A few days passed. Everyday Klaus gave me some questions to answer. Questions about who I was and about my life. And every time I was afraid that he would kill me. But he didn´t. He almost was nice to me. Maybe he wasn´t so reckless that Kayla had told me?
And to speak of my family, I had a plan. As soon as I got the chance I would sneak out of the compound and go to San Francisco and find my family. Every night Elijah and Klaus were out hunting for some blood in the city. Well, there was my chance to run away.
"Hey kiddo."
I woke up from my runaway plan.
"Marcel?" I said and was in a second up from the sofa and hugged him. He was the first person I have met here in New Orleans and I felt safe with him.
"Are you ok?" he asked as he hugged me back.
"Yeah." I answered.
"Marcellus." Elijah greeted politely. It did sound more of a statement. It seem like they didn´t like each other. "May I ask what you´re doing here?"
"I heard that you and Klaus had kidnapped a little girl. Well, you know my rules Elijah. Don´t mess with kids. And this little girl wants to find her family."
Elijah didn´t respond. Instead he looked at me.
"Cindy, would you mind go to your room and play. Marcellus and I need to talk about adult matters." He said with a firm sound in his voice.
I looked at Marcel.
"It´s ok kiddo, I will see you later." Marcel said.
So I walked upstairs and to my bedroom where I stopped at the door. I tried to hear what they were saying.
"In time, Marcellus, we will find the child´s family." Elijah said.
"Her family will come looking for her." Marcel said.
"Will they?" Elijah said.
Now I was angry of Elijah and his stupid statement. Of course my mom and Kayla was searching for me. They would never leave me.
"What do you mean with that, Elijah?"
"I have not seen or heard of a family or, actually, someone who is missing the girl. It has been more than a week and I haven't heard anything about a missing girl that looks like her. Isn´t that strange, don´t you think?"
Marcel didn´t answered. And I felt tears streaming down my cheeks. Nobody was missing me. Or was looking after me.
No. No, this is not right. I needed to go home as soon as possible. I refused to believe in such nonsense. It was time for me to leave. Tonight.
The evening came and it was dark outside. I lay in my bed and thought about what Elijah has said to Marcel.
"Are you all right, little one?" Elijah asked and sat down on my bed.
I nicked.
"Are you sure? Have you eaten enough?"
"I´m ok, Elijah." I answered.
"Ok then. I will let you sleep now."
"Goodnight Elijah."
"Goodnight little on." Elijah said and then walked out the bedroom and closed the door.
I heard him walking downstairs. He and Klaus were going out hunting human blood. And this was my chance. It was now or never. When I didn´t hear Elijah´s and Klaus voices any more I was up from the bed and took the bag with clothes that Elijah had bought to me. I felt a little bit guilty. I had stolen some money from Klaus case to the bus ticket and to food. But I didn´t have a choice. I needed to find my family. I was desperate.
I ran downstairs with my bag and outdoor. I knew were the bus station was and the schedule for San Francisco. The bus trip would take 35 hours. Almost two days. But it was worth it. As I ran through the streets I tried not to think that I just had lied, stole money and kind of betrayed the most powerful creatures on earth. But again, it was worth it.
I had survived my way to the bus station and now it was time to pay my ticket and just sit on the bus and wait 35 hours. Then I could finally hug my mom and sister again. I was especially exited to tell Kayla about the originals. She would be so jealous.
"200 dollars, please." The woman behind the ticket desk said. She had a suspicious look on her face. Well, of course it was because of my age.
I handed over the money and the woman gave me the ticket. Then I went to the bus.
I fell asleep as soon as I did find a seat. I was so tired and I was so relieved to leave this place and be on my way home. It was going to be a long trip and I knew that the more I slept the better. Otherwise my thoughts were going to take over. The thoughts about Klaus and Elijah and about the guilt that I run away and took money. I could not decide if I was feeling more guilt than the fear of their rage. Would they go after me?
In the middle of all this I missed my teddy bear Jack. He was always there lying on a pillow beside me. Well, it´s ok Jack. I´m on my way home.
