The Dolls

Prologue

The young boy ran as fast as he could. He regretted ever listening to his friends, who had sent him, unwittingly to his death. At 14 years old, his stamina was bottomless, his heart strong. But it seemed, not strong enough. They were gaining on him. The brambles and low branches of the pine forest whipped across his face and chest with painful regularity, drawing red lines of blood and whelps. He barely noticed, the stinging sensations not acute enough to drown out the terror, to stifle the fear he felt in his heart. It talked...By the holy father in heaven, it actually turned it's head and talked to me.The boy tried to shake the memory from his mind. It was impossible he knew, what he had just experienced, but that hadn't stopped it from happening. His parents had spent his whole life assuring him that monsters weren't real, that the dark underneath his bed, or lurking in the shadows of his closet was simply that, darkness. They were wrong, he thought bitterly as he leaped over Ferguson's creek with a single bound. He was only absently aware that he had never been able to make this jump before, the distance too great for his small legs. Tonight though, he cleared it with ease, landing far beyond what he thought he was able. In fact, had it been twice the distance, it wouldn't have mattered. He would still have made it, as fast as he was moving. They were behind him now. He could hear the supernatural whispers and eerie language they spoke floating across the crisp night air. Even over his thundering heartbeat, he could occasionally make out the snaps and pops of the fallen leaves and twigs close behind, reminding him that the chase was far from over. He still had a long way to go before he reached the road that lead back to town, back towards home, and the relative safety of his house. A large root that was curling up from the loamy soil snagged the boy's left foot, sending him hurtling to the moist earth.

He crashed hard, managing to throw his hands out in front of him just in time to save his face from a dangerous looking thorn bush that was only inches away.Get up and run, they are still coming.He listened to the voice in his head; the clear, cold, voice of reason. If onlyhe had heeded it's warnings earlier.Shooting to his feet, he took off again, sprinting flat out, aware that he would tire quickly at this pace, but desperately trying to put some distance between himself and the...things, that were hunting him relentlessly. Risking a quick look back, he saw nothing but the black and gray of the woods at night. It appeared as if something sinister had stolen all color from the world, leaving only shadow in it's wake. It reminded him of the black and white movies his mother loved so much. The ones he hated, and begged her to change. Tonight though, he would trade anything, anything at all, to be sitting next to her on the family's ragged leather couch, watching those old movies. A sharp crack sounded in front of him, and he veered off to his right, in the direction of the old quarry. He winced internally, realizing that if he chose this direction he was intentionally putting himself in a bad spot. Hewould be trapped between a deadly drop off on one side and the monsters chasing him on the other. Or even worse than that, their master, who he couldn't even bring himself to picture in his head. His fate decided, he did turn, too afraid of what could be in his path if hekept towards the road. A second later his heart leaped from his chest as he saw an army of demonic creations emerge from the path in front of him, cutting him off and effectively herding him towards the quarry. He had no choice left in the matter. The devil had decided his course. His blood coursed through his veins at super sonic speed, all thoughts of fatigue swept away with one glance at the things trying to over take him. I will never let them catch me...even if I have to jump. I won't end up like them.His eyes hardened at the thought, and he clenched his fist tighter as he closed the distance to the black pit that loomed out of the liquid pools of night all around him. The boy screamed, in both pain and defiance, as he felt a fire trace across his right calf. He spared only a half second to confirm his

suspicions, and immediately he wished he hadn't. The rusty kitchen knife glistened menacingly in the frail light of the half moon. The blade was too dull to reflect the illumination, but his blood was not. It shimmered in crimson and gray, and the boy swore he could see the reflection of the horrid abomination which held it, peeking back at him across it's ruby surface. Although adrenaline fueled him, staunching the pain that would otherwise have been unbearable, the boy suddenly found himself slowing. His leg was betraying him, refusing to obey his mind's command. I am cut deep, he realized with a shock. Too deep. The muscles that were left, the scant few that had been spared the blade's grisly edge, were not enough to propel him at his desired speed. I'm not going to make it.Gritting his teeth in determination, he pushed himself to unheard of limits, beyond what his body was capable. The pace he set was too much,and in only scant minutes he would collapse from exhaustion he realized, but it mattered little. He saw what he sought straight ahead. Behind him, he heard the voices of the monstrosities calling to him, laughing. They had him trapped and they sensed his hopelessness. At that moment, he hunkered down, pulling his arms in tight to his body, and lowered his head, protecting his eyes, as he hit a wall of decaying thorn bramble at full speed. He never slowed as he tore throughthe dying vegetation, earning him a thousand small lacerations. Even as scared as he was, he felt the pain intensely, more so than his leg, which had gone frighteningly numb.It's okay, he thought to himself, I won't need it much longer. In his head, he said a quick prayer to Jesus, asking him to keep his parentssafe. They didn't need to suffer for his mistake this night. Emerging from the small forest, trailing a host of unidentifiable evil entities behind him like a line of flame, the young boy crossed the last few feet of ground between him and a quick death. He could not let these things take him, not if breath remained. He could never allow themto drag him back to their unholy master; not to her. To die quick would bea far better thing. God would forgive him, he was sure. How could he not? Directly in his path, no more than ten feet away was salvation, in the

