CHAPTER 1

Laura's POV

I release a heavy sigh for the umpteenth time and rub my temples in frustration. I pace my room with my eyes roaming space, hoping I will not forget anything at all. My parents are having us move from town for an uncountable amount of time. 

I have never had a stable life ever since I was born. I can always remember us moving from one place to another for some reason that remained unknown to me up until now that I am eighteen years of age. They should be able to tell me what they think and their plans for me, but no, they would rather just keep me in the darkness where they assumed I belonged.

I remember that this is the reason why I never had friends, and I will most likely never have friends. It is because my parents always make us move when I finally get attached to someone.

They feel it is nothing for them, but it is a huge deal for me that I have to live up to for the rest of my life. Sometimes, I try to understand them and wonder if it is for my good, but then I realize that communication matters. The least they can do is give me a heads-up, but not even that happens.

My room door suddenly opens wide, and the slamming sound startles me, causing me to jolt out of my miserable thoughts and back to my miserable current reality. I turned around to glare at my mum standing by the door with a worried look on her face. Her hands are placed on her waist, and the worry on her face suddenly disappears, and a frown appears on her face. 

Of course, here we go again.

"What is wrong with you, Laura? We have less than half an hour before we hit the road. Do you want us to be late?" Mum snaps at me. 

I rolled my eyes at her and said, "Mum, I am ready. I am just making sure I do not leave any precious things behind, and that is just it. You need to calm down." I said, raising my voice a bit at her. Well, that is because I am sick of her and Dad. Mostly her because Dad never says a word to me. He just drives to wherever we are moving to in silence.

"Do not address me in that way, young woman, and I do not like your outfit at all. Get changed at this moment!" Mum yells at me by running a hand through her soft blonde hair.

I always wondered where I got my brown hair from, since both my parents had blond hair. Mum always waved the question off and said my grandmother had brown hair, but she was late now.

"Get changed? Mum, we are not going to find a suitor for me, so what is the point of getting changed?" I fired at her, chuckling nervously at the suitor part. For some weird reason, I notice Mum flinching a little at the mention of a suitor, and her face suddenly drops. Wait, what is going on here? 

I raise a brow at Mum, but she does not respond. Her entire body freezes for a brief moment until I snap my fingers in her face and yell her name.

"Mum, calm down. It was just a joke," I said. She nods her head and excuses herself out of my room, not after bringing out a sleeveless sunflower dress from her wardrobe and handing it to me.

I glare at the dress with disdain. It looks way too fancy to be worn on the bus throughout the day until we get to our designated location. But then, who am I to argue with Mother? I dare not.

I hastily changed into a sunflower dress and moved out of my room with my bags. Surprisingly, the sitting room did not look all that empty. Dad just moved the television and the refrigerator. The worn-out couches are still intact, and so is the centre table.

"She will not be needing the bags." Dad's deep voice startled me. I turned around to glare at Dad standing in front of Mum. Now, they both have blank expressions. I can not tell what is going on right now or rather what is about to happen.

"You heard your dad Laura, leave the bags, and let us go." Mum repeats.

"Leave the bags? What about my clothes?" I yelled at them. I pause to sigh and go on, "We do not exactly have enough money to buy new clothes for me, plus the old ones I have are fine by me." I say.

"Young lady, just obey your father. Leave the bags and join us outside at this moment." My mum says through gritted teeth. She hurriedly rushes out of the house with Dad in front of her.

I can not help but feel alarmed by their strange behaviour. I mean, Mum and Dad are always weird, but not that weird.

All my bags? Do they have new ones for me? Oh well, they had better have something in mind.

I dashed out of the house when I heard Mum yell my name. I got into the pickup truck with my dad. He starts the car and zooms off into the busy streets.

The ride is silent, not a single word from my dad or mum. No music. Dad always played music whenever we were moving, not for our entertainment but for his own. All he ever did was care about himself anyway. 

I shut my eyes for a brief moment and decided to nap. I drowned myself in silence, and the cool breeze coming from outside calms my mind. Everything is going to be okay. There is nothing to be worried about. Your parents are usually like that, Laura. Do not be paranoid.

I eventually fall into a deep sleep, but I am later woken up by a loud horn that causes me to jerk off and hit my head on the car roof. I looked outside the window and noticed that the sky had gotten darker and gloomier.

 Dad surprisingly pulls the car to a stop in front of a huge black gate. I do not know why, but this gate sends chills down my spine. The gate is twice as long as any normal gate. It is thick and sturdy, and the building is a six-story building with high imposing walls. There are wires around it, and, honestly, it looks like a prison.

"Why are we stopping?" I asked in a soft tone.

No one answers my question, Dad only gets out of the car and walks to a corner to make a phone call.

.

"Who is Dad calling? Did something happen to the car?" I asked again since I did not get a response the first time.

"Mum?" I called out, gently tapping her on the shoulder.

"Stop being a child, Laura!" Mum suddenly turns her face and snaps at me with anger, fuming all over her. I opened my mouth wide at her sudden outburst. Why is she suddenly so angry when all I did was just ask a simple question? Their strange behaviour is now suddenly becoming alarming, and I can not help but question it.

"Well, you need to at least tell me what is going on! I deserve to know!" I yelled at Mum, and her next action caused me to keep quiet. Her five fingers landed on my face, and it stung really badly.

Dad suddenly hops back into the truck and starts the engine. Oh, I am guessing he just needed to make an urgent phone call. Surprisingly for me, the dark gates suddenly creep open wide, and Dad pulls into the driveway.

"Dad? What are you doing?" I asked him. I do not exactly expect an answer since Dad never talks to me. Dad turns off the engine and turns to me.

"Get down." He says with no expression on his face. I raised a brow at him. Get down?

"Why?" I questioned him curiously. Mum surprises me with her next action. She gets out of the car, pulls me aggressively by the arm, and throws me to the bare floor. I groan at the pain that comes from my body, colliding with the hard floor.

Mum hops into the car, and I am suddenly shocked at how Dad starts the car and zooms off, leaving me behind on the cold, hard floor. I yell at them and even try to go after the truck, but the dark gate suddenly shuts close, leaving me inside and them outside.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps drawing closer to me, and it makes my heart race fast in fear. I snap my head towards that direction and see a tall, unfamiliar figure standing in the darkness.

"Welcome home, Laura."