Chapter 2: A Glimpse in Past

Hi Prosopiko, today  I went to hunt, alone. I did not told father because he wouldn’t have allowed it and I needed to get my minds off things because I was missing mom. I had to hunt a couple of sparrows which I think will be enough for dad and me. I cooked it into a soup with simple bread for dinner.

Prosopiko was her magical diary and her only friend, she found it in her mother's closet and she had never told anyone about it. She heard her father coming in the house. It was just her and her father in the house all alone. It was a scorching summer this year, unlike any other summer, which meant that the winter was going to be equally harsh and unforgiving. Erica threw her diary under her pillow and went out of her room to greet her father. “Good evening father, how are you?” she asked him.

“I am fine sweet heart, how are you? How was your day?” he asked her as he sat on the broken chair, and took off his shoes. “Oh the usual, nothing special,” Erica shrugged and her father nodded, “it smells delicious, I am absolutely famished” he said and Erica smiled and nodded, “I made sparrow soup with bread, I will set the dinner,” she said and turned towards the kitchen, she poured the soup in two bowls and crumbled up the bread and added it into the bowls as well, she then placed two spoons in the bowls and set the bowls on the small round table. She didn’t have anything else to garnish the soup with. But it still looked absolutely delicious and scrumptious.

Her father arrived after freshening up and they both sat down to eat. “How are things with you in the lessons?” he asked her, “They are okay,” she said and he nodded, “Did something happened?” he asked her. “No, dad, It’s just that, I was worried for my job,” she didn't wanted to tell him that she was missing her mother.

Her dad chuckled, “Always worried about the future, you are a lot like your mother you know that, bless her soul. With you around I feel like she left her very big part with me,” he said and Erica smiled, “I wish I knew more about her,” Erica sighed and her father nodded, “yes, Kiddo, me too,” he said and Erica smiled sadly.

Erica’s mother Jessica died when she was only seven years old, all the memories she had of her mother were like a blurred film, she would replay those memories in her head every night before going to bed.

Her father was a huntsman by profession, and he had taught her daughter a great deal of hunting, Erica didn’t had any friends because everyone in the town would call her a freak because of her father.

When her mother died, her father tried telling everyone that some fantasy, mythical creature killed her. The people of town didn't believed him. Many people said she died when giving birth to Erica some even gossiped and said that Peter drained her blood and killed her as no one in town has ever seen Jessica. But Erica’s father stayed put on his point and he taught her girl to hunt, and be brave. Erica was determined far more than her father to find the truth about her mother’s death.

They finished their dinner and Erica washed the dishes, said good night to her father and went to her room. She opened her diary, hoping to see a response but the pages were empty. ‘that is weird, she responds quickly,’ Erica thought then she lay down and closed her eyes to sleep. 

The next morning Erica woke up at the sound of some one humming in the kitchen and preparing breakfast. She got up and went in the kitchen expecting to see her father, but as she entered the kitchen she saw her mother standing by the stove and preparing some eggs.

“Good morning sleepy head, breakfast is almost ready. Go freshen up now,” Her mother said to her but Erica was frozen in her place, she did not move a muscle as if she moved everything will vanish. Her mother smiled at her, “What is wrong sweet heart? The breakfast is almost ready, go wake up your father as well,” she said and turned her attention back to the eggs, as Erica took a step towards her mother, she heard some rattling sound coming from the door.

“Who is it at this time of the day?” Her mother said and went towards the door, Erica was observing her mother’s every move. She opened the door and a dark fog and smoke entered the house, engulfing her mother, she turned towards Erica with tears streaming down her face, “Run Erica, run sweet heart, save your self and your father,” She said as the smoke was engulfing her whole, in that moment Erica broke out of her trance and rushed towards her mother to help her, “No, mother, come back please, where are you going?” Erica had tears in her eyes as she tried saving her mother, but some thing dragged her with itself and door was shut on Erica’s face, “No mother, mother please, no, come back,” Erica started banging on the door.

“Erica, sweet heart wake up,” Erica’s eyes shot open as she felt her father trying to wake her up from the nightmare, she was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. She hugged her father immediately and tried calming her breathing.

“I am fine, just a bad dream,” she said as she dried the tears and sweat from her face. Her father nodded and passed her a bowl of water, “It is fine, you are safe,” he said and kissed the crown of her head. “I am making breakfast, you fresh up till then,” he said and smiled at her. She smiled back and nodded.

Her father left the room, she got up and freshen herself up, She then looked at her reflection in the broken mirror; she had black hair exactly like her mother, they were healthy and her braid reached her hips almost. She had hooded eyes with big eye lashes, and small lips. Her nose was the prettiest feature on her face. It was long, thin and slender. She was not very tall, nor very short, but she had a smart and fit, well built figure because of all the hunting and horse riding.

Her father; Peter, was not a very old man. He had brown-blondish hairs, a slender nose with big, almond shaped eyes and small lips. He was rather tall and muscular also because of hunting all the time.  

She sighed and turned away from the mirror to pick up her bag; put her whip, arrow and bow in it. She had a leather pouch for carrying water; she usually filled it from the stream. She pulled the diary from under her pillow and opened it. She was stunned as her eyes landed on the pages; she had received an answer but it was the first time that she could not read it because it was not written in the language that she could read.