The Lost Daughter

Chapter 14: Down The Hallway

As soon as Holly backed off, she took a deep breath and began opening her mouth, as if she wants to say something. Holly rarely never said anything, other then lore and strange sentences that almost make her seem full of narcissism.

"..." Holly couldn't say anything. Nothing came out of her mouth. She stood still like a statue for a few seconds, then rubbed her chin, thinking.

Charlotte was really confused. Holly randomly approached and hugged her. She didn't think nothing of it, as she thought Holly was just trying to be sweet.

"Ah..." Holly let out, still rubbing her chin. "So...how was it?"

"How was what?" Charlotte asked, really perplexed.

"Before the afterlife," she mumbled, crossing her arms.

"What do you mean?" Char asked, as she gave Holly a weird, almost exasperated expression.

"Your dream....which isn't really a dream at all," Holly whispered.

"I don't get what you mean."

"Travelling back in time to save me, I see," Holly mumbles, looking out the window nearby.

Charlotte felt confused and uncomfortable about all this. "Holly, what exactly are you...how did you...what?"

"Mother, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. I'm afraid the stuff I'll tell you is straight up nonsense and fairytale-like."

"Please...just tell me..."

"I can't..." Holly tells her, then she goes off to a mumble. "Not until it's the right time. The right time where...they will find out."

"What do you mean by, 'when they will find out'?" Char asked, exasperated and nervous. She wasn't sure why she was nervous around a kid, who was just as harmless and innocent as the other children.

"I can't tell you...but I can thank you," Holly tells her.

"For what?" Charlotte asks, still confused about all of this. Yes, she was obviously lying about the time travelling part, but didn't know why Holly hugged her and was talking about "the right time."

Charlotte waited her answer. She was still confused about all this, even though understanding what a kid is saying is simple English. It's like Holly is talking in alien language.

"I just want to thank you for...attempting to save m- your daughter, Mary," Holly told her, as she hugged her. "Thank you..."

"It's...no problem," Charlotte whispered, as she slowly backed off and walked to the kitchen, helping the chefs prepare breakfast for the children and serving it to them.

She was venting to herself when she sat down with the other caretakers. She could have thought about all of this in her head, but letting it all out made Char feel better. She got chills down her spine, a cold shiver in her veins, and trembling hands. Her teeth was gritting and she her palms and forehead were sweating a lot. Charlotte felt nervous, and also seemed slightly off.

"Holly? What do you want from me?!" Charlotte demanded. Holly was startled by the female's shrieks, backing off.

"What?" Holly asked.

"Sorry, I'm just frustrated and exhausted about all this," Charlotte grumbled, feeling guilty about shouting at Holly.

"It's okay. But what do you mean by, 'What do you want from me'?" Holly asked, really curious.

"I just want to know...are you human?!" Charlotte shouted at her, panic swelling up in her eyes and sweat dripping down her face.

"My question is, 'Are you crazy'?!" Holly yelled, as anger and sadness was on her face. She soon felt expressionless, speechless and hopeless at the same time, as she backed away from the woman she trusted and loved.

"Holly...I...I'm sorry. It's just..things have been stressful and hard lately. I guess my anger must've taken over, and I kinda lost it and got out of control. I'm so sorry about that, really," Char said, apologetically. Tears filled her eyes as she continued walking like a zombie down the corridor, feeling hopeless and in defeat.

Holly felt a little guilty about all of this happening. She didn't know what to do, and just sulked and sighed in sadness. She started walking down the long, dark corridor that led to nowhere (okay, the last door down the hall led to a "top-secret" room, but that room was assumed to be the basement by Mr. Fano, the boss who owns the orphanage).

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" a voice asked.

"What do you want? It's none of your business, anyway." Holly told Liam, who was behind her.

"Well, mind if I tell mother you're going down this hallway?" Liam Cooper, the jerk, chuckled, walking away.

"Don't you dare tell her!" Holly shouted, grabbing his arm. "Besides, don't you want to know what's down there?"

"I.." he paused, looking at the door. "Darn, you do have a point. But we can't be down this hallway, mother says."

"Shoot," she said, trying to open the door and ignoring his warning. "The door's locked tight."

"Don't bother. That's just the basement," Liam told her.

"But what if it's a top-secret?" Holly asked, peeping into the little keyhole of the doorknob. "There must be something strange down there."

"The only thing that's strange is you," he muttered under his breath, but Holly heard him and glared right at him.

"Shut up and help me open this door," she scoffed.

"Sorry, I'm staying out of it. See you later, loser." Liam teased, as he walked down the hall. Holly gave up and followed him.

Holly was filled with curiosity and animosity. She despised everything in the world because she believed that it was filled with secrets and danger in the world. Behind her narcissism would be a quiet, timid genius or a pretentious, cold blooded snob, trying to give herself an impression of a narcissist.

"Hey, Holly. What are you doing back there?" Charlotte asked, looking at the little girl, with crossed

During lunch, she poisoned Charlotte's (unattended and unwatched) food (with headache poison) in an attempt for her to go back to the "other world." Yes, weird idea but she needed her to "save" Mary. The reason why? Nobody knows why.

"Here, Ms. Wormwood. Here's your food," the chef told her, handing her a (poisoned) bento box. "A special for a special person."

"Thanks," Charlotte said, blushing a little bit. "Wow, it's been a while since I had a bento. It's yummy, too! Wow, your culinary skills are awesome."

"Splendid. Glad you like it, Miss Charlotte!" head chef, Tim, exclaimed, full of pride.

Charlotte continued eating the whole bento until...

"Ugh! I don't feel so good. I feel a little dizzy. What did you put in this, Tim?" she asked, disgusted and sick.

"What? I swear, I didn't put anything in your food, Ms. Wormwood. Is it poisoned or something?" Tim asked, but Charlotte passed out on the floor.

She was passed out until...