Dysania

Chapter 1

"Okay Dad, I'll sign up to audition, now will you quit complaining?"

My dad chuckled quietly, his breath clouding the cold air of the November night. Playfully I nudge him, still holding onto my dog's lead tightly as Toya pulls me to the nearest bush to investigate. I gently tug her, insisting that she keep walking by my side. My dad put his arm around me, keeping me warm.

"It's an amazing opportunity Mae, an audition for the Royal Academy of Music, your grandmother would be so proud of you."

A smile tugged at my lips, but I remained expressionless at the mention of nanna. He's right, this is an amazing opportunity, I could take my piano playing to the next level and be the next Matt Bellamy if I wanted to.

There was just my friends holding me back, I couldn't leave Riley in hell, and the thought of even getting on stage and playing Beethoven, Bach or Mozart just isn't me, I am not a traditional musician, would the academy accept that?

I am broken out of my daydream by Toya who starts licking my hand furiously, I laugh and nuzzle my head into my dad's shoulder, I have to stand on tiptoes in order to do so because he is so tall and I am so short in contrast, thank you genetics.

Our evening banter was stopped abruptly by Toya who began growling, my dad's attention snapped to where Toya was snarling, he put me behind him, I peeked out to the side of him out of pure curiosity.

Stood under the street light ahead of us, was a hunched over silhouette, his hands were shaking by his sides and even from the distance where we were stood from him, I could tell there was something off about him. He began shuffling towards us and my dad pushed me further behind him and told me to run back to the house, which I could run to if I tried. I grabbed Toya and pulled her gently towards me as I turned on the ball of my foot, prepared to run.

"I wouldn't move if I were you, little girl"

The perpetrator's voice seems so confident yet has a slight shake to it, implying that perhaps he's mentally unstable, maybe he is overcome with emotion, but why? I freeze in my tracks and turn to face the man who was now right next to my dad. Before the man could notice, I quickly bend down and take off Toya's collar, she reacted quickly and lunged for the man.

He was taken aback for a couple moments but then quickly composed himself and pounced at the shepherd, his foot quickly met my dog's jaw, knocking her out instantly, I rushed to her side. Thank god she is still breathing.

He began laughing at his achievement, sick bastard.

"God that was so easy, what a worthless animal. I wonder how easy it will be to do the same to your daughter Mark."

He knows my dad? What is going on?

"Greg, please. You don't have to do this, think about what you are doing okay."

My dad knows him as well? What the actual fuck?

"That is where you are incorrect Mark, you took my daughter away from me, and I want her back!"

His voice cutting into my heart, you could hear his despair, even if this guy was completely insane, I couldn't help but feel bad for him. This feeling of sympathy didn't last though as he began laughing uncontrollably again and yelled,

"But you know I can't have her back don't you? You made it fucking impossible to get her back!"

What was he going on about? My dad wouldn't take someone's daughter away from them, not unless it was a good reason. As if the man could read my thoughts, he turned to me and stated uneasily

"Y-you mean a lot to your daddy don't you? H-his pride. His joy, his everything..."

I don't like where this is going, I try to remain calm and show that I am not afraid, yet every inch of my body is telling me to run, I catch my dad's eye and his face reads guilt and uncertainty.

"I used to have that, someone I cared about more than anybody in the world. M-maybe I could have that again. Maybe I could have another Clara..."

He is now stood dangerously close to me, his hot, smoky breath caressing my cheek. My body begins shaking uncontrollably and I will myself not to burst into tears.

"You know, she looked a lot like you. Except my Clara was far prettier."

His spindly fingers brush my blonde hair behind my ear and he chuckles quietly to himself.

"No need to be scared little girl, I am not here to take you. I came to give your father exactly what he deserves, pain. Exactly the same pain as what I went through. So be a dear and try not to scream too much-"

My eyes widen and I realise exactly what is going to happen, he is going to kill me. My feet remained glued to the floor, what do I do? Before I can even react, I am greeted with a sharp object piercing my abdomen. Fire quickly burns through the wound, and I cry out in agony as I feel hot blood begin to flow down my side.

The knife is withdrawn then quickly driven into my side with a great force and I feel Greg begin to shake against me, stealing my energy as he continues to stab me. Without even thinking, I grip onto him for support, relying on my attacker as he forces the knife into my body over and over again.

Agony takes hold and I feel my body begin to slowly descend to the floor, blood leaves my body at an alarming rate and I struggle to stay awake. The back of my head is greeted with the sturdy concrete.

Unable to move, silenced by the torture, all I can do is lie there and accept the blows to my body. My eyes stinging from my tears, shoot to Greg's pleading him to stop, hoping that he will see sense. But he doesn't, the blade goes through my stomach then my chest too many times to count.

He is now sat on top of me, pinning me down as he continues forcing the weapon into me, now consumed by the agonising pain; why won't he just stop? He laughs like a maniac as he drains the life from me.

Finally, the world goes fuzzy and everything fades to black. This is it, the end of my life. I feel my arms fall limp at my sides, feel the blood evacuate my body.

The last thing I see before everything goes completely black before I die, is the face of my killer: Greg...