A dance with death

Chapter One

The small leaves falling like snow in the hot, summer wind should have been enjoyable. It wasn't. It only made running harder. As I run through the trees of the thick forest surrounding the castle, I catch a glimpse of the safe house up ahead it's tall structure prominent in the clearing up ahead. I pause for a moment to check if the coast is clear, seeing that it is I run for my life across the clearing. How did I get here you ask, well it's a long story. It all started last year on my 18th birthday.

"I'm going out, Jade." My mother yells at me from downstairs, I'm not surprised. My mother has never really looked after me, she has always been more focused on getting her next hit or getting drunk. I hear the front door shut knowing that it won't open for the rest of the weekend, not unless it's my party guests. I've been planning my 18th birthday party for months now, the music, the food, the guests everything. It's going to be epic. My best friend Mariah arrives first to help me put the finishing touches on the house, then I go and get ready. I put on a figure hugging little black dress matched with black heels, I bought the dress last month as an early present to myself. As I start my make up Mariah curls my hair, it's not super long, just past my shoulders and its a dirty blond sort of colour. I finish getting ready with Mariah and we head back downstairs ready to welcome my guests. I pause in the hallway for a minute, looking up at the picture of me and my Dad taken before he passed away. I hear the doorbell and I head off downstairs to welcome my guests, tonight is going to be awesome.

The night went great, no one got too drunk and the cops didn't show. Just how I hoped it would go, as I say goodbye to the last few guests including Mariah tiredness hits me like a freight train. After locking the door I head upstairs to my room and into my bathroom to take my makeup off, after doing so and putting on my pjs I crash into bed and sleep. When I wake up the next day it's 12:30pm, I stretch trying to shake off the tired feeling that still clings to me from last night. I get up and head downstairs to make breakfast, today it's coffee and pancakes. All to myself of course my mother won't be home for a while and I am not phased anymore. After I shower and get dressed I decide to go for a walk, I grab my phone, keys and a jacket because it's a little chilly today and head out.

I walk my usual route instead of running today, I've given myself one day off, hence the pancakes. I don't know if I will have lunch though, the pancakes were very sugary and full of calories. When I get home I head inside and decide to head up to my room, I grab an apple for good measure. I stay in my room for the rest of the day, reading and just chilling out. At 8:00 I hear the door downstairs open and close, I assume it's my mother but I can't hear her usual drunk stumble. I go downstairs to check and find a total stranger standing in my house.