Chapter 1 Arrival

It was a huge house on a long acre of green hills. In the far distance lay the old castle where she used to play. She walked up the stone steps and knocked on the door. The strain from her suitcases was killing her arms, and she desperately wanted a place to drop them. She had walked up the hill carrying them, from the small dirt road beneath where the cab let her off. She knocked again. What could be taking them so long? Why was she here? It was absolutely nuts, she was almost old enough to live on her own, why would they move her all the way out here? She knocked again. He medium length brown hair was getting in her face, the red streaks faded, and she felt tired and weak in the knees. Was she nervous? This has got to be a joke, they could at least have met me down on the road, I don't think I like it here already.. As the thought passed her mind the door finally opened and an old wrinkly, reasonably tall woman came out. "Ah! Raye it is so glad to finally have you here!" The woman's unbelievably firm and strong arms wrapped around her, and she squeezed Raye tightly. "I am terribly sorry about your mothers accident...but you sure have grown tall since I last saw you!" "Yeah, I guess. Um you must be aunt." "Margaret. Everybody calls me Marge though. You sure have grown.." Obviously, the last time she saw me I hadn't even hit the 1-year mark. "Here, come inside, I'll show you to your room and introduce you to your cousins. Unfortunately, Dana and Linda are out and about till tomorrow, but Esther." A small boy about 10 stepped out from the shadows. He was dressed in a small brown suit with brown shorts. One look at Raye and he trotted off. He must be the grandchild, the son of her oldest daughter, um what was her name..Diane, that's it. She was the one who died in that horrible accident. Freaky. "He's a shy one.. anyways heres your room" Marge led Raye into a small wooden walled room with a cot in the corner and a dresser on the side. "I hope it will be okay..the bed is quite comfortable after a while" The rest of the rooms were furnished and extremely old fashioned rich looking. She's supposed to be loaded, why do I get the dung hole. "Now there dear, I'll let you get settled, it will be late soon, so I'll make you a sandwich and you can get some rest and we can talk in the morning" "Sounds good, thank you." Marge left and came back 10 minutes later with a sandwich which she handed to Raye. "Night, I set your alarm for 6:00, I'm heading into town tomorrow and your welcome to come" Six? Does she think I have an unlimited supply of energy? Raye nodded and the old woman left the room. Raye sighed and went to take a bite out of the sandwich. A green slime like substance oozed from the still crusted bread. Raye was caught off guard and spoke out loud. "Uhhhhgh what is this Irish guacamole or something? She set it down on the dresser and laid back on the bed. Her arms were soar and she was tired. She looked to the open doorway where the younger boy, Esther, stood. "Ah you spooked me, shouldn't you get to bed too?" He stared blankly at her and gave a half smile, then walked back to his room upstairs, directly above Rayes. Riiight. Demonic children and poisonous food. This will be fun! She flicked the switch of the old Victorian lamp and dozed off.