"Hurry Ares we'll miss the tour if we move any slower"
An older woman with pretty curly hair jogged slightly with a tiny person following right behind.
"I-I'm running as fast as I can mama"
The tiny person sighed letting out tiny breaths moving her small legs quickly trying to keep up with her mother as her double-stranded twist bounced lightly on her small head.
"We're almost there my love. Move those little legs!"
This caused the young child to increase her speed. Soon The duo reached a group of people with cameras hanging by straps on their necks.
"Ms. Armstrong, Junior Armstrong welcome to the 'Fray Manor' You are right on time the tour is about to commence."
A woman with bright blonde hair smiled gently at the pair. Lorraine held on firmly to young Ares's small hand stopping the little girl from wandering off at any moment.
Ares's wide eyes trailed over the manor a type of wonder and amusement never yet seen in her 6-year-old eyes.
"This is the 'Fray Manor built' in 1805, the first residents were Sir Ernest Fray, his wife Josephine Fray, and their son Theodore Fray"
said the tour guide holding her hand out to a large space filled with very old décor and early 18th-century furniture.
Ares was not all too interested in the tour just yet so her curious eyes wandered everywhere they possibly could, her mind not being able to understand just how big the grounds of the Fray Manor were.
"The late Edmund Fray was the last person to reside in the Fray Manor leaving the home to his heir Angelica Fray"
This caught the attention of the small girl as she heard the name of the last homeowner of the mansion, the whole reason her mother decided to take her in the first place, Edmund Richard Fray.
"Mr. Fray was known all over the globe and beloved by many as he was one of the greatest pianists and composers this world has ever seen"
Lorraine looked down at her child with a big smile knowing Ares was a larger fan of music than she was and just as she had anticipated the young girl lit up at the mention of the man's name. And she was proven right as she witnessed her daughter's smile and a familiar twitch in her ear when she is excited or takes a liking to something she hears.
________________________________
The tour went on for a while and more facts about the manor and its late owner were stated by the enthusiastic tour guide, and soon the group was given a half an hour break to rest and soak up the information they had all absorbed from the tour.
"My love, I need you to stay right here Mommy has to use the bathroom and I'm trusting you as the responsible young lady you are to stay put"
Ares nodded her head softly as her mother hurried to the bathroom.
Soon Ares had counted every single tree that was in the area. The little lady became increasingly concerned as the tour was about to resume and her mother was nowhere to be found. She debated on whether she should go off to look for her mother or go with the rest of the group, but how could she move on with the tour if she had no knowledge of her mother's whereabouts and she couldn't be using the bathroom for such a long time? Her mind started to worry about all the possible dangers her mother could be in, and it didn't take long before her mind was made up.
She snuck away from the group in search of her mother but she must have missed the part of the tour where the bathrooms were shown because Ares soon became lost.
The young girl roamed the manor with tear-stained cheeks.
"Mama!" she cried out
Her tiny voice was as loud as it could go, she began to cry harder when she noticed the sun was slowly going down.
"Mama!"
"Aren't you supposed to be with the others on the tour?"
Stunned the little girl turn around to locate the origin of the voice. There was an older gentleman in old worn-out clothes pushing a wheel burrow filled with gardening equipment scattered inside.
"I can't f-find my mom"
Her already noticeable stutters were worsened by her heightened emotions.
"Come little lady let's find your mom you've wandered far from the others"
Ares held onto the man's hand her cries finally coming to an end. her eyes were red and puffy and the poor child's shirt was covered with her tears.
"What's your name, little lady"
"Ares"
"Well Ares, my name's Leonard, you can call me Leo"
Ares latched onto Leo's foot causing the older man to pick her up.
"Let's find your mom"
------------
Ares, relieved that she had help mindlessly went with the newly acquainted man.
Unaware that he had brought her further away from the group and into the Manor's cemetery.
"Edmund Fray was a genius in his field, a natural born talent with such a tragic ending," Leo spoke softly as he place the girl in front of a grave.
"I want to play like E-Edmund one day, but I know I'll never be as good."
Ares stared at the gravestone intently.
"You want to be as good as Edmund Fray?" the stranger asked sternly.
Ares nodded her head enthusiastically.
"Say it out loud, child," Leonard spoke.
"I want to be as good as Edmund Fray," she said eagerly.
Leonard gave a mischievous smile looking down at the girl leaving her puzzled.
"As you wish"
The world became black.
Completely void of everything, it was just a black blank canvas and Ares stood there all alone, she looked behind her to see a man swinging by his neck coming full speed toward her.
"MAMA!"
Terrified, the girl ran as fast as her legs could go as the swinging man sped towards her. he seems to be inching closer and closer and her, running as if there was something weighing her legs down.
"MA-"
Then everything went quiet. Ares grew tired and slowed down. still scared and confused she tried to make sense of the darkness around her. She stopped, gasping loudly as she tried to catch her breath,
Still trying to see through the black. her breathing leveled, her sighs lighten and silent tears ran down her face pooling to the floor, but still not giving up she continued to force her eyes to see. suddenly she felt a warm small exhale on the back of her neck.
She spun quickly but was met with darkness. in a quick swift motion, a strong hand clasped around her throat. He had caught her the man with the rope around his neck had caught poor Ares.
"You wish to be like me,"
The man spoke, his pupils white, skin and teeth looked and smelled as if he had been rotting for centuries. His hand gripped the girl's neck as her eyes rolled to the back of her head, mouth agape and she seized aggressively.
"Then you will be like me, The Great Edmund Fray."
"....Ares!"
Suddenly everything was back to normal and Ares fell to the ground, Lorraine ran toward her daughter holding her tight.
"It's okay baby it's okay, SOMEONE HELP!"
YOU ARE READING
My friend Edmund Fray
Romance"You wish to be like me, The Great Edmund Fray" The man spoke, his pupils white, skin and teeth looked and smelled as if he had been rotting for centuries. His hand gripped the girl's neck as her eyes rolled to the back of her head, mouth agape and...
