Rough Beginnings...(Matilda, Dristan, Teagan)

Matilda had a great day, she finished her drawing with her pencils of Ms. T. and she began to draw the kittens as she remembered them. She started to doodle in her journal of the boats and water where she was at when she noticed that the sun was setting. She needed to get back. She was still filled with the hope of last night. Glowing with Ms. T's words. Champion, she loved that sound, the word all it stood for. When she started on her way home she noticed something was off. Not really sure what is was. She felt drawn to look around though. She saw the home she lived in darkened with no lights on. That is odd..shouldn't lights be on at night? Where is everyone? Maybe they were out, but wait? Is the door open? Maybe one of the other kids left it open? But if they had wouldn't there be lights on. A chill ran up her spine for a brief moment but she was still not quite sure what was wrong. Her senses seemed to heighten as she moved into the front door. What was that fragrance? She smelled it in heavily, where was it coming from? It wasn't a normal smell, was it? She couldn't quite put her finger on it. Why did it smell like something yet nothing? She turned on the light. Everything was in it's proper place. Her residence looked like it did when she left, except there wasn't a soul here. She wondered around the room, what was that smell? Why did she want to find it? She looked towards the stairs. Was it up there? She hesitated for a few moments. She wasn't sure if maybe everyone was up there in the common kid area. "Hello?" She spoke in a hoarse whispered as she made her way towards the stairs. She put her hand on the rail, "Hello?" She said a bit louder hoping her voice would travel. "Is there any one home? Why was the front door was open. Where is everyone?" She took the steps up. Standing on the middle step, neither at the top nor the bottom. Unsure if she should scream out for the others. She glanced back towards the front door, it was still normal looking to her. The scent caught her again, did she want to keep going? Should she check the bedrooms at the top?

Matilda heard the noise and she went up the stairs. She fumbled around for the light switch and tripped over a step banging her knee. She was unable to reach the switch but managed to turn her head down the hall. "Hey?! Who is there? This isn't funny!" Tears threatened her eyes as she pulled herself up. It has to be those mean boys that she yelled at when they were messing with the kittens. "I am going to tell on you if you keep it up!" She was fumbling for the light switch at the top of the stairs looking for the switch. The lights from down the stairs didn't quite reach the top and her eyes didn't seem to adjust to the dark like normally. Finally she found the switch.

Dristan followed Teagan without hesitation from the plane to the taxi and sitting next to Teagan looking at her phone screen. "Okay.....lets see." He whispers looking out the window and started looking at street signs and buildings looking for this place that she had shown him.

Gently he took Teagan's hand into his and gently squeezed trying to keep her calm during all of this the whole time the look on his face was one of pure determination.

Matilda didn't know what to do she stood there her body starting to tremble. Why was she shaking? Why was she getting a funny feeling inside of her? What was wrong? Nothing ever was out of place in her world, she may have moved around a lot, but everything was as normal as a kid in the system could be. That sound came from the door down the hall. It was the room to one of the adults. Were they in there? Hiding? Hurt? What was going on. Why wouldn't anyone answer her. She couldn't understand what was going on. The smell seemed to be coming from all around here. Slowly she took a step down the hall. "Ms. H? Are you okay?" She moved a bit closer towards the door. She wanted to open it, but she wasn't sure. She knocked first. "Ms. H? Ms. H where is everyone?" She turned the door knob worry feeling her mind as she went to open the door.

Dristan was quiet for a moment looking at all the traffic and then looked at Teagan's phone at the map still trying to keep his determined look on his face but inside he was nerve wracked. "The other horses are going slow." he whispered and squeezed her hand once more and leaned forward to the driver. "$200 bonus if you take the side street to get us there faster my friend. We are in a hurry." Maybe it would work or not Dristan did not know but he had to try and get them there to the location faster.

Leaning back rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration taking a deep breath.

Matilda stood there opening the door. The smell that hit her made her almost gag on impact over taking her senses. Her eyes bugging out of her head as she took in the scene. Something she could one seem to call a nightmare come alive. No sound came out of her mouth as she tried to scream. She couldn't seem to move. What was going?!?! Where was her head?!?! Ms H??!! Her mind was reeling but her body seemed paralyzed for the moment. She shook violently, the others!? What about them? A hushed almost silent whisper escaped her throat "What.." What if the person was still here? She had to find the others, but she couldn't stay either. She knew some where in the back of her mind that her survival instinct was kicking in. It was fight or flight and she wanted to run.

