The next installment, this is the continuing of the story, and again is of my own making. Ignore the category, again, and I apologize for any confusion.

Chapter one

Time

Darkness, it was all I knew. For such a long time, it seemed, after the hooded figure appeared to me, I was thrown and stuck within the darkness. Nothing, there was nothing in the sheer darkness. Only air and I were in the darkness, and the only thing that told me there was air was because I was still alive. I knew I needed air to breath, so there was air in this pure darkness. Just floating, it seems as I couldn't see the ground or ceiling, through the darkness, I let my mind wander for a time. So many things had gone out of my line in my life from how I'd planned, but nothing is supposed to go as planned. My father, Jonathon Cartwright, often told me that when I was little, and he wrote often in the book he left to me. Such a long time ago, fifteen years ago was when I was just three years old, and the events that took my father from…happened that day.

It was like the darkness would bend to my will, and whatever memory I wished to see, unconsciously or not, would be shown in the darkness like a home movie. The home movie would begin with blurs of images, as uncertain as any humans' thoughts, and slowly gain purpose, showing what I desired to see. That's how I saw that memory, that horridly, awful memory. Father and I were playing chess in his study, or rather father was watching me play with the pieces and beating me horridly at chess. Either way, we were having a blast, but as always mother was watching us in a very not so nice manner. I noticed then that mother didn't just look annoyed by our constant play or even jealous of my father's affections towards me. No, mother appeared angry, enraged just looking at both of us being affectionate towards one another. I didn't understand as I watched it, and I still didn't understand why father felt the need to answer the door, when the doorbell rang. Sitting in my chair, gnawing on the wooden chess piece for the knight, I was almost positive that I was trying to eat. That's when I heard it. Mother and I both jumped at the sound of the gun shot and at father's ear splitting scream of agony. Doing no more than whimpering, I watched mother, as a three year old, run out of the room to check on father. That's the most important thing that I remember, there's been a possible murderer in the house, and my mother left me alone in father's study! At the thought of being, I began screaming bloody murder, but she didn't come up or even let me know she was okay. As I watched, I easily noticed that I'd obviously really wanted someone to come hold me, and I was really mad that mother wouldn't comfort me or even notice me. Blinking in surprise, I didn't remember the part that came next in the memory, but I liked it. An unknown woman walked into the study, almost out of no where, and she cam over, homing me close to herself, singing to me.

"Sweet little child,

Please,

Don't you cry

Lovely child,

Dry those tears,

For me

Don't let me see,

You frown,

My little child

I know it's hard,

Little one,

But try to shine

Sweet little child,

Drying those tears,

Please,

For me,"

Blinking, the memory vanished before my eyes, and I couldn't focus on much more than the fact that I'd forgotten. I couldn't believe that I'd forgotten creating such a woman, but worst of all I'd forgotten what had happened to him. It was both amazing and awful how I could've forgotten him so easily, just because mother told me he'd left of his own free will. I still don't know how I could've done something so simple minded, but that's probably how children work; believe whatever their mother tells them. Time seemed to slow after that, as slowly my tears slowed to nothing, and I began to wonder, slowly, more complicated ideas. Why am I here? What purpose did he have for putting me here? Who was that man? Why did he put me in such a forsaken place? I wondered listlessly, but I could come to no real, plausible answers. Nothing really, besides the just-were facts of before, and I couldn't think of much else that made any sense to me. One question stood out to me, but I wasn't quite sure enough to really trust it. I could hardly trust myself to ruin the peaceful place, and I wasn't sure if I could do it.

