"A Flower in the Attic"

Chapter Four: The Room Disclaimer:

I do not own Bleach nor Flowers in the Attic.

Midnight.

Rukia never did once know why kids are scared of the dark. She never felt terrified of darkness before. When she was young, her father told her there were no such things as monsters or ghosts and she believed him. Why would she doubt him. But as she walked towards a road that led to who knows where, she thought that perhaps her father made a mistake. Security was one of the things her father has taken when he died.

They left their home on the day that their mother told them they were going to Karakura. She understood that they needed to leave early, what she didn't understand was why they have to travel at midnight. Her mother's words were clear. They can't tell anyone where they're going. Thus they left in the middle of the night without knowing the reason and was shocked that she couldn't even say goodbye to her friends. But arguing was useless. She had agreed to live with her grandfather. End of discussion.

They have been walking for nearly an hour. Their mother said that after taking down the road they will see a pathway through the forest which led to the Mansion located in the deeper part of the woods. If their grandfather was filthy rich, why didn't he pick them up with a car or even a carriage to get through the forest?

"Momma, How much farther? Momo's sleepy. I want to go to bed too." Shiro was starting to get annoyed from walking.

"We're almost there. Can't you see the huge gate?" Nemu's eyes lit up and pointed at a big red gate. The children looked at it and saw the biggest house they've seen.

Under the white pale moon stood the Kuchiki Mansion. It looked old, grandeur and more importantly terrifying.

How could something so beautiful could also be scary? The five members of the Kuchiki family stared at the Mansion with curiosity. All were waiting for something to happen. Exactly what it was, they didn't know.

A slim figure was emerging from the back of the Mansion. She was walking strangely as if she was having difficulties but she held an air of grace that could be distinguished even from afar. "Children meet your grandmother. Kyoko Kuchiki." Nemu greeted the old woman with a smile and motioned for her children to do the same.

Rukia stood straighter and looked at the woman before her. There were no emotions portraying the woman's face. It was frightening how she observed the four siblings only through her eyes without uttering a single word. She was very intimidating. Rukia could see that. Everything about the woman was intriguing and it was clear as water that she was the kind of person not to be trampled with. Rukia couldn't do anything other than bow her head and look at the ground.

"Sons of an ingrate. Daughters of a selfish low lives people. I don't understand why you came here when no one wants you to b-"

"Shut up! You have no rights to insult us!" Renji snapped at the woman with piercing eyes. He was shocked when their so called grandmother spoke and said nasty words directed at them. But before he could continue his mother stepped in front of him and stopped him.

"Renji! That's no way to speak to your grandmother! Apologize to her immediately!"

"But Momma she ca-" Rukia tried to reason out with her mother but was cut short when the creepy old woman spoke once more. Only this time she was looking at Renji with such intense.

"Never mind. I'm sure we could fix that attitude of yours in a few days you worthless brat. Or else. Come, we must hurry before anybody sees us." She turned on her heels and walked straight to the back of the Mansion as if she was alone.

"Momma, I d-don't like it h-here. Let's go back home. I want to go back home!" Momo was crying so loud that she startled a few birds nesting by.

Nemu kneeled in front of her kids and comforted them in a kind voice, "Ssshhh... Hush now little ones. We can't go. This is our new home. We have to be stronger than this. Rukia, Shiro please stop Momo from crying. Right now you have to encourage and be there for each other. We can't give up easily. Mother maybe harsh, but once you get to know her you will see that she's not that bad. Understand her and you will know that she's only like this because she's a very strict person. she doesn't like naughty kids or rude manners. So please, especially you Renji, please be the good kids you are and obey her. Can you promise me that?"

Momo was still shaking terribly. She wouldn't stop crying but when she felt her older sister and twin brother holding her she was at ease. The kids nodded at their mother and all of them followed the creepy old woman. At the back of the Mansion they saw a huge garden with lots of different kinds of trees and flowers. Their mother was right. The twins could play in the garden and run around everywhere. It was obvious to the twins that they were surprised and excited.

