Sarah and Claire in Sunderland

Claire's Intro

The world trembled.

            I ran through the long hallways of the mansion. It had once belonged to my father, but he had taken care of it since his disappearance. Too soon, it seemed, for him to leave.

            The building shook and I leaned against a wall.

            After it stopped, I continued making my way through the maze of corridors. My bare feet smacked against the wood as I ran. The noise seemed unnatural.

            The ballroom opened up before me, and I swore softly. This was not where I had wanted to go. This cursed building seemed to constantly change.

            The beautiful glistening chandelier above me began to sway back and forth.

            The building shook again, but much harder, and I fell forward. My wavy brown hair escaped my bun and fell about my face. I clawed it away from my fierce blue eyes and pushed myself up onto my knees. My green dress was now smudged with dirt.

            I heard music, and glanced about. People all around me swayed to a hypnotizing beat. A man with welcoming eyes offered me a hand. I frowned and pushed myself up, denying the man’s assistance.

The music got louder and I covered my ears. I pushed through the dancing couples, and made it to the door.

I slammed it behind me, shutting out the music and the people. Only I live here…

The world shook.

~

            My head swam. I began to make my way down the hallway, but it seemed to rock back and forth. I bumped into an end table and knocked a vase off of it. The shiny blue vase seemed to fall in slow motion. It hit the floor and shattered into tiny pieces.

            Then time seemed to right itself, and the pieces scattered across the floor as I fell across the now broken table.

            I pushed myself up and stepped over the remains of the vase. Pressing my hands against the walls, I made my way slowly down the hallway.

            “Yukiko!” I cried.

            The snow white owl swept down and flew about me. His glasses magically stayed in place as he dipped and swerved through the hallway.

            Kiko has been only companion since the Fall. The building shook and I broke into a run. I ran for the door, but it seemed like I wasn’t moving. The building was going mad.

            I decided to head out to the garden instead. I went through the massive house until I reached the once tranquil garden. Kiko followed faithfully.

            I gasped in horror at the sight of my garden. My beautiful flowers lay wilted. The grass was a wretched shade of black. Everything was dead.

            I looked up at the sky and saw ominous dark clouds approaching. The clouds swirled about, and I feared a great storm was brewing.

            Then I heard it.

            A deep, echoing roar.