Prologue
“Ashton, give it back!” the girl cires, making a swipe at her brother’s hands, currently hoisting her doll just out of the reach of her little fingers.
“You gotta jump for it Annabelle!” the little boy cackles gleefully, raising the doll even higher.
“No fair, you’re taller than me, Ashton!”
“Na nan a boo boo! You can’t get it!” Ashton turns and begins running down the hall, his sister following fast as her feet can carry her.
“Well too bad, cause I’m older!” she taunts.
Ashton stops and momentarily forgets the doll, letting it hang by his waist. “By seven minutes,” he mutters angrily under his breath, casting his eyes to the side. Annabelle, sensing a weakness, makes a grab for the doll. After snatching it, she runs away-the doll clutched tight to her breast, to the elevator at the far end of the opulent hall.
“Give it back!” the boy shouts just as the large silvery doors slide open to reveal a tall man in the center of the elevator. He is staring down at Annabelle with a mixture of odd fascination and greed that is eerie to behold.
“You look just like your father, don’t you little one.” The man crouches down at eye level with the girl, reaching out a finger to gently touch her chubby cheeks. She backs up a step, clutching the doll tighter to her chest.
“Who are you?” Her voice is hesitant, unsure of the somewhat familiar looking stranger staring down at her with a gleam in his eye.
“Not really. Time to go, little one.” He takes her wrist in an iron grip, forcing her into the elevator.
“Annabelle!” Ashton shouts, running for the rapidly closing elevator doors. Annabelle scratches and claws at the man’s hand, but she may as well have been gently touching him for all the good it does.
“Goodbye, Ashton. Tell your father I expect to see him soon.”
~
Just a few minutes later, in another part of town, the doorbell rings at the residence of one Sir Garin, royal advisor to the King Xavier Alexandrov. There is a box lying on the doorstep. It is your everyday plain brown cardboard mailing box, edges held in place with clear packaging tape. A young boy of about seven picks up the box and gently shakes it, guessing as to its contents before bringing it inside and setting it on the kitchen counter.
He slices open the tape with a pair of scissors and pries open the tapered edges. There is a soft bundle wrapped in brown paper, with a beautifully embossed stationary card lying on the top. Red calligraphy letters spell out words the boy pays no mind to, being more interested in the present. He tears open the brown wrapping paper to see a rag doll with long golden brown string hair and big blue button eyes.
He sighs dejectedly and drops the doll back in its box, leaving it next to the sink for his mother to find later that night.
He will come to regret that day; will soon come to regard it as the worst day of his life.
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Ok, so I finally started the sequel, even after promising I would do it, like, a month ago.
Sorry.
Back on topic here, what do you guys think? Love it? Hate it? Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. Personally, I'm not all that crazy about it, but.... It depends. We'll see.
Sorry this is so short, too. It's just a starter, the real story will pick up with them as teenagers soon. New characters will be introduced... two love stories this time, not just one!
Wow, I'm freaking ambitious! Be happy. PS, I'm not crazy about the title. Is there anything any of you guys can come up with that is better. Leave me a message, and if I like it, you'll get a dedication and a shout-out.
VOTE AND COMMENT IF YOU WANT MORE FAST!!!!!!!!
Lots of Love,
Elena
<3
YOU ARE READING
The Missing Bride (On Hold)
Teen FictionSecond book of The Kidnapped Bride series. I don’t wake up when the screen of the porch is slit open with a knife. I don’t wake up to see the dark shadow looming over me lustfully. I wake up when a rag is held over my mouth as a hard, cold hand...