"Can I really…?" I spoke slowly, feeling the words, and I cut myself off as the echoed around me. Not that it was loud before, but when I began to speak it was like the darkness had become deadly silent. Like a graveyard almost, just pure silence. Looking around to be sure that no one was there, that was when I noticed some sort of shape in the distance. Not thinking about the fact that I'd not seen that before or why it could be there, I forced my body towards it. I didn't think about how I was floating or how I was making myself more, and I just focused fully on getting there. My sole goal was to get out and be free of that eternal darkness. Quickly, I began to gain speed, unnoticed by me, as my desire to be free of that place grew stronger. Without stopping, I flew straight into what could only be a door, but without a handle or any way of opening it. Slamming into it hadn't been the best plan of action, and I paid for that with a large lump on my forehead for my silly, unthinking mistake. Rubbing my head, I examined my only escape root. Not only was there no door knob or any visible way to open it, but the door appeared to be sealed shut by some sort of stuff. At the time, I'd thought stuff because I couldn't think of any other way to describe it. It'd never seen that sort of purple, slightly glowing substance on a door, holding it closed, before. Unconsciously, I sat myself before the door in midair, and I continued to study the door, trying to understand how it to work it. I wanted out, but there was no visible way for me to get through this blocked door. "What's a girl to do? Hmm," I thought out loud as I continued to stare at the door, in a sort of trance, and I tried to figure it out by force. Waiting just seemed to be out of the question at the time, but there didn't seem to be any obvious way for me to get around opening the door.

"Think, Cartwright. What can you do that you did before? Why did we bring you here?" the voice of the robed figure snapped through the room, causing me to jump, and I looked around for him. Not that I knew for sure the figure was a man or woman, but he/she sounded like a man to me. His words made little sense to me at first, and I continued looking as I tried to understand what he could possibly mean.

"What do you mean? What can I do? How do I get out?!" I called out, still looking around wildly, and I didn't like that he hadn't helped me as much as he could've. "Thank you ever so much for you help, oh robed figure," I said with an angry, sarcastic bow, but I'd been alone for so long that I saw no point in keep my painfully polite façade up. When there was no one around to scold me I didn't see the point. "How am I to get out of this hell hold when the door is blocked off?!" waving my arms around, I questioned the robed figure in rage, and I still received no response. Sitting back down with a sigh, I tried to calm down, and tried to think of something that would get me out of here. Weeks had already passed, I knew that many weeks had passed by so far, and I still could think of nothing that made sense. I didn't understand what the robed figure wanted me to do. Flopping backwards, still floating, I sighed in pure annoyance and gave up, again. I'd been trying to figure the same problem out, off and on, for days, but nothing I could do seemed to fit into making it so that I could open the door.

"Oh, you are going to so open this blocked off door by playing a nonexistent piano! Great idea, Janine!?" I though in a sarcastically, sad manner and just laid back comfortably in midair. Obviously, I was being sarcastic, and my natural skills weren't what the figure had been asking for. Restarting, I thought of something I may be able to do that no one else I knew could, but only one thing sounded possibly plausible to what he'd asked of me.

"You want me to daydream my way out? Like with what I did with the dog?" I yelled to him, not expecting an answer, and I sat up, trying to calm my excited mind. It didn't really seem real to me that it was possibly that that was why he'd brought me there. The figure wanted me to figure out how to use that power, but brought me there so that I couldn't hurt anyone. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the door opening, and I tried my best to keep all other things from my mind, I tried, but other things kept coming into my mind. I couldn't focus on the task at hand, and no matter how hard I tried, the task wasn't even the only thing on my mind. No, it didn't work. After a few seconds of concentrating and daydreaming, I opened my eyes to see the door still firmly shut. Disappointment doesn't begin to describe what I'd been feeling, but I didn't give up just yet. The robed figure couldn't have been wrong about me, and I wasn't about to let him down after so many weeks of leaving me in there. I knew he must've been tried of waiting for me to figure it all out, and he must've really wanted to give up one me. After seeing me fail so ultimately, and after waiting for so long, he must've really wanted to just give up on me. No way was I going to give him anymore reason not to trust in me. I kept right on trying, but it quickly became obvious that I wasn't doing something quite right.

Stopping, I thought about what I'd done the first time, and, maybe, what I wasn't doing that time. The first time I'd daydreamed the accident vividly, which I wasn't doing then, and I'd held both a great want for the outcome and no fear of it, the latter I wasn't doing either. Sure, I'd daydreamed the process that I wanted most, I had the great want to get the process done, but I didn't have the imagination or fearless set of mind to do what I needed to do. That was the problem. I understood the problem, then, but I had no idea how to go about fixing it, no real plan. I had nothing. Looking around, at that moment, I'd assumed that the figure would scold me for not thinking, but he didn't. The figure didn't utter a word of either encouragement or scolding; he let me be to deal with my own problems. Smiling, I gave a slight nod of thanks to him for being understanding and I went to work on a plan. I knew then that he'd leave me to figure this all out on my own. I liked and trusted him more for that fact, unconsciously. My plan was slowly made, and it had quite a few kinks. That was only natural. It would have to happen over time, but I was willing to work on it. The plan wasn't very thorough and trial and error were the only way. The plan was as follows:

