Last Ones Left

Prologue

- Abigail -

     The Nightshade mansion was never a friendly place. It had this aura that no citizens would just go in and take a stroll, even if they were permitted. The officials never stay long either, the trail of people just come and go. Some of them shoot me sympathetic glances as I offer them a sad smile, and those were the nicer ones. Others just leave after the meeting, which usually ends with hours of yelling and a great slam.

      There used to be flowers. That perked up the gloomy place a little, as my mother danced alongside the little road that leads to the lake. I hated swimming, and therefore only watched her while she floated on the tranquil waters like a goddess. My father seldom joined our little party, and if he did, he was always looking at the waters with a troubled look. I never understood him.

      But everything changed after that fire ten years ago. I was seven then.

      'Grab the buckets-'

      'Fire- fire!'

      'Keep searching the grounds for Mrs. Nightshade and others!'

      'Ms. Nightshade! You're alright aren't you?'

      Snippets of that night were what I barely could remember. My father had one of the servants grab me from my room and I was one of the first that got out of the mansion. Some suffered from minor burns, but others weren't so lucky. The memory was so distant, yet so vivid as that was the night father pronounced my mother dead. Everyone said that it was a 'construction accident' in room G-18. There were others who were also pronounced dead. But my little cold heart did not care.

      It was only at my mother's funeral that a single tear rolled down on my cheek.

      But I see none on my father's.