A Stormy Night

Chapter One: Moving Day

"Elena! Can you come here please?" Mom yelled from downstairs.

"Coming!" I said, putting the last book carefully in the box. Yes, that's right, I said book. I'm a huge bookworm and to be honest I am very proud of it.

I stopped on my way to the stairs and peeked in on Liam. He was sitting in the middle of the floor playing with a box of toys I'd now have to repack.

But I just smiled, he was only two so I couldn't get mad about it. I should've taped up the box before I left it there. Despite how he came into the world I loved my little guy dearly. I continued on towards the stairs quietly so I didn't disturb him.

I opened the baby gate and started down to the living room. I stopped in front of my mom who was busy packing curtains into a box. I giggled at her trying to stuff in to many for the size of the box.

"Yes mom?" I asked smiling.

She looked up from her packing and pointed at a stack of boxes, "Can you get those and carry them out to the moving truck?"

"Sure," I walked over and picked them up.

"Oh, wait," she said walking over to scribble something on each of them.

I readjusted them and continued to the door. I put them in the truck and started back inside, but stopped to look at the almost empty house. I have lived here for almost 20 years, I sighed. I understand mom wanting me to move with her and I don't really mind I guess, but this is where I grew up. So I'm really sad to go, especially knowing I'll probably never see it again. I wipe away a surprising tear and head upstairs.

I finished packing up my room and grabbed the last two boxes from Liam's before heading down the stairs. A few steps from the bottom I heard a man and woman whispering and stopped to listen. Why was my dad here? And why were they down here whispering?

Or I'd thought it was my dad, but it wasn't, the voice wasn't right. It must've been someone I didn't know because his voice was very unfamiliar. Which of course made me even more curious.

"I know. That's why we're moving before they find her," my mom whispers.

"Lady Gianna, you should probably tell her. She has a right to know, and she could better protect herself," the man responds.

"NO!" My mom yells.

I rocked backwards in surprise and the board I was standing on squeaked. I knew she'd heard it, so I quickly continued down the stairs with my boxes.

I stopped at the bottom and glanced in my mom's direction. But I didn't see anyone else, just her and Liam. I frowned, was she on the phone? No, no way I would have heard his voice through the phone. So where was the guy I'd definitely heard? Who was he? And who were they talking about? Were they talking about me? Why would I be in any danger? None of it made any since. I opened my mouth to say something to my mom but she interrupted me.

"Honey hurry up, I'm ready to get on the road before it gets any later. You put those in the truck and I'll bring Liam to the car," she said, smiling. I smiled back, but I knew she was hiding something from me. I couldn't help my curious nature, I had to ask her what it was all that about.

"Hey mom, who was that? It didn't sound like dad," I asked her, my curiosity running high.

"Hmm? Oh I wasn't talking to anyone Elena. You must be imagining things," She said, pretending to be busy with something.