1. Work on making the dreams more vivid by possibly daydreaming up some smaller tasks; food, a piano, paper, pencils, etc

2. Stop myself from being afraid of my own powers, it was only natural to fear what I didn't understand, but I had to learn to under it, fast

3. Work on focusing and doing the daydreaming power at will, not only when I was afraid or really upset (Angry)

4. Practice opening door with my powers, making door with my powers and then forcing them open with my powers as well

5. Get the door open and thank the figure (Obviously)

Step one of the plan was probably easier said/thought than actually done, but I really wanted to be able to do simple things. The figure probably didn't really want me to come out still afraid of myself, and I had to also make myself believe that I could really do that, without a doubt.

"I can do this, I can," I told myself, which quickly became a sort of chant for me over the years, as I sighed and got into a cross-legged position. Unconsciously, I'd imagined myself in work-out pants, which I didn't notice for a while, but I'd been busy. With my eyes closed, I tried to focus on my old piano, the one my ex-fiancé taught me on, and to bring it there. I not only imagined, vividly, what it looked like, but saw myself sitting on its bench, playing it. Seeing the image over and over, I focused on it fully, and I saw the image as a reality. It just had to happen in mind. Nothing could stop this image from happening, nothing.

Opening my eyes to, frightfully, see if I'd done it, and I almost cried at the sight of the piano, just as I'd imagined it. Running my fingers slowly over the keys, but not seeing much more than the fact I'd done it, for the moment. Without further thought, I began to play it, almost in a trance, and I played the some that I'd imagined, exactly as I'd imagined it. Once finished, I recalled that I'd just done exactly as I'd envisioned myself doing, and I'd done it without thought of my own actions. It became obvious that my powers could not only make my thoughts a reality, but when I wanted an image or scene to be done, it would be. No matter the process needed or actions the person could or would do for it to happen. Looking down at where my hands were, laying on my lap, I finally noted my change in clothing, because of the feel of the cloth. I blinked in pure amazement. Turning on the bench,, I looked around myself, and I found that the world of darkness now had a slightly lighter, gray, floor as far as the eye could see. Blinking in slight shock, I looked down at my hands, trying to see the power within me. It made little sense that such a power could or should reside within me, such a small, uncertain girl.

The power wasn't just amazing to me, but it was also quite frightening. Just for me to think of all that I could do to someone, and how easily I could get away with it. It just frightened me. Standing, I closed the top to the piano and sat atop it, just to give myself something higher to seat myself upon. I figured, still slightly in shock, that it was time to try a little trick and bring something else to me or make something else happen around me. Slowly, I guessed it was about time I ate, which was strange that I hadn't gotten hungry since before I came to that world. Though I wasn't overweight or fat, I usually got hungry eventually, but I also guessed it may be part of the little world I was in. I just figured I would have to ask the figure when I got out of that place. He would know.

Closing my eyes, once again, I concentrated and envisioned what I wanted, my favorite little chocolates. I could see them clearly, just sitting innocently on the piano top, and I could wait to eat them. Repeating my earlier actions, thoughts, and desires, I sighed once I did all I could. It was such a strange feeling, when I focused on feeling what it was like, and I felt the small shiver of something within me. Such a strange little shiver of almost power and I actually loved the feelings, which made it better. Shaking my head, forgetting my thoughts, I looked down, squealed slightly, and picked up the loved, little box of chocolates. Oh, how I loved those little chocolates, and it was frightening how I hadn't noticed how hungry I really was until I had food before me! That would make yet another question I had to ask the figure. Such a strange place it was. It made me forget food, water, and everything else I needed to live. Very strange, indeed. Laid back, I tried to think of the reason for why I may have received that power, but I couldn't see how it could've been inherited.

