By: Adaku

1/27/07

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-:†:- S P -:†:-

-:- Le prélude…

"… In the depths of impenetrable darkness, I will see light in the very littlest of solitude…"

One week ago…winter descended upon France with a preoccupied silence everywhere. The snow danced around in heavenly twirls in the air. The small town L'asile de Agate was repeatedly decorated of elegance of Gothic with a specific of European magnificent of architecture. The buildings greatly shroud of snowfall as well as the on the ground. Alayna was at the park, sitting on a cold bench, staring at the snow. She tasted the iced water that came from the white sky. Even though she was well covered, the chilling wind blown right through her.

Even with the handmade cloth scarf that was heavily woven, her teeth were still chattering, while her green eyes stared at the frosted ground. She laid back helplessly on the bench. She thought of the warmth. The hot sun shining on her body, though she liked the snow as well. Ironic, how she hated the winter, but loved the snowfall.

But that thought had only remained a second when a warm hand touched her lightly on the back. Worried, she turned around at her back, however there was no one there. She shifted her head back and forth nervously, until it gave her a headache. She decided to stand up from the icy bench and walk around.

"Its so cold, however it's beautiful outside." Alayna whispered under her breath. She locked her eyes for a moment of visible cloud that came from her month. Her choppy brunette hair flowed with the wind as she stared what was at front of her. There was a horde of random people gathering around in a circle in the middle of the park. As if something was happening. She became anxious more and more while others came racing toward the group. She ambled a little more to see if she could see it afar.

It's probably not important…maybe someone fighting, she told herself when she started to walk passed them. Her face wandered at the crowd still having second thoughts. Suddenly, she stopped walking and glance of red stains on the frosted around. Alayna's body shocked. Was it blood? She thought moving closer. She heard murmurs from others clearly, the gasps and the cries. She came to the crowd tenderly to see for herself. She couldn't see much of it only a hand covered of reeked blood. She decided to push others to get closer, and they push her back. She cursed and grunted, trying to get free from the mob.

She finally had gotten free from the people. She looked back at them and rolled her eyes. However a thought of mind had hit her when she came across an oak tree beside her. The ugly tree had a large amount of branches, so high that she might see above the mob. She leaped up grabbing a branch to start off her climbing. Alayna reached another and so on, until she could see it all.

There it was. The body everyone was so worked up about. It seemed to be a woman in a big dress and redness on her and everywhere else. It was most likely had to be the blood. It seems she had been shot, but…by who?

Ever since the week of murder of the woman both children and adults were kept a watchful eye. Not many crimes that big ever happened to L'asile de Agate. The murder was caught two days ago, and was executed yesterday. It was suppose to be a peaceful town…with manners and love in other words, a boring one to Alayna. She went to look back at the scene where the body was. There was no trace of blood. She stared around while people passed her. The thoughts spark Alayna like a true detective. She was too young to get into such a thing, but not stupid.

"Alayna…what are you doing?" The brunette hair girl turned around and faced her friend whom she barely noticed under all the heavily clothing.

"Ah... Just looking around." She lied, as she turned back from Rosette. She narrowed her eyes and grabbed Alayna's shoulder forcefully. She whispered to Alayna's cold ears that she knew what she was doing.

"You and your detective work, give it a rest already."

"Its not a big deal…" Alayna teased, knowing Rosette had no idea what she said. With a playful attitude she pushed her friend and urged her to chase her. However a small blizzard came out of nowhere while the duo ran all the way to a lake. Rosette could hear Alayna's playful laughter from in front of her. However, Rosette was losing breathe and Alayna didn't look back to help her.

The blizzard became harden when she only see a blur of her friend running farther and farther. She tried calling her name…it even echoed but she didn't hear it. She stumbled carelessly into the ground without trying to get up. Yet Rosette didn't know there was someone behind her...

Alayna charged at the snow until she no longer heard Rosette's grunting voice. She turned around, and became a little shocked.

"Rosette. Rosette! Rosy!" She rushed backwards in finding Rosette. How could she be so dim-witted…so self-centered? So many thoughts ran to her mind. She didn't know what to do. All she hoped for was that Rosette was alive. But her heart shattered when she saw red stains on the ground. She followed the trail of stains, and soon she spotted something ahead.

It was Rosette. I had to be! She found hope at last. She let tears flow from her eyes…but those tears become tears of fear. It was an arm, mostly likely Rosette's arm. It was an arm that was…torn apart from the body…her body. It was one helpless piece of an arm lying across the ground bleeding on the snow. Alayna's body shocked badly…her body so nervous. This couldn't be happening. It can't be. The snow blizzard calmed down, and the white rushing blur became more visible to see.

There it was…almost like déjà vu. Rosette's body was near as she could see the rest of her body parts apart. There were the legs and the other arm all across the ground. Alayna too scared to walk crawled toward to Rosette's head. She ignored the blood on the ground on her and kept crawling. She felt her tears burning of such guilt and terror.

"Rosette…Rosette. Why!" Her voice broke from her shaken body moving closer to Rosette's head. Alayna finally reached her head gingerly, but her fingers were shaking too much. Blood covered most of Rosette's face, and it smeared on her fingers. There was no doubt. Rosette was dead, not only that by painfully jerked apart piece by piece. Rosette's eyes were wide open, but Alayna placed her fingers to close the eyelids. How was she going to tell her parents? How will she face Rosette's family? She was only twelve.

Her senses twitched when she heard footsteps from behind her. She held on to Rosette on her chest, as she slowly turned back. There was nothing or nobody there, and then she turned back. But softly…a finger slightly touched her neck. She felt tingled from the feeling, but didn't look back.

"I am sorry...did you wanted to die too?" The voice was smooth; so cunning. It sounded like a male's, deep and sensitive. Alayna was terrified. She was too cold, covered with tinted frost all over her. She didn't have to energy to runaway now. Then she felt something on her shoulder. A drop of water…no it was a drop of blood. She was going to die.

She knew it was only a matter of time. She was stiff, and her legs frozen with panic. She clutched Rosette tighter, and more blood leaked on. Soon, she screamed. So swift she felt one hand tighten around her throat. She dropped Rosette, using her hands to try to get free from his grasp. Strangely she drifted into unconsciousness.

Did I die? Who was that? What happened to Rosette…?

-…-