form of a yawning chasm, cut open by man's never ending desires. It sat in the verdant green country side like a scab on a knee, and it was that terrible deep that the boy was yearning for as he leaped. A few seconds of rushing air, a moment of panic, then the bone crunching impact as he hit the rocks two hundred and thirty feet below. Either that, or end up in Hell. It was no contest. He was deathly afraid of falling, of dying, but that fearpaled in comparison to his fear of meeting her, again.He screamed as he crossed the threshold, out over the wavy emptiness... and impacted the newly erected chain link fence.

Chapter 1

Arella fell to her knees and sighed heavily. The bucket of washwater was heavy, and she had just carried it over a quarter mile. She turned her demure head and flipped a stray tangle of redish blonde hair from her eyes, thinking of the story of Cinderella. Casting a disdainful look into the swirling liquid, she tossed an acrid smelling bar of lye soap into the depths, and took a moment to catch her breath. Her right shoulder ached from lugging the bucket back from the well, which was situated on the far side of the property. There was one closer, just out of the back door and near the garden, but she was forbidden to use that one. That one was reserved for the family's personal use, and servants weren't allowed to draw from it. She thought back to the story of Cinderella again, imagining how it seemed to parallell her own tragic life. It was at that moment she looked up from her prostrate position on the cobble stone floor. She spied the mansion's governess who had just walked into the kitchen and fixated her severe gaze on Arella's kneeing form. She'd make a wonderful evil stepmother, Arella thought. She was dressed the part, in a dark smock with white trim around the cuffs and collar, reminicient of puratan times when all women were forced to don such hideous outfits. "Miss Burguess..." the governess scolded, using Arella's last name as usual. There was no familiarity with the help. "Ma'am?"Arella answered, smilng weakly, as she reached into the soapy

water, fishing for her scrub brush. "Less daydreaming and more scrubbing. This entire kitchen must be cleaned top to bottom before the evening meal. I realize you are relatively new on the staff, so consider this your first and only warning. Idleness is the devil's tool, and is not permitted. Do you understand?" she asked crossing her arms. "Yes ma'am. I certainly do. I'll try to do my very best, thank you." Arella responded, giving her a full smile this time, before slopping suds everywhere and going at the muddy cobble stone with abandon. The governess scowled for good measure and huffed up her nose before gliding out of the room. Arella thought that she looked every bit like a shark cruising the shallows, seeking beach goers to attack. Back and forth she swept her small brush, which was a block of wood with stiff bristles of fire baked reed sticking out on one side. Back and forth, up and down, she worked, and the hours slipped by. By the time the entire kitchen floor was properly cleaned, she was close to exhuastion. Now both shoulders ached instead of just the one. Getting mud and clay out of authentic 17th century cobble was a chore not suited to the faint of heart. Carefully standing, winching at the pain in her knees from the recent punishment they had endured, Arella picked up her bucket of filthy water and used a dirt stained hand to wipe a line of sweat from her brow. Thank the maker, she whispered, and turned around just in time to run right into Kassia. "Watch what your doing you little tramp!" the new comer exclaimed, throwing up her arms and shaking her head angrily.Arella gasped as she heard the voice. Kassia was one of the "guests" summering at Ivyhaven, the formal name of the tobacco plantation that employed her. She was a Devonshire, whose family was known far and wide. It was symbolic with power and wealth. The name also carried a haughtiness with it, and a predisposition to believe that having "Devonshire" as a surname automaticly meant that anyone not born into your family was beneath you. Kassia was no exception, but oddly enough, always seemed far more polite than the rest of her kin. Only Arella seemed to incurr her full wrath, although she was hard put to see the reason why. "My apologies madam." Arella tossed out, meaning to skirt around the dumpy looking red head. Kassia was short and plump, with hair as crimson as freshly spilled blood. Her tempermant reflected this fact

