OK, so I've never really written a supernatural/thriller/mystery type story before so please bare with me. This is kind of just a test run. So, read and, hopefully, enjoy. D

PROLOGUE

The Myers family had always been the most normal family in the small, isolated country town called Robinsville, named after its founder William Robinson. A normal husband and wife living in their cosy old cottage up on the hill overlooking Robinsville.

They were originally from the city, however, after happy news that Wendy Myers was pregnant, they moved to Robinsville seeking a quiet, comfortable life away from the hustle and bustle that was today's society. And a quiet, comfortable life they led for the first seven years of living in Robinsville. Their beautiful six and a half year old daughter, Abigail, was healthy and well-adjusted to the country life, much to her parents' delight.

Little did they know, their happy life was about to be torn away from them in a series of heart-breaking occurrences.

First, was John Myers' untimely death.

When the family had first arrived in Robinsville, John Myers had followed his life-long dream of opening his own art gallery/store, in which he sold his wife's beautiful paintings. Little did he know, this dream of his would be his undoing.

One fateful morning, whilst John was walking to his store, a cloud of black smoke against the otherwise unmarked blue sky caught his attention. Trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his heart, John hastened to his store and what he saw crushed him.

Hungry flames licked the sides of his art store, feeding off his wife's treasured and most prized paintings. John, overcome with emotion, threw all reasoning out the window as he rushed into the store, intent on saving as many of the paintings as possible.

He died in the fire, whose origin has still been a mystery to the townspeople of Robinsville to this very day.

The Myers and the rest of the town were, of course, utterly devastated at the loss of a loving husband, father and friend.

But this was only the beginning of the heartache due to hit the Myers family.

One cool, clear night in Robinsville, not too many weeks after John Myers' death, disaster was again destined upon the mourning family.

--

Wendy Myers entered the local police station, her hand closed over Abigail's small one and her eyes set determinedly ahead. She was here for a purpose that she was not to be distracted from, not even from the gaping hole in her heart that had appeared the moment she had learned of her husband's death.

"Wendy!" Fiona, the young secretary and close friend of the Myers, sounded surprised to see Wendy standing in front of her desk so… in control.

The last few times Fiona had visited the old cottage on the hill, Wendy had been in emotional pieces with Abigail sitting emotionlessly on the old red rug in front of the cottage's fireplace. It had been so disturbing for Fiona to see her older friend – who was usually so balanced… so happy – this distraught.

"What are you doing here?" Fiona asked, trying to shake the worried tone from her voice.

Wendy cleared her throat slightly and crouched down so her eyes were level with Abigail's. "Abby, sweetheart, will you wait over by the door for me, please?" she asked gently.

Abigail nodded, her face free from all emotion.

Fiona suppressed a shiver. The young girl who used to be so happy and full of life hadn't spoken a word since her father's death, and her expression was always the same… blank. Like she wasn't really there.

Wendy waited for Abigail to take a seat next to the door before turning back to Fiona, who quickly wiped all pity from her expression.

"How can I help you, Wendy?" Fiona asked.

Wendy glanced over her shoulder at her daughter before saying in hushed, but serious, tones, "I think that John's… death wasn't an accident."

Fiona's eyebrows shot skyward. Her eyes strayed over Wendy's shoulder where she caught Abigail's unwavering stare. The six-year-old's bright blue eyes had always seemed beautiful to Fiona, but now she found their depth somewhat unnerving. It was as though Abigail… knew something about something huge.

Clearing her throat slightly, Fiona returned her attention to Wendy, who was watching her through red-rimmed eyes.

"Wendy… Are you sure you want to go into that so… soon?" Fiona asked softly, trying to shake the feeling of Abigail's intense stare off her.

Wendy nodded stubbornly.

Fiona took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "OK… Let's go into Gordon's office then. He hasn't gone home yet," she said finally, referring to the top policeman in Robinsville.

Wendy nodded again.

Abigail watched her mother follow Fiona into Gordon's office. Her small hands clutched together in her lap as the door swung shut behind them. A breeze flowed through the open front door of the station, lifting Abigail's blonde curls off her shoulders. Her blue eyes turned to the area outside the doorway.

