The Fairies Song

Chapter Fourteen: Imara

Never in my life had a had such and crazy, terrifying, stressful day.

It started when Mom and Seraphina never came home. I was ten when it happened. My sister was eight.

They went on a trip with Dad. I had to stay behind for school. I got home that day to see some men in black suits. They took me to my Dad's lab.

Well, lab doesn't really describe it. It was more like a study, with pictures lining the walls and a table in the centre. It was strewn with papers and documents. My Father sat with his head down on the table. The men left us.

"Dad?" I sat down beside him. "Where's Mom and Sera? Shouldn't they be back too?"

"Imara, they're gone!" he lifted his head and shouted. I stood up and backed away. He grabbed my wrist. I flinched, but he pulled me in and hugged me.

Every since that day, he kept searching for the Fairies. He didn't believe they were dead. He thought if he could find them, he could get his wife and daughter back.

The only problem, was he forgot about the daughter he already had. He was always working. I babysat and did odd jobs for the neighbors to earn money. There was usually food in the fridge, but if not, I went to the Ladybug Cafe. They always had work for me to do. In exchange, they let sleep there, eat, whatever.

I had friends all over town. Grace from the fashion studio, Kaylee from the music studio next door. Alyssa the librarian, who always seemed to know exactly what I needed. Cadderly, Indigo, and Paige from the cafe. Taylor the plaid wearing paramedic. She always patched me up without many questions. I hardly stayed in my house. No one was ever there to call me sweetie, tease me, or love me.

At first, I tried getting my Dad's attention by being in every school club, play or pageant I had time for. He came to a few, but his mind was always else where. Eventually I stopped. I did well in school, no point ruining my entire life because of a rough high school experience.

The bullying started when I was young. Students handing out forms asking for parent volunteers would skip my desk. No one invited me to birthday parties because I couldn't bring them a present, there was no one to take me shopping to buy one. They told me it was my fault he was always working.

For the longest time I believed them. I believed I wasn't doing enough for him to want to be with me. When I realized this wasn't the case, I started running. I came back home eventually, but my Father didn't notice most of the time. That's how I made my friends.

When Dad brought Hada home, I thought he was joking. Even if he did find one, he wouldn't give her to me, right? Well, I was wrong. Dead wrong. I think he thought he could heal our relationship with proof, but then he left.

Now I was being kidnapped my some psychopaths obsessed with finding Fairies, and I doubted my Dad would even notice I was gone.

When the man tossed me into his truck, he blindfolded me. There were two men, and they were arguing about what to do with me.

"Just leaver her on the side of the road," the first man said.

"No, she might follow us," the second man countered.

"Then why are we taking her with us?"

"So we can keep an eye on her. She caused enough trouble already."

My mind was racing. I couldn't jump out at highway speed. That was suicide. But agian, so was being at the mercy of these two bone heads.

"And," the second man continued, "there's something different about her."

He said different like I was a broken toy that needed to be fixed in order to be used properly.

"Is she the one?" the first guy asked.

"I dunno, we'll have to find out."

The truck squeaked as it bounced along. I was squashed on the floor between the back seats and the front seats. An attempt to get up, and I was roughly shoved back down. The brakes squealed and the truck lurched to a stop. I was thrown agianst the front seats. The doors opened, and fresh air filled my lungs. It was glorious after being in the stuffy truck.

I was picked up and thrown over someone's shoulder like a sack of flower. I squirmed and thrashed, but my captor held firm. A door opened, shut, and I was shoved into a stiff wooden chair. My hands were tied to it. I started screaming. I didn't know if anyone could hear me, but it felt good.

"Make her stop!" a man commanded.

I felt a bit of satisfaction. At least I could make these people miserable.

I felt my blindfold be pulled down. In front of me stood a woman. She a narrow face, and a long, upturned nose. She had bloodshot brown eyes and hair pulled back in a bun so tight it looked painful. She studied me with unforgiving cold eyes.

"When did you run in to a brick wall?" I asked innocently. Her eyes flashed with anger before subduing.

"We need you to keep your voice intact, please and thank you, so more more screaming. M'kay?" Her voice was shrill and piercing.

I screamed as loud as I could in reply. She jumped back. I smirked. It was the exact reaction I was hoping for. She straightened her dress as though nothing happened.

"Fine, we shall use plan B," she pulled a piece of fabric out of her bag. I sealed my lips shut, but she managed to stuff the gag in. She tied it around my head. I tried to move the chair, but it was stuck to the ground.

I took in my surroundings. The one thing that I noticed was a wall filled with shelves. On those shelves were glass cages filled with Fairies. I scanned the rows. Many were empty. I spotted her. Hada.

She was beside another Fairy. They were leaning towards each other, hands pressed to the glass. She looked at me. Her face was that of utter defeat.

I had to save her, just like she saved me.