Sophia

Chapter 1

'So what now?' He asked.

She buried her face in the crook of his neck. His arms strengthened their hold around her small body. His warmth enveloping her in a comfortable blanket.

'This. Us. What would happen to us?'

'Hmm,' she hummed. She was too comfortable in his arms to speak.

'Ella?'

'Sophie!' Two hands shook her awake. 'Sophie! Goodness child you sleep like a log.'

She opened her eyes and looked around her. They were inside Mr. Scotfields beetle parked beside a ten foot concrete fence.

She opened the window and poked her head outside. She looked at the fence, craning her neck to see where it ends.

'This is the place?' She asked Mr. Scotfield while looking around their surroundings.

'Yes, it says so in the letter.' He pulled out a parchment paper from his pocket and handed it to her.

'They sent this to you?' She took the neatly folded paper that was closed with a blue wax seal. 'Who would send this these days? Why not send an email.'

She opened the folded paper and skimmed for the address. 246 Wood Mill, Vargon St.

She looked outside and at the signage that says "246 Wood Mill". Unless they were in the wrong side of the country, this is the right place.

'How do we get inside?' She asked.

She could see an iron gate ahead but she was unsure what to do. She had never been to places like this before. Should they just drive to the gate and wait for it to open?

'I am not so sure, but I think places with humongous fences like these should have one of those automatic buttons.' He answered.

'What do you want me to do?'

'Just drive to the gate and we'll see what we're up against.'

'You're talking as if something's  going to pop out of nowhere.' She turned the ignition on and started driving to the gate.

'I have lived longer than you child. I have seen and experienced things I ought not to.' She shrugged.  She doesn't really like having this kind of conversation when she just woke up.

Mr. Scotfield is a peculiar man. Although he is already in his 80's he doesn't stay in one place for too long. He likes telling people stories about his life, about the people he met and in some rare cases, about creatures he swears he has seen. Its fun listening to his strories, but sometimes he gets so imersed in his storytelling that it becomes too intense.

Stopping infront of the gate she can see the intricate design on it. The black iron bars have vine like designs circling around it. In the middle, a pattern of what looks like a family crest. A tree is in the middle with two swords forming an "X" underneath. Four symbols are placed on the four sides of the swords. A rock, two hands that looked like they are locked in a strong handshake, a crescent moon and a wolf. The same symbols that were on the blue seal of the letter.

'What now?'She looked around the side of the gate. There should be an intercom or a camera on these walls.

She wasn't  finished looking around when she heard a buzzing sound. The gates suddenly opened folding inward.

She looked at Mr. Scotfield, raising one eyebrow in question.

'I guess they have been expecting us.' He said, his attention focused ahead.