I haven't thanked you yet [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]

Chapter One: Lost, Found and Left Behind

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Chapter 1
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Snow... The first thing I saw as I opened my dry eyes. I stared at the dark sky ahead of me, filled with stars that glowed in a luminous colour. I was lying down on the cold concrete, wondering how long I had been there. I stood up, after struggling several times to lift myself onto my two feet.

I gazed upon what was in front of me to reveal complete darkness. Turning my head around towards where the light was, laid a cat, only a couple of meters away from me. I trembly walked towards the creature to observe its appearance, although, what appeared in front of me, I would have never guessed at my age.

The animal was dead. This creature had reminded me of myself. Alone in the middle of no where. I, too, would die very soon if I couldn't find shelter. I pondered at the situation before deciding it would have been a better choice to leave.

I was very young back then and didn't have a worry in the world. The temperature was slowly reaching negative fifteen, and I couldn't feel my legs. I wrapped myself in my small cold arms and continued to follow the path in front of me. I walked around the darkness calling out 'mommy' countless times, my voice shattering every time I spoke.

I began to cry and my words came out like a wave of echoes until something had struck my mind. I wiped the icy tears trickling down my face and stood still, shaking. Who was my mother? Where was she? Was she the one who abandoned me? All my thoughts spun inside my head, making me feel sick.

My vision began to blur, my body felt as though it was breaking and soon enough, the darkness devoured me once again and I fell to the ground.

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My eyes reopened slowly as I rolled myself from my back to my stomach, "H-Hello?" I cried, lifting myself off the ground once again, only to believe that this event had somehow happened already. Although the air wasn't as cold as it was before, I still couldn't help but feel unknown and frightened. "Is anybody there?" I whispered, holding back the water that tried to force its way out of my eye.

"Anyone?" I turned around to the other side, which appeared to look the same way. I didn't know where to start. "I-I don't want to stay here.." I told myself. "Mommy? Daddy? Anyone? Please... I-I'm scared... I don't want to be here..." Tears slowly formed a path down my face as I continued to cry, "P-Please... Save me..."

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"Oi." A voice spoke to me, lightly shaking my shoulder, side to side. I slowly opened my eyes and saw a pair of bister coloured eyes staring straight at me.

There was a gentle heat rushing around us. We were indoors and there was no snow. I was laying on a soft couch and didn't want to move but I was indoors and that questioned everything. 

With much fear and worry, I immediately clenched my fist and lifted it up, giving the stranger a slight shake to the head.

Obviously, it wasn't strong enough to bring him down, but it did have enough power to make him stare blankly for a moment. I rose up and stared at him, "W-Who are you?!" I yelled. It was complete silence until the strange man spoke, "I have no intention in hurting you, little girl."

He.. Spoke to me? I wonder why? Why did he call me little girl? Where am I? So many ignorant and small minded questions were rapidly hitting at me that I didn't know where to start. I just looked at the stranger. He didn't look like a prince to me. Nor did he wear a cross of some sort to identify that he was working with the ambulance.

"W-Who are you?" I managed to mumble, asking him the same question I did before. He looked at me with a shuddery expression, like he was about to murder me. I sat down, awaiting an answer to my question but silence just split the question apart. 

"Hello? Are you going to talk to me? Where am I?" The quiet sound of owl hoots were my only reply.

"Obviously, you are not my prince." I told him, trying to start a small conversation. I would have agreed with myself, thinking I was a smart five year old, even though I wasn't. "He looked away from me and stared straight through a window. "Are you Santa?" My mouth, uncontrollably, blurted out.

He emitted an irritated look, kind of giving me the sign that he wanted me to shut up... But I didn't. 

"So, you are Santa? Then, is this your workplace? Where are all the elves?" I threw all sorts of questions at the man, wondering when he would blow up and yell at me. 

"Do I look like Santa, little girl?" He looked at me, his left eyebrow was twitching.

"Well... Santa has a white long beard... And you have a short browny grayish beard..." I began, "Hmm... Yeah, I guess so. You look like Santa to me. But, where are your elves?" 

I glanced around the place, confident that my words were clever, and observed the big hallway in front of me that appeared to run down forever. He didn't answer and stood up. 

I frowned, "Anyways, where am I? And who am I?" I asked, acting all casual and cool. I was yet to realize I was questioning my own identity.

"You're at an orphanage. And due to a lack of information, your name is now known as...

"Candice."

I lifted my head when he told me that there was a lack of information. He suddenly gave me a name. Why was everything feeling so quick?

 "W-What do you mean by a lack of information?!" I stood up from where I was sitting, only to fall back down on the couch. "Calm down little girl," he tried to reassure me by stroking my back, "I don't know much about you either. When I was traveling back home, I noticed a small child's body dug half a foot within the snow."

"W-Which was me?" I asked, my voice all shaken. "Yeah. Who else would be stupid enough to wander alone in the middle of no where? A youngster that had me carrying them back here to be treated. And luckily, you somehow managed to survive..." His voice softened as he walked towards the door. "W-Where are you going?!" I asked him, standing up from the couch.

"I have to go now. But, I'll return. Someday." He told me as he slipped on his winter boots. "When? How long will you be gone? Why are you leaving me here? I don't know anyone! Please! Don't go!" I ran and clung onto his leg, begging him to stay.

"But, you don't even know me, silly girl." He pushed me off, opened the door and stepped out. "Please! I don't want to be left alone again! I don't even know your name!" I exclaimed. "My name?" He let out a small chuckle.

"Raphael." 

And with that, he closed the door.

I opened the door, allowing a thick breeze to rush in which lit out a few of the front candles. "Raphael? Raphael?! Please! I don't know what I'm suppose to do!" But there was no sign of him. "Raphael?!"

"RAPHAAAAEL!"

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Okay... So, first chapter completed! Please tell me what you think about it! And thank you very much for taking your time to be reading this! I appreciate it very much!