Labyrinth : Hidden Legacy

Chapter 1 Sarah's Family Reunion

Driving from the airport toward her parents' house in the small town she grew up in Sarah was happy to be returning home. She had just finished college and was living with a roommate named Mourene.

Mourene was pretty easy to get along with. She was sweet and had a lot of friends which became Sarah's friends as well.

Sarah was tidier at keeping a home but the two put up with each other's differences.

Sarah had always been tidy. Wanting her possession, her treasures, displayed. All of Sarah's things were treasures. She was choosy about what she owned. Each item had to reflect her personality down the simplest of things such as a notebook. She would find a regular boring notebook and add her flare with stickers or drawings to the cover to create something very unique... Something very ...her.

Fantasy was her forte. Her passion.

Driving "home" again she imagined her bedroom as she had left it. With her favorite childhood books, her teddy bears, her horses, her games. Minus Lancelot. Her teddy bear which she had given as a gift to her baby brother after a scare five years prior. Lancelot had been her favorite bear at the time. Sitting safely and regally on a high shelf near her bed. Toby, only two at the time, would go into her room and take Lancelot often. He must have been Toby's favorite as well.

Sarah couldn't stand to have anyone touch her things...especially a spoiled baby.
Things changed around that time though... Toby had been kidnapped and Sarah had to choose whether to risk her life to save him or not. She could have gone back to her room and her life and been an only child again. Never having to babysit against her will ever after.

As Sarah passed the park she once spent most of her time at, hiding from her stepmother, she saw in the evening sky bright colors. Beautiful and strong. And in the purple hue an owl flying gracefully. One lone owl.

This sight created a chill which ran down the back of her spine. A memory. A feeling.

She arrived at home and left her bags in the car as she went to the front door and greeted her family.

Hugging her father first with sincerity. Father and Sarah had not always seen eye to eye but they still loved each other.

Hugging Toby next. Although he was her half brother she didn't feel that way in her heart...not anymore.

And lastly hugging her stepmom. The one whom Sarah had despised. Had blamed for all of her troubles in high school. Who stole her father, brought a baby into the house and put Sarah to work every day.

However, something had changed. While struggling to rescue Toby all those years ago Sarah had learned some lessons about life that would change hers.

One of those lessons was that life is unfair. There is more than one person involved in every situation and that means there are different perspectives on each situation. The overall good, what has to be done, isn't always fair to those involved.

That knowledge helped Sarah to overcome her negativity towards her stepmother. And Sarah learned to have a good attitude when pulling her weight around the house and around the family.

These days Sarah and her Stepmother could honestly say they were family, in every way. They had created a bond; a relationship.

The family went into the house and had a delightful dinner. Conversing about the most recent happenings of their lives and of Sarah's plan for her future.

Sarah had just been hired for her first well paid job. She was now a secretary at a large, successful company. She had a month before her start date. For the time being she would continue to live with Mourene in their little apartment. Father and Irene were very proud. Things were going smooth and wonderful for every member of this family. They were truly blessed. Still, those are the times life throws us "curve balls", doesn't it?

The next morning Father and Irene had a serious conversation with Sarah...

"We know you love your bedroom" Father said, "But the house isn't big enough to keep it for you."

Irene chimed in "We wanted to make sure you are okay with it before we made a real decision or made any changes."

Sarah's face saddened.

In her mind she had set that her bedroom would remain. Her Father would always own the house and her belongings would stay there, set up the way she loved them.

"It may be time for you to get a place of your own. Then you can fill the space with all of these 'treasures.' Move them with you?" Father suggested.

Sarah decided to agree. She realized she had grown up and maybe it was time for her bedroom to grow up too.