Their grandmother was waiting at the back door impatiently. She was tapping her foot and was glaring at the new comers. When she saw them approaching her, she carried on walking and went inside the house, through the back kitchen and through another door. The Kuchiki family followed her without so much as a protest.

Everything was big and different than their previous home. There was a huge flight of stairs that everything could fit without problems. There were statues as big as a real person and portraits of people living in that place. They even saw a portrait of their father when he was still a kid. It was obvious that the residents of the Mansion were old fashioned. Everything in the Mansion looked antique and expensive. A bit of Rukia felt tingly and excited at the sight in front of her. Suddenly, she felt an urge to explore the whole house and reveal its secrets.

They continued walking to where the old woman was and she didn't stop moving. She took the stairs followed by Nemu and her children. When they reached the second landing the old woman turned to the west wing and headed down the corridor. There was another flight of stairs only this time it was smaller. The old woman took it and went straight up. At the top of the next landing they saw a narrow corridor with some rooms but the woman didn't stop in any of it and just continued walking. For a moment Rukia thought the marching was never going to end until her grandmother stopped at the end of the longest corridor she has been on. There was a door that probably led to their room.

Their grandmother inserted an old key in the doorknob and opened the door. She stepped inside the room and turned on the lights then glared at the children. "Get in and you, Nemu, better make it fast."

Hesitating at first the Kuchiki children entered the room slowly. They looked around and saw nothing but a big plain old room. There were two queen-sized bed in the middle, a small dining table at the corner and shelves that had books on it. There were windows yes, but the drapes covering them were larger than them and they even looked heavy and stuck because they seemed like they wouldn't budge a little. The four lovely children stood right in the middle of the room unmoving and waiting for anybody to act.

Nemu gathered her sons and daughters closer to her and with sad loving eyes she spoked to them. "This will be your room. Tomorrow you will see your grandfather and meet him. But as long as you haven't I want you four to stay here and NEVER EVER go out. I have to talk to him first, when the sun has risen to its fullest. Renji, Rukia, take care of the twins and always follow what your grandmother will tell you. Can you do that?"

Rukia was starting to get confused. Why was her mother acting strange? It was only for the night that they will be separated but Nemu was acting out of the blue. Her oldest brother being the understanding jerk he was, answered their mother once more without even asking any questions.
"Don't worry Momma. We'll be fine. You should take a rest, you look tired."

Nemu was holding back her tears. Rukia wondered perhaps it was because it's their first night in a new house and their mother was also scared just like how terrified she was. For the first time since they left their home she felt pity for her mother.

"Renji's right. You don't need to worry about us. We'll be fine. Nothing could go wrong. And tomorrow, we will be together again." Rukia hugged her mother tightly and kissed her followed suit by Renji and the twins. Nemu couldn't hold back her tears anymore. They fell helplessly without so much as a restraint as Nemu continued sobbing and pouring her heart out.

"You need to leave." The old woman cut them.

Nemu stood up and kissed her children for the last time before going to the door. She stopped and looked back at her daughters and sons and smiled at them like the one Byakuya shows them whenever he leaves home. She nodded and turned around going outside.

The Children looked at their grandmother expectantly and waited for her to disappear. She was at the door when she stopped to glare at them with hateful eyes. "I will come back for breakfast. If you will rest, be sure that you'll wake up before I get here. I don't like waking up little pests like yourselves." She showed them an evil creepy smirk that gave the kids goosebumps.

"Say goodbye to your previous life. Sleep tight."

The door was slammed shut that echoed throughout the room. The four Kuchiki children stared at the door waiting.
Waiting for someone to rescue them from their unfortunate fate.

A/N: Weew! That was long! Creepy old woman! Bad news! Even though I have written the first six chapters I noticed it was getting harder and harder to continue. I don't think I'm that enthusiastic or inspired again. I'm starting to loose interest... for my sake I hope it won't continue. It's really hard to write when you're not in the mood or inspired by it... T_T

SPOILER ALERT: next chapter, Three years of time skip. ICHIGO"S BAAAAACK!

Title: The owl in the room