Fallen Thirst

Following Raul in the mansion, it's very clean as the furniture isn't covered and a spec of dust isn't seen anywhere.

"Scatter around looking for any living thing," Raul instructs.

We follow his instructions by scattering around the home. Blade and I took the basement. Walking down the clean stairs he found the light switch flicking it on. The basement glows up with a creamy brown, low ceiling where Blade has to duck a bit.

It's big. There's a living room to our right and a mini bar to our left.

"You check out the right and I'll check out the left," Blade commands. I nod while heading to the right of the basement. A living room with a tv and couches making a "U" shape. A glass coffee table stands in the middle.

On the other side of the living room is a hallway with doors. Switching on another light switch, the hallway lights up with the doors closed. Coming up to one door, I open it revealing a bathroom. I head into the next one after I close the door.

The next one looks to be a little girls room. A bright pink room with pink bed sheets. A little dollhouse sits in the corner with a white dresser against the wall.

I walk in noticing a lump in the bed. Peering closer the sheets rise up and down slowly. A little girl sleeping in bed. I didn't want to wake her up so I turn to leave when stirring can be heard.

Checking on her she, she rises from bed running her eyes. Noticing me, she starts crying.

"Mommy!"

"Hey, hey, hey. It's okay." I walk over to her sitting on the bed. I reach out to wipe away tears. "It's okay. Where is your mother?"

"I want my mommy!" She sobbed. It breaks my heart. I lift her up giving her a big hug as she sobs. Her little arms wrap around my neck.

"Shh. It's okay," I cooed while rubbing her back. Blade walks in confused.

"I heard crying. I was worried it was you."

"Thanks, but no. I found her sleeping. Then she started crying for her mother."

He took the little girl from me and started rocking her to calm down. "She's human," Blade mutters. I didn't notice until he mentioned it. She is human.

Once she finally calm down Blade sat down on the bed pulling away from her.

"Now, where's your mother?"

"I don't know."

"Why are you down here by yourself?"

"I'm always down here. They set me down here so that I'm away from everyone at night."

"What's your name?" I ask gently.

"Molly."

"Well Molly, we'll take you upstairs to talk with the others. We won't hurt you."

She nods still self aware.

Blade carries her back to the living room upstairs with me right on his tail.

"Raul!" Blade calls.

"Raul! We've found someone!"

It didn't take long for Raul to come to us. "What's up?"

"We've found her downstairs alone."

"Come." He lead us to a couch. Blade set her down on the couch while we surround her.

"Where are your parents?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know how long you've been here for?"

"I don't know."

"How old are you?"

"I'm six."

"What's your name?"

"Molly."

Raul fired question after question hoping he'd get some information out of her. No luck.

The kid doesn't know anything.

The others came in with nothing. "Have you found anything?" Blade asks.

They either shake their head or respond "no".

"Well, we've got no luck. We don't know who lives here. So we'll take her to the police then continue what we were here to do."

I notice Blade not paying attention to Raul, but paying attention to the furniture.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, just . . . This furniture seems familiar. But I can't place where I've seen it."

While Raul is interviewing Molly, a door opening and closing caught our attention and voices can be heard. Blade tenses beside me. Coming into our view they cut themselves off as they stare us down.

"What the hell are you doing in our house?" A male voice booms catching us off guard.

"Mommy!" Molly runs to a woman that looks to be in her mid twenties. She picks her up holding her close.

Raul steps up introducing himself.

"We're the Tandlers. We live on the other side of the forest. We're here to take down this house that the Vanetts have left."

"The Vanetts lived here? As in the extinct Vanetts?"

"Yes. And we're here to knock down the home."

"No your not. We live here now. It was vacant when we came here and now we own it. So we order you to leave."

"Fine."

Blade pulls his hood over hiding himself almost as he guides me out.

Walking to our respective cars Blade and I hop into his. "Are you sure your okay Blade? You never put up your hood unless if you want to hide."

"I know. And I wanted to hide. I'm okay just . . ."

"Blade?" I touch his upper arm. "I'm here if you want to talk."

"Thanks, but really I'm good."

He grams my hand bringing it up to his lips. He kisses it and drives off.