"Dear ladies and gentlemen, we will arrive to San Francisco in five minutes. Enjoy your visit." The bus driver said.
And then I saw it and my heart felt warm and relieved. The sun shined over The Golden Gate Bridge.
"I´m home." I whispered to myself.
The bus stopped at the bus station and I had some money left to take a cab home.
I jumped of the bus and walked to the yellow cars. A man with a cigarette was standing beside his taxi and waited for a customer.
"I want to go to Bakery Street 5th." I said and handed him money.
"50 dollars? Oh kid that will not take you a long way." He said and smoke came from his mouth.
"How long will it take me?" I asked.
"Half of the way." He said. "Where are your parents?
"Home. At Bakery Street. I lost them and I think they are home." I said a little bit sad and looked down.
The taxi driver sighed.
"You know what? It´s your lucky day today. I will take you home for free."
And he did. He drove through streets I recognized and a half an hour later I saw we were near my quarters. Some houses were…different. In fact, the quarter felt different.
"Sir, are we at Baker Street 5th soon?"
He stopped the car.
"We are here now, kiddo." He said.
I looked outside and to the houses. This was not it. This wasn´t home.
"Is this wrong address?" he asked.
"No." I said and didn´t want to bother the kind man. After all, he drove me here for free. "I live here. Thank you very much."
"No problem. Good luck with your family." He said as I jumped out of the car.
He drove away and there I was all by myself outside a house I didn´t recognized. My house was supposed to be blue. This was grey and bigger. How long had I been gone? Have mom and Kayla built a new house?
I walked to the house and tried to open the door. It was locked. Well, mom always kept an extra key under the outdoor mat. I looked under it and there it was. The extra key. I opened the door and stepped inside. I didn´t recognize anything. I walked through the kitchen.
"Mom? Kayla? I´m here! I´m home!" I yelled and walked around. No one answered. And then I saw the photos of the people that lived here and to my horror I saw that it was not mom, Kayla or med at the photographs. It was a whole other family. But…where were my family?
I started to look for a phone and when I did I called for some information.
"I need to call my mom Dessi, or my sister Kayla Day." I said.
"I´m sorry? Can you repeat the names?" the woman in the other line asked.
"Dessi and Kayla Day." I said.
"Wait a minute, kid." The woman said.
After some shorts minutes she was back at the phone again.
"I´m so sorry but Dessi and Kayla Day passed away in a car accident two years ago. Who are you?" the woman said.
I hang up. No. No it was impossible. They could not be dead.
"Hello? Is somebody here?" I heard a female voice say.
"Damn it." I whispered to myself and started to find a way out of the house. I found a window and opened it. Before I climbed out I saw a black teddy bear. Oh my god it was Jack! I grabbed him in the last second before the woman saw me.
"Hello?" she said again and started to walk upstairs.
I sighed in relief and hugged Jack. Then I ran away from the house and my tears streamed down my cheeks.
I ran and cried hugging Jack. I made my way to the graveyard. It started to get dark and I was determined to go through the graveyard without founding the names. I walked between the blocks and I had almost got through the whole graveyard. But then I saw something I didn´t want to see.
Dessi Day Born: 1980-08-20 Death: 2016-05-30
Kayla Day Born: 2005-06-15 Death: 2016-05-30
May they rest in peace
"No. Mom no. Kayla. Don´t leave me. No!" I cried and fell to the ground in front of the rock with my families´ name on it.
"Don´t leave me alone. You can´t leave me alone. Please, please, please." I begged and cried so hard that I almost could not breath.
Suddenly I felt someone laying a hand on my shoulder. I looked beside me.
"I´m so sorry little one." Elijah said. Then he took me in his arms and I cried against his black coat.
"I´m sorry. I´m sorry. I…I just wanted to see my family. But they were not there and…"
"Sch. It´s ok little one. I understand. No one is going to hurt you, I give you my word." Elijah said.
"They´re…They´re gone. I´m all alone. They left me, Elijah."
"Hey. You are not alone, sweetie. You have me. I will take care of you."
"You will?" I asked confused why he did want me.
"Yes, little one. I will be your family." Elijah said.