Present (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 1- Helen

1973, in Boston... Helen Miller was completing her regular set of chores. Doing the laundry, taking care of her younger sisters, and more. Everyone relies on Helen because she's the oldest daughter of the Millers.

Helen was imagining a life with no chores. Considering the amount of work she had to do every single day, that isn't very surprising. She sighed, knowing that isn't possible. What would she not do to get a break? But she's the only available person to help her family - in other words, not happening.

She continued to fold the clothes when she heard a voice. It might just be one of the children, she thought.

"Helen. Come here. Come quietly and don't tell anyone."

Huh? she thought. It's probably just my imagination again. Or maybe I'm just stressed out. I'm just glad that Daniel was able to visit me again. The thought of Daniel sweeping her off her feet as he did yesterday sent a rosy, pink blush on her cheeks.

"No Helena, this is real. Not your imagination."

Somebody tapped her on the shoulder.

"Oh, it's you, Danny. You're the only one who calls me Helena." she said, furiously trying to keep the blush from escaping again.

"Danny, you didn't need to do this," she giggled.

"Oh, but it's not Daniel," that voice whispered. Except now, it sounded different - more cold. All the color rushed from her face. She looked as pale as a ghost. All of a sudden, there was a heavy chill in the air.

That voice again. What is wrong with me? Maybe someone is calling for me. But nobody works on this floor except for me. Yes, I must be hearing things. But that doesn't actually reassure me... I don't want to know that I am crazy!

She mustered up her courage and decided to go check it out.

The winds seemed to be calling her name, begging for help. She started to walk towards the window, her mind had no control of what her body was doing. Her pale dress sweeping across the floor. She had a sudden urge to jump out and help the poor souls... But as soon as she started to stray off of the path, that voice stopped her and Helen came back to her senses.

"Yes smart choice, Helen. Come. And no, you are not going crazy or mental. But you have to come here." that voice said again. It sounded like a girl, a lonely one, but there are no other girls here in the palace today...

And how can that girl, or whatever it is, hear my thoughts? No, this is certainly becoming strange...

Helen slowly took her shaking hands off of the dress she was folding and started to walk to the door.

There was a trail of pure rose petals up the stairs.

Funny, I didn't put rose petals here. Although it's sweet, Father will surely have a fit. I'd better clean it up.

Oh Father was never the same after the incident. No I'm not going to think of that. She wouldn't of wanted that...

As soon as she started to get a broom, the voice came back again.

"No, stop! Don't remove these petals. Follow the trail and it will lead you to where you need to come."

Step by step. Her whole body was trembling. She went up and up and up and up. She knew that she didn't have to go up those stairs. Wait. What stairs am I going up? Oh, no. This is the forbidden staircase - my sisters will surely find me and tell Father right away if they catch me coming up these stairs. They may not have wanted to hurt me, but they are too young to understand... She had to go down and continue her work. She can't have her father lose the little bit of trust he has in her. If only her father were as playful as before... No, it doesn't do to dwell on the past. Focus on the present.

That voice can be forgotten. The voice can't force me to do what it wants. It just urges me. But something in my heart tells me that I have to do this. And Mother had always said, "If you can't rely on anything else, then rely on your heart. Your heart always tells you the right or wrong - the good or bad and gives you the right choices. It's only your choice if you will follow it or not."

Remembering her mother's favorite quote brought tears to her eyes. It has been 2 years since she... followed her heart and... died. This event caused her father to become more locked out and aggressive. Helen had promised to her mother that she would never follow her heart, because it resulted only in trouble. Mother only smiled and said to be careful and safe. "Remember everything I said and..." She never finished. Her eyes were still smiling as they always have been. I never found out what she wanted to say to me.

She didn't know why she was still following the trail of roses. Anything could happen. She was all alone and it was dark. She might even be betraying her mother if she is not careful and safe. But all she did know, however, is that she was following her heart.

As she reached the end of the trail, she was about to make a run for it. But she stopped. Her jaw-dropped, she faced Hell and gasped...