“ She’s your child, you take care of her.” Screamed her mother. “ That brat isn’t my creation! She’s the product of one of your regular one night stands.”
“ How dare you? Your no better!”
“ So you don’t deny it!”
“ We should just drop her somewhere. She’d die eventually.
A small girl with long black hair and green eyes that were clouded with misery listened to her parents planning. Why? What cause had she given them to hate her? The six year olds skin was marred by bruises from many a fist. Her back was cut to ribbons from where her mother had taken a belt to her. No-one cared.
Her mother stormed up and grabbed her wrist. “ Come on brat.” She was forcefully thrown into the passenger seat of an old car, hard enough to stun her fragile frame. They drove maybe five miles before the battered cadilac stopped by the side of the road. “ Get out. Don’t come back. You’ve been the bane of my life for so long, and now, finally I’m rid of you. A viscous kick was delivered to her side and she fell from the car to the hard road. Tears slid from emerald eyes that had seen too much cruelty in this world.
Kylie awoke in a cold sweat with tears streaming down her face.. Why did the dreams have to start again now? Why did her past come back to haunt her again? Glancing at the clock she saw the illuminated digits 5:39 a.m. She could hardly go around to Eddie for comfort at this hour. Another sleepless night. The other ghostbusters kept saying that she looked tired. Tired didn’t cover it. Exhausted maybe, half dead was almost spot on. She staggered into the kitchen and froze at what she saw. A trail of crimson blood led across the floor to the cowering huddle of a child in the corner. Reaching out to comfort the girl, she withdraws when all that her senses register is cold air. The ghosts face is her own eleven years ago. The childs lips framed words that were no louder than a breath of air to Kylie’s ears, “The end is nigh, for you and I” The child fades to be replaced with an image of her running along a familiar corridor, running away from something. She has her blaster and trap with her, but they remain in their holders. Blood runs down her face to mingle with panic borne tears. The woman reaches out to push it away. A voice deep in her mind says “ You cannot prevent destiny.” The picture fades even as the room temperature appears to plummet. Shuddering she grabs some clothes and goes out of the door. Heading for the firehouse.
The graveyard shift was going well. Both Roland and Garrett are soundly asleep. Neither of them hear the door open and close or soft footfalls heading towards the kitchen. Kylie smiles gently at the way Garrett appears to be hugging his basketball. The smile broadens when Roland mumbles something about passing him a wrench. Getting herself a hot chocolate she settles on the couch with a book and waits for the day to begin.
The phone ringing shrilly awakens Eduardo from another delicious dream. Groggily he lifts the receiver. “ What?”
“ ‘Morning Edwina. Your the last one up sleeping beauty. Get over here, now!” With a satisfied sigh Garrett replaces the receiver and turns to face the room. “ Uhhhh. How much sleep did ya get last night vampira?”
“ Enough.”
“ Ky, we are kinda worried about you.” Janine says in her best soothing mother hen voice. “ There’s nothing to worry about, I swear!”
“ Well, why is it your always up before everyone else when normally your as bad as Eduardo?”
“ Just restless I guess.” She looks over Roland’s shoulder at the door to see Eddie walk in. “Why d’ya wake me up?”
“ Yell at your girlfriend!” He strolls up and enfolds Kylie in his arms. “ Why?”
“ Lets see now. How about because she never sleeps!”
“ Do I have to repeat myself? I’m just restless.” Garrett snorts and turns his back. Okay so maybe them being in love is sweet, and they do make a good couple, but they don’t have to know that. All he has to do is look and it’s Soooo obvious that their in love. Always touching, talking in low voices, hyper protective... Yuck! Even now the two of them are hugging tight. Wrapped in each others arms.
“ Ghostbusters, you gotta call. A neighbour is complaining of shouting and children crying in a house that's been derelict for almost a decade. Here’s the address.” Roland takes the piece of paper and frowns at it. “ Does anyone know where 49 Arano street is?”
“ No.”
“ Never heard of it. You know where it is Kylie?” Eddie looked around and noticed that she looked completely terrified. Her face was as white as a sheet, her eyes were wide and filled with fear and... pain? “ You okay?” He puts a comforting arm around her shoulder and looks at her face. “ I-I’ll be fine. Yeah, I know where it is.”
“ How? It must be hidden away in the suburbs somewhere.”
“ I lived there for the first six years of my life.”
To Be Continued...The Beginning:-