Chapter One-The Large House

The woman in the yellow jacket opened the door to her Cadillac, and looked in at her charge. "Come along, Alexandra. We're here." She waited while the seven-year-old gathered her paper suitcase, and stepped out. The girl was very small for her age. If people didn't know any better, they would've thought she was five instead of seven. Her long blonde hair flowed freely in the evening breeze of the Maine seacoast. Her once bright blue eyes were so dark, you'd have sworn they were black. She clutched her suitcase tightly as the woman in yellow led her up the large front steps.

When the lady of the house opened the door, Alexandra knew immediately something was going to terribly wrong during her stay. The lady had a strict presence that demanded attention. She wore black. The color of witches, Alexandra remembered. She stared at the woman motionlessly, too afraid to do or say anything.

"Amelia Prescott? This is your new one. Her name is Alexandra Lewis."

"I know who she is. Come in child, and wipe your feet. I don't want any dirt on my white floors." Prescott practically hissed in her speech, but it wasn't impolite, really. As the child entered, the woman turned back to the girl's social worker. "Here is the check. Don't come back." She then thrust a check into the woman's hand, before walking back inside, to tend to her new charge.

Alexandra was still in the entry hall, staring around at the paintings, and other rich décor. She'd never seen anything like it in her life. There were pristine walls, and the floors were unbelievably clean for a foster home. "Wow…"

"This is to be your new home. You'll see plenty of it, so stop gawking. Your room is this way. Follow me, and keep up." Miss Prescott led her up what seemed like a hundred flights of stairs before they got to the very top floor, the attic. "You will sleep in the garret of the attic. You will be up before six in the morning. The cook downstairs will tell you what else to do. There will be no time for play, so I will not tolerate toys of any kind." She unlocked the door, and led her in. "Here is a candle for you. Don't burn yourself. The nearest hospital is too far away to bother with. Good night." She left the girl standing there,speechless.

Alexandra stared around the dim room, shivering. Something felt very wrong. Usually, when she got that feeling, the child was right. It was a gift she had. She set the burning candle down carefully, and began to explore the small space where she would live. In the far corner, sat a large trunk. Curiously, Alexandra walked over to look at it, and found it unlocked. Slowly, she began to rummage through it. There were old photos, jewelry. One piece of jewelry got her attention immediately. It was a wooden Ankh on a thick black cord. On closer examination, Alexandra gasped. This ankh had been her mother's! How had this Miss Prescott gotten her hands on it? In fact, the pictures were of her mother and father, before they died. She took one of them, and hid it under the thin pillow that was on the cot. The ankh, she put around her neck. Almost instantly, the young girl felt safer. She then began to pick up the other items, and replace them in the trunk. That's what she was doing, when the door suddenly flung open.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Miss Prescott marched over, slamming the trunk lid closed. "This trunk is not for you! Do you understand?!" She dragged the girl away from the trunk roughly, and pushed her on the bed, before slapping her. "I will not have you snooping about my house!"

"B-but….I saw pictures of my mama!" Alexandra explained, as she ducked a second slap. "It's mine! I know it is!"

"Quiet! Tomorrow, you will have no breakfast. Is that understood? Now go to bed!" Prescott walked out again, slamming the door.

Only when she was gone, did Alexandra clutch the ankh tightly, as her tears of fear continued to flow. Something's not right. That woman knows something, and I'm not supposed to know. Alexandra allowed those thoughts to preoccupy her instead of the fear she was feeling about the days to come, as she fell into a fitful sleep.

When she opened her eyes in the gray dawn, Alexandra nearly forgot where she was, until a sharp knock came at her door. She got up, and dressed herself quickly. "Come in.."

"You impertinent little snot! Didn't I tell you before six? Get downstairs now!" Prescott was dressed in a different black dress now. It was the kind that made her look even more imposing. "What are you staring at?! Get!"

Without a word, Alexandra ran past her, and down the stairs. "If you please, Miss Prescott…. Where is the kitchen?" The child's voice quivered in fear.

"Down the hall, to your right." Prescott responded, not unpleasantly. "Let Claudia know you're to have no breakfast."

