(Carla, POV)  

                               I Breathed heavily as I ran from this monster chasing me my bare feet hitting the floor a cold shiver would hit me every few seconds as I felt its breath on my back the bloody nightgown barely hanging on. I know a grown woman running from a monster in the dark, I know I'm too old to have such stupid fears but that monster is more than just my imagination. As I ran and looked around trying to find an escape. But soon I noticed that the walls looked twisted and deformed the color of them changed and what I thought would lead me to the front door was a straight narrow one-way hallway that left me cornered between the monster and my basement door. Before I could do anything the door behind me opened and there he was the monster or should I say, my father. Gasping I woke up by my sisters and friends Fleur, Kattie her brother Baren, Scottie, and his boss Abitha the movie credits from what we watched last night still playing, the mess from last night had been cleaned up. "I'll have to thank Maud later." I thought moving from the sofa rubbing my eyes the hard edges softening under my hand dry pieces falling from my eyes the pressure of my hands pushing them away.                                                                                                                                                                             I tried to get up as soundless as possible wanting them to sleep in a bit more sense the day would be slow and almost empty in a way, but then I felt a tug on the loose overcoat I looked down to see Clotilda pulling on it. I swatted her hand away and said almost in a strict tone "Don't pull on my suit." with a look that was almost a glare giving her the hint, she lightly scooted back from me and gave a sweet tired smile yawning as she rubbed her eyes before talking her soft moring voice and with moring breath could've been better." sorry I'm still half asleep." she said with a look that could make anyone heart glow from just seeing it."So what I've told you this a hundred times stop making the same mistakes." I said not falling for her cute appearance but hearing sincerity in her voice."I understand." She said almost jokingly. "Good I'm going to start on breakfast, It's 6:40-7:00 am right now so get ready for your day with Sebastian and study while you're at it".I said as I started making my way off the couch and cracking my back the satisfying pop right after. "But it's just the start of a 2-week break." She whined upset. "I don't care the school is shut down you will still study got it, you can't use stupid excuses to get out of your work now when I get done with breakfast you should be fully dressed and study for at least 1 of your main class or 2 off you add on ones, I'll help you with the rest after my meeting before you go. You need to be ready for this stuff before you know it the investigation will be over it only takes a few days." 

                Her eyes lit up as I said that she loved when I helped her with her work, pretty much everyone I knew who has seen me help or teach her has said I'm like her main parent. The three of us have parents but they live in our home country Germany so it's hard for her to get help from them. I was given custody of her when she was 5 my father had to do work, take care of our sick mom, and was not mentally stable enough to raise another child, but he never saw me as his child at least until I turned 17 I was just one of his many problems as he used to say.             

            I almost felt like gagging from the thought of my father if I could call him that, the man I hated with every joint in my body. My sister could tell by my sour expression that I was thinking about HIM, then she brings up something that I have been trying to forget for weeks."You know you promised that you'd come with me and dad today, you've been avoiding him for almost 10 years now please just do this for me, I know you aren't close and you don't see eye to eye right now but please". I tried to brush her off as I started to the kitchen to start on breakfast, still thinking about her words as I heard her footsteps go for the staircase them getting fainter. "Do it for me." Oh how I wished it worked like that, is all I thought as I started up the stove and made sure none of the meat touched Abitha's pre-made salad that just needed a few touch-ups and would be finished ready to be put on the table.                                                                                                                                                                                                           As soon as breakfast was finished everyone was at the table somewhat awake from the smell of meat, eggs, and maybe even from the sound of the blender. I looked at Maud from across the table she gave me a look I had seen before, one I could only describe as one of pity I hated being pitied, but before I could say anything she got up and waved me over to follow her into the living room. Stopping my conversation with Clotilda and following her already anticipating what she was going to say." What." That is all I had to say already knowing why she brought me into the next room."Are you sure you wanna see him you know the last you even had a real conversation wasn't the best? And when you saw him last wasn't either. I mean you haven't even said anything to him even over the past 10 years even just on the phone." Maud said almost as if she was taking a mental check on me."Yes I am, and even if I wasn't I can't go back now I have already rescheduled my afternoon meeting and pushed back an import assignment for this if, so if  I didn't go it just be a waste of a day, and you know Clotilda it counting on me, I need to grow up about this and move on." I could tell that Maud didn't agree with that statement even disagreed on many levels if she could but I didn't let her and went to get ready for work, losing what was left of my apatite with the talk.   

