Finding a Path

Prologue: Something to Remember

Loud bangs against the doors and windows sounded down the hall as two small feet thudded silently across the wooden floors in the dark. The small red haired girl with gray eyes gasped as shadow jumped at the glass began banging its fists against the window. The young girl's eyes widen in horror and shock as the shadow continued to bang against it. She backed into the wall frighten.

"Show yourself, Sherbert!" The shadow shouted banging against the glass. The little girl's eyes widen even more as she ran down the hallway, her white night gown trailing behind her in a ghostly dance. More shadows began leaping against the windows, screaming Sherbert's name, as the young girl ran past them in fear. Flames were dancing outside the window, revealing human faces. The girl ran to the one room which she knew held the man for all the answers: her father's study. She noticed the door a jar with orange light flooding out into the hallway. The young girl breathed a sigh of relief. Her father was there! He could explain everything and make it all better! She ran toward the door.

"They're here…what will you do?" A man's voice, not her father's, caused the young girl to stop in her tracks.

"What do you mean what will I do?" Her father's voice came out frantic. He sounded scared; the young girl felt surprised. Scared? Her father was never scared of anything. She snuck up to the door and peered through the opening, taking care not to move it any further than it already is. More thundering poundings against their walls made the young girl jump. "They want my neck! You've sworn yourself to me, have you forgotten?" The young girl blinked and focused back onto the conversation.

"…No, I haven't forgotten. My master…" The voice sounded arrogantly and smooth. The girl peered through the opening of the door again, seeing her father on his knees holding his hands up in prayer. He was looking up at someone in the room, his eyes wide with horror and determination. "….what are your orders?" The man's disembodied voice asked. Her father's lips twitched into a terrifying smile, his eyes shone mad with hope. The young girl's eyes widen at the look in his eyes, she couldn't help but feel terrified of them.

"Kill them! Kill them all!" He demanded. The girl's eyes widen at the words and a loud crashing sound caused her to scream and run through the door, into her father's study. She fell on her knees, her father turned around with wide eyes. "Mary?"

"Father!" Mary cried, tears blinding her vision, blurring the man who stood in a dark corner. All she could see was the horrible grin on his face. She squeaked. "Who is he? What's going on!" Her father rushed to her and grabbed her shoulders.

"Yes, why don't you tell her, my Lord?" The man's voice sounded behind her. Mary felt a chill reach her bone. Her father looked at the man with wide eyes.

"You know I can't!" He shouted.

"You know the price, don't you? I said until the end." The voice stated. Mary looked up at the man, her eyes still blurred from the tears. She couldn't see him.

"It's not the end!" He said angrily. Mary looked up at her father with wide eyes as the men's shouts sounded in the hallway now. She jumped and her father immediately, shut and locked the study's room door. He whirled around facing the man. "It's not the end dammit! Now kill them and save me!" Mary's eyes widen at her father's words. What is he saying! Killing's bad! Mary's head soon filled with terror. She burst as out as the same time the man said something.

"As you wish my Lo—."

"Daddy! What's happeni-!"

BANG! Mary's eyes widen at the crimson liquid staining the front of her father's shirt. She looked up at her father's gray eyes which widen in shock as he fell to his knees. Her eyes widen in further as he fell completely to the floor.

"Father!" She screamed running to him as the broke down. She fell beside her father, crying as she tried to get him up, but he was too heavy. "Wake up!" The men looked down at the man and held their guns triumphantly.

"We got him boys! The bastards finally dead!" The leader of the men shouted, the men behind him cheered. "Now what will we do with the brat?" Mary's tear-filled eyes widen and she whipped her head up at the man who referred to her. His eyes were cold as stone. "After all she's the bastard's son."

"Tsk, tsk," The dark man's voice sounded. Mary whirled around, now the man was in shadow and she couldn't see his face. "Wasn't that a bit rude? We were in the middle of a huge discussion." Mary's eyes widen at the coldness and darkness of the voice. Suddenly darkness filled the room and immediately she felt nothing, but cold, her sight gone. Her heart seemed to stop when she heard the men scream, which were suddenly cut off in gurgled sound. Warm liquid splattered onto Mary's face, arms and legs. Darkness faded, the mysterious man was gone and the room was painted in blood. Mary's eyes widen in horror as she saw the men's bodies dismembered, their faces frozen in the horror she was feeling. The fire in the fire place was gone, no light but the moon's revealed the horrific scene. Something caught the corner of her eye at the fire place, she turned slowly and shakily as her eyes widen in horror.

"Contract finished!"

"!" Mary's small scream sounded throughout the mansion.