beautifully. She felt a hand grip her wrist as she made the attempt, and she stopped, turning to face the shorter female. "Hold on a minute, girl." Kassia spat, venom dripping from her words."Yes?""I've been meaning to talk to you about my rooms."Arella tried to put on a face of interest, but it wasn't easy. Besides, she waskitchen help, not a maid. Kassia shouldn't be bothering her about such things. "My linen has not been washed in a week. And also, my riding boots are inneed of a fresh coat of polish. I expect those to be taken care of promptly!""I'll let the maids know ma'am." Arella stated, again trying to wrest from her grasp and make a bee line for the door leading outside, so she could dump her bucket of dirty water."Maids?" Kassia huffed, "I'm telling you. You take care of it." she said, an evil twinkle in her eyes. Arella was about to protest,to explain that she didn't service the guest rooms, when Kassia jerked her arm painfully."Did you hear me?" she bellowed, her face turning as hot as her hair.Arella took enough time to swallow her anger and take a steadying breath.If she didn't, there was no telling what she might do. "Yes, I heard you." she replied, a mediocrum of edge to her voice. The moment she blurted the reply, she regretted it. Kassia stopped, her whole body ridgid. She had noticed the emotional slip.The faint line of a mischevious grin began to creep it's way into Kassia's features."Give me an excuse. Please. I'm begging you. Just one reason to have you tossed from the mansion on your pretty little poppit."So that was it, Arella reasoned. It was jealousy, plain and simple. She chided herself for not seeing it earlier, but the long hours and back breaking work demanded all of her attention."As soon as I'm done with the kitchen chores, I'll see to your errands." Kassia stood there in the middle of the kitchen, still facing her, her brown eyes searching Arella's face for any hint of insubordination. "See that you do." she said finally, and then mercifully, left in a hurry, backout in to the corridor that led into the mansion proper. The moment she was gone, Arella let her anger out of it's cage."Stupid, stupid, ugly little serpent!" she vented, squeezing the handle of her bucket so hard her knuckles turned white, the rest of her body shaking

uncontrollably. "How I hate her so!" After a few more minutes Arella got her blood pressure down to managable levels, but was left with a splitting headache. It was always like this, every time she met the horrid little canker. "Someday, she'll get what's coming to her." Arella promised herself, stepping outside into the brisk Autumn air.

Jenna woke in a cold sweat, sitting straight up in her bed. The crazy dream still floated and danced in her mind, fighting to hold it's tenability against the onslaught of reality. Who were those people? Some strange movie she had watched long ago and then forgotten? She ran a hand across her face, feeling the pale sheen of perspiration that lingered in the cool air of her room. Confused, as was sometimes thecase when she first awakened from a realistic dream, Jenna glanced across the tiny attic room to her window. It was still dark. Not even the hint of dawn. Rolling her eyes, she turned to her night stand, which was nothing more than a card board box filled with romance novels. There was no use unpacking , she was leaving for Ivy haven mansion in the morning anyway. The battered digital clock which graced the make shift night stand sat silent and black. Power failure again. This was the fourth time in as many days. She shook her head in the gloom, although everything remained the same no matter which way she looked. Throwing herself back into the covers, Jenna leaned over and felt along the base of the bed, trying to find her cell phone. She patted the floor drunkenly for several seconds before her hand covered a rectangular square. Finally, she thought, bringing it up and underneath her covers. She wiggled around until she could see the screen, while staying warm in the process. The night time air was chilly, and there was no heat in her room. The small space heater that she had been using was now useless without electricity to power it. Shivering slightly, Jenna noticed the time on her cell. 03:23am. She also noticed that she had a text message from her now estranged boyfriend, Paul. Excited, she tapped the little mail icon and read his thoughts. It had to be important if he was sending a message so late.

As she absorbed the words, the warmth of her covers seemed to drain away. He was leaving for California, against her wishes. Jenna bit her lip in anger, and let the disappointment flood her senses. For the last three months Paul had been on again, off again, about heading out to San Diego, leaving her stranded in Hope, Virginia with nothing to remember him by except a dragon's horde of digital pictures. As she read on, a numbness enveloping her, the reasons behind his decision became apparent. She was too young, only a Junior in high school, while he was about to start college. He needed this trip, to clear his head before the rigors of higher academics. He really liked her, and she would always be a part of him, buthe didn't want to settle down this early in life; blah, blah, the message continued on in the same fashion. A dear John text. How dare him! What kind of weasel hearted bastard broke off a relationship so callously? He could have at least had the decency to tell her in person, or even called if all else failed. Tears welling up in her eyes, Jenna slammed her phone down on the mattress beside her. A quiet rage began to simmer, replacing the fog of sadness and shock. The longer she thought of it, the madder she became.Her friend Rebecca, her BFF if she had to pick one, had prophesied that this would happen. She warned her numerous times not to sleep with Paul, especially on the cusp of a long parting. Rebecca had counseled her that boys were extremely fickle creatures, prone to weakness. Giving them what they wanted greatly diminished a girl's value in their eyes. Theconquering hero then sought to move on, to invade other lands.“When he get's it, you'll be yesterday's news.” Jenna laid in her bed, shivering from the sudden cold, but feeling too much betrayal to move. Besides, she was burning inside, and the gentle breeze seeping into her bed chamber from the cracks surrounding the window felt good against her boiling skin. She couldn't decide which was worse, that she was now single, yet again, or that Rebecca was proven right. Jenna rolled over, grabbing her spare pillow and hugged it tight to her breast. She fantasized for a fleeting second that it was her mother holding her, telling her that she would be okay, that it wasn't her fault. Sadly that could never happen, and just thinking of her mom made the tears flow even faster, made her cry harder.

