Chapter one

It's all about believing.

A little girl named Mary Wingston happily trotted down the paved path through the flower garden while singing a children's rhyme from the days of old. The song was accompanied by the birds joyful singing and the leafs gentle rustling as a gentle breeze swept over them. It was a truly fine day and the sun was shining brightly on the blue heavens as fluffy clouds sailed by in a lazy fashion; creating, if you had an imaginative mind, anything at all. Since it was late spring all the flowers were blooming, sending their pleasant scent swirling through the air. The warm early summer weather drew out the people from their homes to enjoy the sun and the smell of flowers as long as it lasted, putting away the winters thick clothes and taking out the summers thinner ones.

The girl Mary was no exception and was in fact, as earlier mentioned, trotting down the paved path in the flower gardens since it was so nice outside and her mother had told her to catch some fresh air. She was about seven, perhaps eight years old and had long golden hair tied back into a pair of cute pigtails with pink little ribbons. Her large gray eyes twinkled behind the long eyelashes she had been blessed with, pink lips curling into a small smirk. A natural beauty, the adults would say when they thought she wasn't listening. She would become a very beautiful woman when she grew up! If only she would act like a proper lady should and not run around like one of those street rat kids, tumbling through the dirt and making her pretty dress filthy and torn. She also enjoyed collecting nasty creatures in her pockets such as frogs, lizards and crickets that she then would put in places where they should not be, such as the guests soup or someones purse! She was especially fond of those big and warty toads that lived in the pond, there she could sit for hours and study the sturdy little creatures, talking or singing to them.

All these less attractive qualities often got her into trouble and had gained her a beating more then once in her life. But alas, even the most persistent of nannies and teachers gave up their hope of her ever turning into a proper lady that one day would marry a rich man, just like all the other high society ladies. Little Mary would never be able to get married, she would forever be the black sheep and shame of the Wingston family. At least that was what everybody thought and whispered behind their backs, giving her parents pitying looks and saying things such as: “Those Wingstons! I do feel sorry for them, seeing that they have such an outrageous daughter! Such a rude and blunt little thing she is, mark my words!” and the other would whisper in answer. “I say they go far too easy on the gal, she needs to learn some respect and should be given a good hard spanking! Being such a bother and always up to some kind of mischief!”

Oh no, oh dear! Little Mary would never do as anyone wanted and expected of her! She was stubborn as a mule but also quite intelligent, as well as possessing a great talent for making up clever traps. Every time she heard anyone talk bad about her or her parents she would always come up with a good way to get a suitable revenge. The person in question could end up with a rotten fish under their bed or have their favorite garment buried in the garden, once she had even stolen a lady's precious golden locket and thrown it into the pond! It had been found eventually and the lady had been enraged, however no one could pin it on little Mary!

Mary smiled to herself and glanced up at the sky, feeling exceptionally pleased with herself this day. Earlier she had managed to steal a bunch of cookies from the kitchen and sneaked them into her room, hiding them under a loose floorboard by the fireplace. Later that night she would crawl out of bed and eat a few of the delicious things. Hmm, perhaps she should try to get some lemonade too? No, that would not do, her nanny would become suspicious if she came up with such a request. But it did not matter, cookies are cookies and nothing else was needed!

She began to whistle to herself, skipping from rock to rock in a quick fashion, mentally creating a certain pattern that she had to follow or else she would fall down in the black abyss of doom! And down there, deep beneath the ground, an evil ice dragon would be waiting for her, throwing her into a cage made of crystal where he kept other children he had captured. Then... he would cook them all like pigs over an open fire and eat them for dinner with some boiled babies at the side.

Suddenly her world toppled over and she fell face first onto the ground, scratching her hands and her knees when she tried to soften the fall, tearing her new skirt in the process. It hurt, but it was nothing she couldn't deal with. Mary was not like other girls that would start sobbing pathetically just because they broke a nail or saw a mouse. With determination she slowly got to her feet and brushed off most of the dirt that had attached itself to her stubbornly.