"There is no way that father had such a power, and if he had, which he did not, he would have found a way to teach me. It is not possible that he would leave me so utterly defenseless," I explained to anyone who may be listening to me, but, in reality, that was all for myself. I wanted to believe that it was impossible, the scenario that I was thinking of. In my mind, there was no way that my father, the one I'd always held higher in affections than anyone, could do me wrong like that, but then I knew it wouldn't be his fault. Even if the thought was true, which it wasn't, I knew that the scenario made no sense with the reality of my life. If the scenario was true then I would've been long dead, and I hated the idea that he was dead. Jonathon Cartwright had to be alive. My father just had to be alive, that was all there was to it.

Turning to my right, in an open space was a small picture blurring into something that I couldn't see, much like before. Like a window being cleaned of grime, the picture slowly cleared, and I saw something I'd never seen before. I saw the downstairs, heard myself screaming upstairs, and there stood my mother at the foot of the stairs. Shock was all I could feel as I watched the scene of whatever had happened, but what surprised me more was that mother didn't seem sad, she just seemed content. It was like whatever had happened had made her feel whole, like her world was all better. My mind couldn't wrap around this fact, but I continued watching the scene. That was when I saw it. Looking away from mother's serene expression, I saw the large puddle of blood on the stone floor. There in the middle of the main room floor was a huge puddle of fresh, red blood. In horror, my mind seemed to analyze it, and I could see that the blood wasn't splattered, this more than likely wasn't from a gun. Not that I knew much about guns, but from the few murder scenes I'd seen, blood was always splattered in a shooting. Memory vanishing, I just flopped backwards, nibbling on a piece of my chocolates, and I tried not to think about any of it.

"Just don't think, Janine. Just focus on what must be done and worry about your uncertain past once you've left this retched place of darkness," I mumbled to myself, but my mind continued to process the information I'd just learned. If my power was inherited from my father, then maybe he ran to keep me safe. Though, if that were so, wouldn't he come back to help me? Or would he remain away to keep me safe from whatever was after him? My mind whirled with unanswerable questions, and all I could do was lay there, nibbling on my chocolates. Only so much could I take before I'd cry again, but a moment later I'd pushed all thoughts aside. Doing just as I'd told myself to do, not five minutes beforehand, and I sat up putting away my little pouch of chocolates, crossing my legs.

"Practice until perfection is met, not a notch below," I whispered to myself, reiterating the same statement mother had told me many a times as I'd grown up. It was a saying that she'd used on me to make me work hard or face the punishments. Shaking my head, I focused on the task of bringing yet another object to myself. This time the process was to be done so that I could make myself understand that my power was not something that I should fear. As long as I kept control then nothing bad would happen, which is what I thought over and over as I tried to think of something to imagine into the weird darkness realm. Then it hit me, maybe it would best to recreate the woman from the first memory and talk to her. She would know me best, I hoped. I made her appear with my power, so I hoped that she would understand them better than I seemed to be able to. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the feeling of wanting her to comfort me, needing her to, and I daydreamed her holding me close. Mostly, I imagined how comforted I would be to know that she was with me. That she would understand, know, and care for me, even with all that she knew about me. I didn't want to know if I failed, so I didn't open my eyes this time. No, I held them closed even tighter, but more so because I didn't want to see my own failure. Not this time. This woman was very important to me, even if I'd forgotten her, and I wanted her to be there with me. Eyes snapping open, I looked up, to the woman who was no holding me, and I smiled, tears filling my eyes. She was there, she was holding me, and she was just as lovely as she'd been in the vision of the past!

"Now, now, my girl. No tears. Not for me. This was to be a happy meeting, was it not?" she asked in a beautiful, affectionate voice, and she petted my hair back. Blinking back my tears of joy, I smiled sheepishly for crying, and I hugged her in return. Not once did I question how I'd ended up standing, but that was how I'd imagined the scent to be. We were standing, hugging, and a lot of acceptance from both of us.

"Yes, it is! I've not seen you in an ever so long time! How are you?" I asked in pure joy and pulled back to see her expression, which looked very proud. This was the woman that had been the mother I'd never had, but only seen once in my entire childhood. That awful day, I wanted to know everything about her, but most of all I wanted to know what her real life was like. Her family, friends, love, and just everything about the life she left, twice then, to come see me.

