kindred

Chapter 1 : The drenched figure

It was October the thirty-first when a small, sodden figure arrived at the impressive gates of the Kingston Estate. All week the weathered been miserable which was only intensified tonight as the clouds drew near and pelted everything in their sight with freezing cold water. The rain pelted down in sheets battering the small figure of the child. 

Her thin clothes clung to her shaking body, only highlighting the sharp bones and short stature.  Her messy hair was plastered to her forehead and her legs were exhausted, frozen still from the cold and she wanted nothing more than to lie down for the night, but she couldn't, not when she was this close and had come so far. After trekking the whole day she could force herself to stand for a while longer. 

The girl was small and knobbly, fitting the word 'scrawny' perfectly. She didn't look a day over nine or ten years old despite being a solid twelve. Her long blonde curls that hung to mid-back weren't visible in the rain, as the water matted them close to her head and turned the ringlets into damp sections. It was her eyes, though, that intrigued other people, she had what people called 'puppy dog eyes', big round orbs that made people melt at the knees. The colour was startling too, as although they were blue, they weren't an average light blue, they were more a deep rich navy, very unusual yet strikingly beautiful 

The gate held fast as she shook it with Ernest, eager to get on the other side and to see what awaited her. Fear only crept back into her veins when a tall dark figure emerged from the shadows, it was all she could do to not back away. 

"Back away kid" the voice bit out to her, the lights on the gates had awoken at the sense of her movement and partially illuminated the man's face. 

"I need to speak to my uncle" she said back to the man, as much as she tried to fear the tremble in her voice gave it away instantly. The man scoffed. 

"He ai'nt here"

"But it's really important."

The man watched with mild curiosity as the girl fumbled into her back pocket, she produced a small slip of paper to the man. 

On it were 6 words scrawled; 'watchman', 'white doe', 'wide eyes', 'wiseman'

"He said to tell you that 'watchman told white doe, match of wide eye, to speak to wiseman'" she coursed out, stumbling over the tongue twister. 

It was hard to miss the look of shock and confusion that passed fleetingly over the man's face, it was even more obvious when she revealed the necklace around her neck. 

Maddie reached under her shirt and tugged out the golden necklace. On the thin chain was a circular pendant with a crest of sorts on it. Maddie had no idea what it was, she just knew her uncle said to never let go of it. 

The man hurriedly unlocked the gates and tugged Maddie inside by her arm, once she was on the inside he produced a pair of handcuffs from his pocket, changing her to the gate much to the confusion of the girl. 

"Wait here" The man hurried off into the darkness.

"I can't exactly go anywhere" Maddie muttered after him, but he hadn't heard. The automatic lights turned off at the lack of movement causing a dark cover to clock Maddie and the surrounding area, plunging her visibility into darkness. 

Maddie waited for what seemed like hours for the man to come back into her view, realistically it was only 20 minutes or so. The man hurried back and quickly unchained the small girl, his hands shook as he undid it as quick as possible. 

He seemed to be muttering something under his breathe, almost like a quick apology. 

On a normal occasion Maddie would have been scared beyond her wits, but this was different. She trusted her uncle, she loved him. He was all she had in the world, which is why she allowed herself to follow the man. If he said this was were she needed to go, then here she would go. 

Maddie walked in awe. The gravel road they were walking along seemed to stretch for a mile, along the edges was grass that expanded as far as Maddie could see - which wasn't very far in the dark - and was illuminated by small lights that dotted the length of the driveway. 

The building was more impressive, it was a beautiful English style cottage, full with a thatched roof. But it wasn't a small cottage, it was wide with honeysuckle and vines stretching the height of the walls and large bay windows were also present. 

Maddie followed the man silently, not daring to let even a breath pass her lips. Her feet trudged up the slippery steps towards the door which was opened by the man, he produced a large key that fit into the brass lock. He also used a keypad on the side of the door to enter a code and allow the door to full open. 

The inside was smaller than Maddie expected; the entry led into a high-ceilinged room. On the left of the door was the kitchen and dining room, the handsome wooden beams unfolding across the ceiling. The kitchen had a classic AGA oven and fridge adding to the country feel, the dining room also played on that as the large table looked handmade and allowed for regular wear and tear. 

The living room was warm and cosy, large plump sofa's were dotted around the room with a thick rug beneath them. An empty fireplace stood still to attention with photo frames sitting precariously above. 

The centre of the room had a large staircase that led upwards and there were corridors on either side, Maddie wondered what was down them, the one to the right of the house had a large lock to keep people out. 

It was only after the man had left did Addie notice the three other people in the far corner of the room. 

The first was a man, he was short and wide with a thick patch of black hair sleeked back from his forehead. He had a large scar stretching from under his left eye to the tip of his chin which was accompanied by a ring in his nose. 

Next to him stood a tall women, a stern expression was etched upon her face which was only exaggerated as her skin was pulled back taunt from the stiff bun planted on her head. She was very slender which was enhanced by the black suit she was wearing, she looked anything but friendly. 

The third person was a boy, no older than 18. He was the only one who seemed to offer a warm smile to the girl, he had warm honey coloured eyes and thick curly red hair. He was tall and slim, not at all like the other man, with large hands and feet that looked a bit oversized but he would soon grow into. He was the only one who was appropriately dressed for the early morning in his pyjamas whereas the women had obviously just got dressed. 

"What is your name child?" 

"Maddie" 

"Your full name, not a stupid nickname." The women's voice punctuated the silence of the air with a tone laced with annoyance at being bothered at three in the morning. 

"Madison" A grunt was all that sounded from the women, she reached forward and grasped Maddie's shoulder, Maddie could feel her cold fingers gripping her bone and winced when she was yanked forward. 

Maddie protested when her backpack was pulled off of her shoulders and shoved into the hands of the short man Maddie guessed was some sort of security guard due to the wire in his ear. 

"I need that" 

"Not now you don't" She barked as the boy shot her a sympathetic look. Maddie was pulled up the stone steps and into a hallway, large wooden doors lined the walls and pictures were variously hung around. 

Maddie was pulled into a bedroom on the left side of the corridor. The room was very quaint with a single bed pushed up against the window, a patchwork quilt covering it. There was a wardrobe, chest of drawers and a desk all pushed up against various bits of the whitewashed walls. 

Maddie jumped as the door behind her slammed shut.