She laid in her bed shivering throughout the silent hours, until the first pinkish orange rays of light found their way inside her room. She hadn't moved, made no attempt to cover herself with the blankets laying useless beside her in a heap. She finally managed a weak movement, tilting her head to gaze at the fingers of light pulling their glimmering weight up and over her window sill. I'm still alive. To bad I didn't freeze solid. About the same time she made the heart wrenching decision to get up and start her day, she heard her small heater whir to life.Jenna shook her head at the misery of it all, thankful that she still had two weeks of fall break left before heading back to face school. She was also glad the power was back on. That meant a hot shower, instead of thetepid, luke warm baths she had been subjected too the last couple days. Hopefully, by the time she got up, grabbed some breakfast and picked out something tasteful, yet practical for moving...again...the hot water heater would have filled up enough for her to take a quick shower. Everybody else would simply have to fend for themselves. Besides, after the hellish night she had just weathered, she was due something pleasant in her life. Her father and her aunt would just have to get over it. Rolling out of bed with a groan, Jenna hot footed across the icy hardwood floor to her luggage, which sat leaning against an empty chest of drawers. She had forgone the usual trappings of adolescence and instead of a bevy of matching suitcases, she had inherited an olive drab sea bag, still stenciled with the last name 'Banks' in imperishable red ink. It had once belonged to her grandfather, who served in world war 2, long before she was born. She missed her grand papa, who had passed away nearly three years ago. The same time her mother vanished...Jenna used a mental ax to chop that train of thought off at the roots. Dealing with a one sided break up was enough drama for one day. She didn't need to stir up other, heart breaking memories. Unclasping the top, she peeled the canvas apart and dug through it untilshe found something she could live with. It was a jeans and blue jean jacket day if there ever was one. Unrolling her clothing from a wrap as thin a cigarette filter, Jenna grabbed her jeans by one end and shook them hard, snapping them outwards, in an effort to minimize the wrinkles. She then repeated the process with a pink long sleeve shirt and her favorite jacket.

Satisfied, she tossed the ensemble on and added some fluffy socks to the mix. “Much better.” she said aloud, heading into the bathroom.Now she could walk without getting frostbite on the bottoms of her feet.Her bathroom was teensy tiny, with barely enough room to stand in. It contained a toilet, and a sink, and not much else. There was a cabinet over a free standing basin, but it was filled with guy stuff. Aqua velva, men's deodorant stick, old razors, and a cup filled with cotton balls. Nothing useful. The shower, tragically, was downstairs, and serviced the entire house hold. Oh well, she mused, it could be worse. Last time she accompanied her dad out of town on one of his “trips” she had ended up in an old military barracks which had seen far too much chaos in it's time. That, she remembered, was an adventure. One she could live without ever repeating. Jenna found the light switch and turned it on, filling the space with a feeble, sickly light. There was a single, cloth filament bulb, hanging by a metal cord, that had to be over 50 years old. It was a testament to the craftsmanship of her grandfathers time period. No light made today would be burning that many years in the future, that was for sure. Things in her time, in the present, were made to be disposable. Nothing was build to last, not even men. You could get married on Tuesday, and then get a divorce the following Thursday, and within a block of one another too, for convenience sake. It seemed that love...romance, was a mistress of the wind now, instead of the rolling stone of the past. Jenna shook her head, clearing it of the morbid thoughts. She had wasted an entire night's sleep already, pining for what could have been. Gritting her teeth in determination, she faced the bathroom mirror and studied her reflection. Green eyes, the color of crushed emeralds, stared back at her past her auburn colored locks. Her hair was naturally curly, and seemed forever permed. Most of her friends envied her that fact, butshe considered it a hassle. She was stuck with one hair style, and only one. No amount of conditioning, straightening, or sleight of hand could mold her stubborn mane into anything but long curls. So, that in mind, she brushed. A hundred brush strokes was the current allotment. By the time she was done, her messy knot of tats and sleep tangles had turned the impossible into an attractive young woman, just coming of age. She

