BEAUTIFUL NIGHTMARE

CHAPTER ONE: NEW SURROUNDINGS

"RIVER?"

The quiet girl sat in the window seat on the second floor of the house worry eating away at her insides, it was Ashley, she was there to give her the speech she gave her every time, how she hoped she wouldn't have to see her return to the orphanage again or how she hoped this home would work out. They never did. And she'd grown used to that.

It had become routine for the sixteen-year-old, she couldn't imagine a life apart from bouncing from each foster home before she was sent back to the orphanage, it was something that had started when she was young and had carried on into her late teen years.

"River."

The girl turned away from the window her eyes glazed over from the chemicals she'd been using twenty minutes prior, "she's here."

Several thoughts ran through the brunettes head one of them being how she knew this was yet again just another temporary visit away from the orphanage. Ashley eyed her expression for a brief moment before plopping a bag down on the floor beside her.

She flicked her eyes to the bag the small emblem on the front reminding the girl that it belonged to her. She slipped out of the window seat her small feet padding across the wooden flooring as she reached down to grab her bag, Ashley watched as she did this her eyes alone pleading that she try and make things work.

As usual, River did her best to keep from looking at Ashley knowing it would only set her aflame with guilt. The older girl stepped aside so the reluctant teen had full access to the wooden staircase that laid in front of her. Ashley brought her hand up to give the girls shoulder a gentle squeeze her hand never making contact with the fabric covering it as River moved away from her in a single swift motion.

The older girl seemed somewhat hurt over this action but let it go, she watched with a sad smile as the troublemaking teen descending the stairs, the crown of her head being the last bit of her she saw before she disappeared completely to the first floor.

The keeper- the woman who watched the orphans; Marie- was already talking to the woman she was going to be sending River home with that evening, the majority of the details had already been worked out, the woman would check in with Marie every few days giving her updates and such, when she started having problems with River was when she would send her back.

Both women turned at the noise of footsteps, both sets of eyes stopped at the sight of the teen standing on the final step, she lingered there hoping that maybe if she didn't take the last step she'd be able to avoid going with the strange woman.

Marie waved her over offering a smile, "River, meet Ms. Lebanoia." the teen let her eyes roam over the woman trying to figure out what her deal was, she was wearing scrubs- she had to work at a hospital or small clinic of sorts, she was currently wearing them and it was only five in the afternoon, she was probably heading off to work soon- she had no rings occupying any of her fingers; she wasn't married, but she didn't forget that she could possibly have a partner waiting for her at home.

"It's nice to meet you." the woman offered River her hand with a smile perking her lips. The teen remained on the last step watching as she emitted a small sigh from her small lips and let her hand fall to her side, she checked her watch before giving Marie an apologetic look, "if everything's in order, is it alright if we leave? I have work in an hour and if I'm late they'll dock my pay."

Marie nodded her head waving them on, she turned to the table they'd been standing around picking up a stack of papers. She straightened them into a neat stack before handing them over to the wavy-haired woman, "thank you."

The woman made head for the door leaving River in her wake as if she expected her to follow, Marie quickly crossed the space between the table and the stairs leaning in to whisper to the orphan, "River, please try to make this work."

Her new foster parent had stopped at the front door glancing back to see Marie standing beside the girl she was to take home, Marie gently patted her shoulder almost letting out a sigh once the girl had moved from the staircase to slowly trail behind the possible adopter.

"So."

The woman- whose nickname she was unaware of- turned to glance at her while she stopped by her car, she pulled her keys out and unlocked the doors gesturing for River to climb into the passenger's seat, "you work at a hospital. I'm guessing the night shift?"

She furrowed her eyebrows as she slipped the key into the ignition pausing to fully look at the teen currently sitting in her car, "how-?"

River gestured to her clothing, "you're wearing scrubs, your hair isn't messy or half attempted, meaning you weren't in the middle of a shift, and you didn't just finish one." she nodded her head smiling slightly as she brought the car to life, "you're definitely smart."

Those were the last words they exchanged within the next twenty minutes as they pulled away from the orphanage, she caught a glimpse of Ashley in the window seat absently watching her from above, it was like a final goodbye of sorts, as if she knew River wouldn't be returning, Ashley would later commit arson at their public high school- killing four people in the ordeal- before getting sent to a juvenile detention center, where she would await adult sentencing.

Her lawyer would then advise her to plead insanity, she would instead go on to explain how the boy in her head had told her to do it, how he had said he would kill her friends if she didn't, not but a week and a half later she would be delivered to Eichen house, or as they liked to call it; Echo house.

