Winchester (1)

Year 1853

Thea looked around. Her mouth opened slightly. Her eyes stared in astonishment without stopping at one point. A small two-story building with classic architecture stands firmly and majestically in front of her.

The dried trees with scattered brown leaves decorated the front yard of the place. The girl took a hesitant step. Her white dress fluttered in the autumn breeze.

She shivered. Her whole body trembled. Her heart was beating fast. She is alone.

Where is this?

Where is she?

What is this place?

Various questions popped up in her mind. Strange. Although she had never even set foot in this place, she felt the familiarity. This place so familiar, in her memory.

"Thea!"

The little girl turned her head, looking for the source of the voice that had called her earlier. She found two figure she was loving so much.

Father and mother.

They stood side by side facing her. Her father, always have a calm face with his glasses neatly attached, and her mother, with a characteristic warm smile, waved at her.

Thea ran to them, "Father! Mother!" she shouted happily.

Her father stretched out his arms, met Thea in his arms, then lifted his little daughter's body and twirled, before hugged her.

The little girl chuckled, happy in her father's arms.

The mother stroked the girl's long hair. The arms of the father and mother's hand that caressed her were warm and comfortable. Thea smiled as she felt the warmth spread throughout her body.

"Come on in," said her mother, "The night will be getting colder out here."

Her father followed her mother, while continuing to carry their daughter in his arms.

When they got to the door, her father put her down and opened the door for them. With a big smile on her face, Thea stepped into their house. The sound echoed as she walked. Until then, she heard the sound of the door closing and everything went dark.

Thea turned to look for her parents, expecting her father and mother to come over to her and then hug her.

"Father? Mother?" she called.

Fear crept over her. Her voice echoed back in the darkness of the building. But let alone hugs, there was no reply.

"Father! Mother!" This time, Thea yelled louder.

It was so quiet.

No one answered her.

Thea tried to move in the dark. Her hand stretched forward. Her feet began to stumble on the small steps she was passing. She saw a streak of light creeping out through the door.

There!

In his father's study!

Thea jogged. Her fears began to loosen up. The girl pushed the door little by little until it opened wide.

"Father!" she exclaimed, relieved.

Thea narrowed her eyes. She was unable to see clearly.

Too bright.

Too dazzling… and hot!

Thea covered her face. She coughed. Her breath was getting short.

Thea ran away.

The surroundings, which had been pitch black at first, suddenly turned so bright.

"Fa-father ..." the girl pressed her nose firmly, "Mo-mother..."

What happened?

Her vision began to blur. Her eyes were watery. Her clothes were soaked in sweat. Thea could no longer take another steps. Her body was bent over from coughing. It felt as if she had swallowed a lot of wisps of smoke.

Hot!

Father ... Mother ... why is it so hot in here?

Too hot!

"HEYY, YOU!"

Thea gasped.

That rebuke shattered pieces of her memory. Thea felt her body pushed forward. She almost got into the furnace.

"Ugly girl! Don't just daydream! Here do it completely." The boy in knee-length jeans threw a bag of food waste on her body. The contents scattered on her already dirty clothes. They laughed in unison.

Thea didn't move.

"Wow, her clothes are getting dirty, Ben!"

The slightly fat boy pointed at himself without forgetting to show off his yellow teeth.

"Then do I have to wash it?" asked the knee-length jeans's boy.

"You want to?" this time it was the turn of the tall boy behind him to ask.

The knee-length jeans boy shook his head vigorously, "Of course not! Ha ha ha!"

The little crowd almost choked on their laughter the moment someone appeared there.

"What are you doing?!" he exclaimed, angry.

The boy looked at Thea from head to toe. He pushed the knee-length jeans boy. "Go away from here!"

"What do you want, Xander? Want to pretend to be a hero? " the boy pushed him back.

"Then you? Aren't you ashamed to bother girls, loser?"

The tall one clenched his fists. Prepare to silence the distruber.

The boy who had just arrived raised his chin, defiantly. "What do you want? Want to hit me? You want me to report this to Miss Yerez?"

"Tck! The late hero appeared. Let's go!" the knee-length jeans boy pulled the tall kid away. "Just watch out, you fuck us up, Xander! You know what the payoff is!"

The boy didn't care about the threat from the knee-length jeans boy. His chin remains lifted until they are completely gone. Then he turned back to Thea.

"Geez. You're really dirty. " The boy took the remaining lettuce in her hair. He also tried to clean up the remaining trash stuck to her clothes.

"They are so mean!" His face frowned when Thea looked at him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Thea looked away. The kid, Xander, just shrugged his shoulders. He took the long iron in Thea's hand.

"Clean yourself. Let me continue it. "

Thea stayed still in her place.

"Why? You don't want to?" asked Xander. "Come on… go there. Take a bath!" he ordered.

Thea took a slow step.

"Oh yes ... wait a minute," he called.

Thea stopped without turning around.

"My name is Alexander. You can call me Xander," he said with a smile at Thea.

Yes. Thea already knew earlier. Then?

"What is your name?" he continued.

Thea didn't answer. She didn't need to.

Who wants to know the name of a girl with a burn like her?