was still suffering from an abundance of knock knees and a flat chest, butshe was slowly but surely turning into the woman she was destined to become. Jenna took a last look, turned to leave, and then changed her mind again, deciding on a thin coat of makeup. Five minutes later she was ready to present her face to the world. She bounced down the stairs with far more spring in her step than she felt. Inside, she was still sick, but she had learned long ago that her dad wasn't the best person to share her problems with. At least not problems of the heart. His solution was always the same. Ice cream and shopping. Not that his way didn't have merit. Some days that was just what the doctor ordered, but not today. She needed good advice, from a non judgmental source. One that wouldn't completely freak out when she admitted to losing her virginity. She needed her mom. Where are you? Jenna shoved her mother's memory down deep, and into the adamantium box she reserved exclusively for that purpose. The bottom floor of the aging town home smelled faintly of butter and lavender. It was also about 20 degrees warmer than her room, which was up into the nose bleed section near the attic. Immediately she lost her jacket, tossing it casually on the back of one of the chairs by the kitchen table. Her dad, predictably, was already sitting down in his pajamas having his 3rd cup of coffee. He was a caffeine addict of the first order. It was a trait that she was picking up.“Morning.” he said, looking up only long enough to scrutinize her apparel choice for the day. Jenna gave him a wave and turned a full 360 degrees, modeling her clothing. Satisfied she was covered with enough fabric, her dad lapsed back into the local news paper he was reading. He wasn't concerned with fashion at all, only square yardage. “Cold last night.” Jenna announced, sitting down across the aging table,and grabbing herself a mug of coffee. Her father only shook his head and turned a page noisily. “Your more than welcome to sleep down stairs, like a civilized person.”“No thanks.” she responded, grimacing at the bitter flavor. She could have added cream and sugar, but that would detract from the “power” of the beverage. She wasn't sure if it was the stimulants or the flavor that woke her up. The jury was still out.

“You ready to move today?” her father asked.Jenna nodded, excited about the prospects of Ivy Haven. It was a mansion after all. Not like this place, with only two bedrooms and a garage that wasn't big enough to even hold a single car. “Can't wait.” she huffed, slurping her coffee.“Well, look whose awake finally. I thought we were going to have to call the fire department to come pry you out of bed.”Jenna smiled and turned towards her aunt, who was just emerging from the living room. The resemblance to her father was uncanny. They lookedso similar. Same hawkish nose, same widely spaced eyes. Only hers were midnight blue, unlike her father who shared the color green with Jenna. Also, unlike her dad who was tall and wraith like, her aunt Wendy was shorter and very rotund. She was a bigger woman, but proportionate, giving her the illusion of sultry curves. She was pretty enough, Jenna thought, waving off another strong cup of Java. She went through men fast too. She was recently divorced, again, for the third time. Although it was more to do with her philandering ways than her looks. She was seriously over sexed, to the point that it was a running joke within the family. But even with that minor flaw, Jenna really liked her. She was almost impossibly cheerful all the time, and dressed like she wanted to be seen from space. Today it was a brilliant yellow sundress with a floral pattern, and she had her brown hair tied up with a matching ribbon. Jenna suppressed a laugh, thinking she looked like a little girl who was heading off to church. “I always sleep good when it's cold.” Jenna lied.Wendy winked, as if she knew the truth, and shuffled to the stove. If there was one thing her aunt could do, it was cook. A few minutes later had them all sitting around the table enjoying a breakfast of eggs, bacon, heaps upon heaps of biscuits and gravy. There was boiled potatoes and even spicy sausage if you wanted to trade immense flavor for heartburn later. Jenna did, and they were wonderful. Stuffed to the gills with home cooking, Jenna pushed her plate away and refilled her coffee cup.“Your a senior this year?” Wendy asked, taking a bite of bacon.“Junior.” “What's your plans for after you graduate?” “Well, first things first. A year back packing in Europe.”

Jenna's dad snorted and shook his head no, but otherwise didn't respond. “I'm only joking. I haven't really decided what I want to do.” Jenna started to say, but her father interjected.“College.” he said smirking, as if a child of his loins had no say in the matter. There was no way he was letting his little girl face the world without a proper education. Without a college degree she'd be forced into menial jobs her whole life, something he had endured until just recently. He didn't want that kind of life for her as well. He broke his back and put in long hours so that she could be comfortable. He'd be damned if he'd let Jenna just toss such a chance to the curb.“College.” Jenna said to her aunt with a wry look. It was faked though andWendy saw through the ruse. “Any particular one?”“If it's in San Diego, the answer is no.” her father said pre-emptively.Jenna bristled visibly but didn't respond. She and her father had been at odds over Paul for a while, and he knew very well that Paul was planning on leaving for California in a few weeks. He also knew that Paul was planning on living in San Diego with his brother, and that he was attending college there.How he was privy to such information made Jenna's skin crawl. There wasmore to this than just fatherly intuition, and she wondered, and not for the first time, if her phone was bugged somehow. It was a mystery for later, as she was still numb from the sudden declaration of independence. “Where ever I pick, dad, I promise it won't be there.” she said, hugging her mug of coffee close to her chest. Her father raised his eyebrows in consternation, but decided not to gloat over his small victory.“What do you want to be darling?” her aunt persisted.Jenna rolled her eyes secretly, and was about to say 'dentist' just to appease them both when Wendy's phone began shrilling loudly.“One moment, I need to get that.” she said, leaping to her feet and disappearing into her overly decorated living room where her house phone was located.The moment she vanished her father sat down his paper and folded it neatly.“You packed?” he asked, as he stood up and began to clear the table.