"Oh, my dear, you still know so very little about the power within you. So very much I have to teach you. Good thing we have such time to learn it all, is it not?" she questioned once more, but I could only frown at her words. Pulling her to the piano bench, I sat us down, and I looked at her in pure confusion. What she was saying made no sense to me. I didn't understand what she was speaking of, but I was patient in my learning. She obviously knew what was best for me.

"It is wonderful that we have the time to talk about all that you wish to teach me, but I don't understand…Do you not have a home to return to? Sorry if I've offended, though I don't know anything about you…Such as your name?" I questioned in as polite a manner as I could, but that was only because mother's edict lessons were pushing their way to the surface of my mind. When she shook her head, I blushed in embarrassment for being so polite, and she merely smiled at me in an understand manner.

"Do not worry for being to myself, I understand. You much understand something before I begin teaching you anything, Janine. I was not born to the world, thanks to your powers, I was created. Your subconscious made me that day; therefore I have no name, home, or family. Besides you, of course," the woman explained nodding to me between her statements, but all I could do was stare at her in pure shock. Going blank in thought, I tried to understand how what she was saying was even possible. In my mind there was no way that such a thing could be done, not by me. Not as a three year old baby!? How could anything like that be done?! "You are surprised? Janine, you have always had the power to make anything you wished a reality, even making people. This should really come as no surprise. Your power is quite amazing," she complimented me with a knowing smile, and I couldn't help smiling back to her. She did know me better than I obviously knew myself, but did that mean that she knew everything about my powers, too? One thing that I did know then was that our lessons would take some time, and she would have a lot of explaining to do with me.

"I trust you, if you say it is so, then it must be just so. I just do not know how to believe such a truth," I said without more thought to it than to let her know, and all she did was smile at me. She would help me, that I knew, and I would learn to control my powers. In time this would all work out. Having her there made me believe that. Like people sometimes just know, I just she was to be trusted, like with the robed figure, and I wanted her to always be with me. This woman was like a second mother to me. Her words meant that I was not only the reason for her being, but it also meant that in a way she my child, as in to say that I had made her. I was to name her, and she was to be a part of my family, however small it was now.

"If you would not like to name me, it is quite all right not to give me a name or I could name myself, if that would be better," she offered, looking at my expression in worry, and I grew curious if my expression had been upset or uncertain for a moment before. Looking up at her, her expression became uncertain as I smiled at her, but I took no insult by it. She was only asking a simple question that she was confused about.

"I would adore your name either way, but if you would like me to…I would name you. Would you like that?" I asked looking from her as I spoke, uncertain of how she would react to my words. Once done speaking, I asked my question, and I looked up towards her face to see her expression. Not only was she not upset, she appeared overjoyed by the idea that I wanted to name her, which, to me, seemed quite strange and adorable. Nodding rapidly, much like a child, she pulled me to her, and she hugged me close, softly squeezing me. It was as if I were her personal teddy bear.

"I would adore that so much, Janine! I've lived these long years without a name in your consciousness! Such a nameless life it has been!" she exclaimed in pure excitement, which I adored in her, and she reminded me much of a child. Though as soon as I thought that, she seemed to realize what she was doing, and she pulled back with a sheepish look.

"Oh! Don't feel bad for that! That was ever so adorable! It's nice to know that I'm not the only one to get excited easily," I spoke more in thought than to her, and she seemed all too interested in what I was saying. It was rather nice to have someone so ready to hear what I had to say, but at the very same time a bit strange. Not once as a child growing up did anyone take the time to hear me, which probably didn't help in making me very out spoken. Something my mother probably aimed for when raising me. "Though, I probably unconsciously made you that way, right?" I asked in a rhetorical manner, smiling happily at her, but all she did was smile in return. Her smile was almost an automatic response to just looking at me, which I'm happy, it's almost like she has to be happy. Nodding, she seemed to be happy to answer me, no matter what the question was, and I just laughed slightly at how cute she was. "I think…I have the perfect name for you! This name is a name I've heard a few times, and it is the name of the angel of guidance, Sariel…What do you think of Sariel?" I asked in pure curiosity, but I was afraid she wouldn't like it. Though, it was obvious by the way she grinned so childishly that she completely loved the idea.

"MY NAME IS SARIEL!" she said loudly, and all I could do was laugh at her. So childish was she that she stood, and she began dancing all about... Yes, this woman would help me learn my way in this new world of unreality.

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