as I stepped into the local park. The trees looked almost haunted in the noon light, like the bark had twisted into odd designs. Branches creating a cage around me, and the leaves trying to swarm in a sea of green. The splotches of sun on the soft grass took the form of beasts and monsters only in ancient myths. Breezes felt like the winds of the past, taunting me with words of people long past. The creaking sound of abandoned swings moaning my name. The man-made lake in the center of the park looked to my like a sea of blood, ready to be bathed in by demons. A fountain spurting the red gold of the human body. On the island, I saw ghostly images of wolves, growling ravenoulsy at my presence, blood trickling off their fur. Childrens laughing was hollow, soft, and never faded away, stuck at where they were playing moments ago.

I've been cursed like this since I was born, to see images of haunting distortion where ever I go. When I first saw them, I was three. We were heading to the movie theater to watch Toy Story, and in the darkened room, I noticed a elderly couple, pale as ice. The womans hair was short and curly, and she turned to me, leaving a small fragile trail of smoke behind her. The womans eyes glowed, and had no pupils. She smiled and gave me a small wave, and waited for me to wave back, and I did, eagerly laughing.

My parents noticed me and asked who I was waving to. I told them the little old lady right there, and pointed to where she was. My parents shook their heads, laughed, and went to our seats. Couldn't they see her? She was as plain as day, and her husband seemed to be enjoying the movie, and started sleeping on his wife's shoulder.

I had to use the restroom after awhile, and shuffled around peoples legs and tried not to block anyones view of the show. I walked down the isle, watching the lights to signal where the seats were glimmer beside me. I finally arived at the wooden door, and pushed it only untill i could squeeze myself through it. As I looked around for the restroom, I noticed a whisp of white smoke from around the corner. I remebered the woman and followed the smoke, and the woman was standing in front of the restroom. I walked up to her, thanked her with a nod, and entered the restroom. When I went to wash my hands, the elderly lady was standing behind me, smiling. She whispered Your welcome and whizzed away. This almost scarred me. I gasped, and thought to myself, I wish I could do that!

Later, I had told my parents everything. They didnt believe me, and told me to go to bed. I pouted and went off to bed. I kept thinking about her, and still believed she was real. For three years, I wasn't bothered by anything odd. It was the only time I remember that I was normal.

But, then my sixth birthday party came. It was your average birthay party. But, then I noticed the old lady from the theater came, and sat in an empty chair. She looked younger than the time I saw her, almost like a woman almost around the age of 50, and not 75. She sat in that same chair the whole time, smiling and watching us play. The party ended, and my friends left. I helped my mother clean up ,and played with my new toys.

That night, preparing to sleep, the woman came into my room. I sat up quickly and welcomed her with a pat on my bed, telling her to sit. She came over and sat. Her voice was clearer than it was at the theater, and she told me,

Happy birthday Bri, I have something for you.

She put a silver neclace around my neck, it was in the shape of a cross, with a snake wrapped around it, crown and wings dorning its top. In the center of the cross, there was a green stone. It glowed in my darkened room, lighting up my face. I said thank you, and she ruffled my hair.

"Who are you ma'am, I remeber you from the thearter, but I never knew your name." I asked her. She told me her name was Trisha, Trisha Elric. I wanted to say she had a pretty name, but she continued speaking to me in a ghostly whisper. She told me how she died young from a disease, and how her two young sons had tried to bring her back. I was shocked. she told me about how she is from another country, and needs someone to take care of her necklace. She told me she would take care of me as long as I wore the jewel. I nodded, and almost afraid. I asked her what she was. Her reply was a smile and four little words.

I am your gaurdian.

She was right, I havent gotten hurt at all since that day, not even a scratch on my arm. If I felt nervous, she would be there. Everytime I saw her, she looked younger, at least by a couple of years. Sometimes she would facinate me with stories of an art that could do almost anything. Alchemy.

I am now fifteen, nine years after she told me who she was, and I welcomed her into my life, and still haven't regretted it. she had protected me against any harm that would come against me, emotional or physical, except once.

My parents, my brothers, they were executed by the military for being serial killers behind my back. I was 12, the summer before 7th grade. My little brother, Michael, could poison anything you could imagine, perfume, foods, drinks, and mints. He killed some big celeberties at age eight. His twin, Patrick, was an expert in explosives, up to CS4 explosives. They were both 10 years old.

My dad would threaten schools when I was home sick, and kill everyone in the building with an ax. My mother would porpously kill her patients with dirty instruments, she was an OBGYN, so she would kill infants and weak mothers.

It happened when I was sleeping, they were electricuted by the FBI. They spared me, knowing I had no criminal record. I woke up to find no one was there, except Trisha and a police officer, waiting for me to wake up. She was staring out the window, looking at something. I walked in and whimpered,

"Where are my parents, my brothers..." Then I shouted," WHERE ARE THEY?" She looked at me and told me to sit down. Then she told me everything, how they were criminals, how they had murdered the president even. I gasped, and ran away. Trisha didnt follow me for a while.

I eventually tripped on a rock and landed in a creek, the water felt good on my face ,like silk. After an hour, Trisha finally came, and she looked around the age of 35. I lifted myself from the creek and walked up to her ghostly form. She said,

I understand. I died, and -

"You don't understand!" I wailed and ran down the creek. I kept running until I came to friends house. They let me in and I cried for hours, their warm hands felt good on my back. I told them everything. They took me in and I've been living with them since then.

I've seen more haunted images every where I go now. Trisha never abandoned me, but I havent seen her since that day by the creek.

Now, here in the park, I wish she was here, this is the most I've seen at one time, and I'm freaking out. The wolves look like they want to chase me, trees closing in, winds with howls of dead people whisking by my ears. I felt an arm on my shoulder, and the visions stopped, I wanted to yell Trisha, but I saw Cara, the girl I live with now.

She seemed to be the only one who could calm my visions, of everything, and I'm glad she was here today.

The world doesn't seem to dark now.

Excluding the giant eye in the darker park of the woods about 100 yards away, ecouraging me closer. That didn't disappear.