Lost in thought, Jenna failed to hear him.“Are you okay?” “Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired. I slept for shit last night.”Jenna winced, realizing she had zoned out and forgot where she was. Herfather gave her a sour look.“Not in your aunt's house, please. I don't want other people to know I raised a potty mouth.”“Sorry.” she mumbled, and pushed her way away from the table.“I'm gonna go get my stuff.”“Hurry up, we're leaving in 30.”Jenna nodded and slowly made her way back through the small house and up the tread bare wood of the stairs. Every board creaked it's protest as she made the climb. The further she ascended the colder it got, until she was able to see her breath if she looked close enough. The attic room was colder still, and she shivered slightly as she hefted her sea bag and took a last look around, making sure she didn't forget anything. Out of the small window she could make out intermittent flakes of snow, which were dusting the rolling hills with a thin veneer of white wash. She creeped closer, and placed her forehead against the coldglass, looking out at her aunt's back yard. The cool sensation seemed to calm her inner fire, and she scrunched her eyes closed for a moment before looking back across the ill kept yard, and to the small forest which surrounded the area. She thought of Paul's arms around her, his heart beat matching hers. Birds, crows most likely, were everywhere, and Jenna wondered why they stayed. Shouldn't they fly south? Her mind was drifting again, and she turned from the window, the ghost of the icy glass still etched on her face. Hurrying now, anxious to be away from her aunt's tiny house, she man handled her luggage down the steep stairs and into the kitchen. “Rick, be careful out there. There's no one for miles if something happensto one of you.” her aunt was saying.“You worry too much about the wrong things, just like mom used to.”“Ivy Haven is a big place, with a bad history.”Jenna perked up the moment she heard that juicy bit of information.“It's a decrepit old plantation house that's leaking lead into the ground water. That's all. Believe me, when the boys at the EPA decided to send

me all the way out here to investigate the claim, I googled the shit of it.”Jenna swatted her dad on the elbow.“Gee dad, I wonder where I get it from.” she said shaking her head.He gave her a confused glance before blushing slightly. “Oh yeah. Sorry. Anyway, like I was saying, I did my homework. I'll be fine.”Wendy took a deep breath and placed her hands on her hips. “Okay big brother. But...if you get into any trouble, you can come right back here.”“Thanks, for everything. It was really good to see you again sis.”“You too. I just wish mom was here to see you off, I know its been hard onyou after your wife abandoned you guys.”“We'll survive.” he promised, and nodded towards Jenna.“Thanks aunt Wendy.” she said, giving her a big hug of her own.“All right, outta my house, the both of you. I have gentlemen callers lined up at two hour intervals for the next week. So I need my privacy.”They both laughed and waved, dragging their meager belongings across the front porch and down a set of old concrete stairs. The pale dawn greeted them as they absorbed the shock of February air. The cold was intense, and easily penetrated their thick coats. Only a few flakes of snow still fell, the sun burning away most of last night's storm. The snow wasn't deep, but it was fresh and powdery, melting quickly against any exposed warmth. The two travelers stowed their bags in the trunk of a silver 2012 Audi, which barely had enough room to accommodate the sea bag itself. The fact that it was filled to over flowing with scientific instruments and sample collection kits didn't help matters. “Ready!” Jenna called as she slammed the trunk down and half slid, half marched around to her side of the car, and hopped in. Rick smiled at his daughter as he put the car in drive and carefully made his way out of the circle drive and down the gravel path that led to CR203,which was the equivalent to the local interstate. The roads were snowy, but as it was new snow and mostly just loose powder, driving wasn't too difficult and soon they were making good time northbound. They played “punch bug” as they drove, which was nothing more than seeing who could spot errant Volkswagen beetles first. With that distinction came the right to 'punch' the other person