”Are you alright, little miss?” a scratchy voice asked and she quickly looked up to find the source of it.

An old man stood about ten feet away from her; clothes rumpled and looking quite scruffy with its numerous patches placed here and there, they were a bit dirty too it seemed. On his head he wore an old blue hat that had a big yellow flower sticking out of the green band like some kind of flag. His long white hair seemed to float around his head like wispy clouds or dandelion down growing out of his very skull. His wrinkled skin was dry and tanned from many hours spent out in the sun, but it was his eyes that drew attention. They were light blue, like a pair of warm ice chips if that makes any sense?

”I'm fine.” she said, putting her nose in the air. ”And who are you?” she asked, giving him a demanding look. ”This is my garden and as far as I know you are not welcome here!”

The old man just chuckled; voice sounding a bit like cracking glass, then he grinned and took off his hat to preform a mock bow in her honor.

”My name is Lucifer Gains, little miss.” he told her with a merry twinkle in his eyes. ”A noble gentleman who happens to live around here.” he winked with a sly grin.

Mary blinked surprised, not quite sure of what to say.

”That's impossible!” she then exclaimed. ”This is my mansion and my garden! The only people who live here are me, my parents and the servants... Are you one of my servants? I've never seen you before.”

Lucifer smiled slightly and shook his head.

”I am not your servant, my dear, but do I live here!” he made a wide gesture, throwing his arms to the side and spinning on the spot.

The little girl raised an eyebrow at him. The guy was completely insane! ... she liked that.

”Really? Where is your house then?” she asked, now even more curious about this strange man that had suddenly popped into her life, unannounced and unexpected with a pocketful of mysteries.

”Oooh, the little miss would like to know where I live?” he crowed before laughing like the madman he was. ”Such an honor!”

”Yes, I really do want to know.” she admitted, straightening her dress a little. ”You seem interesting enough, show me where you live or I'll go tell mother and father that you are here and then they'll throw you out because you really aren't allowed in here and then the police will get you and put you into jail!” she was quite certain that that would get him really scared and make him beg her not to tell anyone about his presence.

But she was gravely mistaken. The old man just cackled yet again, bending forward in laughter and pointing a mocking finger at her persona. Mary frowned offended and put her hands on her hips, stomping her foot angrily. Here she was threatening him and he just laughed at her!?

After a while Lucifer managed to regain his calm, then with a hand clapped over his mouth and the other on his stomach he peered at her with still laughing eyes for a few seconds before finally speaking.

”You are a funny one, little miss!” he told her with that crooked smile of his. ”Very funny indeed!”

”And why is that?” she asked, pouting and eyes narrowed in a way that she hoped looked aggressive. How dared he make fun of her!

”Because, the only one who can see me is you, little miss!” he said, head tilted like a dogs.

”That's impossible!” she exclaimed loudly, waving her arms.

”Well of course it isn't, little miss!” he replied. ”It's all about believing!”

She blinked.

”What do you mean?” she asked puzzled.

”Exactly what I said. It's all about believing!” he chuckled. ”The only one who can see me is you, because you are the only one believing that I am truly here!”

Little Mary was confused, how can anyone be there but not be there and only be there because she thought he was there and only because she was the only one that believed that he truly was there? It was mindbogglingly what he had just stated and for some reason she found herself believing him... no matter how crazy it sounded. His words sounded true enough... didn't they?

”Now then, little miss, how about we go home to me and have a nice cup of tea?” he asked, holding out his hand for her to take.

”I hate tea.” she stated. ”Tastes awful.”

”Then we will just make you some lemonade and have some cookies? I know you like them.”

”Fair enough.” she agreed and took his hand, letting him lead her away.

-x-x-x-

Hmm... I need to work on making my chapters longer... I can write 15-pages per chapter when it comes to fanfiction... but not when I write these kinds of things, ugh.

I am going to work some more on this chapter, this is just a first version I guess. I've already written two more chapters, though they need fixing up.

I'd very much like an opinion! So please review!