Hey guys ^_^

This chapter has kind of a darker theme but not too much. It mainly explains why Nella reacts the way she does.

Also an important reminder to anyone who is following my story, who has favorited my story, and for the rest of you guys out there. I changed my Pen Name from PetronellaBeatrice to dreamofanewtomorrow just so you all know. I have personal reason for why I did this but I swear this is still the same account as PetronellaBeatrice just a name change...ere...Pen Name change that is.

~dreamofanewtomorrow

CHAPTER #9. ~ Water, Fire, Murder!

A silence like that of death hung over everyone in the room until Loki broke it, "How. . . .how and why does she. . . .she blame herself for their deaths. . . ."

"Her cousin of five years went missing during her stay at her uncle's sea-side house. During the search, she spotted her cousin out on the rocky peninsula jutted out into the sea. At low tide, it is fairly safe there, but it was high tide and at that time, the breakers were exceedingly dangerous and there is a strong undertow and sea currents then. Yelling to alert her uncle and aunt that she had found her, Petronella ran to her cousin and called her to get back as it was dangerous. However, her shout caused her cousin to turn her way when a huge breaker came and knocked her cousin into the sea. Not having time to grab a life-jacket, she dove in after her cousin. . . . But that was when everything went from bad to worse. Her cousin struggled so much they both went under and her cousin struggles increased resulting in her kicking Petronella in the left knee effectually dislocating it. Petronella tried to get to the surface but the undertow prevented her, helped on by her cousin's struggles. It was her decision that she made then which is why she blames herself. . . . She was forced to knock her cousin unconscious in order to get to the surface. . . . But it backfired as her cousin had been swallowing water for a while and with being knocked unconscious she swallowed even more water. When Petronella reached the surface, an incoming wave crashed into her and her cousin completely disorienting her more before she was thrown against and knocked her head against the rocky peninsula by the breakers. The force was enough for her to lose consciousness and grip of her cousin before they both sank under the surface. . . . That was the day she almost drowned. Indeed, she would have drowned that day, if her uncle hadn't rescued her . . . but her cousin was not so lucky. She drowned and till this day, the sea hasn't given up her body. . ."

"Tha . . . that's terrible. . . ." Yui hoarsely whispered.

"But I'm afraid that's not all. . . ." Zeus sadly said.

"What do you mean?" Takeru asked uncertainly.

"I said earlier that she blames herself for the death of all six members of her family. Well, she blames herself for her uncle, aunt, father, mother, and brother's deaths as well. . . ."

"What happened. . . .?" Loki asked.

"Fire and murder."

"Fire and murder?!" Yui gasped.

"How?" Apollon asked.

"It happened not too long after her cousin drowned. She was still staying with her uncle and aunt but at their other house in city so she could receive treatment for her knee and the blow she received to the head. While she stayed with her uncle and aunt, a mysterious fire broke out and she almost didn't make it out in time. . . .She won't have been able to escape if she had to climb down the stairs to get out or get off a second story roof as her knee made it impossible to do stairs all by herself. Also, the stairs to the second floor had collapsed by the time she realized there was a fire being asleep. When she did realize the fire and escaped through a window, she experienced some difficulty resulting in a terrible burn on her lower back. . . Other than that, she didn't ascertain anymore injures. Her uncle and aunt were not so luc–"

"How can she blame herself for something she could do nothing about?" Balder interrupted.

"She feels like she should have gone up the stair on the back deck to the second floor. . . . However, there is another reason why she wishes she had gone up those stairs. . ."

"Well, why did she wish she went up those stairs?" Takeru angrily asked.

"As it resulted in her witnessing the murder of some stranger in the street before her uncle's house. . . . Her witnessed it while she was trying to call for help and in her shock hit the camera on her phone so that it recorded the names of the murderers and she had just enough presence of mind to remember the license plate."

"She witnessed all that?!" Yui exclaimed.

"Yes, and when the police came, she showed them the video. Yet, someone else also overheard what she told the police. That person was the younger brother of the murderer who had always idolized his older brother. He was bent on revenge against her which led to murder of her parents and younger brother. Indeed, the young man followed her home waiting for a time when she would be all alone, entered her house, tied her up, beat her, and would have done worse things to her if her family hadn't come home right then. What followed I can only guess was terrible, but it is something I believe Petronella should tell you if she so wants. However, in short he killed them one by one forcing her to watch it all before she managed to untie her hands and escape to the best of her ability in the condition she was in before calling the police who caught the man. Yet, the hardest part for Petronella much have been learning her brother had survived but was in critical condition in the hospital where she watched him slowly fading away leaving her all alone with no family left in the world. . . . . Now that you all know more about her, I will get back to why you are here. . . ." Zeus said. "Thoth, step forward."