while screaming “punch bug!” and the color of the car simultaneously. Jenna was slightly ahead, the score staying steady at four to three.Not having to waste concentration searching for icy patches of roadway was working in her favor. It was only 20 minutes drive to Ivy Haven from her aunt's place, which was why they bummed an over night stay with Wendy, instead of a hotel with a heated swimming pool. A waste of good money her father complained. Too bad, Jenna thought. She could have used the distraction. The winter drive, coupled with her father's usual reticence gave her too much time to think, to remember. At least the car was nice. Her dad had 'checked' it out from work so he wouldn't have to put the miles on his personal vehicle. Score one for the government she thought humorously, as she surfed the radio dial, trying to find a music station that played something from her decade.Oldies, oldies, classical...Jenna reached the limit of the frequency and dialed back down. Nothing worth listening to, she thought, rememberingher Ipod which was hidden inside her purse. “Almost there, according to the GPS.” her dad explained, leaning forward to examine the digital map. “I don't see anything.” Jenna responded, surveying the countryside.She was right, too. There didn't seem to be anything for miles around, yet the GPS was steadfastly declaring they were only two miles from their destination. Following the electronic directions, Rick piloted the Audi eastbound, offof the main road and onto a dirt and gravel track similar to what his sisterhad. A mile and a half was all that was left, according to the voice of his computerized female navigator. Up ahead, the land raised sharply, and the gravel road seemed to wind upwards straight into the sky. “This is weird.” Jenna announced, leaning forward to counter balance theroller coaster like angle of the roadway.“Sure is. Glad this isn't my car.” her dad chuckled, as he down shifted one gear to add some more torque to his wheels. A few seconds later and the Audi struggled up over the hill, only to sink back downwards a moment after. Neither occupant noticed the terrain change. They were too absorbed in the stunning vista which stretched outwards for untold miles.

“Oh my god!” Jenna breathed, her hand covering her mouth automatically, as it sometimes did when she was surprised.“Look at that...” her dad echoed, equally impressed.

Chapter 2

From their hill top vantage point, they could see Ivy Haven in all of it's majesty. Only from this one point was it possible to witness the plantation in it's entirety. That was because the mansion proper was set in the middle of a good sized forest, which surrounded it on all sides. Around the forested plantation home, beyond the boundaries of Ivy Forest, was the remains of the tobacco fields that extended far beyond their line of site. Only one roadway serviced the actual grounds, and that was the one they were now driving down. There were other paths leading away, to be sure, but they were long over grown and rocky. Only on foot or by ATV were those roads traversable. They began losing parts of the overall plantation as they slipped deeper into the trees that now began to flank them on both sides. Winter had greedily stripped the green from most of the forest, with the notable exception of the ever greens. Several swaths of pine snaked throughout the landscape, making geometric shapes if seen from above. The rest were utterly bare, and had prepared themselves for a long siege of cold and desolation. As they crunched down the disused driveway, Jenna could feel the car swing back and forth, and a bump ever so often as her dad drove over an unseen rock. It was obvious no one had been down thisway for a long time. About every hundred feet a few scraggly bushes and some dead plants would disappear with a dull thud under the front bumper. The gravel path would be gone before long, if some one didn't do something fast. Nature was already wringing her chilly hands, always anxious to reclaim the world she felt was rightly hers. It was as if she suspected human beings were a temporary set back, a passing phase on her eternal watch. She was almost certainly right, Jenna thought absently.

The over grown road eventually puttered out, and they emerged to a grandiose court yard, complete with a weed choked circle drive surrounding a grotesque central statute which dominated everything. Off to their right was the remnant of a huge hedge maze, which towered ten or twelve feet high, and extended literally, into the forest on each side. On the left, was a series of three smaller structures which were all two story residences, designed to house either guests or servants. All of that, even the hedge maze which caused Jenna's heart to skip a beat in amazement, bowed in diffidence to the undisputed lord of Ivy Haven. The mansion was immense, and could engulf her own house a hundred times over. Made of fire red brick, which had beautifully with stood the test of time and the treachery of weather, the walls of Ivy Haven rose like those of a midevil castle. It wasn't as long width wise, as some of the more well known mansions of it's time. But instead of outward, her architect had favored upwards, and the front of her climbed upwards a minimum of four stories. On each side, in respect to the four cardinal directions were Gothic towers, which made the mansion seem even morelike a castle. “Is that why they call it Ivy Haven?” Jenna asked her dad, her voice cracking slightly. Her father followed her finger to the sides of the structure, which were covered almost entirely in Ivy vines. Tendrils of the tenacious plant curled and creeped upwards and outwards, clinging to the old brick , as if the two were suddenly one. Stone and Ivy lovers, intertwined for all time. It made the place look even more ancient than it really was, and more mysterious. “No, I don't think so sweet heart. I read that the people who used to own this place, their last names were Ivy, I think.”“Well, it's bitchin!” Jenna blurted, uncaring.Her father, entranced as he was never noticed. “Yes, it certainly is.” he said in a whisper.Rick parked as close to the house as he could, which was almost directly in front of it, a few feet from the massive front doors which depicted embossed dragons intertwined in a mass of madness and serpentine lust. He shook his head at the sight, although the doors were nothing compared to the central statue, whose theme Rick could only speculate

