Chapter One
Unknown Faces
Tuesday October 2, 2013
5:30pm
Clary Fray
You put your trust and your life in your parents hands, promising to protect you against the harsh world that we've become to known. But what happens when a horrific fire destroys your childhood home, leaving you burned and scarred. And your parents abandoning you without an explanation or even a goodbye.
"We're here."
Clary reluctantly looked up from her once pale and smooth skin of her left arm now laced with red twisted scars.
The small car idled in a grey brick driveway matching the stone face of the two story house. The front door was painted a crimson red matching the excotic flowers over flowing the flower beds. Tall oak trees provided shade over the wide lawn, their leaves already changing colors at the tips. The house was a beautiful structure surrounded by the quiet woods that whispered when the wind passed through the branches of the oak trees.
Clary stepped out of the car, closing the passenger door behind her. Her dark green eyes flickered suspiciously between the trees, searching for the ghostly dark figures that followed her. It was the night of the horrific fire that destroyed her childhood home when Clary first spotted the figures. They were dancing between the shadows of the living room, when suddenly there was a spark in the corner of the room and the figures seemed to disappear with a haunting laugh.
The last thing she could remember was her mothers scream piercing the silent night and the thick smoke clouding her eye sight.
" Clary." Mr. Lauren called, touching her shoulder. She unwillingly tore her gaze from the dark woods to her Social Worker who stood next to her. He pushed the black frame of his glasses up the bridge of his skinny nose, his eyebrows knitting together. " There is no reason to be worried. These people are your family, they will accept you . I'm sure Miss. Penhallow is very upset about losing her sister as well." Mr. Lauren encouraged. He moved to the back of the car to remove Clary's bags, filled to the brim with new clothes and the few items that were salvaged from the fire. He removed them one by one, his skinny arms shaking as he lifted each bag.
Mr. Lauren took both bags as Clary trailed behind him, her eyes locked on the blue and grey stone path leading to the crimson painted door. The exotic flowers that surrounded the stone path bent and twisted at the winds will, humming intune with the wind. They climbed the steps painfully slow, Clary felt as if she were walking on a path of burning coals and every foot step slowed her down because of the pain. The pounding of her heart echoed through her head as Mr. Lauren rang the doorbell.
A woman with long dark hair and careless brown eyes answered the door. She wore a figure tight red dress with a plunging neckline, a beautiful gold necklace and matching earring that obviously drew attention to her long neck. clary felt her careless eyes roam over her red knitted sweater, black ripped skinny jeans and black combat boots before suddenly forcing a smile. Her brilliant white teeth were spotted with red lipstick making Clary's face turn red with laughter.
" Miss. Penhallow." Mr. Lauren greeted, holding out his shaking hand.
Miss. Penhallow flipped her long dark hair over her right shoulder and held out her hand with perfectly painted red nails. " Mr. Lauren, how are you?" Her eyes moved to Clary, filling with disgust but the fake smile stayed in place. " This must be Clary, how nice it is to finally meet you." Her pale hand was as cold as ice. " Please come in."
The inside of the house was even more beautiful than the outside. The high ceilings and walls were painted white with black framed picture containing family photos nailed to the walls. A beautiful crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, lighting the foyer. And a red and gold carpet covered the grey tiles that lay underneath. A marble table was pushed against the wall to her right, atop it were small bronze and silver antique vases. Everything was so beautiful and expensive here but it felt like more of a museum than a home. No one seemed to live here.
An older man with thinning hair and a crisp black suit came to take Clary 's bags to her room while Miss. Penhallow lead them to a completely white living room. The living room was a large open space that provided enough room for a dining room set. The floor to ceiling windows let in enough natural light to light the whole room without the need for lamps. And a brick fireplace added warmth to the large space. Clary sat down next to Mr. Lauren on a plushed and spotless white couch. White french doors lead into a private library with book shelves that reached the slanted ceiling.
Miss. Penhallow sat across from Mr. Lauren and Clary, crossing her legs she leaned forward as if she was interested in what Clary had to say but the bored look in her dark eyes told a different story. Her poster was too stiff to call comfortable and she kept fidgeting with her boney fingers. "Clary, I can honestly relate to how heart broken you feel right now and I know we only met now but we both lost a very important person to us." She took Clary's hands roughly. " But we must stick together because we only have each other."
