THE UNEXPECTED

Chapter 1

The room ignites dark smoke, which floats around its tiny area, making the inhabitants of it struggle for air. It sings nothing but fear and disorderliness; its dark concept is darker than the devil's suit. Few adults can be seen inside of it having a conversation, a conversation that can change someone's life from grace to grass.

"You will get her ready by 2:30 p.m. tomorrow, and remember that Mr. Nathaniel hates delays and that his money goes for nothing," a young man among the gathered adults, putting on a black hat and black coat, says, lighting yet another stick of cigarette, taking a deep sip, and puffing the smoke directly into the most elderly adults faces, watching as the almost-edged couple tilt their faces away."Don't tell me you didn't enjoy that; that can be the sweetest perfume you have inhaled," he grunted, casting an awkward stare.

"Where are we bringing her to?" "Are you coming to get her, or are we bringing her over?" A couple among the gathered adult question watched as the man in a black hat and a heavy suit stared awkwardly for a while before deciding to make a statement.

"He will come for her, so get her ready, and don't forget Mr. Nathaniel despises delay, so don't even make the mistake of delaying tomorrow," he grunts sternly again, eye scanning the couple, before walking out on them, his hefty boys following, allowing the terrified couple to breathe out confrontation. It seems they have been awaiting his dismissal.

"For a minute I thought I was dead already," said Mrs. Yvonne, the wife, stammering out her hand slightly placed on her chest.

"And why would you think that?" "I wasn't expecting that from you, but by the way, we need to get out of this place," her husband replies, dragging his wife out of the smoky, dark area.

The couple's drive home was quite long because the location of their invitation was quite far from where they live, they finally alighted the car after the husband matched the final break and waited for his wife to come out, and he walked into the mansion holding her like an egg.

They enter their house, and the bright light greets them immediately.

"Where is Sarah, baby?" "I haven't even seen any sign of her," Mrs. Yvonne asked her husband, who is now resting on one of the couches in the parlor.

"I don't know. "At the very least, you can check on her upstairs and remember not to break the news to her until tomorrow," he replied, watching as his wife nodded, carrying out his instruction.

Slowly and steadily, she takes the stairs, heading into Sarah's room, where she meets an already-sleeping Beauty. She walks closer, taking a seat beside her and rubbing her head gently.

"Oh Sarah, I'm so sorry you're leaving; I'll really miss you, and I apologize for doing this to you; it's just that we need the money more than we need you," she says, laughing aloud to herself but careful enough not to wake Sarah.

"Don't let the bedbugs bite," she concludes, standing from her sitting position and walking out.

"I checked on her, Honey, and she is already fast asleep, so I guess she will be waking up to a new life tomorrow; you know, when we took her in as a little pretty girl, I knew someday she would pay us back for spending so much on her like a queen, and luckily that great day is around the corner," she says boastfully, walking briskly to the beer cabinet and pulling out a bottle of whiskey along with two cups.

"One for you, baby, and one for me because we need to celebrate victory and intelligence, victory because we are about to conquer our greatest enemy, which you know, and intelligence because we took in the right person for the job," she adds, cracking open the bottle of whiskey and pouring quantities into the cups of her husband and hers.

"Cheers to marrying the greatest and smartest wife," he adds, lifting his cup for a quick toast.

"And cheers to being the wife of a plan guru; you are really smart baby," she mutters as she sips her whiskey and watches her husband do the same, his gaze never leaving her as he stares at her every second.

The couple struggles to find their way into their room after drinking themselves into stupor, and after several attempts at taking the stairs and falling; they give up, spending the night on the staircase.

The bright morning light made its way into Sarah's room from her glassy window, bestowing itself on her pretty face and making her twist it in another direction on the bed.

"Why now?" she cursed, half asleep, thrusting toward the other direction of the bed to stop the sunlight penetration, but it still landed on her exposed back.

"Another day to sit by the window and stare out the window." She added on, remembering her current life situation: it's been 10 years since she's stepped foot outside the walls of her house since her foster parents wouldn't let her out for their own reasons.

She pulls herself up from the bed, tracing her steps to the bathroom.

"So you want to remain here?" she blurted out, pointing to the wound resting on her under jaw. She had obtained it while trying to escape the mansion, and it was just two days ago. That had been her last attempt to leave the house.

She packs her lengthy black hair in a rough ponytail to stop the usual disturbances every morning, and as she is about to dip her tooth brush into her mouth as she has already applied toothpaste, a calm knock comes upon her door.

"Who is there?" she asks, walking towards the door, wanting to see for herself through the door peephole before the reply comes.

"Come in," she said, noticing the maid and giving way for her to come in.

"Your mother said she wants you to put on this gown later in the day for an upcoming event," the maid says with a bow, her words throwing her off balance. This is the first time in 10 years her parents have done this. "What could be the big surprise?" she wondered.