at. The main center piece was a 2 story rendition of the old biblical tale of Saint Michael slaying the great dragon. Only the artist that had carved this one hadn't felt the ancient fight was fair. He added his own interpretation and came up with a totally different outcome. It was certainly awe inspiring, if not a tad sacrilegious. Instead of Michael's victory over Satan, it was the angel who was on the ground, fighting for his very life against the dragon. The statue revealed the slavering jaws of the huge beast clamped down on Michael's neck, and his sword thrown out wide. Granite pools of blood were rendered with amazing skill, and it was clear the angel had lost that particular fight. Rick shivered as he looked upon the thing, and not just from the cold, but from something else entirely. “Can we go in?” Jenna queried from beside him, her head appearing as ifit were on a swivel, taking in everything all at once.Rick shook his head.“Not yet. We have to wait for the lawyer to meet us here. He has the only set of master keys for the plantation.”Jenna pouted and kept looking around, before brandishing her cell phoneand taking a hundred pictures of the grounds. They waited patiently for ten minutes, before the car's heater began to blow cold. “Let's go check it out. Maybe the front door's unlocked.” she begged.“No can do missy. I'm the law remember? I'm not here as a civilian, but as a government representative. I have a pretty strict rule book, and I intendto follow it. This isn't a vacation for me, I'm here to investigate. That means no illegally entering a private residence without permission or a search warrant signed by a judge.”Jenna scowled and pointed at the mansion again.“It's obviously abandoned dad. Doesn't that count?”“We don't know that for sure, do we? The moment I enter illegally, the entire case is in jeopardy, and the EPA loses the right to issue further citations to the land owners. It's best we just wait for the lawyer.”“So, it's a cop thing?” Jenna asked.“Kinda, yeah.” he said giving her a wink. “But it's more about doing things right so we don't get kicked out before I find out where the contamination is coming from. Almost the entire county gets its water from the reservoir underneath the land here.”

“How do we know this is where it's coming from?”Rick leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. “We don't know for sure. That's why I'm here.”“You mean why we're here.” Jenna corrected.“I'm sorry. Why we're here.” he admitted, looking over at her proudly.“According to all the results at our labs, this plantation is the source. It's smack dab in the middle of the map, not to mention there's not much contamination north of the property boundary.”“Why would that matter?” Jenna asked, curious now. She could never resist a good mystery.“You have to understand, rivers, streams, even the ones underground, all tend to run north to south, as in down hill.”“OH!” Jenna exclaimed, finally getting the point her father was making.“I guess that makes perfect sense.”“So...how long are we here for?” she asked. It was the one question she had been dying to have answered. There was a rock concert within driving distance of her home town, and it was a week away. The place would be crawling with cute guys. She had planned on attending with Paul, but now, she had decided to take Rebecca instead. She had two tickets after all, and concerts could be dangerous. To many drunks and weirdos.“Until we're done I guess. Could be a day, could be a week. I honestly don't know. Some times these things tend to take on a life of their own. Especially if...” Rick was abruptly cut off by the sound of gravel crunching under heavy tires. They both turned and looked at the Cadillac Escalade that was making it's way up behind their Audi. It was sleek and black, and appeared to have just been polished. The tires were brand new and the overly wide rims, after market of course, were shining brightly in the sunlight. The small woman who jumped out, wearing nothing but a long skirt and a thin pink sweater, was not at all what they expected. Rap music could be heard playing from inside the car as she exited, and was still audible, ifnot completely muffled when she shut the door. To their surprise, the woman make a straight shot right at them, and without any introduction at all, opened the rear passenger side door and jumped into the back seatof their Audi.

“Hello.” Rick offered, giving Jenna a sly smile.“Hey there you guys.” the woman said, her thick country accent dripping with two hundred years of southern upbringing.“Nice to meet y'all, I'm Katy Marks, the land owner's attorney.” she said holding out a hand to Rick, who took it eagerly and shaking it much longer than he needed to. Jenna noticed but didn't dare bring it up. She followed her dad's example, and noted the firmness of Katy's hand. “Sorry for barging in on you like this, but it's wicked cold outside today. Can't wait for spring myself.” she told them, tossing a leather satchel up and onto her skinny legs.Jenna gave the woman a once over and immediately pegged her as either anorexic, or a coke head. She weighed less than a box of tissue, and seemed as fragile. Her upper arms were skeletal, and seemed to have no muscle on them at all. Even the satchel seemed a burden to the frail lawyer. Her hair was up in a bun, and was tousled from either her trip, or the wind, or both. She looked sick, Jenna thought. Rick almost blurted out “BUY A COAT, IDIOT!” but he didn't dare. Some people, he thought sadly. In his eye, the lawyer could have been attractive, if she would stop skipping meals that is. He didn't like bigger women, but the skeleton sitting and grinning in his back seat looked like an albino version of the Ethiopians from the old Sally Struthers commercials. The ones that tried to guilt trip people into donating moneyto their charity. “It's definitely freezing out there.” he returned, trying his best not to shake his head in dismay. Even her sweater was more for looks than for any real warmth.