Hearing the faintest sound of voices coming from the livingroom, though soft, Claudia could make out who the people conversing were; it was Johnny and Clara. Warey at first, she slowly began to move forward toward her bedroom door. With her hand on the door handle, Claudia opened the door only to be met by a blast of light and wind causing her to stumble back, blinded. With her body half turned away and face shielded by her long ebony hair, the light instantly subsided and the wind soon followed.
Opening her eyes, she was no longer in her bedroom....she was outside..she was in the woods. Cautiously lifting her head, Claudia tucked her thick locks of dark hair behind her ears, pulling them away from her line of sight so she could better view where she was. The trees were tall and leaves created a bed over the packed soil beneath her feet. It was chilly...a fall night, like the ones she remembered as a little girl at her father's estate in Crimson Point, New York. The nights sky was clear revealing a mass of shining stars and a cresent moon. With her eyes scanning the surrounding area, Claudia slowly turned to look behind her as well, expecting to see more trees and quiet woods....but her eyes widdened at the sight. It WAS her father's estate, a mile or so away in the distance. His mansion was surrounded by acers of untouched woods that Claudia used to explore and play in. Now that she knew where she was, the sense of familiarity overwhelmed her.
"Why am I here..."
She asked herself quietly; half expecting someone to be hiding in the woods listening. And much to her surprise, Claudia heard the voices again....Quickly turning in the direction where the faint sound was coming from, it sounded like Johnny and Clara again...a man and a woman. Starting forward toward the voices, Claudia's healed boots caused the leaves on the ground to crunch as she walked forward. As she walked, it felt like she was getting nowhere....no one was around; Johnny and Clara weren't there. But she could STILL hear the voices. Continuing forward, deeper into the woods, soon Claudia could see a clearing....there was a small cabin; the windows filled with a faint yellow light indicating someone was in there.
"I don't remember a cabin being here..."
Carefully walking to the cabin, Claudia ascended the few stairs leading to the door and opened it.
Dominica: I told you she would come.
Anthony: Predictable and STUPID, just like she's always been.
Dominica: Well she certainly didn't get that from my side of the family.
Claudia's eyes were wide with shock, seeing her mother,
Dominica and father
Anthony standing in the middle of an empty cabin with a single wooden table between them filled with different weapons.
"Daddy? [more surprised to see Dominica]....Mom...?"
Claudia hadn't seen her mother since she was nine years old, after her father had kicked her out of the house for 'stepping out of line'. After their divorce was finalized, as a way to punish Dominica, Anthony gained soul custody of Claudia and refused to allow Dominica to see her. But what was more shocking about this scenerio was the fact that her mother was acting horrible....catty and mean. Claudia felt so safe around Dominica when she was a child. She was caring and gentle...the sweetest and strongest woman she had ever known in her entire life. But seeing her now, she looked almost as evil as her father did.
Anthony: Well now that she's established who we are, we're one step closer to killing the bitch and getting home before dinner gets cold.
Dominica: Now, now, Anthony.....be
fair. This IS your eldest daughter afterall. She deserves a LONG,
painful death for everything she's put this family through. We can't just kill her quickly to make it home in time for dinner. Our baby girl deserves better than that.
Claudia remained motionless, her face portraying fear and agony as she listened to her mother speak so casually and calmly about KILLING her. This WASN'T her mother.....this was Barbas.
"You're going to have to do better than that to get me rattled. Your parlor tricks aren't WORKING, Barbas."
Anthony But they're already working, Claudia. Your pulse is quickening. Your breathing is becoming more labored as the seconds pass. You're doing exactly what you've always done: PRETENDING to be tough and fearless.
As Anthony spoke to Claudia, Dominica reached for a large machete, picking it up and studying it casually. Claudia watched as the light shined against the almost mirror like metal surface, causing her to back away slowly toward the door.
Anthony: Oh! She wants to run!
Dominica: [with a sigh] Really? Claudia? Do you know how expensive these heels are? I would be REALLY disappointed in you if you make me chase you through these woods.
"There is no way in HELL either of you are coming near me! I swear I will rip your world apart, Barbas....This nightmare ends NOW!"
Dominica: That is NO WAY to speak to your mother, Claudia.
"You're
NOT my mother."
Dominica began to move forward, machete in hand. Anthony stood back, looking thoroughly amused by the entire situation.
Anthony: Kids these days.....no respect..
Dominica was only a few feet away from her now. Standing her ground, Claudia lifted hands unleashing a powerful water blast with enough force to blast a hole through a building. The water stream enveloped the entire cabin like a tornado. After a few seconds, she pulled back from her attack. Any normal person [or enhanced being] would have been either killed instantly or knocked unconscious. But as the water dissipated, Claudia's mouth parted in horror seeing Dominica and Anthony standing EXACTLY where they were before. As though the attack never happened, Dominica swung the machete at Claudia, the blade slicing through the air and down Claudia's forearm creating a massive gash that reached the bone. Screaming in pain, the same wound appeared on Claudia's forearm in REALITY; blood instantly flowing freely onto her bed that Johnny had just placed her on minutes earlier.
Anthony: Vital organs, Dominica! Aim for her vital organs for Christ sakes.
Stumbling back against the cabin wall, Claudia tightly wrapped her hand around the wound on her forearm, grimicing in pain as she looked up at her mother starting toward her once again.
Dominica: Come to mommy...
Screaming, Claudia ducked as Dominica swung the machete at her again; the blade getting stuck in the wood logs that made up the cabin. Scrambling out the cabin door quickly, Claudia stumbled down the stairs, falling to her knees on the dirt ground. Fear filled her eyes, and her expression was nothing short of terrified. Pushing herself up from the ground, she coughed out a painful groan [from putting pressure on her bad arm] and quickly began to run into the woods just as Dominica exited the cabin.
] and while it might've been a good time for them to discuss exactly where they stood, they didn't do THAT either… Haleigh, for once, WAS tired and so they settled into bed, into the familiar comfort of each other's embrace. Neither of them falls asleep right away, though… as an apparent temporal phantom begins at the foot of the bed.