Acathiens: The Forgotten People

Prologue

Pearl jangled her keys against the lock as she struggled to open the door, paper bags filled with groceries piled up in her arms. She finally got the giant old key into the paint-chipped door. The vintage brass door knob was long enough to use her elbow and body weight to open the sticking knob. She tripped over her feet as the old door stuck to the hinges, fighting against her body weight. She gasped and chuckled as she looked around at the apartment connected to the large mansion home. 

The floors creaked, the electricity desperately needed updating, and the water heater worked only half the time. But the house was home, and she couldn't help but love its character. Pearl was tall, slim, and with soft, delicate curves. Her hair was a dirty blonde and so long it hung down her back. She had tight, unruly curls that always had a mind of their own, never looking the same way twice. She had it pulled into a high bun on top of her head. Pearl hummed a little tune as she closed the door. 

Her stomach fluttered with butterflies as she placed the bags of groceries down. She pulled out a small bright green present with white tissue paper sticking up. Pearl clapped her hands and gave a tiny, enthusiastic dance in her kitchen.

Picking up the gift, she went to head upstairs. A loud crash sound from above her, and Pearl dropped the small gift at the sudden noise. Items were being thrown around and shattered. Her heart thundered in her ears as she lightly tiptoed to the hallway closet. The door creaked open as she grabbed the old beaten-down bat she left in there for safety. 

Slipping off her loud, clunky shoes, she slowly tiptoed to the stairs and tried to avoid the floor areas she knew would creak. Pearl paused at the stairs, her hands shaking as she gripped the bat tighter, ready to face whatever was in her bedroom. A man grunted from the upstairs rooms as she heard another crash of items. 

"Leon?" she called. "Leon, is that you?

She didn't hear a response so she stepped up the stairs quickly, her bedroom door was closed so she couldn't see inside whoever was fighting with her bedroom furniture.

"Leon, that better be you! This isn't funny!" She yelled at the door.

She grabbed the handle and threw open the door, bat raised at the ready to swing if needed. Inside stood an enormous silhouette. Pearl breathed a sigh of relief. It was Leon.

"Didn't you hear me calling? Why didn't you answer, and what the heck was all that noise? I told you to wait for me to help you rearrange the room."

Pearl placed the bat against the wall.

"Give me a sec! I have something for you!"

Before she walked further inside, she ran back down to grab the small present she had dropped downstairs. She quickly returned and walked further into her bedroom.

Pearl scanned around the room. Lamps lay broken in shattered pieces. The bed was hanging sideways off the frame, with her pillows and blankets all a mess around. Right next to the dresser lay a shattered upside-down picture frame.

Pearl ran over to it immediately and leaned down. With trembling hands, Pearl picked up the photo. She looked at the fading image of a navy pilot, her father as a young man; it was the only picture she had of him. She shook off the shattered glass and stood.

"Leon, what the hell?" She asked, her voice coated in anger.

Frozen in place, Leon quivered uncontrollably. His shoulders were tense, and his breaths were choppy and ragged. His reaction had Pearl's temper lessen, and she slowly walked towards him.

"Leon?" Pearl asked as she reached her hand forward to touch him.

"Don't!" He shouted and jerked away.