A/N: I have posted this story before but I took it down to do some editing. This is my first story I have posted here, even if I did take it down. I started writing it about a year ago. Any help or comments would be appreciated. Thank you very much.

Haunting Past

Chapter One: Dear Ones

Her cloak flowed around her as she raised her head to look at her former childhood home with a sad mournful smile. The walls seemed to be heaving, threatening to collapse at any moment. The roof was already gone and tattered, windows knocked in but yet it held a beauty that it always held to this woman. This once hauntingly beautiful home now was all that was left for her. She walked to the column and heaved a sigh as she brushed her hand on it and could quietly be heard saying, "Why did you leave me?" as she broke into sobs on the porch she once played on.

10 years ago

"AAAAH!" screamed Sarah as her friend Maryanne tickled her. Maryanne fell down to the ground with a playful glint in her eye. Sarah cocked her head at her red-headed, green eyed, pale best friend. She knew that glint could only mean one thing- Maryanne was up to something! She smirked and quickly tickled Maryanne before she could get up. She knew that she had to get Maryanne before she could do whatever she had in mind. She quickly took off in a run as Maryanne tried to get her breath back from laughing so hard.

"Sarah! I'm going to get you for that!" yelled Maryanne as Sarah rushed off with her red cloak flowing behind her as she ran from Maryanne to escape her.

Sarah heard footsteps behind her, thinking it was Maryanne, she whirled around and shouted playfully, "You'll never catch me!" and ran off laughing like a madwoman. Sarah ran faster as she heard heavy footsteps behind her. She realized they were too heavy to be that of her 15 year old friend. They sounded more like an adult's. Now quickly becoming panicky, Sarah ran even faster as the footsteps got louder. Sarah screamed as suddenly a cold white gloved hand grabbed her sharply and twirled her around to face the owner of the hand.

Sarah was quite shocked to see that it was the Irish housemaid, Katie McReiter. Katie looked at Sarah with a bit of anger in her face. Sarah looked down, embarrassed that she had run away from Katie. Then suddenly Sarah looked back at the red headed hair, hazel eyes, tan girl, wondering why she was there at all.

Katie looked at Sarah watching as the emotions of confusion streaked across the brown headed, white skinned, blue eyed girl. Confusion was flying in her own mind as well. How can I tell this hopeful bright child something so tragic? She only lost her mother a year ago. To lose another so soon…

Sarah looked at Katie and into her hazel eyes that showed a state of great sadness. She knew that something must be wrong, very wrong. Katie never interrupted Maryanne and her play unless it was something serious. The last time she had interrupted their play was when her mother was dying from pneumonia…dying…No! It couldn't be…Please no…

Sarah looked abruptly at Katie's face and hoped that what she was thinking wasn't possible…My father dead? Is she taking me back to the house because something happened to father?

Katie watched as a state of panic was taking hold on Sarah's face. Katie took a deep breath and looked Sarah squarely in the eyes, "I'm afraid your father is dead."

Sarah's eyes now looked anxious and started dragging Katie behind her as she ran towards the house. Katie stopped Sarah quickly. She twirled her towards her and held her firmly by the shoulders. Katie looked at Sarah hard with her piercing hazel eyes boring into Sarah's radiant blue ones and scolded Sarah sharply, "Sarah, you must slow down! This running is not going to solve..."

Sarah didn't even hear Katie's words. Sarah shook herself loose of Katie's grip and ran as fast as she had ever run in her life. Even faster than when Katie had told her about her mother dying or when her father had been ill. It couldn't be true… could it?

Sharp blue tears blurred Sarah's face as she ran towards the blue radiant mansion that filled her with fear as she approached it. But she shook it off and ran inside to the den. She fell onto her knees and cried out when she saw the sight in front of her.

Her brilliant father lay dead on the green carpet. A single hole in his head. Sarah brushed back the brown hair in her father's face as she crept forward and looked into his dull hazel eyes. Once they had been sparkling with joy but now dull without a hint of life. His face felt cold as she ran her fingers over his soft dimples and touched his pointy nose. She felt sobs overtake her as she looked down at her father lying indignantly. He was a man of a high stature and everyone loved him. Who would kill him? And why him! Why the only person who was left for me? Why my father?

He had donated to the local shelters, stood up for the locals and pleased everyone who lived in this small town. He was a well respected nobleman in this town. Why would someone kill him? He had done nothing to deserve it. Sarah felt anger building as she saw her father becoming more cold and lifeless as the moments passed by. She yelled out in a rage and was about to storm out of the room, away from her father when a glint caught her eye.

In her father's hand there was a small golden heart necklace. She kneeled down besides his hand and gently removed it from his hand. She held it close and then looked at it. She saw the little screw that kept it shut was gone. So she pried it open and gasped at what was inside of it.

Inside was a shining smiled bright eyed woman who was her mother but in her arms were TWO babies. Who is that? Why wasn't I told..? Why was my father holding this when he died! Did someone kill him over what is in this locket!

It was too much for Sarah. She crumpled over on her father's figure, stroking his chin gently and broke into sobs. She slowly succumbed to her body's will and fell asleep as gentle arms picked her up. The last thing she saw was Katie's caring stunning hazel eyes smiling at her and with that she fell asleep.