Dristan turned to Teagan locking his eyes to hers. "We will get to her in time. And we will make her safe, you have my word." He whispered and held her close to him now trying his best not to show any emotion right now. It was what he did in situations, because anything stressful could very well trigger is darkness and he knew that he had to keep balanced and in check to help Teagan's champion.

His eyes moving from Teagan's to the window. "Any of these buildings look familiar to you Teagan?"

Matilda heard the dripping of the blood and saw the pool. Why did it still drip? She wasn't sure. Suddenly the sound of a door slamming made her jump and with the jump came the sound that finally had be locked away inside of her. Her scream was loud, broken and full of complete terror. Her feet finally moved. Who slammed the door? She ran. She couldn't bring herself to check other rooms. The only doors that had lock's on them were the bathroom's and that's where she headed. Running as fast as her legs could carry her down the hall.

Dristan heard Teagan but was very quiet as he held her. When she told him they were close there was an idea wanting to form in his head. Maybe he could.....let it out just this once for this situation? He had to figure out something just in case this all went south and very badly. He did not have his wand but letting that out and with his training as a duelist at least the man could fight and defend and if need be well lets leave that one alone. Teagan would feel his muscles begin to tighten as he closed his eyes.

He would have to make this decision on arrival.

The girl was in every way crying and screaming out for help, for anyone to come and scoop her up from this hell that was unfolding in front of her. Another body, more blood, the girl didn't deserve this. "Oh my god." What...what if every room up here was like that. Another door slammed, she jumped. She had to get out of here. What door slammed? Was it downstairs again? Oh god what was she going to do there wasn't anything up here she could use to help her. She looked around frantically. "The window!" She exclaimed loudly, the only one in the hall. There was a tree just outside that window. Maybe she jump out through there, land on the branch run away. Oh god her friends. Her home, why, why was this happening. Who would kill children? Her friends. They didn't...she had to stop, she had to get out alive. She couldn't breathe the air was stifling her, filled with the musk of death, the sounds of silence. She use to love that quiet. Now she wasn't sure she ever would again. She ran down the hall to the window, come hell or high water she was going to break the window and get out. She couldn't die like this.

Matilda looked on horror, who...what...why...She couldn't seem to process what was going on. Why was Ms K standing there? What was she mumbling about. Why did they want her? She felt like a mouse, trapped in the coils of a snake. She needed to get away. Even mice tried till their last breathe right? She was CHAMPION. That's what Ms. T. called her. Why couldn't she stop crying. She needed to run. Her legs moved her and she tried to slide under one of the hooded figures, the one by the stairs. She needed to get out the front door, even the back door at this point. She could jump the fence. Run! RUN!!! Was all her mind was telling her.

Teagan watched as the car rounded the corner and she literally tried to climb out of the car as fast as she can to run towards the house just as it explodes. She feels herself pushed forward by the waves of the blast and continues to run.

Luckily the car had braked hard and the force of the explosion was blocked by a metal casing. Otherwise, people would have fallen over. Though...the heat from the explosion was surely felt. As they exited the cab and ran out of the car, the cabbie shook his head, grabbed the money and turned the car around, fleeing the scene. He was not wanting to get caught up in this mess...

As the couple runs towards the exploded orphanage, the smell of burnt human flesh fills the air. For some reason, no one was coming out of any of the nearby houses or buildings...they were the only ones moving on the street. As they approached, the heat from the fire of the place was sweltering. Charred meat, burnt pieces of wood, an arm to a chair, half a dish and many other things littered the street and yard. And there...in front of the remains? Lying in the grass, unscathed and with nothing having miraculously falling on her?

Matilda laid there unconscious.

Dristan slid to a stop looking around at all the damage at first trying to see through the smoke and after a moment was able to. All the death and damage around him and Teagan at this point. "I do not know this does not make any sense. There should be more people than just us." He whispered and followed Teagan now trying to look for the girl Teagan spoke of and finally coming upon Matilda out cold.

Dristan leans down and checks Matilda's pulse at her neck and sighed. "She is alive just unconscious." He whispered and gently cradled the girl in his arms now. "Teagan we have to get out of here. If anyone shows up with us here.....do you know anywhere nearby?" As he held Matilda he was looking around to make sure that no one was showing up.