Her words told a different story then the disgusted look in her uncaring dark eyes. They were only lies, something that was suppose to ease Clary 's worries about coming into a new home to a new family. But Clary saw right through them. She shifted on the couch, folding her arms across her chest defensively, her green eyes hardening into a glare.
Miss. Penhallow seemed shocked at the defensive poster Clary has taken on but quickly composed herself. She gestured to the hall which they had just come from where to figures suddenly appeared. They stepped forward without hesitation. " These are my daughters, Kaelie and Aline."
One girl was taller than the other with bright red hair that was curled to perfection and green piercing eyes that held the same uncaring and bored look as her mother. She was very pale except for the freckles that were scattered across her long nose and sharp cheekbones. She wore a white t-shirt that hugged her like a glove and shorts that weren't even longer than her pinkie. Her boney fingers were adorned by many gold rings and her nails were as bright as her hair. She didn't introduce herself as she pulled her cell phone out.
The other girl was much shorter and very different physically than her sister with blonde naturally curly hair that fell past her waist. Her bright blue eyes shone with wickedness like she was hiding a deadly secret, mirrored by her smile. She was very tan, her small freckles that would have spotted her face were hidden under her tan. She wore a blue floral printed sun dress that hugged her figure like a second skin and a gold necklace hung from her neck.
Neither of them step forward to introduce themselves, their uncaring eyes moving down Clary's form mockingly. Miss. Penhallow stepped behind her daughters, another fake smile tracing her lips. " Kaelie, Aline why don't you show Clary to her room?"
Kaelie and Aline share a sarcastic look, smiling evilly. " Sure!" They said together, leaving the room with a flip of their hair. After an encouraging thumbs up from Mr. Lauren, Clary follows Kaelie and Aline down the hall to the bright foyer. A marble staircase sits on a higher portion of the wooden floor, the sun's golden rays illuminating the marble from the floor to ceiling windows that overlook the backyards flowers garden.
Kaelie and Aline lead Clary down a windowless hallway to an oak door labeled Clary's Room. " Your room is through there." They commented, laughing behind raised hands before disappearing into the room across the hall.
Clary sighed, unsure whether she would really like her new life here. The Penhallow's were uncaring people who only thought about themselves that was obviously by their appearance. Then why would they take Clary into their home? They never made an effort to visit the Fray's home during the holidays or call when it was her mother's birthday. This was ridiculous. Pushing her thoughts aside, Clary pushed opened her bedroom door.
The room was a big open space with dark hard wood floors and four floor to ceiling windows and a stone balcony with red climbing roses filling in the spaces of the railing. Her room faced the backyard which meant the vibrant colors of the sun set would color the dark purple walls. A black wood poster bed was pushed against the south wall with two three drawer nightstands on either side. A desk was to the right of the four poster bed and atop it was a new laptop.
Beside the door was a white vanity table filled with the latest make up that Clary would never use. On the north wall there was another door leading to the walk in closet. Two dark purple dresser were pushed against the wall with a flat screen tv atop it. Just like the rest of the house it felt unlived in like the room was only for show. Her simple black suitcases were already in her closet so she wouldn't have to drag the heavy bags across the floor.
Unzipping the suitcase she found the last photo taken of her parents before they disappeared. It was her eighth birthday party and she was surrounded by her loving family and friends. They were laughing hysterically holding onto each other so they wouldn't fall over. There was so much life and happiness in their eyes until the day it was taken away.
Clary set the picture on the bedside table, wiping the dust from the wood frame with the sleeve of her sweater. Her heart twisted, a pain she was use to now. She turned to finish unpacking her suitcase unwillingly ready to start this new life.
Mr. Lauren closed the crimson door behind him, wiping the lens of his glasses with a grey handkerchief. " How do you feel about your adoptive family, Clary?" He took a seat on the stone porch slipping his glasses back on.
