Chapter 5

So cold…

I feel hands around my neck. Cold hands.

I open my eyes and threw my hands around my neck. There was no one in the room walking, all the other children we're asleep.

What's this?

I moved my hands around my neck, it felt like a chain?

I gasped then reached behind my neck for the hook of the chain. I hopped out of bed towards the window to the moonlight.

How? When? Why is my cross around my neck? Didn't Whitney take it from me?

Without another thought I ran back to my bed and got under the covers protecting my cross with my dear life. Whitney will never touch or see my precious cross again in her life!

"Jamie, Jamie, come quick somethings happened to Whitney!"

I turned around to see I little boy with brown hair peeking through the door calling some kids. Some of the kids got up and went out the door. I could see pass the boy that other children were behind him rushing to see what was happening.

I jumped out of my bed and hooked the cross around my neck and hid it under my shirt. I shuffled out of the door following the other kids.

I ran until I was behind a group of children.

I heard loud crying from Whitney's room and then Ms. Thompson pushed her way through the crowd to the room.

She entered the room and closed the door behind her.

Kids that share the room with Whitney were also in the hall not really knowing what happened either but just to call for Ms. Thompson.

When she opened the door she was guiding Whitney through. Whitney was screaming at the top of her lungs and sheets were wrapped around her. Ms. Thompson yelled at the kids and told them to go back to bed at once or else. Many of the kids ran back to their rooms while others looked out the doors.

I didn't run back, but walked backwards to my room still looking at Whitney screaming.

As I backed away Ms. Thompson looked back at me with the most horrified yet disgusted look on her face.

She looked at me as if it were my fault?

I ran back into the room and passed all the now rowdy kids.

"Did you see, did you see, I saw blood"

"I heard she broke her arm."

"I saw her holding her neck."

As I made my way hearing the young kids and their stories, I wondered what she was doing to end up in that state and how did my cross return around my neck.

"Taylor, what's that red stuff on your cheek?"

I turned to face my 5 year old bed mate.

"Its lipstick, looks like someone kissed your cheek. I can see the lip prints."

I wiped my cheek and looked at my hand.

Sure enough there was what looked to be lipstick. Bright red lipstick.

"I don't know how this got on me."

She shrugged her little shoulders with my and we laid back in the bed.

It had quieted down and most of the kids were back in dreamland.

I sat there clutching my cross the whole night knowing that now I would be safe.

I don't know what happened to Whitney, but I never saw from her again.

Even though there wasn't any fear in me, I couldn't bring myself to talk to the stranger just yet.

He looked at me very curiously, and stepped a little closer.

He was taller than I thought from the last time I saw him, and even more good-looking.

"Excuse me if I might have frightened you a little our last meeting, but you see…we would have had to make our acquaintances sooner or later."

I still couldn't talk but I listened.

The gentleman came even closer and bowed in the most elegant way.

"Madame, may I introduce myself if I please."

He looked up at me as if waiting for approval and smirked.

"My name is Ryan Duval. A loyal servant and friend of the late Margaret Rozette till this very day."

"Are you the one that called?"

Stupid, why would I blurt something like that out to a stranger who has just intruded in my house.

Ryan rolled his eye.

"If you mean did I make the call to that weasel Rogers, why yes I was the one who informed him of the tragedy."

Weasel? Who was this man who seems to have it out for Mr. Rogers?

"I know this is a little sudden, but we wanted to let you get settled in the house a little firs-"

"WE!"

I was at my feet now looking around.

He seemed a little at loss for words.

"Let me explain first…"

I looked at him waiting for him to continue.

"We actually live here."

"Live here like in the town, neighborhood, the woods."

"No, what I'm trying to say is that we live here in Paradise."

"Paradise? What do you mean Paradise?"

Ryan looked at me and did his handsome smirk while opening his arms wide.

"Why, this Taylor is PARADISE."