"Yes,Ma'm." Alexandra turned, and headed in the direction the woman pointed in. Once she got there, Alexandra was put to work on making toast for Prescott. Claudia was a lot more nice than her Mistress was. She even slipped a couple of strips of bacon to Alexandra, knowing the girl wasn't supposed to be eating. Before long, Claudia, who wasn't much older than Alex, became her best friend. "Thank you for helping me with the dishes." She whispered to her friend.

"It's no trouble at all. You look way to small for manual labor." Claudia remarked. "It's a pity your aunt treats you so."

"My..my what?" Alexandra stared at her new friend.

"Oh. Didn't you know?" Claudia asked, turning red. "I'm sorry…maybe you weren't supposed to know. Oh lord..I'll be whipped for telling you!"

"No. I won't say anything. I promise. That does explain a lot though." The seven-year old patted Claudia's shoulder. "Has anything odd been happening here lately?"

"Lately? Pah! Try always." Claudia replied. "Here now. Take these cakes to Miss Prescott. Careful you don't drop them." She set a tray of teacakes in the little girl's hands.

"Yes, Claudia." She turned and took the cakes into the parlor. "Your cakes, Miss Prescott."

"Well, don't just stand there like a dolt. Put them down." Prescott snapped. "Then you may take lunch."

"Thank you,Miss Prescott." Alexandra turned, and practically ran back into the kitchen. "She said to make me lunch, Claudia……" When she looked around, the cook was nowhere to be seen. "Claudia? Claudia, where are you??" She began to shake again. Sudden disappearances weren't high on her favorite mystery list. "Claudia!"

"What in the name of God are you screaming about girl?!" Prescott had entered behind her.

"Claudia's disappeared!"

"Nonsense!"

"It's not! She was just here!" Alexandra insisted.

Prescott slapped her, staring at her sternly. "Do not tell falsehoods to my face, child! For that ,you will get nothing for the day. Go upstairs. I will be up shortly."

"Miss Prescott! I wasn't lying!! I swear!"

This got her another slap, and a shove. "Get out of my sight, you disgusting little- Where did you find that?!" Prescott advanced on the small child,shoving her hard into a wall, and grabbing for the now exposed ankh. "You were in the trunk again, weren't you?!" She shook Alexandra when the child refused to answer. "WEREN'T YOU!"

"It's my mama's! I'm keeping it!" Alexandra fled, after giving Prescott a sharp kick to the shin.

"Come back here, you little thief!" Prescott limped after the girl.

Somewhere in the house, Shadi was watching this sad,sickening scene. How anyone could beat on a child was far beyond him. For many long years, he'd witness such things that sickened him, but nothing did so more than seeing a defenseless child such as Alexandra Lewis get beat up for senseless reasons. In fact, where children were concerned, it not only sickened him, it made Shadi very angry. Soon enough, this woman would receive her shortcomings by him. First, he had to see to the girl. He disappeared from his hidden viewpoint by the kitchen, and reappeared in the girl's attic room. Alexandra was in a heap on the thin cot, sobbing hysterically. Shadi noted that that horrid woman had locked her in. He watched her for a moment, before kneeling down, and placing a gentle hand on her back. "It's going to be okay now, Alex…"

Alexandra turned, and looked up at Shadi. "Who are you? How did you get here?"

"I am Shadi, Guardian of the Sacred Millennium Items, and Guardian of the Innocent. As to how I got here..well….you'll find out in time." He picked her up, and put her into his lap, sitting on her small cot. "You're going to be safe now. I will not let that horrible woman hurt you any longer."

She found herself snuggling up to him. "My wish came true…."

"Good things happen to nice little girls. Didn't anyone ever tell you that?" Shadi smiled, and brushed her damp hair out of her face.

"No…no one ever did. I think my mom did, but I don't remember. " She smiled a little. "There's a mystery here."

"A mystery? Really? Do you want to tell me about it?"

"Well, I'm not really sure What it is, but I know there is one. I have a feeling."

"It is always good to go with your instinct. It is well that you learned that at such an early age." Shadi petted her hair. "Your hair is so pretty."

"Thank you." She yawned now.

"Oh my. Someone is sleepy." Shadi got up, and laid her down on the cot, covering her with his cape.

"Don't leave, Mr. Shadi…please."

"I won't, and it's just Shadi." Shadi sat crouched low, to stroke her hair, while the little one began to fall asleep. "I will not leave unless it is necessary, Little One."

"Good." With that, Alexandra fell into a more restful sleep.