River would never see the girl again.

She faced the long stretch of road ahead of them as they sped down the concrete, "can you get my phone out of the glove box?" she glanced from the woman- whose preferred name she'd yet to learn- to the glovebox easily pulling up on the handle, it slowly fell open revealing the electronic and plenty of legal documentation on the car they were currently driving.

The adolescent handed her the phone watching as she expertly glanced from the road to her phone several times typing in between glances, finally, after a few nerve-racking minutes, she brought the phone to her ear and waiting for the receiving end to answer.

She listened as the line clicked and she began to speak, "hey Scott, it's me, Gen."

So that was her name, River filed that bit of information away into her cabinet of records, she'd be able to recall the name easily once she was sent back, just like the rest.

"I have to work in..." she checked her watch reaching up to adjust the phone pressed between her shoulder and ear while she drove, "less than half an hour, I was wondering if I ordered takeout, would you be alright with picking it up and bringing it to my house? I have someone over and I don't want her to be alone her first night here."

River rolled her eyes at the mention of her knowing that this was heading nowhere good, "yeah, I'll call and place an order now." she spoke into the receiver nodding her head as the person- his name being Scott- answered.

She smiled quickly glancing over at the girl, she'd been silent most of the drive except to ask about her job. "Thanks Scott, if you don't cause any trouble I'll talk to your mom about letting you use the car this weekend." she pulled the phone away from her ear quickly ending the phone call, she set her phone beside her the small device bouncing along as they drove.

"When we get to the house, I'll show you your room and place the order for dinner, is Chinese alright?"

River nodded her head turning to stare out the window, "okay, so, I'll place the order, and then I have to head off for work, my friend's son is going to drop by with the dinner and hang around for a bit, I don't like leaving you alone in the house on your first night." she explained, she slowly tuned out what the older woman was saying her ears quickly focusing in when she started speaking about where she lived.

"You'll be starting school tomorrow at Beacon High, Scott goes there too." River tried her best not to appear angry despite the amount of rage that was currently boiling beneath her skin, "that's an entirely different county."

Gen nodded her head the information having already been common to her, "I submitted your papers yesterday morning." the young brunette did her best to manage her anger balling her right hand into a fist, she stared out at the road as a sign became visible.

WELCOME TO BEACON HILLS.

As they passed, one of the legs supporting the sign snapped causing Gen to glance in her rearview mirror to try and figure out what had happened, "that's weird." she mumbled, River gently uncurled her fingers settling them into her lap as she bent them back in the opposing directions.

Not but ten minutes later they pulled into a small driveway, the house belonging to it was exactly what she'd expected, plain, dark blue paint covering all sides with white trim to go with it, Gen climbed out of the car taking her phone with her. She retrieved her small set of keys from her pocket dialing a number into her phone while she glanced through the keys.

It was only a matter of seconds till she found the right key quickly going up the front walk to the door, she slipped the key into the lock pushing it open, River tightened her grip on her bag creeping inside behind the woman.

"Yes, I'd like to place an order for pickup." she switched the phone to her opposite ear gesturing to the stairs, River followed her up the lengthy set a rush of relief flooding her once they reached the top, Gen glanced behind her happy to see the girl had understood her, she led her down the hall stopping in front of one of the many white doors on the level.

Twisting the cold knob in her naturally warm palm she pushed the door open letting it glide on its own accord, River glanced inside seeing that the basics were there, a bed, a dresser, a nightstand, and a desk, however, the one thing that stuck out to her was the bookshelf.

There was something about it, maybe it was the wood, or the number of books it contained, it drew her in, almost like a magnet.

"I'm leaving now!" the girl glanced out into the hallway trying to locate the woman, "Scott should be here in about fifteen minutes!"

She listened as the front door slammed closed a few moments later the sound of the car being brought to life filling her ears, she waited until the sound had dulled to set her bag inside the room, she felt uneasy about the house, as if something was wrong with it.

She silently closed her bedroom door staring at the painted wood, she had never been alone on her first night in a new home, this was entirely new terrain for her. Using this to her advantage, the brunette teen explored the second floor quickly locating the bathroom and discovering what purposes the other rooms held.

Time must have been passing faster than she had cared to think, when she left the laundry room a knock came from the front door downstairs, she flinched at the noise having been caught off guard.

BEAUTIFUL NIGHTMARE

CHAPTER ONE: NEW SURROUNDINGS