Priceless: A Racetrack Love Story

Chapter Two: A Tattletale

Rain poured down in the black night as the dark clouds rolled over the old gray moon. Water from leaks in the old ceiling were dripping into a pail as Graham, the butler of the house, tried to sleep.

Not a word or you'll be sorry. She's dead. That's all anyone needs to know.

Tomorrow was the day. Tomorrow was Penny's sixteenth birthday in which she was to inherit her parents' fortune. He couldn't stand it. The way his mistress treated the child and how she was to slickly get away with that she planned and he knew about it. His work was cut in half because of the child, but it didn't matter. He couldn't bear it. He shot up and got out of bed. He dressed in his work suit and raincoat. He grabbed an umbrella, raced down the stairs, and bolted out the front door. He ran through the dark streets, splashing in puddles and sloshing in mud. He finally made it to the police. They must've thought he was mad after he said what he had to say. Since it was so late, they agreed to investigate in the morning.

"But you don't understand sir! The girl will be much safer if you came tonight!"

"I'm sorry sir but it's late and the weather is rough. We'll be there first thing in the morning."

"But the child---"

"She's not going to die tonight. If she was we would be there right away. But it's not the case. We'll arrive six sharp."

"Fine. Good day sir."

And with that, he marched out of the station. Once he arrived back, he noticed some lights were on. He entered to see his mistress in the parlor, drinking a cup of tea.

"Mistress Agatha? Why are you up at this hour?"

"Where, at this hour, did you go Graham?"

He was no longer afraid. He felt so brave he didn't even think about what he was doing.

"The police. They are to arrive here in the morning. I will not see that child be harmed any longer."

She stood up and faced him. Her cool eyes struck him.

"You leave me no choice now."

She pulled out a dagger and pointed it at him.

"Don't interfere."

"What are you going to do?!"

"What should've been done years ago."

She bolted from him and went into the cellar. Penny stirred and quickly woke to the shouts of her aunt and Graham. She stood, petrified, as she watched the risen dagger gleam in moonlight as her aunt held it up and Graham held her back. Struggling, he managed to tell her a piece of advice that would change everything.

"Run child---run and don't come back!!! Hurry!!"

She ran up the stairs and out of the cellar hearing shouts of agony from Graham and her aunt. She scrambled to get out of the house she flung the door open and fled into the storm. She didn't dare look back at that wretched house. She stumbled over the puddles of murky, brown water. Her wet, ragged dress stuck to her legs as she ran in the pouring rain. Her sopping wet hair flew in the whipping wind. Her legs collapsed from under her after running for who knows how long. He landed on her knees, scraping them. She was so cold and numb, she didn't feel the pain. She slowly brought herself up and fell down again. She crawled into the nearest alleyway and fainted. She was stuck sleeping in an alleyway while it was storming and she was freezing cold. She never felt more serene.