                 After getting out of my meeting I finally got into the car I was just about to put the keys in the ignition before I heard a knock on my car window to see my assistant Cleo. I Rolled Down the window waiting for her to say what she needed the last thing I need this morning is to start a conversation with Cleo. I needed my medicine and didn't have the time for her."Hey, Carla, it's good to see your in a good mood this morning."Cleo said in a sweet almost singing tone she was always got excited when I even gave her the time of day even if it's for a second."Hey Cleo it was at least 20 times better till you knock on my car window." After saying that she had a look of disappointment."Sorry, I just wanted to know if you are okay because I heard your father is coming to visit again. And you're going to spend the day with him you sure we don't have time to stop by your therapist before going, I know your relationship with him so it's probably for the better if you just-."I gave Cleo an annoyed look before I could speak I could hear a woman's voice in the back of my head " It wouldn't be so bad just dropping all of this me and her like old times, even crack open a bottle or two. Just us it sounds almost too perfect."Just like it came I quickly shut the voice out, knowing the reason we stopped talking I couldn't hurt her again not again."No that's okay Cleo I've been going every other week and I just need to take my medicine before he gets here. I should be fine thanks for the concern but it is unneeded." I said almost in a cold way but Cleo seemed to take the hint and said her goodbyes before leaving to go to her car to leave.  

                    As I entered the house I took my phone from my pocket turning it on I looked at the time (noon) on the dot soon after closing the cracked door Clotilda came running down the stairs excited. "Dad will be here in an hour and Maud will be here in 30min coming back from her mourning meeting, come you promised to help me now help," she said winded right after basically jumping off the last few stairs while coming to the door. Before I could even tell her if I even wanted to she pulled me to the couch beside her and we started on her work, papers and her laptop showed different problems math problems and what seemed to be a blueprint for a science project but she wouldn't let me see it. By 12:35 Maud walked into the house her head popped into the living room by the front door as she saw a big empty seat, seeming more tired than usual, I lightly scooted over closer to my little sister as she plopped down next to me."I had the worst meeting ever, a fight broke out, everyone was talking over each other, and the worst part is we made no progress so I had to reschedule for another meeting in two weeks."She said tiredly letting out an exaggerated sigh sinking deeper in the couch."Well, I think you should take a nap and just meet the three of us after lunch, you get so tired at regular meetings and one like that could probably make even me tired." I say as I get off the couch stretching my arms, I start to go up the stairs to change into something different and more comfortable.

                 As I look around my room as I stepped into the darkroom a faint light still showing somewhere ith the darkness. Looking at the pictures of my family and friends I look away before I could lose focus on why I came to my room. Going into the dark walk-in closet switching on the light, soon finding a nice causal dress just for the weather, a dark red nice long sleeve turtle neck dress with thick leggings, and finding the perfect for the sent too. Soon after changing, I looked into the large vanity's mirror as I spread cologne on my neck, front, and back of my dress. I went to sit down putting in new contacts, fixing my mascara and light concealer I looked at the time the dim light in the room didn't help much but I was still able to make out the time despite there being little to no light. The hovering numbers in a blue light show the time in the almost dark room. (12:45). "He should be here by (1:00)." Before looking back to the mirror I felt a strangely cold feeling of dreading almost not wanting me to get up, to look in the mirror but when I did look back a tall pale, dirty blond-haired man stood over me right behind my chair one who looked too much like me for me not to know who he was. As I stared at him in the mirror I could feel a paralyzing cold sensation going past my head as he reached out his hand out inches away from my head press his hand on the mirrors glass causing condensation around his hand to grow like a vine on the side of an old house his skin would have had to been firing hot or cold for that to happen. He leaned down by my ear a wide smirk grew on his lips as he looked down mouthing my name before looking up fully at me his dark blue eyes glaring into mine like thin pieces of ice. As if being let go from my chair in one swift motion I got up letting the chair fall and turned around to no man was behind me. as I got the chair off the floor I kept thinking of Sebastian feeling cold and uneasy I brightened the light in my room and grabbed my overcoat that sat on the back of my chair I left the room to see HIM.        

                                       Standing and waiting in the room right below the long winding staircase Clotidla and Sebastian talking in the middle of the living room, he looked up at me, my bitterness and look of pure disgust seemed to get to him he stepped back as if to give me space "Hello Carla."That is all he had to say after everything that's all, hearing that voice after more than ten years. I felt as if I wasn't supposed to be there at that moment I wanted to run out of the door in pure rage but calmed down and walked down the stairs."Hello Sebastian."      TO BE CONTINUED...