child's play

Chapter 1

Samantha Warner sat looking disdainfully out of the car window. Her long dark hair traced her thin pale face and flooded over her shoulders. She leaned her cheek on her hand watching as she was pulled further away from her old home. The home that held so many good memories for her and her siblings. Her little brother Coby sat cheerfully beside her. He was happily humming his favorite nursery rhyme and clutching a small stuffed rabbit. She longed for the enthusiasm of her younger brother. She tried to find happiness in this change, like the rest of the family had, but sadly she did not. When the old limousine pulled up in front of the large mansion Samantha began to feel even more out of place.

She stepped out of the car and was greeted by a tall man in a suit. His skin looked like porcelain and he had long black hair that was straightened, he seemed very normal. There were three women standing next to him. One was short with blonde hair and piercing green eyes. Her hair was cut short and she was abnormally thin.

The other two girls looked just alike and appeared to be identical twins. They were not nearly as thin as the other girl, but they were not exactly healthy looking either. They were taller than the other girl, but not nearly as tall as the man in the suit. They had long brown hair and watery blue eyes. Small freckles dotted their thin pale faces and made a canvas of their nose and cheeks.

"My name is David. I will be your new butler." David motioned to the three girls, "These girls are your new servants. The blonde girl is Bella, and the twins are Melody and Melanie." David took a small box out of his pocket and handed it to Samantha.

The note on the top of the box read:

For any troubles you may have,

Or any obstacles you encounter,

Never forget who you are.

The simple fact is that no one else is going to.

Embrace the new life we are giving you,

Welcome home Samantha

Samantha slipped the box into her pocket so that no one else would take notice. David began to walk to the front door of the mansion, motioning for the girls to follow him. Bella held the door open and the Warner family stepped into their new home. When they entered the mansion Samantha was astonished. This was so much larger than their old home.

"The house has six floors and a total of fifty four rooms," David began. "You will find that bedrooms are on the third floor and that your belongings have already been moved there. As for the twelve children, curfew is midnight. After midnight leaving your rooms is allowed but not ideal. Anything that happens outside of your rooms after midnight is no longer the responsibility of an adult, but instead, is yours to deal with." David then turned to leave, but paused when he reached the staircase. "Oh, I almost forgot, the basement is off limits to all children in the household...for...particular reasons." He then smirked and began to ascend the staircase until the darkness of the the next floor engulfed his tall slender body. When he was no longer in sight Samantha and her eleven siblings looked at each other speechless. What was going on in the basement...and what was so significant about midnight?

Samantha turned to her sister Avalon and they shared a confused glance. This was all very confusing to her. First the box....wait..the note had my name on it. How did he know my name?, she thought, neither me nor my family had ever met these people before...Samantha began to walk towards the staircase and was stopped by Avalon grabbing her wrist.

"Don't go alone." Avalon said in a quick whisper.

"What are you babbling on about? This is our home. I can go as I please." Samantha shoved her sisters hand away and ascended the staircase.

When Samantha reached the third floor, she walked down the long dark hallway searching for her bedroom. When she reached the end of the hall she noticed one candle burning on a small table. Next to the table was her dimly lit room. The only way she had recognized it was the small black bag sitting on her bed that she carried her painting supplies in. The walls in the room were a light blue colour. There was a vanity across from her bed, a dresser, a bedside table, a desk, a wardrobe, and a bookshelf. There was also a small bathroom that could be accessed through her bedroom. It had appeared that her belongings had been unpacked already. She walked over to her bed and sat down, taking the small box out of her pocket. She read the not over to herself once more:

For any troubles you may have,

Or any obstacles you encounter,

Never forget who you are.

The simple fact is that no one else is going to.

Embrace the new life we are giving you,

Welcome home Samantha

After reading over the note a second time she hesitantly opened up the box. Inside was a black velvet ribbon with a small crystal on the front. The crystal was an Amethyst. She tied the ribbon around her neck and walked over to the vanity. She looked into the mirror and instantly felt...different..She felt happy to be home.