Grace's Path

Chapter Five: School

“Are you telling me, that that girl who is sleeping on the couch in your upstairs apartment is Shredder’s daughter?”

“Yes, for the last time dude, yes, she is Oroku Saki’s daughter,” Casey snapped. “Or at least she thinks.”

“She thinks or she is,” the first voice said, sounding really unhappy.

“Look, just trust me on this.”

“Can you please keep it down out there?” I shouted and glared out the window at Casey. “I am trying to sleep.”

“Sorry Grace,” he said back and I rolled my eyes, slamming the window closed and flopping back on the couch.

April walked in and turned the fan on, seeing as the window was the source of the cool breeze that had been flowing through.

“Sorry April,” I mumbled and I looked at her from my spot on the couch.

“It’s fine, Grace,” she smiled and turned to leave, heading to her room and turning out the lights.

“April?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t judge me but do you have any candles around anywhere with some kind of scent about them?”

“I might do. Why?”

“Well, I always sleep with a candle burning beside me and it always smells of apple and rhubarb.”

“I do have one of those scented candles somewhere.”

April rummaged in the kitchen before an ‘Aha’ was emitted from her mouth. She grabbed a candle holder and placed the candle on the table in front of the couch, lighting it.

“This my favourite scent,” she whispered and sat down. “My daughter, before she was taken, would always ask to have this scent of candle in her room somewhere. It was almost like a comfort thing.”

“I may not know you’re daughter, but she sounds like an awesome kid,” I smiled and April looked at me.

“She would be seventeen, turning eighteen in two months.”

My eyes widened and I sat up.

“I turn eighteen in two months, 24th of December.”

The older woman stared at me, her mouth hanging open.

“What are the chances of that being a coincidence?”

“I think one in a million.”

Casey burst in and I jumped, a hand flying to my fast-beating heart. I glared at him and he snickered, heading to the main bedroom.

“Night Grace.”

“Good night,” I whispered and closed my eyes.

“Grace, it’s time.”

I looked up to see my father looming before me. My breathing became heavier but I wasn’t myself. I was looking on as a by stander, watching as an eight year old girl stood up and made her way over to Saki. Another girl, with short black hair and a red bandana wrapped around her forehead to tie up at the back of her head and the same age, was already knelt in front of Saki. 

My first fight.

Karai looked up at Saki and I saw a devilish grin spread across her face. Something happened and the eight year old me was on the ground, struggling to breath. Saki shook his head.

“You are a disappointment Grace,” he hissed and the younger me sat up, tears in her eyes.

“Daddy, I tried but I’m not as good as Karai,” she whimpered and Saki turned his back to her.