I clutching my knees to my chest, in the little locked powder room of Evangeline's mansion while everyone outside is enjoying their time like that monster, that beast is not out there with them.
I try to breath and not burst into tears as I crouch into the smallest ball that I can, so he won't find me.
I sob out as I rock clutching my knees wishing I had powers like Bav to disappear from here.
There's a knock on the door.
"Just a minute please! "
"Rakara is that you in there?" Evangeline's voice comes through the door.
"Evangeline!" I pull open the door and pull her inside.
"Elements! Rakara! What are you doing..? What is the matter? You look like you have seen a ghost!"
"Evangeline, I am terribly sorry, but I ..."
"Are you not feeling well? Is it that time love?" She asks concern written all over her face.
"Yes, I am not feeling well, you know how that time is. Could you find Bavarthos to take me home? I don't know if I can manage all those people feeling this bad." I fake it, I try not to overdo it either.
"Oh, alright. Come on, let me show you to a room to rest and I can inform a servant to find him." She tugs me out and noticing my hesitancy she whispers, "Don't worry, there is no spots on your dress, also there is a bathroom with every room in this house. No need to worry."
She pats my arm and I nod, reluctantly leaving with her. I quickly scan the crowd and notice who I am trying to avoid. Thank fully he's not seen me yet.
"Did you buy any tickets, Rakara?" Evangeline asks.
"I did, but if I win don't call my name out just pick someone else, since I won't be here."
"Nonsense, I'll just put it to the side for you to get later." She says as we head inside to go upstairs.
She opens up the door to the room and lays me in the bed, grabbing a towel for under me on the bed. "I'll find him and send him up, you rest for now."
She exits the room and I hear her walking away. I stand up and look out the window far enough away that I can not be seen. I watch Evangeline walking around, looking for Bav, but my main focus is on Elias Thorn....
How could it be? There is no way....
I watch this monster talking having a drink and laughs with who ever he is talking to. As I watch him carefree, dressed well, demeanor of a Gilded... I can't stop the fury building up in me.
HE SHOULD BE DEAD!
Well I know how to take him out. Impersonating someone is a prison stay. Embezzlement of a charitable organization, prison stay. The murder of a woman on top of years of him committing child abuse, and neglect , DEATH.
I see Bav walk up and start talking to him. At least he will be able to get information from him. I'm going to have to speak to Gray about this.
Evangeline calls Bav over and I see her point to this window, but I know I'm far enough back they can't see me. Bav immediately starts heading this way, Evangeline heads to the stage to call attention for the tickets to be called out.
Bav comes into the room concern and confusion on his face.
"Kara, Evangeline said you were feeling ill. My word, you look like you've seen a ghost." He takes me into his arms and feels my forehead.
I look in the mirror and I resemble a pale washed out version of me. I look like death is waving at me to come visit.
"You are clammy, do you think it was something you ate?" Bav tries to figure it out when I shake my head and raise my hand for him to quiet.
"You were speaking to Elia Thorn just a moment ago right?"
"Yes...." He agrees slowly.
"What was your honest opinion of him?"
"He is a pompous, egotistical, snake in the grass. You can tell by his jokes and wise cracks that he's a crude person, always looking for someones weaknesses. Why?"
I pull him to where I am and point towards him as I hear names being called out for the raffles.
"That man is not Elias Thorn. That man is..."
I'm cut off from finishing as I hear, "RAKARA LANGRIDGE! CONGRATULATIONS YOUR TICKET IS THE WINNER OF THIS OPAL, SAPPHIRE, AND DIAMOND DIADEM, NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRING SET! RAKARA LANGRIDGE!"
My heart stops, it's not Evangeline calling out the names, it's someone else. Still my heart stops and I can't breathe as I see the recognition in his face and him looking around for me to show up.
"Rakara, breathe!" Bav smacks my back and I take in a gasping breath of air that I choke and cough on it. As I struggle for breath, I see that Elias is on the move looking around.
Looking for me.
"Rakara, come on I'll get you back to my place and call the doctor. You might be poisoned."
He goes to carry me, but I push away.
"I'm not poisoned! Bav, Elias Thorn is not who he says he is. He's the reason....He's the reason..."
Bav comes and wraps comforting arms around me, hushing me and telling me to take a breath so I can explain.
I push away from him and look for Elias Thorn again. Finding him in the crowd, I turn and show Bav.
I show him my hatred, my hurt, my fury to the monster in disguise.
"Elias Thorn is really my father, Arthur Langridge." I finally get it out to him and break down in to hysterics as Bav stills and tenses every muscle in his body. As I am sobbing into his shoulder, I take a breath to try and calm down.
My eyes land on the mirror and I see the dark shadows from the night Mr. Wheelwright attempted to rape me.
"Bav?" I look up at his face and shrink back in terror. My Bav is not anywhere on the face that is intently staring at Elias Thorn. He has been replaced by a feral, bark skinned beast who's surrounded by swirling smoke creatures. One of them comes out and gets close to me, making me takes a few steps back. It's terrifying and sinister with its movements, my blood freezes and my heart stops as it comes closer.
"Bav... Your frightening me." I sink back against the wall, not knowing if those smoke things will attack me. IF this Bav even knows me.
Bav turns and looks in my direction, making me shrink back and begin holding my arms up in a defensive manner as I close my eyes.
"OH Kara!" I hear as his arms wrap around me and I flinch not knowing what might happen.
"Kara...?" His arms pull back from around me and pain is in his next words, "I'm sorry, my love. I did not mean to frighten you. Come here, baby please." He begs.
Opening my eyes, I see he's back to normal and I hesitate to reach out for him. Those smoke creatures are gone but they still scare the elements out of me that they come from Bav.
Bav slowly goes back to hold me again and I let him, asking," Where is he?"
"By the stage talking to Evangeline."
I turn to the window and see he is in fact talking with Evangeline, who points at this window, making him turn to look up. They talk a few more moments and he begins to head this way.
"Oh... Bav. .. Get me out of here, we have to leave now. He is coming this way. Don't let him find me!" I start to panic, my head feels light and I'm getting dizzy, I can not breathe in enough air.
He is going to find me and he is going to kill me, just like he did to my mother. I can't feel my hands and shake them to try and get feeling back. I don't hear anything except the pounding of my heart.
Arms wrap tightly around me and I immediately cry out, "NO!" and attempt to struggle out of their embrace. I'm going to be sick as my vision starts to go black, and I suddenly feel weightless.
Then all goes black.
I hear his heavy boots, thudding on the floor boards, his stench of alcoholic sweat and body odor of being unwashed for a few days permeates the air, making it thick and hard to breath.
"KARIE!! Daddy is home! Come out so daddy can talk to you! We can play a game after we talk, KARIE! DAMN IT, YOU LITTLE BITCH NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR HIDE AND SEEK!"
Dread, terror, and despair, fill me making me try to cry quietly.
"KARIE!" He shouts his face suddenly in mine.
I scream because he found me.
"AHH!" I cry out as I sit up in bed.
Bav clutches me tightly, "Kara, it was just a bad dream love."
I'm frantic looking around and making sure he's not here, Bav still trying to comfort me.
I'm already crying, but I break down in his arms, clutching on to him for dear life.
"He is supposed to be dead. He's been alive all this time?" I am thinking out loud just saying whatever comes through my mind.
"That bastard killed Momma, he was supposed to be dead, he's been alive this whole time!" I grip Bav harder, fury filling me at the injustice of life.