Tainted Innocence

Chapter II

I hope you'll have fun reading this chapter. It would be nice to know how much of their childhood you want to read about before they get older and more mature. Let me know in the comment section. :)

Chapter II

His game turned out to be hide and seek in the basement of the Wilde's mansion. Lynn would have been annoyed by his boring choice of a game if it hadn't been so dark there. She could hardly see a thing. How was she supposed to find Xander when she was currently busy with not tripping over her own feet? Lynn gulped heavily. She didn't know where the other light switches were, she had never felt the urge to see this place, but one thing was for sure: If she went on, she would soon be engulfed in complete darkness for the light from the lightbulb that hang above the foot of the stairs was too pale to light the rest of the way. The girl felt fear creeping up in her heart and all of a sudden her fantasy went haywire. Was that a tall, menacing shadow standing at the corner, staring at her with gleaming red eyes?

She backed away until she was standing directly underneath the lightbulb. The only safe place in this maze of darkness. Lynn felt numb, her heart was beating so rapidly, she was afraid it might break right through her chest.

"Xander?", she asked in a shaky voice.

"Where are you?"

She was met with absolute silence.

Lynn balled her hands into fists. She had promised to play his game and after having made such a fuss she somehow owed him to find him. But how could she if that damn shadow was still staring at her?

Come on. Don't be such a wimp. It's just your imagination. You are a big girl, not a toddler. Fear is for toddlers!

Inwardly berating herself she took a step forward, followed by another one. Lynn squeezed her eyes shut as she passed the corner with the shadowy figure.

There's no one there. There's no one there. There's no one there.

Something touched her hand. Screaming in panic Lynn opened her eyes, thus realising that the light had gone out.

In an instant she felt sick to the core. Breathing heavily the girl stood rooted to the spot. Not able to move anymore.

Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she stared into absolute, hostile darkness.

"Mum..."

The voice that came out of her throat was but a ridiculous squeak.

"Mum, please..."

There was no use. Her voice had uttered one blasted scream and now it had decided that it had done its duty.

Judging from the silence around her no one had even heard her scream. Where was Xander? Had he gone so far into the basement that he hadn't heard her, too?

Again it felt like something touched her and Lynn was ready to faint.

She tried again to draw attention, but her voice was still too quiet, too scratchy to be heard from afar.

"Xander?"

"Where are you?", she sobbed, trembling like a leaf caught in a strong wind.

"I don't wanna play anymore... I wanna go home! Xander, please!"

He didn't come and caught up in her panic as she currently was Lynn was profoundly convinced that the shadow figure had already taken him somewhere she couldn't reach him.

Feeling utterly forsaken the girl broke down, and sank to the floor, sobbing. Eyes again shut tightly because the darkness behind her lids wasn't nearly as horrible as the one that surrounded her. For the latter harboured a monster that had already gripped for her with its long, skeletal fingers.