A single street lamp cast a circle of yellow light across the deserted footpath and street outside the station. On the other side of the street, just outside of the street lamp's circle of light, Abigail knew there lay a thick forest filled with all sorts of creatures. The same cool breeze that currently played across Abigail's milky skin also rustled the leaves of the forest.

Many children Abigail's age would have been terrified by the noise the leaves were making, their imaginations telling them that giant invisible monsters were the ones making the noise as they brushed past the leaves on their way to steal little children. Abigail, however, found herself slightly entranced by the natural music.

Without a slight change in her expression, Abigail slowly slid off the chair on which she sat, her small shoes touching down on the floor. Her eyes didn't leave the darkness beyond the light as she slowly made her way out of the station's front doors and down the steps onto the lit footpath.

Here, she paused as the breeze picked up once more, causing the rustling of the leaves to become fiercer. Abigail didn't flinch, nor did her gaze waver, as she continued staring into the darkness as though expecting something…

Suddenly, a light flickered into existence just behind the trees. It was not a special light, just a simple, small circle of shining white light hovering in mid air.

Curious, Abigail took a small step forward and the light seemed to draw slightly deeper into the forest. Another step… and the light drew back. Abigail paused, and so did the light.

Robinsville's resident grumpy old man, Mr. Rodgers, shuffled along the footpath to Abigail's right, his eyes glaring at the pavement as he grumbled to himself. It was only when he was about two metres away from Abigail that he noticed her standing there.

"Abigail Myers," Mr. Rodgers stated in his trademark rumbling, grumpy voice, even though his heart warmed slightly at the sight of the young girl.

He had always had a soft spot for the young girl, who used to come around his cottage looking for stories about magical and all things fantasy. He remembered her delighted little face as he whispered secrets about an ancient, magical society over a cup of hot cocoa. She hadn't visited him since her father died.

Mr. Rodgers waited for Abigail to turn to face him with the innocent, beaming smile she always greeted him with, but it was as if the girl hadn't heard him. Her eyes were fixed on something across the road.

The old man followed her gaze but he only saw darkness. A frown appeared in his already-creased forehead as he returned his attention to Abigail.

"Abigail?" he growled. "What are you looking at?"

Abigail didn't reply… didn't even give the smallest hint that she heard Mr. Rodgers' voice.

After a moment or two of standing silently, Mr. Rodgers shrugged off her reaction as a side-effect of her father's death and continued on his way, even though his heart went out for the girl.

Abigail heard Mr. Rodgers' shuffling footsteps as though from a very far distance away. Finally, the sounds of his retreat faded altogether, and still, Abigail only had eyes for the bright light across the street.

A few minutes passed in silence until Abigail finally stepped out onto the deserted street. The light bobbed backward, threatening to disappear out of sight. Abigail sped up and crossed the street quickly, but she stopped in her tracks at the edge of the street lamp's illuminated circle.

Doubts began to flood her mind and she blinked once, twice. It seemed as though she was slowly resurfacing out of a trance.

Suddenly, the light began to grow stronger until it was almost blinding. Abigail's eyes widened and she felt herself step out of the light… and into the darkness.

"Abby? Abigail?"

Wendy Myers stepped out of the police station, frowning as her eyes swept the deserted footpath in front of her. Where was her daughter?

Slowly, panic overcame confusion.

"Abigail? Where are you? Abigail!" Wendy shouted into the still night air.

'Thunk, scraaaaape…'

Wendy paused, breathing heavily, as the sinister sound that crept through the air sent shivers up her spine.

'Thunk, scraaaape…'

Wendy was suddenly overcome with terror. "ABBIGAIL?!"

Fiona hurried out of the police station behind her. "Wendy, what is it?" she asked, her eyes taking in her distressed friend's emotional expression.

"ABIGAIL? WHERE ARE YOU?" Wendy shrieked, tears flooding her eyes.

'Thunk, scraaaaape…'

A sudden chill swept over Fiona. "W – What was that?" she stammered, her eyes wide as she looked around.

'Thunk –'

A thick silence suddenly enveloped the street.

Fiona swallowed, her heart pounding. Wendy's eyes, teary and wild, swept the area.

Silence. Until suddenly…

Abigail's piercing scream shattered the still night air.

Well, I there it is. I hope you liked it. Leave a review to let me know what you think. Thankies!