Hide and Seek

Chapter 4 - Grace's POV

Grace was skipping around the house, a rifle in her hands. She was humming a song, looking into every room. Not being able to find everyone, her mood was decreasing and her boredom increasing. Eventually, she stopped skipping and paced the hallways slowly. Every room she went into had no one inside.

After turning a few corners of the large house, she saw a flicker of blonde hair and smiled devilishly. The only person in this house with blonde hair was her dear friend Elise. Grace picked up her pace into a slow run and turned the corner she saw the hair go in. Alas, when she got to the next hallway, no one was there.

The sound of the bell chimed and Grace loaded her rifle, knowing the game had officially started. Her older brother, Timothy, had come from the other end of the hallway and looked at Grace.

"Have you seen anyone yet? We're trying to look for that blonde chick. I think Tony's really interested in her." He walked over to Grace, putting his rifle down to his waist.

"I saw a flicker of blonde hair run in this direction. We all know that belongs to the young lady Tony's after," Grace chuckled. "Have you had any luck?"

"I though I heard something in one of the bedrooms, like a door opening and closing but that happens all the time already."

"Which bedroom? Someone could be in there."

Timothy rubbed the back of his neck. "I already forgot. This house is so big, I don't remember where half of the rooms are."

"I mean, we've only been in this house for a few months. We'll have to move soon, after this little game is done."

Timothy turned around and saw Tony standing there. "What are you waiting for Tim? We have a lovely princess to find," Tony yelled out from the end of the hallway. Timothy turned back to Grace.

"I'll see you around the house if we bump into each other again. I suggest checking the wine cellar. Nana's currently down there."

Grace nodded and Timothy ran towards his twin and they walked back down the hallway, trying to find Elise. Grace turned back and ran to the wine cellar. Going down the stairs to the cellar, she found her grandma with her walking stick which turned out to be a sickle with the metal at the end extended.

"Nana! What are you doing down here alone? I thought Pa always goes with you," Grace said, jogging over to her grandma. Her grandma looked at her and sighed, raising her sickle.

"Your father decided to go have a few shots of vodka before he started playing. However Grace, I think he's had more than enough. Go check on him in the kitchen." Her grandma started to walk down the long, dim-lit hallway of the wine cellar. Grace then raced back up the stairs and darted towards the kitchen.

Her father was always an alcoholic, having too many shots or glasses. He always had too much when they played a game of Hide and Seek. She opened the kitchen door and saw her father having a shot of vodka.

"Pa! You can't keep drinking these many shots! How many have you had so far?" She questioned, walking towards him slowly.

"10, maybe?" Her father replied, picking up his crossbow and arrows. He slung the bag of arrows over his shoulder and rested the crossbow in his hand. "We going to find those friends of yours?"

Grace nodded and helped her drunk dad out of the kitchen. Ironically, Grace's dad was drunk on vodka or some sort of alcohol, he would do much better in games like these. Her dad then took his arm away from Grace's grip and gripped onto his crossbow.

"Let's go Grace. Where's your grandmother now?"

"In the wine cellar. She was headed to the east quarter." Her father nodded and walked towards the stairs leading into the cellar.  Grace turned on her heel to face the bedrooms. "Girls, here I come."