"This is it." Johnny tells them, taking a final look at the sat nav before placing it back in the car as they get out.
"That car ride was long but I don't know, this just seems so surreal." Michelle says as they look at the door to the white cottage.
"I hate to be a downer on this whole situation but don't get your hopes up. We don't even know if it was Carla that was moving in here. It could just be someone who looks like her." Aidan says as they nod in agreement.
"Well I guess there's only one way to find out." Kate says confidently before walking up to the door and knocking as the rest of them follow.
As they wait, Aidan leans forward to knock again but still, silence.
"Maybe she's out?" Michelle suggests as they continue to stand outside the door of the cottage.
"We don't even know who she is yet." Kate points out. "It might not even be Carla who lives here.
Their thoughts are suddenly disturbed as a little girl, no more than four, exits the cottage next door and looks at them questioningly.
"Are you looking for Cassie?" The girl asks as Michelle, Johnny, Aidan and Kate just look at each other, puzzled.
"Does she live here?" Michelle asks as the little girls nod back, leaving all four of them looking completely downtrodden that it must be another woman named Cassie living here.
"Are you okay?" The girl asks innocently, seeing the expressions spread across their faces.
"Yeah we're fine. It's just, we thought we were gonna see an old friend of ours." Michelle begins to explain as she crouches down so she's the same height as the little girl.
"What does she look like? I might know her." The girl says as Michelle laughs slightly before getting out a picture of her and Carla on her phone in order to humour the girl.
"That's Carla." She tells them as all four of them suddenly look at her, unable to believe the two words that had just escaped her mouth. The looks of hopelessness having quickly vanished from their faces.
"Do you know where we can find her?" Johnny asks, barely able to get the words out.
The girl nods in response before pointing towards a street across from them. "Down there is her restaurant where she works. I can't remember what it's called but it's big and blue and they make really yummy chicken nuggets. Me and my mummy sometimes go there. " She explains, smiling up at them.
None of them can stop the flush of relief that coats their faces as they thank the little girl before quickly walking down the street the girl described.
"Look, there it is." Kate tells them as they approach a restaurant, just like the girl had described to them and they walk towards it, having no idea of the horrors that they'd be about to see having unfolded.
Please feel free to review if you like it or have any constrcutive criticism, thank you for reading! Sorry it's short.