THE DARKNESS IN ISABELLE

CHAPTER 1 - COLD FINGERS

ISABELLE

FRIDAY, 5:45 PM

10 YEARS AGO

Finally, it's Friday! Daddy had promised me a gift if I won a price at the debate competition and here I was, holding a trophy, skipping home excitedly. I pushed the door and walked in, ''Mamma! Daddy! Guess what happened today? And I'm so hungry!''

It was unusually quiet. I dropped my bag and the trophy on the table, peeking into every room.

''Daddy?''

I looked down slowly in horror, I was standing on trail of red. Was it blood? I followed it and it brought me to the kitchen. My dad and mom were slumped in the corner, their clothes and face red. I let out a scream and ran over to them and clutched daddy's face in my little palms.

''Daddy! Daddy! You can't die. You promised me a gift. I don't want one, I just want you to talk to me, Daddy!''

I shook my mom like I was crazy, ''Mumma! Wake up! Not you too...Please!''

I looked at my hands, stained with my parents blood.

''Tsk tsk, how touching is the scene?'' I screamed at the deep voice at the other corner of the room and I hadn't noticed a man in black clothes and his face covered by a mask. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the counter like he couldn't wait anymore to kill me. He grabbed a knife and walked slowly towards me and every step he took forward, I stepped back, until I was out of the kitchen.

''Don't you want to go to your mumma? Your daddy must be waiting.'' He laughed at me, his knife pointing upwards. My back hit the table and he stopped right in front of me.

''You can't run, pretty girl. The gas is on and you three will turn into ashes.'' He looked at his watch, ''In three minutes.''

He ran his cold fingers over my cheeks and traced my eyebrows slowly, ''Too bad, a pretty girl like you have  die.'' A chill went down my spine as his deep voice vibrated through my head.

I had three minutes.

With all the little strength I had in my body, I pushed him and ducked under the table behind me and ran towards the front door. I almost tripped over something and I felt his fingers brush my hair but I ran faster towards the bridge outside.

BOOM! The sky lit up brightly, all yellow and orange flames right in front of my eyes. The place what I had called a house, My dad and mom, all disappeared into thin air. I couldn't breathe and my eyes stung but I saw a dark figure emerge from the flames. He was still looking for me. I tried to run but I didn't know where I was heading to. I could barely open my eyes and I heard people talking somewhere around me but I was sure, they couldn't see us.

I was about to scream for help when a hand slapped my face hard and pulled me back. We tripped over something and fell into the air. We were falling over the bridge and something stabbed me in the middle. The last thing I knew before I lost my sense was a big splash and the water enter my nose and mouth.

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I was floating. I felt weightless and hands pulled me to the shore. I blinked blankly looking at the man above me and passed out again.

''Shh. You'll disturb her!''

''How long will she sleep?! When will she leave?''

''Nick! Stop it, will you? She is sick and she is not going anywhere!''

I groaned at the pain, trying to sit p but it was impossible, ''Mummy?''

A woman helped me back to bed and pushed my hair behind my ears. I burst into tears; her hands felt just like my mother.

''What is it, child? Does it hurt?'' I didn't speak but I cried my eyes out.

Later, a man sat beside me and pulled me into his comforting arms. It was warm but I wanted to feel the coldness.

''It's okay! Don't cry. You don't have to speak, but let me.'' He rubbed his hands up and down my back slowly.

''Quite a pretty child. I know what happened to your parents. We couldn't find them in the fire. I don't know how you survived the accident but we'll take care of you.''

I pulled back and looked up to him, ''It wasn't an accident.''

''What do you mean, child?''

I pointed to my stomach, ''He did this. He killed my parents. A man in black and I remember his voice.''

''What? The police just confirmed it was an accident.''

''NO, IT WASN'T! I screamed and pulled away fully from his arms and I felt the chill immediately.

''Okay, okay. Calm down, I will take care of it – what is your name?''

I kept quiet. I didn't want to tell him. I just didn't want it to remind me of everything.

''Fine, we'll call you Isabelle. And he is your new brother – Nick.''

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