Clary sat next to him, pulling her sleeves over her cold hands. The Autumn air was crisp and cool with the setting sun. Her unsettling eyes flickered between the trees searching for the shadows that followed her closely. "They seemed . . . . normal." Clary decided, the word wasn't right but is was the only word that she could think of that was nice enough.
Mr. Lauren nodded understandably. " If they cause you any trouble or don't treat you right, please call me immediately. Im only a twenty minute drive away. " He touched her shoulder. " Please don't hesitate."
He stood, dusting his pants, Clary stood with him. Mr. Lauren hugged her awkwardly, patting her shoulder reassuringly. He walked back down the stone path to his beat up car, he backed out of the driveway almost hitting the neighbors mailbox across the street. Clary waved to him as he drove away her heart going with him. She was an empty tomb, something that was once filled with life but was now dark and hallow. It was a feeling that never went away.
She shivered, turning back to the house that offered warmth and closed the door behind her. She was half way up the stairs when a stern voice called her from the living room.
Miss. Penhallow was sitting on one of the couches alone, her arms crossed over her chest. There was nothing in her dark eyes except for disgust and hate, two things that seemed common in this house. She stood slowly a folded piece of paper in her grip. " You look just like your mother, " she murmured." full of hope and happiness. We'll have to change that quickly. "
Clary twisted the sleeves of her sweeter in her hands, ignoring the twisted pain in her heart at the mention of her mother. She would not seem weak in front of these people, she refused to. Clary was stronger than they thought, they already underestimated her in the short time she was here. Clary was going to change that very quickly.
Miss. Penhallow raised her chin as she looked down on Clary. " You will be attending Shadow High for the semester, the bus arrives at seven o'clock so I suggest that you awaken earlier than that. You'll have to go to the office for your schedule in the morning." She held out the folded piece of paper in her hand. " Your chores should be done before I arrive home everyday at seven o' clock. And if my daughters request something you better be on your feet running." Her mouth twisted into a wicked smile." Or we'll send you right back to the orphanage where you came from, do you understand? "
Clary's heart sunk. While Mr. Lauren was trying to find Clary's extended family she was tossed between foster homes and the orphanage. Both houses completely ignored her, she had to fend for herself. Clary gave a small tight nod, her eyes narrowing at Miss. Penhallow.
Miss. Penhallow smiled. " Good." She left the room with a triumphant smile plastered on her face.
Clary closed her bedroom door behind her with a soft click and turned on the lamps that were placed casually around, the darkness slipping from her room. She opened the balcony door, letting the cool and crisp air into the hot room. It cleared her mind and calmed her instantly.
The bed was soft when she finally tried it, forming around her small figure. Clary laid on her stomach with a feather filled pillow in front of her. She unfolded the piece of paper Miss. Penhallow gave her, already knowing what it was. In neat cursive handwriting was a list of her chores.
Clean and tidy Kaelie's and Aline's rooms.
Dust, clean the windows and vacuum the living room.
Polish the marble staircase.
Mop the kitchen, foyer and hallway.
Clean all bathrooms.
Surprisingly the chores list wasn't that hard, Clary did most of the chores at home. She wondered for a second if Kaelie and Aline had chores to do but laughed at herself a moment later. Of course they wouldn't have chores they were already treated like royalty by their mother.
Everything seemed like a game, like Clary was a pawn in Miss. Penhallows hand that she could mold into something better. They expected her to break easily, to crumble at their will. But she was stronger than they expected, Clary has been through hell and back and she hasn't given up and she doesn't plan on to. She couldn't wait to see their faces when she stood above them as something greater.
The bright green letters of the alarm clock read three forty five in the morning. Clary was still peacefully asleep, dreaming of the excited return of her parents. She whimpered, rolling over in her sleep and stretching across the bed.
On the other side of the windows, golden eyes watched her with interest. His black wings moving around him in slight strokes. He arrived just after one, his intent was to cause chaos amoung the Penhallow home but he was side tracked by the sleeping figure. Her bright hair was displayed across the pillow her pale fingers twisted in their soft strands.
He had waited for her return for almost eighteen years and now that she was finally here, his heart couldn't stop hammering against his rib cage. He had promised that he would protect her last time but he had completely let her down. But that wasn't his intention this time.
~ Mittle