Slowly, the girl and her father reached their destination. "Daddy, are we here?" the girl asked. Her father nodded. "Oh, that's good." she said, as she jumped out of the car after her father. The cold morning air made her step inside her father's trench coat, searching for heat. As she looked up, the girl saw a towering, dark house. Her father began to walk up the short stairs toward it. Her father picked up one of the large, heavy knockers and slammed it down hard against the door. The echoing noise it made shook the girl to the bones. On the other side of the door, the sound of heels was getting louder. The sound of several locks being opened later resulted in the door slowly being opened and reveling a tall, pale woman. "Is this the girl, James?" she said to the father. "Yes," he answered. "do take care of her." With that he took his leave, getting back into the cab and driving off. The girl looks after the cab until she could no longer see it. A quiet tapping brought the girls attention back to the woman standing at the door. "What is your name again?" she asked, annoyed. "Elizabeth, but I go by Lizzy" the girl answered quickly. "Well then, come with me." the woman said, walking briskly into the house. Lizzy followed, wanting to get out of the cold. "The washroom is that way, your room is in the attic, which is up those stairs, the kitchen is in this room and the dinning room is right through those doors." the woman said, pointing to various doors or stairways as she gave their names. "Any Questions?" "Yes, many. Where is my father, why am I here, and who are you?" asked Lizzy. "Your father's whereabouts are not of your concern. You are staying here for a wile until your father can come back. I am a friend of your father's." she answered quickly. "Oh, may I ask of your name?" The woman looked at Lizzy for a minute then answered, "Mary." Then she just walked off toward the kitchen. Lizzy looked up at the stairs and started to head to her room. The old steps creaked beneath her feet as she stepped on them. When she reached the top, another set of stairs caught her eye and she began to climb them also. She reached a door at the top of these and opened it. Her room was small and dusty, it looked as if not even a mouse has been up here in ages. Lizzy quickly walked across the room and opened the window, despite the cold weather. The muggy, stale air was sucked out, letting new, crisp air take its place. A sharp wind passed through the window, blowing dust into a storm. Lizzy covered her eyes, shielding them from the little particles. When the wind stopped, Lizzy looked up to see a boy sitting on the window seal. "Who are you?" Lizzy asked, wide eyed. "I should be asking you that, but my name is Soland." He said, smiling ruefully. "Why are you here?" Lizzy asked, stepping away from the boy. "I'm here to show you something. Now take my hand, we will have to fly to get to it." Soland then stretched out his wings. Large, jet-black wings. Lizzy looked astonished and walked carefully to Soland and took his hand. He smiled again and jumped out of the window, still holding on to Lizzy. Lizzy let out a little scream, but was happy. They flew for a little till they were over a small shopping square. Soland hovered a bit and looked at Lizzy hanging from his hand. "The thing I need to show you is death. My name is Soland, but you may better know me as 'The Grim Reaper'." He said. Lizzy looked at him, her mouth opened, but no sound coming out. "I'm sorry, little one, but I am God's angle of death and your time is up." Soland then dropped Lizzy, to fall to her death 16 miles below. He began to fly away, as he heard a sickening crunch of Lizzy hitting the ground. |