Dark Desires: Part 1

Chapter 1: Dani Ann

Who am I? That's a question many people ask themselves when they are feeling down or alone. I often found myself asking myself that after the incident.

Currently, I find myself watching the news, where the headline 'Amos Ann: Local Science Teacher and Father Missing February 28th' was displayed for all to see.

"Dad..." I began to tear up. "Where are you?"

I looked down at my arm, which was covered in scars. The amount of pain caused by my father's disappearance was enough to worry even my grandma, who was only a bit nicer than my mom.

My mother was already someone I compared to a rusty saw blade. She can't do much on her own, but if you're already wounded, she can make everything so much worse.

After my dad vanished, she began to blame me for what happened.

"He wouldn't have left us if you weren't such an insufferable kid!" I can still hear those words ringing in my head.

When he went missing, the police arrived to investigate the area.

Mom told me there was a pentagram-type pattern burned into the mattress where he slept the night before.

I remember that when we couldn't find him, my mom suggested we go to the supermarket to pick up materials. We assumed maybe he'd gone to do something at the store, or taken a walk, so we thought that we should surprise him with breakfast when he got back.

Well, that was a huge mistake. On our way to the car in the parking lot, we heard the sirens and speeding of firetrucks.

We shrugged it off until we got home.

Where we saw our house had burned to the ground.

The only thing of value I was able to get a hold of was an earring in the shape of an 8-Ball.

I'm glad it survived.

I don't know what I'd do if I lost this. I thought to myself.

I remember the day we got it. I was 7 at the time.

"Dad....is it going to hurt?" I asked him.

"A little bit, hun." He replied, "But I promise I'll be here if you want me to. You can squeeze my hand as hard as you need to, even if it hurts me." He smiled at me and held out his hand, and I remember squeezing his hand as hard as my little child's grip would let me.

"Ow!" I yelled loudly when my ear was pierced. I teared up a bit when it hurt, but shortly after, it didn't hurt anymore. I started smiling, and my dad picked me up and set me on the ground.

"Well?" He started, "Go pick an earring you goober!" He tussled my hair and brought me over to the earring selection.

"That one!" I yelled as I pointed to the earring with the small 8 Ball hanging off of it.

"But, honey, there's only one of them." My mom replied, confused.

"I mean, we can probably pick another one for the other ear," Dad stated. He turned to the employee and asked, "Are we allowed to do that?"

"Well, technically I'm not supposed to let you, but I'm pretty sure someone shoplifted the other one." She replied to my dad. "But, If you want to get her that one and maybe a stud for the other I'm sure I can do that, we always have extra studs, so there's no issue there."

"Would we have to pay extra for that?" Mom asked.

"I am supposed to, but I'll ring it up as a single 2-ring package." The Employee winked at us and handed my dad the receipt.