The anxious audiences waited impatiently in their seats it had been a really long time since Masked Phantom update a new chapter…

Finally, the spotlight of the stage lit up to show two figures of two teenagers with long flowing cloaks. Even though they may look similarly alike, however the only difference is the mask they wear upon their faces… one is silver in colour whereas the other is black in colour…

"Strangely it may seems, Masked Phantom is under Pixie's spell… she's being acting really weird…" said Darkness the one with the black mask. (She points to the unconscious Masked Phantom who is being restrained in a chair quite recently)

"However, the story must go on… well… When I'm in charge, the plot would get really dark and angsty… Lastly I would apologise on Masked Phantom behalf for the delay in the chapter update."

She gives a bow and the stage light dims to reveal the new chapter…

Disclaimer: Always the same, been the way it is… Sandra belongs to me…

Distant Relative

Chapter 6: Sandra Holmes

Sandra Holmes was strolling back to her apartment. It was a chilly and windy day, she loosen the hair band that bounded her long hair so that she can feel the wind blowing through the silky strands of her caramel coloured hair. She closed her eyes and began to recall the memories from her childhood…

There by the window she sat, a child of six with her beloved mother brushing those fines strands of soft baby-like hair. She was preparing for her school play and she was playing the role of the sugar plum fairy from The Nutcracker. Though it was a small role it was a perfect role for her, she was dressed in a lavender coloured dress with a pair of wings which could glow in a faint bluish colour in the dark. Her mother, Nancy had plaited strands of her hair with blue ribbons and little purple hair clips on her hair. When she was done, she admired Sandra by her reflection in the mirror and said, "There's my little sweet fairy…" Nancy smiled and kissed her daughter gently on her cheeks.

Then there was a knock on the door, there her was father, Jason leaning against the doorpost. He was grinning comically at the both of them.

"Nothing for me? " he asked as he looked at his wife lovingly.

Nancy gave a chuckle and said, "Sandra go give daddy a kiss." She remembered hopping off the chair and into her father arms to kiss him. It was indeed a darling sight.

"So, is our little fairy ready?" he asked. Little Sandra nodded and dragged her parents off to the door…

It was an almost picture perfect memory, it was too perfect. She knew that, in reality nothing last forever. It was ironic, cruel, it was unfair. Her parents shouldn't die they are good decent people and they didn't deserve to die in an accident. It was like having something close, ripped away from her. Even though Aunt Nadine tried to fulfil her duties in taking care of her, it was different. Rather than treating her like a daughter, she treated Sandra as her burden of responsibility. It was tough for the both of them. Eventually, Aunt Nadine did manage to find her love and she is now somewhere, starting a life of her own.

Sandra knew she had to be strong, she had to be independent; she learnt how to look after herself. From performing well in school, doing some of the house chores on her own and lastly avoiding trouble in school. And the source of it was her curiosity, which was both her strength and weakness. It had often land her in some pretty difficult situation.

There were many times when she tried to interfere with school bullies from trying to get extra credits for the other kids. And many times she failed miserably. However, She didn't give up, with much determination and practice, Sandra finally devised a plan on how to return the undeserved credits. After the bullies had managed to get their hand onto the credits, she would pickpocket it out from their pockets and secretly returns the stolen credits to her schoolmates then, placing the wallet in the lost and found for the bully to retrieve it. It was her little secret and nobody knew about it until…

Warm tears began to whelm up in her eyes, it was filled with sadness, anger and despair. "No… this is not the time to cry... You gotta be strong to pull through, you have to stop..." She bit her lower lips, counted to ten silently and wiped her tears with her sleeves. After taking a few deep breathes she crossed the street to return to her Aunt's apartment, the only thing in which she was grateful of.

Heavy heartedly she climbed the stairs; she didn't notice that someone was coming down in her direction. Until they bump into each other, the impact knocked the bag of groceries off her hands and it started to roll down the steps. The two quickly bent down to save the contents from rolling down further. When the stranger returned the last item to Sandra, there was a look of surprise on her face.

"Sandra… Sandra Holmes?" exclaimed the woman with shoulder-length brown with a highlighted streak of blond hair.

"Do I know you?" asked Sandra with her brows knitted to form a frown. Before she could get an answer Sandra, the woman was calling somebody from her back.

"Holmes!" she shouted up the flight of stairs with the item still in her hands. Sandra on the other hand was giving the stranger an 'Are you nuts look' at her. There way no way a relative could be visiting her. So far as she knows, her father does not have siblings nor has he mentioned any of his other relatives to her. Curiously Sandra looked in the woman's direction.

A man in his mid twenties dressed in what seems like an old fashioned Inverness and a deerstalker, was descending the steps. He too also had the similar expression on his face. He seemed to be lost for words.

"Sandra? "

"Yeah… I'm Sandra. But I don't even know who are you or how the zed you knew my name." she said as she eyed at them suspiciously.

"I'm Sherlock Holmes and this is Elizabeth Lestrade. I apologise for having to startle you moments ago." He tipped his hat to greet her.

Sandra felt her heart skip a beat as this man, his dressing manner, behaviour and his name. Last but not least, the name Elizabeth Lestrade did ring a bell to her. She recalled reading an article on an Inspector by the name of Lestrade with a help of a renowned scientist Sir Hargreaves had brought a famous detective back from the dead. "How could this be? I left no traces of myself behind… No… Wait. What's with that look?" she thought and remained as calm as she could even though she knew that the tension in her was beginning to build as she eyed at the two for some answers.

"I know what I'm about to tell you is going to be a shock for you, it may be as well be hard to accept. However, I still have to tell you that you are my distant relative." Sherlock explained.

To be continued…

Darkness reappears in the spotlight holding a scuffling bag over her shoulders… she smiles eerily at the audiences and said, "Well… Got Pixie in this in here… and I shall confront him tonight… you guys would get Masked Phantom back really soon, I hope…" (Her smile broadens at the evil intension)

"Usual rules apply even if she's not around today… review if you wish to have it continued... not flames… as I don't take them kindly…"

She throws a smoke bomb and takes her leave while the audiences were temporarily 'blinded' by the cloud of smoke.