Trembling With the Strings
Little Miss Sunshine
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “No!” I took off running in the opposite direction of him, my eyes focused on the floor as I tried not to cry. I was clutching to my suitcase, knowing it was all I had left. I hadn’t the faintest idea as to where I was going, but I just knew it was away from Drakken. I heard him shouting at me, but I didn’t stop even for a second.
“Where do you think you are going?”
I looked ahead and saw Drakken standing impatiently before me. I stuttered, terrified.
“How—how did you get here so fast?” I asked with wide eyes, stunned. It was as though he’d appeared out of nowhere!
“I can’t have you roaming the house,” he told me as though I hadn’t spoken. He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t need Darius seeing you before his birthday.” I breathed deeply.
“I don’t mean to impose, but I’m not entirely sure what is going on,” I muttered, not rightfully caring if I was imposing or not. “Surely you don’t mean to give your son a human being.”
“Oh, but I do. And I will. Gracie, Darius’ birthday is coming up in four days, and you are his gift. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, so you’ll have to stay hidden from him. You’ll be staying with my daughter, Marcy, until then,” he told me. I was almost afraid to ask my question.
“And who will I be staying with after that?”
“Darius.” How did I know I wouldn’t like the response?
“Oh,” I mumbled, looking down.
“Is that Dray’s gift?”
I turned around and saw a tall girl with straight blond hair that reached the small of her back. Her ocean blue eyes almost seemed to sparkle against her ivory skin. She smiled at me. “Little Miss Sunshine” came to mind, she was just so cheery.
“Yes, this is Gracie, Marcy. I was hoping you’d keep your brother away from her until his birthday.”
“Of course. So, Daddy,” she cooed. “Did you see the palomino I wanted?”
“He’s gorgeous, love, but you’ll have to wait and see if you’ll get him.” He winked and Marcy squealed in delight.
“Thanks, Daddy!” She kissed his cheek. “Gracie, I’ll show you to my room, okay?” I nodded silently.
“Is your birthday coming up soon, too?” I asked, smiling. I wanted at least one friend here.
“In three days. I’ll be eighteen, like Darius. I’m older by a few hours, you know? I came into being just before midnight on April 1st and he began existing at one the morning on April 2nd,” she gloated, smirking.
“So... A horse?”
“Oh, he’s absolutely stunning! I could just watch him for hours...” She sighed longingly. “And soon I’ll be riding him, but I suppose I’ll have to wait. But unlike me, Darius has no idea what he’s getting!”
“Me.”
“Yep!” She started humming to herself as we climbed the winding staircase.
As soon as we got to her room, I had dropped my suitcase and passed out on her bed. It was four in the morning, and I couldn’t stay awake for another second.
“Where do you think you are going?”
I looked ahead and saw Drakken standing impatiently before me. I stuttered, terrified.
“How—how did you get here so fast?” I asked with wide eyes, stunned. It was as though he’d appeared out of nowhere!
“I can’t have you roaming the house,” he told me as though I hadn’t spoken. He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t need Darius seeing you before his birthday.” I breathed deeply.
“I don’t mean to impose, but I’m not entirely sure what is going on,” I muttered, not rightfully caring if I was imposing or not. “Surely you don’t mean to give your son a human being.”
“Oh, but I do. And I will. Gracie, Darius’ birthday is coming up in four days, and you are his gift. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, so you’ll have to stay hidden from him. You’ll be staying with my daughter, Marcy, until then,” he told me. I was almost afraid to ask my question.
“And who will I be staying with after that?”
“Darius.” How did I know I wouldn’t like the response?
“Oh,” I mumbled, looking down.
“Is that Dray’s gift?”
I turned around and saw a tall girl with straight blond hair that reached the small of her back. Her ocean blue eyes almost seemed to sparkle against her ivory skin. She smiled at me. “Little Miss Sunshine” came to mind, she was just so cheery.
“Yes, this is Gracie, Marcy. I was hoping you’d keep your brother away from her until his birthday.”
“Of course. So, Daddy,” she cooed. “Did you see the palomino I wanted?”
“He’s gorgeous, love, but you’ll have to wait and see if you’ll get him.” He winked and Marcy squealed in delight.
“Thanks, Daddy!” She kissed his cheek. “Gracie, I’ll show you to my room, okay?” I nodded silently.
“Is your birthday coming up soon, too?” I asked, smiling. I wanted at least one friend here.
“In three days. I’ll be eighteen, like Darius. I’m older by a few hours, you know? I came into being just before midnight on April 1st and he began existing at one the morning on April 2nd,” she gloated, smirking.
“So... A horse?”
“Oh, he’s absolutely stunning! I could just watch him for hours...” She sighed longingly. “And soon I’ll be riding him, but I suppose I’ll have to wait. But unlike me, Darius has no idea what he’s getting!”
“Me.”
“Yep!” She started humming to herself as we climbed the winding staircase.
As soon as we got to her room, I had dropped my suitcase and passed out on her bed. It was four in the morning, and I couldn’t stay awake for another second.