Chapter 4

Dovie stopped them before they could escape through the extensive front door.

"Minnow darling, don't forget you have a dress fitting later today for your birthday," her mother called out from the top of the wide staircase.

Minnow sighed, her shoulders slumped, and her feet dragged a few steps. "Ok, mother, I won't forget. She grumbled without looking back.

"Mrs Venandi, you look younger each time I see you." Saylor smiled and waved at her mother, and Minnow could hear Dovie snicker approvingly.

Minnow rolled her eyes. "You are so gross."

His eyebrows rose, "I can't help that older women love me." he chuckled in defence.

"Pretty much all women love you?" Minnow corrected, pushed open the doors, and let in the crisp autumn air.

"Well, I didn't want to sound too presumptuous." He winked and walked past her towards the waiting car.

Their private chauffeur walked around the side of the shiny black sedan and opened the passenger door. His weathered face broke into a friendly smile when his hooded eyes met hers under the driving cap.

"Miss Venandi, where would you like me to take you today?" The older man asked in a dark rumbling voice. 

"The Oakheart shopping mall, please, and Henry, you know you don't have to call me that. Minnow is fine," her head tilted, and she patted his arm affectionately. 

Henry was married to Ariella, and they lived in a modest house on the Venandi estate.

Minnow had known them all her life, and Henry had become something of a grandpa to her, a safety net and an emotional bay where the weather was always sunny and warm. His kind advice and words of wisdom had helped her many times.

She appreciated his wife but had never been as close to the older woman. It might have had something to do with that the couple had lost their only daughter in a tragic accident before Minnow was born. 

While Henry cherished her presence, Ariella had pushed her away due to the overwhelming sorrow from Minnow's resemblance to their late daughter. 

"As you please, Miss Minnow." Henry winked and closed the door behind them.

The Oakheart mall was bustling with life as they arrived outside the front doors.

Minnow reluctantly got out of the car, and she was beginning to have second thoughts. 

Her hands became clammy and trembled slightly as she walked towards the entrance.

"Maybe I am not ready," she mulled and exhaled a deep breath she didn't know she was holding.

Saylor noticed her tense form and gently pushed her shoulder with his own. "It will be fine, and we can leave anytime you want." He comforted. 

He grabbed her hand gently. Saylor recognised she needed someone to take charge and lead the way into the busy mall. 

 The cold air swept across their faces as they walked through the automatic sliding doors, leaving them with a refreshing sensation.

The scene that greeted Minnow was a place that was stirring with activities. So many parents were tagging their young, spiritless children and pushing prams with babies asleep inside.

There were couples strolling hand in hand lovingly and groups of teenagers looking around for the latest fashion to try.

The ceiling inside the Oakheart mall was domed high towards the cloud-free sky and was made of beautiful glass.

The walkways flow like tributaries to the main rivers of people, heading towards the food court for the lunchtime buzz.

It smelled of spicy food, cheap perfume and polish from the floors that shined like the surface of a lake on an overcast day.

Everywhere music played, from delicate, gentle flowing notes to upbeat tunes to take the shopper's cares away. 

Saylor led them down the central aisle, and the many bright lights and vibrant signs began overloading Minnow's heightened senses.

Soon everything became a blur of strangers touching her as they passed her in the crowded aisles.

There were dark shapes behind every corner, seemingly waiting for her. 

The blood pounded in her ears. Her heart thudded in her chest. Her hands shook. Her feet tingled. Sweat pearls built on her forehead.

Her vision became disfigured and abstract as if she were looking through a fish-eye lens. The walls began to close in, and she felt trapped with no way to escape. Minnow had to get away.

Her grip tightened, squeezing Saylors fingers until he whimpered loudly.

She was on an out of control rollercoaster that wouldn't stop.

Saylor pulled her into a corridor leading down to the public toilets. 

"Minnow, you need to calm down and breathe." He urged her softly. 

He desperately tried to make eye contact with her wide darting orbs. 

"I cant." She stuttered and gripped his t-shirt forcefully, gasping for air.

"It's ok. I will get us out of here." Saylor fished out her mobile phone and called Henry.

"Don't tell him I freaked out." Minnow begged between laboured breaths.

Saylor nodded. She could hear him over the phone asking Henry to come and pick them up around the back of the shopping centre. 

Minnow leaned heavily onto the wall. The anxiety attack had drained her energy, and she felt depleted and crippled.

However, after a few moments of controlled breathing, she was finally beginning to calm down and excused herself to go to the bathroom.

She turned and looked anxiously at Saylor before reluctantly walking through the bathroom door alone. 

"It's ok. I'll be waiting for you right outside the door." He reassured her with a soft smile.

Minnow stopped in front of the large mirrors. Looking back was someone resembling the vibrant young woman she had been only weeks ago.

Minnow carefully wiped away tears building in her gold-rimmed brown eyes so as not to smudge the mascara on her thick black eyelashes.

Her high cheekbones had sunken in, and her creamy skin was grey and dry.

Minnow knew she was considered beautiful, but she wasn't sure that counted for her current state.

She had always taken pride in styling her long chocolate coloured locks, but these days she mostly used dry shampoo and rolled it into a messy bun.

Minnow walked back out to Saylor, and he led her down the corridor and out the back. He held her close, wrapping his arm around her shoulders in protection, and she started to relax, being away from the busy crowds.

"I don't want to go home yet." So she said to Saylor's surprise.

"Um, ok. How about we get some coffee and go sit by the lake?" Saylor suggested.

"Yes, please," she whispered and smiled weakly.

The lake had been their secret spot since they had been old enough to venture out independently—a private place for gossip, deep thoughts and future plans.

Once they got outside the mall, the air lost the chemical perfume smells, and instead, Minno's nostrils were refilled with gasoline from the cars in the car park and the soft loamy earth air from the lovely autumn weather. 

Henry turned up like clockwork, and Minnow smiled at the trustworthy older man. They hurried into the car, so Henry wouldn't need to get out for them.

"To the lake, please." Minnow called out, keeping her voice as steady as she could, making sure not to show him her flustered face.

She leaned her head back onto the leather seat and closed her eyes; the soothing rocking of the car's soft movement made her rest.

Minnow allowed herself to daydream, letting her thoughts roam free and activating the previously out of reach and dormant areas.

Suddenly the word Moonfall rang clear in her mind. Her eyes flung open.

She remembered one of the attackers had mentioned the name The Moonfall pack.

Minnow nibbled on her fingernails; the question was, did she want to find out what the name meant or let sleeping dogs lie.